Jackie’s Journal

08/21/2023

Hello, everyone! It’s been a long, long time since I’ve hopped on here. My life has taken changes from family to career and I’m now wearing a totally different hat on the Western Edge as the manager of the new clothing store —Glik's - Prairie Hills Mall, Unit 15, Dickinson, ND. But I’m thankful to all of you who have followed my journalism career and I hope to hop on here from time to time and give you something fun and inspirational to read. Please check out the newest blog for Karolina Lym Photography and her new studio! I was happy to tour her new studio and pen something for the first time in ages!

By: Jackie Jahfetson Tucked away in a little community they call New Hradec, a building that once housed boarding students now captures timeless moments by photographer Karolina Lym. Though the photographer was located in the heart of downtown Dickinson for four years in two different studios, she h...

01/13/2023

The National Park Service says there is no legal basis to keep horses and longhorn cattle that roam freely in the North and South Units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

12/28/2022

Energy-related projects from carbon capture to wind power dominated the drawing board in North Dakota this year.

Frosty relations between coal and wind supporters appeared to ease somewhat with the sale of the threatened Coal Creek Station, oil production remained flat over the year, and a new wrinkle emerged impacting the state's energy industry -- cryptocurrency.

Meanwhile, workforce availability was a big concern in the Bakken oil patch.

Click the link below to read the full story.

Energy-related projects from carbon capture to wind power dominated the drawing board in North Dakota this year.

12/28/2022

A Bismarck-based company expects to wrap up construction on a 27-mile-long electric transmission line in northwestern North Dakota by the end of the year, turning it on in January.

Click the link to read more.

A Bismarck-based company expects to wrap up construction on a 27-mile-long electric transmission line in northwestern North Dakota by the end of the year, turning it on in January.

12/26/2022

Merry Christmas to all!
Hope you all had a blessed day 💚❤️

12/22/2022

12/22/2022

North Dakotans heading away from home for Christmas will pay slightly less at the pump this year, but they'll encounter poor traveling conditions the rest of this week both in-state and across much of the country.

North Dakotans heading away from home for Christmas will pay slightly less at the pump this year, but they'll encounter poor traveling conditions the rest of this week both in-state

12/14/2022

One of the two tall stacks at the Heskett Station north of Mandan was taken down Tuesday as part of the decommissioning process of North Dakota’s oldest coal-fired power plant. Click the link below to read more.

One of the two tall stacks at the Heskett Station north of Mandan was taken down Tuesday as part of the decommissioning process of North Dakota’s oldest coal-fired power plant.

12/12/2022

Stay safe out there this week 🫶🏻

11/11/2022

To all who have served, thank you 🇺🇸
Happy Veteran’s Day
[Photo by: Jackie Jahfetson]

09/07/2022

State regulators continue to investigate the cause of the oilfield wastewater spill discovered last month in northwestern North Dakota that discharged more than 1.4 million gallons. Impacts to crop land have been reported, but no wildlife have been affected, according to state investigators.

Click the link below to read more.

State regulators continue to investigate the cause of the oilfield wastewater spill discovered last month in northwestern North Dakota that discharged more than 1.4 million gallons. Impacts to crop land

08/17/2022

Hello from the Capitol!

Sorry I’ve been a little inactive on here; it’s been a busy couple of weeks getting settled into my new beat. ☺️ Feel free to check out my latest articles by visiting bismarcktribune.com.

08/17/2022

Landowner concerns continue to grow over a proposed pipeline that would pick up carbon dioxide emissions from ethanol plants in several Midwestern states and transport them to North Dakota for permanent storage.

Developer Summit Carbon Solutions says it hopes to come to agreeable terms with landowners on easements before considering eminent domain.

Landowner concerns continue to grow over a proposed pipeline that would pick up carbon dioxide emissions from ethanol plants in several Midwestern states and transport them to North Dakota for

08/16/2022

New flood risk maps being developed for Burleigh County and Bismarck could impact hundreds of properties, some of which might be required to carry flood insurance. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, the North Dakota Department of Water Resources, and city and county officials will host a public open house from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday at the Bismarck Event Center.

New flood risk maps being developed for Burleigh County and Bismarck could impact hundreds of properties, some of which might be required to carry flood insurance.

08/04/2022

As I open up a new chapter at The Bismarck Tribune as the energy/environment reporter, I couldn’t be more excited to sink my heels into new ground. I definitely have very big shoes to fill, but I’m ready to learn and join a talented newsroom. Thanks to the ones who continue to follow my career and push me to dig a little deeper.

07/22/2022

'Kiitos' to Dickinson and Western Edge for welcoming a Finnish Yooper

A look back on my time at The Dickinson Press, highlighting some of my favorite stories and people I’ve come to know on the Western Edge.

When I first hauled everything I owned in the back of my folks’ stock trailer and drove 746 miles west from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, little did I know I was making one of the best decisions I could ever make. I’ve visited Dickinson, North Dakota, twice before my official arrival, and there was something about the atmosphere that tugged on my heart strings. It felt like this was going to be home.

Well, that feeling couldn’t have become more true than what it is today. Dickinson and western North Dakota is my home, and it is with a heavy heart that a new opportunity has surfaced, closing my chapter at The Dickinson Press.

As I reflect on time here, I must first and foremost thank the people who have welcomed me with open arms, especially my ranch family — Tammy and Morry Binstock. I’m so grateful for cattle branding days and evening summer horseback rides looking over the Little Badlands. Another shoutout must go out to my Yooper girls, my musician buddies and my other friends who’ve become a part of my life.

I’ve come to know that being a Finlander on the Western Edge has given me a new platform to teach people little things about where I come from and how to say things properly, like “sauna.” But I’ve also learned so much about what it means to be a western North Dakotan from sitting behind the chutes at a rodeo to experiencing just how dreadfully cold it can get when suiting up to do chores.

Throughout my reporting time here since the summer of 2020, I’ve experienced so many moments that would be impossible to jot down in one sitting. Moments that struck worry such as the time when I was covering a calving story in Hettinger and got a call to drive all the way back to Medora to report on the wild fires steaming from the Badlands. Nothing felt more real and terrifying than seeing all the buffalo and mustangs at the top of the ridge, trying to get away from the fire scene and then driving past the closed off interstate where Black Hawk helicopters soared over the area, jetting the flames from far above. That was lights-camera-action journalism, and it’s something that will stick with me forever.

Other moments made me appreciate the simplicity in human generosity such as tagging along with the Bad Pennies R.C. for Thanksgiving and Christmas. As they handed out meals and gifts to those less fortunate, I witnessed such joy and laughter that one wouldn’t think could come from leather clad motorcycle enthusiasts.

I’ll always be in debt to my ranch and agricultural community, some of which I’ve come to call as friends. From riding shotgun with Richardton rancher Beni Paulson as he checked on his herd to sitting on the bleachers as the auctioneer called out bids for the annual bull sale at Richard Angus Ranch, I can’t tell you how grateful I am to learn more about ranch life and to tap into my ag roots as a dairy farmer’s daughter.

There’s also been some tears, such as a mother who lost her son or a widow who’s struggling to face life after their partner has passed on. To those who have shared their most vulnerable and honest opinions with me, thank you for trusting me to highlight your story.

“Kiitos,” as I say a Finnish thank you, to those who gave me a quick quote when I was on a tight deadline, provided me with positive and constructive feedback and to those who continue to follow my career postings on my Journalism with Jackie page.

This is not a goodbye; this is simply, “I’ll see you around.”

07/22/2022

Thanks JC Farms for chatting with me about how this hay season is going. Read the full story by clicking the link below!

It's the middle of hay season in southwestern North Dakota. With a much wetter spring and early summer, ranchers are experiencing a better hay cut than last year. We visited with JC Farms to learn more about what goes into haying.

07/22/2022

"There's a little bit of something for everyone. You
come with your family, your kids can find
something, the moms can find something, the dads
can find something," Jessica Quandt, owner of JQ
Clothing, said.

“There’s a little bit of something for everyone. You come with your family, your kids can find something, the moms can find something, the dads can find something,” Jessica Quandt, owner of JQ Clothing, said.

07/22/2022

Sunrise Youth Bureau became the first agency in
North Dakota to acquire its shelter care
certification. The Sunrise Youth Bureau and an
administrator with the Children and Family Services
Division at the North Dakota Department of Human
Services share more about the impact the
certification will have for western North Dakota.

Sunrise Youth Bureau became the first agency in North Dakota to acquire its shelter care certification. The Sunrise Youth Bureau and an administrator with the Children and Family Services Division at the North Dakota Department of Human Services share more about the impact the certification will…

07/22/2022

The Dunn County Commission met Wednesday,
with deliberations focused primarily on a
performance merit plan and cost of living
adjustment and what that could mean for county
employees in 2023.

The Dunn County Commission met Wednesday, with deliberations focused primarily on a performance merit plan and cost of living adjustment and what that could mean for county employees in 2023.

07/20/2022

Good morning! Here are the latest headlines to start your Wednesday!

Hear the daily local news and get the inside scoop on what’s happening in Dickinson, North Dakota.

07/18/2022

Red Trail Energy (RTE), LLC, is the first carbon capture and storage project allowed under state primacy in the United States and commenced their operations in earnest on June 16 at its ethanol facility located in the western North Dakota town of Richardton.

Red Trail Energy, LLC announced that it officially began carbon capture and storage at its ethanol facility located near Richardton, North Dakota, on June 16.

07/15/2022

In mid-June, the City of Belfield was forced to empty its water tower after a leak caused issues. Though the leak repair has been made, it has been weeks since residents have had consistent water pressure in the town. Some are questioning when the water tower will be refilled and water pressure restored.

During its regularly scheduled monthly meeting, the Belfield City Council met Tuesday at City Hall, discussing a wide range of topics, including the water tower that is currently waiting an inspection before it can be refilled.

“I think it’s getting quite drawn out because it’s three weeks now... My customers are not happy. We don’t have any return motel customers. One night without a shower is long enough," Harold Hugelen said, owner of Trapper’s Kettle in Belfield, North Dakota.

07/14/2022

Though most girls dream of wearing a crown and sash, it’s not always a reality that a small town farm girl from North Dakota takes home a national title. From Hebron, North Dakota, Maci Wehri recently competed on the national level and is now Miss Agriculture USA. She hopes to use the next year to be an inspiration for other young women and girls and continue to promote agriculture and farm safety.

“I can be the 19-year-old that pushes other 19-, 20-, 21-year-olds to continue this American dream. The American dream doesn’t have to be white picket fences. It can be barbed wire and evergreens. So hopefully with my passion, I can help other people be passionate about it too," she said.

Maci Wehri, of Hebron, North Dakota, was recently crowned as Miss Agriculture USA. Wehri is also going to be a junior at Dickinson State University. We visited Wehri at her family’s farm in Hebron to learn about her passion for agriculture.

07/14/2022

A 22-year-old male driver, going above the speed limit, crashed into the entry signage of the New England Public School building Thursday morning and was transported to Dickinson for further medical attention.

According to Chief Deputy Kyle Christenson, of the Hettinger County Sheriff’s Office, the incident remains under investigation.

Police say the incident remains under investigation following a high speed crash that sent one man to the hospital on Thursday and destroying the school entrance sign.

07/14/2022

Farm girl to farm girl, such a nice visit with Miss Agriculture USA Maci Wehri talking about cows, fixing fences and farm safety. Stay tuned for more!

07/14/2022

Since the City of Belfield approved a task order for Interstate Engineering Inc. last fall to provide a capital improvement plan that will act as a guide in years to come, the firm has been assessing the city’s infrastructure and is about 50% completed. However, newly elected officials addressed the task order in Tuesday’s Belfield City Council meeting, saying that they would like to see documentation on the progress.

The four major areas of infrastructure that were part of the task order include the city’s water system, sanitary/sewer collection system, stormwater management and street inventory.

07/13/2022

***ALERT***
At approximately 8 a.m. Wednesday, the Stark County Sheriff’s Office received notice from several residents who filed complaints of a person calling on the phone that is claiming to be a deputy from the sheriff’s office. This caller, who is asking for money or to be contacted regarding a legal matter, is a scam and people are advised to be cautious when answering the phone, the sheriff’s office stated in a public post .

The individual is disguising themselves to be Sgt. Cameron Adkins from the Stark County Sheriff’s Office and asking to be contacted regarding a legal matter.

The Stark County Sheriff’s Office has received several complaints of a person calling on the phone, claiming to be a deputy from the Stark County Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s office advises the public to be on the lookout for this type of scam.

07/12/2022

According to the Stark County Auditor’s Office, smaller communities across the county are struggling to fund high priority infrastructure projects, some of which cost millions of dollars. As a way to help those smaller cities apply for grant funding, Stark County is currently looking at hiring a grant writer.

Karen Richard, Stark County auditor and treasurer, noted that this temporary position would be paid for using funds that the county received through the American Rescue Plan Act.

During last week's Stark County Commission meeting, the county's auditor/treasurer advised the board of commissioners that a grant writer is in immediate need for smaller communities who are struggling to find adequate funds to support infrastructure projects.

07/11/2022

With a 5-mile obstacle course set in the rugged Badlands terrain, Muddy 4 A Cause will bring out the stopwatches for competitive heats that not only gives contestants a challenge, but supports families whose children are battling cancer.

The 4th Annual Muddy 4 A Cause will take place Saturday, July 16, in Medora. A volunteer meeting will begin at 7 a.m. followed by registration at 7:30 a.m. Competitive heats will kick off at 8 a.m. and will wrap up around noon. All the proceeds will go toward Brave the Shave.

“It gets pretty tear-filled,” Muddy 4 A Cause President Jessie Brost said.