SCHMID: LOOKING BACK FROM THE LEFT COAST - DECEMBER 13, 2013
Why would he do a thing like that? Craig Bohl, coach of the undefeated NDSU football team, will move to the University of Wyoming where his salary is estimated to be in excess of $1.2 million. That will probably make him the most highly compensated public employee in Wyoming. He earned $350,000 at NDSU.
Fargo and Grand Forks both have universities that are sizeable in relation to the city. The schools and their students are important economic multipliers, that is, they create significant direct and indirect spending. Consequently, the cities are loath to see enrollment declines and are apprehensive about stricter admission standards. Minnesota State in Moorhead had enrollment declines after enforcing tougher admission standards. Officials in GF and Fargo should listen to the advice of Edna Szymanski, MSUM’s outgoing president, who said, “No one gains when a student leaves with debt and no degree. I believe it is important to help students start their education where they are most likely to succeed.” For some UND and NDSU students that may mean a smaller state university or community college.
“Demoralized and decimated.” -- An English professor at Minnesota State in Moorhead described the faculty mood as administrators cut and eliminated academic departments to reduce a $5 million deficit. Another faculty member described “a fear culture.” Enrollment has been declining. Across the river in ND, college budgets and enrollment are up.
Controversy over the UND Fighting Sioux nickname and logo still lingers. Leaders of the Standing Rock Sioux refused to allow tribal members to vote on the issue, unlike the Spirit Lake Reservation where tribal members gave the Fighting Sioux a hearty thumbs up. What did the Standing Rock leaders accomplish? A letter to the GF Herald alleged that needs of the tribe “were pushed aside in favor of political grandstanding by tribal leadership.” The letter continued, “It’s an extremely sad situation. The quality of life for the tribal members and the economic climate on the reservation continue as they were before, during and after the logo issue: abysmal with little chance of change.”
Lloyd Omdahl’s column this week was about problems on ND Indian reservations, especially problems with education. He was skeptical whether current committees and panels would change the situation and believes greater funding is needed. Omdahl said, “Anyone who believes that problems on Indian reservations can be solved without money must also believe the moon is made of cheese.” Omdahl probably knew, but did not mention, that per student funding in ND’s reservation schools already far exceeds the state average.
What’s not to like? Representatives of Boomerang Wireless used snazzy motorhomes to visit ND Indian reservations and hand out free cell phones under the federal Lifeline Assistance Program. The program pays Boomerang $34.25 per month for each tribal subscriber; they are paid only $9.25 for eligible non-tribal subscribers. An FCC report this year said the program is growing rapidly and “waste, fraud and abuse threatened its future.”
The little southwestern ND town of Leith has been in a state of near hysteria about white supremacist Craig Cobb. Shows of moral support and solidarity are the order of the day. Leith is building a legal defense fund and a benefit was held at United Tribes Technical College. Meanwhile, where is terrible little terrorist Craig Cobb? Confined to the state mental hospital in Jamestown, where he refuses to eat.
Fargo was #3 on the Milken Institute’s list of “Best Performing Small Cities.” Bismarck was #4. Other regional cities on the list were Sioux Falls at #19 and St. Cloud at #30.
“Work to solve its challenges but don’t suffocate it, don’t overregulate it and don’t kill it.” -- A letter to the Forum from a Kansas resident congratulating ND on its oil boom.
At last! Grand Forks and ND will be able to enjoy the phenomenally successful Timbit (bite-sized donut hole). We’re not referring to Tiny Tim, we’re talking about Tim Hortons, a coffee and doughnut chain that has 3,500 locations in Canada and 800 shops in the U.S. They are on the ground in GF and eyeing other locations in ND.
Campers and RVs trickle south from ND headed for warmer climates. Folks who came to ND hoping they could tough out the winter in those vehicles have given up. Bitter winds, frozen water lines and icy drafts were too much. A Minot RV park that held 180 vehicles on Labor Day was down to 60 after minus 40 degree wind chills.
Day after day there are crashes on the Red River bridge on I-94 in Fargo. Authorities think they’ve found the problem: “The bridge is equipped with an anti-icing system, but it has not been working becase it’s been too cold.” The system gives up when surface temperatures dip below six degrees.
“Tough times don’t last but tough people do.” -- With that assurance, the CEO of American Crystal informed growers that payments for 2013 sugar beets will plunge from $68 a ton to $38. After many good years, a glut of sugar is disrupting the U.S. market.
“Flaming debris that flew into the air landed as far as 2 miles away.” -- From a story in the Minot Daily News describing the destruction of the Chateau Apartments. Firemen said it was lucky Minot was covered with snow. Minot is starved for housing, so it didn’t help when 72 apartment units scheduled for completion in 2014 burned to the ground leaving only two smoking concrete elevator shafts. A strange aspect -- this was the same site where apartments burned in early 2012.
What are former ND senators Conrad and Dorgan doing with leftover cash in their campaign funds? A Herald story said, “The two former senators paid for flights, catering and expensive meals, gifts and hotel rooms using leftover campaign cash, according to Federal Election Commission filings.” The gist of the story was while campaign donations are regulated, there is little regulation of how the money is spent.
ND is noted for a high level of social capital -- the degree to which citizens trust and help each other. This high level of community spirit has been fostered by a rural network of small towns, churches and other organizations. Someone has to nurture that network. Eileen Eggi (100) of was one of those people -- she lived almost her entire life in Cando. She became an adult during the Great Depression, attended Minot Teachers College and taught country school. Like many educated women of her time, she married and became part of a farm family. Her obituary indicated she volunteered at church, PTA, a hospital, nursing home, and even a soil conservation district. She was a backbone of the network.
Would you enjoy a leisurely trip? During October the eastbound Empire Builder from Seattle to Chicago had zero on-time performance.
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