DSU – Page 4 – Dustin Monke

‘REAL’ CHRISTMAS: Tradition, ‘the smell’ keep holiday shoppers coming back for live trees

For John Kempenich, it’s about tradition, family and, of course, the smell.

Kempenich spent several minutes Wednesday night at the Dickinson State University Agriculture Building carefully examining the fir trees lining the walls until he found one that caught his eye.

He fluffed the tree and inspected it some more. After seeking the advice of his daughters, who each performed the same meticulous study of the tree, the decision was made. The Kempenich family had found their Christmas tree.

They have been coming to DSU to pick out a Christmas tree sold as a fundraiser by the university’s rodeo club since before their 18-year-old daughter Lexi was born.

“It’s just one of them things that you like — that smell and the familiness of coming together and picking out a tree for the year,” Kempenich said as the smile on his face grew.
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Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library once-in-generation opportunity for North Dakota

You can visit the George W. Bush Presidential Library at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. It only costs $7 to get into both the Bill Clinton library in Little Rock, Ark., and the Gerald Ford library in Ann Arbor, Mich.

These presidents each had their faults, yet they still have libraries to honor them and serve as historical research sites.

Somehow, Theodore Roosevelt — a man whose face is on Mount Rushmore and is considered one of our greatest leaders — is among the American presidents without a library.

The North Dakota Legislature has tasked Dickinson State University with changing that.

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A place for Teddy: Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library plans taking shape

Dickinson could one day be home to a library for one of the most revered presidents in American history.

Dickinson State University and one of the country’s top museum planning firms, at the behest of the North Dakota Legislature, are in the early stages of designing a concept for a Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library to be built in the city — likely on the university’s campus. Planners envision a facility that would be as nationally renowned as any other presidential library.

“I think this is huge for all of North Dakota,” DSU President D.C. Coston said. “A presidential library — as it’s been discussed here — has huge national and, in many cases, international impact.”

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Former DSU football player killed fighting fire in Black Hills

I was alerted to this story this evening and it is definitely worth sharing.

Former Dickinson State football player Trampus Haskvitz died Thursday afternoon from injuries suffered after he was caught in a burn over while fighting a fire near Edgemont, S.D.

Trampus and his twin brother, John, joined the Blue Hawks in the fall of 2006 as redshirt freshmen. John left the team after that season but Trampus, a wide receiver, stayed on for the next two seasons, playing mostly on special teams.

Trampus went to Hot Springs (S.D.) High School. Along with his brother, he was employed by the South Dakota Wildland Fire Suppression Division.

San Jose Mercury-News article on Fleury

Mark Emmons, a reporter for the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury-News (one of the best newspapers in the country, in my opinion) wrote a great article on the recent trials of Dickinson State softball coach Kristen Fleury. Fleury, the team’s 24-year-old first-year-old head coach, is a San Jose-area native and, as most of you know, had to lead a group of players through the most trying time in Dickinson State athletic history when standouts Kyrstin Gemar, Ashley Neufeld and Afton Williamson died in a drowning accident earlier this month.