North Dakota

North Dakota Couple Infuse Jewelry Store with Glamour

Published

2 years ago

January 9, 2024

North Dakota Couple Infuse Jewelry Store with Glamour

CELEBRITY ENCOUNTERS IN Bismarck, ND, are few and far between.

But Tim and Sharon Ell, owners of Zorells Jewelry, do their best to give residents a taste of Hollywood glam. Sharon loves to wear retro outfits and the couple drives a classic car to work.

Adding to the romance, a bell is rung every time a couple is engaged at the store.

“Sharon and I love classic Hollywood movies,” Tim says. “The Hollywood era with Greta Garbo, Fred Astair, Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn is just classy and distinguished. We strive to add that vibe to our showroom for a wonderful way to give our customers a cool experience you would not get anywhere else.”

In 2019, they designed their expanded store around the concept of what Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers would look like if they were a jewelry store, which resulted in a “Wine and Shine” chandelier bar, a marble “dance” floor and framed photos of Hollywood stars, including Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn. “It’s a classy look you just don’t see anymore,” Tim says of the space. “If I visualize what luxury is, I think of those old movies. Everyone is wearing a three-piece suit and they can tap dance and have a hat and a cane.”

Most recently, while growing their estate jewelry business, the Ells began to incorporate items previously owned by celebrities into their estate case, including earrings worn by Janet Jackson and a necklace that was Frank Sinatra’s. All items come with documentation and provenance and are sourced at celebrity auctions in Hollywood.

Tim and Sharon Ell

“This is similar to how some estate trunk-show dealers that we have worked with have incorporated celebrity owned items in with the estate jewelry to get people excited to attend the trunk shows,” Tim says. “Because it is such a draw, that led us to this idea where throughout the year we will show things we own in our private collection, and also have some celebrity items for sale.” The couple have a private collection of memorabilia that they intend to display throughout the year as well as rotating in new items as they acquire them.

Of the jewelry items on display, one ensemble was owned and worn by Elizabeth Taylor. Another necklace was at the center of a plot in a 1951 movie starring Greer Garson, in which she plays the main character who plots to steal a big diamond necklace.

That idea goes beyond jewelry, to include a gown designed by Edith Head and worn by Elizabeth Taylor onscreen, and jewelry owned by her personally, as well as a gown made for Cher by designer Bob Mackie.

“Our customers are losing their minds!” Tim says. “They think it’s super cool. This gets new faces in and gets them talking about our store to their friends. They take selfies next to the dresses, share posts on Facebook, they’re asking what’s coming next. We’re a smaller city in North Dakota and we don’t get celebrities who come up and visit.”

North Dakota Couple Infuse Jewelry Store with Glamour

The luxury vibe overall is unique for Bismarck (pop. 80,000) in a state with a population of just 700,000.

“Unless my customers go on vacation, they don’t get these experiences,” Tim says. “It’s something different. We want to give them the kind of an experience they could find on the strip in Las Vegas visiting a jewelry store, or New York or LA.

“Everything is branded to give them in the middle of nowhere this crazy cool different experience. Showcasing celebrity owned vintage gowns ties in, it’s a little bit of a cherry on top. We love it and it’s genuine, so it works.”

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North Dakota

Today in History, 1943: 2 North Dakota men die in separate Army plane crashes

Published

10 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Today in History, 1943: 2 North Dakota men die in separate Army plane crashes

On this day in 1943, two North Dakota army officers, Second Lieut. Arthur B. Kuntz and First Lieut. Bernard A. Anderson, were killed in separate medium bomber training crashes in Florida and Georgia.

Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:

Army Plane Crashes Kill Two N. D. Men

Two North Dakota officers in the army air forces were killed Sunday in bomber crashes during training flights, Associated Press dispatches revealed Monday.

Second Lieut. Arthur B. Kuntz of Harvey (Wells county) was killed with 10 others from the Avon Park, Fla., army bomber base when two medium bombers collided during a routine formation flight. Both planes crashed and there were no survivors.

First Lieut. Bernard A. Anderson of Warwick (Benson county) was one of six killed when a medium bomber from MacDill field, Tampa, Fla., crashed near Savannah, Ga. Lieutenant Anderson was co-pilot of the plane.

None of the other victims of either accident was from the Dakotas or Minnesota.

Lieutenant Kuntz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Kuntz of Harvey, was graduated from the army air force navigation school at Hondo, Texas, as a second lieutenant last October, and received his wings as a navigator.

See more history at Newspapers.com

An ad featured in The Forum on March 2, 1943. Newspapers.com

Kate Almquist is the social media manager for InForum. After working as an intern, she joined The Forum full time starting in January 2022. Readers can reach her at kalmquist@forumcomm.com.

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North Dakota

Presidential Searches at 3 North Dakota Colleges Narrowing

Published

22 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Presidential Searches at 3 North Dakota Colleges Narrowing

(Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – Two North Dakotans are semifinalists for the Bismarck State College president’s job as North Dakota State University narrows its presidential candidate list.

Valley City State University also is searching for a new president, with an application period closing this month..

Kevin Black, chair of the State Board of Higher Education and co-chair of the North Dakota State University Presidential Search Committee, said the committee reviewed over 60 applications. The committee is planning off-site interviews with candidates March 9-10 and campus visits with semifinal candidates March 23-27.

“We’re really excited about taking the next step and there’s some very quality people in there,” Black said.

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North Dakota

After falling short a year ago, West Fargo United wins ND girls hockey state title

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

After falling short a year ago, West Fargo United wins ND girls hockey state title

FARGO — One season ago, a Cinderella run for the West Fargo United girls hockey team came up just short in the state championship game.

United, the No. 7 seed, fell to Legacy/Bismarck in the 2025 final.

This time around, the team had momentum swaying in its favor, riding nine consecutive wins into Saturday’s title game against Grand Forks at Scheels Arena.

Led by goals from a pair of senior captains, United capped its redemption season with a 10th straight victory, fending off the KnightRiders 2-1 to claim the North Dakota girls hockey state tournament championship.

“It just means everything,” said United’s Payton Stocker, whose goal at the 12:31 mark of the second period gave her team a 1-0 lead. “We’ve worked so hard and throughout the season, it’s just been such a battle. Winning and coming out on top is just such a great feeling.”

West Fargo United captains react as they are presented the team’s 2026 state championship hockey trophy after defeating Grand Forks on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena in Fargo.

Eric Hylden / Grand Forks Herald

Stocker was followed up in scoring by United captain Rachel Spanier. The defenseman fired a slap shot from the left point that beat Grand Forks goaltender Kylie Schmaltz to make it 2-0 with 35 seconds remaining in the middle frame.

Reagan Wilson locked things down in net for United, finishing with 23 saves and picking up an all-tournament team nod.

“This is my first year of high school hockey,” the sophomore goaltender said. “I can’t believe coming in here and winning a state title with all of these girls. I just love them so much.”

While it was the senior duo of Stocker and Spanier finding the net for United on Saturday, contributions were seen across the board.

Sophomore Emma Hassler also put forth an all-tournament campaign with five goals and an assist for six points over the three-day stretch.

030226 WFGOUnited3.jpg — Grand Forks’ Dustee Balek’s shot is blocked by West Fargo United goalie Reagan Wilson in the North Dakota girls hockey state championship game on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena.

Freshman Kaylee Augdahl finished the tournament with four points — including

a double-overtime winner

over Fargo North/South in Friday’s semifinals — and junior Liana Williamson added three assists.

“It wasn’t just us (seniors),” said Stocker, who joined Hassler and Wilson on the all-tourney team. “It was everyone collectively. Being seniors, it feels a lot better. It was a great feeling.”

United, the No. 5 seed this year, capped its season with a record of 17-9-0.

“These girls are awesome,” first-year United head coach Kennedy Blair said. “They’ve worked super, super hard since last April. Wake up early in the mornings, go into off-ice training, on-ice training and all that.

“This group of girls is really special. They’re a really close-knit group, and they trusted our coaching staff coming in as a first-year group.”

030226 WFGOUnited2.jpg — West Fargo United players pose for the camera as they wait for the 2026 state championship hockey trophy after defeating Grand Forks on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena.

Blair knows a thing or two about winning championships. She was a North Dakota state champion goaltender with the former Bismarck Blizzard co-op and also won an NCAA Division I national title with the Wisconsin women’s program in 2021.

Yet, she never imagined ending her first year as a high school varsity coach with a state championship.

“No, I didn’t,” said Blair, who also won North Dakota High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year honors. “But I had belief in these girls that we could get to the state championship again.”

It’s the United co-op’s first-ever state title — which consists of West Fargo, West Fargo Sheyenne and West Fargo Horace high schools.

Prior to Saturday, the last time a West Fargo girls program won the state title was in 2014 when it was still a standalone program competing as the Packers.

“It’s amazing considering United hockey has never won a championship game,” Wilson said.

Grand Forks, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, ended its campaign with a 21-5-0 record.

Ella Yahna’s fourth goal of the tournament — which came on a 2-on-1 rush with the assist from teammate Reese Meagher, put the KnightRiders within one shot with 8:17 remaining in the third.

Grand Forks, however, was unable to find the equalizer as its bid for a first state championship came up just short.

“I thought we came out in the first and we had a tough time,” Grand Forks head coach Kelly Kilgore said. “I felt we battled some nerves. I really liked our second period … We carried the play and tilted the ice a little bit back in our favor. The shots kind of started to really turn in our favor.”

Stocker said she wouldn’t have wanted to win a state title as a senior with any other group of teammates.

“(They mean) everything,” Stocker said. “We’re so tight and they’re all my friends. Leaving them is going to be hard. But they mean everything to me. We’re all so close and I love them a lot.”