There are two kinds of people at the county fair – the ones who carefully plan their day around the schedule, and the ones who accidentally spend three hours watching goats and miss the inflatables …
The Shields/Selfridge Sportsmen Club hosted its third Egg Shoot on July 25, 2026. It was an incredibly hot day and there was lots of hot shooting! Shooters get 10 chances to shoot 5 …
Hello! We hope everyone has been well. We have received some serious heat this past month! We have been staying cool and hydrated in the shade. It has been said August is a time to pretend we love …
The Elgin-New Leipzig / Grant County Alumni Association has provided the balance of the funding for Phase 1 of the Elgin Public School playground equipment project. The Alumni …
Join your friends and neighbors at the Southwest Community Health Fair! Senior citizens, caregivers and families are invited to enjoy a free meal, connect with regional vendors and explore valuable …
Fundraising for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library has eclipsed $500 million, exceeding the $450 million goal of the project that opened its doors July 4. The library marks the …
In a town where neighbors know each other by name, few expected one of social media’s most recognizable creators to come knocking. When social media creator Josh Liljenquist heard the story of an …
The first thing you notice isn't the toys. It isn't the colorful artwork proudly displayed on the walls, the neatly organized activity rooms or even the laughter echoing through the halls. …
The accreditation process for any school is a time-consuming trek through a mountain of paperwork. But the Elgin-New Leipzig (E-NL) School District reached the summit. The district is one of only two in North Dakota ...
By the time you read this, the North Dakota State Fair will have concluded. I hope you went. We try to go every year if for no other reason but to get fresh squeezed lemonade or watch the Budweiser …
The Elgin-New Leipzig (E-NL) School District has hired an agricultural education teacher, but is still awaiting a verdict on the status of two elementary teachers. The E-NL board of education waded …
Throughout 2026, the ND250 Commission, administered by the State Historical Society of North Dakota, is leading the state’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United …
While Holly Gaugler’s role at Jacobson Memorial Hospital Care Center (JMHCC) has evolved over the years, her commitment to com-munity and family has remained constant. Today, she dons her …
Wednesday, July 15, the staff of First International Bank & Trust of Elgin sponsored a customer appreciation event with free lunch and door prizes. Approximately 150 people stopped by the Elgin …
The University of North Dakota’s (UND) School of Medicine & Health Sciences (SMHS) conferred the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree on nearly 70 graduating medical students on May 2 at UND’s …
Throughout 2026, the ND250 Commission, administered by the State Historical Society of North Dakota, is leading the state’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United …
Four consecutive days of triple-digit temperatures in much of the region took a toll on crops and livestock last week. Temperatures searing the region spiked to 107 degrees in Amidon on Sunday, July …
There is no doubt in my mind that if you are a tourist, this is the best time to be in North Dakota. Those long, boring Interstate drives aren’t so bad in late July. Why? Because there is so …
There weren't many dry eyes inside the Elgin Community Center Saturday afternoon as 12 veterans, each wrapped in a handmade patriotic quilt by members of their own families, heard two simple words that carried a lifetime of meaning. "Welcome home." The Missouri River Quilts of Valor group honored a dozen area veterans during a moving ceremony recognizing their military service and sacrifice. For many who served, particularly during the Vietnam War, those words were never spoken when they first returned home. Saturday, they finally were. Family members gently placed each handcrafted quilt around the shoulders of their veteran as the audience looked on. The quilts, stitched by volunteers and local quilting groups, including members of the Elgin Bits and Pieces Quilt Club, are presented through the Quilts of Valor Foundation, whose mission is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor. The Missouri River Quilts of Valor organization is staffed entirely by volunteers and relies solely on donations to continue its mission. The 12 veterans honored represented decades of military service in the United States Army, Navy, Air Force and North Dakota Army National Guard. Their service took them around the world, including Vietnam, Iraq, Kosovo, Bosnia, Germany, Turkey, Egypt and Korea. Among those honored was Hettinger resident Vern Erickson, who accepted his Quilt of Valor surrounded by family and friends. Like many of the veterans recognized Saturday afternoon, Erickson's emotions were evident as he reflected on what the quilt meant to him. "It means everything to me," Erickson said. "It's an honor to have this quilt given to me. I really appreciate it." When asked what he planned to do with the quilt, Erickson smiled and replied, "I'm going to use it when the cold weather comes." Although the handmade quilt will certainly provide warmth during the winter months, Erickson said the recognition itself meant even more. "It was awesome," he said of his military service. "It was my dream to serve in the military. The rifle range was where I fit the best at." Before the ceremony concluded, Erickson expressed his appreciation to those who organized the event and to everyone who attended. "I would like to thank everyone for everything today," he said. "This was such an honor." Erickson's gratitude reflected the emotions felt throughout the afternoon as veterans, family members and friends wiped away tears while each recipient was recognized for his or her service. Those receiving Quilts of Valor included Theodore Ledman, Vern Erickson, Adam Greff, Jennifer Greff, Brian Bleick, Daniel Devitt, Frank Fettig, Fred Eslinger, Jimmy Zimmerman, Larry Schlosser, Ralph Heim and Richard Ledman. The ceremony opened with an invocation by Pastor Mike Harrison and the presentation of colors by the Mott American Legion Post 71 Color Guard. Members of the Missouri River Quilts of Valor organization, including Mary Dunn, Shelly Doyle, Gloria Payne and Gale Nicholson, shared opening remarks before the quilts were presented. Delbert Weishaar, commander of George W. Snook American Legion Post 246 in Elgin, and Herb Quamme, commander of Mott American Legion Post 71, presented North Dakota Welcome Home Coins to each quilt recipient, with additional Vietnam Welcome Home Coins presented to veterans who served during that conflict. As the ceremony drew to a close, veterans, families and community members stood together to sing "God Bless America," accompanied on the piano by Annette Roth. The afternoon began with gratitude for military service. It ended with something even more meaningful—a community making sure 12 veterans knew they had not been forgotten and, for many, finally hearing the welcome they had waited decades to receive. Welcome home.
Accomplishing a three-peat by securing a spot at the national Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) competition for the third time in three years was already a major achievement. But Mykenzie …
