North Dakota – Page 11

Property owners have right above all

Last fall, after two years of listening to input from the public, special-interest groups and government agencies, the North Dakota Industrial Commission got serious about creating a list of “extraordinary places.”

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem in December designated a list of 18 special places in western North Dakota and crafted a proposed set of rules aimed at limiting the impact of energy exploration in those areas.

Great, right? Republicans working in harmony with the environmental groups to soften oil’s impact on the state? “Is this heaven?” we asked. “No, it’s North Dakota,” they responded.
Too bad it’s a little more complicated than that.

Continue reading “Property owners have right above all”

Enough is enough with Keystone XL

I’ve always wondered about the people who protest certain topics. Are they really that upset? Does everything rile them up that much? Does somebody pay these people to protest? Is this their job?

Lately, every time there is political movement on the Keystone XL pipeline, there’s an environmental activist group there with a protest — though we don’t get to see it because the protests usually only take place in a coastal California city like San Francisco or Los Angeles, and, of course, Washington, D.C. Both places are so far from where the proposed pipeline would go that one has to wonder why people would protest for something they’ve likely never seen in a place they’ve likely never been nor ever plan to go.

Continue reading “Enough is enough with Keystone XL”

The monument to America’s memory

mount rushmore — Will Mount Rushmore near Keystone, S.D., be America’s greatest monument to history?

What will be America’s monument to history?

Every great civilization has left behind a monument denoting its time of power. Many of those monuments also give us a glimpse into their rise, dominance and eventual fall.

So, what will be the monument future civilizations look to when remembering America? Given that scientists imagine Earth will be around for a few billion more years, give or a take a hundred million or so, it’s a safe bet that the way things are going, America’s lifespan is a bit shorter than that.

One would imagine that more than a few monuments will survive to be relics in a thousand years. I’d put good money on Mount Rushmore being one. After all, it’s still a mountain.

Continue reading “The monument to America’s memory”

Dickinson’s little world hinges on the big picture

A look at the neighboring Halliburton and Baker Hughes campuses in north Dickinson.

Last week brought word of numerous brand-name businesses planning to open in Dickinson.

Franchisees of Famous Dave’s barbecue restaurants are making plans to come here — though they aren’t sure where or when — and Five Diamond properties says Petco, JoAnn Fabrics and Dollar Tree are among the retailers planning to lease space in its new development planned for west Dickinson. The Roers West Ridge development has Menards and hotels that are sure to draw other big-box stores. Who knows? Maybe someone will even bring in Target for those of you who can’t stand Walmart.

I say this all the time because I believe it will be true: At the rate we’re going, there is going to be an entirely new part of Dickinson off Interstate 94’s Exit 59 in a couple of years.

Continue reading “Dickinson’s little world hinges on the big picture”

ND farmers flying into D.C. to push for farm bill

Everyone has to eat.

That’s the motto southwest North Dakota farmers Jim Kerzman and Bob Kuylen have, and it’s the sentiment they’re taking with them to Washington, D.C., this week as part of the National Farmers Union’s annual fly-in event to lobby members of Congress to support the farm bill.

Sixty-seven North Dakota Farmers Union members are flying into the nation’s capital and Kuylan, who farms wheat and sunflowers near South Heart, said he hopes the delegation can put some faces to the farm bill.

“They like to talk to actual farmers instead of lobbyists,” Kuylen said. “We’ll tell them what’s going on out in the country, instead of someone being paid and curving it their way.”

Continue reading “ND farmers flying into D.C. to push for farm bill”