Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
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Christmas is on a Wednesday this year, folks. It’s a hump day holiday that has thrown me off completely. I was scratching my head this week trying to remember the last time we had Christmas smack dab in the middle of the week, and do you know why? Well, apparently it happened in 2019, the last Christmas before the COVID-19 pandemic changed our world. It feels like a lifetime ago, and in many ways that’s true. I publish two newspapers now, and one of them has to be sent to the printer 12 hou...
Glenda Collier was recently re-elected to a fourth term on the Eddy County Commission, and now she's been elected the chairperson. The election of officers for the 2025 year was held at the commission's regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 3. Commissioners typically rotate through the chair and vice chair seats, and Collier is currently the vice chair. Commissioner Dave Gehrtz was elected vice chair for 2025. The primary topic of discussion at Tuesday’s meeting was an ongoing concern from Bush T...
The NR-S school gymnasium was abuzz Tuesday night, as elementary students showed up in their holiday best and belted out 16 Christmas tunes at the NR-S Elementary Christmas Program. Laurel Westby directed the 50-minute program featuring students in grades K-5....
It's December 4, and I still don't have my Christmas tree at home decorated. A bare evergreen stands tall in the corner of the living room, staring at me. I'll get to it soon, I say. Traditionally, we'd decorate it on Thanksgiving weekend. It's something we've done with our kids since they were little. This year, nobody was really feeling it. My oldest had put up the tree in her apartment weeks ago, and my middle child spent hours decorating the display windows in the newspaper office last...
"It's the old story: no work and no pay make jack pretty scarce," as writer Howard Brubaker once said. Wander back to Christmas 1930 and the height of the Great Depression with DPRCA's heartwarming holiday musical, "The Gifts of the Magi," opening Saturday, Nov. 30. It is Christmas in New York, but for two young lovers, Jim and Della, the prospects are bleak. It's the height of the Great Depression and both are out of work and penniless. But as those familiar with O. Henry's famous story know,... Full story
Taking home a state championship is something few kids ever get to experience. This past weekend, our boys of fall at New Rockford-Sheyenne/Maddock ended their football season in dramatic and dominant fashion, by shutting down the LaMoure/Litchville Marion Loboes and setting a state record for most points scored in a championship game. This season has been epic since the beginning, and this team was like none we've ever seen. I got to see it all from the sidelines, standing right in the midst...
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) released its monthly Small Business Optimism Index this past week. Small business owners are slowly regaining confidence, but with an uncertain holiday season ahead, there’s a degree of trepidation. “With the election over, small business owners will begin to feel less uncertain about future business conditions,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “Although optimism is on the rise on Main Street, small business owners are still f...
At Monday’s Eddy County Commission meeting, Emergency Manager Lisa Thompson recommended approval of the Model D zoning ordinances for floodplain management, as well as the addition of hardship variance provisions to the county’s zoning ordinances. No public comments were received, and no members of the public attended the hearing, Thompson said. The commission approved both ordinance changes. Notices regarding both are published on page 9, and copies of the full ordinances are available at the...
The United States of America is a nation of immigrants. My ancestors came from Germany, Norway and Scotland, among others. We have people coming to our communities from the Philippines, Ukraine, Venezuela and other countries right now. Yes, there are barriers. No, it isn't easy to integrate new people, especially when language limits communication and the American way takes some getting used to. When I first heard about the Uniting 4 Ukraine program developed by the Carrington City Council, I...
At the Foster County Independent, we are 90 days into this national experiment to revive local news. As I look at what we’ve accomplished so far and the work ahead, I am encouraged. This month also marks a milestone for me in business. As of October 1, I have been the publisher of this newspaper for three whole years, and I am approaching the 10-year mark of my career in the newspaper industry (which will happen in February). A lot has changed since. I’m starting to see how we can both con...
I have been following coverage of Hurricane Helene in local newspapers in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida for the past three weeks. Just yesterday, I came across an essay written by producers that I wanted to share, because it goes far beyond what I’ve seen so far and particularly addresses the impacts on the agriculture industry there. Big Sandy Creek Dairy in Madison, Ga. posted the following to their Facebook page on Sept. 29, just three days after Hurricane Helene ravaged thei...
Chief Deputy Jesse Anderson of the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office presented plans to the Eddy County Commission Tuesday for updating body cameras and in-car video systems for the department. Anderson said the cameras the county is using now are low quality and the customer service is not good. The 1-year warranty expired in 2023 and the cameras have not been working at all sometimes, causing issues when prosecuting cases. Eddy County State’s Attorney Ashley Lies spoke of a recent DUI case in whi...
Cinnamon is in season. We're making apple pies with apples harvested from our backyard trees and pumpkin spice lattes are the flavor of the month on the menu at the local coffee shop. October 2023 marked the start of a nearly year-long process to remove cinnamon that was found to contain lead from store shelves at hundreds of supermarkets and dollar stores. According to Consumer Reports, "the FDA began testing cinnamon sold at various stores after fruit purée apple pouches by Schnucks, WanaBana,...
I rode on the back of a steam engine this past weekend. I've lived in New Rockford for 20 years and have made the short trip to the Central North Dakota Steam Threshers Reunion for nearly every one. I've also covered the local steam show for the Transcript 10 straight years now. Each time I aim to capture something and someone new and different, as there are so many things to see and do on the grounds. They've recently added events as well, including tractor driving for the kids and a Friday dan...
Last fall's sold out hit, "Deer Camp," is back in town by popular demand. This hilarious take on hunting follows four buddies on their annual boys' trip out to the shack. This time it's a little different, though. After 15 years of coming home with nothing but a hangover from their annual "hunting" excursion, their wives have given them an ultimatum: bag a deer or your deer camp days are over. Only one teeny, tiny hurdle stands in their way – none of them actually know how to hunt! Do they b... Full story
Fundraising for the Rockford Theatre rebuild project is approaching the halfway point. Amanda Hegland, Executive Director of the New Rockford Area Betterment Corporation (NRABC), announced Tuesday that the New Rockford Eagles Club has contributed $50,000 to the project, catapulting their fund balance for the new structure to near $250,000. Other contributing efforts this summer included the Outdoor Movie Night in August and JunkFest concessions on Saturday, Sept. 14. The two events generated...
During the month of September, approximately 1.3 million people in the U.S. will have suicidal thoughts, 142,000 will attempt suicide, and 4,000 will die by suicide, according to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. In 2023, 142 North Dakota residents died by suicide, according to N.D. Vital Records. "Compassion and human connection are powerful tools in suicide prevention. Reaching out, listening without judgment, and showing genuine care can provide the hope and support that someone in...
It's official. The Eddy County Commission appointed Becki Schumacher permanent county auditor on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Schumacher began her tenure with the county on January 22, when she was appointed Interim Auditor after Patty Williams resigned effective January 1. In the months since, the county has taken most of the necessary steps to convert the auditor and treasurer from elected to appointed positions. The commission unanimously adopted a preliminary resolution explaining their intent to make...
The Carrington Medical Center Foundation is your host for Harvest Fest 2024. It's the fundraising event of the season, brimming with bushels of good eats and quality live entertainment. It all takes place at the Foster County Fairgrounds west of Carrington on Saturday, Sept. 28. The three course, buffet style meal will be served at 5:30 p.m., with a cash bar provided by Headlock's. Then kick back and take in the talents of Duelly Noted, a one-of-a-kind female dueling piano act, sponsored by...
In the world of public notices, this summer has been a doozy. Recent events, some involving celebrities, have shed light on just how well read public notices are. Public notices are reports of upcoming meetings held by government entities, notices to creditors when a person passes away, foreclosure notices issued by banks, and financial reports of the cities and school districts, to name a few. Each state has laws that govern what is considered a public notice and how often each needs to be...
Even though she doesn't get paid, she still puts in the time and the work. The New Rockford Chamber has selected Tiffany Schaefer as the August Employee of the Month. This mother of four keeps three concession stands at local sporting events operating efficiently year-round, a role she gladly fulfills. Schaefer began her tenure on the Rocket Boosters board of directors in 2016, when her oldest son Connor was in fifth grade. She and her husband Mike later joined the SNR Baseball board in 2020. No...
The United States Postal Service is a vital partner to newspapers. We pay them to provide a service, that is to deliver our print editions to every address in America. That partnership, however, is facing new challenges. I was among a select few representing North Dakota newspapers at a roundtable discussion hosted by U.S. Sen. John Hoeven on Monday. An article about that meeting first appeared in the Grand Forks Herald on Tuesday, and is republished in this edition of both the Transcript and th...
Tomlinson Field has seemingly cleared its last financial hurdle, and its renaissance is not far away. At a special budget meeting on Monday, Aug. 12, Eddy County commissioners passed a resolution to levy 2 mills for the airport reconstruction project. An agreement drafted by Eddy County State's Attorney Ashley Lies outlines the details: Eddy County and the City of New Rockford will each levy 2 mills for the city-owned airport, for a total of 4 mills, the maximum allowed by state law. That's...
Eddy County officials held a marathon budget session during their regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 6. One by one, various department heads approached the commission with their 2025 budget requests over the course of four hours, and nearly all of them requested additional funds to do their work in the coming year. The county’s valuation had a modest increase this year, so 1 mill is worth approximately $16,968. Donna Young, Eddy County’s new weed control officer, was the first to present her dep...
Most of us have likely seen it at least once before. We’re in the middle of an important task, such as entering thousands of entries into an Excel spreadsheet or posting our latest update to Facebook, and all of a sudden the computer screen turns blue. About a week ago, the screens of an estimated 8.5 million Windows computers came down with the blue screen of death. It was like watching Inside Out 2, when orange-haired Anxiety takes over our beloved Riley. The multi-day tech flub, dubbed the ...
