Dakota Beacon

A HERALD ONLINE POLL of 4,000 readers found those disliking the logo were four times those who liked it. The Star Tribune noted: “As part of an agreement with the NCAA, the Fighting Sioux logos will remain on permanent display throughout Ralph Engelstad Arena, which is home to the men's and women's hockey teams.”

BISMARCK LOSES A RENAISSANCE MAN Imagine someone who played on an NCAA championship basketball team and later played violin in the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony. Those were just a few of the accomplishments of the late Bill Ekberg (93). He was a graduate of both West Point and MIT (Master’s degree in Engineering) and an instructor at two military academies. Bill arrived in Bismarck in 1954, where he was president of Meyer Broadcasting (radio and TV) for 35 years. During that time he was “Mr. Bismarck” serving on many boards and fostering nonprofit organizations.

A PERUVIAN ARTIST installed 300 small ceramic figures on both sides of the Red River in Grand Forks. Each figure is unique and multiple colors represent diversity. The figures on the EGF side are headed toward the river and those on the GF side are headed away. The artist said the figures symbolize the plight of immigrants crossing borders. On each side of the river, the figures are stalked by coyotes representing the conditions which drive immigrants from their home countries and those which they face in new countries. The “Crossing the Border” exhibit is shown one day at a time in multiple area locations.

STATE IS NOT SO ROSY They like what’s happening in Grand Forks, but not the state. Herald columnist Tom Dennis explained that’s the reason voters re-elected Mayor Brown in Grand Forks, but supported outsider Doug Burgum for governor.

DICKINSON is heavily in debt. The city has $93 million in municipal debt of which $60 million is due to oil impacts. However, city leaders remain upbeat, expecting to retire the $60 million in ten years. They rely on oil-impact funds from the state to repay the loans.

CREW CAMPS WIN Target Logistics, which has about 1,000 crew camp beds in Williston, obtained a federal restraining order preventing Williston from enforcing its ban on crew camps.

SANFORD HEALTH is like a giant blob slowly absorbing the state. Sanford planted its foot in Dickinson by acquiring the Great Plains Clinic.

THE ND AP SPORTS WRITERS AND BROADCASTERS special achievement award is considered their top annual award. This year they selected former NDSU quarterback Carson Wentz who was picked No. 2 in the NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He is popular in the state’s two largest cities -- Fargo, and Bismarck where he grew up and played high school sports.

THE INDIAN HEALTH SERVICES (IHS) received scathing criticism at a field hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held in Rapid City, S.D. Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming described the IHS services as “malpractice.” The U.S. Rep. from S.D. said IHS provides “Third World” care. Agency services in the Dakotas have been flawed by fraud and incompetence.

THE TWIN CITIES AREA is having difficulty dealing with corruption, fraud and incompetence in public agencies. Two recent examples illustrate the problem: Star Tribune columnist Jon Tevlin wrote that Bill Davis, former head of Community Action of Minneapolis, was “a study in mendacity and conceit.” As past president of the state NAACP and chair of the Civil Rights Commission, “He was untouchable.” Not completely, Davis eventually pleaded guilty to 16 counts of fraud and theft.

VALRIA SILVA was superintendent of the St. Paul schools which suffered multi-million dollar deficits, student violence against teachers and enrollment declines. The accumulated problems became so publicly obvious she was fired, but the Chilean native will receive $787,500 in salary and benefits for the 2-!/2 years remaining on her contract.

MINNESOTA’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION (eight representatives and two senators) has its fingers in East African politics. They have urged Secretary of State John Kerry to prevent Kenya from closing the world’s largest refugee camp and further destabilizing the area. The camp holds an estimated 350,000 Somali refugees. Many thousands of Somalis are resettled in Minnesota and hundreds in ND.

DAKTOIDS: During the last decade 400 wind turbines were installed in western ND -- 550 more will be placed in service by 2018 . . . At the height of the oil boom, oilfield service company Halliburton purchased lots in Williston for employee housing -- they are selling 21 empty lots at auction.