PAGE 4 PRESS PERSPECTIVES FEBRUARY 15, 2012
FROM TH E
EDITOR'S DESK...
BY ALLISON OLIMB
EDITOR, WALSH COUNTY PRESS
So, yes the Superbowl was the
highest rated television program
ever. Whether you were watching
for the conmlercials (the beer com-
lnercial featuring rescue dog
Weego was by far my fav'orite) or
if you actually cared about the Pa-
triots or the Giants bringing it on
down to the last seconds (which
was pretty dang exciting) it hap-
pened and you odds are that you
were one of millions of viewers.
Enough chicken wings were
consumed to circle the planet a
couple times.
Thirty seconds of television
were worth around $3.5 to 4 mil-
lion.
And only one rnishap occurred
during the halftime entertainment
involving an unfriendly gesture.
If you were paying enough at-
tention to catch that slight per-
former malfunction, you may have
caught the brief moments during
the halftime show where a gentle-
man wearing a Roman thelned
getup was doing a flat, trampoline
type, tightrope act.
Didn't know what it was? I
don't blame you.
Didn't know the underground
sport has a link to a couple of guys
in North Dakota? Surprise!
The sport is slacklining and it
now has hit the national stage.
Want to give it a try? There has
been a set up at the Grand Cities
Mall (you know the one attached to
K-Mart) for ages.
There are a few variations to this
sport invented in 1983.
• Urbanlining is performed
in an urban area - anything from
concrete to a city park. Urbanlin-
ers often use a wider slackline of 2
inches.
• Wateflining is slacklining
over water.
• Highlining is slacklining
in very high places - like across a
ravine in Yosemite.
• Yoga slacklining involves
perforlning yoga poses on a slack-
line which adds a whole new di-
mension to yoga practice.
• Freestyle slacklining uses
a longer, slacker line which allows
for swinging.
• Tricklining is another
name for the fancy stuntwork.
Well, if you were curious
enough to Google around and
check the web on slacklining. The
website for yogaslackers.com ap-
pears. Click around a bit and find
that one of the cofounders of Yoga
Slackers is Sam Salwei who grew
up in Crystal, N.D. Sam is the son
of Nancy Salwei and what his web
bio calls "a modern day Nomad."
The slackline is a flat tighrope of
1-inch nylon webbing suspended
between two points with a lot of
give and a little bounce, which
takes even something as calming as
yoga to the extreme.
According to their, website, co-
thunders Sam and Jason Magness
became quite close in their work
and play at the Northern Heights
Rock Gym in Grand Forks. In the
summer of 2004 Sam came across
a slackliner who literally showed
him the ropes.
About six months latin, Sam and
Jason were perfecting poses and
:appearing in Yoga Journal. And
now'?
YogaSlackers teach on all seven
,continents - North America, South
America, Europe, Asia, Africa,
Australia, and Antarctica.
While the man on a wire during
the Madonna show wasn't Sam or
Jason, the work that trickliner
Adam Lewis was performing was
an athletic feat that is not so under-
ground anymore.
So maybe you were knee-deep
in hot wings by then or perhaps
you used the halftime show to use
the restroom as to not miss out on
anything vital, but I will tell you
that you missed out on something
pretty unique.
Like" the WaLh Count), Press on Facebook
and check out our blog at http://walsh
count) Tu'e.v. wordprvs.com
Hello,
I sure want to thank the New
England folks for a great time the
other night.
You remember that old song that
started out "If you've ever been to
England". Maybe that isn't how it
went. My memory of those early
years is a little blurred.
Anyway, if you've ever been to
New England, you have to enjoy it.
I was there to help celebrate the
New England Fire Department 100
years of service to the comnmnity.
And celebrate they did.
Who would ever think that you
would import a barbecue chef fiom
Grand Forks to cook up ribs and
brisket in western North Dakota?
Grand Forks'? Now that is a city
that is not synonymous with bar-
becuing. I mean, they play hockey.
Hat
And they educate doctors and
lawyers. They have floods and
howling blizzards. There is nothing
to stop the water or the wind. But,
ribs? Brisket? But they did. And it
may have been the best ribs and
brisket I ever imagined. Kudos!
I was there to speak at the ban-
quet. Now, 1 quit doing that a cou-
ple years ago. But since I have such
respect for volunteers that man our
ambulances and fight our rites, I
gladly accepted a chance to visit
and eat at the Memorial Hall in
New England.
Tips
I really don't know why they
had me. They had Billy. You don't
know Billy? Billy is a guy that has
probably been to more fireman's
conventions and meetings that any-
one in the country. He's been a
member of their fire deparmlent for
like fifty years. He was the fire
chief for a good many of those
years. He attended state and na-
tional conventions. He's been to
more fire schools than the devil
himself. And I don't think he's for-
gotten a single story he heard at
those events.
Shirley edited my speech. She
worries that I may cross a fine line
and offend someone in attendance.
Which I have been known to do.
I've offended husbands and wives
and governors and family mem-
)ers. I've offended priests and rab-
)is and veterinarians and vegetari-
ms. So, Shirley mellowed my
peech out a bit.
But then, before I spoke Billy
got up. I tell you what Billy; you
moved the line back a bit! I loved
it! The crowd loved it! And if I
ever have a chance to fight fire, I
want to be standing next to Billy!
And I want a chance to share a beer
and listen to his stories when we
get back to the fire hall.
Thanks you guys! Stay safe!
Later, Dean
Tile American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has strengthened some
long standing advice: Child Restraints such as car seats and other sitting
devices like strollers and swings are not recommended fbr routine sleep
fbr infants.
The recommendations, developed to reduce the risk of SIDS as well
as the risk of sleep related suflbcations, asphyxia, and entrapment,
include the warning that infants who are yotmger than 4 months are
particularly at risk in these seating environments because they "might
assume positions that can create risk of suftbcation or airway
obstruction."
Car seats are not stable on crib mattresses or other elevated surfaces-
increasing the risk of falls and suflbcation. The Consumer Product
Safety Commission data show that there were t 5 suffocation deaths from
1990-1997 due to car seats overturning after being placed on a bed,
mattress, or couch.
Besides putting your baby "'back to sleep" you should make sure that
your baby is sleeping in a safe sleep environment. Recent research has
found a relationship between unsafe sleep environments and infant
death.
By Ron Smith, Horticulturist
/
Measure #2 will confound
local government finances
More and more local officials
are becoming alanned over the im-
pact of Measure #2 on the June
ballot that proposes to repeal all
property taxes and dump the mess
into the laps of the state leslators.
Instead of offering specific so-
lutions to specific problems, the
sponsors of the measure have been
offering a variety of specious
claims and generalities that are not
supported by the language in the
proposed constitutional amend-
ment.
Some have suggested that the
money can be found by firing
12,000 public employees; others
say that the measure will not re-
quire replacement revenue for
local governments. Neither of
these claims is substantiated by the
language in the measure. Here is
the exact language on the ballot:
"The legislative assembly shall
direct a share of sales taxes, indi-
vidual and corporate income taxes,
insurance premium taxes, alco-
holic beverage taxes, mineral leas-
ing fees, and gaming taxes and any
oil and gas production and extrac-
tion taxes, tobacco taxes, lottery
revenues, and financial institutions
taxes not allocated to elementary
and secondary schools to counties,
cities and other political subdivi-
sions according to a fommla de-
vised by the legislative assembly
to fully and properly fund the
legally-imposed obligations of
counties, cities, townships and
other political subdivisions."
It is clear that this amendment,
if passed, would require the legis-
lature to take money ($800 million
annually) from the state treasury
and pay local governments for the
money lost by the repeal of the
property tax.
All we need to do is look at the
number and complexity of local
governments to understand the
problem in developing a payback
fommla. North Dakota has more
local governments per capita than
any other state in the Union.
We have 53 counties, 350 cities,
1100 townships, over 300 fire dis-
tricts, around 175 school districts,
over 200 park districts, around 50
soil conservation districts, nearly
75 water resource districts, close to
95 libraries, and scores of ambu-
lance districts. Each of these local
governments has a unique finan-
cial structure with varying degrees
of reliance on property taxation.
Take counties, for example.
According to the latest posting by
the State Tax Department, Bot-
tineau reported an average of 129
mills for the county; Slope re-
ported 152; Grand Forks reported
379 mills, and Morton reported
363. All other counties fell in be-
tween.
What these figures tell us is that
county governments across the
state have varying needs for prop-
erty revenue and they also have a
wide range in the services they
offer their citizens. Consequently,
a simple one-size-fits-all solution
will not work for each and every
county government. We can bet
that schools, cities, townships and
the hundreds of other local gov-
ernments have unique budgets as
well.
A single solution, such as fiat
across-the-board percentage re-
funds to all, would give huge
windfalls to some local govern-
ments while short-changing hun-
dreds of others. Because each
political subdivision is unique, the
only fair and rational approach
would be for a legislative commit-
tee or some state agency to review
the budget of each local govern-
ment and dole out money accord-
ingly.
To protect the uniqueness of
local governments, representatives
from our 2200 local governments
would have to travel to Bismarck
to justify their budgets and con-
vince some state entity or legisla-
tive committee that their budget
needs are legitimate. This process
would certainly threaten local con-
trol of local services.
Tile problem of getting money
required by the measure back to
the local government is only one
problem in this simplistic approach
to state and local finance offered
by Measure #2 . An arbitrary
change of this magmitude reqtfires
the deliberative process of the leg-
islature over a 10-year period.
Extension Exchange
Free Tax Return
Preparation Help
Available
Taxpayers who meet eligibili-
ty criteria can get free help in
preparing their tax returns.
Volunteer Income Tax Assis-
tance (VITA), an Internal Revenue
Service-sponsored program, and
the Tax Counseling for the Elderly
(TCE) program are two onions.
VITA workers provide free tax
preparation services primarily for
low- to moderate-income, elder-
ly or disabled individuals who file
basic tax returns. Low to moder-
ate income generally means they
earn $50,000 or less.
The North Dakota AARP offers
the TCE program. It provides
free tax help to taxpayers 60 and
older, as well as low- to moderate-
income individuals.
The volunteer tax preparation
sites are staffed by trained volun-
teers who are knowledgeable
about the different federal and
state forms, credits and other de-
ductions that taxpayers might
miss on their own.
VITA and TCE sites generally
are in community and neighbor-
hood centers, libraries, schools,
shopping malls, senior centers
and other convenient locations.
Most locations also offer free
electronic filing.
To locate the nearest VITA or
TCE site, call (800) 829-1040 or
visit the North Dakota Tax De-
partment's website at
www.nd.gov/tax/indincome/pubs/
2012-tce-sites.pdf.
Site in Walsh County include:
Grafion, February 22 and Febru-
ary 29, 2012 at the Villa DeRemer
Apt Complex, 808 W 5th St.,
from 10:00 am - 3:00 pin.
Taxpayers using these services
should bring in the following
items:
* Prior year's tax return
*. ID for you (and your spouse,
if applicable)
* Social Security cards for all
people being claimed on the return
* All W-2s, 1099 forms, Social
Security statements, interest and
dividend statements or any other
items showing income
* Any expense items such as
home mortgage interest, real estate
taxes, checks/receipts for contri-
butions (if you think you can
itemize) and education expenses
fbr college
* Proof of any new home con-
tract signed by April 30, 2010, and
home purchase closure on by
Sept. 30, 2010
* Information fbr direct deposit
of a refund (checkbook or a void-
ed check)
Source: Debra Pankow, NDSU
Extension family economics spe-
cialist
Do you love your
heart?
During February, American
Heart Month, the color red can be
a terrific reminder of heart healthy
foods.
- Tossed salad with such red ad-
ditions as red bell peppers, cher-
ry or grape tomatoes
- Make a polka-dotted open-
faced peanut butter sandwich.
Cut bread into a heart shape,
spread with peanut butter and dot
with dried cranberries. Or, make
a smiley face with the dried cran-
berries.
Cole slaw made with red
cabbage or other red fbods such as
red peppers, red onions and apples
- Red grapes as a side dish to
your sandwich for noontime nib-
bling
- Add a few of those tiny red
hot cinnamon heart candies to a
popcorn snack.
- Raspberry smoothie -- Put 3/4
to t cup vanilla-flavored yogurt in
a blender. Add a few tablespoons
of frozen raspberries at a time;
blend until desired consistency.
After mixing -- if desired -- blend
in 1 or moreteaspoons ofsugar or
no calorie sweetener to taste.
Ho rtis c op e Snippets
NDSU Agriculture Communication
. We are developing a lot off
• Douglas Bay on Lake
SaEakawea in McLean County. I
was listening to you on one of the
radio talk shows where you said to
send you an email if a person had
any questions about planting in cer-
tain areas of North Dakota. We
would like to plant a row of shrubs
on each side of our lot. Can you
give me any suggestions on what
would work well in this area of the
state'? We had thought maybe some
type of lilac with two or three ever-
greens near the road or edge of our
property. Any suggestions you can
give us would be appreciated.
(email reference)
A oThere is a publication at
• http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pub
s/plantsci/trees/f1055w.htm that
goes through design and plant se-
lection combinations for you to
consider. It should answer any
questions you might have. If not,
feel free to get back to me.
Vne* My family lives on a hilltop.
• I was raised ill the Red River
y and my parents and grand-
parents always had beautiful rasp-
berries. The bushes originated fi'om
a small patch of bushes started by
grandmother in the early 1950s.
They were transferred to each new
home the family moved to. After
nay parents sold their last home, l
brought some bushes to our home.
I planted them in a small garden
and mixed some compost into the
soil. So far, the belTies have been
small and hard, even though the
plants get watered frequently. Is
there more I can do to get full, juicy
berries or is this area too dry?
(Mandan, N.D.)
o The hilltop may not be the
• right environment for this
variety of raspberry. In New York,
my raspberry farm was on a hilltop
and along a south-facing slope. Ba-
sically, the hilltop plantings pro-
duced the plumpest berries for me.
You might try a new cultivar of a
couple of plants to see if they pro-
duce a better berry. It also could be
that the plants have a virus that is
affecting berry quality. If that is
the case, any new plants need to be
planted a distance away from the
established planting.
.I was wondering if you
• could recommend a juniper
we could plant as a border on our
property. We have cedars now but
the deer are eating all the foliage.
Are junipers more deer- resistant?
(Appleton, Wis.)
.Deer will eat anything if
• they are starving, so you
need to do a combination of ac-
tions. Try to select evergreens, such
as junipers, blue spruce, Canada
hemlock, pines or Douglas fir, that
are resistant. Treat what you pur-
chase with Plantskydd Deer and
Rodent Repellent. Of all the prod-
ucts on the market, this one ap-
pears to be the most effective at
detouring the deer from your prop-
erty. It needs to be applied early in
the season before deer roaming be-
ghas. Reapply it during the winter
months according to the directions
on the label.
To contact Ron Smith for answers
to your questions, write to Ron
Smith, NDSU Department of
Plant Sciences, Dept. 7670, Box
6050, Fargo, ND 58108 or
e-mail ronald.smith
@ndsu.edu.
I Editor's Note I
The Around the County columnn was not available this week. It will return
as soon as possible.
I1 ' i
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