Dakota Beacon

A Trygve Olson cartoon in the Forum shows cowboy Hamid Shirvani riding west into the sunset. What the cartoon doesn’t show is that Shirvani has cash and other goodies in his saddlebags totaling nearly $1 million. The Board of Higher Education voted to buy out the embattled chancellor. The board said goodbye to Shirvani, but accepted his policy reforms.

“What’s beautiful about that is it ties two of our premier industries, agriculture and energy, and it brings a value-added side to it from the energy side.” -- ND Dept. of Commerce Commissioner Alan Anderson explaining the benefits of capturing the state’s wasted natural gas. Prime examples are the $1.4 billion CHS fertilizer plant planned near Jamestown and the $1.5 billion Northern Plains Nitrogen plant planned in Grand Forks that would convert natural gas into fertilizer.

GF Herald publisher Mike Jacobs’ column was headed “Let’s look forward to life without the nickname.” It was not stated, but the column implied the end of the UND “Fighting Sioux” nickname closes a backward tradition and a somewhat shameful chapter in ND history. That is, of course, the interpretation of a politically correct minority at UND that ignored numerous polls indicating the nickname and logo were supported by the majority of Nodaks -- Sioux Indians included. Jacobs notes the tradition will die slowly: “It takes time for jerseys and jackets to wear out.”

Maybe it’s more than jerseys and jackets. Many actions have good intent, but carry costs that outweigh benefits. The costs of dropping the Fighting Sioux nickname are numerous and significant: The loss of a valuable brand -- one of the most inspiring and recognized nicknames and logos among American universities, a unique sense of pride and identity for the state and friends of UND, and, lastly, one of the few hopeful symbols for the state’s Sioux tribes. What about benefits? Has the absence of the nickname benefited anyone in a measurable way -- particularly, the real Sioux?

After many mergers and substantial growth, Sanford Health is pausing and restructuring its management. Sanford’s corporate offices are in Sioux Falls. The Sanford system has 26,000 employees, 3 dozen hospitals and 140 clinics. With 6,700 employees, it is by far the largest employer in the F-M metro area. It calls itself the nation's largest nonprofit rural health care provider.

Two views of Minnesota taxes: Moorhead businessman Brady Olson is buying radio spots to promote his view that taxes and the business climate in Minnesota are out of whack. A Minnesota state representative from Dilworth (bordering Moorhead) countered saying the reality is “Minnesota will never be able to compete with North Dakota on tax rates,” but can compete with any state on quality of life. He said employers value Minnesota’s high-quality education and workforce.

Political bloggest Rob Port says the Washington Post included two Nodaks on its list the ”Best State-Based Political Reporters.” One is former AP reporter Dale Wetzel who is with the Great Plains Examiner. The other is Rob Port himself.

Sadly, “Fargo” will not be in Fargo. The TV version of the movie “Fargo” will be shot in Canada due to tax incentives there for foreign television productions. The “Fargo” miniseries will depart from the storyline of the 1996 movie.

“It’s a fat girl’s paradise.” -- A quote from a lengthy Minneapolis StarTribune article about the experience of women in ND’s Oil Patch. The article leads you to conclude that Williston is a dreadful, intolerable place for women. Here’s another quote: “And another remarkable effect that came into focus only when I visited Williston myself: an influx of men — single and married, overworked and lonely, men with big dreams, men who keep their heads down, men who cause trouble — has made it an overwhelming place to be female.” Journalists in ND paint a milder picture.

The price of progress is about $7.5 million a mile -- Hwy 85 from Watford City to Williston is being transformed into a four-lane divided highway. The 40-mile stretch will cost around $300 million and will not be completed until 2014. The need is urgent -- McKenzie County, where Watford City is located, has a third of the state’s auto fatalities this year. Each day, 12,000 vehicles (40% semis) travel the 40-mile corridor. McKenzie County has Lake Sakakawea on the east and north, Montana on the west, and the Badlands to the south.

The state of ND is stuck with $1.1 million of the stock of Alien Technology. A decade ago, Alien hit Fargo with a bang -- the manufacturer of “smart tags” predicted it would create 1,100 jobs and a $55 million payroll. In May 2009, Alien closed its Fargo plant. Alien is still around as a private company in Morgan Hill, CA.

Minnesota’s moose population is withering, hence a big “moose study.” It’s early in the study -- too early for conclusions. About 50 moose calves were captured and fitted with GPS transmitters for the study. So far, nearly half have been gobbled by bears and wolves.

Her Valley City bible study group was surprised and stunned when Eline Knudson (66) collapsed and died in front of them -- her head falling to rest on the Gospel of John, Chapter 16. Eline had been the wife of a pastor. Her religious interests trickled down -- her 19 grandchildren bear names such as Matthew, Azariah, Isaiah, Abraham and Zebadiah.

“The turkey dinners arrive piping hot. There is . . .a little paper cup of cranberry sauce with a serving of cooked carrots . . . The meat and potatoes are laced with a smooth, almost sparkly light-colored gravy. And you eat!” . . . You can become hungry reading Marilyn Hagerty’s “Eat Beat” account of her visit to the St. Thomas (Pop. 440) Cafe, where turkey is a 20-year tradition.

DAKTOIDS: A Fargo-based accounting firm operates in ten states and is one of the 25 largest accounting firms in the nation. Eide Bailly has 1,200 employees of which 300 are in Fargo . . . When he was a U.S. Senator, Byron Dorgan’s political opponents often accused him of fiction -- now he does it for a living, his novel “Blowout” was published last year and ”Gridlock” is about to come out of the oven . . . A Forum editorial says crime is the Oil Patch’s “undeniable dark side” . . . More revenue for Burleigh County (Bismarck) -- property tax valuations increased 14%.