North Dakota Living

Capital Electric Cooperative members Dave Pearce and Cory Finneman (learn more on page 25) often referred to the volunteers who built the pumpkin patch’s play structures and art pieces as “Papa’s Playmakers.” But behind the scenes were others who shaped the patch’s story.

Dave’s mother, Suzie Pearce, affectionately known as Mrs. P., maintained the grounds. Dave’s sister and Cory’s wife, Tracy Finneman, began Papa’s Granola. She sold the popular Pride of Dakota product regionally and was considering growing the business when she received a cancer diagnosis.

Project Tundra is moving forward under an updated development structure that expands the role of an experienced carbon capture developer and creates new opportunities for carbon dioxide utilization in North Dakota.

Reliant Carbon Capture & Storage LLC will assume responsibility for development, ownership and operation of the carbon capture facility planned at Minnkota Power Cooperative’s coal-based Milton R. Young Station near Center. Reliant’s management team brings more than 30 years of experience delivering emissions-control technologies for coal-based power plants.

Back-to-school season in North Dakota means busy days don’t end when the final bell rings. Between practices, activities and homework, hungry students – from elementary school to high school to college – need something easy to make before heading to whatever comes next. These simple snacks come together in a snap and are just right for tackling those afternoon munchies.

The North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) welcomes Hope Sisk as managing editor of North Dakota Living, strengthening the magazine’s commitment to sharing the stories of North Dakota’s electric cooperatives and the communities they serve.

BSC IS CAREER FOCUSED
Bismarck State College (BSC) delivers career-focused education “Done Right.”

Explore more than 100 affordable career pathways, including more than 15 bachelor’s degrees designed to help students graduate with little to no debt.

August gardens are overflowing with fresh tomatoes, peppers and cilantro, making it the perfect time to try Bottineau County Deputy Auditor Haylee Senger’s favorite guacamole. Pair it with her refreshing Pineapple Dream – a cool summer drink she says is one of her favorites on a warm North Dakota day – and you have an easy, healthy snack.

For 13 North Dakota teens, the week of June 13-20 in Washington, D.C., became an experience they may never forget.
Representing electric cooperatives from across the state, the high school students joined a record-breaking 2,100 students and chaperones from 44 states, representing nearly 700 electric cooperatives, for the 2026 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. The annual leadership program introduces young people to the nation’s history, government and the cooperative business model.

When North Dakotans vote in the Nov. 3 general election, they’ll decide more than who will represent them in office. They'll also vote on two proposed amendments to the North Dakota Constitution.

A constitutional measure proposes a change to the North Dakota Constitution. If approved by voters, the amendment becomes part of the state's governing document.

For Alexis Schmidt, the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour didn’t end when she returned home from Washington, D.C. 

Schmidt, the daughter of Kip and Lynn Schmidt, is a member of Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative. She attends Mandan High School and was selected to represent North Dakota on the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Leadership Council (YLC), an honor awarded to one Youth Tour delegate from each participating state.