The first newspaper
A question came up the other day asking do you know the name of the first newspaper in Dakota Territory?Between 1861, when Dakota Territory was established, until statehood in 1889, 160 newspapers sprang up in the territory. That’s kind of remarkable, but then, the territory included all of present-day South Dakota as well. But the […]
Not a Hard Story to Tell-or Are They?
When this edition of the Northern Sentry arrives in homes and businesses the activities of Veteran’s Day 2025 will be over. On the 11th hour of the 11th Day of the 11th month of 1918, the Armistice was signed to end World War 1. As it was explained to me when I was younger, Veteran’s […]
National Veterans and Military Families Month – Connect with One Another
November is important, because it is officially recognized as Natonal Veterans and Military Families Month. In fact, the President signs a proclamation each November honoring the sacrifices and contributions of service members and their families. Around the time of this publication, two Veterans Day assemblies will be held on November 7th, 2025, at our Dakota […]
Farmers Market and Growers look forward
New leadership and a new vision was on display during the recent North Dakota Farmers’ Market & Growers Association’s local foods conference held in Carrington. It was the first time in its 21-year history that the conference was held in the fall rather than late winter. Attendance was down because some farmers’ markets were still […]
Halloween In The Rear View Mirror-Full Steam Ahead to the Holidays!
In recent years that has been a definite increase in Halloween displays in people’s yards. It could be that it is warmer in September and October and those big orange bags not only work for hauling leaves, but make nice decorations, too.We did get out a couple of nights and saw everything from complete graveyard […]
Don’t wait for January, this is the perfect time to declutter
Last year, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, I found myself bouncing from thrift store to thrift store on a mission. I was on the hunt for Hot Wheels accessories—tracks, garages, anything to add to my son’s growing collection.I’m all for making my kids’ Christmas dreams come true, but I draw the line at […]
The Ghost of Students Past
Back in May 2025, I had the privilege of meeting Ms. Shelly Weppler, INSPIRITUS Community Health Foundation President. She shared her past as a student who graduated from Minot High School and time spent serving our country as a military member. I could have listened to her stories for hours, but our time was short. […]
Always a Silver Cloud
My cell phone rang late one afternoon; the call was from Capt. Kelli Williamson one of the chaplains at Minot Air Force Base. The 91st Missile Wing was in the midst of an intense exercise, one that would tax every member of the 91st with extra hours and longer days. Having done a story before […]
Beware the boxelder
There’ no denying we all love the fall colors. Leaves turn all sorts of shades for us to enjoy. But along with that comes a couple of really annoying pests, boxelder bugs and wasps. By this time in October, however, the wasps have taken a “chill” pill and aren’t as aggressive as they were in […]
You can love where you are, and grieve where you aren’t
Yesterday, while scrolling through Instagram, I saw a post from Visit Rapid City. I froze, mid-swipe.The caption read, “From our camera roll to yours.” That was it. But I didn’t need any more context. The first photo was a gazebo on a small island in a lake. The next was a rushing creek framed by […]