First off, I’M SORRY! I didn’t submit a column last week, and you were all subjected to read just Sara’s column, blah. I was off and away at my last soldier’s bachelor party. An end of an era for me as I realized I’m officially old. Now, in keeping with one of the three veteran bachelor party rules, 1) no touching, 2) anything is game unless law enforcement shows up, then we obey every command, and 3) never discuss with members that were not there, I can’t tell you where we went or who it was for. Let’s just say it took my old A** until about Wednesday to function again. I missed the deadline, and my loyal readers of five were left to look at pictures, sports, and play sudoku. I’m sorry.

Here we are again, a new month literally blew into town and is raising heck with the forecast. Summer.

National Voter Education Week is Oct. 6-10 this year.

You may have noticed in each week’s issue of Borderland Press, there is an article written by Julie Garden-Robinson, NDSU Extension food and nutrition specialist. Over 25 years ago, I had Julie Garden- Robinson as one of my professors at NDSU. She was, in fact, one of my favorite professors. In the final years of my college career, I was in a program that required me to do three different internship rotations, and I was lucky enough to have one of them at NDSU Extension working under Julie. Doing research and providing education was far more exciting than my rotations in the hospital where patients were required by their doctor to see me, but they clearly didn’t want to see me. I was doing things like talking to cardiac patients post triple bypass surgery and lecturing them on eating less bacon. That was about as fun as you imagine it being.

By Bob Simmons, CEO, Simmons Multimedia On Charlie Kirk… So I ‘almost’ signed to carry conservative commentator Charlie Kirk on our KXPO AM/FM at Grafton a few years back to balance liberal commentator Joel Heitkamp who holds court in the morning on our stations but instead signed to carry Fox talking head Jimmy Fallia. Why? Because I met Jimmy at a convention once and liked that he didn’t take himself too seriously. What I want to know is why are they all named Jimmy? There’s Jimmy Fallia (Fox), Jimmy Fallon (NBC) and Jimmy Kimmel (ABC). Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy - Marsha, Marsha, Marsha. On Jimmy Kimmel. I’ve never watched him. Why? Because I’m sound asleep most nights by 10:00. Contrary to what you might think, Mr. Kimmel is NOT being censored. Like you, me and every other American, HE is entitled to his opinion, and thanks to guys like my dad who took shrapnel from a hand grenade in World War II, he can say whatever he wants. That’s why this is the greatest place to live. What he, you, and I don’t have is a right to espouse our views and collect a paycheck from a privately owned media entity such as a broadcast network or TV station that no longer wishes to provide a forum because those views have alienated both viewers and advertisers. Any suggestion that the FCC had a hand in Kimmel’s removal is (gulp) fake news. Check your sources. I know this because as a holder of eight broadcast station licenses for over 30 years. I can tell you that aside from patently offensive material not in keeping with local community standards (think Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction), the FCC could care less about anything over the air broadcasters put on the air. The free market decides, not the FCC or the President. Broadcasters have an obligation as public trustees of the public airwaves to serve the public interest. What you may not know is subscription services that you pay for like cable TV, satellite and all things ‘internet’ are NOT held to the standards of us over-the-air broadcasters. My suggestion to Jimmy Kimmel is to start a podcast, YouTube Channel, or make a pitch to one of the thousands of cable networks on being his new home. Let them pay him 16 million a year. Good luck with that...

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of watching the Langdon Cross Country team and several other teams compete in a meet at the Langdon Country Club. It was on Monday, and you may remember it was a warm day and even hot at times.

As many of you already know, my left eye is a prosthetic. I lost it after being t-boned on Hwy.

In the heart of America, small towns are dying - not from lack of will or work ethic but from the steady erosion of their economic foundations. Among the most critical losses is the disappearance of independent rural grocery stores - once vital community hubs that now struggle to survive. While many blame market trends or consumer preference, there's a more insidious culprit that too few are talking about: the government’s failure to enforce the Robinson-Patman Act (RPA). This law was designed to protect small retailers from unfair, discriminatory pricing practices.

If you have been buried under a rock, it has been a little moist outside. Harvest season seems to be dragging by, and I feel for all that are tied to the weather. Even the occasional lunch with a drink has lost its allure, as folks just want to work. Tempers are starting to flare, but thank God, the only thing keeping us from depression is we are in the thick of football season!! Finally, we get to watch a sport where at the end of the day, it is one big pushing match, you versus them. It is hard being a Vikings fan, but JJ needs some time back there to learn the speed and system of the game. Don’t give up on him, as we could either be a constant 9-8 team with a high-priced experienced quarterback or mold this young man and be a championship team in three years…. Let’s not screw this up again. I do not have any advice for our Cardinals, as it seems Coach K has that covered. I do know that he loves advice on Facebook messenger the day before the game, if any of you might have some game plan tidbits, and the less you’ve played the sport, the better. Which brings us to the greatest age group in football…. elementary! The age that you finally get to throw on the pads and compete in a sport you love to watch on TV. I was hoping to watch my son from the stands this year, but I guess they reached the bottom of the barrel and asked me to be the head coach…ONE FINAL year. I can’t complain, though, as they recruited Josh Roppel (5th grade coach) and Chase Peebles (6th grade coach) to run the teams for me. If you know who owns C&L Electric and Bullis Construction, please thank them for all of us as they let those two come and coach in the best part of the day.

Wednesday, Sept. 17 is the two-year anniversary of Carol’s passing. Like everything else in life, it doesn’t seem possible that time has gone that fast. Greg and I have spent some time in the last few weeks reminiscing about the past as well as the three weeks of her hospitalization leading up to her death. Both of us were struggling to remember exact dates and events. Everything was a blur. It was stressful and unexpected. We had just hosted a large family reunion and were in the middle of wheat harvest; I was sub teaching full-time; Gage had just started college, and it seemed like everyone was sick. Both of us had saved messages from Carol on our phones, but the timeline was still a little unclear.