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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Class gives UND students a chance to chase storms, get experiential learning
Jun. 18—GRAND FORKS — The first day of storm chasing for the University of North Dakota's storm experience class featured a weather phenomenon that would be one of the key memories for the students and professor. In Colorado, the 22 members of the multi-state trip watched a tornado touch the earth. It was a favorite moment for several of the storm chasing students. Sam Johnson, in his third year at UND studying atmospheric sciences, said it was his first time seeing a tornado in person, and though he wouldn't describe it as exactly "world changing," it was along those lines for him. "You hear stories about how powerful and destructive they are, and there's one right in front of you," he said. "It's really cool." The storm experience class, held during the last two weeks of May, started with two days of instruction and travel before chasing. In the two vans that went as far as Texas were four teaching assistants who also served as drivers; 18 students; Montana Etten-Bohm, an assistant professor of atmospheric sciences and the professor for the course; and Jake Mulholland, a professor who led the class last year. The class offered the chance for experiential learning, Etten-Bohm said, teaching the students an equivalent of a 16-week class in two weeks of real-life experience. Along with the tornado sighting, the class visited different atmospheric research facilities, toured a facility for developing new technologies on a weather research plane, and toured the plane itself. The students, gathered into different groups, took time bonding and stopped at a teaching assistant's house for a meal. The students also got to meet up with other storm chasers on a day in Texas, tracking the only storm in the state as part of ICECHIP (In-situ Collaborative Experiment for the Collection of Haile In the Plains). Brenden Marto, a senior double majoring in commercial aviation and air traffic management, said that was one of his favorite days. There were more than 50 cars stopped at a truck stop, all following the storm. "My little kid dream of wanting to be a storm chaser was kind of all coming true when I'm walking through this parking lot and seeing all these cars that I've known for years, but never seen in person up close and live," he said. The students were split into three groups that rotated through three kinds of teams: logistics, social media and forecasting. The logistics team focused on finding places to eat and sleep while on the road; the social media team posted the goings-on of the trip online; and the forecasting team tracked the weather and decided where the class would go. "It's really rewarding when you do all this timing and take all these considerations into effect and have to give a forecast in the morning," Marto said. "And everybody has to agree with you on where you guys want to go for the day." Etten-Bohm believes the logistics team was underappreciated, as its responsibility was finding hotels that weren't expensive, but still quality, as well as finding where to eat and get fuel. Etten-Bohm had been on the previous year's trip more as an observer, which she said was beneficial to her being the instructor this year. Her top priority was safety, but she still wanted to get the students into weather situations, she said. One thing that stood out to her was the number of students who attended who weren't majoring in atmospheric sciences. "One thing that makes this trip and this class more unique than other classes out there, not just at UND but other similar storm chasing classes out there, is that the predominant majority of our students that go on this trip are atmospheric sciences minors," she said. "They're not majoring in atmospheric sciences. ... They still want to go and want to learn and have this really unique and cool experience. I think, too, it also motivates them to be more involved in atmospheric sciences. ... I think this is one of the benefits of this class — to help students get more engaged in meteorology." Sophomore Sophia Barton, who has been studying commercial aviation, said she might be changing her major or adding on the atmospheric sciences major following the class. "A lot of the people, especially the teaching assistants, they major in atmospheric sciences, and it brings a lot of different perspectives on you," she said. "They were telling me about it, and there's one person who actually does fly and does atmospheric sciences, who encouraged me to do both because I knew it'd be possible to do it." Some of the students said the members of the group were mostly strangers to them, but by the end of the trip, they had all become close. Colin Gilley, who will be going into his senior year in the fall studying commercial aviation, minoring in atmospheric sciences and specializing in aviation safety, said he was nervous at first, but by the end of the trip, it felt like being with co-workers rather than strangers. Connection was part of the trip, along with the knowledge portion, he said, and he still spends time with those he was with. "Some of the people that were in my group, we've been going out and hanging out after we do our class work, or start studying together," he said. Joslyn Sutton, a sophomore majoring in air traffic management and minoring in meteorology and space studies, said her mom encouraged her to go on the trip. Her biggest takeaway from the class is "just do it," which she encourages others to do who might be interested in taking the class. "Just do the thing," she said. "I was nervous. ... At the end, we were all hugging like, 'Man, I don't want to leave this group.' It fostered such a great experience for all of us."
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shakespeare's 'As You Like It' opens at Grand Forks' Town Square
Jun. 13—GRAND FORKS — Curt Tofteland has always been quite comfortable with the renowned works of William Shakespeare, because he became familiar with the Bard's style of writing at a young age. The 16th Century playwright, poet and actor is widely considered the greatest writer in the English language. "I was raised on the King James Bible, which was written in the time period that Shakespeare was writing," said Tofteland, who grew up in Martin, North Dakota, a tiny Sheridan County town 10 miles west of Harvey. "When you're raised on the King James Bible, you don't think it's odd that they say 'thee' and 'thou.' So I didn't have the same kind of aversion to the language that perhaps some of my other classmates had." Tofteland, of Holland, Michigan, is directing the North Dakota Shakespeare Festival production of "As You Like It," which opened Thursday, June 12, at Town Square, DeMers Avenue and Third Street. This is the first production he's directed for the festival. Rehearsals have been taking place at UND's Burtness Theater. Performances are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays, June 12-14 and 19-21. A matinee is also planned for 2 p.m. Sunday, June 15. Admission is free; donations are welcome. Reservations are requested at , but walk-ins are welcome. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. "As You Like It" is presented by the North Dakota Shakespeare Festival, now in its ninth season. A performance will be staged at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, on the lawn of Grand Forks Public Library, 2110 Library Circle; attendees should bring their own lawn chairs and blankets. It will also be performed June 26-30 and July 3-7 in Medora, North Dakota, and July 1 in Lemmon, South Dakota. The play, performed by professionals from throughout the country, is "a delightful pastoral comedy," said Stephanie Faatz Murry, producing artistic director, North Dakota Shakespeare Festival. It is "a joyful tale of love, wit and transformation under the forest canopy." Tofteland said, "'As You Like It' is considered by many folks that are Shakespeare experts, as the female 'Hamlet' in length and breadth. ... In a number of Shakespeare's plays, the female character disguises herself as a male — and that's true of (this play). "The great thing about (this play) — as in many of Shakespeare's comedies — is no one gets killed," he said. "And it's about love and people fall in love and usually the play ends with a marriage. In this instance, the play ends with multiple marriages." The story starts out in the urban world, "then it transposes to the pastoral world, which is the forest, so most of the play happens out in the country," he said. "We thought it was a great play to do in North Dakota, being primarily an agrarian culture and society." The local production promises to delight audiences because "it is one of Shakespeare's plays that has the most amount of music in it," Tofteland said, noting the talent of Erin O'Neil, an East Grand Forks fiddler. The play boasts "a lot of singing and dancing," including a square dance, which he expects will resonate with North Dakota audiences, he said. Also it features musicians who play the ukulele, accordion and percussion. Cast and crew members include Abby Anderson, as Rosalind; Andrew Bates, scenic designer; Murray, as Celia, Audrey and Lord; Tyler Folkedahl, as Duke Senior, Corwin and Sir Oliver Martext; Veronica Lee Folkedahl, as Phoebe, Duke Frederick and Oliver; Michael Matthys, as Touchstone, Adam, Silvius, Hymen and Jaques de Boys; O'Neil, as lead musician, Amiens, William and Lord; Alexandra Rice, stage manager; Tyler Smith, sound engineer; Mark Swift, Jaques and Charles; Emily Taylor, costume designer; and Christopher Zou, as Orlando. Along with Tofteland, the UND alumni are Taylor, Smooth, the Folkedahls, Rice and O'Neil. A North Dakota native, Tofteland attended his first eight grades in school at Martin and completed his high school education in Harvey, North Dakota, where an English teacher ignited his interest in Shakespeare's plays by introducing him, as a junior, to the tragedy "Romeo and Juliet." In 1968, as a senior, he watched Franco Zeffirelli's newly-released film, of the same name, in a Harvey, North Dakota, theater. Tofteland earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from UND — one of the first BFA degrees conferred — with an emphasis on vocal performance, in 1974, he said. He also had concentrations in theater and creative writing with a focus on poetry. Tofteland has built a career celebrating the Bard's work. During his 20-year tenure as the producing artistic director Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, he has produced about 50 Shakespeare productions, directed 25, and acted in eight. The Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, the oldest free Shakespeare festival in North America, he said. A professional director and an Equity actor, Tofteland has more than 200 professional productions to his credit. He has presented more than 400 performances of his one-man show "Shakespeare's Clownes: A Foole's Guide to Shakespeare". Tofteland has earned international acclaim for his work with "Shakespeare Behind Bars," a program he created 34 years ago to influence the lives of people in prisons and juvenile detention centers. Tofteland is "a bit of a legend in the Shakespeare Community" for the program "that brings Shakespeare performance opportunities to incarcerated men and women," Murry said. As founder of "Shakespeare Behind Bars," Tofteland has produced and directed 14 all-male Shakespeare plays. The work is "transformational," he said. Under this program, "we have about 500 prisoners who've been released. Our recidivism rate is less than 6% over 30 years, whereas the national average is 67% come back within five years." To learn more about the SBB program, go to and watch the award-winning documentary by Philomath Films, which premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and traveled to more than 40 film festivals, winning 11 awards.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Iconic' Italian Restaurant The Italian Moon Closing After 60 Years
An "iconic" Italian and Mexican restaurant announced its doors will be closing later this month after 60 years in business. "It is with heavy hearts that we announce the closing of Italian Moon. After many wonderful years serving the Grand Forks community, our final three days of service will be June 18th, 19th, and 20th," a statement from The Italian Moon reads. "This decision was not made lightly. Italian Moon has been more than just a restaurant—it has been a gathering place for families, friends, celebrations, and everyday moments. We've had the privilege of serving generations of loyal guests, and we are truly grateful for the memories made within our walls." Radio personality Rick Rider called the North Dakota restaurant a "staple for sure, and a household name" while referring to it as an iconic venue for the area. "This was a place enjoyed by families on their way to a UND hockey game or to watch a big high school game. At one time, it was just about impossible to find a table on a Friday or Saturday evening. It was also a popular spot for a lunch or dinner buffet in Grand Forks," Rider said. The Italian Moon got its start in February 1965 when owner Keith Moon opened an Italian restaurant. In 1974, the restaurant was sold to Ken Towers and Dave Rubin. Scott Purpur took over in 2015 and the company lasted 60 total years. "To our incredible staff, past and present, thank you for your dedication, passion, and hard work. To our customers, thank you for allowing us to be a part of your lives—we are humbled by your support and love over the years," a statement from the restaurant read before asking customers to come back for one more meal together before it closes for good. The restaurant offers its customers everything from burritos to chicken Alfredo, but will be coming to a close next week.'Iconic' Italian Restaurant The Italian Moon Closing After 60 Years first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 12, 2025
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UND staff members say Center for Aerospace Medicine will serve as resource to pilots throughout the state
May 27—GRAND FORKS — With the passage of House Bill 1612, UND will be able to expand mental health support and Federal Aviation Administration medical certification assistance to pilots throughout the state. "(The bill allows) us to take what we've built here in Grand Forks and help pilots across the state of North Dakota," said Elizabeth Bjerke, UND's associate dean of aerospace. "North Dakota has the highest pilot per-capita rate in the country — there's a lot of pilots in the state of North Dakota, which is exciting. Now we're poised to help them." Signed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong on April 29, House Bill 1612 will allow UND to establish the North Dakota Center for Aerospace Medicine, which is a very new concept, Bjerke said. Up to $250,000 in one-time funding was allocated to establish the center, according to a press release the university issued Wednesday, May 14. The Center for Aerospace Medicine will address the unique standards for pilots, such as the routine medical physicals required to allow them to maintain a medical certificate and continue flying, according to Jessica Doty, director of student health services. Because the bill passed, pilots throughout North Dakota will be able to meet with aviation medical examiners (AMEs) located at UND, according to Rep. Landon Bahl, R-Grand Forks, who was the primary sponsor of the bill. In the past, UND's AMEs only met with UND student pilots, while others had to travel out of state to meet with AMEs, who are trained specifically by the FAA, which oversees medical requirements and determines what diagnoses and medications may affect a pilot's certification. House Bill 1612 will also allow UND to do additional work to increase awareness and outreach, Bjerke said. Some of those efforts will include working directly with pilots, but there will also be efforts to teach health care providers and UND medical school students what pilots' needs and standards are. How exactly to move forward is still being discussed, Bjerke said. Another mental health professional may be hired to accommodate the anticipated increase in clientele. The Center for Aerospace Medicine will function as a collaboration between campus partners, including the UND School of Medicine & Health Sciences, Student Health Services and University Counseling Center. "UND is just so uniquely set up for this, because we have the medical school; we have the aerospace college, with 2,000 students learning to fly airplanes; we've got our student health (department) that does 1,000 of these aviation medical (evaluations) a year, and has been doing them from 40 years; we have our counseling center with psychologists who are trained specifically on this aviation psychology piece," Bjerke said. "So we just have all the right players right here at UND. It only makes sense to really come together for this initiative." The purpose of pilot health requirements is to protect both them and their passengers, but one consequence is that pilots sometimes hesitate to disclose mental health concerns or seek help, Doty said. "When a pilot has any sort of mental health diagnosis or mental health needs, their medical certificate's at risk," she said. This issue came to the forefront during the pandemic, when UND staff realized how challenging it was for student pilots to seek help, particularly due to concerns that they would risk disrupting their flight training. An aviation mental health task force was formed, and different stakeholders were brought in to address the problem. "Despite that effort, tragedy befell UND aviation in the fall of 2021 with the death of John Hauser, who was on a training flight to Fargo," the university's press release said. Hauser's death, determined to be a suicide, was something of a catalyst for the university, Bjerke said. Since then, a number of initiatives have been enacted, including establishing the annual Aviation Mental Health Summit and directing $600,000 in investment funds to building an aerospace network that would increase students' access to care, according to the release. "We've been building a UND to better serve the state of North Dakota, and the pilots and air traffic controllers across the state," Bjerke said. Hauser's death was not only impactful to current UND students and staff; it also had an impact on Bahl, who was in the same fraternity as Hauser — Delta Tau Delta. "That's really what started, I would say, a lot of these conversations — especially at the university level — in terms of mental health within aviation," Bahl said. A second pilot from the same fraternity died by suicide within a year, prompting Bahl to pursue solutions at the federal level. He said he was disheartened to learn how challenging the process would be, but determined, he sought local help. He connected with Bjerke and Doty early on in this legislative session, and they made the proposal that would ultimately become House Bill 1612. The bill had tremendous support, with supporting testimony from 40 fraternity brothers and approximately 20 others, Bahl said. The bill's passage is a step in the right direction, but his hopes do not end there. "The much larger win is when we are able to change federal regulations and the strong, stringent guidelines that they put on pilots — because that's ultimately what ensures that pilots do or don't go seek help," Bahl said. "The day will come where the FAA will look at what we're doing here in our state, and we'll be a huge, huge guide for them to start to change FAA guidelines."
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
UND dedicates monument at Hyslop at Memorial Village
May 23—GRAND FORKS — Fifty-one military service members who lost their lives during WWI were remembered and honored Thursday, May 22, during a dedication ceremony for the monument that graces the entrance of the Hyslop at Memorial Village building. The monument "shines a light on the sacrifices our students gave to their country," said President Andrew Armacost during the ceremony. Several members of the local American Legion post served as the color guard for the occasion. The colors were presented in ceremonial fashion and the U.S. flag was raised to the middle, and highest, of three flagpoles, between the North Dakota flag and the UND flag. The monument includes the names of 33 UND soldiers and 18 members of the Student Army Training Corps. The trainees were not UND students, but they came to UND to prepare for military service. All 51 died during WWI. The memorial "is a perfect example of the sacrifice that they and others have made not just to the university, but the nation," Armacost said. "We owe it to them that that sacrifice is recognized and remembered forever." The memorial is titled "Memorial Stadium Monument" and the message on its face reads: "Dedicated to those from the University of North Dakota who served, fought and died during WWI. We honor their sacrifice and preserve their legacy in stone and memory. Memorial Stadium, 1927. Memorial Stadium Monument, 2024." Atop the brick base, five black granite pillars stand tall — four of them reflect aerial views of the stadium full of fans. The pillar on the right lists the names of those who lost their lives during WWI. That pillar reads "Honor. In Memorial" and "They hover as a cloud of witnesses above this nation. — Henry Ward Beecher," followed by the 51 names. The Hyslop at Memorial Village building, located on the southeast corner of the intersection of Second Avenue North and Columbia Road, has provided first-floor office space for athletic department personnel since July 2024 and living quarters — in one- to four-bedroom apartments — for students and others during the past academic year. It occupies the area where the former Memorial Stadium was built in 1927 — with 392,000 bricks — and razed in 2021, Armacost said. A ceremony held in March 2021 was before the stadium was razed. About 100 years ago, nearly $200,000 was raised by students, faculty, alumni and Grand Forks business-owners to fund the project, which was dedicated to 33 UND soldiers and 18 young men who trained for the military at UND and who died in WWI. The stadium was also meant to honor Webster Merrifield, the university's third president. The campaign was titled "Help the U that is helping you," Armacost said in his remarks during the program. Thursday's ceremony replicated the ceremony that occurred in 1927, including Armacost's reciting the names of the 33 UND soldiers who died in WWI. At the conclusion of the reading, Joel Ness played the somber Taps. "We gather together to dedicate not only a monument, but to honor a legacy of the UND students who left to serve in WWI and never returned," said Steve Burian, who serves on the Memorial Village Development Team and led the construction project. A UND alumnus and track athlete, Burian is president and CEO of Burian and Associates and serves on the UND Advisory Board. The monument is a testament to "the courage, commitment and character of those men," but also to the athletes, students and fans who filled and enlivened the stadium. Those enthusiasts "poured their pride into UND at this historic site," according to the event announcement. The five vertical pillars of the monument represent "loyalty, respect, service, courage and most importantly sacrifice," Burian said. The legacy of this site is preserved through a time capsule, he said, and space has been designated for the capsule that will contain "a message for the future, about how far we've come" and progress expected in decades ahead. Burian expressed gratitude to Armacost for "his deep respect for the military" and personal oversight of this project. "May this memorial forever stand as a place of remembrance, reflection and gratitude," Burian told the crowd. In his remarks, Armacost noted that the time capsule — to be placed in the building later — contains the flag that last flew in 2021 before Memorial Stadium was razed, a 2021 UND yearbook that features the stories of the 33 soldiers who died in WWI, the original ticket to the first game played in the stadium in 1927, other UND military items, an official football, and "a handwritten note from me to the UND president 50 years in the future." The capsule will be placed within the new building sometime this summer, he said.
