Just My Opinion - by Mary Kilen
Superheroes Abound!
If you were at the Stanley High School track on Friday, May 1, for the Jacob Hynek Memorial Twilight track meet, I hope you enjoyed the participation by athletes as much as I did.
This meet was held in memory of Jacob, who lost his battle to childhood cancer. Jacob loved superheroes and the meet paid tribute to that and his courageous fight. Concessions and food were prepared by the Special Education Department and the Stanley Firemen. All donations from the night are being given to Brave the Shave.
Meanwhile, superheroes were found all over the track. Workers and fans were wearing t-shirts made just for the night. The Stanley track teams jerseys featured a Marvel design on the front. But perhaps, the best was watching athletes really get into it. Some were running with their capes. Others were wearing masks, including a couple of full masks. Some had painted the masks on their faces. My heart was full as I saw all of this.
Perhaps one of the biggest moments of the night came during the 4x400 relay. This is always the last race of a meet, but this one was just a little different. Jacob’s brothers, Abe and Ben, joined the Stanley 4x400 team to each run one of the legs in his honor. Kolton and Logan Longmuir, normal members of the team, ran the other two legs. Abe is not a track athlete and Ben is better known for his throwing skills. I left before this race, but I saw the video and I can guarantee you there likely wasn’t a dry eye in the house, but the smiles were probably also from ear to ear.
For one more night, we were all reminded of the best of our communities in North Dakota. While Stanley was remembering one of their own, the other communities and athletes were part of one big family that night.
What are all these insurance statements?
This month, newspapers across the state are printing the insurance abstracts. During the 69th Legislative Assembly, the North Dakota Legislature enacted House Bill 1398, which modified the publishing requirements for insurance companies doing business in North Dakota, as it relates to publication of the Company Abstract of Statement.
First publication is starting this week in the Promoter. Because of the way they are being filed and submitted, we will likely be seeing another set of them starting in early June and a third possibly in July.
Publication of these abstracts has been going on for as long as I’ve been here at the Promoter, although not as many as we are seeing this year. Last year, due to some changes within the insurance commission, the abstracts were limited to only a few newspapers and the Promoter was not one of them. The changes in legislation has returned them to all newspapers.
However, because they are divided evenly within the districts and then evenly within the number of newspapers within those districts, not all newspapers will see the same amount. If all of the insurance companies submit their abstract, papers may see anywhere from 65 each in the district with the most newspapers to 433 each in the district with the least number of newspapers.
Under N.D.C.C. § 26.1-03-10 as amended by House Bill 1398, an insurance company shall submit an abstract of the annual statement on the form prescribed by the commissioner. This abstract must be published at least three times in a newspaper of general circulation and evenly distributed for publication across all newspapers operating in each of the state’s eight judicial districts. Proof of publication must be filed with the commissioner within four months after the filing of the annual statement.
The modifications made under House Bill 1398 during the 69th Legislative Assembly require all insurance companies to publish their Abstract in all eight judicial districts. Because they are evenly distributed among the newspapers in those districts, some newspapers will see even more than those we are printing in the Promoter over the next few months.
In case you were wondering, payment for publication of these notices comes from the insurance company, not from the state government or your tax dollars.