Nice news of the day – December 10, 2019

Congratulation’s to Makoti’s Everett Dobrinski, who was recently inducted into the national Cooperative Hall of Fame! Everett is only one of 177 people in the Hall of Fame, which honors cooperative farmers.

And you’re going to like today’s news – about a wall of purses, speedy service, and a hero of rural newspapers. Read on.

I typically don’t put business philanthropic activities because there are so many (!) that they would overtake the news; however, this is a very clever way for a business to visibly support an organization and help individual people without asking for money. (KFYR TV)

Two weeks ago, I posted a story about how Fargo, Bismarck, and Williston are working to reduce wait times at the DMV. Turns out Grand Forks already the process down pat; they have a zero-wait. (Grand Forks Herald)

Two North Dakota newspapers (Adams County Record and New England Extra) had to close due to loss of ad revenue, and so Jill Friesz, who owns the Grant County News and Carson Press, stepped in to save them. I love what she had to say about it (Dickinson Press):

“Small newspapers will never die, because we are the heartbeat of the community,” she said. “It’s really important for people in these coverage areas to know that we are a local entity, that it’s a local person that is going to cover their community news. We are not a big company from out of state, we are a local North Dakota company.”

Nice news of the day – July 25, 2019

Since bee colony numbers are way down across the country, North Dakota is picking up the delicious slack – leading the nation in honey production. You can learn more at https://beeinformed.org/.

And you can learn more about the nice people of North Dakota in today’s news – about PB&J sandwiches and not one, but two farm days. Plus, a bonus story! Read on.

Bismarck’s Lauryn Hinckley started Stopping Hunger One Backpack at a Time at the old age of 9, and has raised over $115,000 through PB&J drives and other creative events. (Bismarck Tribune) (KVRR)

NDSU Extension Center hosts an annual Field Day to educate the public on the latest crop research. (Adams County Extra)

And speaking of field days, Northern Great Plains Research Lab had a farm-friendly community party that I wish I would have attended because it sounds awesome. (KFYR TV)

BONUS: Korina Holte lives in Shelly, Minnesota but goes to school in Hillsboro, so we’re going to count this buzz-worthy story as North Dakota Nice. (Hillsboro Banner)

Nice news of the day – July 5, 2019

Did you know that the North Dakota Geological Survey sponsors digs throughout the summer – including one last weekend in the Sentinel Butte Formation – and you can sign up to participate? Apparently it’s pretty common to find a crocodile tooth or a turtle rib (which you don’t get to keep, but still very cool).

And I bet you knew that today’s news has the story of the week, right? Read on.

I’m really lazy, and recently I decided to get less lazy by waking up early to do yoga in my living room. As I write this, I have yoga’d for six whole days in a row and based on my how much I’m bragging it up to everyone you’d think that I was North Dakota’s first woman to compete in CrossFit Games – like Sue Lawson, age 60, who is also only the second total person from our state to participate. (KX Net)

My husband and I are binge-watching the TV show Parks & Recreation right now, and if ever our state had its own Ron Swanson, he (or she) would be a member of the new North Dakota 4-H and FFA Meats Judging team. (Adams County Extra)

Story of the Week: If you’re the type of person who looks for unlocked cars to give away the plethora of zucchini squash you grow every year, you may want to take that generosity a step further and be like Minot’s Duane Brekke. (Minot Daily News)