March 20th, 2022
To the editor,
In 2018, I became the first Native Democratic woman elected to the North Dakota State Legislature. I proudly serve my district and advocate for my community. COVID-19 made headlines when it ravaged the Native community, as have many health and wellness issues throughout my life and career.
There’s one health inequity Native populations face that isn’t making headlines anymore - HIV/AIDS.
The U.S. HIV epidemic has become more concentrated in marginalized and…
March 20th, 2021
To the editor,
Five years ago, I nearly lost my life to leukemia because I couldn’t afford my medication. Even though my doctors warned me the cancer would return if I didn’t take the medicine, I did not fill my prescription because I couldn’t afford the $2,400 a month co-pay. Luckily, I found the same medicine at a more affordable cost of $680 a month through a Canadian pharmacy.
My story is shockingly common. Surveys have found that one in three adults did not take a medication as…
February 15th, 2021
To the editor,
As coronavirus vaccines continue to roll out in North Dakota, people without Internet access are asking where they can get vaccination information and how they get signed up for the vaccine.
Getting information to people without online access is critical so they can also get in line until such time when supply of the vaccine meets demand.
Those who don’t have access to a computer should first contact their health care provider. If you don’t have a provider, call the N.D.…
February 11th, 2021
To the Editor:
AARP North Dakota strongly opposes a bill in the N.D. Legislature that grants nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other long-term care (LTC) facilities immunity related to COVID-19.
House Bill 1175 strips away the rights of residents and their families to seek legal redress and hold facilities accountable when residents are harmed, neglected, or abused.
In North Dakota, about 10,000 people live in these facilities. More than 840 COVID-related deaths (approximately…
May 24th, 2020
Nyamal Dei, Board Member
The North Dakota Human Rights Coalition
(701) 318-5167
Friday, May 22, 2020
Dear Editor,
An unfortunate situation arose this past week when a news story developed around COVID-19 cases in Fargo-area nursing homes and noted that past federal inspections indicated there were failures to sufficiently address infection control procedures at these facilities.
Comments to Valley News Live from North Dakota Long Term Care President Shelly Peterson gave a false…
December 23rd, 2019
To the editor:
The holiday season is one of the very best times of the year to energize your spirit of generosity, thanksgiving and giving back. For the countless nonprofits serving our community, it is also a critical time of year for their financial stability.
The phrase “any amount will help” is certainly used a great deal throughout the year, but when it comes to gifts during the holiday season, it is so unbelievably true.
According to a new study from the Lilly School of…
May 22nd, 2019
On Tuesday, May 21, the Grand Forks Herald published a story about the search for a new CEO for the Grand Forks United Way. That story quoted Phyllis Johnson, United Way’s interim CEO and current board chair to the effect that someone from either coast or from a city would be a poor choice as the agency’s new leader.
The Johnson quotation the Herald published argued that “people who come from one coast or another, or some distance, its harder for them to kind of settle into…
May 22nd, 2019
To the editor:
Summer will be here soon and when the temperatures rise outside, so do the number of travelers on our state’s roadways. The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) wants everyone to enjoy the few precious warm months we North Dakotan’s love, but to do so in a way that allows everyone to arrive at their destination safely. NDDOT is asking every driver and vehicle occupant to help meet the Vision Zero goal of zero motor vehicle fatalities and serious injuries…
April 3rd, 2019
The North Dakota Student Association (NDSA) is a student-funded and student-led advocacy organization representing North Dakota’s 45,000 public college and university students. We have been very active this legislative session promoting the voice of students in state policymaking, and one major focus of ours has been lessening the financial burden of college.
Perhaps one of the best ways you can make college more affordable for students is by supporting the Challenge Fund Grant…
March 20th, 2019
To the editor:
Senate Bill 2044 was introduced in the North Dakota Senate in January, sponsored by Senator Janne Myrdal (R-10), from Edinburg, outlining criminal punishments regarding “interfering”, “impeding”, or “inhibiting” (to name just a few of the many descriptive words) critical infrastructure.
At face value this bill seems reasonable and sound. It seems the intention of this bill is to keep the people of North Dakota safe and their services protected. Unfortunately,…
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