The Good Life – September-October 2022

DAD LIFE 

I’M DECLARING IT: 

FALL IS OFFICIALLY 

THE SEASON 

OF DAD SELF-CARE 

WRITTEN BY: PAUL HANKEL 

I was shocked when I saw the first back-to-school ad 

pop up on my phone on July 5th. Summer had flown by 

and, before I could blink, I was in the school supply aisle 

on the Sunday night before school started, fighting the 

other dads over the last available package of glue sticks. 

Then, school started, and I was confronted with 

something so rare and so precious, I decided to base this 

issue’s column on it: actual free time. 

I love fall. Mostly because I sweat profusely and really 

enjoy cooler temperatures. I also enjoy it because it's 

that sweet spot, right before Christmas, where there’s 

football on and everyone goes nuts over pumpkinflavored 

stuff and Halloween costumes. 

It’s a bit like a prequel to empty nest syndrome, which 

parents experience when all their kids move out—you 

now have some windows of opportunity and time during 

which to focus on yourself. It can be... overwhelming. 

Here are a few ideas for your fall season that I have come 

to truly enjoy. 

TAKE A SWING 

South Fargo is home to two great new entertainment 

venues. Now that your evenings aren’t jammed packed 

with wall-to-wall kiddo activities, it may be time to get out 

there and enjoy some of Fargo’s newest attractions. 

A large-scale arcade, bowling alley, and entertainment 

venue opened in January 2022. The venue features stateof-the-art 

arcade games, a full bar and restaurant, and, of 

course, bowling. 

There is also a new golf destination located in south 

Fargo. Instead of being a traditional golf course and 

driving range, it features individual golf bays that patrons 

can rent, on three different levels. The complex also 

features golf simulators, a full bar and restaurant, and 

suites that can be rented for company parties, birthday 

parties, or any event you can imagine. 

Don’t feel intimidated if you’re neither a good bowler or 

golfer. I’m not particularly good at either. 

2 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

TAKE A HIKE 

I’m ashamed to admit it but…I like hiking. It’s a lowcost, 

non-screen-related activity that I can do with my 

kid, that happens to be healthy and scenic. 

I, at one time, considered hiking to be an activity 

reserved for Sociology majors that decided to purchase 

a Subaru and move to Colorado. However, upon taking 

several trips to Maplewood State Park, Turtle River 

State Park, and various other regional parks, I’ve 

come to really enjoy walking away from my car and 

then turning around and walking right back. 

While I have yet to post any beautifully filtered pictures 

of my hikes, with captions like, “All who wander aren’t 

lost,” I can assure you that I’m a hiker now and love it. 

I haven’t gone full-Colorado and purchased walking 

poles or a Yeti cooler but, I’m close. 

If you’re interested, there’s a great app called All Trails 

that will guide you to each and every national park and 

hiking trail in our region. 

DATE YOUR WIFE/PARTNER 

I cannot stress this concept enough. As the proprietor 

of a multitude of dating disasters (I plan to write a 

book), take it from me: you need to actively date your 

partner. 

Now that the kids are back in school, take some time to 

actively prioritize your relationship, whether married 

or dating, and invest time and effort into its cultivation. 

Does it need to be a huge, extravagant gesture with 

flowers, cards, and candy? Nope. It can be as simple 

as a quick lunch date or going out for a DQ Blizzard 

(which inexplicably cost upwards of $7 now). 

If you’re a community events type of person, downtown 

Fargo’s Broadway Square and The Lights, located in 

West Fargo, always have various community activities 

going on including concerts, ice skating, speakers, 

yoga classes, etc. Check them out! 

If none of these ideas float your boat, I’d encourage you, 

as a dad, to find something that will help reinvigorate 

your body and mind as we approach the very busy 

Christmas season. Before you know it, you’ll be up 

on the roof hanging Christmas lights and swearing at 

yourself for not sorting and storing them properly last 

year. Why not take the time now to enjoy the slower 

pace of fall and take care of yourself? You can thank 

me later. • 

urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 3

CONTENTS 

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022 

VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 2 

02 

06 

10 

14 

18 

24 

26 

30 

DAD LIFE - I’M DECLARING IT: FALL IS OFFICIALLY THE SEASON OF DAD SELF-CARE 

NOW THAT THE KIDS ARE BACK IN SCHOOL, IT'S TIME TO FOCUS ON YOURSELF. 

HAVING A BEER WITH JORDAN SCHROEER 

VALLEY NEWS LIVE’S JORDAN SCHROEER SAYS "NO" TO LEFSE, "YES" TO OPRAH, AND AN 

AWKWARD ON-AIR "MAYBE" TO ARETHA FRANKLIN'S DEPARTED SOUL. 

COLD DAYS, HOT BITES - FALL FISHING 

DON'T PUT AWAY YOUR FISHING GEAR JUST YET, THE FALL OFFERS SOME OF THE BEST BITES OF 

THE YEAR! 

WE HAVE FUN! IT’S ALWAYS A SWEET DAY AT THIS FARGO MAINSTAY 

THIS FAMILY-RUN MOM AND POP CANDY SHOP IS SERVING UP SWEETS, TREATS AND GOOD TIMES 

IN FARGO’S VILLAGE WEST SHOPPING CENTER. 

ON THE COVER - DENIS OTTERNESS 

DENIS OTTERNESS SEEKS TO BUILD COMMUNITY AND RELATIONSHIP AS CHIEF OF POLICE FOR WEST 

FARGO POLICE DEPARTMENT. 

ELEVATOR ETIQUETTE 

BEHOLD, ELEVATORS: THE MOST CONVENIENT AND AWKWARD OF INVENTIONS. THEY TAKE YOU 

TO NEW HEIGHTS, ALL WHILE INSTILLING VARYING LEVELS OF SOCIAL ANXIETY FOR FLOOR-HOPPING 

HITCHHIKERS. 

OKTOBERFEST - DRINK BEER AND BE MERRY! 

A GUIDE TO OKTOBERFEST, FROM ITS ORIGIN TO YOUR BACKYARD. 

LOCAL HERO - JOHN HAILE 

WINNING THE WAR WITHIN. NAVY VET'S GREATEST THREAT WASN'T THE HIGH SEAS. 


The 

GOODLIFE 

MEN’S MAGAZINE 

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Dawn Siewert 

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Darren Losee 

darren@urbantoadmedia.com 

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Meghan Feir 

Paul Hankel 

Ben Hanson 

Alexandra Jampsa 

Jeffrey Miller 

Krissy Ness 

Emma Vatnsdal 

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The Good Life Men’s Magazine is distributed six times 

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reproduced without permission. The Good Life Men’s 

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writers or advertisers and do not necessarily represent 

the views or policies of The Good Life Men’s Magazine. 


HAVING A BEER WITH | JORDAN SCHROEER 

WRITTEN BY: BEN HANSON 

PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA 

For a guy who wakes up at 2:40 

a.m. to deliver the news starting at 

4:30 a.m., Valley News Live’s Jordan 

Schroeer was respectably chipper 

when we met for this interview at 

Drekker’s Brewhalla near downtown 

Fargo. Granted, it was a Friday 

afternoon and his weekend had 

already begun, but knowing he’d 

been wearing that freshly pressed 

6 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com 

blue suit since well before sunrise, 

he was still casually at ease and 

seemed intrigued, if not eager to sit 

down to answer — instead of ask — 

the questions. 

The Perham, Minn., native admitted 

that the early morning wakeup call is 

the hardest part of his job anchoring 

Valley Today. Coming in a close 

second… the minimal breaks he gets 

during the broadcast. 

“It is a lot of work to be a one-man 

show,” he said. “You are on for two to 

three-and-a-half hours, depending on 

how much of the show you’re doing. 

You get a two-minute commercial 

break and three minutes for weather. 

So the longest break you get is five

whole minutes. I do not eat a big 

breakfast for obvious reasons.” 

Schroeer has been on the air since 

graduating from MSUM in 2015, 

with one short stint as a corporate 

PR coordinator… a job that in no 

way fit his personality or goals. 

“I got so bored with marketing, 

sitting in a cubicle all day long 

writing press releases,” he said with 

an off-the-record eye roll. “I need 

more excitement and somewhere 

my personality could shine. I can 

also write a press release in about 

30 seconds, so when I was told I 

couldn’t surf Facebook for the rest 

of the day, I was outta there!” 

His ability to crank out content is 

impressive by itself, but it’s just one 

half of Schroeer’s day-to-day magic. 

The other half is the volume of 

work. He has earned the autonomy 

to lead the broadcast and decide 

what makes the cut… and a LOT 

gets to make the cut. 

“If I want a story on the news, I 

can put it on the news,” he said 

without arrogance. “I have a pretty 

good filter as to whether something 

is newsworthy or not, so if I think 

it should be covered I can cover it. 

In an hour, it’s 98 stories roughly. I 

counted once.” 

As we sipped our way to the bottom 

of our first beer, we got into the fun 

topics this column is known for. 

Enjoy. 

If you could interview anyone, alive 

or dead, who would it be and why? 

It’s such a difficult question. There’s 

so many people I would want to 

interview. Do I go super deep and 

philosophical, or interview someone 

wild and crazy? The first one that 

came to mind was Oprah. I love 

Oprah. When I was a kid, I’d get off 

the bus after school, grab my bag of 

chips and Mt. Dew and watch Oprah. 

What did you think about the Oprah 

interview with Harry and Meghan? 

Phenomenal. She was able to get 

answers from them that no one 

had ever been able to get before. It 

absolutely altered the way, I think, 

that the world viewed the royal 

family. 

If you won the $1 billion Mega 

Millions jackpot, what would you 

do? 

I’d start a real estate development 

company… How lame is that? 

Everyone else I talked to about 

it was like I’d buy an island and 

never work again, but leave it to 

me to start a company and keep 

working. I love old buildings. I love 


HAVING A BEER WITH | JORDAN SCHROEER 

places like this [Brewhalla}... taking 

something everyone thought was 

junk and making it into something 

beautiful again. There’s a history 

when you take those old buildings 

and rejuvenate them that you can't 

get back if you bulldoze and build 

something new. The roots of the 

town — no matter what town — and 

when you get rid of that stuff, you get 

rid of the history. 

If Elon Musk called and said you’ve 

been chosen to go on the first manned 

mission to Mars, with no option to 

return to Earth, what would you say? 

No. I would probably get stuck on 

that ship with people who would do 

nothing but annoy me. Plus, I’m too 

attached to my mother. 

It’s your birthday, and your friends 

chip in to buy you a fully grown boa 

constrictor… do you immediately find 

new friends or head to the pet store 

to buy some supplies? 


I immediately find new friends! If 

they buy me a snake, they’re not my 

real friends. No snakes at all. None. I 

like dogs. Who doesn’t? 

You’re in a head-on crash, putting you 

in a coma for a week. Miraculously 

you survive with zero lasting 

injuries… but you had a near-death 

experience while in a coma. What 

did you see and learn? 

Well, the boy that was raised 

Catholic says I was just in a waiting 

room in purgatory doing nothing… 

didn’t learn anything, haha. The non- 

Catholic in me doesn’t know. Do I 

believe in heaven and hell? Yeah, but 

I don’t know what God would do with 

me at that time. May be good, may be 

boring… Who knows? 

Brown sugar or white sugar on your 

lefse? 

See now, um, I actually grew up in 

a German-Dutch family that never 

made lefse. I’ve had lefse. I’ve had 

homemade and store bought. The 

diehard Norwegians will hate me, 

but I cannot tell the difference. If I 

were to guess, though, I would lean 

towards the brown sugar, because 

that just makes sense baking-wise. 

The more appropriate question 

would be sauerkraut on my brat or 

not. Hot or cold kraut? Both really. 

What was your most embarrassing 

on-air moment, and how often do you 

think about it? 

So I try not to think about them a lot, 

because that would be a dark path. A 

lot of people surprisingly watch the 

noon show… It was the day of Aretha 

Franklin's funeral, and I said “she 

will be laid today” instead of “laid to 

rest today”. Someone at a wedding 

once came up to me and told me they 

remembered it! 

What do you pay someone else to do 

that you wish you could do yourself? 

Tile work… to be able to put in a

acksplash or put in a new floor. 

Isn’t that the most adult answer 

ever? I hired someone to put in 

new bathroom flooring. It was 

worth every penny, but I wish I 

could’ve done that myself. And 

you’d be all of your buddies’ best 

friend. 

Have you ever pitched the idea 

to Gray News Media that maybe 

they should change their name to 

Black and White News Media? 

In these times, maybe. You can 

quote me on that one. 

What’s your favorite suit? 

My favorite of all time I don’t 

even have anymore. It was this 

beautiful navy blue with this light, 

light print in it, like a slight plaid. 

It fit perfectly, and I wore it all the 

time. I ripped a hole in it, so that's 

why I can’t wear it anymore. 

What does the good life mean to 

you? 

The good life to me means that 

your heart is fulfilled. It means 

that you go to bed with peace 

inside. • 


COLD DAYS 

HOT BITES! 

WRITTEN BY: JEFFREY MILLER 

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY: JEFFREY MILLER 

Who doesn’t love Autumn? The riot of colors, the sharp 

tang of fall air, and the brisk, cool wind. As a hunter, I try 

to wring the best of fall out of each and every day. Most 

fishermen, however, start putting the boat away after 

Labor Day. That’s a mistake because the fall can offer 

some of the richest fishing of the year. 

Every October, my friend Tony Peterson and I spend the 

second Monday of October, Indigenous People’s Day, 

fishing one of the myriad of lakes in western Minnesota 

lakes. Tony is a die-hard, spending significant time on 

the water from May until October. He prefers to chase 

walleyes but acquiesces to my love of largemouth bass 

and northern pike a few times a year. Fishing under the 

gentle Autumn sun, with a warm glow lacking the sizzling 

bite of Summer, is hard to beat. 

Locations: Finding fish is the first order of the day, and 

Tony starts by looking to the weeds. Rather than going 

shallow where the weeds are starting to die, he searches 

for cabbage patches in 8 to 12 feet of water. The deeper 

weeds offer cover, shade and hiding places for both 

predator and prey fish. 

Lures: Once we locate a likely-looking piece of water 

we begin casting. Tony has a special affinity for the 

spinnerbait, usually tossing a white lure with double 

blades. The spinnerbait has been around for a long time, 

and for good reason. The rubber skirting pulsates in the 

water, the blades add flash, and the single hook is nearly 

weedless, protected by the arm that holds the blades. It 

doesn’t take long before he’s hooked up and battling a 

largemouth. 


While I will fling a spinnerbait as well, I seem to catch 

more fish on a lipless crankbait. The original design, the 

Rat’l’Trap, slices through 

the water with a wiggle and 

shake that fish cannot resist. 

Standing on the bow of the 

boat, peering into the water, 

it’s always a blast to watch 

a northern pike flash out of 

the cabbage and sideswipe 

my crankbait. 

Ice fishermen use light line 

and small lures, trying to 

tempt fish in the cold water. Following that logic, as the 

water cools it would make sense to slow down retrieves 

Most fisherman, however, start 

putting the boat away after Labor 

Day. That’s a mistake because the 

fall can offer some of the richest 

fishing of the year. 

and use smaller lures. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. The 

fish are feeding heavily as they go into winter, much like 

a bear putting on weight 

prior to hibernation. Fast 

retrieves and flashy lures 

help trigger strikes in the 

hungry fish. Tony prefers a 

spinning reel, with a high 

gear ratio, while I like to 

use a bait casting reel. Both 

types work fine for rapid 

retrieves. 

The prey fish that are being 

eaten are larger as well. In the spring, northern pike and 

largemouth bass are targeting smaller, younger fish. As 


fall approaches, those same fish have grown in size. 

Small, slow moving baits waste time for the angler and 

usually result in frustration. 

Time of Day: I hate to admit it, but I really dislike 

getting up early in the morning. A can’t-miss deer 

stand or the need to check my trapline before work 

gets me out of bed, but I 

prefer to do my fishing in 

afternoons and evenings. 

During the summer, that 

time of year finds the lakes 

full of recreational boaters, 

tubers, water skiers and jet 

skis. Getting up early and 

fishing the first few hours 

of daylight offer the best 

angling. 

Luckily, the fall brings 

change. There is less traffic on the lakes, as many 

people have put away their recreational watercraft. 

The water is cooler in the morning, warming slightly 

during the morning and making the fish more active. 

Tony and I usually begin a fall morning sitting on oak 

ridges, hoping for a deer to slip by within bow range. 

The fish are feeding heavily as 

they go into winter, much like a 

bear putting on weight prior to 

hibernation. 

Whether or not we get a deer, we trailer up the boat and 

head out to fish around 10 am. Even then, the first hour 

or so the fishing can be slow, with only an occasional 

fish. Once the sun hits the center of the sky, however, 

it’s like a switch is thrown. I’ll be retrieving a crankbait, 

absentmindedly, when it will feel like a brick wall has 

been hit. If it’s a northern, the fish will pulse down, 

trying to stay in the weeds 

between runs. If it’s a bass, 

the fish will head towards 

the surface, jumping into 

the air with a spray of water, 

looking like diamonds in the 

sunlight. While the jump is 

exciting, it too often works 

out in the bass’s favor, as the 

lure is thrown free. 

The Best Part: While 

spending a day on the water 

with a good friend is great, the best part comes later. 

Twelve to fourteen inch largemouth and northern pike 

nineteen to just under twenty-two inches are fantastic 

on the table. I’ve heard the myth too many times that 

summer bass and pike are “mushy.” That’s simply not 

true. After filleting the catch, soak it overnight in a bowl 


THE AUTHOR WITH A NICE LARGEMOUTH. 

of water in the refrigerator. The fish 

will be as firm as one caught through 

the ice in January. 

Northern pike contain a line of 

Y-bones that, if not removed, make it 

nearly impossible to eat. There are a 

few filleting techniques for removing 

them from the meat, or the fish can 

be pickled or pressure-canned in pint 

jars. Those methods render the bones 

so soft as to be undetectable. 

Don’t let some of the greatest fishing 

of the year pass by. Get the kayak or 

boat out on the water, when nearly 

everyone has called it a year, and 

enjoy some fantastic angling! • 

TONY PETERSON WITH A 

LARGEMOUTH BASS. 


We 

Make 

Fun! 

It’s always 

a sweet day 

at this Fargo 

mainstay 

WRITTEN BY: EMMA VATNSDAL 


With a chime of a bell and a joyful “Have fun!” customers 

of North Dakota’s largest candy store are treated to a 

feast for all the senses. For Lee Paseka, it’s business as 

usual, but for the lucky ones who walk into his store, it’s 

a whole lot more. 

Business has always run in Paseka’s blood, but now it’s a 

bit sweeter. 

“It really started on a low-level,” Paseka said, sitting in the 

bistro area of Sweet Dreams Confections. 

Around him are rows upon rows of enough candy 

to keep our local dentists in business for years, 

a freezer filled with buckets 

of brightly-colored Italian 

delicacies, confectionary cases 

brimming with chocolatey, 

fudgey goodness and salty snacks 

just begging to be added to 

grandma’s coffee table dish. 

Pretty neat for something 

that started off as a flower 

shop. 

“It started out in a 

horticultural sense since 

I was doing landscaping and 

nursery work for (a company),” he 

said. “So I was starting to trim people’s 

bushes and doing small landscaping 

jobs and I decided a part of that I really 

liked was doing flower arranging.” 

Paseka opened his North Fargo 

landscaping and floral business in 1976, 

where he added gifts and goodies as the 

business grew. 

“It just evolved,” Paseka said. “And by that time I met my 

wife, so she kind of grew into (the business) whether she 

wanted to or not. But she went along with it, and we’re 


still married so obviously something worked.” 

The Pasekas moved Lee’s Floral Party Place and Fudge 

Factory to its current residence in Fargo’s Village West 

Shopping Center in 2006. Soon after, they dropped the 

floral business and became Sweet Dreams Confections. 

A sweet escape 

The nearly-50-year-old mom and pop shop works hard 

to give their customers the sweetest escape from the 

outside world. 

"in here, you’ll always have 

fun. Whether you’re having 

a good day or a bad day, 

when you leave here you’ll 

usually have a smile.” 

“We make fun,” said Paseka. “I try to create an environment 

all the time, whatever sections of life that have taken me 

and my business, to make people feel comfortable, feel 

happy when they walk in our doors. This is a fun place 

to be. Going back outside? Maybe not always fun, but in 

here, you’ll always have fun. Whether you’re having a 

good day or a bad day, when you leave here 

you’ll usually have a smile.” 

And it’s hard not to smile when you 

gaze upon the goodies and gifts that 

adorn the shelf-lined store. 

Sweet Dreams is home to oldfashioned 

candy buckets filled to the 


im with colorful salt water taffy in flavors that would 

make the boardwalks of the east coast envious, shiny 

hard candies, shelves of bright, glass soda bottles 

waiting for you to pop their tops, bread and muffin 

mixes, teas, Pride of Dakota salty snacks and more. 

That’s not even counting the bright case filled with 

hand-made chocolate treats, creamy, buttery fudge and 

gelato — an Italian ice cream Paseka makes himself 

with ingredients brought in from the Big Boot itself. 

In other words, the Pasekas know how to please a 

sweet tooth. 

“We bring in stuff from around the world,” he said. “A 

lot of our candies are from all over the country or all 

over the world.” 

However, there is still a special place for the good ol’ 

Midwest among the worldly treats. 

“I get a lot of small businesses from (the Midwest) that 

we bring in,” said Paseka. “Products that have some 

flavor of the things that are from the so-called area. 

We’re not just North Dakota.” 

With so many gourmet products things can get a little 

cramped. But Paseka has a plan. 

“We’re actually going to add on to the store,” he 

said. “There’s a space that’s been empty on the 

other side of that (south) wall that will give us 

2,500 more square feet. We’re kind of cramped, 

so we want to open up a little bit more and add a 

few more things.” 

When it comes to the candy, card and treats 

business, enough is never enough. 


‘That’s what drives me’ 

At the heart of all the chocolate candies is the 

customer, and Paseka says making their day is as 

sweet as it gets. 

“I was a really shy kid,” Paseka said. “It took me 

a long time to come out of that shell as I grew up 

and (young) kids were kind of mean. As I grew up, I 

wanted to make sure others didn’t feel the way I felt 

as a kid. I want to make sure all of my customers 

are treated the way I wish I was. A smile, a friendly 

hello, a great conversation and inviting them back to 

come see me soon. And so that’s my mantra. I will 

always treat people well. I don’t care if I’m having 

a really crummy day, that’s not their problem. I’m 

going to make them feel better about themselves. 

That’s what drives me.” 

Whether it’s a handful of hard candies, an ice cold 

scoop of fresh gelato or that favorite chocolate, 

Paseka and his wife and daughter work hard to 

make customers feel important. 

“In here, (customers can) escape a little bit,” he said. 

“Have some fun, bring their kids. And that’s just one 

of the many things that makes me so giggly, is when 

people come in and bring their family from out of 

town. I think ‘OK, you are doing something right’ 

when they want to show off something that you’re 

doing. When you’re here every day, you can keep it to 

motivate yourself to keep wanting to do better.” 

chocolate, 

sweets, 

salty snacks 

and family. 

that's the recipe 

needed to 'have a 

sweet' day. 

All your 

favorite 

nostalgic 

candies in one 

place! 

But when it comes to the most important piece of 

all, Paseka has one thing on his mind. 

“My good life is my family,” he said. “Family is always 

first. My good life is still being part of my kids’ lives. 

They still want me part of their lives. My grandkids 

give me big hugs, and that’s all the payment I need.” 

Chocolate, sweets, salty snacks and family. That’s 

the recipe needed to ‘Have a sweet day.’ • 


ON THE COVER 

| DENIS OTTERNESS 

WEST FARGO 

DENIS OTTERNESS 

POLICE CHIEF 

WRITTEN BY: JEFFREY MILLER 


Denis Otterness, the Chief of Police in West Fargo 

since 2020, is no stranger to the town. At the very 

beginning of his over 30-year career in law enforcement, 

Otterness was a West Fargo police officer. 

To tell the Chief’s story, we need to go even further 

back in time. Raised in Beach, North Dakota, his first 

positive role models started at home with his father, 

an elementary principal and teacher, and his mother, 

who worked for a local bank. They had hailed from 

Page, North Dakota before following their careers 

west. Chief Otterness’ older brother went back east for 

college, to North Dakota State University. Two years 

later, he followed. 

After graduating with a degree in Criminal Justice and 

a minor in Psychology, he was offered an internship 

in South Bend, Indiana. Otterness was hired there 

in 1991, attended the Police Academy, and worked 

as a police officer until 1994 when he accepted a 

police officer position with the West Fargo Police 

Department. The West Fargo of 1994 was very 

different than the West Fargo of 2022, back when the 

department consisted of a mere 20 officers. 

“I enjoyed my time in West Fargo, and was lucky 

enough to meet my wife, Trisha, during that period. 

Four years later, a great opportunity to advance my 

career came up in Bloomington, Minnesota, and we 

made the difficult decision to relocate.” 

The Twin Cities metropolitan area was a different 

environment than West Fargo, with over 120 police 

officers on staff. In a much larger force, the Chief 

honed his craft, learning from his fellow officers as 

well as his supervisors. Police work is no different 

than any other career in that one can have excellent 

supervisors that allow the employee to learn and grow. 

There can also be ineffective supervisors. 

“I have learned just as much, or more, from the 

ineffective supervisors I’ve known. When there is lack 

of effective leadership, it trickles down to every division 

and employee. Knowing that someday I would be in 

a leadership position, it helped develop me into the 

leader I am today. I certainly didn’t want to replicate 

those missteps in my career.” 

“I was very fortunate to work as a Task Force Officer 

with the Drug Enforcement Administration, doing 

undercover work. I traveled throughout the United 

States, helping take dangerous criminals off the street. 

While it was important work, and I enjoyed doing my 

job, it wasn’t going to be my entire career. Trisha and 

I had twins and being on the road, away from family, 

was difficult.” 


Undercover work comes with a unique set of job 

requirements, including classified travel and work. 

“I know I caused Trisha many sleepless nights, 

worrying about me and my safety. She didn’t always 

know where I was or what I was doing.” 

After over 20 years in Bloomington, ascending to the 

rank of Deputy Chief, the West called the Otterness 

family. “The Chief of the Montana State University 

Billings Police Department opened up, and we made 

the decision to move West. As a family, we love to ski 

and be outdoors, and Billings was the perfect place 

for that.” 

After two years, the Otterness family had settled in 

when a dream job came knocking. “The West Fargo 

Police Chief position opened up and we had to have 

some serious talks about moving again. I didn’t want 

to move my family, but the job was something I had 

dreamed about for a long time. Trisha and I looked 

forward to living closer to our families and our 

twins supported the move. We packed our bags and 

headed home.” 

The West Fargo Police Department was no longer 

the quaint, small-town he had left during the 1990s. 

The city has seen explosive growth in population, 

and the department has followed suit, growing to 

meet the needs of the community. 

It did not take Chief Otterness long to fall in love 

with the new job. “West Fargo is a wonderful and 

welcoming community. Police work has changed 

since I was a rookie officer, with the need for the 

police to not just be the enforcers of the law but a 

trusted part of the community. Without community 

support, policing is extremely difficult.” 

Transparency in policing is important to Chief 

Otterness and meeting community expectations 

to provide a safe community is what he aspires to 

accomplish with the department every day. 


ON THE COVER 


“I am fortunate to work with an amazing staff. 

Everyone is committed to excellence at the West 

Fargo Police Department. That excellence helps 

everyone in the department work together with the 

community to keep us safe. There are expectations 

for the officers and expectations for the community. 

Everyone working together makes our community a 

better place to call home. As a department, we want 

to be as transparent as possible with the public. 

Trust is built through mutual awareness, respect, and 

understanding.” 

Employee retention and growth are very important 

to the Chief. “When I worked in West Fargo early on 

as a police officer, there weren’t many opportunities 

for professional growth due to the smaller size of 

the department. I did not want to work the same job 

for my entire career, and I know many officers today 

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY: DENIS OTTERNESS 


feel the same way. To expose officers to the many 

facets of law enforcement, the West Fargo Police 

Department has developed processes to allow 

for more rotation throughout specialty positions. 

In addition, we have created one-year rotational 

positions to allow officers the opportunity to ‘try 

out’ different assignments before committing to 

long-term appointments. Employees find what 

they really enjoy and can develop their career 

without it stagnating. This is an important tool to 

retain our employees.” 

Working in law enforcement his entire career, it’s 

important for Chief Otterness to develop the next 

generation of leaders. “Leadership is something 

that not every person inherently possesses. 

Leadership needs to be honed through good 

mentorship and opportunity. I had some truly 

excellent leaders help shape my career, and I strive 

to do the same for my officers.” 

In his spare time away from the department, Chief 

Otterness loves to hit the links. “I love to golf, but 

I HAD SOME 

TRULY EXCELLENT 

LEADERS HELP 

SHAPE MY CAREER, 

AND I STRIVE TO 

DO THE SAME FOR 

MY OFFICERS. 


ON THE COVER 



my game is terribly inconsistent. When I’m asked 

about my golf handicap, it’s easiest to say it’s my 

woods and irons!” 

When he’s not chasing around the golf ball with his 

wife, he enjoys time spent with family, most often 

in the outdoors. Upland bird hunting with his son, 

watching his daughter dance competitively, and skiing 

all make his life complete. “We had just bought new 

skis before we left Montana,” he said with a chuckle, 

although they still make time to use those skis every 

now and again. 

I asked Chief Otterness what the Good Life means 

to him. With a pause to reflect, he said “The Good 

Life means being at peace with my faith, family, and 

career. It’s difficult to have a good work life and poor 

home life, and vice versa, so enjoying and finding 

fulfillment in work is best matched with a family I 

love to go home to. I want all of the staff at the police 

department to live the good life, and every day I 

work to create opportunities for them as well as the 

community.” 

In Chief Otterness’ office is a framed photo of 

Derek Jeter. He reflected on the quote “I want to be 

remembered as someone who had a lot of respect 

for the game, his teammates and opponents.” As 

a lifelong Yankees fan, he felt the quote applied to 

more than just baseball. “I am proud to work for 

and represent an organization that has a culture of 

treating everyone with dignity and respect.” • 

I WANT ALL OF THE 

STAFF AT THE POLICE 

DEPARTMENT TO LIVE THE 

GOOD LIFE, AND EVERY 

DAY I WORK TO CREATE 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR 

THEM AS WELL AS THE 

COMMUNITY. 


eLEV ToR ETIQUETTE 

WRITTEN BY: MEGHAN FEIR 

V 

AVOIDING THE 

AWKwARdNESS 

Behold, elevators: the most convenient and 

awkward of inventions. They take you to new 

heights, all while instilling varying levels of 

social anxiety for floor-hopping hitchhikers. 

Besides their intended purpose of transporting 

you to various floors in a building, elevators are 

associated with two things: awkwardness and 

“elevator music.” 

Elevator “muzak,” as the genre is called, was 

undoubtedly invented to make the ride up more 

relaxed and to avoid awkward silence, but even 

posh, cocktail-hour vibes couldn’t solve this 

problem. This is because the issue is human in 

nature, and it starts with you and me. 

How can you make elevator rides less 

uncomfortable for your fellow platform pilgrims 

and you? Read on for some helpful tips and 

heed my warnings. 

A TALE OF CAUTION 

All too often, public speaking, business 

meetings, and elevator rides trigger a response 

in my brain that turns my speaking abilities into 

that of a hermit who hasn’t seen another human 

being in 18 years. Take, for example, this 

instance from my not-so-long-ago apartmentliving 

days. 

This situation was, 100 percent, my fault. 

A nice guy and his 10-ish-year-old son kindly 

offered to hold the elevator for me as I purposely 

lingered at my mailbox. I politely said at least 

three times that they could go ahead. But they 

insisted. They even kindly offered to help me 

carry my numerous Amazon packages. Chivalry 

is not dead, and they proved that. 

But I proceeded to respond with the Midwestern refusal of my 

forefathers and foremothers by saying, “Ohhh, no, don’t worry. 

I’ll be fine!” It is, after all, the most polite way of saying “No, I’ve 

got this. My pride and people-pleasing ways can’t handle being a 

burden by inconveniencing anyone and asking for help.” 

As I carried several packages in my arms, balancing one on top of 

another, I used the side of my foot to scrape the heaviest, largest 

box across the floor. 

Eons later, I reached the elevator, snagged one package on the 

ground and dropped another. 

By this point, I was already so embarrassed that my brain 

decided to just give up. 

When they asked which floor I needed to reach, I said, “I’m four 

floor,” thus transforming into a modern-day cavewoman. 

Help. 


ELEVATOR ETIQUETTE 101 

To avoid being, well, me, here are my top five tips 

on how to make elevator experiences less awkward. 

When I remember to enlist the following tips, my life 

and the lives of those around me improve significantly. 

1. SAY A PROPER HELLO AND GOODBYE 

Look the person in the eye for a second (don’t linger 

the stare for too long), say a simple, nice hello with 

a normal smile on your face. By acknowledging their 

existence, you’ll seem and feel more like a pleasant 

person, make them feel better about humanity, and 

make the atmosphere less stuffy. As you depart, say a 

kind, “Have a nice day!” or its equivalent. 

2. DON’T HIT ON PEOPLE 

I don’t care how attractive the person next to you 

in the elevator is. Don’t hit on them. Just think of 

it: You’re alone with each other in a small, enclosed 

space with no immediate escape. Does it sound like 

a safe scenario for them to be trapped with someone 

who’s clearly hubba-hubba-ing them in their mind? 

The answer is no. 

3. ACCEPT/OFFER HELP 

If someone offers to help, accept it graciously 

sometimes. You’re not ruining their day. If you see 

someone struggling with packages, offer a helping 

hand. 

4. DON’T MAKE WEIRD NOISES 

There are many mysteries of the universe I’ll never 

understand, such as why people talk to themselves in 

public restroom stalls and why strange noises have 

to be made unnecessarily in elevators or elsewhere. 

Leave the muttering and odd noises at home. 

5. BE POLITE, LIKE YOUR MAMA TAUGHT 

YOU MANNERS 

Hold the door for people who are clearly trying to 

make your installment of the ride. Say “please,” 

“thank you,” and some kind of “you’re welcome” 

with a smile on your face and go on pleasantly and 

peacefully with your life. 

6. DON’T TELL YOUR LIFE STORY 

Don’t feel pressured to tell your life story or 

recount all your current problems to your elevator 

acquaintance in 30, 45, or even 60 seconds. Keep 

it casual and pleasant. In the event you get trapped 

in an elevator together for more than 5 hours, that’s 

when an existential crisis is allowed and stories can 

start leaking out. • 


Oktoberfest 

Drink Beer and Be Merry! 

WRITTEN BY: KRISSY NESS 

Oktoberfest has been taking place for 189 years 

though it began 212 years ago, only being canceled 

26 times due to famine, war, and Covid. However, it 

started a bit differently than it is celebrated today. 

In 1810 King Louis I and his bride, Therese von 

Sachsen-Hildburghausen, were married on the twelfth 

of October and was created to celebrate their unity. 

On the fifth day, the event was concluded with a horse 

race in Theresienwiese, an open field that translates 

to "Therese's green." The following year the races 

coincided with an agricultural fair. Still, it wasn't until 

1818 that private booths began serving food and beer. 

Although it is called Oktoberfest, the event was 

extended and began in late September and ends on the 

first of October. The change has been for the comfort 

of the patrons and those working the event because 

Germany gets cold quickly like North Dakota weather. 

Each year the open space, 

Theresienwiese, is closed for 

construction in mid-July to 

build 15 significant beer 

tents and 14 smaller 

tents, according to 

Building Radar. They 

have only ten weeks 

to accomplish 

all of this. 


Additionally, 600 vendors have to set up their 

booths, and everything is made of wood. The 

largest tent can hold 8,000 people. In total, six 

million people attend Oktoberfest from around 

the world. 

Along with the beautiful hand-made structures, 

unique decorations, and the sea of lederhosen, 

a carnival is set up with many rides and shows. 

The traditional ride, Toboggan, is a tower slide 

representing Oktoberfest since 1906. 

One of the most intriguing and long-lasting 

traditions of Oktoberfest in Munich is the rules 

–which there are only two of – and they both 

pertain to the beer. 

First, every beer must follow the Reinheitsgebot, 

often called the "German Beer Purity Law." This 

means the beer must have at least 6% alcohol by 

volume and be pure. When I say it has to be pure, 

it can only have the following ingredients: water, 

barley, hops, yeast, wheat malt, or sugar cane. 

Second, all the beer served at the festival must be 

brewed in the city limits of Munich. 

There are 6 breweries that produce Oktoberfest 

beers under this criteria: Augustiner, Hacker- 

Pschor, Löwenbräu, Paulaer, Spaten, and 

Hofbräuhaus. 

Because of the success of Oktoberfest in 

Munich, it's been recreated all around the world, 

from Tokyo, Japan, to Santa Catarina, Brazil, 

to Cincinnati, Ohio, and more, according to 

TripsToDiscover. 

The Second largest Oktoberfest is held in Santa 

Catarina, Brazil. This event spans over 17 days, 

and over 700,00 people attend. It includes events 

like – a beer drinking competition where you 

cannot spill a drop of beer, music, shows, and 

even a Queen of Oktoberfest contest. 

Tokyo, Japan, is host to the longest-running 

Oktoberfest in Asia. For ten days, the German 

culture sweeps over Hibiya Park and engulfs 

it with Polka music and as many wursts as you 

can imagine, like bratwurst, bockwurst, and 

knackwurst, to name a few. On top of trying some 

of the best German beer, you can also indulge in 

Japanese beer. 


America's largest 

Oktoberfest 

– also known 

as Oktoberfest 

Zinzinnati, is in 

Cincinnati, Ohio. This 

event has been celebrated 

since 1974 and boasts half 

a million people. It begins with the 

Running of the Wieners, where 100 dachshunds 

dressed as hot dogs race to the finish line. Naturally, 

an obscene amount of sauerkraut, bratwursts, and 

pretzels were consumed at this event. 

One of the many reasons Fargo, N.D. is such a 

great community is our diversity. Of the 130,000 

people, 41% in the area have German ancestry, 

according to the World Population Review. 

So it is no wonder we have a bar for just this 

occasion. Würst Bier Hall has two locations, one 

in downtown Fargo and the other in West Fargo. 

All year long, you can belly up to a table or bar and 

get cozy with your neighbor while snacking on 

bratwursts or pretzels and play a round of das boot 

with any number of authentic and non-German 

beers. However, attending Würst Bier Hall during 

Oktoberfest is a whole new experience. The Polka 

music is pumping from the speakers, the tap lines 

are filled with some of the best beer Germany has 

to offer, and the staff always gets into the fun by 

wearing traditional lederhosen. I have attended 

their Oktoberfest celebration a few times, and it is 


a great way to spend time with 

fellow community members 

and enjoy the German culture. 

Whether you travel halfway 

across the country or mosey 

down to your local German 

restaurant, you owe it to 

yourself to check out what 

Oktoberfest offers. 

The good life to me means 

filling your belly with authentic 

German food and beer while 

celebrating your community 

with your community. Prost! • 


LOCAL HERO | JOHN HAILE 

Winning the 

war within 

Navy Vet's Greatest Threat 

Wasn't the High Seas 


WRITTEN BY: ALEXANDRA JAMPSA 


It’s 1973. Nixon’s Watergate scandal unfolded. 

Stove Top Stuffing hit the shelves. Inflation tripled. 

Hamburger Helper became all the rage. A gallon of 

gas sold for a whoppin’ 39 cents. And the U.S. saw the 

worst recession since the 1930s. 

Amongst it all, men and women signed up to serve at 

the tail-end of the Vietnam war – a time described as 

“peaceful” by recruiters. A decision meant to escape 

family dysfunction and pay for college would be 

inadvertently traded for the title of “addict” for one 

17-year-old boy. And there would be no do-overs. 

“I became a really bad man," says the now 67-year-old. 

Surviving Dysfunction 

One of five kids, John grew up in Omaha, 

Neb. He never fit in at school, and because 

of the unpredictableness of home life, he 

never brought friends home. "If my dad didn't 

approve, they weren't allowed,” John says. “And 

he never liked any of the people I associated 

with." 

School was simply an extension of his home 

life. Miserable. 

“My dad was hard on us. He was …” John 

pauses, wincing. “He was abusive verbally, 

physically, mentally, emotionally.” As for his 

mom, she lived a controlled life. John’s dad 

directed what she could or couldn’t wear, what 

she could do and where she could go. 

John became “the quiet child” to stay out of 

trouble. "I watched my older brother not be 

careful and saw what happened,” he says. 

"There was a lot of dysfunction in our family. 

Things that happened in our home, stayed in 

our home.” 

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: JOHN HAILE 

From age 7 to 16, he slung newspapers, 

saving up for his first motorcycle – and a taste 

of freedom. Later on, he traded his paper 

route for working at the local grocery store as 

another way to avoid home. 

Finally, at 17 when he couldn’t “put up with the crap 

anymore”, John enlisted with the U.S. Navy. While 

still in the Vietnam era, recruiters boasted about 

“peace time,” and that he’d “never go near Vietnam.” 

Reality would prove otherwise but that wouldn’t stop 

John from seeking safety in comradery. 

A New Start in the Navy 

Suiting up for basic training in November of ‘73, John 

was immediately stationed on the U.S.S. Cleveland 

LPD 7 amphibious fleet. Carrying 1,490 officers, 

troops, enlisted sailors and Marines, and flag staff, the 

ship barged through treacherous waters for a 6-month 

deployment in early 1974. 

John’s low rank paired with highly classified missions 

meant he was kept in the dark. “There would be nights 

when there’d be an island off in the distance and, the 

next day, it wouldn't be there … because they'd just 

bomb it.” 



"I became a really 

bad man." 

John transformed from “the quiet child” into a 

young man who finally fit in. Lacking immunity 

from the peer pressure leading to drugs, alcohol 

and fresh ink – he got his first tattoo overseas, 

depicting the butterflies from the stationary his 

mom used to write him. 

John’s crew made things happen. “We'd go 

into port in Bangkok, I’d pick up anything we 

needed drug-wise and bring it back,” John says. 

His buddy would summon him, lower the crane, 

hoist the drugs onto the ship and hide them. 

"They'd have the drug dogs, sniffing and looking 

for stuff. We even put pepper down to mess 

with their noses,” John says. “By the time I had 

gotten out of the service, I’d pretty much tried 

everything. And if I liked it, I tried it twice." 

The drugs began a self destructive – if, at the 

time, promising – few years for John. He was 

married, divorced, bulked up, got mean and was 

deployed for a second mission in 1975. 

“I became this guy where if you had it, I wanted 

it, I took it," he says. “I found out how to not 

let people mess with me, degrade me anymore. 

Because I became a really bad man." 

A Downhill Spiral 

Hanging up his white hat in November 1976, 

John worked while getting his associate's degree 

in Welding Fabrication & Technology. Paid for by 

Veterans Affairs, his degree finally delivered the 

dream that made him join the Navy in the first 

place. 

Just six months after his divorce, John married for 

the second time. The two appeared to be a great 

match in the beginning … but it didn’t take long for 

things to escalate. 

Pot, hash, uppers, downers, acid, mescaline, 

mushrooms, hallucinogens – nothing was off the 

table, at least for the first try. She was drinking, 

John was using. She was working nights in a bar, 

he was pulling late nights for work. 


“I started pulling money out of accounts I shouldn't 

have been," he says. "There were things I never

thought I’d do in my life that were happening, because 

I was in the wrong crowd of people. I just kept getting 

meaner and meaner." 

It all came down to one physical night in 1985, despite 

what John had sworn to himself – that he’d never 

become the person he grew up with at home. His 

marriage ended, tied with the ribbon of restraining 

orders. 

"At that point in my life, I'm hitting a really hard 

bottom,” he says. “My mom and dad had disowned me. 

My brothers and sisters said, 'We want nothing to do 

with you. Stay away from us.' And I did." 

An Unexpected Chain of Events 

Living the aftermath of his second divorce in a “rathole 

house” at 29 years old, John was relieved to finally feel 

needed. His cousin had gotten into trouble and called 

John for a place to escape. Feeling desperately alone, 

John welcomed his cousin and his girlfriend with open 

arms. 

“Then low and behold, by the grace of God, a chain 

of events happened in my life ..." John says. John’s 

cousin and girlfriend introduced him to a friend and 

one night, the woman asked John to a dance. He 

reluctantly agreed. 

"At this point, I'm a full-blown drunk and addict. 

She takes me into this place, and I have no idea 

what it is,” he says. “She introduces me to her 

sponsor and all her friends. All of a sudden, I'm at 

a recovery function." 

What John knew was that he wasn’t going to leave 

that night until his friend’s sponsor, Kathy, agreed 

to dance with him. What he didn’t know was that 

Kathy would eventually become his wife. 

"Kathy had a heart of gold. She was living on her 

own, has a great job – all this stuff in her life is 

going in the right direction,” John says. “At this 

point, she’d been sober for five years.” 

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY: JOHN HAILE 

Despite the look of fear in her eyes, Kathy finally 

took John’s hand and was swept away for the last 

dance. Just days later, when John called to ask 

her on a date, she agreed. Kathy saw the nice, 

respectful man in John. Six months later, they tied 

the knot in 1986. 

"I never should have had her, except by the grace of 

God," John says. “I stayed sober for a while because 

I needed to for her." 

A Defining Moment 

John continued attending meetings with Kathy 

but was also working for the railway – an industry 

known for drinking and using drugs. 

"I'm runnin' with people in recovery and 

understood what they were saying, but apparently 

I wasn't ready yet," John says. "Somebody offered 

me a drug, I took it and it was ‘game on’ again for 

another two years or so." 

All the while, he miraculously hid it from his wife, 

son and newborn daughter. "I was livin' in a world 

of denial – taking money out of accounts and lying 



"THE ‘Bad boy’ has gone away completely now. 

He's not there anymore." 

to her,” John says. "But she was starting to catch on, and 

I knew it.” 

John had already destroyed two marriages and was 

starting to recognize the common denominator. When 

he finally fessed up, Kathy told him to “do something 

about this, or I’m leaving with the kids.” That’s when 

John started outpatient treatment. 

One day, John’s counselor made him face his wife. "Kathy 

started talking, looking me right in the eye and she's 

crying,” John recalls. “In that moment, I realized the one 

person who trusted me with her life and two children 

... I had lost everything in that defining moment. That's 

when it really started making sense of what I needed to 

do." 

Sobriety & Sponsorships 

It took time, but slowly John rebuilt trust with his wife 

and officially got sober on December 21, 1990, at 35. 

He started to discover a life richer than he’d ever known. 

But not without an eye-opening diagnosis. 

"I got really sick in 2011, and I was dying. Nobody 

knew what it was," John explained. Nine months later, 

the National Lung Institute in Denver diagnosed him 

with interstitial lung disease, causing progressive lung 

tissue scarring, and prescribed the high-powered meds 

to combat. 

John later discovered his full benefits through Veterans 

Affairs, including prescription coverage, hearing aids 

and lifetime disability checks to cover hearing loss 

incurred while deployed. 

John and Kathy moved from Omaha to Fargo in 2015 

to be closer to grandchildren. But leaving his trusted 

recovery community in Omaha meant John needed to 

find the same in Fargo. 

"Seven years later here, and my life is great,” John says, 

now retired. He continues attending meetings and 


sponsors six others in recovery. “When they're talking, it makes me think 

about things in my life. They’re helping me more than I'll ever be able to 

explain." 

Without recovery, John often wonders where he’d be. Kathy pulled him out 

of the depths of hell. In fact, he still asks her, “Why me?” She responds, 

“Because I knew there was something in you. You just needed to find it.” 

John also repaired relationships deemed irreparable. John’s mother was 

battling cancer when his dad died in 1998. His mom followed six months 

later. On her deathbed, the woman who had disowned him said, “I am so 

glad you came back to us,” John recalls. "I still look the devil in the eye. But 

the ‘bad boy’ has gone away completely now. He's not there anymore." 

The Good (Sober) Life 

Thirty-six years married and 31 years sober, John says the good life is 

"peace and serenity. I have the good life, but the greatest thing I can tell you 

is I get to sit here a free man.” 

That doesn’t mean he’s free of daily challenges, anxiety or other great 

surprises life thrusts his way. It means he deals with those issues differently 

today – instead of turning to the bottle. He attends meetings where people 

understand him. 

“I've seen people hang themselves, shoot themselves – I've seen it all. And 

I've had to bury them, because they didn't get their act together,” John says. 

"You better find something greater than yourself, because otherwise you 

don't stand a chance.” •

The Good Life – September-October 2022

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