2 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
We are proud to announce that our MINIONS Gin, MINIONS Barreled Reserve Gin, and MINIONS Old Tom Gin were awarded gold medals in a recent National Spirits Competition in New York, NY. The Fifty Best recently hosted a Gin Tasting, where 62 contenders were evaluated for the distinguished “Best Gin� awards for 2017. Since beginning production in early 2015, Proof Artisan Distillers has received a total of 12 National Awards for our spirits from various competitions including: American Craft Spirits Association, American Distilling Institute, Portland Spirits Festival and The Fifty Best.
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SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2017
Volume 5 • Issue 2
06
THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE
10
WEIRD FACTS ABOUT CATS
12
NOT IN MY FAMILY PART TWO A MOTHER DEALS WITH LOSS
16
CAR CARE CAR NOISES YOU SHOULDN'T IGNORE
18
ON THE COVER - HEITH JANKE NEW WEST FARGO POLICE CHIEF BRINGS BIG-CITY EXPERIENCE BACK HOME
24
HAVING A BEER WITH MOOSE JOHNSON
24
28
MR. FULL-TIME DAD TERRIBLE TWO'S? BRING IT ON!
06 4 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
30
LOCAL HERO - VINCE KEMPF CULTURAL LIAISON POLICE OFFICER
PUBLISHED BY Urban Toad Media LLP www.urbantoadmedia.com
OWNER / GRAPHIC DESIGNER Dawn Siewert dawn@urbantoadmedia.com OWNER / PHOTOGRAPHER Darren Losee darren@urbantoadmedia.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Meghan Feir Alexandra Floersch Brittney Goodman Ben Hanson Matt Lachowitzer Krissy Ness
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Darren Losee / 701-261-9139 darren@urbantoadmedia.com
READ A PAST ISSUE issuu.com/thegoodlifemensmag
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TWEET @urbantoadmedia 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.
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 5
“
IT IS VERY EXCITING THAT FARGO/MOORHEAD CAN PLAY A ROLE IN AN INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO DO GOOD FOR MEN’S HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION. – JIM BOLLUYT
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WRITTEN BY: KRISSY NESS • PHOTOGRAPHY BY: J. ALAN PAUL
Throw on your best suit and grab your vintage bike because The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is coming your way. Founded in 2013, The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride has raised over 8 million dollars for men’s health charities. Mark Hawwa of Sidney, Australia established this event to raise awareness and provide funding for male suicide prevention and prostate cancer programs on behalf of the Movember Foundation. This year 70,000 debonair men and women in over 600 cities will ride through their communities in hopes of meeting their target goal of 5 million dollars for men’s mental and physical health. The members who raise the most money for the Movember Foundation are rewarded by winning motorcycles by Triumph, luxury watches by Zenith and a helmet by Hedon. Participation is open to anyone although there are specific guidelines you must follow if you want to partake. I had the opportunity to sit down with Jim Bolluyt, an active member of The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, and gather a little information about this event. “It is very exciting that Fargo/Moorhead can play a role in an international effort to do good for Men’s health and Suicide Prevention,” said Bolluyt. First, you must register on their website, gentlemansride.com. You will not be given the full information until you do, this is a niche charity group and they want to keep the information for the members only. “Ride organizers do have strict criteria for participants. This all ensures the integrity of the ride not only from an “image” perspective, but also for the matter of safety. It is urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 7
crucial that all riders go through the signup process online to understand the goals and mission and the as well as emphasis on having a safe and fun event,� stated Bolluyt. Next, you are required to dress nicely and are only able to ride a specific kind of bike. The theme for this event falls in the 1920-30s era of clothing style and a well-groomed moustache. This group really focuses on the riders’ appearance - the word distinguished is in the name after all. When it comes to the kind of bike you can ride there are 10 different options you must abide by if you want to ride with this group. If you own a chopper, bobber, cafÊ racer, modern classic, tracker, brat style, classic, scrambler, sidecar or a scooter then 8 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
you are eligible to participate in this event. Finally, you are to follow all the safety guidelines. It is very important for the riders and the people in the community that each rider is responsible, respectful, and attentive. This means all riders need to keep a safe distance between them to avoid collisions. Inappropriate riding will not be tolerated; anyone who attempts to ruin the event will have their plate numbers given to local authorities. All riders must wear appropriate safety equipment including helmets and goggles. Intoxicated riders will absolutely not be tolerated, and again your information will be given to local authorities. For the full list of rules you may visit their website.
From 2013 to 2015 DGR main fundraising goal was prostate cancer awareness but in 2016 after losing one if their rider hosts to depression they have shifted their goals to include mental health awareness as well. It is great to see a charity ride like this happening all over the world and it is even better that this ride takes place in Fargo, North Dakota. Raising funds and awareness for not only cancer that affects men but also the mental wellbeing of men is truly inspiring. The amount of participation has nearly doubled every year and the amount of money raised started in the high 200,000 in 2013 has jumped to 3.6 million that was raised last year. If this is an event that sounds fun or
interesting to you, head over to their website and take a look around. They offer statistics, photos and videos from previous rides and general information about their goals and sponsors. These particular events really resonate within the Fargo Moorhead area, as we are a very charity driven community. Not only does this event help the community and men’s health awareness but you can also win some stellar prizes for raising the most money. So do yourself and men’s health a favor and consider becoming a sponsored rider and if that isn’t your thing, contemplate donating to a rider in your community to help make a difference in men’s lives. •
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 9
In the UK, more than
two thirds
Cat owners who are male tend to be luckier in love, as they are perceived as more sensitive.
A cat can jump 7 times its height.
of cat owners are men.
A cat's brain is biologically more like a human brain than a dog's. Both humans and cats have identical regions of their brains that are responsible for emotions.
Cats can drink sea water
in order to survive. Cats have crazy kidneys that filter out the salt from the water so they can re-hydrate themselves.
A cat in a hurry can sprint about 31 mph.
Cats are North America's most popular pets:
there are 73 million cats compared to 63 millions dogs.
A cat's nose pad is ridged with a unique pattern, just like the
fingerprint of a human.
In Japan, cats are thought to have the power to turn into super spirits when they die. This may be because according to Buddhist religion, the body of the cat is the temporary resting place of very spiritual people.
Cats are sometimes born with extra toes. This is called
polydactyl.
The cheetah is the only cat in the world that can't retract its claws.
Cats sweat through their paw pads.
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Female cats are typically right pawed while male cats are typically left pawed.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Ear furnishings are the hairs that grow inside a cat's ears.
Owning a cat can
reduce the risk
of a heart attack and stroke by more than a third. Scientists say that having a cat helps relieve stress and anxiety, which is known to help protect against heart disease by lowering blood pressure and reducing heart rate.
A female cat is called a queen or a molly.
Cat urine
glows
under a black light.
A group of cats is called a clowder.
Abraham Lincoln kept four cats in the White house. REFERENCES: www.jukani.co.za/Cat-trivia_article_op_view_id_55 www.independent.co.uk/life-style/men-getting-pet-cats-rise-a7659926.html www.buzzfeed.com/chelseamarshall/meows?utm_term=.beppLQjPlB#.cnNJD8pvGM www.factretriever.com/cat-facts www.brainjet.com/random/2101/12-weird-cat-facts/
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NOT IN MY FAMILY // PART TWO
WRITTEN BY: BRITTNEY GOODMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Lori Morse lost her son, Tyson Chaney, to a fentanyl overdose on March 6, 2016. She tells her story to increase understanding and awareness. And it is, sadly, just one of the many stories, as families deal with the increased opioid overdose deaths of their loved ones. Originally from Jamestown, Morse has lived in Fargo for almost 30 years. A retired nurse, she and her husband, Michael, live in West Fargo with one of her children, Garrett. 12 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
Chaney, 24 at the time of his overdose death, worked at Porter Creek, on his way to becoming a chef. Morse described his passion for life: “He absolutely loved working there. And he had an amazing amount of friends. When over 500 people show up for a 24 year old’s funeral, you know he had made quite an impact for someone that age. “He was just really finding his way in life,” Morse said. She continued, “He had stopped drinking 18 months
“
I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IS THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN TO ANYBODY, TO ANY FAMILY, AND THAT PEOPLE NEED TO STOP JUDGING. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL BE YOU WHO GETS THAT PHONE CALL OR COME TO THE REALIZATION THAT SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY NEEDS HELP. WE ARE LOSING VERY WONDERFUL, SMART YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE LOVED — TOO MANY YOUNG, INTELLIGENT PEOPLE. – LORI MORSE
before his death. He had come to realize he couldn’t handle alcohol. He was smart enough to realize he couldn’t drink and he quit it on his own. I was proud of him for that. He was a normal 24 year old single guy. He was still my boy.” According to Morse, it was a fentanyl overdose but he was “not an addict”: “He hated heroin. We talked about it. It was a complete shock to everyone. He would have never wanted to die. He loved life. He would never have
wanted to put us through this.” She asserted: “Who would ever thought this would happen to us?” Morse stressed that it was accidental: “Although he did make the decision to take a drug, he did not make the decision to die. He would take full responsibility for his decision to use drugs, but dying was not a part of it.” Morse asserted: “People have no idea. It can be the person next to you in the cubicle at work or in the pew urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 13
NOT IN MY FAMILY // PART TWO
“
IT CAN BE YOUR FIRST TIME. THE PERSON TAKING THE DRUG OFTEN JUST DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TAKING. THE DEALERS DON’T at church. You just KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SELLING. don’t know. Back in THEY ARE NOT CHEMISTS – the day we thought of THEY ARE JUST THROWING heroin users as junkies A BUNCH OF STUFF living in the streets. That TOGETHER. is just not the case now. No. Definitely not.” The judgment hurts. Encountering some “cruel” Facebook comments about her son and others, Morse said: “They need to wake up. I can’t think of how anyone can be so cruel as to say such stupid, uninformed things.”
Morse described the night she found out: “They called at 2:30 in the morning. As a mother, you always answer the phone, even in the middle of the night, because you never know. An officer said his name and he was with the police department. He wanted my address so that he could come and talk with me. But I didn’t want to tell the officer, because, in the state I was in, I thought ‘if they can’t find me, then they can’t tell me.’ I finally gave the phone to my husband.” She then called her son’s phone and it was turned off. It started to sink in: “Your whole world just kind of stops.”
Addicts are not the only overdose victims. Morse said: “It can be your first time. The person taking the drug often just does not know what they are taking. The dealers don’t know what they are selling. They are not chemists – they are just throwing a bunch of stuff together.”
Morse goes to his cemetery plot “at least five times a week.” “I know he’s not there. I feel him everywhere that I go, though. I’m still taking care of his spot. I make sure the flowers are all watered — because I’m still taking care of him.”
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Although this was not the case with Chaney, many people become addicted after taking opioid pain medication. Morse describes her own experience with pain medication after a back surgery: “I had to wean myself off of it because I found that my body started really ‘needing’ it. My body ached for it. People think that it’s okay to take pain medication because they’ve got a prescription. But they need to be careful. Some of the doctors just prescribe too much. I have heard stories of dentists prescribing a month’s worth of medication for their wisdom teeth. Nobody needs that. It’s dangerous. Who in their right mind wants to become an addict? Nobody. But it can easily happen.” While Morse is thankful for the police’s efforts, she finds the judicial system lacking. She called for follow-up: “What is happening to the dealers, the people who are selling it? What kind of sentences are they getting? Why aren’t we dealing with this? We have to do something. I won’t sit still while this happens in our town.” She is frustrated that in the case of one of her son’s friends who overdosed, “they had the people responsible” but they are “all back in Minneapolis and not in jail.” She appealed for community involvement: “For a while, we had some community action, but what is happening now? How many more have passed away this year? We need a better community dialog. We need to keep it in the news... It’s everywhere and is affecting everyone.” She supports naloxone training to reverse overdoses: “Anything that can be done to save someone’s life should be done.” Morse’s main message resonated: “I think one of the most important things is that this can happen to anybody, to any family, and that people need to stop judging. You never know when it will be you who gets that phone call or come to the realization that someone in your family needs help. We are losing very wonderful, smart young people that are loved — too many young, intelligent people.” And the loss of young life continues. According to Morse, “at least three or four of Tyson’s good friends who were at his funeral have died from drug overdoses since his passing.” In the next article, we will focus on another family’s story, community resources and ways to be a part of the solution. • urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 15
WRITTEN BY: MATT LACHOWITZER
How often do you listen to the noises coming from your vehicle? When you get in your car in the morning to head to work, you might hear the engine starting when you turn the ignition, and if it’s raining, you’ll hear your wiper blades on your windshield. What if it’s a hot day, you turn on your A/C and hear a loud thumping coming from your dash somewhere. Wait? That last one can’t be right. While some of those everyday noises in your vehicle are fine, others such as loud thumping or squealing noises probably aren’t. So instead of turning your music up to avoid listening to the uneasy noises coming from your vehicle, continue reading to learn what some of those noises may mean.
Hissing
When you hear your vehicle hissing, it could indicate a sign of engine overheating or your exhaust system and/or catalytic converter is plugged. Another reason for your vehicle hissing, in idle particularly, it could indicate a vacuum leak. If it’s one of those reasons or any other, it’s a good indication that it’s time to bring your vehicle into your automotive service center.
Grinding
One of the most common noises most people hear is grinding, and it’s an indication that two pieces of metal are touching when they shouldn’t be. The grinding could be coming from several different areas: brakes, powertrain, suspension or something else. The most common type of grinding noise is from brakes. When brakes are worn down past the material on a brake pad, all that is left is metal. That metal is then grinding against the metal brake rotors, thus the term “metal on metal” brakes. No matter what is causing the grinding, it’s a sign that you need to bring your vehicle into your automotive service center for further inspection.
Squeaking
Like any other sound, this could be caused because of different reasons. The high-pitched squeaking can let you know that it’s time to get your brake pads checked or replaced. If the high-pitched squeak is from the front of your vehicle when you’re not braking, it could be a sign of a worn out or cracked serpentine belt. In any case, it’s important to get a squeak checked out before it turns into another, possibly more serious noise and more costly repairs. 16 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
Humming
If you’re driving at faster speeds and you hear humming, it could be a sign of some wear on your tires. It could also be an indication of an issue beyond your tires such as a wheel bearing or differential problem and can be difficult to diagnose or inspect on your own.
Growling
Unlike monsters, your vehicle isn’t supposed to growl. If you encounter this noise, while it can change when turning or the weight of your vehicle shifting, it can be caused by a worn bearing in any number of moving components of your vehicle and should be a sign to get it inspected by your automotive service center.
Whining/Creaking
If you are hearing a whining or creaking noise while you are backing up, turning, or while driving, it could be an indication that you may have a worn suspension part such as a ball joint or shock or strut. It could also be an indication that something may be wrong with your steering system and sometimes a whine while turning could as simple as being low on power steering fluid. While your vehicle could make twenty different noises and mean 100 different things, it’s important to be attentive and just listen. If you listen to your vehicle closely, you’ll know when something isn’t right and when it’s time to bring it into your automotive service center. Try to remember where the noise is coming from, what were you doing when you heard it, when was the first time you heard it and it’s always a bonus when you remember what the noise sounds like. Another piece of advice is to take a video of what you are doing when the noise occurs and try to capture the noise itself, which cannot only help the service center identify the noise quicker, but can save you money in testing time as well. Always talk with a professional at your automotive service center when it comes to any unusual noises you’re hearing from your vehicle, and if possible, go for a ride with the service technician that will be working on your vehicle so you can help point out the noise to them as well. Like all things on a vehicle, proper maintenance and regular visits to your service center can usually help find these items before they turn into a costlier repair down the road. •
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COVER // HEITH JANKE
“
BEING ON THE STREETS AND IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, I FOUND I ENJOY LEADERSHIP THE BEST. – HEITH JANKE
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WRITTEN BY: ALEXANDRA FLOERSCH • PHOTOGRAPHY BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Whether we like to admit it or not, there’s something about the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo community that sticks. Many people leave, but most tend to make their way back. West Fargo’s newly sworn-in police chief, Heith Janke, is the newest member of that club. Growing up in Madison, S.D., Janke got his first taste of "North Dakota nice" nearly two decades ago, when he came to North Dakota State University to pursue an undergraduate degree in criminal justice. It was NDSU that also gave him his first taste of leadership. Janke was a standout on the Bison track team. He rose quickly through the collegiate ranks, capping off a hall of fame career in 1998 with an 800-meter national championship title. (In humble, Midwestern fashion, he's quick to point out that his wife, Brenna—a member of the 1996 women’s basketball national championship team—is also a member of the Bison Athletic Hall of Fame.) After graduating from NDSU, Janke attended law school at the University of North Dakota. In 2004, his childhood dream came true when the FBI came calling with a job offer. The leadership experience on the track field was soon to be put to the test in the field. "One of the reasons I went to law school was to help get into the FBI,” he said. “Growing up, it's one of those things I had admired." Climbing the Ranks With the FBI, Janke was first stationed in Kansas City for four years before being transferred to
San Antonio—investigating white collar crimes— and then to Washington, D.C. where he was promoted to civil rights unit supervisor. "After that, I got promoted back to Kansas City where I was a supervisor of public corruption and civil rights,” he said. “At the end, I ran a child exploitation task force and a human trafficking task force, dealing with child pornography, the exploitation of children and human trafficking of all people. I also had hate crimes on the squad." Though Janke covered sensitive, high profile cases that often challenged his skills, the experience was undoubtedly like no other with exposure to both local and national cases. "I kind of have a unique perspective,” he said. “I worked on the streets in Kansas City when (trafficking) was new. We hadn't even processed a human trafficking case before—back in 2005.” When he transferred to the U.S. capitol city, he gained national perspective on human trafficking while supervising in the civil rights unit, which followed by his return to Kansas City where he lead a task force that combatted it. “It's one of those things that’s a hidden crime and people don't think it's everywhere,” he said. “But it more than likely is if you go looking for it." No matter where on the map he landed, Janke knew he preferred one position best. "Being out on the streets and in leadership positions, I found I enjoy leadership the best,” he said. “You
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COVER // HEITH JANKE
This picture was taken in November of 2015, in Kansas City, when Former Director James Comey presented Janke with the FBI's High Impact Leadership Award. It was a new award designed by Director Comey recognizing the top FBI leaders who were leading their people well and effectively managing their work.
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: HEITH JANKE
not only get to teach and help mentor—which is what I really enjoy—but also participate in all the different investigations.” It was that love of teaching—and opportunities through the FBI—that led him to share his knowledge with people across the world. “I gave about 85 different presentations throughout the country, Budapest, Hong Kong and Canada,” he said. “It gave me the opportunity to really see the country and other parts of the world." Back in Bison Country Throughout all of the excitement, Janke knew he’d eventually need to shift priorities. "We have two kids: Max (13) and Reese (11), so they've been around for the journey. But that's one of the reasons we're back here,” he said. “With the FBI, there wasn't always free-time. You're reacting to those crimes and it's not something you can put on hold, so work really was first.” When work turned chaotic, his wife and kids bore the burden. Not only did Janke miss his kids’ events, he lacked time to participate in hobbies of his own. “Things kind of get unbalanced,” he said. “So that's what I'm looking forward to: being back here, being able to attend my daughter's volleyball and basketball games, Bison football, basketball and track meets." The father of two is also happy to take a promotion that doesn’t require him to move
20 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
across the country anytime soon. "One of the issues with management in the FBI is that I was at the point where we were essentially moving every two years to keep rising through the ranks, which means continuing to move kids to new schools,” he said. “We had already done that several times." Not to mention, the police station is four minutes away—instead of 45—and grandma and grandpa are just a couple blocks down the street. "My son is special needs, so it's important to be back with family and not have to keep moving him,” he said. “He can have stability, too.” Above all, Janke is looking forward to the sense of community he experienced nearly 20 years ago. “If you grow up in the Midwest, you're used to the niceness of opening doors and everyone waving or saying 'hi,'" he said. "When you get to big city living, people are always in a rush and honking horns. Even in grocery stores: heads are down, people are rude... but not here. You don't appreciate Midwest values until you've lived across the country." The Labor of Law Enforcement Talk to anyone in law enforcement—whether it’s the police department or the FBI—everyone agrees on one thing: no day is ever the same. And that’s what Janke loves most about his job. "You wake up, something new happens and you
“
YOU DON' T APPRECIATE MIDWEST VALUES UNTIL YOU'VE LIVED ACROSS THE COUNTRY. – HEITH JANKE
react to it. That's one thing that's fascinating about law enforcement: there's a wide variety,” he said. “There's obviously a lot of different criminal violations you can work, so if you get burned out on one thing you can move to the next." But no matter which way you spin the story, law enforcement is a dangerous job. "Literally every time you're stopping someone or going to a door, you don't know what that threat is. That is stress that over time can take a toll on officers," he said. "It's easy to second-guess law enforcement when you're watching a video, but you're not in those shoes, having to make that decision in a second.” In 2017, horrifying headlines of police brutality are rampant. But Janke has the inside scoop, having investigated excessive force cases with the FBI as part of the civil rights unit. What he found was just a minor statistical population of offenders. “When it's a 24/7 news cycle, it sometimes misleads the public that there are so many bad officers out there. And that's really not the case," he said. "Here in West Fargo, we've got incredible officers, and I've already learned that.” Witnessing communities divide as a result of the these stories, Janke has learned that great leadership in today’s world involves a three-tier formula of trust, cooperation and transparency—none of which can be achieved sitting behind a desk. "Having been through some of those cases—
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“
COVER // HEITH JANKE
CRIME DOESN' T STOP AT A CITY BORDER; IT DOESN' T STOP AT A RIVER THAT CROSSES THE STATE. IF WE'RE NOT ALL WORKING TOGETHER, ALL WE'RE DOING IS PUSHING THE CRIME ELEMENT TO ANOTHER CITY. – HEITH JANKE
being down in Missouri during the Ferguson case—seeing how certain communities have reacted, the important thing is figuring out transparency within the community and building relationships,” he said. “The key to transparency is having that trust—making sure I can pick up the phone and contact a leader so we can have an open discussion and they can contact us and address it." In moving forward, Janke aims to instill a sense of trust within the department, leading by example. “My proposal is to build the family chemistry back again,” he said. “It's about figuring out our structure and—as the city keeps growing— making sure our police department is adequately growing to serve all the citizens of West Fargo." Besides battling scrutiny and shocking headlines, law enforcement is still expected to stay focused on their primary duties. "We don't get in this
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business to get rich, to get fame or those types of things,” Janke said. “It's a calling to serve. That's why we do it and we can't ever lose track of that." A United Force Moving Forward Accepting his new position as the West Fargo police chief, Janke is confident in his new role. "I'd like to think with what I've done and accomplished, I've got a whole lot of experience for my young age," the 41-year-old said. "From an investigative standpoint, I worked some very large and significant cases—cases that I hope we never have here in West Fargo." Janke hopes he can use those investigative skills to help mentor some of the 54 officers and 13 civilian staff he now oversees. "Having the leadership from both the national level in D.C. and the local level in Kansas City, I've worked for some incredible leaders,” he said. “I hope to have gained their knowledge—how they lead—to use
in leading this department forward." Janke is aware that teamwork means uniting as one across the board. Not only will the West Fargo Police Department have to band together, Janke plans to also work closely with other local law enforcement agencies. "Crime doesn't stop at a city border; it doesn't stop at a river that crosses the state,” he said. “If we're not all working together, all we're doing is pushing the crime to another city.” Even with a jam-packed schedule during his first few days of work, Janke remained optimistic about the department’s future. “While there has been negative publicity in the last few months, the men and women in this police department are incredible,” he said. "The past is in the past and these men and women are great. That's the message I want to get out there: we're here to serve and protect the citizens of West Fargo and we will do it honorably.”
Awakening to ‘The Good Life’ For Janke, accepting the role of police chief means more than just a new job and a new place to call home for his family. It’s a fresh start in a great community filled with “Midwest nice” people and family close by. "The good life to me is finally having a work and family balance,” Janke said. “I can lead this great organization but also raise my family into the future, attend those sporting events and maybe even help coach. Being in a smaller community with less stressors going on—that's going to be the good life for me." As for the future, Janke hopes to be done moving for awhile. "We came back for this endeavor to be here. I'm not using this as a stepping stone. This is going to be home," he said. "Had I wanted to keep moving up and moving across the country, it would have made sense to stay where I was. Hopefully, we'll be here for a very long time." •
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HAVING A BEER WITH // MOOSE JOHNSON
WRITTEN BY: MEGHAN FEIR • PHOTOGRAPHY BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
24 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
Moose (not his real name) Johnson, the program director for 107.9 The FOX and a radio host for “The FOX Morning Show with Robbie, Dave and Moose,” has been in the industry for 23 years after graduating from a DJ school out of Hollywood and being a staple radio personality for stations in various cities. Before his days on the air, Johnson lived in southern California and moved to Dickinson, N.D., toured with his bands, met his wife at Taco Bell, and had already met one of his teenage idols: Nikki Sixx. Now he’s at the point in his career where he’s getting interviewed for men’s magazines, which is exactly what happened on a semi-lovely day in August when I had the chance to chat with Johnson over a beer, a water and a table at Drekker Brewing Company in Fargo. Good Life: Are you glad the ‘90s are back? Moose Johnson: Sure. I graduated in 1990 and played in a band. Anything that resembled ‘80s hair and metal was out and grunge was in. My band and I went from spandex and long poufy hair to flannels and stayed away from hairspray. I like both eras. I probably played more during the ‘90s grunge stuff, but I grew up in the ‘80s. GL: Are you going to get some frosted tips? MJ: If I had hair, sure! urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 25
HAVING A BEER WITH // MOOSE JOHNSON
GL: What’s your favorite TV show of all time? MJ: I’d have to go with “Seinfeld.” I own every season and have seen every episode at least three or four times. It was must-see TV. I was in radio when the last episode aired, and it was such a big deal that we actually threw a promotion at a bar for the final episode. Everybody pretty much loved that show, and for good reason; it was wellwritten comedy about nothing, which is everything that you did in normal life. GL: Based on the actors who have played them, who has a better voice for radio, Batman or Superman? MJ: Christian Bale probably has the best voice, so Batman. GL: And he has a slight overbite, which makes his voice more distinct. GL: What was one thing you used to hate that you love now? MJ: I’m going to say routine. When I was younger, I hated routine. I wanted every day to be different than yesterday. Now that I’m older, I kind of like the routine—not that I still don’t like trying different things. I was always the life of the party, and now I like kicking back.
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GL: What’s your favorite article of clothing? MJ: Shoes. I love shoes. I have a weakness for them, and I’ve passed that on to my boys. I know it doesn’t sound manly, and I hate that, but I have so many pairs of shoes. My wife says I have more shoes than she does, so I say I don’t and try to hide them. GL: Whom did you want to grow up and be like when you were in junior high? MJ: You’re going to hear the geekiest story ever. Growing up in the ‘80s, I was a huge, huge fan of Mötley Crüe, and the guy I liked the most was Nikki Sixx. I liked a lot of bands, but three out of the four walls in my bedroom were covered in nothing but Mötley Crüe posters. All the other bands had one wall and the ceiling. I had this really cool poster of Nikki Sixx by my light switch, and every day, before I had to go catch the bus, I’d go to turn off my light switch, look at Nikki and say, “I hope someday I’m half as cool as you, man!” I’ve met him a few times now and told him this story. He probably just thinks I’m a geek. GL: Moose. What happened in 1996? MJ: I got married!
GL: I’m glad I asked about 1996. How did your wife and you meet? MJ: I was working at Pizza Hut, she was working at Taco Bell, and I was sick of pizza, so I called over to Taco Bell and said, “Hey, wanna trade some tacos for some pizza?” and she said, “Sure! Bring them over.” So I brought them over, saw her and went, “Wow.” I had a buddy who worked over there, so I said, “Hey, you’ve got to help me here.” Little did I know, he was trying to get her number and ask her out. So I gave him three weeks. He never got anywhere with her. When the three weeks were up, I asked her out and she said no. But then a week or so later I asked her out to a movie and she said yes. GL: What does living “the good life” mean to you? MJ: This is one of those questions where I would’ve had a hard time answering years ago or said something about living on an island or a mansion, but as I get older, I just like simple things. Having all the buds over to watch football and have a beer, that’s awesome. It’s sitting out on the deck having one, talking to my wife and talking about life, and watching my boys grow up. •
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HEY, WANNA TRADE SOME TACOS FOR SOME PIZZA? – MOOSE JOHNSON urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 27
FATHERS // MR. FULL-TIME DAD
TERRIBLE TWO'S? BRING IT ON!
WRITTEN BY: BEN HANSON • PHOTOGRAPHY BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
It’s 8:15 p.m. on Sunday night. I’ve just resettled my son, Macklin, for the second time after arriving home from a weekend at the lake. He’s fighting sleep not just because he hates Mondays as much as the rest of us, but because he’s riding a weekend-long sugar high and can’t help but continue jumping on the bed. In the dark. While singing. Why the rush? Well, he just turned 2, so we took the opportunity to throw a three-day party that featured an endless buffet of his favorite foods, people and high-impact aerobics. While a normal person would be exhausted to the point of collapse after such a binge, our newly-minted 2-year-old appears unfazed as if his internal engine runs on birthday cake and parental yawns. Welcome to the terrible twos, I hear in my head. “Bring it on!” I say back. My inner dialogue is astonishingly basic. I’ve been told to beware of the terrible twos by every parenting blog, book and bogus expert out there, and while I typically exude a healthy sense of pessimism, I’m not at all convinced trying times are ahead. Mack has proven himself awesome at every opportunity. Messy, sure. But awesome. I have to believe most 2-year-olds are similarly awesome, so allow me to break a few stereotypes and talk some fellow parents off the ledge. LEARNING TO TALK I don’t know how the average kid learns to talk, but Macklin has chosen to tackle the task in the third-person. It’s thrilling. We get a play-by-play of everything that’s happening both to him and within him. For example, when he wants to read a book, he doesn’t just carry a book over to the couch and sit down. He narrates it for all to hear. “Mack-in… lay down… right here… this one.” With a 2-year-old, it’s rare to have to guess what’s going on. They have no filter, so everything is announced and celebrated. There’s no qualifying or calculating—if he’s got a word remotely relatable to the situation, it’s coming out of his mouth. While mostly amusing, this does present one notable challenge… you can’t get away with anything. Because you carry it everywhere you go, it’s second nature to use your body as show-and-tell to teach language. Thus, Macklin’s vocabulary is heavily skewed towards body parts and 28 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
bodily functions. His favorite word is “toot,” and he’s yet to find an audience that makes him self-conscious. Consider this your warning. POTTY TRAINING I’m sure the worst is yet to come with learning how to be independent in the bathroom, but so far the only drama has been over what form of chocolate will be provided as incentive. (Hint: stock up on M&Ms, as they melt in your mouth, not in your hand.) There’s been some dispute about books versus YouTube videos while sitting on the throne, but we quickly gave up that fight. We’ve agreed to let him watch whatever he wants, and he’s agreed to focus on aiming.
at home, flinging himself to the ground in a soupy pile of tears, but it never lasts more than a minute or two. But what about when you’re out in public? Simple… just stay home. I mean that both seriously and slightly sarcastically. The main rule of parenting as far as I’m concerned is to simply pay attention. That’s it. Pay attention to your kid. If you do even a mediocre job of this, you will be able to sense when your kid has had enough and would do well to stay in. Errands can always wait. The sale on laundry detergent is not worth public humiliation. ALL EYES ON HIM As an admitted introvert, having a talking 2-year old to bring with me everywhere I go is a serious blessing when timed right (see above). All I have to do is introduce him and away he goes, diverting all attention away from me. It’s magical… especially around family. The day Mack learns to talk on the phone might literally be the last time I have a conversation with anyone outside my immediate family. Though it’s still early in the game, the terrible twos have started off quite smoothly. I’m choosing to focus on the perks, the hilarity and the less-obvious upsides. Compared to midnight feedings and teething, toddlerhood is actually proving to be more tolerable than previous epochs. He’s old enough to get cake for his birthday, but so far unaware of what happens to the leftovers after he (eventually) falls asleep. I’ll embrace this stage as long as I can. •
My main advice with potty training is to win the game of not caring. If you can prove to your toddler that you care less about the bathroom than he does, you immediately remove all the stress from the situation. I’ll ask Mack if he wants to go potty throughout the day, and if he says yes, we go. If he says no (or ignores me altogether), we don’t. Trust me, diapers are 10 times more convenient than undressing a balance-challenged 2-year-old, so it’s in your best interest not to rush things. MELTDOWNS Again, maybe we’re just lucky to have the greatest kid in the world, but we’ve largely avoided the meltdown stage thus far. Yes, he does throw a fit from time to time urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 29
WRITTEN BY: BRITTNEY GOODMAN • PHOTOGRAPHY BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
LOCAL HERO // VINCE KEMPF
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City of Fargo Police Department’s Cultural Liaison Officer, Vince Kempf welcomes New Americans to Fargo with a focus on parents and helping them adjust to our culture and laws. Since August, 2016, Kempf has served in this role, following after a seven-year stint by Christie Jacobsen. Kempf has spent a great deal of his career on a Narcotics task force but welcomes this shift in focus: “I will close out my career with this position.” Kempf became a part of the Fargo Police Department in 1991, starting out as a patrol officer. A graduate of St. John’s University with a degree in business, Kempf moved to Fargo and, after spending some time with a high
school friend who was a Fargo police officer, he thought it would be a good fit for him. He did some coursework at Minnesota State University Moorhead in the Criminal Justice program in preparation for the Minnesota Police Academy. He was eventually was hired by Fargo Police Department. He then attended the North Dakota Police Academy. When asked why the Cultural Liaison position appealed to him, Kempf said: “I thought this would be a position where my work would have long-term impact. I want to see that down the road families can benefit from the impact I can have in this position -- even if it is just one or two families who learned how to parent and become better adjusted to the laws here, even that is a big deal urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 31
LOCAL HERO // VINCE KEMPF
to me. So when the position opened up, I thought that would be a good fit for me. I also really like history and geography and learning about other cultures. I’m currently studying the Nepali language. I want to become fluent but have been working at it for 8 months. It is more difficult than some other languages I studied like German and Spanish.” Kempf’s position is quite different than his previous work on patrol or with Narcotics. He is part of a small team of police officers in Fargo. He partners with the Community Trust Officers. The other two officers focus more on at-risk youth while Kempf’s emphasis is mostly on New American parents: “We often are dealing with the same families.” Kempf is part of two-session orientation program for immigrants new to our area to explain the differences in laws here and help them fit in and become productive community members. His session can have anywhere from 7 – 30 people depending upon the month. In his law enforcement presentation he goes over laws and the role of law enforcement including the city, sheriff, and high patrol offices and how it may differ from their home countries. He does this in partnership with Shanda Hakk, a Family Strengthening Specialist at Lutheran Social Services. Their presentation often takes more time because they may be dealing with several languages and need interpreters to translate numerous times. Other orientations the immigrants have include Family Health, apartment rental specialists, FM 32 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
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I WANT TO SEE THAT DOWN THE ROAD FAMILIES CAN BENEFIT FROM THE IMPACT I CAN HAVE IN THIS POSITION – EVEN IF IT IS JUST ONE OR TWO FAMILIES WHO LEARNED HOW TO PARENT AND BECOME BETTER ADJUSTED TO THE LAWS HERE, EVE THAT IS A BIG DEAL TO ME. – VINCE KEMPF
Ambulance, Rob Kupec talking about the difference in weather, and more: “It is all to help them adjust to their new surroundings and be successful.” Kempf described his role working primarily with parents as proactive: “I’ve found after over 26 years of law enforcement that if most people have continued problems with the law, often they haven’t been parented well, so I am hoping that by explaining how parenting can be done legally and what the expectations are to get the children on the right path – it will empower the parents. The children adjust quickly and learn the language. The parents are much slower to adjust to the surroundings. If they had not known English before, they may be more isolated than we would like. Rather than have them feel they need to depend on their children for all of the information, I give them my card and tell them I’m here for them. New Americans have to quickly learn all the things we have been learning our entire lives. It is difficult to not make mistakes if you do not know the rules.” In contrast to his former work with Narcotics, Kempf said that the Cultural Liaison focus has provided him with a
chance to “see more positive outcomes.” He explained: “When I worked in Narcotics, I rarely got to work with anyone who was not already in trouble. I did not get to see the people who got off of drugs and moved on to a better life. With the Cultural Liaison position, I am now working during the daytime and with people who have some problems but usually not legal issues – much of my work is proactive – referrals, helping with parenting issues, attending community events.” He talked about how much things have changed locally regarding working with drug use: “When I was working with Narcotics, I only saw heroin twice. I was mostly concerned with methamphetamine and the dangers of anhydrous ammonia. If you came into contact with that – you had four minutes to get to water before it penetrated your protective suit. Now, if carfentanil gets blown on you, you can die.”
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LOCAL HERO // VINCE KEMPF
Kempf described drugs as a continuing problem: “I know that many people say that drugs are not hurting anybody and want to make them legal – but I know people who have taken harder drugs long-term, and they are permanently changing their body, burning out the dopamine receptors that enable them to feel pleasure. So they need more as time goes on to reach a certain level. They need more in order to feel the level of normal pleasure that the rest of us always feel. So I do think it is a big deal and it does hurt people.” He continued, “And if the addict is lucky enough to break free of the addiction, he or she will likely to have continuing depression problems – problems that are not likely to go away.” Kempf does leather work in his spare time, and has been working on a design based upon Nepali folklore, which he is studying. He hopes to take the design and make a leather holder for
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the police officer badge stickers he gives out to children. He described: “It is based on a story about a demon (a lakhe) that fell in love with a girl in a Nepali village but wreaks havoc there. The story goes that the demon gets to ultimately stay in the village if it would protect its residents from other demons.” Kempf said: “When I am stressed, I’ve got a stress ball. But I’d much rather be hunting.” Kempf hunts deer, ducks and pheasant. He enjoys spending time with his wife, who works as a Pharmacy Technician. He owns and likes riding several motorcycles—his favorite is his Victory cycle—and said his wife is also becoming interested in motorcycles: “But I think she’d be more interested and comfortable if I bought a full bagger (touring motorcycle).” He described as his “number one contribution” of his life as “raising our two children successfully. I would not change a thing about either one of them. It was my kids who got me into Narcotics work. And my current position’s focus on parenting is because of my experience being a parent.” Kempf credited an incident in school with his son with fueling his initial focus on Narcotics work: “Once when my son was in elementary school he was shown some marijuana by another student. And after the incident, it did not seem the kid who showed him the drug suffered any repercussions from that. And I thought that I do not want my son to think that a person having drugs is less of a big deal than someone getting a parking ticket. So after that experience, I signed myself up for my first six-month Narcotics rotation. I just did not want my son to think that possessing drugs was ‘no big deal.’” When asked “What does ‘the good life’ mean to you?,” Kempf replied: “I think that if you are able to talk about your life with people and not have to edit a whole lot out of it because you’re ashamed of things, you’ve led a good life. To me, ‘the good life’ is about spending time with friends and family, and also about trying to make a positive difference. I’m not about the awards I have or what I wear on my police uniform to show my accomplishments. I just want to help people. I think if you focus on helping other people you are going to be happy, but if you focus only on making yourself happy, you won’t be happy. I think a good life is about helping other people.” Kempf continued, “It is kind of like the saying that you hear a lot – that money can’t make you happy. But actually, money can make you happy – but only if you are giving it away. No Maserati is ever going to make you happy. But giving something away to a friend or stranger in need — that will make you happy.” • urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 35