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Friday, February 19, 2010

SCHMID - LOOKING BACK FROM THE LEFT COAST: FEBRUARY 19, 2010

The Economist magazine warned Democrats of The Quirks of ND.  It noted that while ND has only 0.2% of America’s population, it still gets two senators.  The Economist concluded, “Senate machinations in this remote state count just as much as those in California or New York.”  Expect out-of-state campaign money to pour into the ND 2010 U.S. Senate race. 


Since 2008 the James River Correctional Center in Jamestown has hired around half of its new staff from out of state.  A Jamestown Sun article explains this was necessary in view of ND’s four percent unemployment rate.  The Sun employed an unusual slant to describe the backgrounds of three new JRCC hires: Shane came from a neighborhood of violent crime in Ohio, Monica came from crime-ridden Sacramento where she worried about her son playing outside, and Lennell came from Detroit where being robbed at gunpoint was part of his job.  It’s unclear why the Sun emphasized crime rather than unemployment to explain the relocations.  In any case, the three have come to like ND, although they initially found it cold -- the Californian said that early on “I froze up, I was just like a Popsicle.”


Talk about a “wolf at the door.”  The town of Minnewaukan (300) is located ever closer to the Devils Lake shoreline.  Right now the lake is at 1,450 feet, but is expected to reach 1,452 this summer.  Minnewaukan is about 1,454 feet.  The mayor wonders if the town has a future -- up to 36 homes are considering flood insurance buyouts.


Sarah Palin inspires amusement in some, fear and loathing in others.  Michele Bachmann, a U.S. Rep. from Minnesota, has some of the same effect.  Bachmann spoke at a Bismarck rally and the Fargo Forum reacted as if the state were under assault.  The Forum said her notions “could cause her to be mistaken for a mad hatter,” and said it saw something even more deeply threatening: “Her agenda would return North Dakota to a marginal economic outpost.”  It was a little unclear how the Forum arrived at that conclusion, but Bachmann’s opposition to the 2008 farm bill was probably high on the list.


"My dad was a Midget and I was a Midget -- and we'll always be Midgets."  -- Tribune Editor John Irby attributed the quote to a rather large man defending the Dickinson H.S. nickname.  Irby’s column was about tolerance and the Midget name is getting a grilling, some consider it offensive.  The name Midgets must strike fear in the hearts of Dickinson opponents.


“Virgil started out a farmer and in his heart always remained a farmer.” -- Part of the testimonial for Virgil Jaeger (74) of Washburn who died in February.  The obituary said Virgil often referred to himself as the Valedictorian and “class dunce” of Berwick High School -- that was his way of saying he was the only graduate in his class.  You know about “one room” prairie elementary schools, but you may not have realized ND had equally small high schools.


Fred Hall (88), who also died in February, had a lifetime interest in aircraft.  After high school he was trained at the Lincoln, Nebraska, Aeronautical Institute.  Hall was a navigator over Germany in WWII, staying in the Air Force to be trained as a B-29 pilot.  Afterwards, he flew his own plane in ND for much of his life.  What occupation did Hall choose after the military?  He became a rural mail carrier in the Chaseley area where he grew up (it’s near the center of the state) .  We wish we knew more about that career decision.


Engelbert Ternes (81) seems every bit a true Nodak.  “Bert” grew up on a family farm near Shields “where he learned the value of an honest day’s work.”  His obituary says he saved enough money while in the Army to buy a new 1953 Ford and marry ”Sweetie Face.”  He and Sweetie Face had nine children and were proud to provide them Catholic educations.  Bert was a collector, could not go past an auction, and had numerous hobbies, including sausage making.  He couldn’t read music, but enjoyed playing the accordion and piano.  Red, white and blue hats and boots were Bert’s trademark -- cowboy boots on Sunday.  Bert died in February and joined brothers Ambrose, Lenus and Ray.  He had one last request -- don’t send plants.


Hazelton (240) is a declining farm town about 50 miles southeast of Bismarck.  Five years ago the town decided to reinvigorate itself, so they offered free lots and up to $20,000 cash to families who would build a house in Hazelton.  Jeanette and Michael Tristani of Florida were the only ones to accept the offer.  The experiment seems to have failed completely -- the Tristanis have their house for sale and are trying to leave town.  The Tristanis may not have been the best fit -- Michael arrived in a Lexus wearing gold chains and a Rolex.  He said, “People thought I was a drug dealer.”  The bistro and coffee shop they opened lasted only a short time.  Newspapers across the country carried the AP story about the Tristani experience.


Tribune columnist Ken Rogers once wrote: “Living the good life in North Dakota does not come from a bank balance . . . it comes from being in this place with family and community, and sharing life here.”  He may have been on to something.  A Gallup Poll has found that ND adults lead the nation in satisfaction with their standard of living.  Neighbors South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska also landed in the top ten.


A Forum editorial noted Fargo-Moorhead needs services for new Americans.  This is no small challenge, the Forum indicated F-M has 16,000 new Americans from more than 40 nations.  Self-sufficiency is a major issue among the immigrants many of whom have not learned English.   Lutheran Social Services has had the leading role in settling refugees in F-M.  At some point, their programs deserve a thorough independent appraisal.  They are an unelected sectarian organization.  Have they reduced the need for social services, or have they substantially increased need?


A startling statistic from South Dakota -- 78,000 residents require emergency food help each year -- that’s about ten percent of the population.  Almost 60 percent of the families needing aid were tribal members and 36 percent of them were under 18.  American Indians are about eight percent of SD’s population.

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