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BY: MEGHAN FEIR
E
very 14th day of February, men can be found wandering drugstores in pursuit of the nearest heartshaped box of chocolates to accompany the words they handpicked from the Hallmark greeting card selection near the checkout. Reservations are made and shades of pink and red adorn window displays in hopes of enticing vulnerable males needing direction. Whether this is your first Valentine’s Day with the woman you profess to be your one and only love or your 29th, that doesn’t downplay the expectations placed by society on the shoulders of every man and woman. Although women who love chocolate (there are more of them who do than don’t) will always appreciate a box or five, I implore you to add a little panache to your showering of love. This goes a lot farther than the giving of gifts.
Everything that glitters Diamonds aren’t a girl’s best friend, you are. You don’t have to spend wads of money every Valentine’s Day on jewelry (note that I said “every”). Being thoughtful doesn’t require you to spend hundreds of dollars. It requires you to take the time to plan or do something meaningful for your sweetheart.
Hear ye, hear ye Bring back the poetry, sayeth the ladies! Even if it has the ability to come off as corny (the high-fructose corn syrup variety), reading it together will not only bring about a few laughs, but it will bring you together in a state of vulnerability. Are you expected to make fun of it or act serious? Do you laugh or cry? Are you getting turned off or on? 2
It can make you uncomfortable, but once you get past the discomfort, it can produce opportunities to share your heart, your innermost love for one another. Dig out a little Shakespearean sonnet. Put to rest the “Roses are red/ Violets are blue/ You make me happy/ Cuz I really love you” crap.
If you can’t find the time to make supper for her after work, make something decadent together, or plan a romantic picnic indoors by the fire with food you didn’t have to prepare that night. If you don’t own a fireplace, gather around a candle (or just light a few for ambiance).
As we all know, stress can accumulate pretty quickly and is often housed in a person’s back, shoulders and neck, so give her a long back rub or scalp massage. Add a few other spa-like elements (e.g., relaxing music, oils and fluffy robes) and your darling will always remember how unselfish and giving you were this Valentine’s Day. An additional benefit of doing this is that this act will add to her association of relaxation with your presence.
Being romantic is a lot easier than guys think. Contrary to popular belief, women aren’t that complicated (cue the eye rolls). We just want a little (or a lot) of affection, understanding, and thoughtfulness without having to ask for it. We want you to do things because you thought of it on your own and genuinely want to out of love. When guys we adore already take the time and effort to note our likes and dislikes, quirks and desires, it makes us weak in the knees. Personalize the holiday by adding reminders of why you two fell in love with each other in the first place. Highlight the memories you’ve made along the way while creating new ones.
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IN EVERY ISSUE
06 HAVING A BEER WITH ... BEN AND JIM
28 FATHERS
WHEN THE NEST “UN-EMPTYS”
30 LOCAL HEROES
RED RIVER VALLEY SWAT TEAM
ON THE COVER
18 PRESENTING JADE NIELSEN:
FARGO ENTREPRENEUR DISCUSSES LIFE, BUSINESS AND MUSIC
VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 4
JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2015
CONTENTS
18 JADE NIELSEN
4
HAVING A BEER WITH ... 06
24 MAN CAVES CONTENTS
02 BEATING CUPID AT HIS OWN GAME
HOW YOU CAN IMPRESS THE WOMAN YOU LOVE THIS VALENTINE’S DAY
28 FATHERS
08 PROOF ARTISAN DISTILLERS
TO OPEN IN DOWNTOWN FARGO
12 AIRPLANE ETIQUETTE
WAYS TO AVOID ANNOYING PEOPLE IN THE AIR
14 CURLING:
THAT ONE SPORT WITH ROCKS, BROOMS, AND COOL-LOOKING PANTS
24 MAN CAVES
TWO OF THE FM AREAS BEST MAN CAVES
12 AIRPLANE ETIQUETTE
02 VALENTINE’S DAY
14 CURLING
The
GOOD LIFE MEN’S MAGAZINE
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dawn Siewert dawn@urbantoadmedia.com PHOTOGRAPHY Darren Losee darren@urbantoadmedia.com
RRV SWAT TEAM 30 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Soo Asheim Jessica Ballou Cantrell Meghan Feir Paul Hankel Jessica Jasperson
PUBLISHED BY Urban Toad Media LLP www.urbantoadmedia.com /urbantoadmedia /urbantoadmedia
08 PROOF ARTISAN
READ AN ISSUE ONLINE: issuu.com/thegoodlifemensmag ADVERTISING SUBMISSIONS Urban Toad Media LLP 624 Main Avenue, Suite 7 Fargo, ND 58103 701-388-4506 | 701-261-9139 The Good Life Men’s Magazine is distributed six times a year by Urban Toad Media LLP. Material may not be reproduced without permission. The Good Life Men’s Magazine accepts no liability for reader dissatisfaction arising from content in this publication. The opinions expressed, or advice given, are the views of individual writers or advertisers and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of The Good Life Men’s Magazine.
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HAVING A BEER WITH ... BEN & JIM BY: PAUL HANKEL | PHOTO: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
THE PREMISE: Having a beer with local celebrities and asking the ‘tough’ questions! THE LOCATION: Drekker Brewery, in downtown Fargo, because a good conversation with local celebrities needs good local beer.
Ben Ziegler and Jim Babbitt are no strangers to interviews and odd questions. With radio careers that both span three decades and have gained them a national audience, it was an easy choice to pick these two radio legends for The Good Life’s first installment of, ‘Having a Beer with…’ Ziegler, a California native, dove into radio in his native state, after a quick stop in Colorado. It was in San Diego that he met and joined forces with Jim Babbitt, a fellow San Diego native and the duo was formed. The two decided to take their act far from home and moved to the FM area, headlining a radio show on what was then KQWB Q-98. The show found huge success - becoming one of the highest rated shows ever in the Red River Valley, and making their station number one in the market. The radio pair currently host a morning show aptly named The Ben and Jim Show, which can be heard on FM 103.9 on mornings from 6 to 9 am. 6
THE NATIONALLY KNOWN RADIO SHOW DUO SITS DOWN FOR A BEER AT DREKKER BREWERY TO DISCUSS THEIR CAREERS, FUNNY STORIES, AND THE GOOD LIFE. The Good Life caught up with the pair at Drekker Brewery and got the low down on the radio show life. From their obviously fine tuned radio show voices, to their effortless ability to give engaging, non-one word answers, Ben and Jim appeared to be the equivalent of a journalist’s dream interview. Within minutes, this writer knew that this would be one of the easiest and most entertaining interviews he’s ever done. TGL: So tell what it’s like to be a bigtime radio show host, in a large market. BZ: You’re always on, man. They’re paying you a lot of money, so the expectations are high. So you do your show and, three months later when the rating come out, you hope you have a job! So, it’s really fun - lots of money, lots of women and stuff but, the pressure is always on. TGL: Tell us about one of the craziest contests or bits you guys have done on your show? JB: Well, we did one of the first homemade bikini contests, back in the day. BZ: The girl that won had a meat bikini. It turns out she was underage so she didn’t get to win the Jet Ski! Another stunt we tried was building a bra bridge across the Red River. The cops came and saw what we were doing and all they could do was shake their heads! JB: We’re not sure, but it could’ve been what inspired Bras on Broadway! I have a box of leftover bras that I’ve been meaning to donate to them.
TGL: Besides the hilarious and sometimes risqué bits and contests, how have you guys managed to have such sustained success? JB: A lot of it (success) comes from the planning that goes into our shows. Being on the radio is a lot of work, and it’s not as fun as you’d think. TGL: Do your kids think you’re cool? BZ: This question is directed to Jim because I have no kids! JB: I think my daughter thinks I’m pretty cool. I go to her basketball games and don’t yell! TGL: What are some of your talents, off air? BZ: Well, we are both pilots. I really enjoy flying. Years and years ago I was a drummer, and could’ve taken that direction in life, but I got into radio instead because it was only three hours a day, good money and I got to golf! With radio, I get to work hard not smart! JB: I was a former motocross racer and I like to ride jet skis. I was actually in the industry for a while and owner of a motocross bike and Jet Ski dealership at one time. The pair had interesting jobs along the way that took them outside the radio world. Ziegler worked as an animal trainer, for a time in the mid 1970’s, training and delivering Doberman Pinschers. Babbitt worked as a motorcycle repo man, commenting that he “got pretty fast at it!”
TGL: Fill in the blank for us: I would be embarrassed if you looked in my ____ and saw my____. BZ: Looked in my music collection and saw that I like Chopin and Rachmaninoff! JB: We both have very eclectic taste. We are forced to listen to the genre of music that we work in, so when we get outside of work, we listen to everything else. Ziegler prefers the Talk show format due to the fact that it’s callerintensive and dialogue driven, Babbitt admitted that he truly enjoys the lack of restrictions that come with hosting a Rock show. TGL: What are people saying at your funeral? JB: Hopefully that I’m kind, caring, loving, fair and a cool mofo! TGL: Last question, what does the good life mean to you? JB: Being near the water and being able to call my own shots! BZ: I started to live my dream at eight years old. We draw pictures with words. We are very lucky. Doing what you love doing, being healthy and enjoying your family. Were it not for word-count limitations, the hour and a half interview would have read like a comedic memoir of, basically, two dudes who simply love radio, and that have and will continue to live the good life. 7
argo’s inhabitants crave community and craftsmanship. From the handmade goods set up at Unglued Market to the freshly roasted coffee beans at Stumbeano’s Coffee Bar, Fargo prides itself in breaking away from the mass production of today’s society. Many local businesses explore and strengthen artisanship. As early as March 2015, Fargo will welcome a new community and craftsmanship orientated business, Proof Artisan Distillers. Among the microbreweries in the Fargo-Moorhead area, this micro-distillery will add a variety of spirits to the steadily growing craft beer scene. Single-malt whiskies, bourbons, vodkas, gins and flavored liquors will be distilled, bottled and packaged in the same building. Leading the charge is Joel Kath, Founder and President of Proof Artisan Distillers. As a person who prefers spirits rather than beer, Kath researched microdistilleries for almost a year before he discussed opening one in Fargo. Standing with Kath is a group of investors from both North Dakota and Minnesota who add to the “local is better” mentality.
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Utilizing local ingredients to create spirits Proof Artisan Distillers will pride itself on small batches of handmade liquors, the opportunity to educate the public about micro-distilling and the ability to 8
BY: JESSICA JASPERSON | PHOTOS: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
inform customers about the ingredients’ origins. Kath plans to source barley and corn from local farmers to make single-malt and bourbon whiskies. Additionally, a potato-based vodka will use potatoes from a local farmer. “We’re intending to use potato-based alcohol for vodkas, as we think God intended vodka to be made of potatoes,” Kath said. “Potato vodka does have a different mouth feel, because it’s thicker. We’re hoping and trying to find those as close to Fargo as possible.” Kath’s number one priority is the spirits’ tastes before sales begin. The first sales will be vodkas and gins since these clear spirits do not need to age. On the other hand, the whiskies need time to age in wood barrels. In order to add more local products, the single-malt and bourbon whiskies will be aged in Minnesota oak barrels. Similar to wine, most of the whiskies’ color and flavor comes from the interaction of alcohol to the wood. The distillery tours allow customers to smell and see the whiskies before and after the aging process. “It’s interesting to smell the raw product,” Kath said. “After being aged in small barrels only a few months
later, the interaction totally transforms it into a nice drinkable spirit.”
Distilling smaller batches controls craftsmanship Moreover, Kath can control the spirits’ quality easily, because they’ll make smaller quantities at a time. Compounds such as acetone, aldehyde and methane should be taken out of spirits during the distilling process. However, in lower quality liquors one may smell a harshness similar to nail polish remover. This means the acetone, aldehyde and methane were not fully removed from the liquor. These contaminants, although may not be high in volume, ruin an entire batch of vodka, whiskey or gin. Kath assures these additional harsh compounds will be removed from the spirits produced at Proof Artisan Distillers because of the ability to take these out during the batch distillation process. 9
Distillery tours, a tasting room and the ability for customers to buy spirits by the glass or bottle offer a novel business to downtown Fargo. Spirits will also be distributed to local restaurants and stores for purchase.
Taking a glance inside the micro-distillery
The main entrance into the almost 100-year-old building is located at 414 4th Avenue North. Walking through the main door will place people into a large tasting room complete with two refurbished wooden bars and a kitchen. The distillery room will be visible through two large windows that showcase the main still and three columns made of copper and stainless steel. High ceilings with exposed wooden trusses and skylights add character to the rooms. The overall decor mirrors the North Dakota and Minnesota themes from the bar to the floorboards. Kath’s face glowed when speaking of the herculean feat it took to salvage the wooden bar from the Down Under Pub in Grand Forks, North Dakota. A day before the building’s demolition, eleven of Kath’s friends (affectionately referring to themselves as his closest “former friends”) drove to Grand Forks to salvage and retrieve the bar that was originally built in the 1890s. They claimed that the salvage/demolition scene was similar to a looting with 10
people stripping copper from the wires and pulling pipes out of the walls. Luckily, the bar was taken just in time. Kath believes using the handcrafted local piece of history to showcase their artisan spirits is a perfect fit.
Planning for the future Kath won’t be quitting his day job as an electrical engineer, because the distillery will take on a life of its own he said. Employees will be hired in the future for the distillery and later on for a restaurant. Kath would like to pair good food with good spirits. “Any time you consume alcohol you should consume food,” he said. “There are a number of us in the group who are big foodies. So, we’re looking forward to the restaurant almost as equally as the distilling side.” Ultimately, community and local handmade products resides as most important for Proof Artisan Distillers. “We’re hoping that Fargo will support locals, which we think they’re already showing they do,” Kath said. “Especially, when you look at the success of the other microbreweries and breweries that are in town.” 11
AIRPLANE ETIQUETTE Ways to Avoid Annoying People in the Air BY: MEGHAN FEIR
It’s the time of year where people (who can afford to) evacuate the Midwest for warmer climates. This act typically involves planes, and even amidst the excitement trips produce, flights can be tedious and unpleasant. To ensure you are not being the ridiculously annoying passenger who makes others wish they had never been seated next to you, keep these 11 guidelines in mind.
1 Look before you leap. Don’t barrel through the
skinny aisles with your hips or your carry on. A pinball effect can easily occur between you and the seated passengers’ heads.
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2 Keep private areas private. For the poor souls who have
aisle seats, your act of hoisting luggage in upper bins can be a scarring experience. The word “headbutted” can take on a literal meaning for them.
3 Be aware of others’ hopes for the trip. If they are trying
to ignore you, pick up on that. If you lack social skills and find it difficult to notice these cues, just keep talking to a minimum, unless they are actively pursuing conversation with you.
4 When you are chewing gum or eating in close proximity
to another human, please, please close your mouth. Nothing screams “I was born in a dumpster, hence why I have no manners” like chomping with your mouth agape.
5 When your kid is screaming, try everything in
your power to make it stop. As someone who has produced zero children thus far, I know it’s completely different and demanding being a parent, but when you aren’t even trying to calm or quiet your child, it makes life miserable for all your fellow travelers. I don’t care if you have to sing “Humpty Dumpty” in a squeaky voice or pretend you’re a talking stuffed animal, just attempt to make the bloodcurdling screams stop.
6 Shower and wear deodorant. If your smell resembles
that of sharp cheddar cheese and dirty socks, do not be surprised when you are greeted with ugly expressions and disdain. The more pungent you are, the more likely I am to ralph on your lap. No one wants that.
7 Unless you have had a really good heart-to-heart
with your neighbor, don’t take pictures with them, especially if they are over the age of 40. They will not understand your need to use them as a stand-in bestie. “On my way to Chi-town. Meetin awesome peeps on da wayyyy! #NewBestie #Ussie #FlyinHigh #Cute #NoFilter” Just stop.
8 Don’t ask personal questions, unless they are offering
to tell you about an issue in the first place. When I was visiting with one plane neighbor, she told me about a relative and their time behind bars. I didn’t pry by asking, “So, do you have any jailbirds in the family?” to start the conversation. She offered the information herself, and I was happy to listen.
9 Desist from being a negative Nancy. I
chatted with one on a recent flight, and to my pleasure, her name actually was Nancy. When NN asked where I was headed and found out I was visiting my boyfriend, she went on to tell me all the ways in which my long-distance relationship could go awry. She also elaborated on why she hates French people and how they cannot be trusted, even though I kept stating that he isn’t French. C’est la vie.
10 Keep your germs to yourself. Don’t spread them like
butter on bread. Cover your coughs and use hand sanitizer after being in contact with snot. Yes, I am one of those people who hold their breath for as long as possible whenever a stranger sneezes nearby.
11 Be kind, courteous and try to provide others with
as much physical space as possible, which isn’t much. People will notice your good manners and silently appreciate your existence. 13
BY: PAUL HANKEL | PHOTOS: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Curling stones are also referred to slide they as ‘rocks’. Each stone weighs between e r e rt wh o p s 38 and 44 pounds and is made out of f o hat lled?” sions r, r a a t ’s t c e h v e granite. c w ey, rded the i we ve “H cks down rliest reco ntury. Ho d as Matches feature two 4-man ro ea ce te 15th ry is credi g is those ling. The e teams. Teams consist of a three h t to in tu ur C date back h cen ently, curl t in t 7 throwers, a Lead, Second, and Vice), 1 g rr he or curlin d during t urling. Cu a club sp This and a Skip, the captain who directs c n s . S c o t l a h p l a c e o f p u l a r i t y a t h e wo r l d a n d and calls out the throws and scoring irt po da nd the b ining and arou y in Cana d a l opportunities g r o y w it il stead ited States s popular tching the . s c Most matches feature 8-10, i t p i a n the U in part, to ritual of w inter Olym ring w u , rs i s d u e y - f o u r - ye a d u r i n g t h e a l o u t i n g d s t o r e e g m u v s the e e in curlin s a di ort contin and a h s t e b p c o m p h e U S t e a m e s, t h e s he clu m t y at t l a l e g l a i i i c h W och , espe e up 014 S he US t ts com the 2 n o i c h S t y w o craz s e e g r r l e ve l s. those ed d i d u e k t featur t hec g ama e n i h l t u r ow of cu moothed-o s ‘H rling?’ n o s i zen rs cu s t ve o n e w i t h e t s o n f r o e e i with l r a g th e e targ f st amon ing Th es o rs slid at r z i a l s u p e g y url o va r y i n s t h a t p l a s. I t wa s p g r e s s e d , c the ro d m er be As time p , and botto v d i e r p d o an d e ve l . alike. lakes p o o r l e s we r e ool rn d n a as bo n sound c ru w rich d g n n s’ a I ca curli ‘sheet m e o f b a s i c s, s o a de g n r is ma , ’ t e mode at are the ?’ e h it t long d a ‘sh ‘ W m p l ay i n g a c e i s c a l l e l y 1 50 f e e a n d I’ b rf gh w h e n p l ay i n g s u n d i s r o u o n t h e c l u a l l y a e g , h r n n i e er te T re wa de, depend heets are g u p to be f o u t o 1 6 f e e t w i u l e s. T h e s d d e s i g n e d t u r e an fea nr and etitio hape, ach sheet s p n m i o r c gula ble. E rectan el as possi ‘the t o a s, i k e d e as lev ng target. r r l e i is ref much ngs t e a scor g d r e a ri e t hap Th and is s ring four t in e , u ’ e t e f hous e, fea use is 12 y e s l o l a bu ng. The h ri o c s of eter. diam
‘ends,” or sets. Players from both teams take turns throwing eight stones (two apiece), for a total of 16 per end. Players don’t just slide the stones down the ice. They add spin in order to place their shots accurately and to knock the opposing player’s stones out of the scoring area. Following each throw, two players slide ahead of the stone and sweep the ice, using a curling broom. The curling broom is used to smooth the ice as the stone slides, to clear away debris and ice chips that may form
on the sheet, and to control the spin and curve of the stone as it slides towards the house. Players wear special shoes, one designed to help them slide smoothly across the ice called the ‘slider,’ and the other called the ‘gripper,’ designed to help the player stop and control their slide. ‘Where can I try curling, without having to drive all the way to Canada?’ FM Curling Club, located in South Fargo, is the regions premiere curling complex. The club features four competition sized sheets and offers various
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leagues, corporate outings and opportunities for anyone who’s, either, and experienced curler, or those who are new to the sport. Anyone interested in curling is encouraged to stop by the complex, located at 4300 23rd Avenue South, in Fargo, or visit their website at www.fmcurling.org.
FAST FACTS • When thrown, a stone must stop within six feet of the house in order to score points. • Curling made its ‘official’ Olympic debut in 1988, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. However, it was first played during the 1924 Olympics and later dropped, due to interest and a lack of teams. • Curling is HUGE in Canada. Millions play it, and Canada traditionally dominates the Curling Winter Olympics. • Curling is widely popular due to its low cost to play, accessibility to nearly every age group, and the team aspect. Also, it can (and often is) be played with a beer in hand! • While curling in America may never have the unwavering devotion and fanatical support that is does in Canada and Scotland, it continues to expand its reach throughout the US and the world. Don’t wait until the next winter Olympics to try this unique and exciting sport!
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BY: JESSICA BALLOU | PHOTOS: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
A
Fargo entrepreneur discusses life, business and music
fter 25 years of working with acts like Tom Petty, The Trailer Park Boys, Five Finger Death Punch, Hairball, Chicago, George Carlin, Nelly, Pretty Lights, B.B. King, Nelly and many more, Jade Nielsen has a few stories to tell. As founder, president and talent buyer for Jade Presents, he is responsible for helping his company produce and promote concerts, festivals and private events in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Wyoming and more.
From hobby to career Shortly after graduating high school in 1989, Nielsen started working in a record store in Fargo. Since he knew band members in town and agents across the country who would call the store looking to play in Fargo, he was asked to produce a few events starting in 1990. After working part-time in the entertainment industry in Fargo for 10
years, he finally switched from thinking about working in music as a hobby versus a career. He and his family moved to Bismarck in 2000 when he took a job as a talent buyer and producer at Prairie Knights Casino, which was his first career-oriented job. In 2004 his family moved back to Fargo, and that’s when Nielsen made a conscious decision to really commit to developing the national concert scene in the area. Aside from a few employees who would help with events, Nielsen did everything when Jade Presents started from booking to marketing to being on site and everything in between. He and his handful of employees worked out of his 19
south Fargo house until 2007 when he and a partner bought a building downtown. The staff bounced from space to space as offices were leased out to other tenants. In 2008, Nielsen and his staff of about six people decided to renovate the loading dock area in the back of the building and make it into their office. Now Nielsen has about 12 employees who are split into three categories: the Events Team, which works on non-concert events such as the Bacon and Beer Festival and the Rourke Art Gallery series; the Tickets 300 team, which runs the box office downtown for The Venue, Scheels Arena and the Fargo Theatre exclusively; and the Jade Presents team, which works on the promotion, marketing and all other aspects of events.
‘It’s all about patron satisfaction’ While he’s really proud of doing shows with legends like Willie Nelson and B.B. King, Nielsen gets as much satisfaction out of doing a small club show with teenagers who are really passionate about music. “It’s all about patron satisfaction and fans being able to come and have experiences that they love,” he said. “And it doesn’t matter if they’re 15-year-old kids or 70 year olds at the Beach Boys. It does not matter. We’re providing a service, and we’re providing an experience, and that’s ultimately all that matters at the end of the day.” Nielsen said Tickets300, a locally owned and operated ticketing office, started in 2009 to give patrons a better experience. Jade Presents used Ticketmaster back when 20
the FargoDome and other venues in the area still used it, as it was the most logical option. He and his staff wanted to find a way to bring convenience fees down, and they wanted to create local entity that could do the same thing but cater better to the local crowd. “They know they can walk down the street and purchase tickets, and if they have an issue, they can go back there,” he said. “If they call and have a problem, they’re calling someone live in Fargo. And when you’re purchasing tickets, I think you want to talk to someone who’s actually been to the venue.”
More than just fly-over country
While it’s gotten better over the years, there are still some agents Nielsen works with in Nashville, New York and Los Angeles who don’t think of Fargo or North Dakota as any type of tour
stop, just flyover country. Convincing people to give this area a chance is just part of his daily grind. “The biggest challenge of my job is trying to get them to take this market seriously to sort of take a chance on it,” he said. “Major acts have come here, done good business, and other agents see that. ‘Oh, Katy Perry came to Fargo and sold 20,000 tickets. We should go there.’” Over the last few years, Jade Presents has produced between 150 and 200 events each year in the FargoMoorhead area, but Nielsen expects that number to go down. Jade Presents no longer coordinates events at The Aquarium anymore, and since The Venue (now known as The Avalon West) will no longer be available for concerts starting Jan. 1, he expects his staff to produce between 100 and 150 events each year moving forward.
‘The one thing that would keep me going’ Nielsen said the most rewarding thing about his job is being told that Jade Presents has improved people’s life experiences and living in this marketplace.
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“If I knew that people have come and had a good experience and think they have something to look forward to living in this sometimes cold and desolate place, to me that is the most important,” he said. “And if I can continue to do that for the next 20 or 30 years, that would be the one thing that would keep me going. And on the most stressful, crazy days, which we have some, that’s sort of the one thing we all have to keep in mind.” Nielsen said he gets asked about bringing various acts to Fargo all the time, and he loves it. Nine times out of 10 when someone reaches out, he’ll look into it. “I’m going to see if we had them recently, what is the feasibility of getting them here, do I think that particular artist could be successful here, because that’s vital,” he said. “I might want to bring a lot of acts to Fargo, but there are certainly a lot of acts that are just not financially feasible.” For instance, he said he really tried to get Imagine Dragons to play in Fargo last year, but they just couldn’t settle on the financial 22
situation and the number of tickets it would have to sell to be successful for everyone involved. Despite how movies like This Is Spinal Tap portray artists on tour, requesting crazy amenities, beverages and more, Nielsen said he doesn’t really get any strange requests. Most acts just want to maintain some regularity in their routines, so they may ask to go golfing or work out or eat certain foods, but he doesn’t view any of that as odd because he’s been there. He said that attentiveness and willingness to help acts have some familiarity is one thing that makes Jade Presents a better promoter. “We do understand, and their requests are important,” he said. “I’ve worked with promoters and venue folks that don’t take that into consideration, and therefore they may not have the best reputation as a promoter because at the end of the day all they care about is either tickets being sold or how much beer the crowd is drinking, but keeping that act happy every day is vitally important.”
Other business ventures Nielsen has expanded his business beyond just Jade Presents and Tickets300 in recent years: He owns Tag, a t-shirt shop that focuses on providing FM residents
AARON DUMA
with Thoughtful Apparel and Gifts; he also owns Nocturnal Resources, a company responsible for all the stage labor work for Scheels Arena, the Red River Valley Fair, the FargoDome, Concordia College and a number of other clients; and he just purchased a commercial property on University Drive to get more into real estate development. He and Aaron Duma, co-director of Jade Events, are co-partners for a company called IHG, where they do some food and beverage consulting for a variety of facilities. Along with the craziness of all of his business ventures, Nielsen has four kids ranging in age from two to 17 years old, and he said their household is a little crazy. He and his family do a fair amount of traveling, and he’s a big motorcycle fan. He said he doesn’t really have any hobbies; family and business keeps him busy. When asked what the good life means to him, Nielsen said it’s what we have in the F-M area. “We have an economy that’s strong, which not everybody can say,” he said. “We have a workforce that has good work ethic. We have businesses that are flourishing not only locally but on a national scale. And finally I feel, which has been something in the works now for quite some time, that we’re starting to see a little of national attention for all of those aspects. I think most of us do and all of us should feel very lucky to be where we’re at. That’s The Good Life to me.” 23
BY: CANTRELL | PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Every man wants a man cave, every man needs a man cave. Pure solitude and uninterrupted peace. A place for unexplained activities and stories that shall forever remain in the man cave. The one thing we can call our own, untouched by doilies and lavender scented candles. A fort for grown-ups with the alluring sent of cigars, beer and high octane gasoline. Here are two of the FM areas best man caves!
CONSTRUCTION TIME: About 10 hours. Most of it on designing and reloading bench. MOST EMBARRASSING ITEM: The bottle of Fabreeze my wife keeps putting in there. MOST PRIZED POSSESSION: A Mozin Nagant I custom rebuilt. Adding a refabbed bolt, Timney trigger and ATI synthetic stock and scope. HOW MUCH TIME IS SPENT IN YOUR MANCAVE? A couple hours a day. 24
DOES YOUR WIFE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY YOU SPENT ON YOUR MANCAVE? Yes, she helped design it. NEXT BIG PURCHASE OR WISH LIST ITEM? A smaller safe for ammo, and always more cigars. THERE’S A FIRE. WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD TAKE? My Glock. THERE’S A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE. HOW LONG CAN YOU SURVIVE IN YOUR MANCAVE? Until the wine or bullets run out.
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CONSTRUCTION TIME: Mine is self built (thanks to Todd Fuchs, Rob Auck, and Scott Miller for their help) and it took a year to complete. MOST EMBARRASSING ITEM: Has been removed! We were having a party in the shop and my wife decided to make the bathroom nicer with candles, vases and matching towels. She got so much crap from my buddies that she gathered everything and threw it out the door. (The next morning she picked it all up and used it in the house.) MOST PRIZED POSSESSION: My two AMC AMX cars. One for the street and one for the drag strip. HOW MUCH TIME IS SPENT IN YOUR MANCAVE? Probably three nights a week and any free weekends. DOES YOUR WIFE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY YOU SPENT ON YOUR MANCAVE? You bet. This is our sixth 26
home in nine years. We flipped houses to get to this point and she said to build it as big as we can afford. I can house 12 cars in it the way it is, and we currently have 10 cars. NEXT BIG PURCHASE OR WISH LIST ITEM? I have a wheel/tire fetish and I will be buying a tire changer and balancer shortly. THERE’S A FIRE. WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD TAKE? It would have to be any or all of the cars. Then maybe my wife if she happened to be in it at the time. THERE’S A ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE. HOW LONG CAN YOU SURVIVE IN YOUR MANCAVE? As long as I need. I even have a bed in my mancave. Also equipped with a 3/4 bathroom, break room with microwave, fridge, popcorn machine and generator. I really don’t even need a house. I can live in my mancave. Life is good! 27
WHEN THE NEST "UN-EMPTYS" BY: KEN CANFIELD
“He’s Ba-ack!” Now, before you let out a bloodcurdling, horror-movie scream, dad, there’s no need to worry. We’re not talking about a masked movie stalker with nine lives — though, at times, you may wonder. Nope - we’re talking about your young adult child. This can be a real challenge for older parents. You raised the child from diapers to dormitory. There were surprises, but you pretty much knew how to handle ‘em. Then he went out on his own, and it took time, but you adjusted. And now - for whatever reason he’s back home. What are the rules for this new
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arrangement? What about chores, curfews and financial issues? And how long can we let this go on? What do you do when your young adult son calls up and says, “Hey, Dad, can I move back into my old room for a while?” There’s a lot more to it than simply moving all the stuff you’ve been storing in his closet.
In their book, Parenting Your Adult Child, Ross Campbell and Gary Chapman offer some helpful ideas for handling this situationwhich can be a great time with your son or daughter, or a time of great tension and strife. First and foremost, you have to clarify expectations. If mom and dad expect one thing and your son or daughter expects another or even if she doesn’t know what to expect - then you’re headed for a battle. So sit down together and agree on how this arrangement will work what she’ll
do around the house, what she’ll pay, if anything, what happens when she stays out late at night, and so on. Ground rules are a great foundation for harmony. Second, maintain open communication. Have a regular three-way conference - you, your wife, and your adult child - where everyone can share ideas and feelings, and work toward a consensus. Listen carefully to your child’s thoughts and desires. You eventually need to do what’s right in the situation, no matter what your child thinks. But make sure your child is heard and her opinion is given proper respect. And third, balance freedom and responsibility. This is really part of parenting a child of any age. And, hopefully, you’ve been building to this point. It should come as no surprise that she will be expected to help out around the house, help with finances, keep her room reasonably clean, and observe common courtesies to the other members of the household. Number four is to honor YOUR moral values. It’s common for a young adult to disagree with his parents on some important issues. But since it’s your home, you have every right to say, for example, that a girlfriend or boyfriend is welcome to visit, but not to sleep over. Or that you don’t allow alcohol or tobacco in your home. You aren’t forcing your values and convictions on your child, you’re simply expecting him to respect your beliefs while he’s living there. Fifth, give consideration to your own health and peace of mind. If you know that you’ll stay up worrying at night if your daughter isn’t home, then it’s reasonable to ask her to be in by a certain time. You don’t have to change your entire lifestyle just because she moved back home. You can both make some adjustments out of consideration for each other. And finally, when an adult child has moved back home, set time limits and goals. It’s easy for a young adult to procrastinate getting on with life. He needs to know that this is temporary. Set a time of six months or a year-or base it on his wedding date or his first promotion at work. You can always renegotiate, but that ending date can serve as a valuable motivator for your child. Dad, I encourage you to love and accept your adult child as you help him become more independent. With your help, he’ll move forward with confidence and maybe even a new appreciation of all you’ve done for him. “Copyright 2012 All Pro Dad. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission. For more fatherhood resources, visit AllProDad.com.” 29
LOCAL HEROES 30
RED RIVER VALLEY SWAT TEAM
TO SERVE AND PROTECT
BY: SOO ASHEIM | PHOTOS: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
What does being a Police Officer really mean and what is “the thin blue line” all about? Both significant questions average citizens ask often. As a person raised in many different parts of the United States and abroad during the sixties and the seventies, I can tell you from this writer’s point of view — “we’ve come a long way” in suppressing random acts of violence that would have turned much uglier and with higher casualties due to having SWAT teams available and accessible. John Nelson was an LAPD officer who came up with the idea to form a specially trained and equipped unit within the LAPD, that could respond to and manage critical situations involving shootings while minimizing police casualties. Although it was not the first to use specially trained units, in 1967 the LAPD was the first to form a specific SWAT team, and originally created the term, “Special Weapons And Tactics.” Nelson’s Commanding Officer was Inspector Daryl F. Gates and he approved this idea, and formed a small select group of volunteer officers. This first SWAT unit consisted of fifteen teams of four men each, for a total staff of sixty. These officers were given special status and benefits. They were required to attend special monthly training. From there, as they say, “The rest is history.” Unfortunately, today everything has grown “bigger, badder and meaner.” The days of Doc Holiday cheating during a card game then getting ‘called out’ for a shoot-out on Main Street might happen, but it’s doubtful. More than likely, if someone is going to do something daring in retaliation, he or she will need to retrieve whatever weapon they intend on using from somewhere, such as the trunk of a car or go home, load up and come back. That’s when the Red River Valley SWAT Team is called. They are a balance in the midst of incidents that often make no sense at all. Today violence is an unfortunate part of life everywhere in America, even in the laid back land of FargoMoorhead. But thankfully, these are professionals who know how to quell an uneven fight when necessary in order to prevent innocent by-standers and others from being injured by stray bullets or worse. They use their considerable knowledge, training and bravery but for one purpose: to protect the public. 31
SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS The Red River Valley SWAT Team today has 23 highly trained members who are all part of a regional force composed of personnel from the following agencies: Cass County Sheriff, Clay County Sheriff, Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo Police Departments, and the NDSU Police Department. There are actually three different operating units within the Red River Valley SWAT Team. The first of these is the Special Weapons and Tactics team. This group is a multi-jurisdictional team of police personnel who respond to high risk incidents The SWAT Team’s purpose is to provide a highly trained, rapid responsive tactical team to high risk incidents. Primarily, SWAT responds to calls within Cass and Clay Counties, but they have accessibility within and to other jurisdictions“ through mutual aid when circumstances warrant.” The second unit of SWAT is the Tactical Operations Unit, generally referred to as the “SWAT Team.” The SWAT Team provides tactical support for other law enforcement, assist in executing high risk search warrants (an example would be a recent incident in Fargo
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when our SWAT Team took down one male offender with a warrant for his arrest and making terroristic threats after he refused to communicate or make contact with local police). Other causes for the SWAT Team to be called into action are: barricaded suspects, rural or building searches for suspects or missing persons and hostage situations or where there is an elevated danger to the public. Tactical unit members are chosen through a very competitive process. They are evaluated for physical fitness, enhanced sense of safety and their ability to work within a team environment. All members are extremely well trained and “qualified in the use of special weapons and tactics to fulfill their mission.” This would include the eight member RRV Regional Bomb Squad that began in 1976. The third leg of SWAT is the Negotiations Unit. There are ten negotiators, one of whom is a Lieutenant who is their unit leader. Each negotiator must have advanced negotiation methods training and selected due to his communication and listening skills. All are very experienced Officers who have years of professionalism and compassion. The primary purpose of this unit is to be able to provide a person a suspect will see as a “safe solution” during the crisis he or she is experiencing. The whole goal is to listen to what the suspect wants and has to say, while hopefully showing everyone a way out safely. Another unit of support provided is the Tactical Emergency Medical Service. Medics train and deploy with the SWAT Team providing on-site medical support for law enforcement, suspects, hostages and bystanders and have special training in many other areas including tactics, building clearing, firearm operations, bullet wounds, defensive tactics and K-9 medicine. TEMS has been a part of the SWAT Team from the beginning. 33
DEDICATION ABOVE ALL Lt. Ross Renner is the Red River Valley SWAT Commander. Originally from Detroit Lakes, Lt. Renner worked in law enforcement in Enderlin and Wahpeton, North Dakota, prior to joining the Fargo Police Department in 1997. Lt. Renner speaks of his team as though they are members of his family — and indeed, they are. As another member of the SWAT Team I spoke with explained, he and the team member he was with at the time are on the same unit and not only can they finish one another’s sentences, they can almost read into one another’s mind when necessary. They have to know how the other will react within any given situation. Their lives and others as well depend on it. SWAT Team members train a minimum of nine hours a month. According to Lt. Renner, it takes “three to five years to train a tactic officer so that they are comfortable.” The Red River Valley SWAT Team wants Officers who are truly team players, who won’t mind being on-call “24/7” if necessary and are willing to dedicate extra time to the extensive training that becoming a SWAT Team 34
The Bomb Squad has three priorities: 1. Preservation of life 2. Preservation of Property 3. Preservation of Evidence
member requires. “There is no room for ‘hot-shots’ or egos in this organization. SWAT wants even keel members who have discipline and want only the best outcome for the community at large in mind.” There is also not a lot of extra reimbursement for the dedication, extra training time or even for the week spent at Camp Ripley where training goes from a Monday at 7:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. until the following week. Anyone interested in becoming a SWAT Team member must have at least one year of Police Officer field work. There is an interview first, for both oral and physical.
WHO DECIDES TO GO? Lt. Renner explains how the Red River Valley SWAT Board determines if, how, and when the SWAT Team is deployed. Each agency has a member representative on the board. All ‘call outs’ must be high-risk incidents that involve weapons, barricades, hostages, bombs and in general a danger to others. And while the SWAT Team members may look quasimilitary in their uniforms, The RRV SWAT Team is a NONMILITARY team and receives its funding from the member agencies it serves. There are five teams in North Dakota.
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