The New Immigrants: An Indian In Williston; Executive Culinary Chef in Stanley

Abhilash Soman

Link here to The Dickinson Press.

This is really a great story. It's too bad that over time it will be lost -- the link will be broken, the story will be gone. It will archived, available only by subscription. But two things happen when stories are lost by archiving on the internet:

• there is so much free content, folks won't pay for "human interest" stories
• even if the archived content is free, folks won't take the time to type in passwords and search archives

Once archived on the net, stories are lost. Yesterday, there was a story that folks won't even wait for a movie they plan to download if it is delayed by twenty seconds. Folks are not going to spend a couple of minutes trying to access an archived story. A lot will be lost.

I even think the nation's newspaper, the Wall Street Journal, is having challenges with free content. [Wall Street Journal: 2.1 million; USA Today: 1.8 million. By the way, these numbers speak volumes about content.]

This is a story about a 32-year-old native Indian (from the subcontinent of India) who started out in the diamond trade in Miami and is now "at home" in the Williston Basin oil patch. Another "horatioalger" story.

Abhilash Soman sold his wedding ring to come to Williston, where he says he’s found his fortune.

The India native had a career as a gemologist before he married an American and moved to Miami. There, he tried to work in the diamond market, but struggled to make a living.

After 10 months in Williston, he has a high-paying job and hopes to be certified next month as a drill pipe inspector.

I think of the Syrians who came to North Dakota in an earlier cycle of immigration. 

I guess that's where they archived stories will end up -- in university publications -- I'm thinking of one of my favorite books: Plains Folks: North Dakota's Ethnic History.

Caleb Peasall

Link here to The Bismarck Tribune. 

Caleb Pearsall, 26, originally of Florida and by way of Virginia, had been the youngest-ever executive chef at an Omni Hotel and Resort before moving to North Dakota last year.

“When I told them what I wanted to do, they said, ‘Bring it on,’” he said.

What he brought on was good food.

“Fresh, homemade and real,” he said.

Offerings at the Stanley Cenex include meals like homemade meatloaf or lasagna, served with vegetables and a fruit cup.