Measuring Up

On Wednesday, December 6th, just one day before the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, they laid Edward Zilli to rest in the veterans’ section of Rosehill Cemetery. He began his life in Clifton, New Jersey, which was some 1,700 miles from where his life ended. Never having been to Clifton, New Jersey, I did a bit […]
Much More than a Game

The scoreboard above the end of the rink reads 2-0 in the first period. A young player is called for cross-checking, a two-minute penalty, and shows his disgust by pounding on the plexiglass before stepping into the penalty box and slamming the door. The angry display doesn’t go unnoticed by the referee who responds by […]
Our personal affairs are important…

There was a recent funeral I attended and before the service, I was chatting with the funeral director, who has been a friend for many years. He was telling me that he was dealing with a separate situation in which the deceased didn’t have a will, didn’t have a life insurance policy and the loved […]
Minot AFB Pollinator Project: A Great Example of Partnership!

There are incredible joys experienced as a multi-stakeholder project or program approaches the finish line. A few weeks ago, I experienced this joy as seed was laid on a 5 acre plot next to an elementary school at Minot Air Force Base for a pollinator garden. I want to share this joy with you. The […]
Sharing Is Part of the Holiday Season

From the stage of the Christmas Open House in downtown Minot, Mayor Tom Ross asked for a cheer from those in the audience that were from Minot Air Force Base. It was certainly hard to say exactly how many folks responded, but there were a significant number. Joining the Mayor on stage were several of […]
Cellular dead spots…

In this day and age you wouldn’t think something so simple as cellular telephone coverage would be so spotty, but it is.There are numerous “dead spots” across North Dakota, and depending on where you experience this, you sometimes have to shake your head because it really shouldn’t be rocket science. Joel Heitkamp talked about this […]
Our Wildlife Refuges

Minot is situated within a short drive of several National Wildlife Refuges, each with their own diversity of habitat. They are managed for wildlife and for compatible public use. Upper Souris NWR has public use areas for shore fishing, maintains boat ramps for open water fishing on Lake Darling, allows for ice fishing and dark […]
DAPL rears it’s ugly head…

I’m sure just about everyone can remember the Dakota Access Pipeline protests that took place in 2016 and 2017. They lasted a long time and things got ugly. I’m sure some of you reading this were involved in it in some way. First responders were sent, law enforcement was sent, protestors came from all over […]
Thanksgiving: I Can Remember

I have often spoken of my North Dakota heritage, and some of the memories of growing up in a small town. When Thanksgiving rolled around when I was a child it was more than a speed bump on the way to Black Friday. We had a fairly large dining room area that masterfully orchestrated by […]
A Taste of Gratitude: Memories in Every Bite

Food is about more than just eating. Especially during the holidays. Aromas and flavors can evoke recollections, and unlock memories nearly forgotten. And there is nothing more nostalgic, no foods more worthy of reflection than those served up during the holidays. Beginning with Thanksgiving, kitchens across America start rolling out recipes that “taste” like the […]