Author: Jim Fuglie

Seasons Greetings, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and all that, from Red Oak House. Huh? Red Oak House? What’s that? Well, we’re glad you asked. Red Oak House is home to Lillian Crook and Jim Fuglie. It’s located at 920 Arthur Drive in Bismarck. Arthur Drive is a long winding block of about 20 houses, … Continue reading Our 2025 Christmas Letter

Not much to do on a morning like this except stare out the window at the beauty of the world. So I’m reading newspapers online (no choice—the Bismarck Tribune carriers don’t like to go out on a day like this, and their bosses don’t seem to care, even though I am now paying almost $4 … Continue reading Of Newspapers, And Letters

So now we say good-bye to Kirsten Baesler, our long-running North Dakota Superintendent of Public Instruction.  She’s headed off to Washington to work for Donald Trump, more specifically, to work for professional wrestling entrepreneur Linda McMahon (more about her in a minute). I haven’t written about her for about a dozen years, except when she … Continue reading So Long, Kirsten. Have Fun. It’s Always Party Time In Our Nation’s Capital.

My friend Darrell Dorgan used to be a darned good journalist. Still would be if he hadn’t retired. But he’s a careful observer of the world around him, especially the political world, and he sits down at his computer from time to time and hammers out things worth reading. Here’s an example he sent me … Continue reading Our Treasury Secretary is A Soy Bean Farmer. Yeah, Right.

I don’t usually comment on national issues in this space. I have plenty to worry about in my own state, and my own back yard, to spend much time worrying about things I can’t control or influence. But this President . . . I was reading through my online newspaper subscriptions this morning, and I … Continue reading Politicizing Government

Tomorrow is the deadline for submitting comments to the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding their plan to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Act, which prohibits roadbuilding, drilling for oil and harvesting timber—in essence all development except cattle grazing and rancher access—on the Inventoried Roadless Areas managed by the U.S. Forest Service. That decision would … Continue reading Repealing The Roadless Rule Is A Really Bad Idea

A good friend and golfing buddy, Sam McQuade, died this morning. He was felled by a stroke a couple years ago and lived his last weeks at Missouri Slope Nursing Home, something he could never have imagined he’d do. He’s only been gone hours, but I’m sure he’s trying really hard to meet up somewhere … Continue reading The Budman’s Gone. Dang, We’ll Miss Him.

Kevin Cramer and I have been friends for more than 30 years. Surprised to read that?  Well, as Paul Harvey used to say, here’s “the rest of the story.” Our friendship began at a chance meeting at the back of the bar in Peacock Alley, in the old Patterson Hotel in downtown Bismarck. It was … Continue reading Time To Do Something Positive

Most (maybe all?) of my readers don’t know that I went to college on an athletic scholarship. Well, for the first year, anyway. More about that in a minute. First I want to talk about golf. I grew up playing golf. My dad was the club champion at his 9-hole sand green course in Hettinger … Continue reading My Golfing Days Come To An End

Saturday is Bruce Hagen’s birthday. He would have been 95. He passed away quietly Thursday of old age. So I want to tell you my favorite Bruce Hagen story. He won’t be able to read it, but if he could have, he’d remember it. I’ve already told it to a few of you, too. Here … Continue reading My Favorite Bruce Hagen Story