The Good Life – May-June 2023
On the cover – Featured in this issue is an interview with District Court Judge Johnathan Judd. Also in this issue: Dad Life on the Topic of Discipline, Drekker’s Super Mega Expansion, Hip-Hop and Hope, Having A Beer with KVRR’s Chief Meteorologist Max Mueller and more!
On the cover – Featured in this issue is an interview with District Court Judge Johnathan Judd.
Also in this issue: Dad Life on the Topic of Discipline, Drekker’s Super Mega Expansion, Hip-Hop and Hope, Having A Beer with KVRR’s Chief Meteorologist Max Mueller and more!
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DAD LIFE<br />
I Love You,<br />
but You’re Grounded<br />
WRITTEN BY: PAUL HANKEL<br />
As a parent, especially a dad, one of your most important<br />
duties is to properly ground your children when they<br />
misbehave. I am definitely from the, “spare the rod, spoil<br />
the child,” era. However, with the many advances within<br />
the realm of parenting during the last few decades, I<br />
think it’s important to constantly seek input and have an<br />
open mind. Especially when confronted with the topic of<br />
discipline.<br />
Grounding can be a tricky business, and if you're not<br />
careful, you could end up causing more harm than good.<br />
So, to help you out, here are some humorous (I hope) tips<br />
on how to properly ground your children, from the world’s<br />
okayest dad.<br />
Explain Why.<br />
First and foremost, make sure your child knows exactly<br />
why they're being grounded. Don't just say "because I said<br />
so." Early on, I was guilty of this. I call it, the “I wear the<br />
pants,” syndrome. Instead, you owe them an explanation<br />
of what they did wrong and why it's not okay. If they still<br />
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don't get it. Will it drive you nuts when they keep asking,<br />
“but why”? Absolutely. But you owe it to the mini version<br />
of yourself to explain what they did wrong so that they<br />
have the opportunity to grow and correct their behavior.<br />
Grounding is Temporary. Parenting is Forever.<br />
When it comes to choosing the duration of the grounding,<br />
think carefully. You don't want to make it too short,<br />
because then it won't have much of an impact. But you<br />
also don't want to make it too long, because then your<br />
child might start to think they're actually in prison. A good<br />
rule of thumb is to base the length of the grounding on the<br />
severity of the offense. For example: backtalk me once - I<br />
appreciate your spirit! You’ll make a great lawyer one day!<br />
But, continuing to backtalk me is a sign of disrespect and<br />
necessitates an appropriate consequence.<br />
Explain the Rules.<br />
Make sure your child understands the rules of their<br />
grounding. Can they still use electronics? Can they go<br />
outside? Can they have friends over? If you're not clear
about the boundaries, your child might try to push the<br />
limits. And if they do, it's important to stick to your guns.<br />
If you say they can't watch TV, don't let them watch<br />
TV. And, yes, no tv includes watching YouTube on your<br />
tablet, phone, or computer too! If you say they can't leave<br />
the house, don't let them leave the house. It's all about<br />
consistency.<br />
I know I’m not the only one who has laid down the lay<br />
and grounded my kid from screentime, only to realize<br />
we have a three-hour road trip ahead of us and that the<br />
road trip is now going to be….interesting. It sucks, but<br />
you must remain consistent.<br />
Teachable Moments.<br />
Remember that grounding doesn't have to be all bad.<br />
For example: If they are grounded from technology<br />
or screentime, use the time to teach your child some<br />
valuable life skills, like how to do laundry, cook a meal,<br />
or *GASP* clean their own room! This way, they'll<br />
come out of the grounding with some new skills and a<br />
renewed sense of responsibility. Hopefully...<br />
Have a Heart.<br />
Don't forget to show some empathy. Your child is<br />
probably feeling pretty lousy about being grounded, so<br />
try to be understanding. Offer them some comfort and<br />
let them know that you still love them even though they<br />
messed up. And if all else fails, remember that one day<br />
they'll be grown up and out of the house, and you'll miss<br />
these days, even the ones when you had to ground them.<br />
Consistency is Key.<br />
Follow through: along with consistency, it's important to<br />
follow through with your punishment. If your children<br />
break the rules or try to argue/wiggle/finagle their<br />
way out of punishment, you need to extend the time.<br />
If you let them get away with it, they'll know you're a<br />
pushover and will start acting up more. We’ve all seen<br />
the stereotypical sitcom dad that the kids run to when<br />
they’re in trouble, while the sitcom mom glares in the<br />
background. Do NOT be that guy.<br />
It’s not Forever but may Feel Like It.<br />
Finally, remember that parenting is a marathon, not<br />
a sprint. <strong>The</strong>re will be ups and downs, successes and<br />
failures, and plenty of grounding along the way. But in<br />
the end, if you've done your job right, you'll have raised<br />
a responsible, well-adjusted, and hopefully, slightly less<br />
rebellious adult. And if all else fails, you can always tell<br />
yourself that one day, they'll be grounding their own<br />
kids, and then they'll understand just how hard it is to be<br />
a parent. And then you get to visit and be a grandparent<br />
and exact sweet revenge on them!<br />
So there you have it, some humorous tips on how to<br />
properly ground your children. Remember, grounding is<br />
a serious business, but that doesn't mean you can't have<br />
a little fun with it. <strong>Good</strong> luck! •<br />
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CONTENTS<br />
MAY-JUNE<br />
<strong>2023</strong><br />
VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 6<br />
02<br />
DAD LIFE - I LOVE YOU, BUT YOU'RE<br />
GROUNDED<br />
18<br />
ON THE COVER -<br />
JUDGE JOHNATHAN JUDD<br />
We live in a world of parenting blogs and<br />
murky advice. Especially on the topic of<br />
discipline.<br />
An exceptional leader and man: His name is<br />
Johnathan Judd, but his friends call him JJ<br />
06<br />
10<br />
HIP-HOP AND HOPE<br />
Former police officer launches nonprofit to<br />
connect with incarcerated kids and adults.<br />
STALKING EDIBLE FUNGI<br />
Foraging, identifying and harvesting safe<br />
wild fungi is both fun and delicious!<br />
24<br />
26<br />
HOMEWARD ANIMAL SHELTER<br />
Find your new best friend!<br />
HAVING A BEER WITH - MAX MUELLER<br />
Once terrified of thunderstorms, KVRR’s<br />
Chief Meteorologist discovered a love of<br />
photography that forced a reckoning with<br />
his weather nemesis.<br />
14<br />
DREKKER'S SUPER MEGA EXPANSION!<br />
Drekker's newest expansion, Brewhalla, is a<br />
guaranteed good time.<br />
30<br />
LOCAL HERO - CURT CANNON<br />
Whether it’s housing, medical or financial,<br />
the Clay County Veterans Service Office<br />
knows it takes a village.<br />
4 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
<strong>The</strong><br />
GOODLIFE<br />
MEN’S MAGAZINE<br />
PUBLISHED BY<br />
Urban Toad Media LLP<br />
www.urbantoadmedia.com<br />
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Paul Hankel<br />
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Krissy Ness<br />
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darren@urbantoadmedia.com<br />
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urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 5
Former police officer launches nonprofit to<br />
connect with incarcerated kids and adults<br />
WRITTEN BY: AMY WIESER WILLSON<br />
PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
“I feel like I’m home when I’m with these people who are<br />
locked up,” Michael Bloom told his wife in 2021.<br />
It marked a turning point for the Fargo Police Department<br />
officer who had found his calling over the course of his<br />
career.<br />
“During my time as a police officer, I was really passionate<br />
about reaching kids in need in our community, whether<br />
they were fatherless, in poverty, or struggling in school,”<br />
Bloom said. “We just wanted to be a voice and a resource<br />
for them.”<br />
A BRIGHT SPARK<br />
At that time, it was Bloom and his Fargo PD partner, Matt<br />
Niemeyer, who obtained a grant that allowed them to<br />
begin going into juvenile hall and local treatment centers.<br />
“It just started to spark with us,” Bloom said.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y began hosting live events for the kids that included<br />
faith-based hip-hop artists and community leaders. At<br />
Christmastime, they partnered with local churches for<br />
an outreach event at the juvenile detention center that<br />
included gift bags and a spread of pulled pork, brisket,<br />
beans and more.<br />
It wasn’t just a feel-good endeavor. <strong>The</strong> positive changes in<br />
the youths’ lives became obvious.<br />
“It really worked and helped them connect with their<br />
purpose and who they really are,” Bloom said.<br />
<strong>The</strong> officers were accomplishing great things, but they<br />
also saw the opportunity to do more. <strong>The</strong>y expanded into<br />
adult outreach and began hosting events focused on faith,<br />
hope and leadership.<br />
FUELING THE FIRE<br />
Not wanting to stop there, Bloom decided to turn that<br />
outreach into more than part of his job. He wanted to give<br />
it his full focus. So, in <strong>June</strong> 2022, he left the Fargo Police<br />
Department, and in July he launched a nonprofit, Hip-Hop<br />
and Hope Tours.<br />
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“WE JUST REALLY TRY TO<br />
MEET THEM IN THE MIDDLE OF<br />
THEIR MESS, WHICH IS REALLY<br />
WHERE THEY’RE AT WHEN<br />
THEY’RE INCARCERATED.”<br />
<strong>–</strong> MICHAEL BLOOM<br />
He hosted his first event that month,<br />
connecting with 55 kids over two days in<br />
an event that featured a Tampa, Floridabased<br />
hip-hop artist named Longboi. He<br />
witnessed the strong connections made<br />
and continued to grow his reach.<br />
Hip-Hop and Hope Tours has since hosted<br />
events as close as Clay County, Minnesota,<br />
and as far as Valley State Prison, a Level<br />
2 prison in California. In December, they<br />
hosted two Christmas events, and this<br />
spring, they hosted events at the Moorhead<br />
Area Learning Center, West Regional Juvenile<br />
Center and Cass County Jail. Altogether, the<br />
outreaches touched the lives of 90 kids and<br />
82 adults. At the end of April, the team headed<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 7
HIP-HOP &<br />
west to the Youth Correctional Center and Teen Challenge<br />
in Mandan and the Boys and Girls Ranch in Minot.<br />
Partnerships throughout the community contribute to the<br />
program’s success. Support comes from local churches<br />
and connections come from the F5 Project, Youth for<br />
Christ and Jail Chaplains. Isai Rojas, better known as “E,”<br />
at Skill Cutz comes in monthly to provide free haircuts for<br />
kids in the detention center.<br />
“We just really try to meet them in the middle of their<br />
mess, which is really where they’re at when they’re<br />
incarcerated,” Bloom said.<br />
Although they hosted an event in California, which is<br />
where Bloom grew up, the nonprofit’s goal is to “stay<br />
local and pollinate across the whole state.” Bloom wants<br />
to hit key locations two to three times each year across<br />
North Dakota in addition to the regular work he’s doing in<br />
Cass County and Clay County. He feels they can “sow the<br />
greatest harvest locally.”<br />
While the programming started with kids, its expansion to<br />
reach adults has been met with a positive reception.<br />
“This is not me at all. I believe it’s totally God,” Bloom<br />
said. “Men and women feel refreshed when we visit them.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y remember they’re human again. <strong>The</strong>y start talking<br />
about their kids and their goals.”<br />
BLAZE OF GLORY<br />
Many want to maintain the connections that they make<br />
during the programs, which are offered in a variety of<br />
8 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
formats. Beyond the regular workshops and<br />
visitations at local jails and detention centers,<br />
Hip-Hop and Hope Tours offers regular monthly,<br />
quarterly and annual events.<br />
“Night of Hope” events take place each month for<br />
men and women who are incarcerated as well as<br />
those in juvenile detention.<br />
Bloom hosts a Family Unite event every quarter<br />
that helps incarcerated people spend quality time<br />
with family and loved ones.<br />
Hip-Hop and Hope Tours also provides two-day<br />
workshops throughout the year. <strong>The</strong>se include<br />
hip-hop performances, Gospel presentations and<br />
breakout sessions tailored to the group, whether<br />
adults or youths.<br />
Hip-Hop and Hope Tours relies on donations<br />
to make all of this happen. <strong>The</strong>y don’t charge<br />
the detention centers or other partners but<br />
instead solicit contributions on their website,<br />
hiphopandhopetours.com. Those donations help<br />
bring some hope — a taste of the good life, you<br />
could say — to those who need it most.<br />
“To me, the good life means just following God<br />
and loving people and helping people get where<br />
they’re trying to go,” Bloom said. “For us, it’s<br />
helping people in prison stay out of prison, connect<br />
with their kids, get a job, and let them know they’re<br />
not done.” •<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 9
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Foraging, identifying<br />
and harvesting<br />
safe wild fungi is both<br />
fun and delicious!<br />
I slammed on the brakes, startling my daughter<br />
Maia in the passenger seat. Before she was able<br />
to question me on the sudden stop. I pointed,<br />
through the rain splattered windshield, to a tree<br />
along the boulevard. Smack dab in the middle<br />
of the trunk of a green ash, seven feet above<br />
the ground, a chicken of the woods mushroom<br />
glowed like a lantern. Maia just shook her head<br />
as I jumped out of the car, intent on getting<br />
permission from a bewildered homeowner to<br />
harvest the delicious fungi.<br />
Safe Mushrooming<br />
Before ever leaving the house to stalk wild fungi,<br />
a word on safety is imperative. Unlike toxic<br />
wild fruits, which usually require ingesting a<br />
substantial amount of fruit to become sick, toxic<br />
fungi can cause death in even small amounts.<br />
Unless the forager is 100 percent sure of the<br />
identification of a mushroom, do not eat them.<br />
Toxic fungi don’t allow for second chances.<br />
Edible Species<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are a variety of edible species in<br />
Minnesota and North Dakota, but I’ve<br />
found there are three species that are<br />
easy to identify and delicious on the<br />
table.<br />
Morel<br />
I grew up hunting morel mushrooms<br />
in the spring around my home farm<br />
in southcentral Minnesota. Similar<br />
to deer hunting, nearly everyone<br />
participated in the hunt and honey<br />
holes were closely guarded secrets.<br />
Morels have a distinctive honeycomb<br />
appearance, with a deeply pitted and<br />
ridged cap. <strong>The</strong> interior of both the cap<br />
and stem are hollow. Morels have no<br />
gills and range in color from pale brown<br />
or black to nearly blonde.<br />
morel mushroom<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 11
A look-alike, the false morel, has a stem filled with a<br />
cotton-like substance, and a reddish-brown cap that is<br />
folded. False morels are toxic.<br />
Morels are found in a variety of locations and are most<br />
often found in disturbed forests or recently burned areas.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y will often appear in the same location year after year,<br />
once a single mushroom is found, you can count on more.<br />
Searching for morels consists of walking slowly, focusing<br />
on the ground in disturbed areas. Quite like the “magic<br />
eye” posters of the 1990s, the mushrooms are nearly<br />
invisible until one is found. With “morel eyes,” they seem<br />
to be everywhere! When harvesting, cut the morel off an<br />
inch or so above the ground. Never pull them out of the<br />
ground, as it may damage the underlying mycelium.<br />
<strong>The</strong> best way to enjoy morels is when they are fresh from<br />
the forest. Wash them to remove dirt, debris, and insects<br />
then pat dry. Heat butter in a pan, slice the fungi into<br />
strips, and flash fry. <strong>The</strong> earthy taste pairs pleasantly with<br />
game meat and fried fish.<br />
Chicken of the Woods<br />
Chicken of the woods, also known as Sulphur shelf, are<br />
bright orange to yellow shelf clusters that are found on<br />
trees. Some of the species feed on dead or dying trees<br />
while others feed on live trees which causes localized<br />
rotting of the wood. <strong>The</strong>y can be found from late spring<br />
through early fall in forested areas.<br />
I’ve had the most success finding them directly on oak and<br />
green ash trees. Despite finding a large one over seven<br />
feet above the ground, most often they are found near the<br />
base of the tree. <strong>The</strong> bright color fades as the mushroom<br />
matures and loses edibility, turning pale and crumbly.<br />
Chicken of the woods grow from a few pounds to double<br />
or triple that size!<br />
Remove the mushroom with a knife, leaving a few inches<br />
attached to the tree. <strong>The</strong> inner portion of the fungi is dense<br />
and stiff, while the outer edges are softer. I cut each shelf<br />
into layers, starting from the outside working inward, until<br />
the mushroom starts to become dense. <strong>The</strong> softer portion<br />
is the best eating.<br />
Rinse the slices to remove debris and fry in a pan of butter.<br />
Chicken of the woods smells and tastes much like chicken,<br />
with a lemony undercurrent. When we are fortunate<br />
enough to find a chicken of the woods, we eat it as our<br />
main course. If you are trying it for the first time, don’t<br />
indulge too much. Some people have gastrointestinal<br />
distress the next day when consuming too much of it.<br />
Chicken of the woods are rich, so enjoy in moderation.<br />
Shaggy Mane<br />
Unlike morels and chicken of the<br />
woods, which usually require<br />
searching in wooded areas, shaggy<br />
manes often pop up in mowed<br />
lawns. In late summer into early<br />
fall, after a rainy event, shaggy<br />
manes can be found in lawns<br />
and areas of compacted land<br />
along driveways or walking<br />
paths.<br />
Shaggy manes have a scaly,<br />
conical cap that are whitish in<br />
color. <strong>The</strong> stems are fibrous and<br />
shaggy mane<br />
12 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
chicken of the woods<br />
hollow. <strong>The</strong>y are only edible when<br />
young, because as they mature, they<br />
excrete a black, inky substance.<br />
Soon after, they collapse into a<br />
puddle of goo. <strong>The</strong>re is a short<br />
window of time to harvest the fungi.<br />
After harvest, shaggy manes<br />
degrade quickly. In a matter of<br />
hours, a harvested mushroom will<br />
degrade into a black puddle, so<br />
eating them soon after harvest is<br />
essential.<br />
Unlike the morel and chicken of the<br />
woods, shaggy manes have a much<br />
more subtle flavor. Frying them<br />
simply in butter, they are best used<br />
in pasta or chicken dishes. Heavier,<br />
more intensely flavored dishes will<br />
overwhelm the flavor.<br />
Stalking Edible Fungi<br />
Hunting wild fungi is a great way<br />
to spend time outdoors and bring<br />
home a delicious meal. <strong>The</strong> wild<br />
fungi found in our area are not<br />
grown on a commercial level,<br />
making them a rare feast for a<br />
mushroom stalker wise enough to<br />
find them!<br />
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DREKKER'S<br />
SUPER MEGA<br />
EXPANSION!<br />
WRITTEN BY: KRISSY NESS<br />
PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
<strong>The</strong> wheels on the machine that is Drekker Brewing<br />
Company have been turning since the fall of 2014,<br />
with the opening of their first brewery in downtown<br />
Fargo. <strong>The</strong>n, in the fall of 2018, they moved to their<br />
current location, just west of downtown Fargo, in an<br />
old railroad repair shop from the early 1880s that<br />
transformed into the beautiful space it is today. <strong>The</strong><br />
most recent cog in this machine began turning in<br />
March of <strong>2023</strong>, which is flawlessly named, Brewhalla.<br />
Bringing new and exciting events to the community<br />
is what Drekker is all about. People from all over the<br />
country have poured into their taprooms to not only<br />
experience their wide variety of beer and alcoholic<br />
treats but also to be a part of the magic.<br />
"We're just excited to be a part of a community that<br />
wants to add to that experience and have a life that<br />
is fun, strange, cool, and fulfilling," exclaimed Mark<br />
Bjornstad, co-owner of Drekker Brewing Company.<br />
Drekker is known for throwing some off-the-wall events<br />
where you will find <strong>–</strong> onsite flash tattoo artists, tarot<br />
readings, an entire carnival taking over their parking<br />
lot, live music, and so much more. That energy has<br />
transferred soundly into Brewhalla.<br />
With an impressive four stories, this space holds shops<br />
of all varieties, including but not limited to - a craft<br />
store, a plant shop, various types of food and drink,<br />
including two additional bars exclusively serving<br />
Drekker's fun and inventive tap beers and tasty frozen<br />
treats, and two event spaces. Not to mention ample<br />
space to lounge on the second floor, and two additional<br />
levels of hotel rooms, which will be available to book<br />
soon.<br />
While Brewhalla has only been open for a month, they<br />
wasted no time bringing it to life with, Fooler's Ball.<br />
"On our third weekend being open, we threw a giant<br />
beer festival; it was unlike a festival anyone had ever<br />
been to before, full of cool experiences and cool<br />
activations," said Bjornstad. "By being recognized<br />
nationally and making those connections, other<br />
breweries are coming to Fargo."<br />
"We're just excited to be a part of a community that<br />
wants to add to that experience and having a life that is<br />
fun, strange, cool, and fulfilling." <strong>–</strong> Mark Bjornstad<br />
14 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 15
This event welcomed breweries and guests from all over<br />
the country to sample beer, partake in the festivities, and<br />
enjoy Fargo.<br />
With all the growth Drekker has seen, and the connections<br />
they have made, it was very clear from the beginning they<br />
were going to keep pushing in the brewery by creating<br />
new and unique beer while simultaneously creating<br />
their next big project. By attending festivals worldwide,<br />
distributing beer nationwide and into other countries,<br />
and hosting their events, they have made a name for<br />
themselves that speaks volumes.<br />
Bjornstad often acknowledged the "team" as he spoke<br />
about the ongoing projects at Drekker and Brewhalla,<br />
saying that this machine wouldn't be what it is today<br />
without each team member.<br />
"What Drekker has become in the community and what<br />
Drekker has been nationally, we were able to keep true<br />
to our beliefs and our way of doing things on both of<br />
those seemingly different paths," said Bjornstad. "We are<br />
both an inward-looking company and an outward-looking<br />
company … I am super happy that we are doing what<br />
we said we were going do, living out the dream for the<br />
community but also for the team."<br />
I spoke with Bjornstad about what he wants Brewhalla to<br />
mean to the community and what he hopes to see come<br />
of it, and the answer was simple.<br />
"A life happens in moments lived; we believe in creating<br />
a space where that can happen," exclaimed Bjornstad.<br />
"If we keep pushing the boundary of what Fargo can be<br />
and what it means to be living a really good life in Fargo,<br />
Fargo is going to change."<br />
With the expansion of Drekker throughout the years, how<br />
can they top this? What could be next?<br />
16 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
"We have been very clear that we are not done; we<br />
are not satisfied with opening Brewahalla. What<br />
we're building here, this is a machine, this is a<br />
good time factory; it is going to run and spin, and<br />
we're always going to be churning out something<br />
new," said Bjornstad.<br />
<strong>The</strong> realization that this is just the beginning for<br />
Drekker is incredible, and I cannot wait to see<br />
what crazy idea they come up with next! It has<br />
been amazing to watch this company grow into the<br />
animal it is and bring the community together with<br />
people from all over the country to step into their<br />
world and enjoy it, if even for a moment.<br />
Many subjects came up when discussing the good<br />
life, but one quote stood out more to me than any<br />
other.<br />
"We believe in catalyzing moments where people<br />
come together and share something weird and<br />
extraordinary, and that experience becomes an<br />
experience of their lives," said Bjornstad. “<strong>The</strong>re is<br />
always a new experience to be had at Brewhalla.” •<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 17
ON THE COVER | JOHNATHAN JUDD<br />
Who is Judge Johnathan Judd?<br />
18 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
WRITTEN BY: HILLARY SORENSON<br />
PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
An exceptional leader and man:<br />
His name is Johnathan Judd, but his friends call him JJ<br />
Judge Johnathan Judd is more than a<br />
District Court Judge in Minnesota’s Seventh<br />
Judicial District located in Fergus Falls.<br />
Johnathan is a father, spouse, and a walking,<br />
talking, breathing example of what society<br />
needs as a model and leader of the community.<br />
Who Is Johnathan Judd?<br />
From humble beginnings in Raleigh, North<br />
Carolina, Johnathan has called Minnesota<br />
“home” for nearly three decades. “What<br />
was meant to be only a one-year stay ended<br />
up being a thirty-year stay. <strong>The</strong> people up<br />
here were just so welcoming and people<br />
embraced me, and they didn’t have to,”<br />
he said. “I was the only African American<br />
student in about 900 people at Fargo North,<br />
and it continued to remain such an impression<br />
on me. I met so many good people up here and<br />
thirty years later, I’m still here.”<br />
After graduating from the University of North<br />
Dakota law school, Johnathan was working as a<br />
law clerk in Morris, Minnesota when his passion<br />
for community, inclusion, and multicultural affairs<br />
flourished. “I started looking at a possible career<br />
path,” he said. “Primarily because I see that this<br />
region offers a lot to everybody regardless of what<br />
your background is, and I believe in this region, and<br />
I believe in the people.”<br />
Johnathan said that his love for people and his home<br />
has always had a major influence on the things that<br />
he does. Whether he is working with his team at the<br />
courthouse or with a community member, he strives<br />
to keep a sense of togetherness at the forefront.<br />
A Full Docket<br />
Judge Judd has worn many hats during his extensive<br />
career, including but not limited to director of equity<br />
and inclusion at Minnesota State Community and<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 19
ON THE COVER | JOHNATHAN JUDD<br />
Technical College (MSCTC), adjunct instructor<br />
of criminal justice at Minnesota State University<br />
Moorhead (MSUM), director of multicultural affairs<br />
at Concordia, volunteer football coach for FM<br />
athletics, and board member<br />
of Moorhead youth hockey<br />
association. As a judge he<br />
can no longer serve on these<br />
boards, and they are a mere<br />
snapshot of everything Judge<br />
Judd has done to serve and<br />
give back to the community.<br />
Judge Judd was also the<br />
mayor of Moorhead from<br />
2018 to 2021 before being<br />
appointed as judge by Governor Tim Walz. In a<br />
2021 press release, Governor Walz stated, “Mr. Judd<br />
has championed fairness, justice and equality while<br />
working tirelessly to create an open dialogue among<br />
community members throughout his impressive<br />
career in public service.”<br />
“Mr. Judd has championed fairness,<br />
justice and equality while working<br />
tirelessly to create an open dialogue<br />
among community members<br />
throughout his impressive career in<br />
public service.” <strong>–</strong> Tim Walz<br />
Judge Judd said he was honored and humbled by the<br />
statement because he felt it accurately epitomized the<br />
type of work he has tried to do and what has been<br />
ingrained in him since childhood.<br />
Judge Judd said that his<br />
friends would probably say<br />
he has worn too many hats<br />
in his career, but he has<br />
no regrets. “<strong>The</strong> sum of<br />
the whole has allowed me<br />
to see the community and<br />
individuals through a variety<br />
of lenses,” he said. “I have no<br />
regrets about the hats I have<br />
worn, and life experience and<br />
knowledge I have gained from it.”<br />
Remaining Positive In Divisive Times<br />
As brothers and sisters of this community, each of us<br />
has a different story to tell on how the year of 2020<br />
impacted our personal and professional lives. For<br />
20 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
“I’ve really tried to put what I have<br />
learned into practice. Not just talking<br />
the talk but being able to put those<br />
words into action. Anyone can talk<br />
about what they are going to do.”<br />
<strong>–</strong> Johnathan Judd<br />
Johnathan, whether he was discussing race relations<br />
or the pandemic, as a leader, it was challenging and<br />
impossible to be everything for everyone. During the<br />
tough conversations, Johnathan led with authenticity<br />
and an overarching theme of hope, and no matter<br />
what, our community would get through it together.<br />
“My message of building inclusivity and togetherness<br />
was very organic. It was from the heart. I didn’t script<br />
any of these things that I spoke about. I spoke<br />
from my heart, knowledge, belief, and support<br />
of the community,” he said. “I thought we<br />
should just see people in their humanity.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re’s humanity here, and we are<br />
not the same community as other<br />
communities are. We can have<br />
conversations with each other and<br />
build understanding.”<br />
Johnathan said it didn’t matter<br />
what type of platform he was<br />
speaking on, he held true to<br />
himself and what he believed the<br />
community represented. “I honestly<br />
believe we were in a better situation to have<br />
these conversations,” he said. “That was the best<br />
that I could do.”<br />
As a father of three, the conversations at home were<br />
just as tough, but he said he tried not to show signs of<br />
stress with his kids. “I think it's safe to say, they knew,<br />
but I tried to tell them we were going to be okay. As<br />
much as we told them to stay off of social media, you<br />
know, they saw it. I always just tried to keep a positive<br />
mindset,” he said. “With my spouse, she was definitely<br />
my rock (put up with a lot of emails and phone calls).<br />
Honestly, I put the needs of the community ahead<br />
during that time because there was so much going on,<br />
so when we had that quality time and conversations,<br />
we were able to process a lot of what was going on in<br />
the moment.”
ON THE COVER | JOHNATHAN JUDD<br />
“I want to be remembered for (besides<br />
being a good father) building a positive<br />
community. A man who really tried<br />
to bring people together and build an<br />
inclusive, supportive community for<br />
everyone.” <strong>–</strong> Johnathan Judd<br />
Going forward, Johnathan said that we need to<br />
become better listeners and open ourselves up to<br />
being candid and vulnerable. He said it's important<br />
to remember that we are all human beings who<br />
make mistakes, so allowing for grace is important.<br />
“Communication is talking and listening. We are<br />
not going to develop understanding if we don’t allow<br />
people to ask questions and say their piece,” he said.<br />
“People are going to make mistakes especially when<br />
they are learning and talking about race. If we don't<br />
allow someone to speak their truth or their vulnerable<br />
side, then we aren’t going to get anywhere.”<br />
At Home With JJ, Harlie, And <strong>The</strong> Family<br />
Johnathan Judd’s friends call him “JJ.”<br />
JJ and his wife Tammi Fortney, a school psychologist<br />
for Moorhead Public School District, met through<br />
mutual friends during college, and they have three<br />
children. When asked how his family would describe<br />
him, he said one of his children said “strong-willed”,<br />
and the other two said “loyal” and “humble.” His wife<br />
who was close by during the conversation nodded<br />
in approval. “I'm sure she would have more choice<br />
words to describe me,” he said, laughing. JJ also has<br />
one fur-baby whose name is Harlie, and they adopted<br />
her from 4 Luv of Dog Rescue.<br />
On the weekends, JJ is the typical dad shuttling and<br />
following his kids around from one activity to the<br />
next. “My weekends are spoken for. I have two sons<br />
who play football and hockey, my middle child is in<br />
speech and debate, and they are also a part of the<br />
Moorhead theater program, so on any given weekend,<br />
I am supporting one or two or three of them in their<br />
endeavors.” He also mentioned he coaches his kid’s<br />
football team and, during the spring, all three of his<br />
children play lacrosse. He and his wife also find time<br />
for each other and make date nights a priority.<br />
JJ says he juggles his personal and professional time<br />
through compartmentalization, and he’s very selective<br />
about the things he takes on. “In my career, I worked<br />
so hard to get to where I’m at and also worked to build<br />
the community, that now, I’ve really tried to put the<br />
primary focus on my family, physical health, mental<br />
health and overall well-being.” JJ, who previously<br />
lost 115 pounds, is an avid crossfitter, cyclist, and<br />
22 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
loves participating in the Fargo<br />
Marathon. He said, although judges<br />
work very long days, he strives to<br />
take an hour a day to stay active.<br />
An Even Better Future<br />
To the outsider looking in, Judge<br />
Judd is at the top of his game with<br />
a full personal and professional life<br />
that he has worked hard to achieve,<br />
but for him, he said there is always<br />
room to be “better.”<br />
“I am an individual who really<br />
tries to work on my blind spots.<br />
I embrace them, and I work on<br />
them,” he said. Judge Judd went on<br />
to say that the only way someone<br />
gets better is to continually be<br />
working on oneself, and he doesn’t<br />
think he will ever stop striving to<br />
be better. He also stated that he<br />
doesn’t have a lot of material goals<br />
because the legacy he wants to<br />
leave behind isn’t one that can be<br />
bought. “I want to be supportive of<br />
people, that's the legacy I want to<br />
leave.”<br />
When asked how he would like to<br />
spend retirement (many years from<br />
now), he said he wants to referee<br />
high school football and take an<br />
extended vacation overseas. He<br />
joked that he would always have<br />
a footprint in the upper Midwest,<br />
but would probably forgo the harsh<br />
winters for somewhere warmer in<br />
the South.<br />
As a man who has worn many<br />
hats, accomplished things both<br />
small and large, and left a longlasting<br />
impression on community<br />
members, the <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Life</strong> for Judge<br />
Judd is one that means being<br />
surrounded by family and friends.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> good life to me is being around<br />
family, close friends who support<br />
you in your life journey, and they<br />
too really appreciate your presence<br />
around them. At the end of the day,<br />
that's what it comes down to.” •<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 23
FIND YOUR NEW<br />
BEST FRIEND!<br />
PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY: HOMEWARD ANIMAL SHELTER<br />
<strong>The</strong>se are just a few of the many faces in our care<br />
that are patiently waiting for their forever families<br />
to find them. We know there’s a match out there<br />
for all of them. And for all the rest of their friends<br />
at the shelter and in foster homes that aren’t<br />
pictured here on these pages. <strong>May</strong>be one has<br />
been waiting all this time to rescue YOU... Adopt<br />
a shelter pet today!<br />
At Homeward Animal Shelter, our mission is:<br />
“Rescue. Shelter. Protect. Rehome.” We provide a<br />
second chance at happiness to lost, abandoned,<br />
and owner-surrendered animals; and educate<br />
the community on the proper, loving, and kind<br />
treatment of animals.<br />
Homeward Animal Shelter is committed to<br />
preventing animal overpopulation and spays/<br />
neuters all animals 6 months or older before<br />
adoption. Since its inception in 1966, Homeward<br />
Animal Shelter has placed nearly 41,000 animals<br />
in lifelong homes. •<br />
MARSHALL<br />
Male | 13 years old<br />
Buff & White DSH<br />
Diabetic<br />
“I’m not just a cat, I’m a<br />
master cuddler. Seeking<br />
a human who’s ready to<br />
unwind and snuggle up with<br />
me after a long day.”<br />
LEO<br />
Male<br />
1 year old<br />
Husky Mix<br />
“I’m a playful pup with a lot<br />
to say. Seeking a human<br />
who’s ready to engage in<br />
endless conversations and<br />
adventures with me.”<br />
CONCRETE<br />
Male | 2 years old<br />
Grey & White DSH<br />
FIV+<br />
“I’m not just a cat, I’m a<br />
connoisseur of the finer<br />
things in life: sunlight,<br />
soft blankets, and a good<br />
chin scratch.”<br />
ELANA<br />
Female<br />
8 ½ years old<br />
Torbie & White DSH<br />
Diabetic<br />
“I’m not just a cat, I’m a<br />
queen. Looking for a human<br />
who’s ready to bow down<br />
and serve me (or at least<br />
give me a good belly rub).”<br />
24 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
MIRA RALPH AKA RALPHIE MOON<br />
Female | 4 years old<br />
Rhodesian Ridgeback &<br />
Lab Mix<br />
“I may not have the best<br />
manners, but I can learn.<br />
And in the meantime,<br />
I promise to make up for it<br />
with lots of love, loyalty,<br />
and snuggles.”<br />
Male | 3 years old<br />
Tabby & White DSH<br />
“I’m not just a cat, I’m a<br />
professional lap warmer.<br />
Seeking a human with a<br />
cozy spot on the couch<br />
(and an endless supply of<br />
chin scratches).”<br />
Male | 3 ½ years old<br />
Great Dane<br />
“Looking for a human<br />
who can appreciate my<br />
unique blend of energy and<br />
laziness. Bonus points if<br />
you have a big backyard for<br />
me to run around in.”<br />
ROSA<br />
AKA RUE<br />
Female | 2 years old<br />
Cinnamon Tabby &<br />
White DSH<br />
“I may look like a lap-cat,<br />
but I’m actually a worldclass<br />
athlete when it comes<br />
to chasing laser pointers.”<br />
“I’m not just a dog, I’m a<br />
walking sunshine machine.<br />
Seeking a human who’s ready<br />
to bask in the glow of my<br />
endless love and tail wags.”<br />
ARYA<br />
Female<br />
4 years old<br />
Pit Bull Terrier<br />
For information on adopting,<br />
volunteering or to make a donation, visit:<br />
homewardonline.org<br />
SAVING A LIFE, WILL CHANGE YOURS!<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 25
HAVING A BEER WITH | MAX MUELLER<br />
WRITTEN BY: BEN HANSON<br />
PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
Did you hear about the meteorologist marathon? <strong>The</strong><br />
losers got precipitation trophies.<br />
Crickets. Zero response from Max Mueller, KVRR’s Chief<br />
Meteorologist. Not even a single eyebrow raise. And that’s<br />
fine. It wasn’t even my joke. But the lack of chuckles led<br />
me to think ol’ Maxy Mu (coworkers: you’re welcome) had<br />
yet to master the Midwestern art form of self-deprecation.<br />
How wrong I was. As you’ll see in a minute, Mueller<br />
delivered the best, most self-aware one-liner I’ve ever<br />
heard during an interview. Yeah, I did not see it coming.<br />
See if you can spot it.<br />
Back to the beginning... Walking into Drekker’s newlyopened<br />
Brewhalla — Fargo’s best answer to “Hey, what<br />
should we do tonight?” — Mueller looked to be the<br />
Goldilocks of local meteorology. Shorter than Too Tall.<br />
Higher than Wheeler. Not too Green. Working Sundays<br />
through Thursday, it was his Saturday and to throw<br />
people off, he wore a Nikon backpack and pretended to<br />
be a cameraman.<br />
As it turns out, meteorologists have other interests, and<br />
Mueller’s is photography. It’s actually the reason he got<br />
into the weather business in the first place. After showing<br />
off his outrageously nice camera to the Urban Toad crew,<br />
it was time to answer some questions.<br />
Where did your weather passion come from?<br />
It’s kind of funny. When I was a kid, I was terrified of<br />
storms. I was always freaking out when the sirens were<br />
going off. But I always had a love of cameras when I was<br />
growing up, so I got into capturing lightning and storms<br />
and started teaching myself about thunderstorms...<br />
basically turned into a storm chaser.<br />
26 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 27
HAVING A BEER WITH | MAX MUELLER<br />
How long have you been at KVRR?<br />
I started interning there in 2018… went on air in April<br />
2018. Left in 2020 for Idaho and came back in October<br />
of 2022.<br />
What in the world made you think living in Idaho was a<br />
good idea?<br />
<strong>The</strong> real answer was they were the only place to offer me<br />
a job! If I knew we were in for this kind of winter coming<br />
back, I might have put it off a little bit. <strong>The</strong> scenery out<br />
there, the mountains, there was no shortage of things to<br />
look at out there. In the end, I kind of missed Fargo and<br />
wanted to come back.<br />
Teach me something surprising about the weather.<br />
So there is a type of cloud mammatus. If you see cloud<br />
cover with little bumps underneath, pillow-looking things,<br />
those are mammatus. <strong>The</strong>y were named after breasts.<br />
<strong>The</strong> guy who named them looked up there and saw boobs.<br />
And so… mammatus.<br />
How hard is it not to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day?<br />
It is unfortunate, because I do have a plethora of green<br />
stuff from UND. I will usually take a kelly green UND<br />
hoodie on air with me and say this is why I can’t wear<br />
green on air.<br />
Why no props? No pizzazz?<br />
I’m not Carrot Top! I am a big movie nerd, so what I’ve<br />
done before is if it’s kind of a boring forecast, especially in<br />
28 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com<br />
summer, I try to incorporate movie titles to describe the<br />
weather. You know… Some Like It Hot. Eternal Sunshine.<br />
Hot Fuzz. Any time I can get a Twister reference there I<br />
go for it.<br />
Do you have a meteorological hero? Is it Phil Connors?<br />
It is not Phil Connors. I remember watching that as a kid,<br />
and I didn’t realize that he was even a weatherman! As a<br />
kid, I was obsessed with learning about how everything<br />
worked at a news station, so I would know all the names<br />
of the anchors and meteorologists.<br />
What’s the ultimate achievement for a meteorologist?<br />
I got interested in weather through thunderstorms and<br />
tornadoes, and those are one of the more dangerous<br />
things that people can deal with. If there’s a dangerous<br />
tornado heading for a populated area when I’m on air, I<br />
want to do so in a way that people will listen and follow<br />
the directions and hopefully save lives. That’s definitely<br />
one of the most important things.<br />
What is the hardest part of your job?<br />
Predicting the weather.<br />
[Mic drop! Dead.]<br />
Do you think it’s somewhat disqualifying for a<br />
meteorologist to choose to live in a place like Fargo?<br />
You still get four seasons every year. You still get spring,<br />
summer, fall and… yeah, winter. So I love the seasonality
here. I always tell people if you can get through<br />
winters, the summers are so great. You still deal<br />
with mosquitos, but I think the summers around<br />
here are perfect.<br />
What’s the most interesting part of your job<br />
people would be surprised by?<br />
When you’re doing the weather on air, there is no<br />
script. You’re just given an amount of time. When<br />
you’re organizing the graphics you’re going to use,<br />
you’re formulating in your head what you’re going<br />
to say about this and how it’ll transition into the<br />
next one. But no actual script.<br />
What’s the worst on-air gaffe you’ve ever made?<br />
A couple of years ago, right before I came back<br />
from a commercial, some saliva went down the<br />
wrong pipe. So we came back on air and I just<br />
started coughing. During commercial breaks,<br />
anchors will be talking back and forth nonstop, so<br />
one time an anchor turned to me and said, “Don’t<br />
laugh!” right before we went back on air… I made<br />
it a few words before I broke.<br />
What does the <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Life</strong> mean to you?<br />
For me, the good life is pretty simple. When I'm at<br />
some ridiculously beautiful location for a sunrise<br />
or sunset, or watching a thunderstorm start to<br />
develop in the middle of nowhere, or under the<br />
stars at night and hopefully getting some good<br />
pictures along the way. •<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 29
LOCAL HERO | CURT CANNON<br />
Turning Down the Heat<br />
A PASSION FOR HELPING OTHERS MAKES THE<br />
JOB EXTRA REWARDING<br />
WRITTEN BY: EMMA VATNSDAL<br />
PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
Curt Cannon’s life can be summed up in one word:<br />
compassion.<br />
And when you’re working to help change the lives of your<br />
brothers and sisters, compassion can be your biggest<br />
strength.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are many challenges veterans face<br />
after they leave the military. Unemployment,<br />
homelessness, physical handicaps and poor<br />
mental health barely scratch the surface.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n the added stress of figuring out how<br />
their country is going to serve them after they<br />
risk their lives to serve their country.<br />
“My whole life has been helping people,” he said. “You<br />
don’t go into nursing if you’re not compassionate and want<br />
to help people. I have a business and a nursing degree, so<br />
I put the two together and went the healthcare route.”<br />
He served as the CEO of an assisted living facility in<br />
Minnesota before he retired from the Army in 2014.<br />
Cannon took the Clay County Veteran Service Officer<br />
position in September 2015 and he hasn’t looked back.<br />
For Cannon, navigating the maze of the ever-changing<br />
military benefits, and all the complex issues veterans face<br />
after their service, is all in a day’s work.
“IT’S BEEN ONE OF THE MOST<br />
REWARDING JOBS IN MY<br />
CAREER.”<br />
Every veteran that walks through the doors of<br />
the Clay County Veterans Service Office in North<br />
Moorhead has a story. And with each story comes<br />
a unique set of obstacles they must get through in<br />
order to survive and thrive in civilian life.<br />
“It’s been one of the most rewarding jobs in my<br />
career,” he said. “You’ve got a veteran sitting across<br />
from you crying because they don’t know what to<br />
do, they don’t have health care, they’re going to lose<br />
their job or their house, and you have resources to<br />
help. And you get them into the VA and now they<br />
have a lifetime of health care, or you provide a<br />
resource that helps them pay their rent, mortgage<br />
or utilities. <strong>The</strong>re’s nothing better than that.”<br />
Transitioning back into civilian life is a drastic shift<br />
for many, and that little bit of magic can make it a<br />
little easier.<br />
“(While you’re stationed) you take orders, you<br />
deliver orders, you do a mission and hope everyone<br />
is safe. You were fed, your laundry is done for<br />
you, and you have no bills. <strong>The</strong>re is daily stress of<br />
missing your family and hoping your soldiers stay<br />
alive, but you execute the mission to best of your<br />
abilities, serve your time and come home to your<br />
family,” said Cannon.<br />
“Back here, you have the home fight. — I mean, how<br />
do you cope with that? That’s the biggest question.<br />
Can you cope when you return to civilian life? That’s<br />
where we come into play. We’re dealing with way<br />
more than just taking orders. You have housing,<br />
kids, spousal, social, financial, employment…<br />
Those compound and it can make or break you.<br />
Some can handle the heat of the daily stressors,<br />
and some can’t, but our job is to try to turn the heat<br />
down.”<br />
From housing allowances and retirement benefits,<br />
to medical care and disability with everything in<br />
between, Cannon and his colleagues wear multiple<br />
“hats” to make the process as smooth and easy as<br />
possible.<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 31
LOCAL HERO | CURT CANNON<br />
“We’re advocates for our county veterans that deal with<br />
state or federal benefits, and we offer the resources to<br />
try to direct (the veterans) in the right path,” he said. “In<br />
my opinion, you just have to find the person or the people<br />
that have the answers. And in Clay County, that’s us. We’re<br />
a one-stop shop, and we know and have access to the<br />
resources available to them. We have the answers, and if<br />
we don’t know (the answer), we know people that we can<br />
call and get it.”<br />
Cannon and his team Jennifer and Bonnie create a support<br />
network for veterans who need it.<br />
But they don’t do it alone. In this area, finding help is<br />
sometimes a short drive or phone call across the river.<br />
“We work closely with Chris Deery, the VSO in Cass<br />
County, and his team,” he said. “We flip-flop answers<br />
and we take care of each other, and we take care of each<br />
other’s vets. We couldn’t be a better team.”<br />
LIFE IN THE FORCES<br />
Cannon’s life with the military started before he was even<br />
born. His father served in the Air Force.<br />
It was while he was attending Valley City State University<br />
in 1989 that he got his chance to join the military.<br />
“I wanted to join the Air Force, but that was in Fargo and<br />
I didn't have a good car to make it,” he said with a laugh.<br />
“So I had to walk up the hill to the Army National Guard<br />
Armory.”<br />
Cannon enlisted as a combat medic for the field artillery<br />
company as a Private First Class. He went through<br />
basic and advanced individual training and eventually<br />
became a specialist. In 1992 he attended the Minnesota<br />
Military Academy (OCS Class 37) to become an officer.<br />
He graduated in 1993 as a second lieutenant, and stayed<br />
in the medical field as a platoon leader where he was in<br />
charge of 40 to 50 soldiers. He worked his way up the<br />
ranks to executive officer and company commander of<br />
the medical unit, Charlie Med. He also served as the rear<br />
Battalion Commander at the end of his 26-year military<br />
career.<br />
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He was deployed to Iraq in 2005, where he commanded 133<br />
soldiers spread throughout the country.<br />
“In Iraq, we were the third medical unit on the ground so our<br />
mission was changed to providing in-hospital level two-plus trauma<br />
care and convoy escort teams. My doctors, my nurses, my dentist<br />
and a few specialized medics remained in the hospital on base to<br />
provide care,” Cannon said. “<strong>The</strong> remainder of the medics with<br />
our supply section had to retrain and refit to, quite frankly, do the<br />
toughest job: run gun trucks from southern Iraq to Baghdad every<br />
three to five days. We were also assigned a patrol section of our<br />
perimeter ‘outside the wire.’”<br />
<strong>The</strong> escorts and patrols were very difficult missions for trained<br />
personnel. We had two to three weeks to retrain, refit and execute<br />
missions.”<br />
Cannon’s unit spent 16 months in Iraq.<br />
“WE DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB WITH OUR MISSIONS. WE BROUGHT<br />
EVERYBODY HOME. A FEW GOT HURT, BUT EVERYBODY CAME HOME ALIVE.”<br />
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LOCAL HERO | CURT CANNON<br />
“We did an outstanding job with our missions,” he<br />
said. “We brought everybody home. A few got hurt, but<br />
everybody came home alive.”<br />
HOME LIFE<br />
Cannon does a lot for his community, but he would argue<br />
his family does even more.<br />
“You can’t do a career like this without family,” he said.<br />
His wife and children have been with him for the whole<br />
ride.<br />
“I think the biggest thing for children of a service<br />
member is coping with them being gone so long and so<br />
often,” Cannon said. “For the National Guard, you have<br />
one weekend a month and then two weeks (of training)<br />
so that’s up to many active duty days a year. <strong>The</strong>n add in<br />
the multiple state active duty days and deployments, it<br />
accumulates to years of time gone from your family and<br />
having no dad around to contribute to day-to-day life.<br />
“It definitely made Yvonne more independent,” he said.<br />
“She bought a house, took care of the bills, took care of<br />
the kids when they were sick, coordinated daycare and<br />
after school events while working a full time job. She<br />
deserves the recognition and medals. She’s a saint to put<br />
up with me and I can’t tell her enough how much she<br />
means to our family. <strong>The</strong> kids have been great and have<br />
supported me throughout my military career.”<br />
“It definitely takes a village,” he said.<br />
And to Cannon, that, he says, is the good life.<br />
“It’s taking care of fellow veterans and taking care of<br />
family,” he said. “Spending time with family and friends<br />
because life is too short. <strong>The</strong> good life also extends to the<br />
work and what our local and state team members do to<br />
help veterans and their families. After my 26 year career<br />
in the army, I’m taking care of veterans, my brothers and<br />
sisters to make sure they have direction and the proper<br />
resources to succeed — not just in Clay County, but all<br />
over the world.” •<br />
And while dad is deployed, it’s mom who holds down the<br />
most important fort.<br />
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