Community

Lineworkers are superheroes who fight to keep power flowing no matter how tough the conditions. When severe weather rolls in or the lights go out, they mobilize. And their jobs are unlike any other – they chase storms, climb poles and work on high-voltage power lines.

Working in this dangerous profession requires constant safety training, so crews are prepared to respond in the event of an emergency. And while this training is intended for on-the-job emergencies, cooperative lineworkers are dedicated and ready to assist when members are in need.

The average age of the American farmer is 58.1 years old, and nearly 40% of producers in the United States are age 65 or older, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2022 Census of Agriculture released Feb. 13.

Surprising? No.

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Discover the unique blend of culture and education at United Tribes Technical College (UTTC). Accredited since 1982 (through 2031), UTTC proudly leads as the first tribal college offering fully online degrees.

Pat Traynor believes he lives in “the most generous part of the planet.” Since 2008, he has witnessed hundreds of thousands of generous donors give $165 million to more than 500 local charities in primarily North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota.

The gym is empty, though not for long. Soon, fans of basketball will fill the stands. But not before Catherine Howard, a Spirit Lake tribal elder, performs a ceremonial smudging of the Four Winds Community School gym.

Whoever said “rain is a good thing” wasn’t referencing late December rain in North Dakota. Christmas Day rain blanketed southeastern North Dakota in a sheet of ice, which caused major damage to the electric system and left some North Dakotans without power for 11 days.

Electric cooperatives described it as “the worst ice storm since 1997.” Dakota Valley and Cass County electric cooperatives were hit hardest by the storm, while KEM, Mor-Gran-Sou, Nodak and Northern Plains electric cooperative members also experienced outages.

Eamon Alido lifts the canola plants from a tray, enthusiastically explaining hydroponics as a technique of growing plants using a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil.

In the music room, Mikaela Fattorini ripples her fingers over the piano keys, then settles into singing “Let It Be” to the heavens.

While Alido and Fattorini ventured from a world away to teach in the rural community of Mott, science and music know no boundaries.

Each year, 24% of weather-related vehicle crashes occur on snowy, slushy or icy pavement and 15% happen during snowfall or sleet, the Federal Highway Administration reports. North Dakotans can help mitigate risks posed by severe weather by following these winter driving best practices.

Marlo Anderson is living proof there’s reason to celebrate every day. As founder of the National Day Calendar – the official, authoritative source for fun, unusual and unique national days – Anderson has built a wildly popular national brand around celebration.

Anderson’s curiosity popped in 2013, as he searched for information on the internet about the national day dedicated to his favorite snack – popcorn (the movie-theater buttered kind, preferably).

“Beat the peak” has become a unified message among electric cooperatives as the demand for electricity grows. This message encourages everyone to be mindful of their energy use during “peak demand” periods, or the times of the day when people are using the most electricity. Why is it so important? It can save you money, reduce your electric cooperative’s power cost (the largest expense your co-op has) and contribute to a better electric grid.

An interconnected grid