COMMUNITY NEWS, CULTURE, COMMENTARY, COMMERCE u FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2012 u VOLUME I, ISSUE 22 u FREE

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OF BARNES COUNTY& BEYOND

TAXING THE FARM

Property tax debate stirs up in heartland
PAGE 8

Measure 2 supporter Keith Colville of rural Valley City takes his message on the road. Colvilles star-spangled pickup is pictured here in front of the Barnes County Courthouse. A meeting to discuss Measure 2 is planned for Saturday afternoon at the Eagles in Valley City. (Photo/submitted)

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VCSU Choral, Brass Pacic Northwest Tour runs March 8-16

group comprised of voice and brass ensembles from Valley City State University will hit the road March 8-16, performing a touring schedule throughout the Paci c Northwest. Directed by Leesa Levy and accompanied on piano by Jaime Namminga, the ensembles are no stranger to road performance tours. Since 2001, members of the Concert Choir have toured Oaxaca, Mexico; New York City; the Netherlands; London and Canterbury, England; South Dakota; western Minnesota; and numerous communities in North Dakota. e University Singers have performed regionally on tour and were featured at the 2009 NDACDA Showcase Concert in Bismarck. e VCSU Valkyries, a newly formed, select womens chamber choir, was the opening guest choral ensemble at the 2011 ND Music Educators Association State Honor Choir Festival and Conference. e VCSU Concert Choir is a non-auditioned collegiate choir, normally numbering about 50 members, 35 of whom are making the Paci c Northwest Tour. Participants represent a number of degree programs across the campus. e choir performs two to three concerts per semester and tours regularly. A variety of vocal literature and styles are heard in the choirs repertoire, from large choral/orchestral works such as Handels Messiah and John Rutters Requiem to works by 20th century and contemporary composers, such as Samuel Barbers

e Coolin and David Dickaus Stars I Shall Find. Some of the repertoire to be performed by the choir on the Paci c Northwest Tour include e Road Not Taken (from Frostiana) by Randall ompson, My Souls been Anchored in the Lord by Moses Hogan, and Lamentations of Jeremiah by Z. Randall Stroope. e VCSU Singers is a high-octane, select ensemble of 12 to 16 vocalists chosen from the Concert Choir membership or by audition from across the campus. e ensemble studies and performs a wide range of vocal chamber literature from the Renaissance through the Current eras including jazz. e ensemble tours on a regular basis and has been heard at NDMTA and NDACDA concert performances. e 2012 spring tour repertoire for this ensemble includes TOUR: 11

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North Dakota Winter Show

March 6 - 11, 2012
March 10 - 2 pm & 7 pm
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Opening acts: 32 Below & The Michael D Band

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Sunday, March 11 - 2 pm Jerry Wayne Olson Specialty Act
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PAGE 2 the independent

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ARTS n COMMUNITY n GROUPS n GOVERNMENT n SCHOOL n SPORTS

the independent PAGE 3

10 p.m. to 1 a.m. VCSU students only. Viking Mens and Womens Basketball teams compete in the AII Tournament at Madison, S.D.

Saturday, Feb. 25
An informational meeting on Measure 2, the proposed Constitutional Amendment that would abolish property taxes in North Dakota,

MAIN STREET & DETAILING

Cars l Trucks l Semis Trailers l Motorcycles Campers l Snowmobiles l Jet Skis l & so much more

Whats Going On around the Area

List your event
We welcome all submissions for area events and activities that are free or low-cost and open to the public. Send a complete description of the event at least five working days in advance. Include the events date, time, place, and other relevent information. Please also include a contact name and phone number and/ or email address. We prefer to receive information for listings by email, but will also accept submissions delivered by U.S. mail. Or use our easy online submissions form at www.INDY-BC.com Email your event listings to submissions@indybc.com or mail to The Independent, 416 Second St., Fingal, ND 58031. Be sure to verify event details before attending. The Independent cannot guarantee the completeness or accuracy of published listings.

Fast Food: Cooking class for families set

Sarah and Katy Meester are anxious to start cooking at the family cooking classes to be held at Tuesday, Feb. 28, and Thursday, March 1. Andrea Winter (far right) and Casey Kjera (far left) will help participants learn to cook fast, easy and inexpensive healthy meals that can be prepared at home. Call 845-6456 to register. (Photo/submitted)

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Friday, Feb. 24
District ii Tournament - high school girls basketball - is Feb. 24, 25, and 27 at the Fargo Civic Center. The Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit, Key Ingredients: America By Food, is currently at the Barnes County Historical

how to get the most out of your food budget. Getting kids involved in the kitchen at a young age is important for many reasons, Winter said. It helps kids learn about nutrition and healthy eating, builds self esteem, offers family bonding time and kids are more likely to eat what they have helped prepare. Participants will be able to taste all of the prepared recipes will also receive a shopping bag filled with goodies. Door prizes will also be given away. For more information and to register please call Young Peoples Healthy Program at Mercy Hospital at 845-6456.

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Society Museum in Valley City, now through March 11. The free exhibit is open to the public MonSat 10AM-4PM and Sundays 1-4PM. Formal tours and other hours by appointment. More info: Wes Anderson, 701-845-

0966. Art: Barnes County Student Exhibition is on display in the VCSU Gallery. Vikings After Dark event includes bowling at Sky Lanes, food, crafts and prizes. Runs from

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Phone: 701-845-0966 Mon - Sat: 10 AM-4PM

ave you ever wondered What should I make for dinner tonight? or I dont think I have time to cook, maybe we should just go out! If you are like most Americans, youve asked yourself those questions more often than you would like. Planning ahead and having an assortment of quick and easy recipes can help make mealtime easier than you think. Family cooking classes set for Tuesday, Feb. 28, and Thrusday, March 1, are designed to help address the problem, teaching participants to make healthy homemade meals fast, cheap and easily. The cooking classes, to be held in the FACS room of Valley City High School from 5:30 to 7:30 each evening, are designed for parent and child (kindergarten

through grade 8) teams. The twohour session costs $10 per parent-child team and includes supper, handouts and recipes. Parent and child teams will learn how to prepare a variety of nutritious entrees that are low in fat and sodium, high in fiber and include a variety of fruits and vegetables. The meals prepared will use a variety of cooking methods including the crock pot, skillet and oven. Sharon Buhr and Andrea Winter, licensed registered dietitians at Young Peoples Healthy Heart Program, along with Casey Kjera, NDSU Student Dieitian, will provide tips on how to eat healthier at home and

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PAGE 4 the independent

CALENDAR: ARTS n COMMUNITY n GROUPS n GOVERNMENT n SCHOOL n SPORTS
starts at 2 p.m. at the Eagles in Valley City. A slate of speakers are on the line-up as well as Q&A and public discussion. District ii Tournament - high school girls basketball - is Feb. 24, 25, and 27 at the Fargo Civic Center. Valley City Park and Rec Youth Basketball tournament today and Feb. 26 for pre-registered teams only. Live Band: Marv Zander plays at the Valley City Eagles. For people 21+. Free Wild Game Feed at Punkys Bar & Grill in Dazey starts at 5 p.m., followed by Full Nelson Karaoke at 9 p.m. For people 21+. The Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit, Key Ingredients: America By Food, is currently at the Barnes County Historical Society Museum in Valley City, now through March 11. The free exhibit is open to the public MonSat 10AM-4PM and Sundays 1-4PM. Formal tours and other hours by appointment. More info: Wes Anderson, 701-8450966. Art: Barnes County Student Exhibition is on display in the VCSU Gallery.

might have.

Sunday, Feb. 26
Sunday Bingo Fundraiser at the Hope American Legion; supper served at 5:30 p.m.; bingo starts at 6:30 p.m.; every Sunday through the winter months; proceeds benefit seniors attending March Close-Up trip to Washington, D.C. Valley City Park and Rec Youth Basketball tournament concludes today for pre-registered teams only. Public Open Roller Skating sponsored by

the Optimist Club runs from 6 to 8 p.m. Sundays through April at the Rec Center in Valley City. Indoor Ice Skating open to the public runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at Sundays running through March, at the Youth Sports Complex in Valley City. The Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit, Key Ingredients: America By Food, is currently at the

Book Club meets at 2 p.m. in the multipurpose room of the Valley City Barnes County Library. Selection: Dakota, or Whats a Heaven For by Brenda Marshall. Sheyenne Valley Friends of Animals hosts a meet and greet from 9 to 11 a.m. at Prosby Body Shop in Valley City. Adoptable animals as well as SVFA volunteers will be onsite for any questions you

Barnes County Historical Society Museum in Valley City, now through March 11. The free exhibit is open to the public MonSat 10AM-4PM and Sundays 1-4PM. Formal tours and other hours by appointment. More info: Wes Anderson, 701-8450966

noon at Sabirs. Howard Langemo will present a patriotic program. FOOD EXPO: Local Foods Local Growers, sponsored by What in the World is Going On?, Young Peoples Healthy Heart Program and FARRMS, runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hi-Liner Activity Center Lobby. District ii Tournament - high school girls basketball - is Feb. 24,

Monday, Feb. 27
Valley City Area Retired Teachers meet at

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02.24.12
THE INDEPENDENT of Barnes County
A publication of Smart Media LLC 416 2nd St. Fingal, ND 58031 Volume 1, Issue 22 All Rights Reserved

By Nikki Laine Zinke

ast week I encouraged you to continue sending in your calendar of event submissions, knowing theres alot more to do around here than most folks realize. Well, you sure listened! And now Ive got so little room here to

So much to do, theres no room for me

the independent PAGE 5

Successfully promote your business without breaking the bank.

write that, next week, Ill have to move myself on over to another page. Its a good problem to have. Until then, do keep those calendar listings coming in.
Send calendar listings of meetings, events and activities by email to submissions@indy-bc.com

expect more.

Lori Froemke - your advertising professional at The Independent - CALL LORI: 701-320-0780

m To highlight and publicize local contributions to education, the arts, and quality of life; m To provide quality news content relating to the activities 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 attractive and stimulating advertising.

MISSION STATEMENT

vitals

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

25, and 27 at the Fargo Civic Center. Buffalo Senior Citizens meet every Monday at the Community Center, Buffalo, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit, Key Ingredients: America By Food, is currently at the Barnes County Historical Society Museum in Valley City, now through March 11. The free exhibit is open to the public Mon-Sat 10AM-4PM and Sundays 1-4PM. Formal tours and other hours by appointment. More info: Wes Anderson, 701-845-0966. Art: Barnes County Student Exhibition is on display in the VCSU Gallery. Student Exhibition is on display in the VCSU Gallery. ment. More info: Wes Anderson, 701-845-0966. Racehorse Schmear is played Wednesdays at CMs Place, Wimbledon, starting at 7 p.m. Game winner gets a ham, turkey or bacon. For people 21+. Art: Barnes County Student Exhibition is on display in the VCSU Gallery.

Wednesday, Feb. 29 LEAP DAY

Book Club discusses Dakota, or Whats a heaven For by Brenda Marshall at 2 p.m. at the Valley City - Barnes County Library. No storytime today at VC Library. Valley City Kiwanis Club meets every Wednesday at 12:04 p.m. at the Valley City VFW Club. Open Mic at Duttons Parlour in downtown Valley City is every Wednesday from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Entertainers (music, comedy, poetry, etc.) and audiencemembers welcome. No cost. Tower City Senior Citizens meet every Wednesday at the Community Center in Tower City from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A meal is served. More info: Betty Gibbons, president; 701-840-0184. Texas Holdem Tournament every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at the Eagles, Valley City. Open to all player levels. More info: Richard Hass: 840-2612. Free, for people 21+. The Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit, Key Ingredients: America By Food, is currently at the Barnes County Historical Society Museum in Valley City, now through March 11. The free exhibit is open to the public Mon-Sat 10AM-4PM and Sundays 1-4PM. Formal tours and other hours by appoint-

Email Me at bbrsconstruction@gmail.com

Thursday, March 1
Family Cooking Class for parent-child teams runs from 5:30 to 7:30 in the FACS room at Valley City High School. Learn to make quick, easy and healthy meals. $10 per duo. More info or to register: 845-6456. Auditions for UpStage Productions Willy Wonker Jr. run from 6 to 8 p.m. for childen grades 3-8 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Washington Elementary, Valley City. Second Crossing Toastmasters continues to meet every Thursday at noon in the Norway Room, of the Valley City State University Student Center. Visitors are always welcome. More info: Janet, 845-2596. Maple Valley Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) meets Thursday mornings at 8 a.m. 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. Business After Hours event is hosted by City Lights Supper Club and Lounge in Valley City from 5 to 7 p.m.
Remember: If youre not the lead dog, the view never changes.

Editor & Publisher

Nikki Laine Zinke NLZinke@INDY-BC.com 701-840-1045 cell 701-924-8349 home Lori Froemke LoriAds@INDY-BC.com 701-320-0780 cell Your participation is welcome at all levels. Submit online at or via email at:

ADVERTISING

SUBMISSIONS

Tuesday, Feb. 28
Family Cooking Class for parent-child teams runs from 5:30 to 7:30 in the FACS room at Valley City High School. Learn to make quick, easy and healthy meals. $10 per duo. More info or to register: 845-6456. Valley City Rotary meets every Tuesday at noon at the Valley City VFW Club. The Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit, Key Ingredients: America By Food, is currently at the Barnes County Historical Society Museum in Valley City, now through March 11. The free exhibit is open to the public Mon-Sat 10AM-4PM and Sundays 1-4PM. Formal tours and other hours by appointment. More info: Wes Anderson, 701-845-0966. Art: Barnes County

www.INDY-BC.com
submissions@indy-bc.com

ServiceS Offered free Of cHArGe

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WEBSITE
www.INDY-BC.com ONLINE ALL THE TIME! THE INDEPENDENT is published weekly from its Smart Media LLC home in Fingal, N.D., and is available free of charge at designated distribution outlets in the Barnes County and surrounding area. No one is permitted more than one current issue of THE INDEPENDENT without permission. Additional copies and back issues are available for $5 prepaid. Theft of THE INDEPENDENT will be prosecuted. ITS YOUR COMMUNITY. SUPPORT YOUR

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PAGE 6 the independent

LIBRARY NEWS TINY BITES & FREE-RANGE THINKING

Late Christmas titles still make good reads

By Mary E. Fischer Valley City - Barnes County Library Director

First, plan your garden, then get some seeds

itles are a books invitation: The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh invited me to read. Yes, I received an education on what individual flowers mean but I became quickly entangled in the story of an un-adoptable child. Victoria knew she was unlovable. She didnt even try. But foster mother Elizabeth taught her that she was loved, even when Elizabeth didnt, couldnt adopt Victoria. At 18, Victoria was abandoned by the system and had to make do on her own. She discovered she could help heal others through her knowledge of flowers. Sleeping in the park, gaining her first job, keeping that job, finally having a room of her own and a relationship with her boss and a few others gave her the courage to change. Accepting love for the first time in her life, Victoria gives up again, this time the baby she cant seem to care for alone. Will she be given a second chance? Will she take it? Christmas titles I ordered early arrived late, but I read anyway. The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson made me want to share. Matilda Honeycutt was a strange woman with strange habits and dress. When she bought a building in Parrish Springs, residents speculated about her motives. Her collection of stuff began to arrive at her store. It was nearly Christmas and citizens protested that her establishment would spoil their towns appearance. Besides, she had no permit! The new city manager, the mayor, a fellow business man, the worst protester to her presence, each found something in her store that triggered a change in their lives. Healing happens when we face our innermost hurts is the lesson I took away from this reading. Love Finds You on Christmas Morning includes two stories, Deck the Halls by Debby Mayne and Tis the Season by Trish Perry. In both stories, two couples Visit our Full Service find that the best Print Shop gifts do not come wrapped under the tree. Acceptance of Full Color Digital what is, instead of Printing Now Available what has been or could be, was the Banners & Posters lesson learned. It Custom Forms came in pleasant Marketing Materials Letterhead/Envelopes and unpredictable Business Cards circumstances. Hard! Flyers/Newsletters Some things just are, Much More . . . until one accepts the circumstance, makValley ing do until hardOfficeworks ship passes. When a 351 Central Ave N flower blooms, one PO Box 964 Valley City, ND 58072-0964 forgets the compressed bud it used 701-845-5222 Office Supplies 701-845-1833 Printing to be and enjoys the www.valleyofficeworks.com fragrance and beauty So Your Office Works LIBRARY: 7

ow that you have all the containers and newspapers needed for starting your own plants, you have to purchase some seeds. There are a couple of By Sue B. really good sources for Balcom organic seeds. If you have never tried heirloom varieties, it would be a real treat for you to purchase at least one variety and experience the flavor and intensity of a real tomato. If you have never ordered seed before you need to know a few things. North Dakota is mostly Zone 3 and 4, according to the hardiness map. This information can be found in seed catalogs or on the back of the package when shopping at your local farm store. Hardiness zones identify varieties bred to thrive in a certain climate. Remember, though, that North Dakota also has a short growing season. Select vegetable varieties maturing in less than 90 days (80 is better unless you have a hoop house or a greenhouse.) Certain cool weather crops can be seeded directly into the ground in early April. Radishes, lettuces, spinach, carrots, peas and beets are a few of those crops. You will want to start tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and some herbs in the middle to late part of March. Cabbages, cauliflower and broccoli can be started indoors two weeks before you can plant them outdoors.
PIZZA OF THE WEEK TAK E E IN

Keep in mind they like cool weather also so you can plant them earlier than warm-loving crops. Remember to plan your garden first and then seed shop. You need to remember that plants need room. A simple notebook and pencil are valuable tools for gardeners. Not only can you record when you start your bedding plants, but you can also record when you plant, where you plant, what you plant and the weather. Its easy to get carried away buying plants and seeds you will never have room for. While its nice to experiment with new varieties of vegetables, you should

be growing food your family will like to eat also. So get those pencils sharpened and make a plan. Next week well discuss how to grow healthy bedding plants in those paper pots with your new heirloom variety seeds. If you like to window shop check out this brand new local seed company: http://www.prairieroadorganic. co/ as well as Territorial Seeds, Baker Creek Organics, Abundant Life, RH Shumway and Totally Tomatoes.
Reach Sue B. Balcom via email at sbalcom@farrms.org

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The typical radio station reaches only 3% to 12% of adults during its best time slot morning drive time. 74% of radio listeners report changing the station when a commercial comes on while in their car. The use of portable digital music devices and satellite radio penetration continues to grow and erode broadcast radios audience.

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Add to that the fact that 44% of all active Internet users visited a newspaper Web site last month, and youll realize that community newspapers and their affiliated Web sites deliver the largest loyal, local, repeat audience of any media in the marketplace. Newspaper advertising gets results. Call us today and well help you develop a plan to get a great return on your advertising investment.

Despite all the doom and gloom news you hear about newspapers, the decline in readership that the pundits report as near death is about -2.5% nationwide in the past two years and the primary reason is that community newspaper THE readership is growing at an unprecedented rate.

OF BARNES COUNTY& BEYOND

Place Your Newspaper Logo and

YOUR HEALTH: Cooking classes focus on health, budget

PAGE 7 the independent

oin the fun and learn how to make healthy homemade meals, fast, cheap and easy at the Family Cooking Classes being By Andrea Winter offered at the Valley City High School FACS room on Tuesday, Feb. 28, and Thursday, Mar. 1 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The same class will be offered each night. These cooking classes are being offered for parent and child (kindergarten through grade 8)

teams for only $10 a team. Scholarships are available. Were really excited to offer these two-hour class sessions to the community! Family teams will learn how to prepare recipes that kids like to eat and are really cheap and easy to prepare. And theyre healthy. The menus will be rich in fruits and vegetables because thats the food group people eat too little of. Families will have an opportunity to use a variety of cooking methods including the crock pot, skillet and oven.

Fewer Americans are cooking at home. All too often families are lacking time and supper ends up being a frozen pizza or a drive through stop for fast food. According to the USDA, in 1959 Americans spent 26 percent of their food budgets away from home; by 2000, it had grown to 47 percent. Meals purchased away from home tend to be low in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which help protect our bodies from cancer and other chronic diseases. Unhealthful diets and inade-

quate exercise are a major reason for rising global rates of cancer reported by the World Health Organization. The purpose of the family cooking classes is to help families get back into the kitchen to make easy and healthy recipes together. By carving out a small amount of time each week to plan and prepare homemade meals, families will enjoy spending time together as well as better health. Everyone has a place in the kitchen to wash or peel vegetables, set the table, brown the meat, etc. The class will focus on how

to eat better on a budget using the new USDA Choose My Plate materials and the latest information on diet and health from the American Institute for Cancer Research. Homemade meals mean better health. Take advantage of this great opportunity to learn more by calling Young Peoples Healthy Heart Program at Mercy Hospital at 845-6456 to register today.
Andrea Winter is a licensed registered dietitian at Young Peoples Healthy Heart Program at Mercy Hospital. Your Health is coordinated by Mercy Hospital.

Editors note: College Town is an adhoc group of students from Valley City State University along with community members whove banded together to build a bridge between the university and the community at large. Group members have been introducing themselves to readers of The Independent. This is member Vincent Olsons essay and artwork.

Meet Vincent Olson

COLLEGE TOWN

A: How old are you? A: 22 as of January Q: Where are you from? A: Ogema, Minn. It is on the White Earth Reservation. It is 140 people strong. The only productive business is the bar. I like that it is small and that you dont have a neighbor two feet away from you. Where I live, the closest neighbor is more than a quarter mile away. Q: What are you going to school for? A: History Education. This is my fourth year here at Valley City State. I am also minoring in Music. Q: How did you end up coming to Valley City? A: I tried joining the Navy right out of high school, but the Navy wouldnt accept me. Then I talked to my choir teacher, Carrie Jirava (a Valley City native),

My Life, an autobiographical sketch by Vincent Olson. about what I should do play, I am at open mic at in my future. She ended Duttons Parlour almost up secretly setting up an every Wednesday night. audition for me to sing here (Valley City State), Q: What is important to and then I ended up takyou/what are your values? ing the audition, liking A: It is important to me the campus and choosing to be Christian, to not be VCSU. grouchy even if you are, to be able to pull your Q: What do you do for own weight, and to smile. fun? A: I play music. I like to Q: What are your some of learn new musical instru- your goals? ments, sing, watch hisA: To be happy and contory documentaries and tent with my life and to hang out with my best do whatever the big guy friend Andy. If you are upstairs wants me to do. interested in hearing me COLLEGE TOWN: 9

LIBRARY: From 6 of the now! Blessed, I was for my Valentine birthday! A Happy birthday song from my fellow workers, a cake and gift delivered by a volunteer, cards, gifts, a bouquet of 24 roses shipped in from California along with chocolate, lavender bath salts and a teddy bear from my #5 daughter, phone messages with illustrated roses, and added notes of congratulations Last but not least, a birthday cake and ice cream provided by our Library Board Secretary to be shared with all the members at our Tuesday evening meeting. It all started last week when my daughter Judy and husband Bill took me to lunch as an early BD gift and it may not stop any time soon. A quote Id like to share from another book is attributed to Mark Twain, Clothes make the man, Naked people have little or no influence on society. Another quote by William Arnot, a preacher, is more to my liking, If your honor be your clothing, the suit will last a lifetime: but if clothing be your honor, it will soon be worn threadbare. New materials include: Adult books: Hero by Mike Lupica, Unfinished Desires by Gail Godwin; Starbound by Joe Haldeman; Work Song by Ivan Doig; Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier; Lucid Intervals by Stuart Woods; Hardball by Sara

Paretsky; The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver; The Lake Shore Limited by Sue Miller; Solar by Ian McEwan; A Dead Hand: A Crime in Calcutta by Paul Theroux; The Rope: An Anna Pigeon Story by Nevada Barr; Believing the Lie: An Inspector Lynley Novel by Elizabeth George; Home Front by Kristin Hannah; Private: #1 Suspect by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro; and Defending Jacob by William Landay. Large Print: Helltown Massacre (The Family Jensen) by William W. Johnstone with J.A. Johnstone; Crucifixion River by Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini; How it All Began by Penelope Lively; A Killer Among Us (Women of Justice v.3) by Lynette Eason; Reclaiming Lily by Patti Lacy; Beside Still Waters (a Big Sky Novel) by Tricia Goyer; and All for One (The Four Lindas v.3) by Melody Carlson. Little Large Print: Pregnant with the Princes Child (The Lost Princes of Ambria) by Raye Morgan; The Nanny and the Bosss Twins (The Nanny Handbook) by Barbara McMahon; Once a Cowboy (The Quilt Shop in Kerry Springs) by Patricia Thayer; and Back in the Soldiers Arms (Heroes Come Home) by Soraya Lane. Non-fiction: Quick and Easy Vests & Jackets by Kate Matthews; An Amish Quilt in a Day by Eleanor Burns; More Quick Country Quilt-

ing by Debbie Mumm; Weekend Kitchen Makeovers by Paul Ryan; The Bonus Army: An American Epic by Paul Dickson and Thomas B. Allen; Aged to Perfection: Adding Rustic Charm to Your Modern Home Inside & Out by Leslie Linsley; America for Sale by Jerome R. Corsi; Big Knitting by Sophie Britten; and Painting Murals by Patricia Seligman. Christian Fiction paperbacks: A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander; Valley of Dreams (Wild West Wind v.1) by Lauraine Snelling; Longing (Baily Flannigan Series v.3) by Karen Kingsbury; The Edge of Light v.1, The Promise of Morning v.2, The Dawn of a Dream v.3, (At Home in Beldon Grove) all by Ann Shorey; and Love Finds You on Christmas Morning by Debby Mayne and Trish Perry. Childrens books: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Brett Helquist; Storybook Bible by Precious Moments; The Everything Kids Cookbook by Sandra K. Nissenberg; Heaven is for Real for Kids as told by Colton Burpo to his parents Todd & Sonja;I Talk to God About How I Feel by Stormie Omartian; The Lords Prayer for Children; and Now I Lay Me down to Sleep (Baby Blessings). DVDs: Bonanza the Advenger; Bitter Water; and The Pacific.

PAGE 8 the independent

Why farmers property taxes are jumping all at once

By LEE MORRIS

Swallowing higher taxes

magine that the local baker charged you $1 for every loaf of bread you bought. You need the bread, and so you gure $1 is a pretty good deal for something you have to buy anyway. en one day you go to the bakery and notice the price of bread has shot up to $5 per loaf. You say to the baker (lets say his name is Tom), Tom, why on earth did you raise the price of bread? And Tom replies, Well, technically the price of bread was always $5, but Id been keeping the cost down with an arti cial price to make it easier on you, the customer. Would you be happy with Tom for keeping the price so low for so long? Or would you be upset that you have to shell out more cash for something you pretty much have to buy? In the case of whats happening with the price of agricultural land in North Dakota, odds are youre upset with Tom. For the past few years, property taxes on

expensive bread which in the world of property taxes isnt as easy as forking over $5 or youre frustrated. Really, really frustrated.
Rep. Phil Mueller, D- Valley City, says the capitalization rate adjustment was an attempt by the Legislature to make the states property tax system more fair.

Owners of North Dakota agricultural land, such as that depicted in this photograph of a fenceline in Alta Township, face steep property tax increases following adjustments to the capitalization rate, among other factors. (Photo submitted/Kelly Mammenga of rural Oriska)

giving that break to owners of such land. What that means for farmers is that property taxes will go up this year. Across the state, the value of a piece of agricultural land will rise by an average of 29 percent. Be cause property taxes are not based on the price of land on a one-to-one ratio, any given

farmland were kept in check because the Legislature placed a freeze on whats called the capitalization rate. at rate helps determine the value of agricultural land. But in the last legislative session, lawmakers decided they couldnt continue

farmers property taxes might not increase as much as (but could increase more than) that 29 percent. But perhaps the largest factor, some say, in the tax hike farmers will face this year is the fact that their land values are rising anyway. And those land values are directly tied to the favorable crop prices the producers have enjoyed as of late. Beyond that sobering detail, the entities that count on taxes to operate can always ease tax hikes by reducing the mill levies they use to operate. at, of course, would require residents to deal with having fewer services and possibly sacri cing quality of life. What does all this add up to if youre a farmer? Well, youll either pay Tom more for the more

False oor e reason the capitalization rate was lowered this year resulting in higher property taxes could be seen as a city mouse-versus-country mouse issue. But then again, thats maybe simplifying it too much, says Rep. Phil Mueller, D-Valley City. e capitalization rate has more of an e ect on farmers than it does on others, says Mueller, a farmer himself. Like in my case, for instance, my 10 quarters are worth a whole lot more money than even a nice home in Valley City or Grand Forks. Mueller says pressure came from those who own commercial property to lower the capitalization rate, to make the tax rate the same for everyone. e commercial property owners asked this question: How come you guys get to take advantage of a lower tax rate simply because youre farmers? ere werent a lot of us (farmers) that were too happy with that, Mueller says, but to have the system be more fair thats what the Legislature decided to do. It was, a er all, the Legislatures decision to set the capitalization rate in the rst place, according to Marcy Dickerson of the North Dakota Tax Department. e lawmakers were trying to give farmers a break, and so they set an arti cial oor on the capitalization rate. ey knew theyd have to pull the false oor away eventually but, Dickerson says, they had no idea the true oor would be as low as it was. ey were thinking the true bottom was in the neighborhood of 7 percent. But the true rate is determined by national interest rates, which plummeted in the wake of the national housing crisis. So just how low is low? e capitalization rate was arti cially set at 7.4 percent in 2011. is year the rate the true rate is at 5.864 percent. at 1.5 percent or so di erence is TAX: 9

the independent PAGE 9

N.D. OUTDOORS

Spring snow geese season depends on snow

ince 1999, North Dakota hunters have had a spring hunting opportunity besides turkey. By Doug While overall Leier interest and participation in turkey hunting overshadows the spring light goose season, those with a decade of spring goose experience, and first-time participants alike are looking forward to the 2012 season, which opened Feb. 18. Over the years, weve learned that snow geese will not move into an area when theres still consistent snow cover. In recent TAX: From 8 responsible for about 26 percent of the 29 percent the value of agricultural land will rise this year, according to Dickerson. Good times, bad times As Barnes County tax director, Betty Koslofsky raised her eyebrows when the Legislature placed the artificial floor on the capitalization rate. Her husband farms near Fingal, and adjusting the rate directly affects them. If they had not put that freeze or that floor on that cap rate, we would have been slowly increasing over the years instead of taking this big jump all at once, Koslofsky says. They should not have been playing around with the formula. Still, Koslofsky sees crop prices as also pushing the price of agricultural land higher: The price for wheat and corn and soybeans has been high and so thats part of it also, and that part is what you could say is driving the price per acre. Mueller agrees: The price of farmland is linked with crop prices. And over the past few years, crop prices have been good. The cap rate has had an effect, but far and away the major influence in the value of property has been the run-up in price, he says. So the capitalization rates effect comes on top of land thats already rising in value.

years in North Dakota, the snow seems to have still lingered on until Memorial Day, or at least into early April. Realistically, this year we could see geese show up earlier than ever with a snow pack measured in inches instead of feet. Of course, the timing could vary depending on whether youre in the southern or northern part of the state, or east or central. The light goose fall migration was once a little more predictable than its spring counterpart. Days that gradually grow shorter, wetlands freezing, and the first snow covering food supplies all worked together to move snow geese In spring, hunters dont need to scout lakes that held geese late in the fall. Insouth in a methodical fashion. stead, search more for large expanses of sheet water which tend to draw snow LEIER: 10 geese during spring. (Photo credit/NDGF)

COLLEGE TOWN: From 7 Q: What do you enjoy about Valley City? A: I really like the community. I like that a lot of people can leave their car doors unlocked and not think twice about it. I appreciate the potential of this town and I think it could be more than what it is. I think there could be a restaurant besides Pizza Corner that is open late for college kids. Q: As a member of College Town what do you hope to achieve? A: I would like to build a catapult from the VCSU campus that shoots students over the river to the Downtown Valley City area. Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? A: I have no ideawherever.

How property tax is calculated on ag land

Whats known as the true and full value of agricultural land in Barnes County will increase by 26 percent this year. All farmland has a market price, and thats the true and full value of the land. Property taxes are calculated by: Taking 50 percent of the true and full value, giving the assessed value Taking 10 percent of the assessed value and multiplying it by the mill levy The 29 percent increase statewide this year applies to the true and full value of the land. Calculated county by county based on factors including what farmers receive for their product, the increase in Barnes County is 31 percent. (Barnes County is taking advantage of leeway the state offers to lower the increase in property taxes on agricultural land to 26 percent.)
Lee Morris

the cost on programs, then you cut the program. For the county, the past few years budget situations have been complicated by the floods of 2009 and 2011. Also difficult to deal with, McGough says, is the skyrocketing price of everything from concrete and gravel to small things that offices depend on, such as toner cartridges for printers. Its craziness when does it stop? he asks. But youve got to be able to afford it to do your job. Astronomically bad As farmer-legislator Mueller points out, crop prices have driven up the value of agricultural land. But that doesnt mean all farmers especially farmers with relatively smaller tracts of land, and those affected by the states notorious water woes are rolling in the green come harvest time. Yes, prices are good, says Barry Borg, who farms with his wife near Hobart Lake. But in 2011, yields were down in Barnes County. Wheat was way down in yields, soybeans were way down in yields, corn was OK. Of the Borgs 276 acres, 115 were too wet or under water altogether this year. They participate in prevented planting aid, but Barry says they still plan to protest their property taxes when

The mighty mill Another factor in property taxes is the mill levy used to calculate them. Because the mill levy is multiplied by a figure that takes into account the value of a home or, in this case, agricultural land, higher property values translate into higher taxes. The largest share of mill levies goes to funding counties, cities, townships and school districts, and residents contribute to different entities depending on where they live. In Barnes Countys case, agen-

cies submit yearly budget requests, and the County Commission then decides whether to approve the mills necessary to satisfy them. The county could lower the mill levy, as it has in years past when programs have ended, says Barnes County Auditor Ed McGough. Or the commissioners could eliminate or scale back programs its doable, he says and risk upsetting the people who benefit from them. Every time you cut, you hurt somebody, I dont care what program it is; but if you want to lower

they file them. I think its an astronomically bad kind of thing, Barry says of this years property tax hike, because I dont see the need for the property taxes. Its an unfair tax. I want to go back to the way it was in the beginning in this country when there was no property tax. Like the farmer, many in the state see the property tax as not only unfair, but unnecessary. In June, voters will weigh in with Measure 2, an initiated measure that would replace the states property tax revenue with funds from other sources. While the increase in agricultural land values and subsequent property tax hike might help that argument, others say the Legislature and communities alike simply shouldnt tinker with property taxes. That includes giving breaks to new businesses that move into town next to existing businesses that dont get breaks, as well as farmers who benefit from a higher capitalization rate. For his part, Mueller says people could attribute problems with property taxes to a variety of things, including the tax code and different communities offering different tax breaks. If maybe people had left everything alone to begin with, he says, there wouldnt be one place having an advantage over another place if the system hadnt allowed for property tax breaks.

PAGE 10 the independent

OUR OUTDOORS

Bad things come in 3s

t had to happen. Every other cold front zzled this winter. Every other storm track diverted around the entire upper Midwest. But not last weekends arctic rush that beelined through Minnesota, dropping the aboveaverage temperatures into the single- and By Nick double-digits below zero. Howling north Simonson winds whisked the coldest four days of winter into the region, and despite my begging and pleading, with all the good weather luck used up, it had to happen. e reason for last weekends dip into the deep freeze was simple there were four days circled on my calendar ursday through Sunday and in the weekend boxes were three letters printed in red Sharpie: L.O.W. With every report of anglers pulling limits of nice walleyes and saugers from the lake on the northern border, I grew more excited. With every picture of sh topping 30 inches that hit my inbox, the anticipation built. So it was no surprise that the weather put the kybosh on the weekend my group of six had set for our trip to Lake of the Woods. As it turned out, the conditions and a slow bite wouldnt be the worst part of our adventure. We met in Fargo at my friend Eriks house at 6 a.m. on Friday and piled all of our earthly ice shing belongings into my buddy Dustys new-to-him Yukon and we settled in for the haul up I-29 and then east toward our destination. We lamented the blustery winds and sub-zero temperatures as the thirty seconds of open doors sapped the heat from the cab of the SUV. You must have done an interview on the radio, my friend Josh remarked, because it seems these conditions always occur a er you talk shing on the air, he continued needling. Sure enough, my guest spot was to play the next day the topic of course being ice shing. I should have known better. Dusty cranked the heat and the defrost as the vehicles windows began to frost up. As we cruised past Drayton and made our right-hand turn o the Interstate, the second sign of a weekend disaster appeared. You have GOT to be kidding me, Dusty half-yelled and half-sighed in disgust, do you see that, he asked us as he pointed to his windshield. A een-inch crack had split across the drivers side of the glass, emanating from a near invisible rock chip behind the rear-view mirror which Dusty had been assured was xed by the dealership prior to his purchase of the SUV. As we made our way to the lake, the crack slowly curled back across the windshield, under the mirror and up in front of Joshs viewing area in the passenger-side section of the windshield, forming three-quarters of an SIMONSON: 11

LEIER: From 9 In recent years, however, many of these birds have staged in southern Canada and only moved into North Dakota in early November. is past fall, the state had light geese present into December. e spring season opens in midFebruary on the o -chance that a mild, snow-free winter might prompt a few snow geese to work this far north that early. In past years the opener is just a date on the calendar that ensures that whenever the rst birds arrive, the season will be open. Typically, though the rst birds dont arrive for a month or more a er the season opener. At this writing, the eastern third of North Dakota just got a couple of inches of snow, but it wont take much to melt the landscape back to snowfree, which could mean an early in ux

of the white birds. It all depends on the weather over the next few weeks. ats why predicting spring migrations is tricky at best. ink of it as dropping a marble on the kitchen table and predicting which way it will roll. Biologically speaking, snow geese feeding patterns in spring will target large shallow expanses of water, referred to as sheet water, that provide nutrients for the upcoming nesting season. e large bodies of water on which snow geese o en stage in fall are the last to freeze. ey are also the last to thaw in spring, so as a general rule spring hunters dont need to scout lakes that held geese late in the fall. Instead, search more for large expanses of sheet water which tend to draw snow geese during spring. Another tip is to remain ready and mobile. It seems when lead ocks of

birds begin moving into the state, the route will be somewhat the same for much of the migration. Even then, just when you think youve gured out their pattern, theyll move south, east, west anything but north. Its all part of the hunting experience. One last reminder, as in any hunting season, take extra care when the spring hunt nds you on a muddy road. Chances are, under those conditions geese wont be easy to access anyway, and wet conditions make roads prone to rutting. It may mean walking an extra mile in, or using your second best option for a eld hunt. Heres wishing you success during the 2012 spring light goose conservation season.
Leier is a biologist with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. He grew up in Valley City. Reach Leier by email at dleier@nd.gov

SUBMIT NEWS, INFORMATION & PICTURES: Email to SUBMISSIONS@INDY-BC.COM

PISTOL LEAGUE STANDINGS
VALLEY CITY RIFLE & PISTOL CLUB INDOOR PISTOL LEAGUE RESULTS: WEEK 6 Team Standings: AA.22 (WK Total/TOTAL) 1. Northwestern Industries (568/3379); 2. CCI (565/3378); 3. Precision Shooting Group (565/3373); 4. Carico Shooters (570/3372); 5. Al and Mikes (556/3299). A.22 (WK Total/TOTAL) 1. Quilting Goddess (536/3250); 2. Socialites (555/3228); 3. Great Plains Plumbing (552/3221); 4. AWS (532/3196); 5. Als (425/3054). Centerre (WK Total/TOTAL) 1. Weber Trucking (557/3347); 2. Precision Shooting Group (548/3319); 3. Northwestern Industries (554/3300); 4. Valley City Auto Parts (544/33265); 5. Mikes (508/3109). Revolver (WK Total/TOTAL) 1. Tom Cruff (285/1704); 2. Aaron Carico (272/1639); 3. Travis Carico (263/1637); 4. Ron Koslofsky (273/1602); 5. Harvey Carico (285/1537). Week 5 High Scores: AA.22 (Total) Handicap: Garth Weber (290); Ron Koslofsky (285); Chad Coulure (285). High Actual Score: Garth Weber (290)/ High Team Score: Carico Shooters (570)/ A.22 (Total) Handicap: Tim Lockwood (285); Joey Cruff (285); Diane Delparte (283). High Actual Score: Tim Lockwood (263). High Team Score: Socialites (555). Centerre (Total) Handicap: Garth Weber (285); Chad Couture (285); Ron Koslofsky (285). High Actual Score: Garth Weber (281). High Team Score: Weber Trucking (557). Revolver (Total) Handicap: Tom Cruff (285); Harvey Carico (285); Ron Koslofsky (273). High Actual Score: Tom Cruff (273).

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the independent PAGE 11

SIMONSON: From 10 oval in the glass. Dusty spent a good chunk of the rest of the trip up on the phone discussing repair details and responsibilities with the dealership he had picked the car up from just a couple weeks ago. We met up with the rest of our party and checked into the lodge, suited up and hit the ice for our afternoon of fishing. It wasnt fast-and-furious, but it wasnt as bad as it was going to get and Erik iced the lone slot fish, a 20-inch walleye, before the night bite shut down. We filleted 10 smaller walleyes and saugers and one large perch between the six of us and called it a night. The next morning brought blue skies, high winds and fish that hugged the bottom with a case of lockjaw. Occasionally, small saugers would rise from the mud, half-heartedly chasing our spoons and jigs. Once in awhile, suspended fish would cruise through, and I broke down and used a small jig and a spring bobber to trigger them. They were all tullibees a good fight, but a greasy fish that has an odor all its own TOUR: From 2 Ecco Mormorar Londe by Monteverdi, The Stars Stand up in the Air by Eric William Barnum, and Now Our Meetings Over by Jocelyn Hagen, among other composers. n The VCSU Valkyries, developed in fall 2010, is comprised of female members of the VCSU student body who have taken on the challenge of performing literature from the current era of composition written specifically for mature female voices. Much of the literature that the ensemble performs is not yet part of the standard repertoire of choral literature and showcases living composers. The ensemble has been featured at the 2011 NDMEA show-case concert in Bismarck, ND. This ensemble has prepared a number of selections for the Pacific Northwest Tour, including Three Nightsongs (1. Evening 2. Moon Song 3. Water) by Joshua Shank, How the Flowers Came by Eleanor Daley, and The Rose of Sharon by Thomas Juneau. n The Valley Voices Womens Choir was founded in 1998 and is open to women in the greater Barnes County (ND) area. Members of the ensemble hail from the towns of Litchville, Valley City, Page, Tower City, Oriska and and I crossed that species off my life list. By the end of the day, we had iced only a dozen more fish, and things were slow beyond recognition it sure didnt seem like the lake which had issued internet reports of non-stop action all day long, and big fish biting well into the night. We cursed the weather and our luck and headed in, defeated. Sunday morning was more of the same, and after my second four-inch sauger in an hour, I suggested an early departure knowing bad things come in threes in hopes of avoiding any more misfortune. But the third foot was about to drop. As I helped load our gear into the vehicles outside of the six-man house, our final stop of the trip, I heard a whump and turned to see my buddy Josh sprawled on the ground a look of obvious surprise and pain on his face. Did you hit your head, I asked, as he regained his bearings. No, just fell on my back and my elbow and couldnt catch myself because I was will perform a number of selections on tour, including Hungarian Dance No. 5 by Brahms, transcribed by VCSU Director of Bands, Dr. James Adams; Chorale Prelude Vor deinen Thron tret ich also transcribed by Adams; and Three Traditional Spirituals, arranged by Barnes. Faculty leadership. Since 1999, Leesa Levy has served as Director of holding all my gear he replied somewhat dazed, but confirmed he was alright and didnt show any signs of concussion, Ill be okay, he concluded. Erik stepped out from the ice shack a minute or two later, walked up behind Josh and me as we packed the last of the sonar units, and asked, Jeez, what happened to your arm!? Josh raised his right elbow and the entire area of fabric in his fleece jacket around it was completely soaked in blood. He peeled it back revealing a gushing cut, and two layers of blood-soaked clothes. Oh man, we better get back to the cabin and get that taken care of, I said as the blood trickled out of the tip of his joint. Our field triage efforts wouldnt be enough, as three times on the ride home, Joshs elbow wound would open again and bleed through the gauze, bandages and cloth we tried to wrap around it. Finally, we made the prudent stop in Grand Forks, and in the midst of cardiac patients, kids with influenza and other visitors to the emergency room, Josh was stitched up and we were sent back on the road. As we pulled into Eggerts driveway and prepared for our traditional end-of-weekend handshakes, the divvying up of fish and the long goodbyes, we made plans for our next get-together the spring sturgeon tournament up on the Rainy River not far from where the most recent excitement took place. I cant wait, Josh said, the sarcasm easily noted. Me neither, I said with a smile, figuring just enough time would pass to put the events of this adventure at Lake of the Woods behind us and allow us all to recover, before we return to try our luck in that particular areaof our outdoors.

more. The women rehearse once each week and perform two to three times in concert annually. Some of the literature that these members have prepared for the Pacific Northwest tour include an arrangement of Turn Around by Rene Clausen, Will the Circle be Unbroken, arranged by J. David Moore, and Set Me as a Seal by Richard Nance. Valley Voices is supported by the VCSU Community School of the Arts and the city of Valley City n The VCSU Quantum Brass is a newly formed (2011) select touring ensemble. Members are Kirci Wagner (trumpet), Andrew Reichenberger-Walz (trumpet), Thomas Zinke (French Horn), David Burgess (trombone) and Lyle Hager (tuba). The ensemble

Choral Activities at VCSU, where she is also Associate Professor of Voice. Professor Jaime Namminga, Faculty Accompanist and Piano Instructor at VCSU, provides the collaborative piano support for all of the VCSU choral ensembles. Namminga currently serves as lecturer, faculty accompanist and accompanying supervisor at VCSU.
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PAGE 12 the independent

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Adherence to Constitution would solve deficit, overspending issue

Letter from Duane Stahl Valley City Because of the deficit, some want a balanced budget amendment. Many overspending politicians now claim to be fiscal tightwads. Would a balanced budget amendment, if passed, be obeyed? Do politicians even obey the Bill of Rights? Like Amendment One-the federal government shall not interfere with the practice of religionor free speech anywhere the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) holds power? Amendment Two says the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringedright? TSA searches travelers without warrant and due process-violating Amendment Four. And many (including ND's present US Congressman and Senators) voted for the Patriot Act and the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes the military to arrest citizens and hold them indefinitely without trial on order of the President. (Virginia's House recently passed a bill96 of 100 membersblocking any such federal action against citizens in that state. Arizona, Tennessee, and Washingtonand some local governmentshave passed or are considering similar legislation.) Honor Amendments Nine and 10 (all powers not given to the federal government are left to the states and people), and our deficits would disappear soon. No need for a new constitutional convention eitherjust obey the present supreme law of the land. (Who would control a new convention?)

Anyway, it would probably be easier to attain a majority in Congress and Presidential signature to balance the budget than to ask two-thirds of Congress and three-fourths of state legislatures to approve another Amendment to be ignored. Ask the candidatesHow do they stand on these issues?

ne of the most common curiosities about North Dakota politics during the past few years has been the By Lloyd mystery of a heavOmdahl ily Republican state being represented in Washington by three Democrats when Congressman Earl Pomeroy and Senators Byron Dorgan and Kent Conrad were serving. The truth is that since territorial days North Dakota voters have never been so partisan that they would not consider the candidates of both parties. Our political history is strewn with factional alliances and party crossovers, with success depending on independent-thinking voters. The first territorial legislature was dominated by Democrats and, in the first general election for Territorial delegate in 1862, Territorial voters chose Democrat Capt. J.B.S Todd. He was followed by Republicans Walter Burleigh and S. L. Spink who were then followed by Democrat John Burbank. While other territorial offices were filled as patronage appointments by national administrations, the position of delegate continued to be elected, giving rise to extensive political maneuvering among a variety of factions. It set the pattern for a free-wheeling style of Dakota politics. Howard Lamar, author of Dakota Territory 1861-1889, noted that the

History explains Democratic delegation in D.C.

word faction was still a more accurate description of the political groups in the Territory than the word party. The influx of homesteading Norwegian and German farmers under a Republican administration gave the grateful beneficiaries of the Homestead Act a Republican bent. But cutting through partisan loyalties were the hardships being suffered by farmers who were experiencing falling prices, rising production costs, more debt and exploitation by the railroads and milling industry. This gave rise to the Farmers Alliance. Members of the Farmers Alliance captured a majority in the state house of representatives and a strong delegation in the senate in the 1888 elections. The Alliance provided farmers a new avenue through which they could demonstrate their independence from political parties. In the first statewide elections in 1889, Republicans garnered twothirds of the general vote. But, in a factional alliance a year later, the Populists and the Democrats came back and elected most of their ticket, including a Populist governor. In 1894, Republicans regained control of the state offices by defeating a new combination calling itself the Fusion party. At this juncture in our history, the boss rule of Alexander McKenzie had become too much. McKenzie and his faction had carried corruption too far so Progressive Republicans joined with Democrats in 1906 to elect Democrat Honest John Burke

LLOYD OMDAHL

THE GADFLY

governor for three straight terms. Frustrated by ordinary politics, in 1915 the oppressed farmers then formed the Nonpartisan League, a protest organization that filed its candidates against the regular Republicans in the Republican primary for the next 40 years. In response to the partisanship of the Governor William Langer years in the 1930s, the regular Republicans backed Democrat John Moses against League candidates, giving him the governors chair for three terms and then a U. S. Senate seat. Then in 1956, the NPL filed its slate of candidates in the Democratic primary. In 1958, Democrat Quentin Burdick was elected to Congress and in 1960 he won a U. S. Senate Seat while Democrat Bill Guy won the governorship. With this sort of crossover political style in our history, we can conclude that the North Dakota electorate has always been quite fluid and often breaks party ranks. It indicates the presence of a reservoir of voters who can be more independent than Republican. Thus, a Democratic delegation in Washington. Applying this history to the present Republican presidential race, it suggests that North Dakotans would be more comfortable with a moderate candidate like Mitt Romney than a more conservative Rick Santorum. After all, the state has been weaving a little to the right but somewhere down the middle since territorial days.

smell fear in the world. The One Percent had their Who-Has-The-Most-Gold-Rules meeting in Davos, Switzerland, while even the founder of this billionaires buffet expressed the idea that capitalism is outdated and crumbling. None of you will remember that I predicted over a year ago that World War III, the epic battle between the One Percent and the 99 Percent, had started. It is continuing at a solid and steady pace, and soon the gates and moats protecting the rich from the poor will be battered and drained. Klaus Schwab, the founder of the Davos World Economic Forum, outlined his fear: We have a general morality gap, we are over-leveraged, we have neglected to invest in the future, we have undermined social coherence, and we are in danger of completely losing the confidence of future generations. Solving problems in the context of outdated and crumbling models will only dig us deeper into the hole. We are in an era of profound change that urgently requires new ways of thinking instead of more business-as-usual. Capitalism in its current form, has no place in the world around us. This remarkable speech was made just after nine Eurozone countries were stripped of their S & Ps Triple-A credit ratings. We have the same rating now, folks. It seems that about every hundred years or so the economies of the world get hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure from the gourmet diets of the obese rich, and the shrinking of the muscles of the starving poor. The result is gold dementia and we soon go into cardiac-economic arrest. It Was The Best Of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times. Slightly over 200 years ago France and England were going through the same 1-99 battle we face today - and what we faced during the Gilded Age 100 years ago. We are celebrating the 200th birthday of the man who chronicled the turbulent 1-99 times that started when the rulers and ruling classes of both these countries had the best of life at that time, but were completely out of touch with commoners. Charles Dickens wrote of the rich-poor 1-99 battles in the 19th century in his many novels. In the first paragraph of A Tale Of Two Cities, Dickens outlined the problem with just a few words: It was the best GADFLY: 14

The Future: A Mix of Animal Farm, A Tale of Two Cities & Wall Street

The Independent welcomes letters to the editor and columns of opinion. Submit commentary material by email to submissions@indy-bc.com - include your full name and contact information for verification purposes only.

PAGE 13 the independent

Winning Mathletes pictured above are, at left, the individual team winners and, at right, the winning team. (Photos/submitted)

Barnes County North East Campus team wins Barnes County MATHCOUNTS
Limesand places rst individually
A team of middle school Mathletes from Barnes County NorthEast Campus won the Barnes County MATHCOUNTS competition. e top individual was Laura Limesand of Barnes County North-East Campus, daughter of Scott and Lisa Limesand. Second place was Brandon Pritchett of BIG SCREEN: From 16 decision. Most movies would give the audience some credit and stop at this singular forcefully contrived plot point, but is Means War takes it a step (or ve) further. Tuck and FDR happen to know each other. In fact, theyre best friends. eyre also business partners. At the CIA. And a menacing German gangster (Til Schweiger) is a er them, looking for vengeance. rowing their friendship to the winds, FDR and Tuck decide to compete for Laurens heart using high-tech gadgetry and charm. May the best spy win. e actors look good and try their hardest to bring some sort of likeability to the characters, but any talent that these actors showed in their other performances is nowhere to be seen. True, Pines Kirkness shows through in his character, Hardy brings some subtle British snark and Witherspoon is desirable enough, but these performances feel like an o -brand of what cast is capable of. Valley City Junior High, son of Monte and Lori Pritchett. ird place was Samantha Wieland of Barnes County North - East Campus, daughter of Dave and Kim Wieland. Fourth place was Spencer Piatz of Barnes County North - East Campus, son of Eric Piatz and Kelsey Janse Van Rensburg. Members of the Barnes County North East Campus team were: Taylor Bingham, parent is Jerome araldson; Laura Limesand; SaOne major plot point I took issue with was Tuck and FDR bugging their lady loves apartment, then closely monitoring her actions. is includes viewing video footage of private moments during each others dates. e Patriot Act, FDR bluntly reassures a fellow CIA operative, questioning the legality of monitoring Laurens (very) private life. If this creepy violation of Laurens privacy was intended as comedy, it failed with gusto. Ultimately, uninspired performances, painfully constructed dialogue and a poorly executed gumbo-pot of a storyline will insult the intelligence of any seasoned movie-goer. Even for a date movie, is Means War is lame. It tosses action, adventure, spy thriller, romance, comedy, buddy lm and love triangle genres in the same melting pot. e result is either too watered down or a little overcooked. Maybe there were too many ingredients. Ultimately, it fails to satisfy.
Erlandson is a student at VCSU.

mantha Wieland; and Spencer Piatz. Barnes County North-East Campus coach is Al Schumacher. Students competed in math areas of probability, algebra, statistics and polynomials. e competition included a sprint round, a target round and a team round. Competition results have been forwarded to MATHCOUNTS regional o cials, and regional winners will be noti ed and attend state competition in March. Other Mathletes competing in

the event were: Valley City Jr. High, coached by Trevar Hansen: Brandon Pritchett, parents are Monte and Lori Pritchett; Maddie Bennett, parents are Les Zaun and Kathleen Bennett Zaun; Mikaylah Ross, parents are Rick and Cindy Ross; and Jacob Berntson, parents are Mike and Stacy Berntson; Barnes County North-West Campus, coached by Carrie Braaten: Tess Scott, parents are Tom and Kelly Scott; Alexis Rath, parents are

Donovan Krueger and Teresa Rath; David Fletcher, parents are Dana and Amy Fletcher; and Mat Rose, parents are Lee and Vicki Rose; and Maple Valley coached by Alecia Killoran: Erin Greiger, parents are Dalen and Vera Grieger; Jacob Bodziachowski, parents are Albert and Isabella Bodziachowski; Sam Richman, parents are Matthew and Jenni Richman; and Ryan Janish, parents are Rob and Cathy Janish.

FUN FEST: From 16 anniversary) at 5:30 p.m., and from 6 to 7:30Gold Rush with Charlie Chaplin. Events scheduled for Saturday, March 3, include: 10 a.m. Nordic ski races at the Valley City Country Club golf course; 1 p.m. Snow soccer in the eld next to the VCSU Student Apartments on Viking Drive; 2 p.m. Snow sculptures followed by judging and pictures; All A ernoon Sledding and snowboarding at Charlie Brown hill in Valley City; 4 to 9 p.m. Curling in Fargo (exhibition/ lesson, $15/person. Need Drivers: 701232-0341). Winter Fun Fest events conclude on Sunday, March 4, with the following activities: 1 p.m. Broomball in Pioneer Park; also at 1p.m. Snowshoe (or boot) hike throughMedicine
900-99000-0587 1/13

Wheel Park; 6 to 8 p.m. Ice Skating ($1/person) at the Youth Sports Complex (845-2281). e VCSU Winter Sports Club, advised by Philip Deger, assistant professor of Business & Information Technology, notes that events are subject to change due to weather or other factors.

Every person. Every need.

One team.
Mark Lundeen, MD
See Dr. Lundeen, Sanford Health Valley City Clinic (701) 845-6000 or read his bio at sanfordhealth.org

PAGE 14 the independent

Please patronize our advertisers. Without their support, The Independent could not exist.
GADFLY: From 12 of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way. Does it take long to figure out where we fit? There was revolution in France during this time, culminating in the swishy-thunk of the guillotine. Louis XVI was indifferent to the poverty and starvation of the French people. Queen Antoinette, when she had her head, said Let them eat cake, and then she lost it. George III in England had another revolution on his hands but it took place in America. The French people had to scrape and bow to the know-nothing bishops of the Roman Catholic Church while the English believed in the supernatural, always seeing ghosts that communicated messages of one kind or another. If a French peasant neglected to kneel when approached by Catholic monks he could be tortured to death for his transgression. Thats why the guillotine was so much better. It was quick. The English courts used the death penalty indiscriminately, from the theft of a loaf of bread to murder. Over 230 crimes were punishable by death. The Tower of London was always busy. Capital punishments, whether hanging, disemboweling, or drawing and quartering, were the entertainment of the day watched by thousands. Now we have millions watch mixed martial arts. Dickens himself went to work in a shoepolish factory at age 11 when his father was sentenced to debtors prison for not being able to pay his bills. Dickens knew of the public workhouses where young Oliver Twist asked for more gruel at suppertime. Workhouses took orphans and other unfortunate children and rented them out to work 12-hour days in factories. Olivers plea, Please, sir, I want some more! is one of the more famous lines in literature. Stuff Happens When People Dont Have Enough To Eat. The 2,600 big-business CEOs, billionaires, 40 world leaders, and other hangers-on who attended Davos may be sensing the clang of the guillotine and the thunk of the beheading axe for the first time. The purpose of the Davos meeting is to improve the state of the world. They know they are being blamed for the worst economic inequalities in history. David Rubenstein, the billionaire founder of the hedgefund monster The Carlyle Group, who pocketed $400 million as personal income in 2011, even got edgy at the conference: I think we have three to four years in the West to improve the economic model that we have. If we dont do that soon, I think weve lost the game. Over 70 billionaires at the conference actually agreed with him. Sharan Burrow of the International Trade Union Confederation warned the attendees: We must redesign the model. We must reset it. Stop the greed. Unless employers and workers sit down with governments, the system will continue to fail. Over 25 years ago, a stock trader outlined the greed that drives the Wall Street engine: Moneys a bitch that never sleeps! The richest one percent of this country owns half of our countrys wealth... One third of that comes from hard work, two thirds comes from inheritance, interest on interest accumulating to widows and idiot sons, and what I do, and stock and real estate speculation. Its bullsh*t. You got 90 percent of the American public out there with little or no net worth. I create nothing. I own. We make the rules, pal. The news, war, peace, famine, upheaval, the price per paper clip. We pick that rabbit out of the hat while everybody sits out there wondering how the he** we did it. Now youre not naive enough to think we are living in a democracy, are you buddy? Its the free market. And youre part of it. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, for knowledge, has marked the upward surge of mankind. OK, OK, so I have attempted to trick you. This quote is from the main character Gordon Gekko in the 1987 movie Wall Street played by Michael Douglas. But every word in this piece of fiction is truth in fact. This is what really happens on the Street. Free Markets, Free Enterprise: Tearing The Social Fabric Of Western North Dakota. We have a splendid example of unregulated free market vulture capitalism going on out in western North Dakota. We do have regulatory agencies, a governor and a legislature that should be doing something about the plight of the land and people that exist over the oil-laden Bakken Shield, but it seems they are all too busy running for office to do anything about the degradation of people, air, land, and cities and towns. According to news reports, western officials say the quality of life is gone and that there is an incredible amount of anger and frustration where it has affected the way of life of residents. That sounds as if there might be pitchforks plunged into Bismarck fata**es if the vultures keep picking away. Williams County Commissioner Dan Kalil, a resident of Williston, summarized the conditions in the oil fields before the Legislatures interim energy committee: We are short of patience, jail space, groceries and fuel; and long on sewage, garbage, anger, frustration. Our quality of life is gone. It is absolutely gone. My community is gone, and Im heartbroken. I never wanted to live any place but Williston, North Dakota, and now I dont know what Im going to do. The problem is too much, too fast. This level of activity has only led to unwarranted greed and unbelievable pressure on everyone. We cannot sustain this. Somebody had to be brave enough to stand up and say, Too much, too fast. The state has a moral obligation to do everything it can do to help. We cannot destroy North Dakota to fill the coffers of Bismarck. Other officials reported that volunteer fire and ambulance departments are stressed beyond the breaking point. There is a lack of funding and a tremendous need for additional training and equipment. School officials testified they need more buildings and impact funding from the state. Another city official said over 1,000 longtime Williston residents have given up and left in the two years. He added: These are the people who built our churches, went to our PTAs. They built our community. Its tough to lose those people. By the end of 2010, 458,000 barrels of oil were pumped out of the Bakken ground per day, too much to be shipped out of North Dakota for refining. Where were the politicians? Where were the regulating agencies? Where was the governor? Where was the Public Service Commission? Perhaps in green rooms practicing nominating speeches for their next political job? Some Billionaires Are More Equal Than Other Billionaires. George Orwell published Animal Farm back in 1946, but it is a remarkable satire about us in 2012. We are no longer living by the 10 Commandments of religion or secular humanism. Napoleon, the leading pig on the farm, ends up leading the pig-headed, gluttonous and avaricious rulers in an imaginary totalitarian state, according to the cover. Theres only one commandment left in Orwells corporate-fascist state: All Animals Are Equal, But Some Animals Are More Equal Than Others. At the end of the book Mr. Pilkington, a human the pig Napoleon could do business with, congratulated Napoleon on how he had given his pig workers low rations and longer working hours while reducing their pay. But then, while they were playing poker together to celebrate their good fortune, they each played an ace of spades simultaneously. All heck broke loose. Heck may be just starting to break loose with the global business elites also. Under the protection of thousands of security personnel and snipers on the roofs of their meeting places in Davos, the billionaires are beginning to worry that income disparity is starting to interfere with economic growth. More than half of the 1,200 investors, banksters, traders and analysts agreed at the conference that Marx was right; capitalism creates obstacles to its own advancement. Perhaps some of the elite are starting to think that everybody on Wall Street has an ace of spades up his sleeve. Fear combined with greed does strange things. Besides having to work around the embarrassment of their fellow billionaire Warren Buffet talking about his low taxes, billionaire-Napoleons may be beginning to realize they are slowly strangling their golden goose. Cisco CEO John Chambers, who took home only $38 million in 2011, was said to have told ALCOA CEO Klaus Kleinfeld (who was a piker at $11 million in 2011): It is an embarrassment that U.S. business has not found a way to combine its success with a growing middle class. Davos trickledown might not work anymore. Kleinfeld had been complaining that income taxes were too high: Its wealth creation that matters, not income distribution. Thats easy to say when you know where your next 50,000 meals are coming from. Harvard Professor Elizabeth Warren, Senate candidate in Massachusetts and the woman free-market Republicans and Tea Partiers love to hate because she is smarter and tougher than they are, talks about class warfare and the idea millionaires did it on their own: There is no one in this country who got rich on his own. Nobody. You built a factory out there? Good for you. But I want to be clear: you moved your goods to market on the roads the rest of us paid for; you hired workers the rest of us paid to educate. Individual opportunity cannot be realized without a collective marshaling of public resources. You gotta problem with that?

Many a small thing has been made large by the right kind of advertising.
The Independent: Your #1 source for winning advertising solutions.
Land/Real Estate
LAND FOR SALE. 50 acres located 3 miles west of Valley City in SW 1/4-26-140-59 south of I-94. Call 701845-4303 after 10 AM. Interested in purchasing a folding screen to be used as a room divider. Phone 701-4901325. serve your spot for this spring. Hurry! Stalls are filling up fast. 701-8302120. Buying 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, 701-2522533 or 701-320-2239 (cell). TOTAL WOOD HEAT. Safe, clean, efficient and comfortable OUTDOOR WOOD FURNACE from Central Boiler. RLH Enterprises 701-412-3143

the independent PAGE 15

NOTICE Announcements
Jamestown Church of Christ looking for brothers and sisters in Christ. Join us for worship services instead of driving to Fargo or Bismarck. Please call or email me for time and place of worship services. John Burleson, 701-368-1696, or email: bjburles@daktel. com

Pair of 225/70/15 studded snow tires mounted on rim. Fit Ford or Dodge. $150. 845-1525. For Sale: Clam Kodiak Fishouse. New in box never opened. $250 obo 701-769-2318 evenings or leave message. Phone: 701-769-2318.

USED TIRES

FISH HOUSE

ATTENTION FARMERS

WANTED
Want to buy: Older Ford pickup from the 50s or 60s. Prefer running. Call 701-845-3723, ask for Boomer. WANTED. Forks for a backhoe Bucket. Also V.W. truck, any year. Call Kent at 701-4906462 or 701-646-6462. Wanted: Current or exAvon ladies with Soft Musk on hand. No vintage please. Also Mark Hello Pretty, Hollywood Pink & more. 701-8400476 w/prices.

Vehicles
1997 Chev Blazer $2500 1997Chev Blazer $3200 1996 Chev Blazer $3500 1995 AstroVan AWD $4200 1988 Chev Pickup 2X4 $2800

FOR SALE Household - Misc.

Newer front-load washer and dryer. LG brand. $800. Flat-top stove, 1 year old, $350. Call 701-789-0449. Becker Brothers antique piano, early 1914. Excellent condition, $1,800. Green floral loveseat for sale, $100. Antique chair, $50. Deb: 701-845-2364.

NICE SELECTION

and people securing custody of children 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 complain of discrimination, call North Dakota Fair Housing Council Toll-free 1-888-265-0907. HUD Toll free 1-800- 6699777. The toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800927-9275.

GREAT ADS GET

GREAT RESULTS!
Place Yours.

NICE APPLIANCES

OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE

Single office units for rent in small office complex. Quiet, convenient location in downtown Valley City. $150 or $200 per month.

Call LORI FROEMKE: 701-320-0780 Classified Box

Ad. Size: 1 column x 2 tall. Rate: $6.50/ column inch Run Dates: till further Notice

Call 701-840-0166

FOR RENT
FOR RENT: 2-bedroom apartments for rent in Litchville, utilities included, laundry facilities are available. Income determines amount of rent. Parklane Homes, Inc., Litchville. Sandy Sandness, Mgr, 701-7624496. Parklane Homes, Inc., temporarily rents apartments to all persons without regard to income restrictions.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider & employer.

SOLD

For Sale: 1991 Chevy Lumina van. Five seats. Runs good. If interested, call: 701-845-3311 (home) or 701-848-6943 (cell). 2004 750 Honda Shadow motorcyle. Only 5,200 miles. Can be seen at The Iron Stallion in Valley City. Call Kyle at 701-799 3264. $4,000 or best offer. Must see to appreciate. Dodge 1/2 ton Ram. Runs good. Only 69,000 actual miles on it. 318 engine. and a topper. automatic transmission, full-time 4WD. $1,596.00 840-1892 or 845-4554

NICE VAN

NEWLY REMODELED

Call: 701-845-3390 EMPLOYMENT

GUNS
WANTED TO BUY. Gun collector wants to buy old Winchesters and other antique guns. Fair prices paid. Call 605-352-7078. Want to buy: Winchester 1894s most any year, also firearms of most any type. Also Kawasaki 3 cylinder 2 stroke motorcycles. Call 701-845-5196.

Client: Office 134 - George Dutton

FOR SALE: 64 string harp guitar, 1915 model in original box. Call 845-1525. 40-plus 4X6 Rubber Mats. Only $40 each. call 701-789-0228 Pews for sale. Contact 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. $250. Will negotiate. Grace, 8450877.

SOLD

LIKE NEW

RUBBER MATS

ANTIQUE PEWS

SERVICES
Litscher Training Stables is a full service training facility with Indoor-Outdoor arenas. Offering training, lessons, showing, sales, and more. Contact Jenna for more information and to re-

HORSES TRAINED

Ag & Equipment
16-foot bumper hitch stock trailer for sale. Fair condition. $950. Call 701-845-4077.

LIKE NEW

advertising@indy-bc.com

Publishers Notice All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise ``any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women

Old 10 Saloon Bar & Grill, recently remodeled and expanded, needs a cook, wait staff and bartender. Flexible hours - days, evenings. Wages depending on experience. Call Harry, 701-633-5317 or stop in at 407 Main St., Buffalo, N.D.

COOK, BAR HELP WANTED

GREEN COLOR ON SELECT ADS!

FREE

LUCKY MARCH SPECIAL:

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PAGE 16 the independent

E E FR vate Pri arty s P Ad e n i L

ON THE BIG SCREEN

WITHIN TWO WEEKS I GOT THE SALES THAT I SOUGHT. THANK YOU! Sharon Clancy

ADVERTISING IN THE INDY OF BC WORKS.

CLASSIFIEDS DEADLINE: MONDAYS AT NOON

Ads cial $6.5 or l 0 per ess wk

Com

mer

This Means War is lame

ts February and love is in the air. Roses are overpriced, chocolates are sold in heartshaped boxes, and romanticthemed movies a b o u n d . By Kayley A er all, Erlandson couples need a date movie to sit through together, a compromise between action and romance. In true romantic comedy fashion, Lauren (Reese Witherspoon) is gorgeous, successful, intelligent, funny and just waiting for Mr. Right to ride in on a white horse and sweep her o her feet and away from her unful lling life of ordering sushi for one. She meets a sweet single father named Tuck (Tom Hardy) through a dating website. eir rst date goes perfectly. Tuck is sensitive, funny and a good guy. Lauren thinks hes e One. en, she runs into another handsome man, FDR (Chris Pine). FDR charms her with his wild ways and knowledge of Hitchcock lms. Against the high moral standards she claims to have, Lauren takes the advice of crass friend Trish (Chelsea Handler) and decides to date both men at the same time before making a nal BIG SCREEN: 13

Lori Froemke of rural Litchville captured this image of a snowman in front of the Rosebud Visitors Center in Valley City on Monday. The snow event brought 5 inches of snow to Valley City on Monday, the hardest hit city in the region, according to the National Weather Service.
(Photo/Lori Froemke)

WINTER WEATHER ARRIVES

VCSU plans Winter Fun Fest

Mondays snowfall came just in time for members of the Winter Sports Club, a new Valley City State University organization planning a Winter Fun Fest for March 2-4 in Valley City. e First Annual Winter Fun Fest, as its being billed, is open to all VCSU students, sta , faculty and alumni, but also to area families looking to enjoy the snow and have a good time. Event highlights include ski races, snow sculpture, snow soccer, curling, and more. Events kick o on Friday, March 2, with a Movie Night in the Skoal Room of the VCSU Student Center. Screened will be: 5:30 p.m.American Birkebeiner (40th FUN FEST: 13

the independent AD PR

North Dakota Winter Show

NEW EVENT Saturday, March 3

75th Anniversary Kick Off Celebration! COME HELP US KICK OFF OUR 75TH ANNIVERSARY WITH SOME GREAT ENTERT AINMENT!
Dakota Air:
with Host Merril Piepkorn Sunday, March 4 - 3 PM Tickets $15 Vangstad Auditorium Tickets Available Online, at the Winter Show Office, or by Calling 800-437-0218

World According to Garth

Sunday, March 4 - 7 pm Opening Act: Greg Hager Tickets: $20

The Radio Show

3/4 Carat Diamond Ring 45 Caliber Long Colt Rifle 75th Anniversary Saddle Handmade Quilt

$10 Raffle Tickets

ALL TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE www.northdakotawintershow.com at the Winter Show Office or by calling 800-437-0218