All posts by Adrianna Raile

Henrik Wergeland’s Local and Worldly Impact

By: Adrianna Raile

After having gone through many renovations, Island Park holds a great story about the history of Fargo and the history of disputes between foreign countries. The most important story about Island Park is the story of Henrik Wergeland and the statues built for him.

Henrik Wergeland was born in 1808 in Kristiansand, Norway. He was a writer who was most celebrated for his poetry but also known as a prolific playwright, polemicist, historian, and linguist.

For almost his whole life, he was seen as a heroic pioneer. His words led Sweden to independence in 1905, and has a nickname being “the Abraham Lincoln of Norway.”

The sculpture of Wergeland’s stature was Gustav Vigeland, one of Europe’s most well-known sculptors. Evidence suggests that he was working on Wergeland’s statue dating back to 1897.

As this statue was unveiled in the summer of 1908, more than 3,500 people were there to experience it. Here now in 2026, the statue still stands. To honor Norway’s most beloved poet, an identical bronze statue was unveiled in Oslo, Norway the same day.

As true landmark for North Dakota’s culture, the park is still being renovated and improved and will continue to be for 20 years and beyond.

Supernatural Pilot Overview

By: Adrianna Raile

Supernatural is a 15-season long show, averaging about 21-22 episodes per season, totaling 327 in the whole series. The show first aired on CW in 2005 and ran until 2020, staying consistent with their releases and cast. Supernatural stars Jensen Ackles as the older brother Dean Winchester and Jared Padalecki as the younger brother Sam Wincheaster.

The show begins in 1983 when mysteriously the brothers’ mother, Mary Winchester, died tragically in a house fire. However, it wasn’t a normal house fire, because she was pinned to the ceiling of Sam’s nursery and the fire started around her with only baby Sam in sight. From then on, John Winchester became a hunter, searching for the supernatural species that killed his wife. As time went on and the brother grew older, they hunted by their dad’s side as well.

22 years later, Sam is in college and away from the hunting business until his brother Dean breaks into his apartment, telling Sam, “Dad’s on a hunting trip, and he hasn’t been home in a few days.” That quote was the entire base of the show, and is what brought Sam out of his “monster free life.” Sam infact did not want to go hunting again, but his dad was in danger and he can’t say no to his older brother Dean. They go on the hunt, with no luck in finding their dad. When Sam gets back to his apartment, he comes to find his girlfriend Jessica on the cieling, burning just like his mother 22 years ago. From then on, the boys began hunting together again for the next 15 years, trying to avenge everyone they have lost because of the supernatural.

They endured many deaths, injuries, heartbreaks, and losses due to hunting monsters and demons. The biggest death due to a demon was John Winchester, who died from a deal with the same demon that killed his wife, Mary.

If this pilot rundown interests you, the head over to HBO Max and see for your self why Supernaural is worth the watch.

Meet the Basement Yard

By: Adrianna Raile

The Basement Yard is a comedy podcast created by Joe Santagato in 2015. Over the years, he had many of his friends talking with him about random ideas, finding comedy in events in the world, and their lives. The first episode was published on YouTube February 12th, 2018, “Joe Santagato & Frank on Logan Paul’s Return”, running for only 4:38.

As the years went by, his brother-in-law Danny was a regular guest as well. Around 2021, the 253rd episode became the turning point for Joe where he decided the only regular guest he will have would be his best friend, Frank Alvarez.

Now, in 2026, their latest episodes consist of Joe, Frank, and Antonio Prisco who is their videographer and a very close friend to the boys. The newest episode was named, “Protect Punch The Monkey At All Costs | The Basement Yard #546”. In this episode, they talk about mildly inappropriate topics until getting to the big idea being the need to protect Punch the Monkey, known for being a heavily bullied monkey with a stuffed monkey he carries around for support.

Aside from their episodes on YouTube, they have exclusive episodes on Patreon that come out a week prior, as well as episodes that don’t air on YouTube. The boys also go on tour around the world, meet fans, and describe their adventures when they get back!

If you are into best friends turning their lives into comedy, the Basement Yard is the podcast for you.

NDSU’s Move to the Mountain West Division

By: Adrianna Raile

As of February 2026, NDSU football has been announced to be heading to the FBS Mountain West Division.  This advancement has a mix of emotions stirring throughout NDSU fans and their past rivals like UND and SDSU, as well as the teams in the Mountain West division.

For those in favor of this change, they are very excited to play against advanced teams like Hawaii, the Air Force, Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming, and additional teams added throughout the season. It gives the fans, (and NDSU as a whole), the opportunity to travel to places they haven’t been and watch NDSU endure more of a challenge rather them watching them beat FCS teams out of the water.

In the past, NDSU had win streaks of almost whole seasons and had a grand total of 18 national championships while playing in the FCS. This move to the Mountain West division will have a detrimental effect on the views of NDSU by fans and other teams nationwide.

Regarding NDSU’s past rivals, many are saying they are “butthurt” because NDSU was selected to move up to the FBS and not them. As far as anyone knows, it was NDSU’s decision to move up, for they already had their FCS schedule set out. Regardless, this change will be a great but challenging change for NDSU, but the entertainment will be so much better for the fans.