Home Contact Register Subscribe to the Beacon Login

Wednesday, March 02, 2016

SCHMID: LOOKING BACK FROM THE LEFT COAST - MARCH 1, 2016

DEJA VU? Is ND going into a prolonged commodity induced economic slump as it did in the 1980s? So far, experts say no. Ron Ness, president of the ND Petroleum Council, sees an industry today that is more efficient, smarter and safer. Frayne Olson, crop economist at NDSU, believes farmers today are in better financial shape, have broader markets and better crop management.

DUELING FORECASTS Moody Analytics declared ND in recession. The firm points to a "lack of strong growth drivers outside energy and agriculture" as a weakness for the state. The Minneapolis Federal Reserve disagrees -- it says in spite of the oil and ag slowdown the state will still have moderate growth “driven by major metropolitan areas.” Joe Mahon, regional outreach director for the Minneapolis Fed, said there was a misconception that all of the growth in the state was driven by the oil boom: "Actually Fargo is a really strong community economically. I think you can see that more now."

WILLISTON “Over the past several years, Williston has had quite a story to tell. We became the fastest growing small city in the nation. We tripled the size of our population. We tripled the size of our land mass, and a single word — Bakken — propelled this community onto a global stage.” -- Shawn Wenko, executive director of Williston Economic Development. Wenko acknowledges growth is in a consolidation phase, but “Williston still is open for business!”

“THE EXODUS OF RETIREES from North Dakota’s oil country is a slow unraveling of the social fabric of the region.” -- A Fargo Forum editorial responding to a report from the state census bureau indicating some retirees are leaving oil country. Continuing the hyperbole, the Forum said, “The loss of longtime residents of small towns will have an impact, and over time it will damage the community.”

“IT’S LIKE AN ATOMIC BOMB, we’re going to be scared for a while.” -- Beth Keller, a Jamestown real estate appraiser, discussing the aftermath of the CHS decision not to build a $3 billion fertilizer plant in Jamestown. The city has an excess of residential properties.

WELL POLICED The funeral for slain police officer Jason Moszer was the “largest public funeral in Fargo’s history.” An estimated 3,600 people attended services at Scheels Arena, including 2,800 law enforcement officers, many from other states.

MIKE JACOBS, GF Herald columnist, put ND’s Republican candidates for governor in three boxes: The optimist -- Wayne Stenejhem wants to continue the state’s success. The pessimist -- Rep. Rick Becker wants to cut back the size of swollen state government. Mr. In-Between -- Doug Burgum believes the state needs to diversify from commodities by introducing more technology into its economic mix.

UND’S FIGHTING SIOUX travails have been a continual source of delight for the Fargo Forum. Forum columnist Mike McFeely seized the latest news with obvious glee. He referred to “the long national nightmare that is the infamous ‘retired’ Fighting Sioux saga.” This came on when he learned that UND was still selling Fighting Sioux clothing. McFeely said, “I can’t decide if it’s more tragedy or comedy.”

BLOGGER ROB PORT thinks it is hypocritical for UND to periodically sell Fighting Sioux merchandise as required by UND’s settlement agreement with the NCAA. How so? He says if there was anything to the NCAA’s contention that the nickname was “hostile and abusive,” why was UND required to sell merchandise to maintain control of the brand? The NCAA’s fear was, that if UND gave up control of the brand, enterprising parties would create a flood of Fighting Sioux merchandise and perpetuate the nickname and logo. On the other hand, too much Fighting Sioux merchandise could smother the new “Fighting Hawks" nickname. In a GF Herald editorial, Tom Dennis implied there was nothing wrong with the Fighting Sioux name and logo in the first place.

A 2015 GALLUP POLL indicates ND state government is the most trusted in the nation, neighbors Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana and South Dakota round out the top five in that order. Who’s at the other end? Illinois has a lock on the worst state ranking followed by northeastern states Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Jersey -- fifth place goes to Louisiana. The rankings have a high correlation with economic health, so ND may not fare so well in 2016
.
HE WAS SHOCKED, SHOCKED! "While some may initially find it an overstated concern, others will find it central to a deep and sober examination of our campus history." -- NDSU President Dean Bresciani. He was horrified to discover that the school song “The Yellow and the Green” had references to “the red man” and “the Norse.” Is Bresciani's reaction political correctness ran amuck or does the school’s song need a tuning?

OVER THE TOP? Grand Forks Mayor Mike Brown’s state of the city address took on a revival tone as he exhorted his audience to make GF the “best engaged city, the best place to take a walk, and the best college town with the best downtown in the region.” Was it over the top? The Herald debated the topic and concluded “OK, so it was over the top.”

BUSY CRAIG COBB has taken his white-superiority schemes to Kansas and Nebraska. Cobb’s often comical efforts to take over tiny towns in ND (Leith and Antler) kept him in hot water, as residents made frenzied efforts to block him. Cobb has taken his little circus to Kansas and Nebraska in an effort called Pioneer Little Europe.

GO EAST YOUNG NODAK As sometimes noted, a number of Nodaks have become political leaders in Minnesota. Jeff Lunde grew up in ND, graduated from NDSU and has worked for two of the state’s U.S. senators. The beefy Nodak is the somewhat controversial mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, a Twin Cities suburb with more than its share of issues related to poverty, immigration, race and foreclosures. Lunde is seeking a position in the Minnesota senate.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT Central High School in St. Paul has a bigger than life reputation for school violence. In December, a teacher was badly injured trying to break up a student fight. Last week, police used pepper spray to control a fight and arrested three students. Teachers are alarmed about safety.

DAKTOIDS: The combination of fund raising and survivor benefits will probably raise about $1 million for the family of Jason Moszer, the Fargo police officer shot two weeks ago . . . Fuzzy Fields Vineyard, Dickinson’s first and only winery, gets its fruit juice from Iowa . . . An ESPN draft analyst ranked NDSU quarterback Carson Wentz #2 overall in a mock NFL draft. The analyst predicts Wentz goes to the Cleveland Browns . . . Whiting Petroleum, ND’s largest oil producer, is mothballing fracking and drilling equipment.

Click here to email your elected representatives.

Comments

No Comments Yet

Post a Comment


Name   
Email   
URL   
Human?
  
 

Upload Image    

Remember my personal information

Notify me of follow-up comments?