North Dakota

Shaw: She did not have to lay there and suffer

Published

3 months ago

February 17, 2024

Shaw: She did not have to lay there and suffer

In a survey at the 2023 Minnesota State Fair, people were asked, “Should terminally ill adults have the option to end their lives with the assistance of health care providers?” An overwhelming 73% said yes, while just 18% said no. It’s time for Minnesota legislators to listen to the people of the state and pass such a law.

We know these laws work in other states. Mona Henkels of Fulda, Minnesota, had a very dear friend, Elfi Rice, who used to live in Faribault, Minnesota. Elfi later moved to the state of Washington.

In 2015, Elfi was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She valiantly fought her cancer, and received numerous chemotherapy treatments, but they didn’t help.

Mona Henkels is pictured with her friend Elfi Rice.

Contributed / Mona Henkels

“Elfi was in a lot of pain,” Mona told me. “She was sick, very weak and lost her appetite. She was choking on her food. We couldn’t even understand what this eloquent woman was saying. She had fought all she could fight.”

Realizing that she was terminally ill and only going to get worse, Elfi made the decision to die with dignity. After she was examined by two physicians and found to be of a sound mind, Elfi was approved for Washington’s program.

Surrounded by her family, Elfi took two pills in a drink and went to sleep. An hour later she was gone.

“I’m very grateful that she was allowed that option,” Mona said. “I was so glad that she did not have to lay there and suffer. There was nothing to be gained. She had lived a great life. She wasn’t going to submit to the indignity and inhumanity of waiting to die.”

David Sturgeon of Tonka Bay, Minnesota, will never forget the brutal death of his father.

“My father had skin cancer,” David told me. “He was miserable. He couldn’t do anything for himself. He was choking on fluid filling his lungs, was horribly uncomfortable and clearly in pain. He wanted to get medical assistance to die, but that wasn’t a legal option. Instead, he got the death he dreaded.”

David Sturgeon is pictured with his father shortly before his death.

That had a huge impact on David. Nine years after his father’s death, Tom Warren of California, who was like a second father to David, was also dying and suffering. So, Tom chose death with dignity. David was with Tom and his family when Tom took his medication.

“He told everybody he loved them and went to sleep,” David said. “Totally peaceful. To be a witness to that was incredible. It was what he wanted. I wish my dad could have had that opportunity.”

Every terminally ill person should have this opportunity. What’s the point of prolonging misery and suffering? In most states, we treat our dogs and cats more humanely when they are dying than we do our fellow human beings.

“I can only hope when my time comes, my passing will be like Tom’s,” David said.

“It’s just the right and humane thing to do to provide this option,” Mona said.

InForum columnist Jim Shaw is a former WDAY TV reporter and former KVRR TV news director.

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North Dakota

Off the Beaten Path Return Trip: The grave of an early pioneer, William Bryant

Published

50 mins ago

May 7, 2024

Press Room

Off the Beaten Path Return Trip: The grave of an early pioneer, William Bryant

MEDORA, N.D. (KFYR) – Of all the amazing things you can see and do in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, seeing a burial site might not be one you knew about.

Cliff Naylor traveled to Medora in 1996 to learn about a grave for one of the earliest North Dakota pioneers.

Watch the full story in the video above.

Now for the update: the William Bryant gravesite is still there located along the main road through the north unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

If you need help finding it, ask a park ranger for directions.

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North Dakota

Northwest North Dakota's County Teachers of the Year

Published

7 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Press Room

Northwest North Dakota's County Teachers of the Year

WILLISTON, N.D. (KUMV) – The North Dakota Department of Public Instruction has named 49 teachers from 48 counties County Teachers of the Year. They were nominated by their peers and scored by a committee of education professionals. KUMV-TV’s Michael Anthony had a chance to speak with the winners in the northwest part of the state.

Williams County – Kari Hall, Williston High School

Kari Hall with a student at Williston High School(Michael Smith | KUMV)

Kari Hall is a social studies teacher at Williston High School and has been educating students for 25 years. Her classes include U.S. History, Psychology, and a Holocaust class that she started about five years ago.

“I’m a tough teacher. I’m not always a fun and games teacher. I have expectations and sometimes that’s hard, but in the long run I hope my students realize that I’m prepping them for the real world,” said Hall.

As a struggling learner herself, Hall says she became a teacher to better help others.

“I remember when I figured it out, that learning could happen for anyone, so I always investigated that possibility of how a student and a teacher can work together,” said Hall.

When asked about winning the county teacher of the year award, Hall credits the people who helped her develop as an instructor.

“It takes an army to build a teacher,” Hall said.

Hall says her hope for her students once they leave her class is that they become somewhat knowledgeable about the world around them.

“If they don’t learn about history, they may never learn about it. If they don’t learn about psychological disorders, they may not understand their neighbor next door. Everything we teach in school, it may not seem like it, but it is part of how you function in life,” said Hall.

Hall says teachers face many challenges, but she remains dedicated to her profession.

“I think teaching is a calling. You don’t give up when it’s hard, you figure out how to do it well because the students still need you. My 25 years at Williston High School, I’ve never thought about leaving my career… I’m dedicated to what this is,” said Hall.

Hall was selected from a crowded field. The department of public instruction says 166 teachers were nominated from Williams County. That’s nearly half of the total nominations across the state.

McKenzie County – Tiffany Olson, Fox Hills Elementary

Tiffany Olson writes out a question for her students(Michael Smith | KUMV)

Tiffany Olson is a fourth-grade math teacher at Fox Hills Elementary. The Watford City native has 32 years’ experience teaching, with the last five being back in her hometown.

“My daughter also teaches here at Fox Hills, so it’s awesome. It’s a different community than when I grew up here, but I love it,” said Olson.

The elementary became departmentalized this year, meaning Olson exclusively teaches math to nearly 100 students every day.

“I love math, so it’s pretty awesome,” said Olson.

Olson says she became a teacher because she loves to work with children.

“I teach because I love to be around students. I love kids. It’s pretty awesome to watch them learn new things and watch them grow throughout the school year. I love building relationships with them, and I wouldn’t want to do anything else,” said Olson.

While she hopes her students leave her class with better math skills, she also hopes they learn it’s okay to make mistakes.

“I just want them to try their hardest and making mistakes is learning. We’re going to make mistakes in math, I made a mistake, and they called me out on it, and I love it. That’s a part of learning,” said Olson.

Olson says she appreciates the recognition but notes that all teachers work hard.

Divide County – Rayme Haggin, Divide County Elementary

Rayme Haggin with her class(Michael Smith | KUMV)

Rayme Haggin teaches second grade at Divide County Elementary School in Crosby. She moved to Crosby from Minot 14 years ago to begin her career.

“My original plan was to come here for a year or two and feel it out before heading back to the city, but I love it here so much. I love the accepting community; I love the students here and my co-workers. It’s awesome up here, I love it,” said Haggin.

Haggin says her class has a lot of fun, but they also get a lot of work done too.

“I try to keep them busy moving, and then give them some work. I help them learn and just become the best version of themselves they can possibly be,” said Haggin.

Haggin says this job is all about supporting her students.

“I love working with the kids. I know that’s a cliché answer, but I can’t picture doing anything else every day for the rest of my life. I have been having a lot of fun,” said Haggin.

Haggin says her message to her students is that anything is possible if they put in the effort.

“I want them to know that I truly believe that they can do anything they want to do in life as long as they continue to work hard and be themselves,” said Haggin.

Haggin also spent a couple years teaching kindergarten.

The recipients of the award are eligible to apply for state Teacher of the Year honors. The winner will be named on September 27.

A list of all the teachers can be found here.

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North Dakota

Cropland values increase across North Dakota

Published

14 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Press Room

Cropland values increase across North Dakota

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Just like everything else, inflation has impacted cropland prices, especially in the last couple of years.

NDSU Extension says over time, cropland values have increased. Part of that is the advances in technology and yield increases have gotten better over the years.

“It seems like right next to town, so like Bismarck, Minot, Fargo, some of those areas, we’ve got enough urban sprawl that is going on. I know even looking on some of the land values just a couple miles out of Bismarck, it went from $2,300 an acre, all of a sudden it’s upwards of $7,000 to $20,000 an acre,” said Tyler Kralicek, NDSU extension agent.

NDSU Extension says North Dakota cropland values increased 11.59% heading into the spring of 2024. The eastern part of the state is seeing more of an increase in land values.

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