Dakota Beacon

ND has a population of only 640,000, a shrinking number of high school graduates, and, for its size, what may be the most overgrown public higher education system in the nation.  It has six 4-year universities and five community colleges.  Add two 4-year private universities and five Indian colleges.  Mayville State had 449 full-time students in 2008, THE SMALLEST PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN THE NATION.  Yes, they will attempt to improve the situation by bringing students from China, but wouldn’t it be better to get past local politics and close Mayville or make it a community college. 

UND and NDSU are each about 50 miles from Mayville, and Valley City State is about 75 miles away.  As a community college, Mayville could serve the dual functions of preparing students for 4-year schools and providing technical training.  WHICH WOULD BE THE MOST VALUE TO THE STATE, a small, sub par university or an excellent community college?

Another ND congressman has been CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE over health care, an issue on which Rep. Earl Pomeroy has sidled right of center.  He says he is used to being attacked from the right, but, “Now I’m getting attacked by the left.”  The Tribune reports that Pomeroy received more donations since 1992 from the health care sector ($1.4 million) and the health insurance industry ($0.6 million) than any other Blue Dog Democrat.  He shrugs it off saying he has been in Congress longer than most of the Blue Dogs and, as for health insurance, he is the only member of Congress who is a former insurance commissioner.  So, naturally, “It’s not surprising an industry values a member who understands the industry.”

LEONARD STAYS WHERE HE IS.  Indian activist Leonard Peltier (64) is in federal prison for the execution slaying of two FBI agents in 1975 at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.  Supporters seeking his release claim he was framed—the Turtle Mt. Reservation in ND, where Peltier was born, has volunteered to provide a home for their ailing son.  Federal prosecutors say Peltier remains both guilty and unrepentant, has an escape and prison drug violations on his record, and is exactly where he belongs.  His parole was denied.

Goodrich (pop. 150) is near the center of ND—we should check its drinking water to see if it contains AN ELIXIR FOR LONG LIFE.  Eva Sorenson (102) and Lydia Unruh (100) both died on August 18 and both were born in Goodrich.  Both also spent their working lives with small retail businesses in the state.

Are we seeing A REVERSAL OF ROLES?  For decades, South Dakota grew more rapidly than ND, its prosperity driven by growth and taxes from financial institutions in Sioux Falls.  But now SD is scrambling to raise taxes to maintain its infrastructure, while ND contentedly counts its energy money and even lowers some taxes.

One form of argument is to demean an opponent, saying in effect, a flawed opponent has a flawed argument.  Forum editorial writer Jack Zaleski used this approach recently when he referred to those who question health care reform at town meetings as “carpetbaggers, mercenaries, liers.”  Later, he varied the approach by characterizing opponents of health care reform as ignorant rubes.  He did so by recounting a crackpot telephone call he received from an insistent reader who believed a “DEATH SQUAD” was after his aging mother (they’re coming to get granny).  By implication, others opposing health reforms are also angry wackos.  Zaleski’s columns on this subject are provocative and, for some, entertaining.  Lost in this rhetorical style is honest and thoughtful discussion of the issues.

YOU ARE BEING ROBBED.  Due to the influence of Montana’s senators, a Canadian bordercrossingborder crossing that averages about three travelers a day, will get $15 million of your money from the stimulus plan.  ND senators are not far behind, they obtained $15 million to renovate a Westhope, ND, checkpoint which serves about 70 people a day.

If you lived in Mayville, one way or another, YOU WOULD BECOME A CUSTOMER OF ADRIAN KNUDSVIG (89) who died recently.  Adrian was trained as a mortician and, along with his brother, ran Knudsvig Grocery, Knudsvig Hardware and Knudsvig Funeral Home.  Adrian was also waiting for you at the Luther Memorial Home where he was an administrator.

WHEW, FAVRE ESCAPES THE BUTCHER.  Earlier, I claimed Nodaks were getting overly excited about Brett Favre.  I take it back—they now seem moderate.  In Winona, Minnesota, a mechanic discovered a goat in the trunk of a woman customer’s car.  The goat was painted purple and gold, had No. 4 shaved on its side and was on its way to be butchered.  Animal control saved the goat, named it Brett and placed it in foster care.

DAKTOIDS: ND does not have the capacity to process and transport the natural gas it produces.  As a consequence, the state flares one-third of its natural gas, enough to heat every home in the state for two years . . . The highest man-made structure in the world was the 2,063-foot TV tower near Blanchard, ND (south of Mayville).  No more, a 2,625-foot skyscraper in Dubai has that distinction.  The building has 160 floors served by 54 elevators.