A video of an interview I did with Forum columnist and features writer Tammy Swift on August 8, 2011. Hope you enjoy getting to know Tammy a little better.
Bill Marcil Jr., left, succeeded his father, William C. Marcil, as publisher of The Forum on Dec. 1, 2010. Michael Vosburg / Forum Photo Editor
Last week I sat down for a few minutes to do an informal with Bill Marcil, Jr., publisher of The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead. Hear what Bill has to say about family, his musical tastes, the future of the newspaper industry and more.
Gary, Minn. – It’s a festive weekend here in Gary. Each year the little northwest Minnesota town of 190 celebrates it’s heritage with the aptly-named Gary Days.
My wife’s folks live about seven miles from Gary in the same home where her Dad grew up so we’re regulars at the celebration. I’m pretty small town and blue collar myself so I’m happy to oblige. Despite hailing from the great state of Tennessee, I guess I’m something of an honorary Gary resident.I played my guitar and sang at during the festivities and took part in the 5K Rooster Run this morning.
Of course, I had to bring my camera along for some of the fun. Hope you enjoy these shots from Gary Days. 
Click on a thumbnail to see a larger image.
My wife grew up near Gary, Minn., which is in the Fertile/Twin Valley area. So we head out to the farm from time to time to visit. A while back, I brought my camera out there and fired off some shots. Here’s some of the fruit of those labors:
This marriage proposal is sweet, funny and even a little tear-jerking — with just enough sarcasm to keep it from going mushy. Enjoy.
Shoppers at West Acres shopping center and Scheel’s sporting good store in Fargo, N.D. got an unexpected dose of culture as North Dakota State University Concert Choir members and others belted out surprise performances of the “Hallelujah” chorus from Handel’s “Messiah.” Check it out:
West Acres:
Scheels
UPDATED: Here’s a link to the review I wrote on the Concordia Christmas concert: http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/300612/
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Written last night:
I’m sitting here in Concordia College’s Memorial Auditorium where the first installment of this year’s Concordia Christmas Concert series concluded about an hour ago. The evening featured some fine choral work, as we’ve come to expect from the CCC. It also features a fantastice mural by designer Paul Johnson. Here’s a small version of it (of course, it’s a little more impressive at it’s life-size 176 feet):
Check out the full review of tonight’s concert in tomorrow’s Forum.
And, by the way, if you haven’t started following me and AreaVoices on Twitter, what are you waiting for? I’m at http://twitter.com/#!/shanemercer and AreaVoices Tweets at http://twitter.com/#!/areavoices
Authorities here have arrested a man for allegedly burglarizing and setting fire to a church the morning of Dec. 2, one of two church fires local officials had to simultaneously battle, according to a Forum Communications story.
 Joshua Whitworth, 21, of Dickinson, was taken into custody and charged with burglary, arson and possession of stolen property in connection with a burglary and fire at the Church of Christ, according to the Dickinson Police Department.
Here’s a fun little stop-animation video for the holiday. Who knows what the decor is up to when we’re not looking. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
I was in my room praying on this Thanksgiving morning.
Through the closed door, I could hear my wife and her mother in the kitchen, visiting and laughing. Dishes bumped and banged against one another. The sounds of my children playing wafted in. The warm air from the bulky, vintage air grates in our 1922 home flowed across the carpet and snuggled my bare feet.
On the nightstand next to the bed, I looked at my copy of the scriptures that was resting on another copy of the scriptures. A cup sat atop a saucer that sat atop a plate. I’d enjoyed my morning coffee, homemade lefse and raspberry jam shortly before.
I heard my wife ask my two-year-old son, “Did you put makeup on, or did your sisters put makeup on you?”
My mind slipped off down south to the hills of east Tennessee where the warm memory of Thanksgivings past took me home for a moment. I remembered I needed to call mom and dad. I know they wish my family could be there this Thanksgiving. I know it’s only a few weeks until we’ll see them.
I heard my father-in-law chatting with my son. I thought about how beautiful my wife is and how smart my children are. I remembered my Mamaw and Papaw and the sound of my mother’s prayers.
Thanksgiving, indeed.
