Dakota Beacon

“A victim of collision on the open sea/Nobody ever said that life was free/Sank, swam, go down with the ship/But use your freedom of choice.”

-- State Rep. Rick Becker quoting what could be a ND freedom creed. He helped defeat a measure which would have toughened the state's seat belt laws.

“We want a thorough investigation, not a quick one.” -- U.S. Attorney for ND Tim Purdon about the murder of a New Town grandmother and her three grandchildren. Purdon said he and the FBI were committed to making as full a public disclosure as possible. The statement is a little ironic since the murders occurred three months ago and the likely killer died shortly after the murders. Forensic examinations at the FBI headquarters in Virginia are not yet complete.

A Gallup survey finds ND has the lowest percentage of LGBT residents in the nation -- 1.7 percent. At 5.1 percent, Hawaii is highest. The national average is 3.5 percent and all states are within 2 percent of that average. Margaret Sitte is a ND state senator who opposed a bill to outlaw discrimination against LGBT individuals. After the bill was defeated, 45 people demonstrated for an hour outside her Bismarck home. “This is North Dakota, if people want to have a peaceful demonstration they are more than welcome to,” Sitte said.

A six month waiting period for divorce was “like requiring people to buckle their safety belts after the accident.” — Bill Neumann, executive director of the State Bar Association of ND, testifying before a legislative committee about a mandatory wait. The Forum called the proposed bill “an unnecessary intrusion of government into a personal matter.”

“Exceptional people, both of them, unselfish, focused on the team and winning with teammates rather than being concerned about personal glory. ” -- Herald sports columnist Virg Foss describing Monique and Jocelyne Lamoureux, members of the UND women’s hockey team. Jocelyne became the all-time leading scorer in WCHA women’s hockey. Her twin sister Monique dominates as a defensive player.

“Does anybody think it’s possible to come up with a better nickname than “Fighting Sioux,” or a nicer logo than the one we just gave up?” -- With those words, Jamestown Sun writer Mark Schuttenheim joined the ranks of columnists suggesting UND may want to forego a new nickname.

The family of Joan Beaudoin (88) of Dickinson was given to outbursts of song. “Let the Rest of the World Go By” was a favorite. Joan met her would be husband when she was in the fourth grade -- they married 11 years later and had 14 children. Joan has 38 great-grandchildren. Her obituary mentions she prepared legendary picnics for her large brood -- Rice Krispies chicken led the menu. At her death, she was surrounded by her family singing “Ave Maria.”

In the first half of the 20th century, ND was covered with country schools. It was difficult to find enough teachers -- the pay was low and the conditions harsh. Teachers barely out of high school taught in many schools. Edna Erickson Juhala (92) is typical of people who fought their way up the teaching ladder. She graduated from Wing High School in 1938, having married the prior year. She passed the State Teachers Exam, began teaching and spent summer vacations thereafter acquiring more education. In 1950, she received a Teaching Credential from Dickinson State Teachers College. Returning in 1958, she finished her bachelor of science degree in English. Edna kept moving and from 1960 to 1978 she was a humanities instructor for the UND Williston Center. She died this month in Fresno, California -- a friend described “her gentle way, strong, loving and with that unforgettable smile.”

Donkeys of the week: Kane Whiteman (22) was sentenced to six years in prison for robbing a Bismarck gas station. His heist got him $100 cash and a pack of Marlboros. Christopher Reeves (26) of Tolna shot through his own hand. He was cleaning a “loaded” semi-automatic pistol.

“Things do happen and North Dakota is changing. Armed citizens are a legitimate and useful part of our society.” -- A concealed weapons instructor in McIntosh County. Concealed weapon permits are on the rise in ND, especially in western counties. In 2011, 5,600 permits and renewals were issued statewide; that total rose to 12,600 in 2012. Burleigh County (Bismarck) led the state with 1,940 permits in 2012, versus 674 in the prior year.

A university in Connecticut compiled a list of the most literate cities nationwide with populations over 250,000. Six of the ten most literate cities form a big cup around ND (Seattle, Portland, Denver, St. Louis, St. Paul and Minneapolis). The most literate cities generally have a large proportion of high-paying jobs that require college education. The least literate cities are found in Texas and California’s Central Valley.

Minnesota’s productivity is higher than ND reflecting Minnesota’s better educated, higher paid workforce. The gap is narrowing due to gains in ND’s energy, ag and technology sectors. But long-term factors in Minnesota may also contribute to the trend. Minnesota state demographer Susan Browers says 20 percent of the state’s population and 25 percent of its children are “people of color.” This is a change that has taken place in the last two decades with an influx of blacks (many Somali refugees), Hispanic and Hmong. The new residents have lower education and skills than previous Minnesotans, and many have limited English language ability. Economists predict a decline in future Minnesota productivity growth.

Microsoft’s largest job site outside of the Seattle area is Fargo, where there are 1,800 employees. The company is out of space and considering ways to accommodate the 2,700 employees planned for Fargo.

When ND makes news on either coast, it’s usually about some extreme. A Northern California newspaper this week pictured a line of semis trapped at the Flying J Travel Plaza in Grand Forks because of the closure of I-29 due to a blizzard. Parts of the state’s two interstate highways were closed this week because of blizzards and multiple accidents.

“A sad day turned into a tragic day.” -- A friend of Fargo artist and educator Timothy Ray. Ray died February 9 at the age of 72; his memorial service was held Monday. Ray’s son and a companion were killed in an auto accident near Barnesville, Minn., on the way to the service. Timothy Ray’s grandson was critically injured in the same crash. Timothy’s parents died in the last six months. He was a well-known regional abstract artist who taught at Moorhead State University from 1970 to 1997. A retrospective of his work, “Grids, Blobs, Smears and Stripes,” opened at the ND Museum of Art in Grand Forks last Sunday.

The size and number of farms in ND is leveling off. In 2012, the number of farms decreased slightly to 31,600 and average size remained close to 1,250 acres. These numbers are skewed by many very small farms.