Month: June 2014

Drowning in Spring: Large swatch of southwest cropland left unseeded due to wet season

A farmer sprays a field south of Dickinson on Thursday. Some fields in southwest North Dakota are in the stage where farmers can spray them. Other potential cropland is still waiting to be planted — as much as 25 percent in Hettinger County.

MOTT — As much as 25 percent of cropland in parts of southwest North Dakota remains unseeded due to wet conditions that have lingered since late May.

Duaine Marxen, the North Dakota State University extension agent for Hettinger County, said Wednesday the cropland that is seeded is doing well, but unplanted ground will be difficult for farmers to even access without a significant drying-out period.

“In order to get that last 25 percent done, we’re going to need a week, a week and a half, and it’s gotta be warm and dry in order to get it in,” Marxen said.

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It’s all worth it in the end

Four years ago this July, one of my best friends convinced me to go to the bar with him on a Wednesday night.

Back then, I was the newspaper’s sports editor, and Wednesday was one of my days off. I remember it had been a particularly draining day after 18 holes of golf and a long workout. I didn’t really feel like going out as that summer had been busy and, at times, exhausting. So I was looking forward to a night of relaxation alone in my apartment, watching some TV, sipping on a beer or two and enjoying some alone time.

But my friend made a pretty solid case and no one else either could or wanted to go out with him, so I tagged along for what was expectedly a pretty slow night on the town.

I can’t imagine my life today had I not gone out that night. That was when I met a beautiful girl with red hair and big blue-green eyes named Sarah.

Yesterday, I married her.

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A place for gamers and geeks: Badlands Comics and Games opens

John Nyman, left, and John Odermann stand in their store, Badlands Comics and Games, Friday in Dickinson. The duo opened the store that features comic books and a variety of games on Thursday, May 29.

John Nyman and John Odermann are kindred spirits.

Each man considers himself to be a “geek.” While they’re geekiness isn’t exactly the same, they’ve decided it could make for a great business partnership.

The Dickinson men have opened a store together where they hope other so-called geeks can come together and enjoy their hobbies and interests.

“Geeks tend to stick together,” Odermann said with a smile. “We like to talk to each other about the things that we like.”

Badlands Comics and Games opened Thursday, May 30 on West Villard in Dickinson. It’s the first store of its kind in the city and the first to sell a variety of comic books in more than two decades. The store will sell comic books, tabletop games, role-playing games and trading card games, and will also provide game rooms where customers can spend long hours playing their games with friends or even hold tournaments.

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