Sometime today, Thursday, June 13, 2019, I expect to receive some of the worst news I’ve had in many years. I expect to receive an e-mail from a friendly fellow at the North Dakota Department of Transportation who’s just doing his job, who means no ill will, who doesn’t want to be the bearer of … Continue reading A Thousand Trucks A Day Moves One Step Closer to Reality Today

Senate Bill 2001, passed by the 2019 Legislature, is the appropriations bill for the North Dakota Governor’s Office. It’s 8 sections long, and contains an appropriation of about four and a half million dollars to pay the governor and lieutenant governor and their staff, their travel expenses and their office supplies. It has a line … Continue reading Let’s Not Let Bad Politics Ruin Our Chance To Honor Theodore Roosevelt

There’s this fellow who works in the Montana office of the Bureau of Land Management named Seth Jackson, who’s as good at his job as anyone I’ve ever known who works for the United States Government. I haven’t met him, but I’ve e-mailed back and forth with him at least a dozen times, And I … Continue reading The Comments Are In: What Should We Do About The Bice Bridge?

An interesting little item buried on page 4 of a long April 30 North Dakota Industrial Commission meeting agenda read: “Overview of Oil and Gas Development in western North Dakota along the Little Missouri River.” (approx. 3:30 pm) Piqued my curiosity, so I went. What I learned is that I should have been paying more … Continue reading The Worst Threat To The Little Missouri State Scenic River EVER!

Tomorrow, April 24, 2019, is the deadline for submitting comments to the Bureau of Land Management on what they should do about the illegal bridge over the Little Missouri State Scenic River in Dunn County, North Dakota. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’re familiar with what I’m talking about. If not, … Continue reading LOCK HIM UP!

Albert Sickler died last week. He was 94. You maybe didn’t know Albert. Let me tell you a little about him. The first time I met Albert (at least that I can remember) was in the summer of 2004, on the front steps of his aging house on a farmstead in Dunn County, North Dakota, … Continue reading Remembering Albert Sickler

It seems like the threats to our Bad Lands never cease. Let’s go back and revisit Wylie Bice. He’s the rogue, rich, rancher up in Dunn County, on the eastern edge of the Bad Lands, who’s built himself a private bridge on public land, without permission, over the Little Missouri State Scenic River. Now it … Continue reading Looks Like The Illegal Bridge Is Going To Stay–If You’ve Got Enough Money, You Can Get Away With Most Anything

My monthly column in Dakota Country magazine is dedicated to conservation and the protection of our Western North Dakota public lands, especially the Little Missouri National Grasslands and Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I’ve been traveling this winter, and I’m going to share some thoughts on public lands and national parks this month. But first . … Continue reading Do We REALLY Appreciate Our Public Lands?

There’s an old joke North Dakota Republican Legislators tell about their worst nightmare: They’re walking down the Great Hall in the Capitol heading for the cafeteria on their short lunch break and they see Secretary of State Al Jaeger coming toward them. Knowing they’re going to get stuck in a boring 15 minute conversation, they … Continue reading What Does A State Treasurer Do, Anyway?

I’ve got a problem. I need to write a column that is going to be kind of critical of three people I like, and I’m trying to figure out how to do it without making them all angry at me. Their names are Sara, Doug and Marvin. They're all kind of half-ass friends of mine. … Continue reading DAKOTA