Dakota Beacon

Creighton University says economic recovery in the Midwest and N. Plains may be slower than expected, although ND appears to have been spared a recession.  However, not everyone in ND is unaffected.  BOBCAT has announced the closing of its Bismarck plant where 475 jobs will be lost.  The Bobcat plant in Gwinner may acquire 390 of those jobs.  Gwinner is the original home of Melroe Mfg., Bobcat’s predecessor.  Bobcat President Rich Goldsbury said, “We live in difficult and unprecedented times.  Our customers are hurting as the construction industry in North America is at a standstill.”

As a result of Bobcat’s closing in Bismarck, another shoe may drop.  Bobcat was the reason the City of Bismarck spent $15 million and went out on a limb to build the NORTHERN PLAINS COMMERCE CENTRE, a facility where freight is consolidated and transferred between carriers.  Bobcat is the principal user.  It was hoped Bobcat would provide core support for the facility, while other lines of business developed.  Other business has not become significant.

CLOUD SEEDING PAYS IN A BIG WAY—at least that is the conclusion of two NDSU economists who have studied the practice in six western ND counties.  They claim the program returns $20 for each dollar spent, increasing the value of crops from $5 to $8 per planted acre.  The benefits are increased rainfall and reduced hail.  Not so fast, say some meteorological groups, there are major uncertainties, including lack of substantial scientific evidence and concerns about unintended consequences, such as downwind effects.

Manitoba Premier Gary Doer is not a good friend of ND.  He is thought to have politicized issues such as water and trade to boost his popularity at home.  Doer has been nominated Canadian ambassador to the U.S.  Will he be more even-handed in the new position?  Tom Dennis of the GF Herald says at least one Canadian doesn’t expect it.  A Winnipeg Sun reader made the following posting: “Now, he can straighten out that PESKY GOVERNOR OF NORTH DAKOTA who illegally diverted the Garrison river into the Red.”  The facts are a little jumbled, but you get the point.

The Metis people are the descendants of American Indians who married Europeans, mainly French.  Most Metis (may-TEE’) live in Canada, although many live in the northern Red River Valley of ND and Minnesota.  In late August, the FIRST INTERNATIONAL METISFEST was held at the Peace Garden on the U.S.-Canada border.  The Metis influence explains the many French names in places such as the Turtle Mt. Reservation and the Pembina area.

It’s a familiar story: a ND farmer collects tractors most of his life and, in later life, must dispose of his collection.  Ed Dobrinski of Makoti has reached 90 and his COLLECTION OF 66 TRACTORS extends for one-third of a mile.  His less than pristine collection includes both current makes and forgotten names: Minneapolis Moline, John Deere, Case, Massey Harris, Ford, Co-op, Oliver, Cockshutt, McCormick, and Allis Chalmers.  Dobrinski will auction his tractors on Sept. 30.

Allis Chalmers was never big in ND, but the orange tractors still have loyalists in the state.  Twenty-seven antique ACs left Oakes, ND, chugging for three days before arriving at the “GATHERING OF THE ORANGE” in Madison, SD.  A squad of five joined them as they sped through Watertown, SD.  Two such events are held nationwide each year.

Warroad, Minn., is near the Canadian border and about 100 miles from Grand Forks.  The town is known for at least two things: hockey and Marvin Windows and Doors.  Chairman Bill Marvin was a joy to work for—literally—in 2005, the GF Herald reported that “EMPLOYEES ERUPTED WITH SPONTANEOUS JOY” when the company awarded bonuses which averaged $14,000 per employee.  In addition to generous employee benefits, Bill Marvin and his wife also endowed college scholarships for all Warroad high school students.  A Marvin plant in Grafton has about 500 employees.  Bill Marvin died August 31 at age 92.

Last year, an Air Force truck carrying an IBM booster rocket overturned southwest of Minot.  It took over a week for a recovery costing $5.6 million—ND’s most expensive traffic incident ever.  The accident followed a series of mishaps that damaged the reputation of the Minot AFB.  THEY’VE DONE IT AGAIN.  A semitrailer carrying missile parts from MAFB overturned recently on a gravel road in the same general area.  The military and police guarded the truck—the removal process was expected to take a week.

Financial tips are rare here, so pay attention: Don’t invest in radio personality “Wild” Bill Palanuk.  Wild Bill persuaded investors and creditors to back his scheme to form RADIO STATION WILD 105.7 IN DICKINSON.  The station never was unprofitable, in fact, it never was.  Doing business as Western Edge Media, Wild Bill plunged into bankruptcy before plugging in the station.  The words “Wild” and “Western Edge” took on new meaning for his investors. 

DAKTOIDS: For the past century, UND was the largest university in ND.  That is no longer so, with nearly 14,000 students, NDSU is quickly extending its lead over UND (12,500) . . . Here’s a progression of July unemployment rates: 1.6% in Slope County (small, with lots of oil), 3.9% for ND (lowest in the nation), 9.7% for the nation, and 15.6% for Michigan (highest in the nation) . . . If you are ready to go straight, start on Highway 46 at Gackle and proceed 123 miles east to I-29.  Roadsideamerica.com reports it is the straightest road in America.