Category: Law, Government, Politics

If you head for the Bad Lands this summer, be prepared for some new scenery. All along I-94 from Dickinson to Medora you’re going to see the latest abomination brought to us by the oil industry: “repurposed” semi-trailers painted up with advertising messages parked along the ditches beside the freeway. It’s what happens when greedy, … Continue reading This Summer’s Prize For Tackiness On The Highway

A month or so ago, in an article I first wrote for Dakota Country magazine, and posted later here on my blog, I talked a bit about my father and his love of North Dakota’s outdoors. If you missed that, you can read it here. I need to share a few more words about my … Continue reading Why My Dad Would Be Thinking Bad Words Today

A Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad train went off the tracks near the small village of Heimdal, North Dakota, just east of Harvey, about 7:30 this morning. That's not news any more, since the train was pulling 109 tank cars of oil, and when six of them caught on fire, it made  national news pretty … Continue reading 15 Minutes Of Fame For Heimdal, Between Harvey And Hamberg

These are the three things I enjoy most about North Dakota’s outdoors: Wading across the Little Missouri River with my hiking shoes slung over my shoulder, on my way to a silent day hiking in the Bad Lands wilderness. Watching my dog lean into a patch of brush, just a glimpse of red feathers under … Continue reading The Artificiality Of Our Outdoor Experience

Let me start with this. I was sitting in my recliner last Sunday evening watching a rerun of the old Lawrence Welk show from the 1960s. It was one of Lawrence‘s “theme shows” and the theme this week was Los Angeles. As the show neared an end, after renditions of surfer songs and Hollywood movie … Continue reading We Cleaned Up The Air But We Couldn’t Clean Up The Politicians

Here's an updated version of a story I wrote here a month or so, and for Dakota Country magazine's current issue.   Now we know that there will be no bighorn sheep season in North Dakota this year, for the first time since 1983. Nor will there be one in the foreseeable future. So, add … Continue reading Well, We Were Warned . . .

So the North Dakota Farmers Union held a big rally Friday on the Capitol steps to kick off the petition drive to refer North Dakota Senate Bill 2351, which would exempt dairies and hog farms from our anti-corporation farming laws. It’s nice to see the spunk coming from the NDFU. I hope their referral effort … Continue reading The Farmers Union, Politics, Pigs and Pork

So the North Dakota Farmers Union held a big rally today on the Capitol steps to kick off the petition drive to refer North Dakota Senate Bill 2351, which would exempt dairies and hog farms from our anti-corporation farming laws. It’s nice to see the spunk coming from the NDFU. I hope their referral effort … Continue reading Good Luck, Farmers Union (And Other Sort-Of Related Items)

Tomorrow is the deadline for people to apply to become the next Chancellor of the North Dakota Higher Education system. Given the chaos that exists in the state’s higher education system right now, I’ll almost be surprised if anyone applies. I said almost. Because anyone who does apply will surely be well-educated and reasonably intelligent, … Continue reading Sometimes You Have To Be Careful What You Ask for

  I learned about this earlier in the week, but today it became official, when my copy of North Dakota Outdoors arrived in the mail: Add Bighorn Sheep to the list of species for which there will be no hunting season in North Dakota this year. Or for the foreseeable future. At least not likely … Continue reading So Long, Bighorn Sheep