A Grand Forks woman, Marsha Bercier, was arrested this past week after her 14-year-old son snapped a photo of her and a friend, Amanda Jackson-White, smoking the dangerous drug methamphetamine in Bercier’s home. Bercier is charged with child endangerment and possession of drug paraphernalia. Police also found a 1-year-old and a 2-year-old in the apartment while all this was going on. The absolute stupidity of the entire event just made me wonder how often this type of thing happens in our community. It’s a sad event, as there are many victims of drug use and abuse. These children, I am sure, have been placed into foster care not knowing what is going to happen; I’m sure “scared” is an understatement of what they are feeling. To the son who may be feeling guilty right now, no need – you probably saved your mother’s life; you are the hero of this event, so hats off to you.
C’mon Man
In my second insert to my article called C’mon Man we have some local and national items that just make you want to say C’MON MAN! A local business (yet to open) called Fantasy’s has caused quite a stir amongst our leaders on the Grand Forks City Council. I happen to share the same view as local radio talk-show host Jarrod “JT” Thomas on KNOX. Is our city council living in the 1800s or something? Council member Curt Kreun has gone so far as to travel to Fargo (I’m sure on the taxpayer dime) to research this issue. “I’ve been to the one in Fargo, and I went to the police department in Fargo and got some information. And we’ll bring that forward at the committee level,” Kreun said. Fantasy’s is a business, PERIOD, which our city council now wants to regulate, which boggles the mind. C’mon Man! I have a better idea for the city council: figure out a way to have the Alerus center (which is losing money on an annual basis) turn a profit, or work on ways to make this a bigger and better community. Stop trying to decide what’s good for us and what isn’t! We can decide on our own which businesses we want to patronize. If we are going to regulate the adult businesses, let’s regulate them all, not just the ones you don’t like.
In Palmview, Texas this week a tragedy occurred when an overloaded van carrying illegal immigrants crashed, and ten people were killed attempting to come to our great country for a better life. Now I am not a fan of illegal immigration, as it is very costly to each citizen of this country, but when people die as a result of just trying to make a better life, it is not acceptable. This van apparently was being driven by a 15-year-old when this happened, as it approached a stop manned by the Border Patrol. C’mon Man – people shouldn’t die at our borders, no matter what. Did you know that these people – Salma Hayek, former California Governor Arnold Schwarznegger, Cesar Millan (otherwise known as The Dog Whisperer), and Michael J. Fox – were all, at one time, undocumented immigrants who lived or worked illegally in our country? Look at them now! C’mon Man, these people who died had families living in Mexico, some with children. That is now a thing of the past and it just makes no sense to me.
UND Time Out Week and Wacipi Powwow this week
UND’s 42nd Annual Time Out Week begins April 16th, and the Wacipi Powwow runs the weekend of April 20th-22nd. These annual events offer a wide array of cultural education and speakers who discuss American Indian culture and what a powwow means to Native Americans.
Time Out Week and the Wacipi provide the Greater Grand Forks community with a great opportunity to learn more of the Native American Culture. The events feature the music and dance of the Native American culture and the colorful dance regalia of the unique tribes of the state and region. The event is open to the public, and is free for all UND students, children younger than five and senior citizens.