The Good Life – September-October 2017

2 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

We are proud to announce that our MINIONS Gin, MINIONS Barreled Reserve Gin,
and MINIONS Old Tom Gin were awarded gold medals in a recent National Spirits
Competition in New York, NY.
The Fifty Best recently hosted a Gin Tasting, where 62 contenders were evaluated
for the distinguished “Best Gin” awards for 2017.
Since beginning production in early 2015, Proof Artisan Distillers has received
a total of 12 National Awards for our spirits from various competitions including:
American Craft Spirits Association, American Distilling Institute, Portland Spirits
Festival and The Fifty Best.
www.proofdistillers.com
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 3

Volume 5 • Issue 2
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2017
06
THE DISTINGUISHED
GENTLEMAN'S RIDE
10
WEIRD FACTS
ABOUT CATS
12
NOT IN MY FAMILY
PART TWO
A MOTHER DEALS WITH LOSS
16
CAR CARE
CAR NOISES YOU
SHOULDN'T IGNORE
ON THE COVER - HEITH JANKE
18 NEW WEST FARGO POLICE CHIEF
BRINGS BIG-CITY EXPERIENCE BACK HOME
24
24
HAVING A BEER WITH
MOOSE JOHNSON
28
MR. FULL-TIME DAD
TERRIBLE TWO'S?
BRING IT ON!
4 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
06
30
LOCAL HERO - VINCE KEMPF
CULTURAL LIAISON
POLICE OFFICER

PUBLISHED BY
Urban Toad Media LLP
www.urbantoadmedia.com
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Dawn Siewert
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Meghan Feir
Alexandra Floersch
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Matt Lachowitzer
Krissy Ness
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The Good Life Men’s Magazine is distributed six times
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arising from content in this publication. The opinions
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writers or advertisers and do not necessarily represent
the views or policies of The Good Life Men’s Magazine.
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 5

“
IT IS VERY EXCITING
THAT FARGO/MOORHEAD
CAN PLAY A ROLE IN AN
INTERNATIONAL EFFORT
TO DO GOOD FOR
MEN’S HEALTH AND
SUICIDE PREVENTION.
– JIM BOLLUYT
6 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

WRITTEN BY: KRISSY NESS • PHOTOGRAPHY BY: J. ALAN PAUL
Throw on your best suit and grab your vintage bike because The
Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is coming your way. Founded
in 2013, The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride has raised over
8 million dollars for men’s health charities. Mark Hawwa of
Sidney, Australia established this event to raise awareness and
provide funding for male suicide prevention and prostate cancer
programs on behalf of the Movember Foundation.
This year 70,000 debonair men and women in over 600 cities will
ride through their communities in hopes of meeting their target
goal of 5 million dollars for men’s mental and physical health.
The members who raise the most money for the Movember
Foundation are rewarded by winning motorcycles by Triumph,
luxury watches by Zenith and a helmet by Hedon. Participation
is open to anyone although there are specific guidelines you
must follow if you want to partake.
I had the opportunity to sit down with Jim Bolluyt, an active
member of The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, and gather a
little information about this event.
“It is very exciting that Fargo/Moorhead can play a role in an
international effort to do good for Men’s health and Suicide
Prevention,” said Bolluyt.
First, you must register on their website, gentlemansride.com.
You will not be given the full information until you do, this is a
niche charity group and they want to keep the information for
the members only. “Ride organizers do have strict criteria for
participants. This all ensures the integrity of the ride not only
from an “image” perspective, but also for the matter of safety. It is
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 7

crucial that all riders go through the
signup process online to understand
the goals and mission and the as well
as emphasis on having a safe and fun
event,” stated Bolluyt.
Next, you are required to dress
nicely and are only able to ride a
specific kind of bike. The theme for
this event falls in the 1920-30s era
of clothing style and a well-groomed
moustache. This group really focuses
on the riders’ appearance - the word
distinguished is in the name after all.
When it comes to the kind of bike
you can ride there are 10 different
options you must abide by if you want
to ride with this group. If you own a
chopper, bobber, café racer, modern
classic, tracker, brat style, classic,
scrambler, sidecar or a scooter then
8 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
you are eligible to participate in this
event.
Finally, you are to follow all the
safety guidelines. It is very important
for the riders and the people in
the community that each rider is
responsible, respectful, and attentive.
This means all riders need to keep a
safe distance between them to avoid
collisions. Inappropriate riding will
not be tolerated; anyone who attempts
to ruin the event will have their plate
numbers given to local authorities.
All riders must wear appropriate
safety equipment including helmets
and goggles. Intoxicated riders will
absolutely not be tolerated, and
again your information will be given
to local authorities. For the full list of
rules you may visit their website.
From 2013 to 2015 DGR main
fundraising goal was prostate cancer
awareness but in 2016 after losing
one if their rider hosts to depression
they have shifted their goals to
include mental health awareness as
well. It is great to see a charity ride
like this happening all over the world
and it is even better that this ride
takes place in Fargo, North Dakota.
Raising funds and awareness for
not only cancer that affects men
but also the mental wellbeing of
men is truly inspiring. The amount
of participation has nearly doubled
every year and the amount of money
raised started in the high 200,000 in
2013 has jumped to 3.6 million that
was raised last year.
If this is an event that sounds fun or

interesting to you, head over to their
website and take a look around.
They offer statistics, photos
and videos from previous rides
and general information about
their goals and sponsors. These
particular events really resonate
within the Fargo Moorhead area,
as we are a very charity driven
community.
Not only does this event help the
community and men’s health
awareness but you can also win
some stellar prizes for raising
the most money. So do yourself
and men’s health a favor and
consider becoming a sponsored
rider and if that isn’t your thing,
contemplate donating to a rider
in your community to help make a
difference in men’s lives. •
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 9

Cat owners who are male
tend to be luckier in love,
as they are perceived as more
sensitive.
Cats can drink sea water
in order to survive. Cats have
crazy kidneys that filter out the
salt from the water so they can
re-hydrate themselves.
A cat in a hurry can
sprint about
31 mph.
A cat can jump
7 times its height.
Cats are North America's
most popular pets:
there are 73 million cats
compared to 63 millions dogs.
In the UK,
more than
two thirds
of cat owners
are men.
A cat's brain is biologically more like a
human brain than a dog's. Both humans
and cats have identical regions of their
brains that are responsible for emotions.
A cat's nose pad
is ridged with a
unique pattern,
just like the
fingerprint
of a human.
Cats are sometimes
born with extra
toes. This is called
polydactyl.
In Japan, cats are thought to have
the power to turn into super spirits
when they die. This may be because
according to Buddhist religion, the
body of the cat is the temporary
resting place of very spiritual people.
The cheetah is the only cat in the
world that can't retract its claws.
Cats sweat through
their paw pads.
Female cats
are typically right pawed
while male cats
are typically left pawed.
10 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Ear furnishings are the hairs
that grow inside a cat's ears.
Owning a cat can
reduce the risk
of a heart attack and
stroke by more than
a third. Scientists
say that having a cat
helps relieve stress
and anxiety, which is
known to help protect
against heart disease
by lowering blood
pressure and
reducing heart rate.
A female cat
is called a
queen or a
molly.
Cat urine
glows
under a
black light.
A group of
cats is
called a
clowder.
REFERENCES:
www.jukani.co.za/Cat-trivia_article_op_view_id_55
www.independent.co.uk/life-style/men-getting-pet-cats-rise-a7659926.html
www.buzzfeed.com/chelseamarshall/meows?utm_term=.beppLQjPlB#.cnNJD8pvGM
www.factretriever.com/cat-facts
www.brainjet.com/random/2101/12-weird-cat-facts/
Abraham Lincoln
kept four cats
in the White house.
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 11

NOT IN MY FAMILY // PART TWO
WRITTEN BY: BRITTNEY GOODMAN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Lori Morse lost her son, Tyson Chaney, to a fentanyl
overdose on March 6, 2016. She tells her story to
increase understanding and awareness. And it is, sadly,
just one of the many stories, as families deal with the
increased opioid overdose deaths of their loved ones.
Originally from Jamestown, Morse has lived in Fargo for
almost 30 years. A retired nurse, she and her husband,
Michael, live in West Fargo with one of her children,
Garrett.
Chaney, 24 at the time of his overdose death, worked
at Porter Creek, on his way to becoming a chef. Morse
described his passion for life: “He absolutely loved
working there. And he had an amazing amount of
friends. When over 500 people show up for a 24 year
old’s funeral, you know he had made quite an impact for
someone that age.
“He was just really finding his way in life,” Morse said.
She continued, “He had stopped drinking 18 months
12 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

“
I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN TO ANYBODY,
TO ANY FAMILY, AND THAT PEOPLE NEED TO STOP JUDGING. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL
BE YOU WHO GETS THAT PHONE CALL OR COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT SOMEONE IN YOUR
FAMILY NEEDS HELP. WE ARE LOSING VERY WONDERFUL, SMART YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE
LOVED — TOO MANY YOUNG, INTELLIGENT PEOPLE. – LORI MORSE
before his death. He had come to realize he couldn’t
handle alcohol. He was smart enough to realize he
couldn’t drink and he quit it on his own. I was proud of
him for that. He was a normal 24 year old single guy. He
was still my boy.”
According to Morse, it was a fentanyl overdose but he
was “not an addict”: “He hated heroin. We talked about
it. It was a complete shock to everyone. He would have
never wanted to die. He loved life. He would never have
wanted to put us through this.” She asserted: “Who
would ever thought this would happen to us?”
Morse stressed that it was accidental: “Although he did
make the decision to take a drug, he did not make the
decision to die. He would take full responsibility for his
decision to use drugs, but dying was not a part of it.”
Morse asserted: “People have no idea. It can be the
person next to you in the cubicle at work or in the pew
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 13

NOT IN MY FAMILY // PART TWO
“
IT CAN BE YOUR
FIRST TIME. THE PERSON
TAKING THE DRUG OFTEN JUST
DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THEY
ARE TAKING. THE DEALERS DON’T
KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SELLING.
THEY ARE NOT CHEMISTS –
THEY ARE JUST THROWING
A BUNCH OF STUFF
TOGETHER.
at church. You just
don’t know. Back in
the day we thought of
heroin users as junkies
living in the streets. That
is just not the case now. No.
Definitely not.”
The judgment hurts. Encountering some “cruel”
Facebook comments about her son and others, Morse
said: “They need to wake up. I can’t think of how anyone
can be so cruel as to say such stupid, uninformed things.”
Addicts are not the only overdose victims. Morse said: “It
can be your first time. The person taking the drug often
just does not know what they are taking. The dealers
don’t know what they are selling. They are not chemists
– they are just throwing a bunch of stuff together.”
Morse described the night she found out: “They
called at 2:30 in the morning. As a mother, you always
answer the phone, even in the middle of the night,
because you never know. An officer said his name
and he was with the police department. He wanted
my address so that he could come and talk with me.
But I didn’t want to tell the officer, because, in the
state I was in, I thought ‘if they can’t find me, then
they can’t tell me.’ I finally gave the phone to my
husband.” She then called her son’s phone and it was
turned off. It started to sink in: “Your whole world
just kind of stops.”
Morse goes to his cemetery plot “at least five times a
week.” “I know he’s not there. I feel him everywhere
that I go, though. I’m still taking care of his spot. I
make sure the flowers are all watered — because I’m
still taking care of him.”
14 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

Although this was not the case with Chaney,
many people become addicted after taking opioid
pain medication. Morse describes her own
experience with pain medication after a back
surgery: “I had to wean myself off of it because
I found that my body started really ‘needing’ it.
My body ached for it. People think that it’s okay
to take pain medication because they’ve got a
prescription. But they need to be careful. Some
of the doctors just prescribe too much. I have
heard stories of dentists prescribing a month’s
worth of medication for their wisdom teeth.
Nobody needs that. It’s dangerous. Who in their
right mind wants to become an addict? Nobody.
But it can easily happen.”
While Morse is thankful for the police’s efforts,
she finds the judicial system lacking. She
called for follow-up: “What is happening to the
dealers, the people who are selling it? What
kind of sentences are they getting? Why aren’t
we dealing with this? We have to do something.
I won’t sit still while this happens in our town.”
She is frustrated that in the case of one of her
son’s friends who overdosed, “they had the
people responsible” but they are “all back in
Minneapolis and not in jail.”
She appealed for community involvement: “For a
while, we had some community action, but what
is happening now? How many more have passed
away this year? We need a better community
dialog. We need to keep it in the news... It’s
everywhere and is affecting everyone.” She
supports naloxone training to reverse overdoses:
“Anything that can be done to save someone’s
life should be done.”
Morse’s main message resonated: “I think one
of the most important things is that this can
happen to anybody, to any family, and that people
need to stop judging. You never know when it
will be you who gets that phone call or come
to the realization that someone in your family
needs help. We are losing very wonderful, smart
young people that are loved — too many young,
intelligent people.”
And the loss of young life continues. According
to Morse, “at least three or four of Tyson’s good
friends who were at his funeral have died from
drug overdoses since his passing.”
In the next article, we will focus on another
family’s story, community resources and ways to
be a part of the solution. •
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 15

WRITTEN BY: MATT LACHOWITZER
How often do you listen to the noises coming from your vehicle? When you get in your car in the morning to head
to work, you might hear the engine starting when you turn the ignition, and if it’s raining, you’ll hear your wiper
blades on your windshield. What if it’s a hot day, you turn on your A/C and hear a loud thumping coming from
your dash somewhere. Wait? That last one can’t be right. While some of those everyday noises in your vehicle
are fine, others such as loud thumping or squealing noises probably aren’t. So instead of turning your music up
to avoid listening to the uneasy noises coming from your vehicle, continue reading to learn what some of those
noises may mean.
Hissing
When you hear your vehicle hissing, it could indicate a sign of engine
overheating or your exhaust system and/or catalytic converter is
plugged. Another reason for your vehicle hissing, in idle particularly,
it could indicate a vacuum leak. If it’s one of those reasons or any
other, it’s a good indication that it’s time to bring your vehicle into
your automotive service center.
Grinding
One of the most common noises most people hear is grinding, and it’s
an indication that two pieces of metal are touching when they shouldn’t
be. The grinding could be coming from several different areas: brakes,
powertrain, suspension or something else. The most common type of
grinding noise is from brakes. When brakes are worn down past the
material on a brake pad, all that is left is metal. That metal is then
grinding against the metal brake rotors, thus the term “metal on metal”
brakes. No matter what is causing the grinding, it’s a sign that you need
to bring your vehicle into your automotive service center for further
inspection.
Squeaking
Like any other sound, this could be
caused because of different reasons.
The high-pitched squeaking can let
you know that it’s time to get your
brake pads checked or replaced. If
the high-pitched squeak is from the
front of your vehicle when you’re not
braking, it could be a sign of a worn
out or cracked serpentine belt. In any
case, it’s important to get a squeak
checked out before it turns into
another, possibly more serious noise
and more costly repairs.
Humming
If you’re driving at faster speeds and you hear humming, it could be
a sign of some wear on your tires. It could also be an indication of an
issue beyond your tires such as a wheel bearing or differential problem
and can be difficult to diagnose or inspect on your own.
Growling
Unlike monsters, your vehicle isn’t supposed to growl. If you encounter
this noise, while it can change when turning or the weight of your vehicle
shifting, it can be caused by a worn bearing in any number of moving
components of your vehicle and should be a sign to get it inspected by
your automotive service center.
16 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

Whining/Creaking
If you are hearing a whining or creaking noise while you
are backing up, turning, or while driving, it could be an
indication that you may have a worn suspension part
such as a ball joint or shock or strut. It could also be
an indication that something may be wrong with your
steering system and sometimes a whine while turning
could as simple as being low on power steering fluid.
While your vehicle could make twenty different noises
and mean 100 different things, it’s important to be
attentive and just listen. If you listen to your vehicle
closely, you’ll know when something isn’t right and
when it’s time to bring it into your automotive service
center. Try to remember where the noise is coming
from, what were you doing when you heard it, when
was the first time you heard it and it’s always a bonus
when you remember what the noise sounds like.
Another piece of advice is to take a video of what you
are doing when the noise occurs and try to capture the
noise itself, which cannot only help the service center
identify the noise quicker, but can save you money in
testing time as well. Always talk with a professional at
your automotive service center when it comes to any
unusual noises you’re hearing from your vehicle, and
if possible, go for a ride with the service technician
that will be working on your vehicle so you can help
point out the noise to them as well. Like all things on a
vehicle, proper maintenance and regular visits to your
service center can usually help find these items before
they turn into a costlier repair down the road. •
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 17

COVER // HEITH JANKE
“
BEING ON THE STREETS
AND IN LEADERSHIP
POSITIONS,
I FOUND I ENJOY
LEADERSHIP
THE BEST.
– HEITH JANKE
18 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

WRITTEN BY: ALEXANDRA FLOERSCH • PHOTOGRAPHY BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Whether we like to admit it or not, there’s
something about the Fargo-Moorhead-West
Fargo community that sticks. Many people leave,
but most tend to make their way back. West
Fargo’s newly sworn-in police chief, Heith Janke,
is the newest member of that club.
Growing up in Madison, S.D., Janke got his first
taste of "North Dakota nice" nearly two decades
ago, when he came to North Dakota State
University to pursue an undergraduate degree in
criminal justice. It was NDSU that also gave him
his first taste of leadership. Janke was a standout
on the Bison track team. He rose quickly through
the collegiate ranks, capping off a hall of fame
career in 1998 with an 800-meter national
championship title. (In humble, Midwestern
fashion, he's quick to point out that his wife,
Brenna—a member of the 1996 women’s
basketball national championship team—is also
a member of the Bison Athletic Hall of Fame.)
After graduating from NDSU, Janke attended
law school at the University of North Dakota. In
2004, his childhood dream came true when the
FBI came calling with a job offer. The leadership
experience on the track field was soon to be put
to the test in the field. "One of the reasons I went
to law school was to help get into the FBI,” he
said. “Growing up, it's one of those things I had
admired."
Climbing the Ranks
With the FBI, Janke was first stationed in Kansas
City for four years before being transferred to
San Antonio—investigating white collar crimes—
and then to Washington, D.C. where he was
promoted to civil rights unit supervisor.
"After that, I got promoted back to Kansas City
where I was a supervisor of public corruption
and civil rights,” he said. “At the end, I ran a child
exploitation task force and a human trafficking
task force, dealing with child pornography, the
exploitation of children and human trafficking of
all people. I also had hate crimes on the squad."
Though Janke covered sensitive, high profile
cases that often challenged his skills, the
experience was undoubtedly like no other with
exposure to both local and national cases.
"I kind of have a unique perspective,” he said.
“I worked on the streets in Kansas City when
(trafficking) was new. We hadn't even processed
a human trafficking case before—back in 2005.”
When he transferred to the U.S. capitol city, he
gained national perspective on human trafficking
while supervising in the civil rights unit, which
followed by his return to Kansas City where he
lead a task force that combatted it. “It's one of
those things that’s a hidden crime and people
don't think it's everywhere,” he said. “But it more
than likely is if you go looking for it."
No matter where on the map he landed, Janke
knew he preferred one position best. "Being
out on the streets and in leadership positions, I
found I enjoy leadership the best,” he said. “You
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 19

COVER // HEITH JANKE
This picture
was taken in November
of 2015, in Kansas City, when
Former Director James Comey
presented Janke with the FBI's High
Impact Leadership Award. It was
a new award designed by Director
Comey recognizing the top FBI
leaders who were leading their
people well and effectively
managing their work.
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: HEITH JANKE
not only get to teach and help mentor—which is
what I really enjoy—but also participate in all the
different investigations.”
It was that love of teaching—and opportunities
through the FBI—that led him to share his
knowledge with people across the world. “I gave
about 85 different presentations throughout the
country, Budapest, Hong Kong and Canada,” he
said. “It gave me the opportunity to really see the
country and other parts of the world."
Back in Bison Country
Throughout all of the excitement, Janke knew
he’d eventually need to shift priorities. "We have
two kids: Max (13) and Reese (11), so they've
been around for the journey. But that's one of the
reasons we're back here,” he said. “With the FBI,
there wasn't always free-time. You're reacting to
those crimes and it's not something you can put
on hold, so work really was first.”
When work turned chaotic, his wife and kids
bore the burden. Not only did Janke miss his kids’
events, he lacked time to participate in hobbies
of his own. “Things kind of get unbalanced,” he
said. “So that's what I'm looking forward to: being
back here, being able to attend my daughter's
volleyball and basketball games, Bison football,
basketball and track meets."
The father of two is also happy to take a
promotion that doesn’t require him to move
across the country anytime soon. "One of the
issues with management in the FBI is that I was
at the point where we were essentially moving
every two years to keep rising through the ranks,
which means continuing to move kids to new
schools,” he said. “We had already done that
several times."
Not to mention, the police station is four minutes
away—instead of 45—and grandma and grandpa
are just a couple blocks down the street. "My son
is special needs, so it's important to be back with
family and not have to keep moving him,” he said.
“He can have stability, too.”
Above all, Janke is looking forward to the sense
of community he experienced nearly 20 years
ago. “If you grow up in the Midwest, you're used
to the niceness of opening doors and everyone
waving or saying 'hi,'" he said. "When you get to
big city living, people are always in a rush and
honking horns. Even in grocery stores: heads are
down, people are rude... but not here. You don't
appreciate Midwest values until you've lived
across the country."
The Labor of Law Enforcement
Talk to anyone in law enforcement—whether
it’s the police department or the FBI—everyone
agrees on one thing: no day is ever the same. And
that’s what Janke loves most about his job.
"You wake up, something new happens and you
20 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

“
YOU DON'T APPRECIATE MIDWEST
VALUES UNTIL YOU'VE LIVED
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
– HEITH JANKE
react to it. That's one thing that's fascinating
about law enforcement: there's a wide variety,” he
said. “There's obviously a lot of different criminal
violations you can work, so if you get burned out
on one thing you can move to the next."
But no matter which way you spin the
story, law enforcement is a dangerous job.
"Literally every time you're stopping
someone or going to a door, you
don't know what that threat is.
That is stress that over time can
take a toll on officers," he said.
"It's easy to second-guess law
enforcement when you're
watching a video, but you're
not in those shoes, having
to make that decision in a
second.”
In 2017, horrifying headlines of police
brutality are rampant. But Janke has the
inside scoop, having investigated excessive
force cases with the FBI as part of the civil
rights unit. What he found was just a minor
statistical population of offenders.
“When it's a 24/7 news cycle, it sometimes
misleads the public that there are so many
bad officers out there. And that's really not
the case," he said. "Here in West Fargo, we've
got incredible officers, and I've already learned
that.”
Witnessing communities divide as a result
of the these stories, Janke has learned that
great leadership in today’s world involves a
three-tier formula of trust, cooperation and
transparency—none of which can be achieved
sitting behind a desk.
"Having been through some of those cases—
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 21

COVER // HEITH JANKE
“
CRIME DOESN'T STOP AT
A CITY BORDER; IT DOESN'T
STOP AT A RIVER THAT
CROSSES THE STATE. IF WE'RE
NOT ALL WORKING TOGETHER,
ALL WE'RE DOING IS PUSHING
THE CRIME ELEMENT TO
ANOTHER CITY.
– HEITH JANKE
being down in Missouri during the Ferguson
case—seeing how certain communities have
reacted, the important thing is figuring out
transparency within the community and building
relationships,” he said. “The key to transparency
is having that trust—making sure I can pick up
the phone and contact a leader so we can have
an open discussion and they can contact us and
address it."
In moving forward, Janke aims to instill a sense of
trust within the department, leading by example.
“My proposal is to build the family chemistry
back again,” he said. “It's about figuring out
our structure and—as the city keeps growing—
making sure our police department is adequately
growing to serve all the citizens of West Fargo."
Besides battling scrutiny and shocking headlines,
law enforcement is still expected to stay focused
on their primary duties. "We don't get in this
business to get rich, to get fame or those types of
things,” Janke said. “It's a calling to serve. That's
why we do it and we can't ever lose track of that."
A United Force Moving Forward
Accepting his new position as the West Fargo
police chief, Janke is confident in his new
role. "I'd like to think with what I've done and
accomplished, I've got a whole lot of experience
for my young age," the 41-year-old said. "From
an investigative standpoint, I worked some very
large and significant cases—cases that I hope we
never have here in West Fargo."
Janke hopes he can use those investigative skills
to help mentor some of the 54 officers and 13
civilian staff he now oversees. "Having the
leadership from both the national level in D.C.
and the local level in Kansas City, I've worked for
some incredible leaders,” he said. “I hope to have
gained their knowledge—how they lead—to use
22 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

in leading this department forward."
Janke is aware that teamwork means uniting
as one across the board. Not only will the West
Fargo Police Department have to band together,
Janke plans to also work closely with other
local law enforcement agencies. "Crime doesn't
stop at a city border; it doesn't stop at a river
that crosses the state,” he said. “If we're not all
working together, all we're doing is pushing the
crime to another city.”
Even with a jam-packed schedule during his first
few days of work, Janke remained optimistic
about the department’s future. “While there has
been negative publicity in the last few months,
the men and women in this police department
are incredible,” he said. "The past is in the past
and these men and women are great. That's the
message I want to get out there: we're here to
serve and protect the citizens of West Fargo and
we will do it honorably.”
Awakening to ‘The Good Life’
For Janke, accepting the role of police chief
means more than just a new job and a new place
to call home for his family. It’s a fresh start in
a great community filled with “Midwest nice”
people and family close by.
"The good life to me is finally having a work and
family balance,” Janke said. “I can lead this great
organization but also raise my family into the
future, attend those sporting events and maybe
even help coach. Being in a smaller community
with less stressors going on—that's going to be
the good life for me."
As for the future, Janke hopes to be done moving
for awhile. "We came back for this endeavor to be
here. I'm not using this as a stepping stone. This
is going to be home," he said. "Had I wanted to
keep moving up and moving across the country,
it would have made sense to stay where I was.
Hopefully, we'll be here for a very long time." •
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 23

HAVING A BEER WITH // MOOSE JOHNSON
WRITTEN BY: MEGHAN FEIR • PHOTOGRAPHY BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
24 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

Moose (not his real name) Johnson, the program director
for 107.9 The FOX and a radio host for “The FOX Morning
Show with Robbie, Dave and Moose,” has been in the
industry for 23 years after graduating from a DJ school
out of Hollywood and being a staple radio personality for
stations in various cities.
Before his days on the air, Johnson lived in southern
California and moved to Dickinson, N.D., toured with his
bands, met his wife at Taco Bell, and had already met one
of his teenage idols: Nikki Sixx.
Now he’s at the point in his career where he’s getting
interviewed for men’s magazines, which is exactly what
happened on a semi-lovely day in August when I had the
chance to chat with Johnson over a beer, a water and a
table at Drekker Brewing Company in Fargo.
Good Life: Are you glad the ‘90s are back?
Moose Johnson: Sure. I graduated in 1990 and played in
a band. Anything that resembled ‘80s hair and metal was
out and grunge was in. My band and I went from spandex
and long poufy hair to flannels and stayed away from
hairspray. I like both eras. I probably played more during
the ‘90s grunge stuff, but I grew up in the ‘80s.
GL: Are you going to get some frosted tips?
MJ: If I had hair, sure!
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HAVING A BEER WITH // MOOSE JOHNSON
GL: What’s your favorite TV show of all time?
MJ: I’d have to go with “Seinfeld.” I own every season
and have seen every episode at least three or four times.
It was must-see TV. I was in radio when the last episode
aired, and it was such a big deal that we actually threw a
promotion at a bar for the final episode. Everybody pretty
much loved that show, and for good reason; it was wellwritten
comedy about nothing, which is everything that
you did in normal life.
GL: Based on the actors who have played them, who has a
better voice for radio, Batman or Superman?
MJ: Christian Bale probably has the best voice, so Batman.
GL: And he has a slight overbite, which makes his voice
more distinct.
GL: What was one thing you used to hate that you love
now?
MJ: I’m going to say routine. When I was younger, I hated
routine. I wanted every day to be different than yesterday.
Now that I’m older, I kind of like the routine—not that I still
don’t like trying different things. I was always the life of the
party, and now I like kicking back.
GL: What’s your favorite article of clothing?
MJ: Shoes. I love shoes. I have a weakness for them, and
I’ve passed that on to my boys. I know it doesn’t sound
manly, and I hate that, but I have so many pairs of shoes.
My wife says I have more shoes than she does, so I say I
don’t and try to hide them.
GL: Whom did you want to grow up and be like when you
were in junior high?
MJ: You’re going to hear the geekiest story ever. Growing
up in the ‘80s, I was a huge, huge fan of Mötley Crüe, and
the guy I liked the most was Nikki Sixx. I liked a lot of
bands, but three out of the four walls in my bedroom were
covered in nothing but Mötley Crüe posters. All the other
bands had one wall and the ceiling. I had this really cool
poster of Nikki Sixx by my light switch, and every day,
before I had to go catch the bus, I’d go to turn off my light
switch, look at Nikki and say, “I hope someday I’m half as
cool as you, man!” I’ve met him a few times now and told
him this story. He probably just thinks I’m a geek.
GL: Moose. What happened in 1996?
MJ: I got married!
26 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

GL: I’m glad I asked about
1996. How did your wife and
you meet?
MJ: I was working at Pizza
Hut, she was working at Taco
Bell, and I was sick of pizza, so
I called over to Taco Bell and
said, “Hey, wanna trade some
tacos for some pizza?” and she
said, “Sure! Bring them over.”
So I brought them over, saw her
and went, “Wow.” I had a buddy
who worked over there, so I
said, “Hey, you’ve got to help me
here.” Little did I know, he was
trying to get her number and
ask her out. So I gave him three
weeks. He never got anywhere
with her. When the three weeks
were up, I asked her out and she
said no. But then a week or so
later I asked her out to a movie
and she said yes.
GL: What does living “the good
life” mean to you?
MJ: This is one of those
questions where I would’ve had
a hard time answering years ago
or said something about living
on an island or a mansion, but
as I get older, I just like simple
things. Having all the buds over
to watch football and have a
beer, that’s awesome. It’s sitting
out on the deck having one,
talking to my wife and talking
about life, and watching my
boys grow up. •
“
HEY, WANNA TRADE
SOME TACOS FOR
SOME PIZZA?
– MOOSE JOHNSON
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 27

FATHERS // MR. FULL-TIME DAD
TERRIBLE TWO'S?
BRING IT ON!
WRITTEN BY: BEN HANSON • PHOTOGRAPHY BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
It’s 8:15 p.m. on Sunday night. I’ve just resettled my son,
Macklin, for the second time after arriving home from a
weekend at the lake. He’s fighting sleep not just because
he hates Mondays as much as the rest of us, but because
he’s riding a weekend-long sugar high and can’t help but
continue jumping on the bed. In the dark. While singing.
Why the rush? Well, he just turned 2, so we took the
opportunity to throw a three-day party that featured an
endless buffet of his favorite foods, people and high-impact
aerobics. While a normal person would be exhausted to
the point of collapse after such a binge, our newly-minted
2-year-old appears unfazed as if his internal engine runs
on birthday cake and parental yawns.
bodily functions. His favorite word is “toot,” and he’s yet to
find an audience that makes him self-conscious. Consider
this your warning.
POTTY TRAINING
I’m sure the worst is yet to come with learning how to be
independent in the bathroom, but so far the only drama
has been over what form of chocolate will be provided
as incentive. (Hint: stock up on M&Ms, as they melt in
your mouth, not in your hand.) There’s been some dispute
about books versus YouTube videos while sitting on the
throne, but we quickly gave up that fight. We’ve agreed
to let him watch whatever he wants, and he’s agreed to
focus on aiming.
Welcome to the terrible twos, I hear in my head. “Bring it
on!” I say back. My inner dialogue is astonishingly basic.
I’ve been told to beware of the terrible twos by every
parenting blog, book and bogus expert out there, and while
I typically exude a healthy sense of pessimism, I’m not at
all convinced trying times are ahead. Mack has proven
himself awesome at every opportunity. Messy, sure. But
awesome. I have to believe most 2-year-olds are similarly
awesome, so allow me to break a few stereotypes and talk
some fellow parents off the ledge.
LEARNING TO TALK
I don’t know how the average kid learns to talk, but
Macklin has chosen to tackle the task in the third-person.
It’s thrilling. We get a play-by-play of everything that’s
happening both to him and within him. For example,
when he wants to read a book, he doesn’t just carry a
book over to the couch and sit down. He narrates it for all
to hear. “Mack-in… lay down… right here… this one.”
With a 2-year-old, it’s rare to have to guess what’s going
on. They have no filter, so everything is announced and
celebrated. There’s no qualifying or calculating—if he’s
got a word remotely relatable to the situation, it’s coming
out of his mouth.
While mostly amusing, this does present one notable
challenge… you can’t get away with anything. Because you
carry it everywhere you go, it’s second nature to use your
body as show-and-tell to teach language. Thus, Macklin’s
vocabulary is heavily skewed towards body parts and
28 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

at home, flinging himself to the ground in a soupy pile of tears, but it
never lasts more than a minute or two.
But what about when you’re out in public? Simple… just stay home. I
mean that both seriously and slightly sarcastically. The main rule of
parenting as far as I’m concerned is to simply pay attention. That’s it.
Pay attention to your kid. If you do even a mediocre job of this, you will
be able to sense when your kid has had enough and would do well to
stay in. Errands can always wait. The sale on laundry detergent is not
worth public humiliation.
ALL EYES ON HIM
As an admitted introvert, having a talking 2-year old to bring with me
everywhere I go is a serious blessing when timed right (see above). All
I have to do is introduce him and away he goes, diverting all attention
away from me. It’s magical… especially around family. The day Mack
learns to talk on the phone might literally be the last time I have a
conversation with anyone outside my immediate family.
Though it’s still early in the game, the terrible twos have started off
quite smoothly. I’m choosing to focus on the perks, the hilarity and the
less-obvious upsides. Compared to midnight feedings and teething,
toddlerhood is actually proving to be more tolerable than previous
epochs. He’s old enough to get cake for his birthday, but so far unaware
of what happens to the leftovers after he (eventually) falls asleep. I’ll
embrace this stage as long as I can. •
My main advice with potty training
is to win the game of not caring. If
you can prove to your toddler that
you care less about the bathroom
than he does, you immediately
remove all the stress from the
situation. I’ll ask Mack if he wants
to go potty throughout the day, and
if he says yes, we go. If he says
no (or ignores me altogether),
we don’t. Trust me, diapers are
10 times more convenient than
undressing a balance-challenged
2-year-old, so it’s in your best
interest not to rush things.
MELTDOWNS
Again, maybe we’re just lucky to
have the greatest kid in the world,
but we’ve largely avoided the
meltdown stage thus far. Yes, he
does throw a fit from time to time
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 29

LOCAL HERO // VINCE KEMPF
WRITTEN BY: BRITTNEY GOODMAN • PHOTOGRAPHY BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
30 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

City of Fargo Police Department’s Cultural Liaison
Officer, Vince Kempf welcomes New Americans to Fargo
with a focus on parents and helping them adjust to our
culture and laws.
Since August, 2016, Kempf has served in this role,
following after a seven-year stint by Christie Jacobsen.
Kempf has spent a great deal of his career on a Narcotics
task force but welcomes this shift in focus: “I will close
out my career with this position.”
Kempf became a part of the Fargo Police Department
in 1991, starting out as a patrol officer. A graduate of
St. John’s University with a degree in business, Kempf
moved to Fargo and, after spending some time with a high
school friend who was a Fargo police officer, he thought
it would be a good fit for him. He did some coursework
at Minnesota State University Moorhead in the Criminal
Justice program in preparation for the Minnesota Police
Academy. He was eventually was hired by Fargo Police
Department. He then attended the North Dakota Police
Academy.
When asked why the Cultural Liaison position appealed
to him, Kempf said: “I thought this would be a position
where my work would have long-term impact. I want
to see that down the road families can benefit from the
impact I can have in this position -- even if it is just one
or two families who learned how to parent and become
better adjusted to the laws here, even that is a big deal
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 31

LOCAL HERO // VINCE KEMPF
to me. So when the position opened up, I thought that would
be a good fit for me. I also really like history and geography and
learning about other cultures. I’m currently studying the Nepali
language. I want to become fluent but have been working at it
for 8 months. It is more difficult than some other languages I
studied like German and Spanish.”
Kempf’s position is quite different than his previous work on
patrol or with Narcotics. He is part of a small team of police
officers in Fargo. He partners with the Community Trust
Officers. The other two officers focus more on at-risk youth
while Kempf’s emphasis is mostly on New American parents:
“We often are dealing with the same families.”
Kempf is part of two-session orientation program for immigrants
new to our area to explain the differences in laws here and help
them fit in and become productive community members. His
session can have anywhere from 7 – 30 people depending upon
the month. In his law enforcement presentation he goes over
laws and the role of law enforcement including the city, sheriff,
and high patrol offices and how it may differ from their home
countries. He does this in partnership with Shanda Hakk, a
Family Strengthening Specialist at Lutheran Social Services.
Their presentation often takes more time because they may
be dealing with several languages and need interpreters to
translate numerous times. Other orientations the immigrants
have include Family Health, apartment rental specialists, FM
32 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

“I WANT TO SEE THAT DOWN THE ROAD FAMILIES CAN BENEFIT FROM THE IMPACT I CAN HAVE IN
THIS POSITION – EVEN IF IT IS JUST ONE OR TWO FAMILIES WHO LEARNED HOW TO PARENT AND
BECOME BETTER ADJUSTED TO THE LAWS HERE, EVE THAT IS A BIG DEAL TO ME. – VINCE KEMPF
Ambulance, Rob Kupec talking about the difference in
weather, and more: “It is all to help them adjust to their
new surroundings and be successful.”
Kempf described his role working primarily with
parents as proactive: “I’ve found after over 26 years of
law enforcement that if most people have continued
problems with the law, often they haven’t been parented
well, so I am hoping that by explaining how parenting can
be done legally and what the expectations are to get the
children on the right path – it will empower the parents.
The children adjust quickly and learn the language. The
parents are much slower to adjust to the surroundings.
If they had not known English before, they may be more
isolated than we would like. Rather than have them
feel they need to depend on their children for all of the
information, I give them my card and tell them I’m here
for them. New Americans have to quickly learn all the
things we have been learning our entire lives. It is difficult
to not make mistakes if you do not know the rules.”
In contrast to his former work with Narcotics, Kempf said
that the Cultural Liaison focus has provided him with a
chance to “see more positive outcomes.” He explained:
“When I worked in Narcotics, I rarely got to work with
anyone who was not already in trouble. I did not get to
see the people who got off of drugs and moved on to a
better life. With the Cultural Liaison position, I am now
working during the daytime and with people who have
some problems but usually not legal issues – much of
my work is proactive – referrals, helping with parenting
issues, attending community events.”
He talked about how much things have changed locally
regarding working with drug use: “When I was working
with Narcotics, I only saw heroin twice. I was mostly
concerned with methamphetamine and the dangers of
anhydrous ammonia. If you came into contact with that –
you had four minutes to get to water before it penetrated
your protective suit. Now, if carfentanil gets blown on
you, you can die.”
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 33

LOCAL HERO // VINCE KEMPF
Kempf described drugs as a continuing problem:
“I know that many people say that drugs are not
hurting anybody and want to make them legal –
but I know people who have taken harder drugs
long-term, and they are permanently changing
their body, burning out the dopamine receptors
that enable them to feel pleasure. So they need
more as time goes on to reach a certain level.
They need more in order to feel the level of
normal pleasure that the rest of us always feel.
So I do think it is a big deal and it does hurt
people.” He continued, “And if the addict is
lucky enough to break free of the addiction, he
or she will likely to have continuing depression
problems – problems that are not likely to go
away.”
Kempf does leather work in his spare time,
and has been working on a design based upon
Nepali folklore, which he is studying. He hopes
to take the design and make a leather holder for
34 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

the police officer badge stickers he gives out to children.
He described: “It is based on a story about a demon (a
lakhe) that fell in love with a girl in a Nepali village but
wreaks havoc there. The story goes that the demon gets
to ultimately stay in the village if it would protect its
residents from other demons.”
Kempf said: “When I am stressed, I’ve got a stress ball.
But I’d much rather be hunting.” Kempf hunts deer,
ducks and pheasant. He enjoys spending time with his
wife, who works as a Pharmacy Technician. He owns
and likes riding several motorcycles—his favorite is
his Victory cycle—and said his wife is also becoming
interested in motorcycles: “But I think she’d be more
interested and comfortable if I bought a full bagger
(touring motorcycle).”
He described as his “number one contribution” of his
life as “raising our two children successfully. I would
not change a thing about either one of them. It was my
kids who got me into Narcotics work. And my current
position’s focus on parenting is because of my experience
being a parent.”
Kempf credited an incident in school with his son with
fueling his initial focus on Narcotics work: “Once when
my son was in elementary school he was shown some
marijuana by another student. And after the incident, it
did not seem the kid who showed him the drug suffered
any repercussions from that. And I thought that I do not
want my son to think that a person having drugs is less of
a big deal than someone getting a parking ticket. So after
that experience, I signed myself up for my first six-month
Narcotics rotation. I just did not want my son to think
that possessing drugs was ‘no big deal.’”
When asked “What does ‘the good life’ mean to you?,”
Kempf replied: “I think that if you are able to talk about
your life with people and not have to edit a whole lot
out of it because you’re ashamed of things, you’ve led
a good life. To me, ‘the good life’ is about spending
time with friends and family, and also about trying to
make a positive difference. I’m not about the awards I
have or what I wear on my police uniform to show my
accomplishments. I just want to help people. I think if
you focus on helping other people you are going to be
happy, but if you focus only on making yourself happy,
you won’t be happy. I think a good life is about helping
other people.”
Kempf continued, “It is kind of like the saying that
you hear a lot – that money can’t make you happy. But
actually, money can make you happy – but only
if you are giving it away. No Maserati is
ever going to make you happy. But giving
something away to a friend or stranger
in need — that will make you happy.” •
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 35