2012.06.01

SPURRED ONCareer success comes for local horse pro

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COMMUNITY NEWS, CULTURE, COMMENTARY, COMMERCE u FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 2012 u VOLUME I, ISSUE 36 u FREE

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Monday, June 4Country Fried SteakTuesday, June 5Applewood Pork ChopsWednesday, June 6Cabbage RollsThursday, June 7TurkeyFriday, June 4Sheppard’s Pie

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What’s better than a parade featuring a marching band? How about a parade featuring TWO marching bands, as was the case Monday during the Memorial Day Parade held in Valley City. (The Independent thanks

Dennis Stillings for submitting this photo. To submit your favorite photos, email to [email protected])

the independent

By Lowell BuschingCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Despite prior weeks of nice warm weather, the dedication celebra-tions for the Midland Conti-

nental Railroad building in Wimbledon took place on one of the coolest days in months.

� e temperature registered a cool 42 degrees with a brisk wind when I got there around 10:15 a.m., just in time to hear the last pop numbers from the scheduled Drum and Bugle Corps. Although the weather quickly warmed to 45 degrees, according to the bank, it never exceeded 50 degrees.

Nevertheless, the dedication and the museum building itself were "cool" in the right way and there were enough bundled up people in the three stands surround-ing the main stage to make a respectable crowd with many of us standing the whole

time. Speeches and entertainment by the

Peggy Lee tribute singer Stacy Sulliven and her piano player/music director Jon Weber, who warmed hearts by performing a never-before-recorded Peggy Lee song written to re� ect Peggy Lee’s feelings of N.D., took up about an hour or so and was followed by a picnic held in the storage and display building next door.

Certainly, this previously unrecorded song had extra special meaning on Satur-day as one of the repeated lines was about the "blustery winds" in North Dakota. Life was indeed imitating art and I could not help but wonder if Peggy Lee was look-ing down on the event and having a good

laugh. Got Ya!� is feeling was ampli� ed even more

so as the catchy Peggy Lee tune “Waiting for the Train to Come in (Waiting for my life to begin)” played over and over on the wind-up � oor model acoustic record player in the museum’s Peggy Lee room upstairs. � e song was very appropriate. Peggy Lee’s train did, indeed, come in.

� e job on the building could not have been better and everyone involved with its completion can be real proud. I am only sorry that I did not have something to do with it.

Wimbledon’s new museum is well worth seeing and, for Peggy Lee fans, the items in her room on the top � oor crams

as much as you could want in a relatively small space with private listening phones to hear many of her songs. Bring your grandchildren along to show you how to operate it.

A lot of work went into this project and should be rewarded by visitors. Like the Lawrence Welk tribute farm near Stras-burg, it is a bit o� the beaten path, but is worth the drive for both railroad bu� s and fans of Peggy Lee alike.

Come and visit to see the inside. And listen again to the voice of Peggy Lee, or introduce your children or grandchildren to a one-of-a-kind voice while taking a trip back in time, to the olden days when the railroad still ruled the North Dakota prairie.Editor’s note: Due to an error in last week’s edition, The Independent is reprinting in its entirety Mary Beth Olom-bel’s story “How to Build a Museum.” The reprinted piece appears on page 19 of this week’s Independent. We sin-cerely regret the error.

-NIKKI LAINE ZINKEEditor & Publisher, The Independent

ESSAY

In the words of Barnes County Historical Museum curator Wes Andersen, the opening celebration activities for Wimbledon’s Midland Continental Railroad Mu-seum were nothing short of a “love letter to Peggy Lee.” Highlights of the celebration included tribute concerts by Stacy Sullivan and music director Jon Weber (above - Sullivan smiling wearing shawl, Weber on the keyboard) in three N.D. cities, plus a fi rst-rate dedication ceremony in Wimbledon on Saturday, May 26. (Photo/Dennis Stillings)

The train came in

Friday, June 1Ransom County Relay

for Life event begins to-day at the Expo Center in Lisbon. More info: Kristie Peterson 701-683-4009 or Michele Sagvold 701-683-5552.

Barnes County Senior

Center Activities: 9:30 a.m. Bone Builders Ex-ercise; 11:30 a.m. Lunch (Turkey Noodle Casse-role, Green Beans, Juice, Peaches); 1 p.m. Bingo.

KARAOKE: Full Nel-son Karaoke is at the American Legion tonight

in Valley City. For people 21-plus. More info: Tara Nelson, 701-840-5308.

Saturday, June 2National Trails Day

Hike at Fort Ransom State Park starts at 10

a.m. 701-973-4331.

The Barnes County Wildlife Federation hosts the 22nd annual Take-a-Kid-Fishing Day at Lake Ashtabula. Parents call 845-2087 or 845-2378.

June Parker cel-ebrates her 80th birth-day from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Barnes County Senior Center in Valley City. More info: Vicki Jackson, 845-5667.

C O M M U N I T Y

CALENDARWhat’s Going On around the Area

ARTS n COMMUNITY n GROUPS n GOVERNMENT n SCHOOL n SPORTS

List your event

We welcome all sub-missions for area events and activities that are free or low-cost and open to the public. Calendar list-ings in The Independent are provided at no cost as a public service to our readers.

To have your listing published, use our easy online submissions form at www.indy-bc.com or email a complete descrip-tion well in advance to The Independent’s Calen-dar Editor Lee Morris at:[email protected]

Include the event’s date, time, place, and other relevent informa-tion. Please also include a contact name and phone number and/or email ad-dress.

DEADLINE: Calendar listings are due by noon Mondays for that

Friday’s publication.

Stop Paying Outrageous Prices to Place AdsHelp Wanted. Real Estate. Sales & Service. Business Cards.

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PAGE 3

C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S !

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For quality chiropractic care, see Dr. Brent Thomsen at Thomsen Chiropractic in

Valley City. Call today: 845-2481.Extended hours to keep our patients

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the independent

Mark your calendars. � e Old School Gi� Shoppe, located inside the 1916 Bu� alo High

School at Bu� alo, opens to visitors and shoppers Sunday for the season on Sun-day, June 10.

Sta� ed by volunteers, the shoppe houses treasures old and new, and all proceeds generated are applied to renovations and restorations at the 1916 National Register of Historic Places school building.

“Our volunteers have so much fun,” notes Liane Stoudt. “Would you like to be one?”

To volunteer, reach Stout by email at [email protected]

� e Old School Gi� Shoppe is open

this summer on these dates:

n Sunday, June 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.n Sunday, June 24, from 11a.m. to 4

p.m.n Monday, June 25, from 5 to 7 p.m.n Tentative: July 4 and July 8n Friday, July 20 from 4 to 8 p.m.n Saturday, July 21 from 9 a.m. to 5

p.m.n Sunday, Aug. 12 from 11 a.m. to 4

p.m.n Sunday, Aug. 26 from 11 a.m. to 4

p.m.� is year, the school shoppe is also

featuring the new Dakota Territory Gi� Gallery.

Buffalo High School, built in 1916, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is undergoing ongoing restorations and renovations. The project is a source of pride for Buffalo residents.

Summer shoppe hours set for capital campaign

Free Fishing weekend in North Dakota. North Dakota residents may fish without a license.

KARAOKE: Full Nel-son Karaoke is at the Captain’s Pub tonight in Valley City. For people 21-plus. More info: Tara Nelson, 701-840-5308.

Barnes County Senior Center Activities: Noon Lunch (Hamburger on a Bun, Potato Salad, Juice, Baked Beans, Cookie).

A benefit for Suzi Heinze begins at 4 p.m. on the Bull-O-Rama grounds, Sibley. Food, games, horse races, raffle. Proceeds to offset medi-cal expenses. Donations: First Financial, Box 725, Cooperstown, ND 58425.

Sunday, June 3Barnes County Senior

Center Activities: 12:30 p.m. Lunch (Pork Roast, Mashed Potatoes/Gravy, Capri Vegetables, 2 Tone Dessert).

Valley City Rifle and Pistol Club holds a Pa-perdog Match at 10 a.m. at the ND Outdoor Range in Valley City. More info: Harvey, 845-1533.

Valley City Parks and Recreation summer pro-grams begin.

Free Fishing weekend in North Dakota. North Dakota residents may fish without a license.

Monday, June 4The Valley City City

Commission holds its regular meeting at 5 p.m. at City Hall.

Buffalo Senior Citi-zens meets every Monday at the Community Center, Buffalo, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wimbledon City Council meets the first Monday of every month at 7 p.m. in Wimbledon City Hall.

Barnes County Senior Center Activities: 10:30 a.m. Exercise; 11:30

a.m. Lunch (Swiss Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Peas, Tropical Fruit); 1:15 p.m. Whist.

A Nurse Scholarship Fundraiser runs from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in the Mercy Hospital cafeteria, Valley City. Enjoy a dessert bar with coffee or punch; freewill offering. Proceeds to benefit Mercy Hospital Nursing Scholarship Fund.

Tuesday, June 5The Barnes County

Commission holds its regular meeting at 8 a.m. at the courthouse.

A Barnes County equalization meeting is set for 1 p.m. at the county courthouse.

Valley City Rotary Club meets every Tuesday at noon at the Valley City VFW Club.

Music in the Park takes place at the City Park Bandshell in Valley City. More info: 845-3294.

Barnes County Senior Center Activities: 11:30 a.m. Lunch (Lasagna, Tossed Salad, Juice, Banana).

Wednesday, June 6

World Environment DayThe Valley City-

Barnes County Library hosts Storytime with the Jolene Knutson Hanse family at 10:30 a.m.

Valley City Kiwanis Club meets every Wednesday at 12:04 p.m. at the Valley City VFW Club.

“Open Mic” at Dutton’s Parlour in downtown Val-ley City is every Wednes-day from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Entertainers (music, comedy, poetry, etc.) and audience members wel-come. No cost.

Tower City Senior Citi-zens meet every Wednes-day at the Community Center in Tower City from

CALENDAR: ARTS n COMMUNITY n GROUPS n GOVERNMENT n SCHOOL n SPORTS

PAGE 4

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06.01.12THE INDEPENDENT

A publication ofSmart Media LLC

416 2nd St.Fingal, ND 58031

Volume 1, Issue 36© All Rights Reserved

vitalsMISSION STATEMENT

m To highlight and publi-cize local contributions to education, the arts, and quality of life;

m To provide quality news content relating to the activi-ties and concerns of the local population;

m To be a marketplace of ideas, and a forum for free debate;

m To feature local talent and achievers;

m To provide a venue for showcasing local products and services through attrac-tive and stimulating advertis-ing.

Editor & PublisherNikki Laine Zinke

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Calendar EditorLee Morris

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AdvertisingLori Froemke

[email protected] cell

SUBMISSIONSYour participation is

welcome at all levels. Submit online at

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DISTRIBUTIONTHE INDEPENDENT is pub-lished weekly from its Smart Media LLC home in Fingal, N.D., and is available free of charge at designated distri-bution outlets in the Barnes County and surrounding area. No one is permitted more than one current issue of THE INDEPENDENT with-out permission. Additional copies and back issues are available for $5 prepaid. Theft of THE INDEPENDENT will be prosecuted.

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10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. More info: Betty Gibbons, presi-dent: 701-840-0184.

Texas Hold’em Tour-nament every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at the Ea-gles, Valley City. More info: Richard Hass: 840-2612. Free for people 21-plus.

Sheyenne Snodrifters meets the first Wednesday of every month at Dito’s in Sanborn. More info: Lynette: 701-646-6260.

Sanborn City Council

meets the first Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. at City Hall, Sanborn.

Barnes County Senior Center Activities: 9:30 a.m. Bone Builders Ex-ercise; 11:30 a.m. Lunch (Baked Chicken, Baby Bakers, Mixed Vegetables, Fruit Crisp); 1:15 p.m. Pinochle & Whist.

Thursday, June 7St. Catherine Quilters

makes quilts for those in

need every Thursday from 1 to 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the St. Catherine gym basement, Valley City. More info: Lela Grim, 845-4067.

Tops Club of Enderlin meets every Thursday morning at the Senior Center. Weigh in from 8:30 to 9 a.m.; meeting at 9 a.m.

Barnes County Senior Center Activities: 10:30 a.m. Exercise; 11:30 a.m. Lunch (Soup, Sandwich, Juice, Fruit); 5:30 p.m. Supper Night (Roast Beef).

PAGE 5

CALENDAR: ARTS n COMMUNITY n GROUPS n GOVERNMENT n SCHOOL n SPORTS

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American Profile Hometown Content 4/29/2012

CROSSWORD - ANSWERS in NEXT WEEK’S INDY

STOUDT-ROSS FORD

DON (DOC) THOMPSONSales Specialist

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independentOF BARNES COUNTY

THE

& BEYOND

lori froemkeaccount executive

www.indy-bc.com

[email protected]

701-320-0780

I recently attended the American Hos-pital Association annual meeting in Washington, D.C. � e purpose of the

meeting was to discuss rural health issues with government o� cials and also to meet with our North Dakota elected o� cials to advocate for their support in protecting rural healthcare.

What I heard while there is that rural healthcare is a target for our federal gov-

ernment in the coming years and the program that was created in 1997, called the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) program, is square in the sights of budget writers for re-ductions. Now why is this a problem, you might ask?

� e Critical Access Hospital program was created to protect small, rural hospitals because the payment system created to cover Medicare and partly Medicaid, put most rural hospitals in jeopardy of closing.

“� e health care infrastructure in much of rural Amer-ica is a web of small hospitals, clinics and nursing homes (frequently attached to the hospitals) o� en experiencing signi� cant � nancial stress. Many rural hospitals have � -nancial margins too narrow or too low to support invest-ments in critical plant and technological upgrades. Med-icaid and Medicare reimbursement rates remain generally below actual costs of services provided, thus stressing pro-viders that depend on reimbursements from public pro-grams. � e promise of federally quali� ed health centers across rural America has yet to materialize, thus a� ect-ing the available care for low-income and uninsured rural people. And many rural long-term care facilities are at risk of closure, a� ecting the health care safety net for the rural elderly,” according to the Jon M. Bailey Center for Rural A� airs paper ‘� e Top 10 Rural Issues for Healthcare Re-form.’

Because most rural hospitals in 1997 could not remain viable under the federal payment structure, a complete-ly di� erent method of payment was approved. � is new structure included many cost-based payments that o� set the cost of providing services to Medicare enrollees, keep-ing these small, rural hospitals viable in the communi-ties they serve. � ese cost-based measures are the ones I am very pleased to say that I discussed with Sens. Kent Conrad (D) and John Hoeven (R) and Rep. Rick Berg (R) while in D.C.; and all three are adamantly in support of the CAH program and understand its importance.

� e problem is that most of our leadership at the federal level have little, if any, experience in rural communities and don’t understand the speci� c rural problems that re-quire a separate reimbursement structure. For this reason alone, your letters to the Director of Health and Human Services are critical.

Rural healthcare is a key employer, economic engine and critical service for all of rural America. � e current threats to a successful payment system for rural hospitals are signi� cant and real. And by the way, the total CAH program reimbursement nationwide is roughly 5% of the Medicare program (it changes slightly depend-ing on who you talk to but it is never more than 6%) so any dollars recovered from

this program will be insigni� cant when compared to our overall national debt and the CAH program is protecting more than 1,200 hospitals nationwide – a pretty good in-vestment for relatively small dollars!

Please contact Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Director of Health and Human Services, and our North Dakota elected of-� cials to tell them how important your rural healthcare network is and what it would mean to you if we lost it. Ask them to protect the CAH program and our fragile rural health system! Go to this web site www.hhs.gov and follow the information on how to contact Director Sebelius.

You can also contact me at 701-845-6400 if you have questions or need more information.

Keith Heuser is the Administrator at Mercy Hospital in Valley City. Your Health is coordinated by Mercy Hospital.

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YOUR HEALTH: Rural Health Care in jeopardy

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Family’s Potato Recipe Wins Grand Prize

Kugelis

www.justapinch.com/kugelis

Blue Ribbon Recipes from Hometown Cooks

Just Like You!

What You Need6 slices thick cut bacon 7 eggs, beaten12 oz. can evaporated milk1 tbsp salt, or more to taste1 tsp pepper, or more to taste5 lb red or yukon gold potatoes, peeled and shredded1 md onion, shreddedsour cream, to top

Directions• Cook bacon until crispy. Set aside to cool, reserving fat. Finely chop in food processor.

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper

plus reserved bacon fat. Add bacon and mix well.

• Peeled potatoes should be shredded as the last step to keep them from turning color. Shred onion with the potato. Mix potatoes/onion with the egg mixture completely and pour into a greased 10 x 15 inch baking dish.

• Bake and test for doneness at 1 hour. Like a cake, it will pull from the sides of the pan and a knife should come out clean when done.

• Slice and serve with sour cream on top. This can also be sliced thin and fried with butter as a side with eggs for breakfast.

“My great-grandparents emmigrated from Lithuania in the early 20th century and

brought with them this potato recipe that I have been eating

my whole life.” - Jamie Burris

Submitted by: Jamie Burris, Fayetteville, AR (pop. 73,580)

Family’s Potato Recipe Wins Grand Prize

Kugelis

www.justapinch.com/kugelis

Blue Ribbon Recipes from Hometown Cooks

Just Like You!

What You Need6 slices thick cut bacon 7 eggs, beaten12 oz. can evaporated milk1 tbsp salt, or more to taste1 tsp pepper, or more to taste5 lb red or yukon gold potatoes, peeled and shredded1 md onion, shreddedsour cream, to top

Directions• Cook bacon until crispy. Set aside to cool, reserving fat. Finely chop in food processor.

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper

plus reserved bacon fat. Add bacon and mix well.

• Peeled potatoes should be shredded as the last step to keep them from turning color. Shred onion with the potato. Mix potatoes/onion with the egg mixture completely and pour into a greased 10 x 15 inch baking dish.

• Bake and test for doneness at 1 hour. Like a cake, it will pull from the sides of the pan and a knife should come out clean when done.

• Slice and serve with sour cream on top. This can also be sliced thin and fried with butter as a side with eggs for breakfast.

“My great-grandparents emmigrated from Lithuania in the early 20th century and

brought with them this potato recipe that I have been eating

my whole life.” - Jamie Burris

Submitted by: Jamie Burris, Fayetteville, AR (pop. 73,580)

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By Keith Heuser

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MUSEUM WITHOUT WALLS

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Thousands of readers pick up The Independent each week in these communities: Valley City, Sanborn, Rogers, Dazey, Wimbledon, Walum, Hannaford, Sibley, Luverne, Pillsbury,

Tower City, Buffalo, Fingal, Nome, Kathryn, Hastings, Litchville, Marion, Enderlin & Lisbon.

Th i s post-c a r d

photograph of Leal from 1910 shows an automo-bile with two gentle-men seated parked in front of the bank (on the left). A general store can be seen on the right. In the distance, some horses are hitched up.

Leal was founded in 1892 by Scottish-English settlers who came from Canada in 1883. “Leal” is Scottish for “faithful and true.” The town was incorporated in 1911. Leal reached a peak population of 105 in 1930.

The postcard is ad-dressed to Mrs. J. P. Lari-son of Washington, N.J., by “Ada,” and reads: “Dear Ruth. Arrived home Fri-day night. All O.K. had fun time. I took Auto ride to this place about 15 miles

By DennisStillings

from where we were visiting. Come down when convenient.” (Editor’s note: The original appears to be hand-colored.)Museum Without Walls is an original column by Dennis Stillings of Valley City that examines images, landmarks and artifacts that showcase the history of communities in our area. To suggest a topic for a future column, provide leads or further information on subjects covered here, or comment on a previous column, feel free to contact Dennis Stillings by email at: [email protected]

By Ron Smith, HorticulturistNDSU Extension Service

Q: Our two ninebark shrubs have been eaten to the ground this spring by rabbits (we think). Can they be saved? (email ref-erence)

A: They very likely will recover on their own. Get some rabbit repellent, such as Liq-uid Fence, Plantskydd or a similar product, and spray the stubs and around the area. You also would be wise to put a chicken wire fence around the area to give the plants a chance to get re-established.

Q: The red maple in my front lawn seems to be pulling itself out of the ground. The ground around the trunk is heaved almost 12 inches. This 15-year-old tree always has looked healthy, but the leaves are very tiny and never turn red in the fall. Also, my lawn looks terrible this spring. The lawn has brown patches around the tree’s drip

line and starling holes over the same area. I read somewhere that starlings make a half-inch diameter hole by pushing their beaks into the ground to feed on white grubs. Can you advise me on what this problem is and the solution? What type of care or maintenance does this type of tree require? (Gatineau, Quebec)

A: Starlings mine the soil for grubs that are feeding at the upper root zone of newly developing roots. These would be large grubs that make a tasty meal for the forag-ing birds. As to your tree lifting out of the soil, I don’t have a good answer for you. I would encourage you to locate an Inter-national Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborist in your area to make a determination. Subsidence could be the problem, but that can only be determined with an onsite visit. Go to http://www.tree-saregood.com/findtreeservices/FindTree-CareService.aspx to find certified arborists HORTISCOPE: 17

HORTISCOPE

By Ashley NadeauBarnes County Extension Agent

Children are eating more meals and snacks away from home. They may be choosing unhealthy ready-to-eat food options rather than spending time preparing a healthy

snack or meal – and eating with their families. With a growing interest in gardening and gardening with kids this spring I hope the excitement can spread into the kitchen. To keep your children busy and out of mischief this summer, teach them how to cook. Encouraging children to cook can build healthy lifestyle skills, creativity and healthy food choices. Depending on the age group, letting your children cook or help you cook has many benefits!

According to food and nutrition specialist Julie Garden-Robin-son, cooking with your kids provides many benefits:

• Cooking builds self-esteem. Children develop confidence, responsibility and independence when they can help you prepare a snack or meal. When they get more practice, they will be able to prepare more foods on their own.

• Cooking teaches! When kids begin to cook, they can help stir, pour, shake and tear. As they become more experienced, they can move on to spread, mix and knead. Later they can cut, grate and measure with supervision! Kids can develop math and language skills when they measure ingredients and read recipes.

• Cooking gives kids a sense of accomplishment. They have a sense of pride when they finish cooking and get to share what they have made with their family.

• Cooking helps kids make smart food choices. Rather than choosing ready-to-eat snack or meal options, they know how to make healthier snacks themselves. They are able to make informed decisions to eat nutrient-dense foods.

• Cooking build creativ-ity! Preparing foods allows kids to show their artistic side. They may have new ideas about methods of preparation, combining different flavors or how the dish is presented when it is served.

Kids often fall short on whole grains, calcium-rich foods, fruits and vegetables in their diets. When cook-ing with your kids, choose recipes that incorporate these food groups to help them meet their daily re-quirements. Here’s one:

Granola Bars4 c. uncooked oats (not

instant)1 c. packed brown sugar1 tsp. vanilla½ tsp. ground cinnamon½ c. raisins or dried

cranberries½ c. shredded coconut1 c. chopped nuts (ca-

shews, peanuts or walnuts)3/4 c. melted butter½ c. honeyCombine all ingredients

RECIPE: 16


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Jace Ryan Pytlik (right), son of Jen and Darin Pytlik of Golden, Colo., was born April 9, 2012. Proud grandparents are Leon and Marleen Py-tlik of Valley City, and Houston and Meridel Rice, Vancouver, Wash; and great-grandmoth-er Mabel Miller of Valley City.

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Teach kids to cook

the independent

BETWEEN THE ROWS

Thousands of readers pick up The Independent each week in these communities: Valley City, Sanborn, Rogers, Dazey, Wimbledon, Walum, Hannaford, Sibley, Luverne, Pillsbury,

Tower City, Buffalo, Fingal, Nome, Kathryn, Hastings, Litchville, Marion, Enderlin & Lisbon.

By Members of the Steering CommitteeValley City Community Gardens

This column is dedicated to helping you find answers to your gardening questions. As you ask questions, the Valley City Community Gardens (VCCG) Steer-

ing Committee will do the research for you and publish answers in this column. Our goal is to assist you in having a successful gardening experience. Your questions can be sent to VCCG Gardening Column, 230 4th St., N.W., Rm. 204, Valley City, ND 58072-2947 or [email protected]

FRESH TOMATOES ~ A Little Help!Most of us look forward to our summer tomato harvest

- especially that first ripe tomato we pick and eat. Possibly, with the aid of red vinyl mulch, tomato yield might be in-creased. Read on. . .

Does red mulch really work?If you are a serious tomato

grower, you may wish to consider red mulch.

Sunlight reflected from red vi-nyl mulch may increase tomato yields between 10–30% based on experiments conducted in numer-ous states including Minnesota, Montana and Pennsylvania.

The red mulch reflects a quality of light back to the tomato plants that stimulates growth. This leads to earlier harvests and higher yields.

Soil warming is definitely a factor. Colored (red, blue and black) and clear mulches warm the soil, which can lead to earlier yields.

Different plants respond differently to different colors. While the tomato family (tomato, potato, pepper, and egg-plant) respond well to red mulch, cucurbits (cucumbers and melons) seem to respond particularly well to blue mulch.

The benefits of red mulch are not assured, but seem to be more likely to occur in areas with short growing sea-sons (this includes us in the Dakotas!). Results vary from year to year, from crop to crop, and even from variety to variety.

Studies have also shown that different effects can occur with different types of red mulch, so consider using a qual-ity mulch developed specifically for tomato production.

There is a premium mulch developed by the USDA and Clemson University available in major seed catalogs.

Source: Tom Kalb, Extension Horticulturist, NDSU; [email protected]; Published January 2011; Revised October 2011

g victimization Reducingf senior citizensof

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te BRAD CRUFF forVottrict Judgeship #8Dis

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VFW welcomes Harrison

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By Lori FroemkeCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Jenna Litscher has turned her love for all things equine into a successful

career on the North Dakota prairie.

A Wisconsin native, Litscher says south cen-tral North Dakota chose her - and she’s gone ahead and put down roots outside Tower City, where she owns and runs Litscher Training Stables.

“When the horse and rid-er are on the same path, you know that the trail ahead of you is going to be an ac-complished one!” Litscher said.

Indeed.� e trail from childhood

equine love to successful equine pro seemed pre-destined.

Already at the age of 3, Litscher was learning the ropes, so to speak, on her uncle’s dra� horse farm where she would help brush, bathe and even ride the big giants.

As her love for horses grew, so did her dream to someday work as an equine professional. At the age of 9, she found a horse trainer

that put her to work in the barn cleaning stalls, groom-ing, saddling and exercis-ing horses. In exchange for Litscher’s hard work, she was rewarded with riding lessons. � e result? Soon enough, Litscher was com-peting in the show ring rid-ing English.

� e trail toward pro con-tinued when, at 16, Litscher

found part-time work with a veterinarian, where she learned how to take care of all kinds of animals - fur-thering her credentials and commitment.

She also continued her riding training and com-petition, becoming well-rounded in both the English and Western styles of horse riding.

A� er graduating from high school, Litscher got serious - entering the Uni-versity of Wisconsin at River Falls’ program in pre-veterinary medicine and business administration. Two years later, Litscher began an internship that would later blossom into a full-time assistant trainer position at Schmidt Perfor-mance Horses of Cooper-stown, N.D.

She says the experience at Schmidt Performance Hors-es was a great experience, but she was determined to � nish her bachelor’s degree and it didn’t take this goal-driven gal much time to determine that Valley City State University was the place to do it.

“� e attraction was easy to see,” Litscher said. “� ey had a broad spectrum of classes for traditional and nontraditional students, the classes were very � exible and worked with my work-ing schedule and, best of all, my credits from U of W were welcomed.”

A� er graduating, Litscher took the natural next step - establishing Litscher Train-ing Stables.

She explains: “I had al-ready started building a cli-entele of horses and riders who came to me for lessons. Up here, it’s really an un-tapped market that includes people of character and well bred horses that are tough as nails.”

She adds, “� ese horses and mules around here can do just about anything, all you have to do is ask.”

One of Litscher’s great HORSES: 11

SHE’S NOT HORSING AROUND:Equine love spurs VCSU grad to success

LEFT: Jenna Litscher, now of Tower City, runs Litscher Training Stables. (Submitted photo)

HORSES: From 10joys is taking the horses that she has been work-ing with, along with her amateur-level riders, to the breed shows, a “time when you spit shine your spurs. dust o� your hat and have a good time with some fun competition,” according to Litscher.

� e breed shows, she says, are all about “work and competition for us trainers, while, for the owners of the horses, the breed shows of-fer enjoyment in seeing the accomplishments of their horses.

Litscher credits much of her success to her VCSU ed-ucation, where she learned about marketing, advertis-ing, accounting, bookkeep-ing, � nance and computer systems, all o f

which s h e u s e s

o n a

daily or weekly basis.But Litscher also credits

her mother, whose words of advice have stayed with throught the years: “Find something that you’re good at and enjoy and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

Services o� ered at Litscher Trainning Stables, located four miles south of Tower City, include colt starting to � nish, trail, ranch, reining, working cow, and all-around rodeo horses. Litshcer o� ers rid-ing lessons for students aged 6 and older, and also hosts periodic and Horse and Rider clinics.

On the side, Litscher still � nds time to volunteer with the Barnes County 4-H Hippology Club. She also enjoys time with her dogs, hunting, � shing, and boat-ing with friends and fam-ily.

PAGE 11the independent

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RIGHT: Jenna Litscher, Tower City, competes in a

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(Photo/Marge Schwartz)

Jenna Litscher, owner of Litscher Training Stables, reins in a horse called Chief. (Photo/Marge Schwartz)

Just when you thought it was safe to go out to the

garden… dah, dah, dah – frost warnings. That’s right… after months of exception-ally warm weather, like a hot tub after a long day of skiing, gardeners across the state were lured into their garden plots only to be hit with a wave of cold and rainy weather over Memo-rial Day weekend.

Since early April, tillers were kicking up dirt, grass clippings were stock piled for mulch, Starbucks began gathering grounds, and even transplants were leaning more and more every day towards the sun. And speaking of the sun, it come ups and stays there for a long time these days elbowing us to get out and enjoy this wonderful time of the year as spring transitions to summer.

Well almost. Memorial Day week-end, true to course, gave us temps near 30 and those dreaded frost warnings north of the Interstate.

Hey folks, it’s North Dakota. While global warming, or climate change, or the season of weird weather or whatever you call it has been giving us warmer weather, there are no guarantees. We are working with Mother Nature after all and she is a woman that changes her mind at the drop of the hat.

Only in this state can temps vary from hot to cold in a heartbeat. I found this really interesting when I researched weather extremes both in this job and as a newspaper edi-tor.

From www.wunderground.com Website:

“1936: A Year of Extremes“The climatological summer

(June-August) of 1936 was the warmest nationwide on record (since 1895) with an average temperature of 74.6° (2nd warmest summer was that of 2006 with an TINY BITES: 13

Each morning the arm of tree-covered land cra-

dling the small bay on the south shore of Lake Erie would seem to wave invitingly. While I was busy suiting up for another day at trial, the gulls, ducks, geese and other waterbirds would make their way to and from the 3,100-acre peninsula on Pennsylvania’s only major shoreline, and the lightly rippled bay promised a weekend of cool run-ning, fishing, paddling and hiking in the state park just across the water.

Presque Isle, which translates from French to “Almost an Island,” has been around since the last ice age and is a result of glacial deposits of sediment molded continuously by the wind and waves of Lake Erie. Since it formed so rapidly - geologically speaking - and remains in a state of constant flux, the peninsula creates a fragile and changing biological observatory. The numerous lagoons, wetlands, ponds and dozens of miles of shoreline play host to many of the region’s fish, waterfowl, reptile and amphibian species and in turn draw out-doors enthusiasts by the thousands.

My adventure on Presque Isle began early on Saturday morning, as I met with hundreds of other fans of outdoor run-ning for a quick 5K to kick off the holi-day weekend. While stretching against a stump, I heard a familiar tweet and looked into the small stand of timber against the clearing and saw my third set of paired cardinals this year. In the 20 minutes before the race organizer shout-ed “GO!” I had seen seven different spe-cies of songbirds, three different rodents, two varieties of waterfowl and one leop-ard frog – and that was just around the parking lot where the starting line was.

As I ran the out-and-back route, I took note of the wide and towering cotton-wood trees alongside the bike path and the thick undergrowth which supported the wildlife around me. The sandy soil beneath my feet was a perfect place for the large trees to take root and anchor the almost-island and create the cradle of life that jutted out into the blue water of Lake Erie. When I finished the run at 23:43 (second in my age bracket), I was all tuckered out from my first 5K of the season and ready to relax.

I couldn’t think of a better way to do so than by fishing these new waters. I rent-ed a kayak, strung up my rods and began paddling around the lagoons and out into the bay. Numerous turtles sunned themselves in the light of the warm day.

Somewhere in the thick grass at the wa-ter’s edge, a heron on its nest grunted out a warning call and I paddled slowly out into the middle of the flow.

Firing out my first cast, I connected with a fish. It was one of the many rock bass which were on the spawn on the gravelly shallows, digging out large cra-ters to house their progeny. In the la-goons, snake-like gar twisted and shot out after schools of small minnows and panfish. While a couple offered strikes at my jigs and plastics, their bony mouths provided no connection for my hooks. I longed for the four-inch rope fly that I had used in college to tangle (literally) with these fish. I managed a few nice largemouth bass that lingered along the well-developed lagoon weedline from the early spring that the Great Lakes re-gion also experienced with the rest of the upper Midwest. Meanwhile families of Canada geese honked their way around my orange watercraft as they headed out to the bay.

By mid-afternoon, the state park was filled with people taking in the unofficial start of summer. Anglers waded out into the shallows casting after smallmouth bass, or patrolled the rocky edges in their boats. Hikers, bikers and runners moved along the trails and paths around the peninsula like blood pumping through veins and arteries, spreading life and en-joyment in the green arm of land. And while there had to have been thousands of people in the park, it wasn’t hard to get away from it all and hear only birds in the tree-covered hiking trails which con-nected to the main routes.

Around 8 p.m. I wrapped up my rods and tackle just before sunset and headed back to town, my hotel just a few min-utes away from the park’s entrance.

On the drive back, I mentally checked off all of the things I had hoped to ac-complish; a run in the 23-minute range to kick off the race season, connecting with a few fish and seeing some of the area’s wildlife. As I looked out over the bay back toward the park, I smiled and thought that if I ever had the chance to return, I’d definitely make Presque Isle the site for future adventures…in our outdoors.

Nick Simonson grew up in Valley City.


OUR OUTDOORS

Pennsylvania’s Presque Isle impresses

By Sue B. Balcom

By Nick Simonson

Best to remember you’re from North Dakota

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For more information on Presque Isle, visit www.presqueisle.org - www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks

and click on “Find A Park” or www.facebook.com and search

“Presque Isle State Park.”

TINY BITES: From 12average of 74.4°) and July of 1936 was the single warmest month ever measured with an average of 77.4° (beating out July 2006 by .1°).

“Ironically, February of 1936, was the coldest such on record with an average nationwide temperature of 26.0° (single coldest month on record was January 1977 with a 23.6° average).

“In February of 1936 temperatures fell as low as -60° in North Dakota, an all-time state record and Turtle Lake, North Dakota averaged -19.4° for the entire month, the coldest average monthly temperature ever recorded in the United States outside of Alaska.

“One town in North Dakota, Langdon, went for 41 con-secutive days below zero (from January 11 to February 20), the longest stretch of below zero (including maximum temperatures) ever endured at any site in the lower 48.

With this in mind, it is truly astonishing what occurred

the following summer. The temperature in North Dakota that had reached -60° on February 15 at Parshall rose to 121° at Steele by July 6, 1936. The two towns are just 110 miles from one another!”

Does 1936 ring a bell with any of you? Right in the mid-dle of the Great Depression which not only affected the population economically but the weather seemed to jump right in and bear down hard on everyone in the Midwest.

My point though, is that it is North Dakota and garden-ers must heed the final frost week with great dedication. Peppers and tomatoes do not like weather below 50° at night and love 70-80° during the day.

Oh, and when you bring up weather change to the old-timers they certainly will tell you that the unpredictability of weather is nothing new. So hang on June is here and officially summer begins on Wednesday, June 20.

Reach Sue B. Balcom by email at [email protected]

PAGE 13the independent

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the chatter along river banks, fish-

ing piers, boat land-ings and bait shops isn’t just about where the fish are biting or the big one that got away. In fact, every year around this time, there’s almost as much talk about deer season.

A few years ago on a Sunday after church, during an informal informa-tion session on the ins and outs of the early June deer application deadline, one spouse exclaimed, “Why don’t you guys just go fishing and forget about all this deer talk. The season doesn’t open for six months.”

While she was correct about the season opener, the discussion was im-portant as hunters who want a license need to get their application in on time – this year by June 6.

In a perfect world, every hunter would get the exact license they want in the unit they prefer every year. But because the State Game and Fish Department manages deer in defined units, license numbers aren’t unlimited, and therefore many units do not have enough buck licenses for everyone who would like one.

In some units, the demand for buck licenses is so much higher than supply that it can take several years of applying for the odds to even out in the hunter’s favor.

It’s been nearly 20 years since Game and Fish first started its weighted lot-tery system, which serves to even out the odds for receiving high-demand licenses over time, but I still get a fair number of inquiries about how the weighted lottery works. Here’s some questions and answers as the 2012 deer application deadline approaches.

What species are covered by the weighted lottery?

First lotteries for deer gun, muzzle-loader deer, pronghorn, swan, and spring and fall wild turkey.

How do bonus points accrue in the weighted lottery?

An applicant unsuccessful in draw-ing his or her first choice license in the first lottery this year receives a bonus point for next year's lottery. In addition, the bonus point is doubled, so the hunter has three chances to get a license vs a hunter who received a first choice the previous year.

After four unsuccessful years in a row, the bonus points are cubed in the fifth year. While that greatly increases the odds for a long-time unsuccessful applicant, there is never a guarantee. Someone who receives his or her first this year still has that one chance next year. For some licenses, particularly antlered mule deer and whitetail bucks in a few units, demand greatly exceeds supply and many applicants have the same number of bonus points.

Do I have to apply every year to maintain accumulated bonus points?

No, several years ago Game and Fish added a one-year grace period, so a hunter could miss a year without losing points. However, an appli-cant loses his or her bonus points by failing to apply for two consecutive years.

If I receive a license for my second choice, do I lose my bonus points?

No, bonus points apply only to the first choice in the first lottery.

If I have bonus points and apply with a party, how does this affect me?

On party applications, the person with fewest points sets the level for the entire application. Applicants with more bonus points than others in the party have a better chance by applying separately.

Why do applications ask for a so-cial security number and do I have to give it?

Yes. State law requires social secu-rity numbers on all license applica-tions in order for the state to receive human services funding from the federal government.

Leier, a biologist with the Game and Fish Department, grew up in Valley City. He can be reached via email:

[email protected]

NORTH DAKOTA OUTDOORS

By Doug Leier

A look at the state’s weighted lottery system

Measure #1 – Legislator Eligi-bility for Office: Under the pres-ent Constitution, legislators are prohibited from being appointed to any state office for which the salary has been increased. Since the legislature routinely gives across-the-board raises to state employees, all legislators are automatically excluded from con-sideration for a state office when they provide these raises.

Adoption of Measure #1 would make it possible for legislators to be appointed, provided the office under consideration did not get a raise higher than that given all state employees.

Since legislators are some of the most qualified candidates for state appointments, this restric-tion has kept many of them from considering careers in the execu-tive branch and has denied the executive branch of their services.

This is a good amendment and deserves a YES vote.

Measure #2

– Repeal of the Property Tax: This proposed constitutional amendment would abolish the property tax for all county, city, school, town-ship and other local governments and require the legislature to make up the $800 million annual loss with state taxes under a formula to be devised later.

Every political subdivision probably would be required to submit its annual budget to some legislative entity for funding at the state level. Or the other op-tion would be a blanket formula that would be a “one-size-fits-all”

in which some local governments would get more and some get less than what they now get in property taxes.

In either case, local control would be sacrificed. This measure has no redeeming qualities and should be defeated with a big NO vote.

Measure #3 – Religious Right

to Act or Not to Act: Under this measure, an individual may decide whether to act or not to act on the basis of “sincerely-held religious belief ” unless the gov-ernment demonstrates a substan-tial compelling interest to require otherwise. It should be assumed that the meaning of a “sincerely-held religious belief ” would be a matter of frequent dispute and could include any form of real or unreal professed faith.

The measure also covers with-

holding benefits, assessing penal-ties, exclusion from programs, and access to facilities, whatever all of that would mean in imple-mentation.

At this juncture, this measure is a pig-in-the-poke. We have heard a variety of speculations about the possible applications but we have heard nothing about the specific intent of this measure. What will it be used for?

The sponsors must have clear intentions but they have not explained how this would be applied in North Dakota. They have not proved their case for adopting this national one-size-fits-all-states measure. It deserves a NO vote until the need can be demonstrated.

The Constitution already guar-antees us religious freedom.

Measure #4 – Fighting Sioux

Logo: There has been consid-erable confusion about this measure because it refers to the law that was passed in the 2011 special session repealing the law requiring the Sioux Logo at the University of North Dakota.

The measure would be easiest to understand if we kept our fo-cus on the law. The real question on the ballot is this: shall the law repealing the Sioux logo be kept – yes or no.

A YES vote says that we want to keep this law that eliminates the logo; a NO vote means we don’t want to keep this law but want to go back to the law that required use of the logo.

A NO vote would have devas-tating consequences for the new Division I athletic program at UND. The NCAA will proceed with its mandates, regardless of what happens to this measure.

Familiarity breeds V.C. contemptLetter from Cal BenderValley City, N.D.

On June 12th the citizens of Valley City will elect two city commissioners. While I should probably use this letter to extoll the virtues of the candidates who I sup-port, given the tendency of the government of this community to stay in and return to the hands of the same network of people, I feel the need to instead is-sue a reminder of the recent history that should compel us all to look to fresh faces to populate the city com-mission.

The former mayor of our city is one of our commis-sioner candidates. She has served in this role before, prior to becoming mayor, and did so well she eventu-ally found her way to the top of city hall. As a result, she is a familiar face to most of us, however, I sincerely

hope we will resist the urge to vote for this familiar face as, in this case, familiarity should, as the old saying goes, breed contempt.

The former mayor’s overbearing mismanage-ment during the 2009 flood made me wonder who she thought had made her dic-tator of Valley City. This be-haviour was not, however, a surprise to me as I had previously experienced a number of admonishments from her and her cronies to [”sit down and shutup,” “sit down, you’re out of order”, and “shut up and pay your taxes”] when attempting to raise issues that were not on agenda.

Her overreactions during the 2009 flood cost the city both in terms of people and money. Her constant, shrill admonishments to the citizens to get out of town resulted in many unneces-sarily leaving and some of those never returning. Her lack of understanding of the city sewer system, ac-cording to our local engi-neers, led her to take the reasonable idea of provid-

ing necessary temporary sanitation to the extreme, unnecessary littering in significant areas of the city that were not attached to the failed part of the sewage system with porta-potties, thereby wasting [tens of?] thousands of dollars by not allowing them to continue to use their standard sew-age system.

She along with her crony, who is also running for commissioner in this elec-tion, were voted out in the 2010 election as their be-havior and actions during the previous term was fresh in the minds of the citizens of Valley City. I hope this letter will serve as a re-minder.

Vote for anyone but Brian KalkLetter from Paul StenshoelValley City, N.D.

I hadn’t paid that much attention to the U..S House of Representative race in North Dakota. Then I no-ticed the other day that Bri-

an Kalk is a candidate.I saw Kalk with his “rah

rah” campaign in Fargo, during his successful bid for the Public Service Com-mission (PSC). I wasn’t im-pressed then and I am less impressed now.

Brian Kalk was a member of the PSC when it rammed the wind turbines down the throats of unwilling citi-zens in Griggs County. He did nothing there to help people who voiced a strong objection to having wind turbines all around their dwellings with no compen-sation what-so-ever. The noise and blight slashed the tranquility and sweat equity right out of those people’s lives. In my opin-ion Kalk showed very little compassion.

Mr. Kalk looks like a per-fect candidate to get the job done for the corporations and not the average citizen. Time after time he has sup-ported controversial frack-ing and wind turbines, both of which will come back ecologically to hurt the land that we live on. Kalk’s posi-tion is to support corporate

interests while in office. In return, without even as much as a glance backward at the damage he is causing, I imagine he’s thinking it’s a trade-off for some nice lob-bying job down the line.The PSC and the U.S. House of Representatives need better people who will take better care of this state, history shows, Mr. Kalk is NOT one of those guy. Please vote for some-one else.

No need for Measure 3Letter from Joseph DeMasiValley City, N.D.

I, as most Americans, strongly believe in religious freedom. That is why I do not think we need Measure #3 and here are three very good reasons:

First, I have read the measure and I find it very confusing. It is very poor-ly written and extremely vague. That could lead to opening the door to end-less litigation, legal wran-

gling and unintended con-sequences.

Second, it is not needed. Religious freedom is al-ready protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. We do not need this law!

Third, it lacks credibility as it is touted by the hierar-chy of the Catholic Church, a group that is very out of touch with the majority of its own parishioners as well as most North Dakotans on such issues as equality for women, the use of birth control and even gay rights and abortion. In a recent study, 98% of Catholics use birth control, 60% support civil unions for gay couples and 57% are pro-choice.

While many Catholics and Catholic charities do wonderful work, the “offi-cial” position of the Catho-lic Church recognizes ex-orcism, but not evolution. The “official” position of the Catholic Church rec-ognizes Papal Infallibility but not democracy in its governmental structure. The “official” position of LETTERS: 15


OPINION: LLOYD OMDAHL

N.D. voters to decide 4 measures in June 12 vote

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

By LloydOmdahl

The death of the black teenager Trayvon Martin in an Orlan-do, Fla., “gated” community,

shot to death by a private “security” guard, not only is a deadly comment about our society, it reminds all of us that we are building a “stove-piped” country, with each economic group occupying a restricted space. During the George W. Bush administration of 2001-2009 there was a 53 percent increase in gated housing units, re-inforcing a bunker mentality against what black writer Rich Benjamin calls the “loitering, non-property owning poor, renters, new immigrants and people perceived to be poor.” Benja-min spent three years and traveled 27,000 miles within the United States, living mainly in white gated commu-nities, interviewing residents. Over 10 million housing units secured by fences or walls are in U.S. gated com-munities.

We are even emphasizing the util-ity of a privatized criminal justice system, with citizens who can a� ord such services — secure gates, private cops, private roads, private parks, pri-vate schools, private playgrounds — living, as Benjamin writes “in smug-ness and fear.”

� e “Shoot First” and “Stand Your Ground” laws passed by states rein-force the idea we live in our narrow stovepipes of communities, isolated and mistrustful of any group that is above or below us in social and eco-nomic ranking.

Real estate devel-opers realize that “gated” is becom-ing a negative world so now we switch to Orwellian fan-tasy speech, calling gated communities “master-planned c o m m u n i t i e s ,” “landscaped resort communities” and — get this one — “secluded intimate neighborhoods.” Benjamin sums up the rapid growth of these privatized areas this way: “No matter the label, the product is the same: self-contained, conservative and over-zealous in its demands for ‘safety.’ Gated communities churn a vicious cycle by attracting like-mind-ed residents who seek shelter from outsiders and whose physical seclu-sion then worsens paranoid group-think against outsiders. � is creates an us-vs-them mental landscape.”

Remember � e Titanic Cry “Women And Children First!” ? Remember all of the chest-thumping about rich men going down with the Titanic, saving lifeboat places for third-class women and children who were housed in the very bowels of the ship? A thorough study of death rates from the Titanic reveals that wealthy men had the same survival rate as third-class children. � ere were tremendous di� erences in survival rates across the three “ticket” classes. � e cheaper the ticket the

higher rate of death. Of course, it was more di� cult to get to the deck from third class, but all passengers did have time to get to the lifeboats that were available.

I thought of the Titanic survival rates and gated communities when the story of the Star Princess cruise ship and the � shing boat “� e Fi� y Cent” hit the news. � ree poor teen-ager � shermen from Panama, hoping to get a big catch, went to sea but were stranded far from shore when their motor quit. � e three spent more than two weeks dri� ing further out to sea, hungry and thirsty, before they spot-ted the Star Princess. � e three fran-tically waved T-shirts and orange life jackets trying to get the attention of anyone on the cruise ship. � ey did. � ree passengers spotted the little � shing boat and its passengers as they were bird watching. � ey had high-powered binoculars, spotting scopes and cameras equipped with telephoto lens. � ey took pictures of the boat and passengers. � ey noti� ed crew members who called the bridge about the � shing boat. But one spotter said: “Nothing happened. � e ship didn’t slow down. It didn’t seem to change course. So I went back in and asked what the captain was going to do. And he said he didn’t know.”

Two weeks a� er the sighting by the cruise ship, one � sherman who sur-vived was rescued by another � sh-ing boat over 650 miles from shore. GADFLY: 18

PAGE 15

OPINION: THE GADFLY

The American Saga of the Cruise Ship and the Fishing Boat

the independent

By EdRaymond

THE INDEPENDENT VALUES FREE EXPRESSION.

TO SHARE YOUR OPINIONS: EMAIL TO:

[email protected]

Censorship refl ects society's lack of confi dence in itself. It is a hallmark of an

authoritarian regime. ~Potter Stewart

LETTERS: From 14the Catholic Church consid-ers murder a sin but gay sex an abomination! And let us not forget that for decades some high o� cials protected pedo-phile priests, causing irrepara-ble harm to countless numbers of children.

Under current law, the Cath-olic Church can and does run its own schools; it can and does refuse to partake in interfaith marriage; it can and does deny certain legal medical proce-dures to be done at the hospi-tal it runs right here in Valley City, even though it employs non-Catholic doctors who

would choose to perform these procedures on non-Catholic patients who would like these procedures done - which are paid for by PUBLIC money (Medicare, Medicaid) or PRI-VATE insurance!

Supporters of Measure #3 claim it is about religious free-dom but where does “their” re-ligious freedom end and “our” rights begin? � e wording of this measure is so vague that it could have very dire conse-quences.

Is it religious freedom for a man to be able to discipline and beat his wife and children as he sees � t? Is it religious freedom for a man to claim he is com-

manded to take many wives, even girls as young as 12 or 13? Is it religious freedom to deny children access to life-saving medical treatment or access to healthcare for women be-cause they are unmarried and pregnant? Is it religious free-dom for an employee to � re a worker or a landlord to evict a tenant because he or she is liv-ing out of wedlock with his or her partner? � ese are some of the possible unintended con-sequences of Measure #3.

� ere is an old saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t � x it!” North Dakota does NOT need Mea-sure #3. � at is why I urge you to vote NO on Measure #3.

www.indy-bc.com

Philips 36” HDTV Flat screen with remote. $50. 701-845-3524.

W/D Set for sale. Newer front-load washer and dryer. LG brand. $800. Call 701-789-0449.

FOR SALE: 64 string harp guitar, 1915 mod-el in original box. Call 845-1525.

4X6 Rubber Mats. Only $40 each. Call 701-789-0228.

Pews for sale. Con-tact Donelda to make arrangements to see. Four antique pews to choose from. Plus an ornate high-back chair. Call 845-3845.

Light-blue davenport for sale. Like new. $225. Will negotiate. Grace, 845-0877.

Pair of 225/70/15 stud-ded snow tires mounted on rim. Fit Ford or Dodge. $150. 845-1525.

For Sale: Campbell/Hausfeld air compres-sor. 28 gal., 5hp, 125psi, lightly used. $150, 845-4264, can be seen at 3510 Webster Subdivi-sion, VC .

For Sale: 14’ tandem disc int. & 15’ field cultivator int. Wanted: 5’ or 6’ field cultiva-tor for 3-pint hitch. Call Marvin, 845-9993.

For Sale 2001 Honda Shadow VLX Deluxe Windshield,Saddle Bags, Back Rest 8135 miles Blue Like New $2500.00

OBO 701-749-2553.

Wanted: Hummer H2 SUT. Phone 701-840-9322.

Wanted: Current or ex-Avon ladies with Soft Musk on hand. No vin-tage please. Also Mark Hello Pretty, Hollywood Pink & more. 701-840-0476 w/prices.

Wanted: Old satellite dish. Call Kent 701-490 6462.

WANTED TO BUY. Gun collector wants to buy old Winchesters and other antique guns. Fair prices paid. Call 605-352-7078.

Want to buy: Win-chester 1894’s most any year, also firearms of most any type. Also Kawasaki 3 cylinder 2 stroke motorcycles. Call 701-845-5196.

Friday & Saturday, June 1-2, 8am-5pm, 1480 N Cent Ave, Valley City. Something for all ages. Come browse. Sale in-cludes household fur-niture. Watch for signs.

HORSES TRAINEDLitscher Training Sta-bles in Tower City is a full service training fa-cility with Indoor-Out-door arenas. Offering training, lessons, show-ing, sales, and more. Contact Jenna for more information and to re-serve your spot for this spring. Hurry! Stalls are

filling up fast. 608-566-4237.

ATTENTION FARMERSBuying Farm Scrap & Car Bodies. Rock & gravel sales available. Tandem truck to haul. Will trade barn cleaning for scrap. Will pick up car bodies in town and rural. Call Elroy Patzner, Jamestown, 701-252-2533 or 701-320-2239 (cell).

$ WE PAY MORE $Wanted Scrap Metal of All Kinds. Buying farm scrap, cars and snow-mobiles. Always buying batteries. Call 701-840-0800. T.C. Salvage.

BATTERIESBuying old batteries. $5 auto; $8 tractor; $1 lawn mower or mo-torcyle. Call 701-840-0800. T.C. Salvage.

HEART DISEASE - A GLOBAL CRISIS. Re-store your health NOW. http://acaciacenter.bproheart.com or 701-429-8928.

Be Your Own BossWork from Home.Earn more money.

Join Avon today for the price of dinner.

www.start.youravon.comReference Code:

swoehlc701-319-0284

P-T HOME WORKThe Independent is seek-ing a classifieds account representative to service accounts. Excellent cus-tomer service and phone skills, phone & internet ac-cess, own computer and basic word processing ability required. Includes

PAGE 16 the independentMISC. FOR SALE

WANTED

SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT

Help Wanted Part-time Hair Stylist.

Must have Manager Operator License. Call Picks ‘n Pins,

701-845-3317.

GARAGE SALE

RECREATION VEHICLES

Dear Fellow Valley City Residents, Valley City has been a good place to work and raise my family. One of the great things about

raising our kids in Valley City is that we could easily have fun in town — go shopping, see a movie, grab some ice cream, be part of sports, music and art activities. In order to be a town where strong, healthy families can grow, Valley City must keep and attract jobs and services. Also, while we have an excellent array of services for senior citizens that allow us to stay at home longer as we age, we need to keep living here affordable.

The Sheyenne River’s tree-lined banks, wildlife and clean water make the Sheyenne Valley a place people choose to call home. When I visit friends and family on the crowded East Coast, I describe a place where kids fish from the hospital bridge, pontoons and canoes float by Chautau-qua Park and a drive to work is along a beautiful, winding river on the Kathryn Road. The last three years have been difficult with the very existence of Valley City threatened by Sheyenne River flood-ing. Critical decisions are being made now about the Sheyenne River that will permanently affect the city and county. Yes, we need flood protection and infrastructure repair, but the last thing we need is to take on even more water from Devil’s Lake. We must preserve the water quality of the Sheyenne, our major natural asset.

Valley City faces some major challenges. We have a dedicated, experienced staff at City Hall, but we need the talent and ideas of everyone in town. I believe meetings that involve public funds should be open to the public and well advertised in advance. My hope is that respectful, open, thoughtful conversation will encourage more people to be active in moving us all forward.

For over 25 years, I have had the privilege of living and working in Valley City. Now I offer my skills and knowledge to serve as city commissioner. My votes will be based on the best information available and I will be a strong advocate for our home.

Thanks for your consideration,Madeline Luke

ELECT Madeline LukeValley City Commissioner

Paid for by Madeline Luke

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RECIPE: From 8in a large mixing bowl. Mix well with greased hands and press into a well-greased 15.5-inch by 10.5-inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool thoroughly and cut into bars. Store bars in an airtight contain-er to keep them chewy.

Makes approximately 32 servings. Each serving has 160 calories, 21 grams car-bohydrate, 8 grams fat and 1 gram fiber. For more information on the NDSU Extension Family Nutrition Program, contact Ashley Nadeau via email at [email protected] - Recipe

source: www.cooks.com

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Daily, Weekly, Monthly & seasonal Rates

cafe, GRoceRies, saloon Within WalkinG Distance

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Tyler Van Bruggen, an in-surance agent with Farmers Union Insur-ance in Valley City, was recently recog-nized as the second leading long-term care insurance professional in North Da-kota.

According to a release, Van Bruggen received the industry’s 2012 Achieve-ment Award from the

American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, a national trade organiza-tion.

The annual award rec-ognizes leading long-term care insurance sales pro-fessionals working to meet the needs of consumers na-tionwide. Van Bruggen was recognized for his sales of long-term care insurance protection to individual consumers.

“Van Bruggen has been

successfully meeting the needs of individuals and small business owners in Barnes County and its sur-rounding area,” said AALT-CI Director Jesse Slome in a release. “His hard work and dedication have helped to make him an industry leader. This award is rep-resentative of his ability to provide valuable advice, ex-pertise and support.”

Van Bruggen lives in Val-ley City.

Van Bruggen among state’s top insurance pros

outbound telemarket-ing calls. Flexible hours; great pay for right per-son. Must be motivated, dependable and detail-oriented. For confidential interview, send letter of inquiry with resume to Nikki at [email protected] - No phone calls.

Publisher’s Notice All real estate advertising in this newspaper is sub-ject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise ``any preference, limitation or discrimina-tion based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimina-tion.’’ Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, preg-nant women and people securing custody of chil-dren under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are

available on an equal opportunity basis. To com-plain of discrimination, call North Dakota Fair Hous-ing Council Toll-free 1-888-265-0907. HUD Toll free 1-800- 669-9777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

REACH READERS, BUYERS & JOB HUNT-

ERS throughout the ENTIRE SHEYENNE RIVER VALLEY with THE INDEPENDENT. Place your classified ad today: [email protected] - We de-liver results!

COOK, BAR HELP WANTED

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ENCE. CALL HARRY, 701-633-5317

OR STOP IN AT 407 MAIN ST., BUFFALO, ND.

BARNES COUNTY LAND FOR SALE

GETCHELL TOWNSHIP

Written bids will be re-ceived at the law office of Lenaburg, Fitzner, Nelson & Hooper, PLLP, 149 4th St NE, P.O. Box 330, Valley City, North Dakota, until 12:00 noon on Wednesday, June 20, 2012. Bids shall state the total pur-chase price rather than a per-acre price for the real estate. The top six (6) bidders will be noti-fied in writing that they may raise their bids at a later oral bidding. Sell-er reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive irregu-larities in bids and bid-ding procedures. The property being sold is subject to easements, reservations, and rights of way of record, and described as follows:

E½ of Sec. 10, Twp. 141 N, of Rge. 58 W, LESS a tract of land situated in the NE¼ consisting of 15.00 acres, more or less

The successful bidder will have 30 days from the date of acceptance to secure financing and close the sale. Ab-stract showing good and marketable title will be furnished and title will be transferred by Warranty Deed.

For further information, contact Carol S. Nelson at the above address, telephone (701) 845-2701 or [email protected], or see www.valleycitylaw.com.

THIS IS IT!ADVERTISING

ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE needed for greater

Lisbon/Enderlin area.

Flexible hours, excel-lent earning potential for responsible pro-fessional with some marketing, sales or graphic design ex-perience. Solid com-puter skills required. Interested parties: Send resume pack-age to The Inde-pendent via email to [email protected] - no phone in-quiries.

HOUSING

APARTMENTS FOR RENTFOR RENT: 2-bedroom apartments for rent in Litchville, utilities in-cluded, laundry facilities are available. Income determines amount of rent. Parklane Homes, Inc., Litchville. Sandy Sandness, Mgr, 701-762-4496. Parklane Homes, Inc., temporarily rents apartments to all persons without regard to income restrictions.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider & employer.

GOLFERS!! Beautiful home only a sand wedge away from the 14th green at Meadows Golf Course in Moorhead! 4 bd, 3 ba, 2400 sq. ft. Fin-ished basement with surround sound and fireplace, along with carpeted and lighted storage under stairs. Kitchen features stain-less steel appliances, oak cabinets and floors. Garage is heated 3-stall with floor drain and hot/cold water faucet. Landscaped with deck overlooking east side of golf course. Corner lot on culdesac, only 2 blocks from Horizon Middle School. Brad Paul design. Built in 2009. PS: HOT TUB STAYS!!

Serious buyers call 701-320-6314

10TH AVE S at 12TH AVE & 34TH ST-MHD.

LAND FOR SALE

the independent — PAGE 17HORTISCOPE: From 7in your area. Check his or her credentials and ask for references before allowing any major work to be carried out.

Q: Attached are three pictures of a silver maple in our backyard. I estimate it was planted around the time the house was built (1938). There are some new dead branches at the top of the tree. Is this a sign that the tree is on the decline? I love the tree and it adds such character to our home. Any recommendations on how to take care of this tree? (Billings, Mont.)

A: Judging from the size of the tree and other silver maples I've seen that are the same size as prewar housing, I'd say you are approximately correct on the age of the tree. With proper care, it can continue to live for many more years with grace and beauty. I would strongly suggest making contact with an ISA certified arborist to do some selective pruning. Also, ask for age documentation of the tree. This can be done with an increment borer that will pull a pencil-sized plug out of the center of the tree. With the plug, an annual ring count can be made to establish the age of the tree. It also serves as a safety check to see if any internal decay has taken place. If there is some decay, it can be determined to what extent the tree may pose a hazard in your yard. Be sure to check credentials and ask for references before allowing work to be carried out on this tree.

Q: Would it be OK to move my 20-year-old snowball bush (quite large) to another place? If so, any tips on replanting? (email reference)

A: This is not the time of year to do it, especially a bush this large. You’d be better off waiting to move it this fall or early next spring, which are times when the bush is dormant. Disturbing the roots at this time of year while the plant is fully leafed out will cause the bush to wilt and make recov-ery very difficult.

Q: The leaves on my irises are big and beautiful, so they seem to be healthy, but I don't think they flowered last year. The plants do not have buds this year. They are located in a very sunny spot. Please ad-vise. (New Jersey)

A: You likely have them planted too deeply. Go to http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/landscap/h113.pdf to get cultural instructions.

Q: I have a Canada cherry that has black knot. What is the best way to control it? (Ellendale, N.D.)

A: Cut it down and dispose of it. I know that is not the answer you were anticipat-ing, but that is the usual conclusion of re-peated attempts to control the spread of

this plague on Canada cherry trees. If you want to hope that your tree is an excep-tion to the rule, here’s what you can try. Carefully cut the infected branch off back to a lateral branch and destroy it. Begin a spraying program using lime sulfur while the tree is dormant. During the growing season, spray the tree with a Bordeaux mix-ture or Captan. By being extremely vigilant in your pursuit of controlling this disease, you may be able to rank yourself in the col-umn of exceptional individuals who gained control over black knot without destroying their tree.

Q: We have a client who is looking for a good shrub or bush (hedge) to plant between his yard and his neighbor’s. The hedge row would be about 150 feet in length. It would run east and west and have very little light blockage from other trees. He is looking for something that will grow fast, be attractive and provide a privacy barrier between the two yards. The soil is a good loamy type and has good drainage. Any suggestions would be greatly appreci-ated. (Carrington, N.D.)

A: A number of good selections exist. Possibilities are common lilac, biburnum, meadowlark forsythia, red twigged dog-wood and arctic willow. I’ve used some of them for the same purpose.

Q: We have six evergreens in a row that are about 40 feet tall. They are very old now, so they are getting thinner and thinner. We put in evergreen spikes every spring and fall, but the spikes don’t seem to be helping. Do you have any other ideas on how we can get them to grow thicker and not die? Is it possible they are not get-ting enough water because they are in a row? (Toronto, Canada)

A: It is too bad that you have wasted time, money and hope by investing in fertilizer spikes because they have little to no value. I’ve written at least a few dozen times in recent years about what a waste of money they are. However, the message just doesn’t reach everybody. Save your money from this day forward. It is difficult to advise you when there is such a distance between us. I’d suggest that you contact an ISA certified arborist in your area. Go to http://www.treesaregood.com/findtreeservices/Find-TreeCareService.aspx to locate an arborist nearest you. An ISA certified arborist is more than a dues-paying member. The ar-borist must pass standardized testing and maintain the education through workshops and courses. Members also are required to promote ethical business practices. An onsite evaluation by someone with these qualifications would be the best option for you to consider.

To contact Ron Smith for answers to your questions, write to Ron Smith, NDSU Department of Plant Sciences,

Dept. 7670, Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050 or email [email protected]

GADFLY: From 15He had thrown the bodies of his two friends over-board, who had died from thirst and exposure.

There is a law of the sea called Regulation 33 of the International Convention: “The master of a ship at sea which is in a position to be able to provide assistance on receiving a signal from any source that persons are in distress at sea, is bound to proceed with all speed to their assistance...” The Star Princess saw the fishing boat when it was 130 miles from land, way beyond where a small fishing boat would go. The court case should prove inter-esting. Was there a port-of-call time that had to be made by the cruise ship?

A Looter Elite Feasting Like Maggots On The Car-cass Of An Empire. University of California Profes-sor Ernest Callenbach wrote an ecological utopian novel called “Ecotopia” in 1975 while serving as an editor and film expert at the university. He studied communities and societies around the world, con-centrating on those that lived simply and concen-trated on saving the environment. He died April 16, 2012. He left a summary of his life and thoughts on his computer. His analysis of our present condi-tion in this country is worth repeating over and over. This sentence sticks with me: “The people who do best at basic survival tasks are coopera-tive, good at teamwork, often altruistic, mindful of the common good...hoarders and dominators win only in the short run, and end up dead, exiled, or friendless...we need to help each other, to look out for the communities of which we are a part.”

He doesn’t think much of the One Percenters: “We live in the declining years of what is still the biggest economy in the world, where a looter elite has fastened itself upon the decaying carcass of the empire. It is intent on speed-ily and relentlessly extracting the maximum wealth from that carcass, impoverishing our for-mer working middle class. But this maggot class does not in-vest its profits here....The looter elite systematically exports jobs, skills, knowledge, technology, re-taining at home chiefly financial GADFLY: 19


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Sudoku Solution #2518-M

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7 4 2 8 3 1 9 5 61 6 8 9 5 7 3 4 29 3 5 6 2 4 8 1 7

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By MARY BETH OLOMBELCONTRIBUTING WRITER

Wimbledon’s Midland Con-tinental Railroad Trans-portation Museum fea-

turing Peggy Lee is ready to receive visitors. Arriving at this point was a long journey with many obstacles, but also moments of serendipitous good fortune.

The casual visitor, railroad buff, Peggy Lee fan or young student will each discover something intriguing and memorable within the rooms of the Depot. It is as engaging and well-done as any museum I have visited in my American and Euro-pean travels.

As a Wimbledon native, I thought I “knew” the Midland Railroad sto-ry — but there are many rich details and new stories to discover within the museum’s historical photos and well-written panels. (Did you know the planned route was originally from Jamestown to Courtenay, not Wimbledon?)

From the viewpoint of this ob-server, here are some of the ele-ments which allowed the Depot Restoration Project to reach com-pletion so successfully.

A dream needs money. The De-pot restoration might never have been more than a dream without the seed money from the estate of Myrna Bultema. It had long been Bultema’s belief that the Depot and its connection to Peggy Lee was a piece of North Dakota history worth saving. Bultema, who passed

away March 9, 2007, had provided money in her will to fund a feasibil-ity study.

Have a local source of information. The late Ginny Lulay knew Norma Egstrom (later known as Peggy Lee) in school, was the daughter of the last Midland Depot agent Helen Russell, and lived next door to the Depot during the years she and her husband Bob ran the hotel. The life-long Wimbledon resident was an invaluable source of local history. Lulay passed away December 16, 2011.

Well-connected alumni (and friends) can make things happen for less money. Federal funding paid part of the restoration expense.

Each change, therefore, required an architect’s approval. Wimbledon graduate Lonnie Laffen donated ar-chitectural services from his com-pany, JLG, saving the project thou-sands of dollars.

In September 2009, Janna Joos, a Wimble-don na-t i v e n o w residing in Palm S p r i n g s , C a -l i f . , w a s c a l l e d upon to negotiate the purchase of one of Peggy Lee’s dresses. The restoration committee had learned that three dresses and memo-rabilia would be coming up for auction in just a few short days. Through Carol Peterson’s connections, an anonymous donor had stepped forward with funds to purchase a dress.

The question: Could Joos attend the auction and bid on behalf of the committee? She did better – within the after-noon Joos had negotiated to buy all three dresses and an oil painting — for less than the committee expected to spend on just one dress!

Something about the serendipitous acquisition funded by an anony-mous donor captured news editors’ attention and the story about the purchase went around the world.

Work with a great partner. Sea Reach Ltd of Portland, Ore., was hired to design, build and install the interpretive exhibits. Sea Reach Ltd had previously worked with some members of the Midland De-pot Restoration Committee on the Rosebud Visitor Center in Valley City. Among Sea Reach Ltd’s client list are several National Parks and Scenic Byways.

Check the details. And then check them again. The committee worked very hard, tracking down photos, proofreading drafts, emphasiz-ing the points that are important to Wimbledon’s history, and com-menting on the interpretive content proposed for each room.

This story originally appeared in the Wimbledon Newsletter and is reprinted with

permission.

BELOW RIGHT: Photo of Museum Sign by Nikki Laine Zinke/The Independent

WIMBLEDON

How to build a museum

Myrna Bultema Ginny Lulay

The Depot Restoration Committee and Sea Reach Ltd pose for a picture in June 2008. From left: Back row - Tess and Ron Smith, Susan Jurasz, Linda Grotberg, Ginny Lulay, Mary Beth Orn, and Becky Heise; and front row - Bobby Koepplin, Peter Reedijk, Les Koll, Wes Anderson, and Carol Peterson. (Photo submitted/Mary Beth Olombel)

GADFLY: From 18expertise: highly profitable, but not of actual produc-tive value.” Callenbach uses Mexico as an example of where the U.S. is heading: “End result: something like Mexico, where a small, filthy-rich plutocracy rules over an impoverished mass of desperate, uneducated and hopeless people.” Wall Street, the leader of the looter elite and charter members of the maggot class, is doing exactly what he writes about — rapidly killing off the middle class. The maggot class would represent the cruise line owners, sailing quickly by the three poor fishermen so they could make port and collect a few more bucks for side trips.

Here’s One Of Those Loot-ing One Percenter Maggots. Meet Edward Conard, bud-dy and contributor of Mitt Romney, who made hun-dreds of millions of dollars at Bain Capital, that vultur-ous private-equity firm so much in the political news. Conard retired at age 51, evidently exhausted from carrying all of those huge deposit slips around. Actu-ally he has so much dispos-able cash he is a member of the .01 Percent, not the common ordinary 1 Per-cent. Conard has just fin-ished a book on finance and the economy called “Unin-tended Consequences: Why Everything You Have Been Told About The Economy Is Wrong.” His premise? Income inequality is not a sign the system is rigged. The greater the income gap, the better off everyone will be. The superrich spend lit-tle on their personal com-forts because most of their money is invested in “job-creating” and “productive businesses.” Computer in-ventors deserve billions be-cause the machines made life and work more efficient, improving our economic fortunes. Google develop-ers deserve billions because they made the world so much richer.

Sometimes Conard goes completely off his GADFLY: 20

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plutocratic, fascist, Ayn Rand rails. He claims investment bankers did not cause our Great Recession because people took their money out of the banks before the bankers could use it for loans!! He says the financial crap designed by Wall Street banks such as financial derivatives, credit default swaps, collateralized-debt obligations, and mortgage-backed securities was good stuff not understood by a lot of dummies. He writes: “Only sophisti-cated investors understood these new financial tools!”

When The Maggots Start To Eat The Good Flesh. Conard also thinks the government should guarantee bank bailouts if we go through future reces-sions or depressions. It seems his only interest is money and how to make it. He ridicules “art-history” majors who waste their time studying those two subjects in college instead of joining “the risk-taking, innovative-hunting, competitive life of the banker.”

New York Times reporter Adam Da-vidson interviewed Conard at length and summed him up as a real maggot in the end, even if Conard had “earned” hundreds of millions of dollars: “Con-ard describes the world as grim and soulless, one in which art and romance and the non-remunerative satisfac-tions of a simpler life are invisible. And that is ... Conard’s world. God didn’t create the universe so that talented people would be happy. (The world) is not beautiful. It’s hard work. It’s re-sponsibility and deadlines, working till 11 o’clock at night when you want to watch your baby and be with your wife. It’s not serenity and beauty. If a Wall Street trader or a chief executive is filthy rich....the merciless process of economic selection has assured that they have somehow benefitted soci-ety.”

Guys like Conard tend to prove that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution is scientific and right. Conard should spend some time studying art and his-tory instead of spending his entire life counting dollars. He might run across a live-by statement by an old, wise In-dian chief: “Only after the last tree has been cut down, only after the last river has been poisoned, only after the last fish has been caught, only then will you find that money cannot be eaten.”

At 82, Callenbach Probably Has Written The Epitaph For The Ameri-can Empire. The wisdom and the his-tory found on Callenbach’s computer is probably too late to save this country – but we should at least read his post-mortem and autopsy.

Callenbach recalls when the U.S. de-

veloped into the strongest, most vital, and most democratic country in the world in the 30 years following WWII: “Thanks to strong unions and a sym-pathetic government, we had unprec-edented productivity and prosperity widely shared, a huge working middle class evolved — tens of millions of people could afford (on one wage) a modest house, a car, perhaps sending a child to college.” No longer is that possible.

But in describing what has happened in the last two decades Callenbach tolls our funeral bell: “Capitalists who grew rich and powerful by making things gave way to a new breed: financiers who grasped that you could make even more money by manipulating money. They had no concern for the produc-tivity of the nation or the welfare of its people; with religious fervor, they believed in maximizing profit (witness Facebook IPO and the derivatives of Morgan Stanley) as the absolute eco-nomic goal. They recognized that, by capturing the government through the election finance system (witness Citizens United, the SuperPacs, and the “conservative” majority Supreme Court) and removing government regulation, they could turn the finan-cial system into a giant casino. Little by little, they hollowed the country out...Our wars became chronic and end-less (over a decade in both Iraq and Afghanistan) and stupefyingly expen-sive (over a billion a week in Afghani-stan alone). Our diets became suicidal (leading the world in obesity), and our medical system faltered (still behind Cuba in effectiveness and 34th in the world), with even our life expectancies began to fall.”

I picked up a discarded copy of ForbesLife the other day, described as “the magazine with the founding mis-sion of celebrating the rewards of suc-cess with flair and style.” The articles and the ads all emphasized the excesses of the One Percenters. Robert Forbes, the son of Malcom Forbes, the founder of Forbes magazine, described how his dad “loved to go into his garage and look at the 40 Harley-Davidson mo-torcycles he had parked there.”

Is that what life is really about? ForbesLife had a story about a $27

million man-cave put together by a bachelor. It had solid gold bathroom fixtures, electronic bullet-proof win-dows with steel shutters, and four gold-leafed bedrooms. Numerous, “sophis-ticated” ads sold $2,950 leather belts, watches at $65,500, $490 shirts, $2,730 pants, $195 shirt pocket squares, and $1,000 men’s shoes.

There is truly a sickness in the land.

Reach columnist Ed Raymond, author of The Gadfly, by email at [email protected]

Lowell Busching of Valley City captured this striking image of Memorial Day services held, in part, on the City Park bridge in Valley City.

2012.06.01

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