Articles

Polk officials hear pipeline plans

Already Polk County’s biggest taxpayer at $2.7 million annually, Enbridge Pipelines soon may be paying twice that much. Two Enbridge representatives visited county commissioners Tuesday, answering questions and outlining the plans for building the Sandpiper Pipeline.

• Sandpiper proposal

Crookston aims to attract homeowners by giving away free land

The free lots were a result of an agreement between developer Bob Herkenhoff and the city. In exchange for the 17 free lots, Herkenhoff received a 15-year tax abatement on the three properties he is building in the same development, which is on the northern edge of town, south of the new hockey arena.

RYAN BAKKEN: Merry band of losers

The sight of my handsome mug shot on this page today should tell you at least one thing: I and my co-workers playing Powerball didn’t win the big prize.

• Ryan Bakken

East Grand Forks leaders say sewage issue is about control

Despite having the lowest price tag, a project to pipe East Grand Forks sewage to Grand Forks for treatment appears to be dead.

• Craig Buckalew

RYAN BAKKEN: Treasures big, small found rummaging (with video)

Among the many bargains Doug Thomasson has found during his time as a serial rummager, he said his hands-down best acquisition came in a garage in rural Warroad, Minn., in 2008.

• Ryan Bakken
• Joan Anderson, left, gives her sister Jean Bojestad a hat
• PHOTO GALLERY: Rummaging with Ryan
• Area voices: Rummaging with Ryan

New leader at GFAFB: Bauman takes over from interim leader

Col. Paul E. Bauman became Grand Forks Air Force Base’s 38th commander Wednesday after Maj. Gen. William Bender proclaimed him “the right commander at the right time.”

• Col. Paul Bauman

East Grand Forks taps veteran city staffer for interim city administrator

Karl Lindquist has kept an eye on East Grand Forks city government from several angles — city attorney, alderman and newspaper reporter. Starting Monday, he will be at City Hall’s epicenter, as the interim city administrator.

• City of East Grand Forks

RYAN BAKKEN: Shoveling snow is no kind of retirement

A recent report said that North Dakota is a great place to retire. Apparently, the research was done before our most recent winter, which finally has exited after a six-month stay.

• Ryan Bakken
• ND ranked 10th-best retirement destination; Minnesota 43rd

Crookston moose back in town after brief hiatus

The moose had hung around town for about 10 weeks in the winter and early spring. Authorities believed they had finally shooed her out of town for good about two weeks ago. However, she showed up inside the city limits again this week, on Tuesday and Thursday.

• Moose lounging by ornament

RYAN BAKKEN: Burger stand nets $1,600 bid for annual pre-opening day meal

Friday’s price of the Wagon Master burger was not from days gone by. Tom Campbell was the lone customer Friday, 24 hours before today’s opening to the public. He paid $1,600 for Westside Drive-In’s version of the Big Mac.

• Ryan Bakken
• Sen. Tom Campbell bites into the first Wagon Master of the season

Columns

RYAN BAKKEN: Need for less speed

I long have been bewildered about the casualness displayed by motorists getting speeding tickets.

• Ryan Bakken

RYAN BAKKEN: Working hard just to be overweight

Ten days ago, a released study showed that overweight people live longer than those of normal weight. Now they tell me. Now, after buying a fitness club membership? Now, after pints, gallons, maybe even acre-feet, of sweat rolling off my forehead onto the treadmill?

• Ryan Bakken

RYAN BAKKEN: More misery now, more joy in July

What we need is a blizzard. Or a cold snap. Or both. I’m serious. My wish is for our own good — in the summer. I’m referring to the Principle of Constant Weather Pleasure.

• Ryan Bakken

RYAN BAKKEN: Wealth, thinness, smarts, youth — no, thanks

Ryan Bakken writes about the things American adults would most like to change about themselves.

• Ryan Bakken

RYAN BAKKEN: If Mayans are right, no Christmas shopping

With Christmas two weeks away, I’m tempted to believe the Mayans. If the Mayans are right, the world will end on Dec. 21. That means any effort I put into Christmas shopping would be wasted.

• Ryan Bakken

RYAN BAKKEN: Smoking ban will broaden in Grand Forks parks

North Dakota’s public smoking ban doesn’t just cover the indoors. It also rules over the soccer fields and baseball diamonds in our rectangular slice of heaven.

• Ryan Bakken

RYAN BAKKEN: Norwegians made Northwood not New Orleans

Northwood, N.D., has the highest percentage of Norwegian American ancestry of any community in the United States. That high ratio of Norwegians explains the town’s rapid and complete recovery from its 2007 tornado.

• Ryan Bakken

RYAN BAKKEN: 6 things wrong with 138-point game

138-point performance was celebrated by many. I’m not one of them.

• Ryan Bakken

RYAN BAKKEN: A town with no Twinkies

With speculation percolating that Twinkies might become extinct, I hunted for the leading stereotype of junk food. Alas, after stops at 10 grocery and convenience stores, I couldn’t find a single Twinkie in Grand Forks/East Grand Forks.

• Ryan Bakken

RYAN BAKKEN: Blindingly obvious but a longtime coming

Bakken talks about his history with tobacco and how attitudes on the subject have changed.

• Ryan Bakken