I’ve visited, photographed, and written about the Badlands many times, yet always feel the efforts are inadequate. That’s the effect the Badlands has on me. Others too. The myriad of misarranged rugged buttes, variety of vegetation and wildlife, and stunning scenery in all directions is overwhelming. Far more than can be portrayed in photographs or […]

I have answered several surveys that query the name of my favorite teacher, and why. The question brings pause as I begin to think and narrow the list based on the good things and not so good things that I can remember about my classroom days. 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, nothing stands out […]

Annual Nuclear Command and Control Exercise Begins at Minot U.S. Strategic Command commenced its annual nuclear command and control exercise, Global Thunder, April 11, 2023.Global Thunder 23 (GT23) involves personnel throughout the strategic enterprise including USSTRATCOM components and subordinate units. The purpose of GT23 is to enhance nuclear readiness and ensure a safe, secure, and […]

A friend of mine, Marvin Baker, has a garden in Carpio. In North Dakota having a garden would certainly not make him unique, except that Marvin runs North Star Farms where he raises and sells naturally grown prairie produce. Marvin and I met some years ago as he used to be the weekend editor of […]

The snow is gone—for now. The streets are dry—for the most part. That crazy ice dam near Jersey Mike’s and Noodles & Co has melted. Signs of winter are fleeting—although the forecast still insists on including a chance of snow flurries, just to keep us on our toes. And while many of us are joyously […]

A horse drawn wagon, flannel shirts, floppy eared caps, smiling faces, the smell of fresh pancakes, and sweet maple syrup.Vermont?Nope. Fort Stevenson State Park a few miles south of Garrison. Standing under one of the park’s most reliable box elder trees, Park Manager Chad Trautman, was talking to park visitors.“I know. We’re crazy,” said Trautman. […]

When looking at farm and ranch statistics from the USDA Census of Agriculture, a person could take all day picking apart the various numbers, crops, livestock and even ag processing. There are farms themselves, which in 2017 totaled 26,374 that included 39.3 million acres. The average size of a North Dakota farm was 1,492 acres […]

A major stressor during a PCS is what to do and how to schedule the moving of your personal property. Personal property resources are available at https://www.militaryonesource.mil under the “Moving & PCS” section. Online tools include the Defense Personal Property Program (DPS), https://dps.move.mil/, where you can upload your orders, ship household goods, manage unaccompanied baggage, […]

Everyone has to start somewhere in the game of life. Every adult has been a first-time buyer with little to no credit. Venturing out into life can be confusing and really stressful for some. Adulting is not an easy business and the first few steps a person makes in their financial journey can be the […]

The North Dakota Air National Guard’s (NDANG), 119th Wing, known as the “Happy Hooligans,” recognized the organization’s top officers, noncommissioned officers and Airmen of the Year last month, during a ceremony at the Hilton Garden Inn, Fargo, N.D. Airmen were nominated for the awards based on their military and civic service throughout 2022. The Outstanding […]

Even though winter held on a little longer than what we would have wished for, they recent days of 50 plus, and even 60 plus degree weather has given us hope that warm summer days and evenings will soon be the norm. Events in MayMay 13 the Downtown Business and Professional Association will sponsor Mimosas […]

Recently, our family visited Winnipeg. Winnipeg is the capital of Manitoba, Canada. We had a lot of fun! Our favorite thing that we did in Winnipeg was visit the Assiniboine Park Zoo. The Zoo is open year-round. It was a bit chilly the day we went, about 20F, so we wore our snowsuits to stay […]

Airmen of Minot: Senior Airman Christina Long, 5 OSS MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. — From frozen rain to scorching heat, Team Minot has a wide variety of different environmental challenges. Senior Airman Christina Long, 5th Operations Support Squadron weather forecaster, is the Airman responsible for making sense of the constantly changing North Dakota weather. […]

That Minuteman Missile. Its role is pretty important on a global scale. Because of this, the three Groups in the 91st Missile Wing complete their daily mission: “to defend the nation with a combat-ready nuclear force.” The Wing consists of the 91st Operations Group, 91st Maintenance Group and 91st Security Forces Group. In order to […]

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas — The Air Force Services Center recently announced the winners of the 2023 John L. Hennessy Trophy Awards for best dining facilities across the Department of the Air Force. The annual awards program, established in 1957 and managed by AFSVC, recognizes the top dining facility operations in each of two […]

The Air Force recognized the Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award recipients from 2019 to 2022 during an award ceremony at the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, April 3. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., spoke about the prestigious award, highlighting the accomplishments of the Airmen who embody Sijan’s leadership and character in performance and […]

Once every month the Youth Center on base has a skate night. I like to go to it and ride around in circles on my roller skates. Some of my classmates also go, so I have fun with them. There they turn off the lights and turn on the disco lights which makes it fun […]

The average military youth will move six to nine times between their kindergarten and senior year. The dandelion is often used to represent military youth as the seeds of a dandelion are blown all over and yet, it blossoms wherever it lands. Like the hearty flower our military youth will find the means to thrive […]

Civil Air Patrol members from all four corners of North Dakota Wing gathered in Minot, Saturday March 25, to participate in their largest search and rescue exercise (SAREX) since 2019. Operations included aerial search from one of the wing’s Cessna 182 aircraft and ground search teams mobilized with CAP vehicles. Cadets from Minot and Bismarck […]

On Monday, April 10 while kids were out of school, Charlie Anderson led the 2nd Annual Rain Gutter Regatta boat race on Chevy Chase Rd. This race began last year when the snow melt created flowing steams of water down the sides of neighborhood roadways on base. 8th grader Charlie had the idea to get […]