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Sunday, March 13, 2016

SCHMID: LOOKING BACK FROM THE LEFT COAST - MARCH 7, 2016

FROM BISMARCK TO BISON TO BROWNS -- Headline for a StarTribune article about NDSU quarterback, Carson Wentz, who is expected to be one of the leading prospects in the NFL draft. Wentz grew up in Bismarck, played as a Bison, and is predicted by some to be drafted by the Cleveland Browns.

THEY MISS THE FIGHTING SIOUX “Even though most of the bar’s crowd was headed to the Gophers’ game against Penn State, table after table wished they were going to cheer against North Dakota or Minnesota Duluth.” -- From a StarTribune article about how Gopher fans regret the team’s move three years ago from the WCHA to the Big Ten. One fan “spoke wistfully of a North Dakota-Gophers game, calling it the most fun he ever had.”

NO CHEESY BIRDS "I know there are many, including myself, who are afraid we're just going to end up another cheesy bird, another one of many, many hawks." -- A concern expressed at a community forum to collect input on the creation of a future UND logo. The most commonly expressed fear was that a new logo will not live up to the legacy of the Fighting Sioux nickname. A faculty member said, "The old logo had such determination and courage about it but there was no anger, and that's where the dignity came in."

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NDSU’s president was shocked, shocked last week to discover the words “red man” in the school’s song. What’s he done about it? Dean Bresciani called for all of the verses but the first to be removed from NDSU websites and publications. Of course, student,faculty and staff committees must study the song and consider “contemporary concerns for its appropriateness.” So, writers of traditional songs -- take that!

IT COULD BE BETTER “Oil prices and ag commodities should not dictate the health of our state.” -- From a letter to the Fargo Forum. The writer said Doug Burgum, candidate for governor, “has been leading the charge to grow and diversify our economy for decades.” The letter concluded, “Things are good, yes, but we cannot let good be the enemy of great.” Burgum lags badly in early polls.

PRODUCTION IS DECLINING in the Bakken oil fields and replacement production will not begin until there is significant price improvement. Continental and Whiting, the two leading oil producers in ND, have 195 and 73 wells, respectively, drilled-but-uncompleted and waiting for price recovery, according to the Wall Street Journal. A decline in production is one of the factors necessary for boosting crude oil prices.

DRONES “Many believe North Dakota is poised to become the Silicon Valley of drones.” -- From a Forum article about Drone Focus, a monthly event where industry players discuss potential drone uses. The article mentions the state has invested $34 million in a UAS test site near Grand Forks. Both UND and NDSU offer courses in drone technology and the Red River Valley is home to a number of drone startups.

TOM DENNIS is the opinion page editor of the GF Herald and previously worked at the Duluth News Tribune, also a Forum paper. That experience acquaints him well with Minnesota. Recently, he was interviewed by a panel from the Minnesota Civic Caucus, a public policy organization in the Twin Cities. He noted Minnesota had encountered discouraging trends in recent years, but civic-minded institutions are intent on reversing those trends. He mentioned ND’s dreary prospects in the 1980s and 1990s, how that has reversed and showed that “trend was not destiny.” Dennis was asked if there was any entity at UND or in ND producing studies on statewide issues. His response was there is not, with the exception of individual economists and political scientists.

50TH ANNIVERSARY “Two cars got stuck in the middle of Seventh Street—on top of each other.” -- From a Forum article about the great blizzard of March 1966. A driver abandoned his car on a Devils Lake street, snow piled higher and formed a thick crust on top. A car came down the street and became stuck in the same spot -- street workers discovered the second car underneath. The blizzard, which stretched across the entire state, caused five deaths in ND and resulted in the deaths of 75,000 cattle and 54,000 sheep.

TEX HALL ATTRACTS TROUBLE James Henrikson was convicted in Richland, Washington, of two murders-for-hire tied to the ND oil fields. Henrikson was a close business associate of Tex Hall, former chairman of the Three Affiliated Tribes at Ft. Berthold, and is alleged to be the father of Hall’s grandchild. Henrikson was also convicted of heroin distribution.

WHO’S THE BIGGEST employer in Minnesota? Hmm, it must be one of the big manufacturers or financial institutions. Nope -- it’s Mayo Clinic which has 64,000 employees handling 1.3 million patients a year. Mayo had $10 billion in annual revenues and a profit of $500 million.

DAKTOIDS: A speaker at an Economic Outlook Forum in Fargo said the greatest problem for business in Fargo is attracting and retaining qualified people, “We’re looking for experienced workers and we’re just not able to find them in the economy today” . . . Minot opened a new $43 million airport terminal.






 


 

 

 

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