Sports/Outdoors Reporter at The Dickinson Press

It is what it is. It's a preps grind at an understaffed, small newspaper in the middle of nowhere.

Some people will be bothered by this, some people will enjoy it for a few years and build up the resume enough to move on, and it's theoretically possible that someone might want to do it for a long time.

 

What's weird about Dickinson is the pay is less than what some weeklies in the chain pay and Dickinson is one of the more expensive areas to live in the Forum Communications coverage area. Those weeklies can rake in the cash, though.

 

Same opening, but finally posted on JournalismJobs.

http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=1228325

The ad needs to be updated because the Dickinson Roughriders American Legion team isn't that good right now. The team won state in 2009, but the talent has dried up for now. Dickinson is hosting the Central Plains Regional this year and next, so you might be able to make a few extra bucks stringing on the side if the paper lets you.

The summer schedule isn't bad, but you'll be busy mid-August getting the football tab ready.

 

Whoever is offered the job should ask for at least $30K. The paper just ran a story on how the City of Dickinson can't attract quality applicants due to the housing crunch. If you get a job, you might be bunking with a roughneck.

http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/event/article/id/47778/

 

They should only demand 30k if they don't want the position. The only people who are going to apply for this job are fresh out of college. You aren't going to get 30k at a small paper here. I believe you did but that is a major anomaly and very far from the norm. If you are single with no kids you can live off 25k pretty easy (I'm doing it). You may have to bunk with a "roughneck" but thinking they are all or even most bad is just plain stereotyping and racist against the South. Most oil workers I know, while different than I, are still cool to hang out with. Some are definitely morons. You would want to talk to any potential roommate first.

 

Why would that be "racist" against the South, even though you don't seem to have a clue on what racist means? I didn't know roughneck had a geographic connotation as much as a vocational definition.

In the past few years, the regional jail bookings are up 25 percent from over a year ago. Some roughneck shot another the next street over from me. There are serious concerns with housing and infrastructure in Dickinson, and western North Dakota for that matter.

BTW, nice that you changed your handle, Cubbiebum.

 

As the Sports Editor, I can tell you that all talk of salary on this site is moot. Salary will be discussed and negotiated with whomever we feel is right for the job. That salary is dependent on experience. But trust me, if we want you, we'll make sure you can live here on your own if you have to.

I can also tell you that the newspaper has control of the leases for two affordable apartments in town at the moment. The hope is that, would the candidate want to live in an apartment, we could provide that to them with the lease along with the job. If they are single and want to seek out a roommate, I'm sure it wouldn't be hard and they could definitely be picky.

 

I hope that last shot wasn't directed at me.

I only have one username and I continue to use it. I stopped posting because I can't stand to see your username on here Stitch. People on here think your somebody and that your voice matters because you post 150 times a day when all that really means is that you have nothing better to do.

For the record, yes we get that Dickinson is a tough place to find housing. No, nobody really cares about a state championship baseball team anyways. Who gives a crap if its updated or not? I'm not taking a job based on a summer team anyways.

Can we please stop beating the same drum over and over about the difficulty of finding a place to live?

Folks, if you want to live in western North Dakota, it's a luxury. You have to be able to afford it because roughnecks in the oil patch are buying 2 bedroom houses that are 100 years old for 140,000. The market is crazy because of the oil. It's just how it is. That being said, many newspapers are holding apartments and it appears Dickinson is as well, so you should be fine.

 

No, I know who Cubbiebum is. I know you wouldn't be foolish enough to complain about how unprofessional your ME is and then get testy when other posters tell you how stupid a move that is.

BTW, why did you leave peacer84? I know you said when you quit, they either offered or were going to offer you the SE spot and demote the current SE., and I should be on the lookout for that offer. You also said you didn't like the situation there. The fact is, the ME ran out a decent news reporter while you were there, and a couple of other good people on the news side left when I was there and shortly after I left.

As to the cost of living, I'll I can say is wow! Living in western North Dakota is a luxury? Never heard that one before. I'm sure those struggling to find places to live will take solace in those words. If it is a luxury, employers besides oil companies need to pay more.