The Good Life – July-August 2020

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LOCAL HERO | JASON HICKSsaying, 'What do you need me to do? I'll do it.' Becausethey knew he would suffer with them.”Getting his first taste of leadership while serving hiscountry molded Hicks into the person he is today – onewho bleeds red, white and blue."I saw the best and worst of people. It's something that Ilearned from," he said. “Some people talk about how greatother places are. But having seen first, second and thirdworldcountries, there's no doubt that we're it. I will neverapologize for being an American. And I never have."Giving BackA story all too common among soldiers, Hicks admits tohaving had a difficult time adjusting when he first returnedfrom overseas."That's probably one of the biggest reasons I focus on theveterans groups... I can relate," he said. "There's alwayssomething bigger than yourself – so many things we cando to make this better for everybody.”Having been involved with the Veterans of Foreign Wars(VFW) since 1993, Hicks became one of the youngestcommanders during his first term from 1998-2000, andlater served a second term from 2010-2014.Currently, he’s most active with the color guard, marchingin parades, conducting flag presentations and teachingflag etiquette to kids. If it isn’t obvious at first sight, Pizarrosays Hicks’ dedication shines through when honoringVeterans Honor Flight of ND/MN – an organization thatsends area veterans to their memorials in WashingtonD.C., free of charge.“He’ll say, 'It's going to be super hot. We're on the runwaybut you're going to be in uniform and represent the VFWbecause the VFW represents these guys. I don't want tohear any shake and bake about how awful it's going to be.We're going to do it for the honor of these people,'" Pizarroexplained. “And we’ll do it with a gracious heart.”Respect is hard to come by but perhaps it’s the bond thatonly service members can attest to – the “brotherhood" asHicks says – that makes it all worth it."It wouldn't matter if you're a Korean War veteran or a waron terrorism vet, you all have that (bond),” Hicks said. “Forexample, there's a guy at the Fargo VFW and he was withthe 7th infantry regiment of the 3rd infantry division...so was I. So we salute each other with our motto. He's aKorean War vet and I'm – what? – a third of his age? It'sreally cool."40 / THE GOOD LIFEServing … with a BadgeHicks retired from Army in 2007 but he has continuedserving in other ways. After graduating from MinnesotaState University Moorhead (MSUM) with a degree incriminal justice, the veteran started his law enforcementcareer in Dilworth as a part-time patrolman. But itwasn’t long before he was hired at the West Fargo PoliceDepartment, where he scored a position as narcoticsinvestigator after just a year in."That's something I had always wanted to do and it was justwild. That was at the height of the big meth push – whenthey were making meth and had meth labs everywhere,”he said. “We could literally work 24 hours a day, sevendays a week. There was always stuff to do.”From small, marijuana paraphernalia arrests to a multipoundmethamphetamine busts, Hicks worked an endlessamount of cases."The thing with drug work – and I say this to everybody– if you're doing it right, within about three years, you'reburnt out and you don't want to do it anymore," he said.When that time came, he applied at the Clay CountySheriff’s office as a patrolman and soon worked his wayinto an investigative position once again – one he has heldfor the past 10 years."I’ve worked cases from a simple burglary to homicide,sexual assault, home invasion – all this crazy stuff,” hesaid. "I've worked some really unusual cases.”As with any job, the role of an investigative detective hasits ups, downs and undeniable stressors.“You get a little burnt out sometimes and you have to findother ways to focus," Hicks says.
ARMY VETERANFor him, that usually means not only taking warrantedtime off work but also exercising."It helps clear your head,” he says. “Don't get me wrong,I'm not a marathon runner or anything. I like long walksand things like that – the same stuff I did in the Army,except I'm not carrying a rucksack and a rifle.”At the end of the day, one recurring assumption stillsurprises Hicks.“After people sit down and talk to me, they never believethat I'm a cop. It just makes me laugh," he said. "I'mabout as normal of a person as there is. I don't havemagic powers.”Living “out in the sticks” with his wife, Peggy, of 27 years,is where Hicks finds solace outside of work, enjoyingthe livestock, peace and quiet. Be it hunting, fishing for“anything that bites” or relishing in Minnesota’s snowywinters, Hicks cherishes the great outdoors.But what exactly defines “the good life”?"Being able to wake up in a country that's free," Hickssaid. "Just the everyday freedoms that we enjoy asAmericans. Not everyone has it. The good life is being anAmerican." •urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 41
Page 2 and 3: CELEBRATING 7 YEARS OF THE GOOD LIF
Page 4 and 5: CONTENTSJULY-AUGUST 2020Volume 8
Page 6 and 7: LOCAL HERO | ERIC MARTSOriginal pub
Page 8 and 9: LOCAL HERO | ERIC MARTSWhen asked w
Page 10 and 11: LOCAL HERO | BRYAN KUTTEROriginal p
Page 12 and 13: LOCAL HERO | BRYAN KUTTERAmanda Kut
Page 14 and 15: LOCAL HERO | ART WILLIAMSOriginal p
Page 16 and 17: LOCAL HERO | ART WILLIAMSThe Tuskeg
Page 18 and 19: LOCAL HERO | BRIAN RICHTEROriginal
Page 20 and 21: LOCAL HERO | BRIAN RICHTERand out o
Page 22 and 23: LOCAL HERO | WILBERT SCHEFFLEROrigi
Page 24 and 25: LOCAL HERO | WILBERT SCHEFFLERHe re
Page 26 and 27: LOCAL HERO | WILBERT SCHEFFLERkept
Page 28 and 29: LOCAL HERO | JOE WALLEVANDOriginal
Page 30 and 31: LOCAL HERO | JOE WALLEVANDWallevand
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Page 34 and 35: LOCAL HERO | SHANE TIBIATOWSKIOrigi
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Page 38 and 39: LOCAL HERO | JASON HICKSOriginal pu
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Page 46 and 47: LOCAL HERO | MIKE GRUCHALLAworking
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