Three groups have been cheering the appointment of Debra Haaland as President Biden’s Secretary of Interior. WOMEN. Although 21st century presidents have done better, over the years, probably only about 10 percent of all Cabinet secretaries have been women — I think I read somewhere the total is about 30 since we became a country — so when a woman gets …
The University of North Dakota’s No. 2 ranking didn’t seem to impress No. 4 North Dakota State University on Saturday in Gate City Bank Field in the FargoDome as the Bison defeated the Fighting Hawks 34-13 in Missouri Valley Football Conference play. The Bison (5-1 overall, 4-1 MVFC) won its 32nd straight home game in handing the Fighting Hawks (4-1 overall, 4-1 …
Nicholas Christakis’ “Apollo’s Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live“ is an outstanding book. I agree with the eminent historian of ideas Niall Ferguson, who called it “magisterial” in his review in the Times Literary Supplement. I could not recommend it more highly. It’s not only the most readable of the books published on …
Spring weather came to North Dakota early this year, the fifth-driest winter here on record. The sky has been filled with migrating Canada Geese, and some crazy fishermen have already had their boats on the nearby Missouri River, even though there is still ice on the banks. My first birding excursion of the year took place earlier this week with …
From time to time, I see Facebook friends who I know to be decent people post things about “cancel culture,” decrying what they see as an “attack” because someone found something offensive. It always makes me sad because I believe that a lot of this “forced” divide in our nation could be addressed if we opened our minds, heard the …
“Technically.” That’s all the Republicans were shooting for with HB 1298. As in, “No transgender girls are playing high school sports in North Dakota, but technically they can’t if we pass a law.” But there are big loopholes that won’t please the anti-transgender zealots. I especially worry about how Sen. David Clemens, R-West Fargo, is going to take it when …
A year into the modern pandemic era, it seems reasonable to ask, what have we learned? And what should we have learned? I found answers to those questions in a wide-ranging interview with Nicholas Christakis, the author of “Apollo’s Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live.” Christakis is the Sterling Professor of Social and …
There are a couple of new developments in the ongoing saga of the proposed Little Missouri River Crossing north of Medora, N.D. I’ve written about this extensively, most recently in December. Here’s what’s going on right now: There’s a new look to the Billings County Commission. Longtime Commission Chairman Jim Arthaud, the driving force behind the bridge proposal, was defeated …
In the end, the vote this past week to kick Luke Simons out of the North Dakota Legislature wasn’t about Luke Simons at all. It was about Chet Pollert showing Ricky Becker who’s in charge. Pollert’s the Majority Leader in the North Dakota House of Representatives. He introduced the resolution to kick one of his own caucus members out of …
This is a story about a REALLY GOOD FRIEND and a REALLY GOOD WIFE. It started about a year ago when my friend, Mike Jacobs, offered to place a bet on the 2020 June North Dakota primary election. It seems he had made a bet on a candidate in a contested primary race but was having second thoughts, so he …
The latest on House Bill 1298: In a 65-26 vote, representatives voted to ban transgender girls from high school sports and flash their bona fides because their “convictions” — Rep. Scott Louser’s word* — tell Republicans that the current number of zero transgender girls on a girls athletic team is still too many to bear. The North Dakota Republican Party is acting …
The University of North Dakota women’s volleyball team dropped a three-set Summit League match to the University of Denver on Saturday in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The Fighting Hawks (2-10 overall, 2-8 Summit) fell 20-25, 22-25, 21-25 to the Pioneers (9-1 overall, 9-1 Summit), one of the top teams in the Summit. Lexi Ahres paced the Hawks with nine kills and …
The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team was handed only its second home loss in 28 games, falling 3-2 in overtime to the University of Nebraska-Omaha in National Collegiate Hockey Conference play Friday night in Ralph Engelstad Arena. The loss spoiled Senior Night for eight UND players. The Fighting Hawks (18-5-1) battled back from a 2-0 deficit on goals …
I’ve been away. It’s been nearly two months since I took a punch to the gut, the likes of which I have never experienced. I lost a brother in the COVID pandemic. He was younger, just 66. Unknown to his family or friends, he suffered from severe depression, which engulfed him during the isolation of the last year, taking him …
March 1 signals the start of meteorological spring. One day, it might be record-breaking warmth; the next, a storm or blizzard strikes. Well this year, the former has been case, as unseasonably high temperatures in the Red River Valley of the North have been setting records. These Canada geese, as captured by Grand Forks photographer Michael Bogert, may or may not …
The University of North Dakota football team picked up its third straight Missouri Valley Conference win, a 21-10 decision over the University of South Dakota on Thursday afternoon in the Alerus Center. The No. 4-ranked Fighting Hawks (3-0, overall, 3-0 MVC) once again were led by running back Otis Weah, who rushed for two touchdowns and 163 yards. Quarterback Tommy …
We live in head-shaking times. In a congressional hearing Feb. 25, acting U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman reported that heightened security around the Capitol will continue at least through President Biden’s upcoming State of the Union appearance, the date for which has not been set in part to prevent domestic terrorists from being able to prepare a coordinated attack …
The faux rage about “canceling” Dr. Seuss because the corporation that preserves his legacy removed a small handful of his countless books because of content that clearly is not appropriate and is hurtful in 2021 is so off point. Much of what Theodor Geisel wrote was lovely or fun. That is not going anywhere. It is the process of separating …
This year, as my Lenten Discipline, I decided to devote 30 minutes a day to deep and intentional anti-racism reading and reflection. I selected a few books that have been on my “meaning to read” list and put them next to my recliner. Every evening after dinner, if I have time before a meeting, or before bed if I don’t, …
Fort Collins, Colo., photographer Jeff Olson took advantage of some nice weather this past weekend and visited nearby Rocky Mountain National Park, where he encountered some wildlife as well some stunning sights.
Nothing is better on a cold winter day than a big bowl of stew. And while most people think of beef at the mention of stew, chicken is a great substitute for those looking to cut back a little on their red meat consumption. The following recipe, which I came up with after contemplating what to do with leftovers from …
The University of North Dakota football team knocked off its second nationally ranked team in two weeks with a 28-17 win over No. 3 South Dakota State University on Saturday afternoon in the Alerus Center in Missouri Valley Conference play. Last week, the Fighting Hawks (2-0 overall, 2-0 MVFC) defeated No. 24-ranked Southern Illinois University in its first-ever MVFC contest. The …
For only the third time in history, there are a record six living presidents in the United States, including the current White House occupant Joseph R. Biden Jr., along with Barack Obama, who he served as vice president. The list also includes George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and now Donald J. Trump. All went into the White House …
“He makes hitting a ball look so easy.” “Her golf stroke seems effortless.” Is it just natural ability or are there other forces at work that separate successful athletes from others? It depends on the level of competition. In youth sports, natural ability alone can play a huge role. But to successfully compete with or against someone who has already …
The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team claimed its second straight National Collegiate Hockey Conference championship Saturday night in Ralph Engelstad Arena, defeating the University of Nebraska-Omaha 7-1. The Fighting Hawks (17-4-1) received two goals from Collin Adams and single tallies from Brendan Budy, Tyler Kleven, Jordan Kawaguchi, Jasper Weather and Shane Pinto in securing the Penrose Cup for …
The University of North Dakota football team’s first Missouri Valley Football Conference game was one to remember as the Fighting Hawks (1-0 overall, 1-0 MVFC) defeated No. 24-ranked Southern Illinois University 44-21 Saturday afternoon in the Alerus Center. Quarterback Tommy Schuster, in his first career start, threw three touchdown passes while completing 15 of his 25 passes for 118 yards. Brett …
The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team inched closer to capturing the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s Penrose Cup with a 4-1 win over the University of Nebraska-Omaha on Friday night in Ralph Engelstad Arena. Jacob Bernard-Docker, Jasper Weatherby, Tyler Kleven and Jackson Keane scored for the Fighting Hawks (16-4-1), who need only one more win — or a St. …
To put it in a nutshell. No Gutenberg, no Luther. No Luther, no Reformation. At one point, Luther (1483-1546) was publishing a book (more like a pamphlet) every three or four weeks. The advent of moveable type and the printing press (ca. 1440) made it possible for an obscure monk’s critique of late medieval Catholicism to travel all over Europe. The …
Ash Wednesday is tomorrow, which is a time when many faithful Christians begin the process of their Lenten Discipline, or what is often referred to as “giving up something for Lent.” This year, though, I suspect I am not alone in my reaction to the thought of “giving up” something after a year of giving up a whole lot of …
The University of North Dakota men’s basketball team, paced Bentiu Panoam’s 22 points, completed its weekend sweep of the University of South Dakota with a 85-81 Summit League victory Sunday afternoon in Betty Engelstad Sioux. Panoam led the Fighting Hawks (8-15 overall, 7-7 Summit) to the Saturday win with 24 points. Also scoring in double figures Sunday for UND were Filip …
The University of North Dakota women’s basketball team lost its final home game of the 2020-21 season, a 64-47 Summit League decision to the University of South Dakota on Sunday in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The Fighting Hawks (2-17 overall, 2-11 Summit) were led by Jaclyn Jarnot and Juliet Gordon, who each scored eight points. The Coyotes (12-5 overall, 8-2 …
Jasper Weatherby scored two goals and added an assist to lead the University of North Dakota men’s hockey team to a 5-2 National Collegiate Hockey Conference victory over the University of Denver on Saturday night in Ralph Engelstad Arena. The Fighting Hawks (15-4-1) solidified their hold on first place in the NCHC with 44 points, four ahead of St. Cloud State …
The University of North Dakota men’s hockey team moved another step closer to clinching the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s Penrose Cup with a 3-0 victory over the University of Denver on Friday night in Ralph Engelstad Arena. The Fighting Hawks (14-4-1) reclaimed first place in the NCHC with 41 points, ahead of Minnesota-Duluth (39) and St. Cloud State (37), which …
As 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic ravaged Americans’ health and economy, distrust of our election system infested the bloodstream of U.S. democracy. The result is a nation with voter flu, even leading to a feverish mob physically attacking Congress in session, enraged about imagined ballot fraud and a stolen presidential election. My own service as a foot soldier in the 2020 election …
The crooked Little Missouri River is in my bloodstream, deeply embedded in my psyche. I grew up working and playing on its banks in Slope County, North Dakota, and have canoed and kayaked almost every North Dakota mile of the river countless times, and frequently written about my explorations on my blog. My favorite stretches of the river are in …
On a very foggy and frosty morning Grand Forks photographer Dave Bruner found this old relic of a threshing machine (Advance Rumely) covered in heavy frost.
The holidays just past made me reflect on the digital revolution. It’s hard for us to see it whole because we find ourselves in the heart of that revolution, but I believe those historians are right who say this one will be more disruptive, significant and impactful than even the Gutenberg Revolution of 1436-1455. Our COVID Odyssey It started on …
No matter what you call them — a convocation, a congregation or an aerie — a tree full bald eagles is quite a sight to see, as these images from Fort Collins, Colo., photographer Jeff Olson can attest.
Today is Groundhog Day, the day when Punxsutawney Phil comes out of his burrow to see if he sees his shadow to determine whether there are six more weeks of winter. Today also feels like Groundhog Day, as portrayed in the 1993 comedy classic starring Bill Murray. The premise of “Groundhog Day” is that a TV weatherman finds himself reliving …
We already know the Trumpublicans are dumbfounded that Joe Biden shot right out of the gate with executive orders that were sure to cause them wicked spleen jimmies. How dare he? The Patriots were genuinely sincere about bipartisan cooperation — as long as the Great White stays at sea — but how can they now after getting dunked on by Biden? Sen. …
The University of North Dakota men’s basketball team edged Western Illinois University 83-81 on Friday night in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center after trailing by 19 points earlier in the game. The Fighting Hawks (5-13 overall, 4-5 Summit) were led by Filip Rebraca, who scored 25 points. Bentiu Panoam chipped in 14 points and Caleb Nero added 12 points. The Leathernecks (2-12 …
The University of North Dakota women’s basketball team won its first game of the season, a 79-57 Summit League victory over Western Illinois University on Friday night in Betty Engelstad Sioux Center. The Fighting Hawks (1-13 overall, 1-7 Summit) were led by Julie Fleecs, who had 19 points and 11 rebounds. Megan Zander added 16 points and Jacyly Jarnot had …
The time has come for us to reconsider the U.S. Senate. It is easy enough to understand how the Senate wound up in 1787 with two senators per state irrespective of size and population, but how can it be just and democratic now when Wyoming has about half a million people and California 40 million and they both have the …
If you are on social media anywhere these days, it is impossible to miss. A photo of a single man, his face covered by a mask, but still clearly glowering underneath, sitting in a fold-up chair, bundled up in a warm coat and wearing glorious mittens, photoshopped into a myriad of odd locations. The Bernie meme. This picture of Vermont …