One would think that New Years Eve would have our Grand Forks roads filled with people driving under the influence of alcohol. Well it appears that the message “Don’t Drink and Drive” is finally getting through to people. On New Year’s Eve this year only one, that’s right one person was arrested for DUI. That deserves a pat on the back Grand Forks. Everyone for the most part stepped up and did the right thing by either calling a cab, having a designated driver, walking or anything other than drinking and driving. My alternative to drinking and driving on New Year’s Eve was getting the flu which believe me also is a great deterrent. So let’s all give ourselves a pat on the back for keeping our roads safe this New Year’s night, and let’s continue on the same road and maybe next year we won’t even have the one DUI arrest, because in the end it’s just not worth it. As a side note on December 30th alcohol compliance checks were run in Grand Forks. That means a minor is sent into various establishments with law enforcement to attempt to purchase alcohol. During the December 30th compliance checks 26 of 27 of the establishments passed the test. That’s a 96% compliance rate which is pretty good in my eyes. For the one establishment that didn’t pass well I’m sure they learned their lesson and next time we will hit that 100% compliance. I thought to put the business in here that didn’t pass but I think I will just leave that be, and just be proud of the 96% who did the right thing.

Leave the UND nickname alone

For decades now the fight to keep the UND nickname has raged on, and now that nickname has left the University of North Dakota. The time has come to let that nickname go and move forward. However there is a group of folks who just refuse to do that and are circulating two petitions fighting to keep the nickname. You know we have been going through this for a long time, this back and forth arguing and fighting about that name and now it’s finally over. I, as an alumni of the University of North Dakota don’t like it any better than most that we lost the nickname, but that battle is now come to pass and I, personally am looking forward to the new nickname that will be chosen sometime in the future. The petitions that are circulating to save the UND nickname are not helping matters in my eyes, and I know is not going to help the University of North Dakota. The Commissioner of the Big Sky Athletic Conference Doug Fullerton is warning people that, if the UND nickname comes back, it will likely have a negative effect on the UND athletic department. “We already see the beginnings of the problems the University of North Dakota would have if they continue use the logo,” Fullerton said. He says NCAA sanctions that would come with continued use of the logo include UND not being able to host NCAA post season tournaments. So as much as I would love to be able to keep the nickname for UND, I will not participate in any petitions that will harm the school, and I encourage others to do the same. Enough is enough, it’s time to move forward and let UND handle this matter in a way that they best see fit.

The American Crystal Sugar Workers

I had almost forgotten this mess until the other day. I was driving by the American Crystal Sugar beet processing plant in East Grand Forks and saw the little tent still in place with the locked out workers still holding picket signs. So where does this go from here? It’s been five months now and it seems like the workers and union is no closer to an agreement with American Crystal than they were five months ago. Certainly by now the replacement workers are getting the hang of things within the plant, and I think that with every passing day those locked out workers are closer to losing their jobs for good. Workers say they had their hopes up after a meeting with Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton last month, but at this point still haven’t heard anything from company executives about their jobs. “I think we’re still strong, still hanging together, union people are really tough.” locked-out worker Richard Larson said. Well tough only goes so far and it certainly doesn’t put food on the table. I hope this mess comes to an end soon as I do empathize with the families of the locked out workers. American Crystal Sugar is a profitable business and they plan to stay that way. They are not going to let the same thing that happened in Detroit to the big three auto companies as a result of unions happen to them, and they shouldn’t. They know what they can afford to pay workers while still turning a profit and in any good business they need to hold firm to that. A business is in business to make money and why would they ever make a decision to do anything else.