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By Matt Bunk / November 10, 2012 / Business, Mandan News, News / 2 Comments
Young Entrepreneurs This story is part of a series by the Great Plains Examiner that highlights young entrepreneurs in North Dakota. Each of the business owners profiled in this series is younger than 40. A lot of people tell Jon Larson that he doesn’t seem like a tattoo artist. His body isn’t covered with ink […]
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By Steve Hoffbeck / November 4, 2012 / News, Nodak History, Top Stories / No Comments
Bismarck residents were aflutter with excitement in October of 1882 as they watched the completion of the Northern Pacific Bridge over the Missouri River. Construction of the railroad bridge had posed a major obstacle to the Northern Pacific Railway, so the company hired George S. Morison, a renowned civil engineer and pre-eminent bridge builder, to […]
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By Matt Bunk / October 29, 2012 / Bismarck News, News, Top Stories / 1 Comment
Ever wonder if the cook at your favorite local restaurant washes both hands vigorously after handling raw meat? Or perhaps you’ve found a piece of someone else’s hair in your soup. Heck, maybe you’re just curious about what goes on behind the door of a restaurant kitchen. Public documents maintained by restaurant inspectors can unravel […]
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By Matt Bunk / October 29, 2012 / Bismarck News, News, Top Stories / No Comments
It’s easy to see why Pirogue Grille has a perfect record when it comes to food-safety inspections. The kitchen is cramped, especially when all of the cooks and wait staff are busy in the evenings, but all ingredients are labeled and stored neatly on clean metal racks around the food prep stations. The employees wear […]
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By Matt Bunk / October 29, 2012 / Bismarck News, News, Top Stories / 2 Comments
Nearly every restaurant in Bismarck received at least a couple of food-safety violations during the past four years, but city inspectors uncovered a pattern of carelessness at several restaurants that was beyond the norm. Hong Kong Restaurant, New Fortune Cookie Restaurant, Golden Corral, Chinatown Buffet and Grizzly’s Grill and Saloon each received at least 25 […]
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By Kelly Hagen / October 20, 2012 / News, People, Top Stories / 1 Comment
You’ve heard of the term “jack of all trades,” but do you really know one? You probably don’t. If you live in Bismarck, that guy is named Mike Swenson. Certainly within the artistic community, he qualifies as his own Mike of All Trades. He is a performing musician. He’s a singer and songwriter. He is […]
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By Matt Bunk / September 24, 2012 / Business, News, Top Stories / 3 Comments
Have you noticed grocery prices have risen sharply at many of the local supermarkets? Yeah, we spotted that too. The Great Plains Examiner conducted its annual price survey at the nine largest supermarkets in Bismarck-Mandan on Aug. 11 to help shoppers find the best prices and save money on their grocery bills. We sent reporters […]
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By Matt Bunk / September 17, 2012 / Bismarck News, News, Top Stories / No Comments
Ahmed Farhadi was a dance instructor at a school in Los Angeles when the recession bore down and led to the elimination of his position. Next, he was a welding inspector in Texas, but that job eventually went away too. Left with few options, the Iranian immigrant packed his belongings in his car and headed […]
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By Matt Bunk / September 10, 2012 / Matt Bunk's Column, Opinion / 5 Comments
Bismarck’s bicycle paths were a good idea, poorly executed. First of all, city leaders deserve some credit for encouraging alternative forms of transportation. We all know bicycling promotes good health and reduces consumption of fossil fuels. And it’s about time Bismarck followed the trend of most other major cities across the U.S. But that’s where […]
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By Matt Bunk / September 7, 2012 / Bismarck News, Business, News, Top Stories / No Comments
A German corporation has purchased one of Bismarck’s largest private industrial companies in an effort to capitalize on increased investments to extract oil and natural gas from shale formations. Bilfinger Berger, which has been ranked as the eighth-largest construction company in Europe, acquired Westcon Incorporated in July. There was no formal announcement, other than a […]
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