Dakota Beacon

Rugby is the center of North America.  That brings some disadvantages you won't hear from the ND Tourist Bureau.  Daryl Ritchison, Forum companies meteorologist, says the state's location in the center of the continent brings "one of the harshest climates in the United States.  The farther from an ocean the more extreme the weather.  We live in the land of extremes."  Richardson said a mild ND winter would classify as the worst weather ever in much of the U.S. 

The U.S. Dept. of Education is hard at working developing new and imaginative ways to use your money better than you.  Life on South Dakota’s nine Indian reservations is shattered by poverty, alcoholism and violence.  To combat those problems, 14 Indian students at the Sitting Bull College in ND and 16 students at the U. of SD will receive $2,000 a month for two years to learn the dying Lakota language.  The program is seen as a way to motivate Indian students to get degrees.  SD’s Indian population is growing at three times the rate of the regular population.

Edward Lotterman’s Bismarck Tribune column is not especially political -- he interprets current events in mainstream economic terms.  His logic is not always popular and his views on farm subsidies are sure to ruffle feathers in ND.  His view: farm subsidies are costly, but “they do little for anyone.”  Lotterman believes subsidies pose a special challenge for Republicans who advocate smaller government and lower taxes.  The St. Paul economist says it is increasingly hard to defend subsidies with slogans such as “national security” and “saving the family farm.”  ND is seventh in national farm subsidy rankings, but is close to the top on a per capita basis.

Tribune political columnist Rebecca Beitsch writes: “Earmarks, pork barrel spending, Christmas tree bills, pet projects. All have found  their way to North Dakota.”   ND is second only to Hawaii in the amount of earmarks per person.  So it’s no wonder that both Sen. Kent Conrad and Sen.-elect John Hoeven are reluctant to let go of earmarks.  Too risky.  Both profess a problem with the current system, but favor only vague measures for reform.

Earl Pomeroy is going out in style as the undisputed 2010 earmark leader in the U.S. House.  Over in the Senate, Byron Dorgan did his bit with 79 earmarks passed or pending in 2010.  

In liberal San Francisco, Nancy Pelosi is queen -- in the red states she is the byword for ultra-liberal politics.  A Forum editorial blames her for nearly every race where veteran Democratic congressmen were tossed out and says ND Rep. Earl Pomeroy “was one of them.”  A Forum editorial claims Pomeroy urged Pelosi to step aside and says house Democrats made a big mistake to re-elect her as leader. 

Herald Editor Mike Jacobs writes, “For more than a decade, U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan has been the biggest impediment to designating wilderness in the Badlands.”  Jacobs is hopeful that Sen.-elect John Hoeven will be more friendly.  Jacobs says ND has less public land than other western states and the last areas that might qualify as wilderness under federal law are threatened by oil development and road building.

They hate their jobs and can’t wait to retire or win the lottery -- the sentiment of many Americans.  That attitude is less common in ND, where many try to stay on the job as long as possible.  Sharon Willhelm (65) of Minot has worked as a restaurant server since she was 21.  She enjoys her work at the Sevens Bar & Restaurant so much, she hopes to continue as long as she is able.  “I have no interest in working anywhere else . . . If I could, I’d work seven days a week.”  The Minot Daily News pictures the dignified, well-dressed Wilhelm in the elaborately decorated fine dining area of the restaurant.

All three were named Norman -- from 1917 until 1969 a member of the Black family was always publisher of the Fargo Forum.  That changed in 1969 when Bill Marcil, who married Jane Black, became publisher.  Marcil is retiring now after over 40 years as publisher -- he will remain chairman of Forum Communications which owns 9 daily newspapers and 20 community newspapers in ND and surrounding states.  Radio and TV stations and other businesses are also in the mix.  Marcil was responsible for a steady, but cautious expansion of the Forum companies.  In 1995 he sewed up I-94 by acquiring the Jamestown Sun and Dickinson Press; in 2006 he went north picking up the GF Herald and Duluth News Tribune.

The Forum papers in ND profiled 16 people over 80 (many over 90) who continue to make a difference by volunteering in schools, hospitals and service clubs.  Jim Rathert (101) of Forman was one -- he remains active by working at the Sargent County Museum which keeps his collection (the state's largest) of significant antique autos and tractors.  The museum modestly calls itself the “Best Kept Secret in Southeastern North Dakota.”  The 25,000 square foot museum is planning to add 12,000 more square feet, but with characteristic ND caution states, “We will not break ground until we have the money in the bank.”

Football playoff games come and go all over the country, but the average fan is unaware of the “behind the scenes” logistics and financial arrangements.  In late November, the Fargodome hosted its first ever playoff game, a contest in which NDSU beat Robert Morris 43-17.  NDSU made a bid to host the playoff game -- a bid not linked to the school being a participating team.  The NCAA received 75 percent of the net income from the game with NDSU getting the remainder.  Game expenses, deducted in determining net income, include esoteric necessities, such as “Press box food: $1,000.”  The NCAA paid the travel expenses of the visiting team and had all broadcast rights.  The Football Championship Subdivision level where NDSU competes has 134 teams -- NDSU is No. 10 among them in average attendance.

Bison like cold weather and snow.  But the NDSU Bison lost that trait by staying too long in their snug Fargodome.  They are trying to recover their mojo -- in early December the Bison prepared for a playoff game with Montana State at Bozeman by practicing in cold and snow.

“They’re messing with a real fighting Sioux.”  With those words, members of the Spirit Lake Sioux launched a campaign to get the NCAA to “re-examine” the deadline for retiring the UND Fighting Sioux nickname.  The Spirit Lake members said “the vast majority of all people across our state feel great pride and honor” in UND’s use of the Fighting Sioux name and logo.  An indifferent member of the State Board of Higher Education said, “I do think it is a moot issue.” 

Linda Brown vs. Linda Brown.  One Linda Brown started a controversy in Jamestown with a letter urging residents to take their shopping to Fargo.  Another Linda Brown began her letter, “I write in response to Linda Brown’s (not me) Nov. 13 letter about shopping out of town.”  The second Linda urged Jamestown residents to use or lose local shopping.