Scott Davis Scott Davis - City Magazine

BISMARCK • MANDAN • DICKINSON 

APRIL 2013 

Use your smart 

phone barcode 

scanner to learn 

more about 

City Magazine. 

Creative How-To 

Hobby Hub 19 

Success Under 45 

City Magazine 22 

Leisure 

Travel 29 

Executive Director, 

North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission 

APRIL 2013 | THECITYMAG.COM | 1 

Scott Davis

ADOPT ME- Schatzie 

Oatmeal 

Oreo’s Animal Rescue 

ph: 701.483.0240 

web: lovingpetsinneed.com 

701.667.8666 

“My name is Schatzie. I am a five-year-old neutered 

male that has lived at the Central Dakota Humane Society 

since November of 2008. I was found wandering around 

north Bismarck and when the people who found me had 

me tested for Feline Aids, they discovered I was positive for 

the virus, so I couldn’t live with their other cats. That’s how I 

came to live at the shelter. 

Feline Aids virus is not contagious to people or dogs, just 

other cats. Many times the cat who has it shows no signs of 

sickness. If you’d like to meet me, I’d like to meet you, too! 

I’m patiently waiting for the right someone to fall in love 

with me and give me my very own house to run.” 

Sue Buchholz is the Central Dakota Humane Society shelter director. 

For more information about Central Dakota Humane 

Society call 701.667.2020 or visit cdhs.com 

ADOPT ME 

Bismarck-Mandan Impound 

ph: 701.223.1212 

web: bismarck.org 

Department > Police > Field 

Services > Animal Control > 

Impounded Animal 

WORK WITH US! 

CITY MAGAZINE 

PUBLISHER’S NOTE 

The Power of Failure 

This article will be more 

about success than failure. 

Success sometimes makes us 

over-confident, which can 

make us a bit arrogant and 

of course, no one likes that. 

We learn so much more 

from the difficult times. 

Failure may make us 

more humble and a bit 

kinder. Often, financial 

success has more value 

placed upon it than the 

many other successes. 

Financially successful people 

often want to give advice on 

issues that are not in their 

scope of expertise. So, here 

are some thoughts that I Joe Hauer, publisher 

have collected from reading 

that I will share. 

For your own well-being, you must instill in your 

mind that you are successful even in failure. Look at your 

achievements against benchmarks realistically. Don’t let 

someone else’s words damage your self confidence or selfesteem. 

See yourself as a winner and your attitude will support 

that. Some failures are not within our control and we should 

not let them effect us in a negative way. Do not let success go 

to your head. Remember it’s the people around us that may 

have played a bigger part than you may have. I have known 

successful people that had a very difficult time dealing with 

failure that came their way. People want to help you succeed 

and you need to show them respect and gratitude. 

Desire success in anything you do. Don’t be down on 

failure; embrace it like gold. It is the life lesson for your own 

good. If you fail to fail, you will have no measure of the 

extent of your success. And so we approach the challenges of 

daily life and we try to focus on tomorrow. Yesterday is in the 

past, and hopefully we learned something from it. 

STAY IN TOUCH WITH US 

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Follow us at twitter.com/#!/bismarckcitymag 

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APRIL 2013 | THECITYMAG.COM | 3 

APRIL 2013 | Contents 

City Magazine n 

Publisher’s Note 3 

Cover Story n 

Scott Davis 6 

Community Cluster n 

City Magazine Salutes 10 

Sports Watch 12 

New Around Town 14 

Mandan on the Move 15 

Arts and Entertainment n 

Local Events 16 

Taste of N.D. 18 

Hobby Hub n 

Creative How-To 19 

Mommy Blog 20 

Crossword 21 

Good Reads 21 

City Magazine n 

Success Under 45 22 

Business and Money n 

Ask the Professor 24 

Home n 

Home 101 26 

Health n 

Healthy Lifestyle 28 

Travel n 

Leisure 29 

The Badlands 30 

Western N.D. n 

Curt Dacar 31

PUBLISHER 

Joe Hauer 

UNITED PRINTING PRESIDENT 

Ken Bischof 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND EDITOR 

Rebecca Rattei 

ADVERTISING MANAGERS 

Corey Hittle 

Kayli Thiel 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Sue Buchholz 

Deb Dragseth 

Jim Fuglie 

Amanda Godfread 

Joe Hauer 

Maxine Herr 

Kevin Holten 

Ellen Huber 

Amy Jo Johnson 

Michael Lindblom 

Pam Link 

Rebecca Rattei 

Tom Regan 

Terri Schlichenmeyer 

Mandy Thomas 

Mitch Vance 

PHOTOGRAPHY 

Platinum Photography 

Kristin Byram 

DISTRIBUTION 

Sheldon Dewald 

The city Magazine does not 

necessarily endorse or agree with the 

contents of articles or advertising appearing 

in the magazine. 

The city Magazine 

published monthly by United Printing 

117 W. Front Avenue • P.O. Box 936 

Bismarck, ND 58502-0936 

Ph. 701-223-0505 • Fax 701-223-5571 

www.thecitymag.com 

Printed in the USA. Free at limited locations. 

Subscription rates are $24/year. For advertising 

information call 223-0505. 

CITY MAGAZINE 

EDITOR’S NOTE 

Hometown Pride 

Rebecca Rattei, 

executive director 

and editor 

4 | THECITYMAG.COM | APRIL 2013 

A person should be proud 

of where they came from. 

Growing up in a small town 

has molded me into the person 

I am today. I’m proud to 

be from Napoleon, and as if 

I didn’t have enough reasons 

to be proud of my hometown, 

recently the Napoleon girls 

basketball team made it to the 

2013 State Class “B” tournament. 

Watching the girls play 

on television brought back 

fond memories of running up 

and down the court with my 

teammates. Although they 

didn’t win, I’m proud to see 

my hometown make the tournament, 

congratulations girls! 

Another person who’s 

upbringing molded him into 

CONTENTS APRIL 2013 

19 22 

the person he is today is our cover person Scott Davis. You can 

City Magazine 3/13 read Crossword about his success story and how he serves for the state of 

North Dakota starting on page six. 

As our region continues to grow, learn how Mandan is handling 

growth in our Mandan on the Move section, which you 

can find on page 15. 

Don’t forget to read about this month’s Success Under 45 

PuzzleJunction.com 

feature on page 

22. You probably 

listened, 

laughed and 

sometimes 

cried to Stacy 

Sturm’s voice 

Solution 

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 

Answers for March 2013 crossword puzzle 

M I R A C R O U P 

O R A L R I A T A 

P I C K P O C K E T 

S T E M 

T U B E 

A N O N 

FEATURES 

19 Creative How-To 

Learn how you can upcycle your 

favorite t-shirts. 

in your car 

S E A R C H I S L A N D 

or sitting at 

L E S T R O L L 

work. Read S L I P D O E E S S E N 

what she’s A M O S S E T T E E A V E 

doing now M A T E E L A S K F E W 

days and how P S T C A T N I P B E N T 

you can still S H O A L A N N D A R T 

Paper is one of the most 

recyclable, renewable 

and natural mediums for 

communication, please 

recycle. 

listen to her 

voice today. 

Happy reading! 

L 

F A J I 

A G O G 

M A I N 

E R N S 

A P S E R U N 

T A S E E D E D 

I N O C U L A T E S 

N O V A S N O A H 

S T A T E A N D Y 

29 

22 Success Under 45 

As local radio stations started 

going corporate, this radio 

personality started her own 

station. 

6 Cover Story 

Scott Davis 

Executive Director, 

North Dakota Indian Affairs 

Commission 

29 Travel 

Spring is a great time to take an 

ag vacation. 

thecitymag.com 

this month’s online extras 

EXTRA QUESTIONS Scott Davis 

Go the thecitymag.com throughout the month for more extra content. 

FULL BOOK REVIEW: Astray 

APRIL RECIPES

Scott Davis 

Life in Balance 

Name: “My Lakota name is Oskate Tawa, ‘his 

celebration,’ handed down from my uncle.” 

Title: Executive Director, 

North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission 

“Brokering nations.” That’s how, in two words, 

Scott Davis, executive director of the North 

Dakota Indian Affairs Commission, describes 

the delicate mission of the governmental entity. 

“Overall, we’re here to create and strengthen a 

working government-to-government relationship 

between the state and the tribes.” 

Created by the state legislature in 1949, the 

North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission was 

one of the first of its kind established in the United 

States. The governor serves as the chairman of the 

commission; members include Davis, the chairs 

of the five tribal nations (Three Affiliated Tribes, 

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Spirit Lake Nation, 

Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Sisseton- 

Wahpeton Oyate) and three at-large members. 

The commission exists to address serious issues 

such as jurisdiction, natural resources, economic 

development, employment, health systems, 

education, discrimination, transportation, court 

systems and gaming. Complicating matters 

considerably, these issues are between the state 

and sovereign nations. 


DOB: April 16, 1969 

Breckenridge, MN 

High School: Turtle Mountain Community 

High School, Class of ‘87 

College: University of Mary 

Bachelors in Business 

Masters in Business Management 

Family: Wife, Lorraine (9 years); 

daughters Angelina (8 yrs) & Santana (5 yrs) 

sons Anthony (19 yrs) & Scotty Jr. (newborn) 

Tribal Affiliation: Enrolled member of Standing 

Rock Sioux Nation, descendant of Turtle 

Mountain Chippewa 

“Nothing stimulates me more 

than watching a person succeed, 

knowing that they have internal 

sovereignty, an inner sobriety, 

an inner peace of God, and 

knowing that maybe I had a little 

bit to do with 

” 

it. 

“There is no script on how to do this,” said 

Davis, 43, who was appointed commissioner by 

Governor Hoeven and now serves Governor 

Dalrymple. “If there was a script, it’s constantly 

changing—each tribe is different, with evolving 

leadership and its own set of traditions, laws and 

tribal constitutions.” 

According to Davis, North Dakota is one 

of only three states where the Indian Affairs 

commissioner serves at the cabinet level. That 

status, achieved during the Schafer administration, 

means Davis is on an equal plain with the state’s 

other 16 cabinet members. 

“It says how important tribal-government 

relations are to the governor’s office and the 

legislature,” said Davis. “Having direct access to 

cabinet members—commerce, court systems, 

human services, health, the others—is huge.” 

Davis’ staff includes a deputy director, an assistant 

and a program administrator. 

Davis, the son of an educator (his father, 

Dr. Jim Davis, is president of Turtle Mountain 

Community College) and a dental assistant, 

approaches the commissioner’s job with 

respect, dedication, and a large measure of 

responsibility. “My wife and I went back 

and forth on whether or not to take this job 

for a good three weeks,” recalled Davis. “I 

didn’t want to be a token Indian; I wanted to 

have the freedom to run the commission as 

I thought it should be, and take it to a new 

level. But you have to prove yourself, so I am 

very grateful Governor Dalrymple trusts my 

leadership.” 

Davis is living up to his aspirations. 

Through visible leadership, genuine humility 

and a passion for his office’s mission, he 

has engendered a greater understanding 

among all North Dakota residents. “Trust 

and understanding, whether it’s between 

governments, or people, have always been 

the main barriers,” said Davis. “But I know 

we’re getting there.” 

What is your number one goal as 

cm: Indian Affairs Commissioner? 

Scott Davis: To see the unemployment rate 

for our tribal nations go below 10 percent. 

That’s our internal office goal—achieving 

that goal has to come through the tribes. We 

want to partner with the tribes and develop 

plans for addressing unemployment over 

the next three, four or five years. Looking 

back at the Hoeven administration, and now 

Governor Dalrymple’s, it’s always been about 

jobs and the economy. With all the growth, 

what a perfect time in our state to take 

advantage of opportunity! We could once 

and for all reverse generations of poverty. 

It’s going to take more diversification. Right 

now there only three economies on the 

reservation: either you work for the schools, 

government or the casinos. There’s not a lot 

of private business, and we need to build that 

up. 

Continued on page 8 

CITY MAGAZINE COVER STORY

CITY MAGAZINE COVER STORY 

What’s the cm: most difficult 

part of the 

job? 

Scott Davis: Navigating 

through the complexity 

of tribal-state-federal 

laws, so that at the end 

of the day they work in 

unison. Also, striving 

for that continuity in 

leadership to sustain 

unison, which can make 

or break good work done 

between governments. 

What has cm: been the 

biggest 

challenge of 

your life? 

Scott Davis: My battle 

with addiction. There 

was a time in my life 

where I didn’t have any 

direction. I was out of 

college, working, single, 

had a lot of free-time, 

and I used alcohol and 

drugs. I finally had to 

get some help; I went 

into treatment. I was 

very fortunate in that 

I recognized it. I just 

knew I wasn’t being the true me. I didn’t have 

to wait for a judge, a court or an accident to 

decide for me. One thing I learned is that you 

have to sober up for yourself—not for anyone 

else. The day you do that, God will take care 

of the rest. 

What’s your basic approach to 

cm: life? 

Scott Davis: Living my life with balance. The 

only tattoo I have is on my back and it’s of the 

Medicine Wheel, with the four colors and the 

four quadrants: Spiritual, Physical, Emotional 

and Mental. To sustain that balance is key. 

Sometimes I don’t eat right, or exercise, or 

pray enough and I feel it. Then I need to work 

to get back into unison. 

What do you want on your 

cm: headstone? 

Scott Davis: Here’s a guy who worked 

really hard and was committed not only to 

his people, but to people in general. I love 

people and I want them to succeed. Nothing 

stimulates me more than watching a person 

succeed, knowing that they have internal 

sovereignty, an inner sobriety, an inner peace 

of God, and knowing that maybe I had a little 

bit to do with it. 

Tom Regan, a former editor of City Magazine, has been 

a media professional for over 40 years. 

See Scott Davis’s answers to the “Extra Questions” by visiting 

thecitymag.com and clicking “Extra Content.”

COMMUNITY CLUSTER COMMUNITY CLUSTER 

CITY MAGAZINE SALUTES CITY MAGAZINE SALUTES 

AID, INC. AIDS THE COMMUNITY 

“Adam” is a 46-year-old man with the problems 

of a lifetime. His wife died about a year ago, leaving 

him to care for their severely autistic daughter. 

Adding insult to injury, Adam was laid off from 

his job and, behind in rent, faced eviction. Adam’s 

church and another charity were able to match 

$1,000 from AID, Inc., giving Adam some breathing 

room and time to grieve. 

“Trista,” a single mother working full time, had 

to put college on hold because her mother was in a 

The late Fr. Charles Backes started AID, Inc. 

30 years ago to provide emergency and 

temporary assistance to the working poor. 


Photos by Kristin Byram 

terrible car crash. Spending so many hours with 

her mom put Trista behind in paying day care 

costs. Then she totaled her vehicle. AID, Inc. is 

helping her get back on her feet. 

Through no fault of their own, many families 

in Morton and Burleigh counties struggle. 

AID, Inc., a local non-profit established in 1983, 

provides funds for past-due rent and utilities; 

provides food to families; helps with transportation 

related to employment or health care; and 

assists with day care expenses, car insurance, 

class fees, employment-related clothing, and 

some prescriptions. 

The late Father Charles Backes, a priest at 

Mandan’s St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, founded 

AID, Inc., with the mission of “providing emergency, 

temporary assistance to the working poor.” 

Beginning with an operating budget of $20,000, 

AID, Inc. has continued to grow to meet community 

needs. The organization employs nine individuals 

and relies on a large group of volunteers 

and community groups. 

AID, Inc.’s funding comes from the United 

Way, community churches, federal and foundational 

grants, and business and individual donations. 

Client service providers determine need, 

either financial and/or non-financial, through an 

interview process. Sales revenue generated from 

Brighten’s Thrift Shop, 314 W. Main, Mandan, is 

used for operational expenses and supports the 

programs of AID, Inc.’s Self-Help 

Center. 

AID, Inc.’s, food pantry is 

stocked with contributions from 

the general public and supporting 

organizations, and also 

from community food drives. 

Additional foods and non-foods 

are purchased in bulk from the 

Great Plains Food Bank. In the 

last six months of 2012, over 

10,000 pounds of foods and 

1,500 pounds of non-foods were 

distributed. 

To set up an appointment 

with AID Inc.’s Self-Help Center, 

call 701-663-1274. The website is 

www.aidincbrightens.com. 

Tom Regan, a former editor of City 

Magazine, has been a media professional 

for over 40 years. 

Schedule 

Your 

Tammy Lee, Dawn Jahner and Patti Regan organize and 

manage AID, Inc. 

senior 

portraits 

today! 

www.platinumphotographynd.com • (701) 323-7818


SPORTS WATCH SPORTS WATCH 

Tuesday, April 2: 

H.S. Girls Softball - BHS vs. Minot, Clem Kelly 

Softball Complex, 4:30 p.m. 

Women’s College Softball - U-Mary vs. University 

of Minnesota Crookston, U-Mary, 2 p.m. 

Thursday, April 4: 

H.S. Girls Softball - BHS vs. Minot, Clem Kelly 

Softball Complex, 4:30 p.m. 

H.S. Boys Baseball - MHS vs. Beulah, Memorial 

Ballpark, 4:30 p.m. 

Friday, April 5: 

H.S. Girls Softball - BHS vs. North Fargo, 

Clem Kelly Softball Complex, 4:30 p.m. 

H.S. Boys Baseball - CHS vs. West Fargo, 

Municipal Ballpark, 4:30 p.m. 

Shiloh vs. Bottineau, Haaland Field, 5 p.m. 

Saturday, April 6: 

H.S. Boys Baseball - St. Mary’s vs. West 

Fargo, Municipal Ballpark, 1 p.m. 


H.S. Girls Softball - BHS vs. Minot Ryan, 

Clem Kelly Softball Complex, 4:30 p.m. 

Wednesday, April 10: 

Men’s College Baseball - U-Mary vs. Wayne 

State College, Bismarck Municipal, 1:30 p.m. 


H.S. Boys Golf - Dickinson Invitational, Heart 

River Golf Course, 10 a.m. (MT). 

H.S. Boys Baseball - CHS vs. Williston, 

Haaland Field, 4:30 p.m. 


H.S. Boys Baseball - MHS vs. Bismarck, 

Memorial Ballpark, 12 p.m. 

St. Mary’s vs. Williston, Haaland Field, 11 a.m. 

Men’s College Baseball - U-Mary vs. Concordia 

University St. Paul, Bismarck Municipal, 

12 p.m. 

Women’s College Softball - U-Mary vs. Minnesota 

State University Mankato, U-Mary, 1 p.m. 


Sunday, April 14: 

Men’s College Baseball - U-Mary vs. Concordia 

University St. Paul, Bismarck Municipal, 

12 p.m. 

Women’s College Softball - U-Mary vs. Concordia 

University St. Paul, U-Mary, 2 p.m. 


H.S. Girls Softball - BHS vs. Century, Clem 

Kelly Softball Complex, 4:30 p.m. 

Women’s College Softball - U-Mary vs. 

Northern State University, U-Mary, 2 p.m. 

H.S. Girls Soccer - MHS vs. St. Mary’s, Dacotah 

Centennial Park, 7:30 p.m. 


Men’s College Baseball - BSC vs. Jamestwon 

College JV, 3 p.m. 


H.S. Boys Baseball - CHS vs. Minot, Haaland 

Field, 4:30 p.m. 

St. Mary’s vs. Bismarck, Bismarck Municipal, 

4:30 p.m. 

H.S. Girls Soccer - MHS vs. Bismarck, Dacotah 

Centennial Park, 7:30 p.m. 


H.S. Boys Golf - Mandan Invitational, Prairie 

West Golf Course, 10 a.m. 

H.S. Boys Baseball - MHS vs. Dickinson, 

Memorial Ballpark, 4.30 p.m. 

St. Mary’s vs. Century, Bismarck Municipal, 

4:30 p.m. 


H.S. Boys Golf - Bismarck Invitational, Tom O’ 

Leary 10 a.m. 

Men’s College Baseball - U-Mary vs. Winona 

State University, Bismarck Municipal, 12 p.m. 

BSC vs. Dakota College at Bottineau, 1 p.m. 

Women’s College Softball - BSC vs. Dakota 

College Bottineau, 1 p.m. 


Men’s College Baseball - U-Mary vs. Winona 

State University, Bismarck Municipal, 12 p.m. 

BSC vs. Dakota College at Bottineau, 1 p.m. 

Women’s College Softball - BSC vs. Dakota 

College Bottineau, 1 p.m. 


H.S. Boys Baseball - CHS vs. Bismarck, 


St. Mary’s vs. Dickinson, Haaland Field, 

4:30 p.m. 

Women’s College Softball - BSC vs. Williston 

State College,1 p.m. 


Women’s College Softball - U-Mary vs. Bemidji 

State University, U-Mary, 2 p.m. 

BSC vs. Williston State College,1 p.m. 

Men’s College Baseball - U-Mary vs. University 

of Sioux Falls, Bismarck Municipal, 

1:30 p.m. 


H.S. Boys Baseball - CHS vs. Jamestown, 


Shiloh vs. Beulah, Haaland Field, 4 p.m. 

MHS vs. St. Mary’s, Memorial Ballpark, 

4:30 p.m. 

H.S. Girls Soccer - CHS vs. Jamestown, 

Bismarck Community Bowl, 6 p.m. 


H.S. Boys Baseball - CHS vs. Fargo Davies, 



H.S. Boys Baseball - Shiloh vs. Enderlin, 

Haaland Field, 12 p.m. 

Men’s College Baseball - U-Mary vs. St. 

Cloud State University, Bismarck Municipal, 

12 p.m. 

BSC vs. Miles Community College, 1 p.m. 


Men’s College Baseball - U-Mary vs. St. 

Cloud State University, Bismarck Municipal, 

12 p.m. 

BSC vs. Miles Community College, 1 p.m. 

Monday, April 29: 

H.S. Girls Soccer - St. Mary’s vs. Jamestown, 

Bismarck Community Bowl, 8 p.m. 


H.S. Girls Softball - BHS vs. Dickinson, Clem 

Kelly Softball Complex, 4:30 p.m. 

H.S. Boys Baseball - CHS vs. Mandan, 


Shiloh vs. Washburn/Wilton/Wing/Center-Stanton, 

Haaland Field, 4 p.m. 

Women’s College Softball - BSC vs. Minot 

State College, 2 p.m. 

APRIL 2013 | THECITYMAG.COM | 13


NEW AROUND TOWN MANDAN ON THE MOVE 

CREATE A BEAUTIFUL LIVING SPACE WITH 

BRIDGET’S ROOM 

Rustic modern. 

This is the feeling customers are 

greeted with as they enter Bridget’s 

Room in Bismarck. The store, owned by 

Bridget Gerhardt, is quickly becoming the interior 

design business of choice in central North Dakota. 

Started in 2002 as a home-based design consulting 

business, Gerhardt’s talent quickly spread by 

word of mouth and the business rapidly expanded. 

She began branching into various lines of flooring, 

special window treatments and additional home 

décor. 

“I am honored that customers trust me to come 

into their homes and help create special spaces 

that create memories for their families,” Gerhardt 

said. “My goal is to help select quality products 

that last years and create a feeling of warmth and 

beauty in each home.” 

In 2010, Bridget’s Room became an official 

storefront, showcasing unique lines of furniture 

and more décor to help add finishing touches. The 

store is an official dealer of Hunter Douglas products, 

which Gerhardt finds to be the best fit for her 

design styles. 

Clients are not shy about sharing their enthusiasm 

for the finished product and also for Gerhardt. 

She has a wealth of thank you notes that she 

treasures. 


“We are so grateful for Bridget. She has a special 

gift to see each home through the customer’s 

eyes and meet the needs of what each client truly 

wants,” said Cindy, a Bismarck customer. “From 

countertops, flooring, paint colors, tile, beautiful 

décor, window coverings and accessories – we just 

found everything we loved at Bridget’s Room. We 

definitely recommend Bridget’s Room and are so 

thankful for such an awesome experience!” 

Live beautiful. These words are her personal 

motto that she wants each person she works with 

to experience. 

“We all need to find more beauty in our lives. 

Whether it is in the spaces we inhabit or the people 

we surround ourselves with, beauty enriches 

us,” she said. 

Gerhardt has created a community of loyal 

customers. Her Facebook following is growing 

each day at www.facebook.com/bridgetsroom, 

and recently she decided to kick off a personal 

blog called Live Beautiful at www.bridgetsroom. 

wordpress.com. 

Bridget’s Room is located at 3250 Rock Island 

Place, northeast of Sam’s Club. Visit the website 

www.bridgetsroom.com or call 701-250-9600 to 

schedule a design consultation. 

Pam Link is a public relations professional and freelance 

writer, currently living in Washburn, N.D. 

Photo by Kristin Byram 

TRAFFIC & ROADWAY SYSTEM UNDER STUDY 

IN NORTH MANDAN 

The Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan 

Planning Organization (MPO) is overseeing 

two studies in 2013 that take into 

account Mandan’s rapidly developing 

area north of the interstate. The I-94 corridor from 

Mandan to Bismarck has experienced increasing 

traffic volumes in the past few years. This growth 

is the result of both local traffic increases, as well 

as an uptick in regional trips to and from western 

North Dakota related to the oil boom. 

Mandan’s development north of I-94 is spurred 

by construction of a Wal-Mart Supercenter near its 

152 interchange at Sunset Drive. Additional projects 

include an 86-room Comfort Inn, a three-story 

St. Alexius Medical Clinic, a Keitu Engineering 

office building and a future Prairie Rose Dentistry 

site. Developers are planning infrastructure and 

creating concepts with restaurant pad sites, strip 

malls and additional office buildings. 

All of this development might have people 

wondering about future roadway plans. One of 

the MPO studies focuses on the entire Interstate 

94 corridor encompassing 17 miles from west of 

Mandan to east of Bismarck. Engineers are examining 

on and off ramps and nearby intersections to 


Construction of north Mandan’s new Wal-Mart is almost complete 

as the town is examining future roadways. 

Bridget’s Room has expanded from a home business to a 

growing store front. 

address traffic and safety issues. They’ll review current 

and year 2040 traffic projections, crash data, 

and motor vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle access, 

plus interchange and cross street design. More info 

is available at www.bis-mani94study.com. 

The other study looks at a large amount of land 

north of I-94 in Mandan between Old Red Trail/ 

Highland Road and Highway 1806. The North 

Mandan Subarea Study considers future road 

network possibilities for improving safety and 

connectivity while avoiding congestion. Residential, 

business and industrial interests are being 

considered in identifying needs and potential 

solutions. An initial public information and input 

session was held last fall. More public meetings will 

be held during the study. Stay tuned for dates and 

recommendations at www.northmandanstudy. 

com. 

Metropolitan areas such as Bismarck-Mandan 

are required to study long-range transportation 

needs to receive federal funding for road projects. 

Both studies are to be complete in 2013. 

Ellen Huber is the Mandan business development director. 



LOCAL EVENTS LOCAL EVENTS 

EVENTS TO ATTEND, MUSIC TO HEAR 

AND EXHIBITS TO SEE – OH MY! 


Bellamy Brothers 

With special guest Brewer Shipley to benefit 

the Bismarck Rural Fire Department - Bismarck 

Civic Center, 7:30 p.m. 


Hellyeah & All That Remains 

- Bismarck Civic Center, 7 p.m. 


Shrine Circus 

Ride the elephants, enjoy the inflatable games 

and experience the excitement of the Circus - 

Bismarck Civic Center, 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; 

Sat. 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. 


Dakota Digital Film Festival 

The second annual Dakota Digital Film Festival 

celebrates film-making with a day filled with 

workshops and an evening presented with 

awards - Bismarck Civic Center, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. 


March of Dimes Walk 

- Bismarck Civic Center Exhibition Hall, 9 a.m. 

Pinochle Tournament 

- Bismarck Eagles Club, 9 a.m. (Apr. 6-7) 

72nd Annual ND State USBC WBA 

Tournament 

- Midway Lanes, TBA (Apr. 6-7, 13-14, 20-21) 

Nano Days 

- A nationwide festival of educational programs 

about nanoscale science and engineering - 

Frances Leach High Prairie Arts & Science 

Complex, 1 p.m. 

Amazing Amphibians! 

Animal Ed-Venture -Dakota Zoo, 2 - 4:30 p.m. 


Celebration Talent Competition 

- Belle Mehus Auditorium (Apr. 6-7) 


The Chamber Spring Mixer 

The Ramkota Hotel, 5 - 7:30 p.m. 


NDSU Garden Expo 

Bismarck Civic Center, 3 - 8 p.m.; 

Sat. 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. 

Bismarck-Mandan Spring Parade of Homes 

6 - 8:30 p.m.; Sat. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.; 

Sun. 12 - 5 p.m. (Apr. 12-14; Apr. 19-21) 

Sinbad 

One of Comedy Central’s top 100 standup 

comedians, Sinbad, visits Bismarck to share 

his humorous stories of his youth - Belle Mehus 

Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. 

Live Music: Rhyme or Reason 

The Burnt Creek Bar & Grill, 9 p.m. (Apr. 12-13) 


Breakfast at the Zoo 

- Dakota Zoo, 8 - 10 a.m. 

The Great American Bike Race 

- Century High School, 9 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. 

Adult Zookeeper Day Camp 

- Dakota Zoo, 1 - 4 p.m. 

Impact Fighting Championships - 

Revolution 

- Bismarck Civic Center, 7:30 p.m. 


University of Mary’s Spring Choir Concert 

- Our Lady of the Annunciation Chapel, 3 p.m. 


The Dwight Murdy Show 

- Belle Mehus Auditorium, 2 p.m. 

Machine Gun Kelly 



Tech N9ne 



University of Mary’s Vocal Arts Ensemble 

- R.M. Heskett Hall, 7:30 p.m. 


Cozy Cattle! 

Little Tykes Ed-Venture - Dakota Zoo, 

1 - 2 p.m.; 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. 

BMSO presents Three’s Company 

- Belle Mehus Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. 


University of Mary’s Chamber Ensemble 

Concert 

- R.M. Heskett Hall, 3 p.m. 

Gabriel Iglesias 

America’s favorite “fluffy” comedian, Gabriel 

Iglesias, preforms a high octane stand up show 

- Bismarck Civic Center, 7:30 p.m. 


St. Mary’s Grade School Concert 


University of Mary’s Steele Band Concert 

- Arno Gustin Hall, 7:30 p.m. 

Live Music: 32 Below 

Borrowed Bucks Roadhouse, 9 p.m. 


Monster Jam 

Enjoy a family friendly experience starring the 

biggest performers on four wheels - Bismarck 

Civic Center, 7:30 p.m.; Sat. 2 p.m. and 7:30 

p.m. 

Live Music: All Aces 

The Burnt Creek Bar & Grill, 9 p.m. (Apr. 26-27) 


Dakota Zoo Opening Day 

(Weather Permitting) - Dakota Zoo 

Bismarck-Mandan Civic Chorus 



Northern Plains Ballet - Belle Mehus 

Auditorium, 7:30 p.m. (Apr. 29 - May 5) 

*The above are entertainment events in Bismarck-Mandan, which are subject to change 


Advertise in City Magazine’s 

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Call Corey or Kayli today 

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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 

TASTE OF N.D. CREATIVE HOW-TO 

WHITE BEAN SOUP 

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 30 minutes 

Marinating Time: 1.5 hours 

Cooking Time: 20 minutes 

Ingredients: 

1 pound dried white beans, soaked overnight 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

2 large onions, finely chopped 

2 stalks celery, finely chopped 

2 large carrots, finely chopped 

1 quart water 

2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and mashed or 1 

tablespoon tomato paste 

1 teaspoons dried oregano 

1 teaspoon salt 

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

Freshly ground pepper to taste 

Directions: 

Drain beans 

and cook them, 

covered, in a 

large pot of 

boiling water 

until tender, 

about 1.5 

hours. Drain. 

Heat oil in 

Dutch oven or 

soup pot over 

medium heat. 

Saute onions, 

celery and 

carrots for 3 

to 5 minutes. Add water, the cooked beans, tomatoes, oregano, 

salt, cayenne pepper and pepper. Simmer vegetables until they are 

tender for about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. 

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving 

Calories Per Serving 258 

Total Fat 5 g 

Saturated Fat 1 g 

Monounsaturated Fat 3 g 

Sodium 326 mg 

Carbohydrates 43 g 

Fiber 16 g 

Protein 13 g 

Potassium 895 mg 


EIGHT CREATIVE WAYS TO UPCYCLE OLD 

SHIRTS 

We 

all have 

t-shirts that 

are exiled 

to the back 

of our closets in the land of misfit 

clothes, either because we just 

don’t like them that much, they 

were free, or because they’re our 

favorite and we’ve worn them to 

pieces and can’t find the will to 

throw them away. 

For those who are too sentimental 

to toss their favorite vintage 

Rolling Stones t-shirt, there’s 

a way to keep these garments 

alive, and it’s called upcycling, 

which is using less than new materials 

to create products that are 

better than the original. 

Here are eight creative ways to 

upcycle t-shirts: 

• Create a quilt. Just cut your 

t-shirts in large rectangles, 

Creating a quilt of your favorite, sentimental t-shirts is a great way upcycle 

arranging them in the order 

instead of keeping them buried away in your closet. 

you want to sew them. Continue 

until you have four rows 

of five blocks. Pin together your rows and sew 

them together. 

• Make a tie. Have you heard about shirt-tie. 

com? Simply send the shirt off your back to 

them and they’ll send you a tie made from it. 

• Fabricate a new-sew infinity scarf. Start with a 

large shirt you don’t wear anymore. Search the 

web to see how you can cut, stretch and fold 

any shirt to create your very own infinity scarf 

for free. 

• Create a rug. Cut t-shirts into long strips to 

create your own yarn for colorful dish rags, 

rugs and more. Simply browse the web for 

some creative ideas and instructions. 

• Convert your t-shirt into a reusable bag. Be 

twice as eco-chic by upcycling an old t-shirt 

into a reusable bag to take to the supermarket, 

mall or gym—no sewing required. 

• Make your own headband. Have your glue 

gun and scissors handy to create a fashionable 

headband, two or three, from your favorite 

old-t. 

• Accessorize. Braid, twist or stretch an old shirt 

to create a modern bracelet that you can wear 

over and over again. 

• Create your own pillows. Transform a used 

shirt into a decorative throw pillow. Just enter 

your search online to get started. 

So there you have it. Get those old shirts out of 

the closet and into your lifestyle again; you’ve 

got this. 

Mandy Thomas is a local communicator, writer, graphic artist 

and photographer with a love for all things creative. 


HOBBY HUB HOBBY HUB 

MOMMY BLOG CROSSWORD 

READ ON 

One of my fondest memories growing up 

was on a lap following along to Green 

Eggs and Ham or In a People House. 

I would beg for one more book right 

before I journeyed off to dreamland. According to 

recent studies, I definitely have to give Dr. Seuss 

credit, along with my parents, for some of the 

successes in my life. 

Studies show reading to your baby will affect 

their long term educational success and that literacy, 

as well as the number of books in the home, 

can have a direct effect on the amount of education 

your child will attain. Reading daily to your 

baby also helps ensure they will continue to have 

an interest in books when they enter school. “Even 

if your baby wants the same book read again and 

again, the value of repeated readings will impress 

patterns of language on the baby’s brain,” said 

Joyce Hinman, former reading specialist and principal 

who serves on the board of the International 

Reading Association. 

Reading is important to your baby’s development 

early on as most brain growth has occurred 

by age three. In fact, babies begin to understand 

the basic sounds of language by six months. Babies 

learn through experiences and interactions and 


one of the best ways for an infant to learn how to 

talk is by reading (as well as music and rhymes). 

Reading also stimulates baby’s senses as well as 

feelings of love and security. There are a few things 

to keep in mind when reading to your baby: 

• Infants have short attention spans. Short 

stories with few words and vivid pictures 

(and faces of other babies) are best. Use 

board books with thicker “pages” that won’t 

be easily damaged by little hands or teeth, 

but can be easily turned. 

• Newborns see things best from about a 

foot away. Select books with high-contrast 

images such as black-and-white illustrations 

and patterns. 

• Repetition is important for learning, so 

reading the same book over and over is a 

good thing. As baby gets older he/she will 

have favorite books will request to hear over 

and over. 

• Touch/feel and lift flap books foster learning 

through senses and offer your baby an opportunity 

to experience new textures. 

• Find books that appeal to your baby’s interests. 

If your little one loves monkeys, find 

books with monkeys. 

• Rather than just reading words, teach simple 

reading concepts such as turning pages and 

following text from left to right. Point to the 

pictures, name them, and talk about them. 

As your infant grows, he/she will imitate 

you by turning pages or pointing to objects. 

• Use different sounds and tones and even 

sing as you read. This will help them to learn 

speech patterns and sounds. 

• Finally, try to read to your child daily. 

Reading right before bed is a great way to 

stay consistent and will calm your baby in 

preparation for sleep. 

Babies aren’t born readers, but can learn to be 

lovers of books. So let them “Hop on Pop” with a 

book and read on! 

Amy Jo Johnson is a full-time mommy and Mojo Radio 

personality. 

City Magazine 4/13 Crossword PuzzleJunction.com 

Across 

1 Average 

4 Craving 

7 Boxer’s punch 

10 Shade tree 

13 ___ de France 

14 Tokyo, formerly 

15 ET carrier 

16 Caribbean, e.g. 

17 Cushion 

18 Assist 

19 Clean-up guy 

21 Bakery buy 

23 Employs 

24 Certain exams 

26 Dracula, at times 

27 It doesn’t hold water 

31 Absorbed 

32 Rodeo rope 

34 Remain 

35 Swiftest mammal 

37 “That’s disgusting!” 

39 Did lunch 

40 Chafe 

41 Authorize 

43 Newt 

46 Jack-tar 

75 Bit of butter 

48 Fine 

76 12th graders 

52 Film ___ 

(Abbr.) 

54 Direct elsewhere 77 Canny 

56 Feel concern 78 Dry, as wine 

57 Coffee order 

59 Small number 

60 Small change 

61 November 

birthstone 

63 Locale 

64 Dolomite, e.g. 

67 Ariz. neighbor 

68 ___’easter 

71 Action word 

72 Linear unit 

73 Lubricate 

74 Low card 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 

13 14 15 16 

17 18 19 20 

21 22 23 

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 

31 32 33 34 

35 36 37 38 39 

40 41 42 

43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 

52 53 54 55 56 

57 58 59 60 

61 62 63 

64 65 66 67 68 69 70 

71 72 73 74 

75 76 77 78 

Down 

1 Lulu 

2 Mode starter 

3 Bureaucratic stuff 

4 Time period 

5 Blue-pencil 

6 Affirmative action 

7 Martial art 

8 Way, way off 

9 Dog treats 

10 “C’___ la vie!” 

Copyright ©2013 PuzzleJunction.com 

11 DiCaprio, to fans 

12 Deface 

20 Horned goddess 

22 Modify 

23 Owns 

24 Tolkien beast 

25 Stadium cheer 

26 “___, humbug!” 

28 Greek letter 

29 Tank 

30 Needle part 

32 Toil 

33 On-looker 

36 Harbor craft 

38 Biddy 

42 Implied 

43 Conclude 

44 Adversary 

45 Twitch 

47 Happens 

48 Church bench 

49 Cries of sorrow 

50 Three (It.) 

51 Thumbs-up 

53 Miles per hour, e.g. 

55 Casbah headgear 

58 Applications, e.g. 

60 Beaut 

62 Poker holding 

63 Go yachting 

64 Blueprint 

65 Author Levin 

66 After expenses 

67 Romaine lettuce 

69 Be in arrears 

70 Bird of myth 

Results of the crossword puzzle from the last issue of City Magazine are on page 4. 

The answers for the puzzle above are printed in the next issue of City Magazine. 

GOOD READS 

The lady in the picture was wearing the biggest scowl you’d ever seen. 

The photo was taken long ago and it made you wonder what happened 

that day to make her so snarly. Was there a death, lost crops, an accident, 

bad weather, or did the photographer make her angry? 

You’ll never know but you wonder, just like the portrait makes you 

wonder about her life. And in the new book Astray a collection of short 

stories by Emma Donoghue, imagination becomes 

possibility. 

Solution on next page 

Terri Schlichenmeyer is owner of The Bookworm Sez, LLC, based out of 

LaCrosse, Wis. and writes book reviews for publications all across the country.

SUCCESS UNDER 45 

Stacy Sturm 

Co-Owner, URL Radio 

DOB: May 20, 1974 

High School: Bismarck High School 

College: University of Mary 

Family: Greg (Husband); Summer (12) & Ty (9) 

Favorite Quote: “All the Woulda-Coulda- 

Shouldas, layin’ in the sun. Talkin’ ’bout the 

things they woulda coulda shoulda done. 

But those Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas all ran 

away and hid - from one little Did.” 

-Shel Silverstein 

Favorite Books: ”America’s Cheapest Family 

Gets You Right on the Money” 

by Steve Economides and 

Annette Economides, 

“Where the Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein, 

“To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, 

“The Odyssey” by Homer 

Hobbies: Digital scrapbooking, playing video 

games (especially “Just Dance” on the Wii), 

cooking, baking and listening to music. 

To 

look at Stacy Sturm, you would 

never think she has nearly 20 years’ 

experience in the Bismarck-Mandan 

radio market. But don’t let that 

youthful appearance and demeanor fool you, she 

actually has nearly 35 years under her belt. “I think I 

had the radio bug when I was four. I used to host my 

own radio show.” And she’s still doing the same thing 

today at URL Radio, the Bismarck-based Internet 

radio station she co-founded four years ago. “In fact, 

some days, those shows are better than what I put on 

the air today!” 

URL Radio (www.urlradio.net) was born out of 

a nostalgic conviction to local radio. Having worked 

for local radio stations on and off from 1994 to 2009, 

Sturm witnessed first-hand the shift from local to 

corporate radio ownership. With a desire to open 

their own station, but without the million dollars 

needed to buy a traditional on-air signal, Sturm and 

co-owner Nicole Morrison-Mathern decided streaming 

Internet radio was the way to go. After getting 


“ I thought; 

‘This is fun! 

People actually 

get paid to do 

this?’ 

” 

some old equipment from The University of Mary 

and business guidance from the IDEA center, URL 

Radio opened its doors in April 2009. 

Sturm credits a gregarious immediate and 

extended family for her creativity, love of communications 

and ability to laugh at herself. Watching her 

father and uncles play in a band and interacting with 

dozens of cousins, she honed her performing abilities 

at an early age. “It was a big family reunion almost 

every Sunday,” she said. When this self-described 

‘over the top kid’ wasn’t directing games and productions 

at family gatherings, she would hold court on 

the 5th grade playground with a stand-up comedy 

routine at recess. 

While in college, that “radio bug” took another 

small bite. When this U-Mary mass communication 

major hit the radio lab, things began to click. “I 

thought; This is fun! People actually get paid to do 

this?” During this time, Sturm interviewed someone 

at Y93 for a school project. That led to a job interview 

with the program director and a part-time on-air 

gig while still in college. Even after graduation, 

through stints in newspaper and public 

relations, she continued to keep one foot in the 

door of local radio. “I just couldn’t shake it. I 

loved it.” 

Several years later, it was an unusual 

encounter that led to Sturm’s first and most 

memorable full-time gig. Driving home from a 

part-time shift at Cool 98.7, she was “checking 

out the competition” down the dial at Y93. 

When Bob Brady couldn’t find a listener to 

answer a trivia question, Sturm called. “But I 

couldn’t say who I was because I worked for another 

radio station!” The comical on-air banter 

that followed led to a meeting out of which the 

popular “Brady and Stacy in the Morning” was 

conceived and began its seven year run. 

As corporate radio took over, Brady and 

Stacy were bought out of their contracts, with 

Sturm returning to a “normal job” in public 

relations and communications. But again, she 

was bitten, this time after a conversation with 

Morrison-Mathern, who shared a similar affinity 

for local radio. 

Getting back on air has been the easy part. 

“Radio Stacy is super fun. Business Stacy is not 

so much fun!” But so far, URL Radio has done 

well, with growing and diverse listenership 

from all over the world. They’ve also grown 

their services because of their client’s growing 

internet marketing needs. They now also blog, 

dabble in video, podcasting and guide clients 

on social media. 

Sturm says her most memorable moments 

so far are the personal stories she was able to 

tell during a weeklong broadcast from Guatemala 

and her coverage of the Missouri River 

flood of 2011. “You know you are doing what 

you are meant to be doing when you wake up 

in the morning and go to work and it’s not hard 

for you to go to work.” 

A lifelong communicator and former reporter, Michael 

Lindblom is a student of dynamics of human interaction. 


CITY MAGAZINE SUCCESS UNDER 45 

APRIL 2013 APRIL | THECITYMAG.COM 2013 | THECITYMAG.COM | 23 

| 23

BUSINESS AND MONEY HOME 

ASK THE PROFESSOR SPONSORED HOME SECTION 

SHOES’ CLUES 

When asked about her worldwide 

celebrity and jaw-dropping wealth, 

Oprah Winfrey quipped, “I still 

have my feet on the ground; I just 

wear better shoes.” Recently, this column discussed 

dressing for success, but if shoes make the man 

(or woman), it seems that working professionals 

would do well to pay as much attention to what is 

below their ankles as to what is above. 

Windows to the sole? 

Based on primitive cave drawings, foot coverings 

were one of the first things developed by early 

man. The main function in the beginning was to 

protect early man’s feet from burning sand and 

sharp rocks while he went about the business of 

hunting and gathering. It wasn’t long, however 

until the extravagance and style of the shoe began 

to denote the social standing of the wearer. 

Shoes offer others a quick insight into the kind 

of person you are. Researchers at the University of 

Kansas and Wellesley College say that people can 

accurately judge 90 percent of a stranger’s personality 

simply by looking at his shoes. They posit, 

“Shoes correlate with the owner’s personal characteristics. 

Age, gender, income and even psychological 

traits such as agreeableness and insecurity can 

be accurately judged from a picture of a person’s 

shoe.” For example, they say that wearers of drab, 

newish shoes are likely to be insecure about their 

relationships with other people while bright, well- 


worn shoes signaled confidence regarding relationships. 

Best foot forward 

According to the National Shoe Retailers 

Association, the annual revenue of the footwear 

industry is $48 billion worldwide with the annual 

consumer footwear spending in the United States 

ringing in at an astounding $20 billion. Women’s 

footwear accounts for 40 percent of U.S. sales, 

men’s 35 percent. 

Since the shoes are one of the most important 

influence items in your wardrobe, it’s vital that 

you buy well-made shoes and treat them right. 

Wearing shoes that are cracked, scuffed or falling 

apart conveys a negative impression, just as would 

a stained tie or wrinkled suit jacket. “Well heeled” 

means wealthy, and wealth implies success. Most 

of us have clothes for important meetings, clothes 

for interviews and clothes for casual Friday, but 

consider what your shoes may be saying about you. 

If you are reading this at work, take a quick peek at 

your shoes. Are they shouting whimsical, frumpy, 

trendy, or polished, professional and ready to be 

promoted? 

Debora Dragseth, P.D. is a professor of business at Dickinson 

State University. Her column provides common sense answers to 

common workplace issues. If you have a question you would like 

Dr. Dragseth to consider for her column, you may e-mail her at 

dr.dragseth@gmail.com. 

united printing 

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email chittle@unitedprinting.com 

NEW Year, NEW Brands, NEW Look for for YOUR SPACES 

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AN AN INTERIOR DESIGN & DECOR & DECOR STUDIO 

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Kostas Voutsas, a tenured assistant professor of DSU at BSC, 

is a motivational speaker and corporate consultant.

HOME HOME 

HOME 101 HOME 101 

REFLECTING WHAT MATTERS 

Building or remodeling 

your 

home requires 

substantial 

time, money and effort, 

so sometimes wellplaced 

glass or mirrors 

can be the perfect finishing 

touch to reflect your 

carefully-selected design. 

“Customers typically 

call us at the end 

of the building process 

or remodeling project 

when they’re feeling 

overwhelmed because 

maybe there’s an outlet in 

the way of a mirror or a window had to be placed 

above a vanity. Those are our favorite projects 

REFLECTING WHAT MATTERS 

Haider Glass can tailor glass to a home owner’s specific taste. 


because we get to tailor our work and be unique,” 

said Haider Glass manager, Courtney Meier. “It 

doesn’t have to be expensive 

yet we can make it look like 

it was a design feature from 

the very beginning instead of 

something you had to work 

around.” 

Incorporating glass is a big 

trend in home design, with its 

ability to open a space with 

additional windows or provide 

maintenance free glass railings 

on porches and decks. 

“The railings offer protection 

from the elements, so 

it’s a wind break, but it also 

provides an unobstructed 

view and they’re easy to clean,” 

Meier said. 

The transparency of 

glass allows homeowners the 

opportunity to incorporate 

textures, colors or objects from 

other parts of the home to 

unify the space. 

“The beauty of glass is that 

it can be tailored for the homeowner’s 

specific taste. Glass 

can be heated and slumped 

to add a three dimensional 

texture and color can be 

added to add detail. For 

example, we are working 

on a project right now 

that has a business’ logo 

slumped in the glass and 

keep a custom texture 

added to the glass. Then 

lighting can be added 

to really make the piece 

pop.” Meier said. 

Stone and glass seem 

to pair well together, so 

granite intertwined with 

glass countertops are 

trending now. Haider 

Glass even customized 

living room pillars for 

one client creating a stunning 

showcase of stone 

and frosted glass from 

floor to ceiling. 

A little glass can make 

a big statement, so even 

simply replacing a few 

kitchen cabinet doors 

with frosted glass insets 

can inexpensively transform 

a wood-heavy room 

into a lighter, more modern one. 

“There are hundreds of options, sizes and styles,” 

Meier said. “Most we have in stock, so within a 

couple hours you could have a different look on 

your cabinets.” 

Paula, Courtney and Tom are Haider Glass’s glass experts and are involved in 

every project from design to installation. 

Haider Glass completes each project with one 

goal in mind: to ensure the reflection in each piece 

is a smile from a satisfied client. 

Maxine Herr is a Bismarck-based freelance writer who owns 

a home and therefore, always has a renovation project. 

APRIL APRIL 2013 2013 | THECITYMAG.COM THECITYMAG.COM | 27

HEALTH TRAVEL 

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES LEISURE 

ALL ABOUT HABITS 

Recently I did an interview on URL Radio 

in Bismarck about the importance 

of health planning. The host asked me 

a thought-provoking question: If you 

don’t already have will power or discipline, how 

do you get it? It took me aback for a second and 

reminded me of what is missing in many how-to 

articles: don’t just tell me what to do; tell me how 

to do it. 

The answer is deceptively simple: It’s all about 

habits. Doing the right things has to become habitforming. 

No one has the iron will to consciously 

think of the right thing to do all the time. The 

answer is to do the right thing, do it often, and before 

you know it, it becomes a habit. Habits, good 

or bad, are automatic; no discipline or will power 

required. 

The key to good health lies in cultivating the 

right habits, the key habits that will transform our 

life. Exercise, for example, tends to lead to better 

choices in how we eat, how often we check our 

blood sugar, and so on. Fortunately there are excellent 

books and articles on the science of habits. 

The Power of Habit: Why We do What We do in 

Life and Business, a new book by Charles Duhigg, 

provides an excellent place to start learning how 

habits work in your life and how to transform bad 

habits into good habits. 


I will share 

with you this 

admonition 

from my high 

school English 

teacher: be 

very careful of 

the habits you 

form; they are 

easy to make 

and hard to 

break. Research 

shows that 

you may never 

break an old 

habit. When 

you think 

you’ve got it 

licked, it comes 

back to haunt 

you. 

A good habit to start is exercising 

regularly. 

However, you can transform a bad habit into a 

good one. So there’s hope. Start reading, talking 

about it, and doing it. Remember: do right and do 

right often. It could become habit-forming. 

Mitch Vance is a retired educator, businessman and political 

activist. 

TAKING AN AG VACATION 

Souris Valley Vineyard offers tours of their vineyard 

during the summer. 

Summer is right around the corner (isn’t it?) and there are 

plenty of ways to enjoy the sunshine and warm weather 

each year without repeating the same vacation over and 

over again. 

A newer vacation trend that really hits home for North Dakota 

is agritourism. With 90 percent of the land in our state dedicated 

to agriculture and roughly 25 percent of our workforce in the 

industry, it’s not hard to understand how offshoots of agriculture 

can grow and even flourish here. 

So what is agritourism? It’s the opportunity for guests to enjoy a 

farm, ranch or other ag-related experience. One example is Papa’s 

Pumpkin Patch in Bismarck. This pumpkin farm hosted roughly 

52,000 people in 2012 to pick pumpkins, drink cider, take family 

pictures, hayrides, and more. As the weather changed, another 

1,200 guests played in a winter wonderland. It’s a farm experience 

for people who want to revel in the great outdoors but don’t have 

farmland of their own. 

Other agritourism options in North Dakota include traditional 

farming and ranching tours, but also vineyards, orchards, apiaries, 

and more. 

The entrepreneurs who open up their operations to the general 

public do so to expand their business opportunity, but also to 

help spread the interest in agriculture. The more individuals and 

communities directly connect with agriculture, the stronger the 

industry will continue to be in the future. That’s pretty important 

for a state like ours. 

We might be “fly-over country” but we feed the world. And 

that’s more important than any cluster of skyscrapers, concert 

halls, coffee shops, or shopping malls could ever be. Agritourism 

helps celebrate who we are and what we do in North Dakota, and 

how our leading industry impacts each and every one of us. 

For more information on North Dakota agritourism, visit 

www.ndtourism.com. 

Amanda Godfread is a freelance writer and communications strategist. 


TRAVEL 

THE BADLANDS 

THE LONG X DIVIDE 

Right around the Spring Equinox, barring 

a late spring blizzard, park rangers 

re-open the scenic drive into the North 

Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National 

Park. Now, in April, is the time to look here for the 

first signs of spring—the emergence of the pasque 

flowers (crocuses to us laymen). 

When you visit the North Unit this year, drive to 

the end of the scenic road, stop at Oxbow Overlook, 

walk to the edge, and gaze south and west 

over the top of the Little Missouri River. Those tall 

hills you are looking at are the Achenbach Hills 

(no, that’s not some fractured German translation 

of “aching back” hills, but if you’ve ever hiked the 

steep Achenbach Trail, which winds through them, 

your back will likely be aching). Beyond them, 


welcome. Both beginning hikers and experienced 

backpackers enjoy these trails. Maps are available 

from the Forest Service offices in Dickinson 

and Bismarck, at the Park’s Visitor Centers, and at 

Western Edge Books in Medora. 

The Long X Divide is one of five badlands areas 

proposed for permanent wilderness protection. As 

the oil industry moves closer and closer to our national 

park boundaries, only that designation will 

guarantee the integrity of our state’s most dramatic 

skyline vista. You can learn more about how to protect 

this and other endangered badlands skylines 

by visiting www.badlandsconservationalliance. 

org 

Imagine working for 32 years in the oil industry 

and then discovering that the past 18 

months in North Dakota have been the most 

rewarding of your career. 

That’s what happened to Curt Dacar, the chief 

executive officer of Denver based Rock Pile Energy 

Services, who grew up in Scranton, N.D. and got 

into the oil industry to help pay his way through 

college. 

“My desire was to go to college and someday 

have my own business,” Dacar said. “In order to put 

myself through college, I searched out a job in the 

oil field, figuring that I could earn enough money 

in a couple of years to put me through school and I 

found the industry to be very challenging, dynamic, 

and interesting.” 

He ended up earning a Bachelors of Science in 

Business Administration from Regis University in 

Denver and then went on to get a Master’s degree in 

petroleum engineering from Heriot Watt University 

in Edinburgh, Scotland. 

He then spent 32 years working for the largest 

oil field services company in the world until coming 

to Rock Pile Energy Services in 2011 and that’s 

Jim Fuglie is a former North Dakota Tourism Director and has 

Rock Pile Energy Services went from one employee on January 1, 2012 

been exploring the back roads of the badlands since his first trip 

along the entire southern City skyline Magazine of the Park, 2/13 is Crossword an 

PuzzleJunction.com 

to 78 by the end of the year. 

there with his parents as a boy in 1959. 

area known as the Long X Divide. 

The Long X Divide is a 10,000 acre stretch of 

Badlands bordering the south side of the park, Correction 

owned by the U.S. Forest Service and extending the Oops, we accidentally posted the wrong crossword answers 

viewshed for those who visit the park’s overlooks. in last month’s issue of Solution City Magazine. Below are the 

This is the most spectacular view of the Little Mis- 

crossword answers for the February issue of 

City Magazine. 

souri River Valley. It is often called the Grand Canyon 

of the Little Missouri, a title it richly deserves. 

The Long X Divide is one of those areas still 

protected by the Forest Service from development, 

as well it should be. It serves as a visual buffer 

between the park and industrial development. To 

mar that skyline would rob us of one of our state’s 

most wondrous views and one of our truly unique 

outdoor experiences—wilderness hiking. 

Three primitive hiking trails meander through 

this area: The Long X, the Summit and the famous 

Maah Daah Hey. Primitive means no vehicle 

access—hikers, horse riders and bicyclists are 

W I C K A H E M F R A T S 

I D L E H U L A L O I R E 

L E A N A R I S T O C R A T 

D A W N S A W S P A 

E L S E E L A I N E 

L O G O F F R E S E T 

S E N R O A R L A V A 

C R E S T F I T A L T E R 

A G A R C O S T E R N 

N O T E S S A I L E D 

E V E N L Y E D G E 

L E O T I N V E A L 

A L L O T M E N T S O L L A 

T I D A L C O A T T I L T 

H A S T E A R M S E S S E 

when the fun began. But who is Rock Pile Energy? 

Rock Pile Energy is a company that was the vision 

of Triangle Petroleum, who realized, as a small operator 

in the Williston Basin, that getting fracking 

services for their drilling program would be very 

difficult. They could not spend $10 million to drill a 

well and then wait forever on fracking services. 

Instead they brought in additional resources into 

the frack business to service their needs and hired 

Dacar in September of 2011 to take the company 

from a vision to deployment in less than one year. 

“By the end of 2012 we were running 24/7,” 

Dacar said, “and had grown from one to 78 people.” 

And what has been the most rewarding part of his 

job? Working with the next oil field generation by 

passing along his knowledge and skills to the future 

of the industry. 

“I have a passion for teaching,” Dacar said. “And 

I am very pleased to be able to see friends and family 

members move back here and be part of energy 

development in this great state.” 

Kevin Holten is a writer for City Magazine. 

WESTERN N.D. 

CURT DACAR 

THE MOST REWARDING YEARS BY FAR 


MAGAZINE 

P.O. Box 936 

Bismarck, ND 58502-0936 

Change Service Requested 

When putting 

your money 

where your 

mouth is, 

EXPERIENCE 

COUNTS. 


Established 1973 

No Referral Necessary 

warfordorthodontics.com

Scott Davis Scott Davis - City Magazine

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