Dustin Monke

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

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 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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Charity aims at using robotics to help wounded, disabled vets

Jeff Woods has always been interested in robots.

“Since I was a child, I dreamed of a robot that could solve all kinds of problems and assist mankind in a helpful way,” Woods said during his Memorial Day service address Monday at Dickinson State University’s Stickney Auditorium.

The U.S. Air Force veteran has turned his hobby into a not-for-profit charity, Robots 4 Wounded Soldiers, aimed specifically at helping wounded and disabled American veterans take advantage of the technological advances in robotics and robotic prostheses. Woods gave a nearly 20-minute speech that was more about inspirational Americans and the country’s history than his charity. His words prompted a standing ovation.

“I can see he has a heart for veterans,” said George Nodland, a former state senator from Dickinson who served as master of ceremonies at the service and introduced Woods.

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Tornado hits south of Watford City

WATFORD CITY — A tornado touched down about 5 miles south of Watford City on Monday night, damaging a dozen trailers at an RV camp, according to the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services.

Meteorologist John Martin with the National Weather Service in Bismarck said a tornado warning was issued for areas of McKenzie County at about 7:46 p.m. CDT Monday and learned shortly thereafter that a tornado had touched down. Martin said it was the first tornado of 2014 in North Dakota.

“We know that there were 12 trailers that were destroyed,” said Cecily Fong, the public information officer for the state Department of Emergency Services.

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