"On Monday, Larson's Drive Inn in Larimore, N.D., opened for the 2006 season. This year's opening is the beginning of a new era for this eatery. Marlene, the owner and manager, retired after some 26 years, and her daughter, Sandra, took Marlene's place at the Drive Inn.

This simple, small-town drive-in is an example of those rare rural outlets that are growing while others shrink or go out of business. Rural depopulation and migration to bigger cities are closing doors faster than the businesses can catch their second wind.

Before so many people moved away, small towns provided services such as restaurants, movie theaters and other amenities to their community. Many of these niceties now are gone, but Larson's Drive Inn is unique. It has grown with the community, just as Marlene became central in the community."

Get the Story:
COLUMNIST DORREEN YELLOW BIRD : An unsung hero: The Queen of the Drive-Inn (The Grand Forks Herald 4/19)

More Dorreen Yellow Bird:
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Yellow Bird: Admire, but don't, pet the wild geese (4/11)
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Yellow Bird: An extraordinary day for bird-watchers (4/4)
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Yellow Bird: Importance of eagles in culture (03/06)
Yellow Bird: It's time for tribes to go smoke-free (2/28)
Yellow Bird: Non-Indian gaming makes headlines (2/27)
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Yellow Bird: The Westminster Rez Dogs Show (2/20)
Yellow Bird: Names and nicknames important (2/14)
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Yellow Bird: Elders still deserve to be respected (1/31)
Yellow Bird: The suicides at Standing Rock -- Why? (1/30)
Yellow Bird: Tribal gaming is not Vegas gaming (1/23)
Yellow Bird: Winter is the time for storytelling (1/17)
Yellow Bird: Forgot your PIN? It's not old age (1/16)
Yellow Bird: Close encounters with the wildlife kind (1/10)
Yellow Bird: Graduate's long path to success (1/9)
Yellow Bird: 2005 was a year of haunts, tragedy (1/4)
Yellow Bird: Why do young Indians come to UND? (12/19)
Yellow Bird: Road rage and good samaritans (12/13)
Yellow Bird: Blessed with a crazy but good week (12/12)
Yellow Bird: Hope in woodpecker's survival (12/6)
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Yellow Bird: Laughing is a gift from the Creator (11/15)
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Yellow Bird: The troll meets the trickster in Dakotas (11/8)
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Yellow Bird: Elders taking more active role in tribe (10/17)
Yellow Bird: Bridge another page in tribal history (10/10)
Yellow Bird: All tribes have stake in 'Sioux' fight (10/6)
Yellow Bird: Family opposes tribe's oil refinery (9/27)
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Yellow Bird: Howling, not dancing, with wolves (9/19)
Yellow Bird: Clearing the air on the 'Sioux' name (9/14)
Yellow Bird: A black bear cub bit my finger (9/12)
Yellow Bird: Becoming a nation of cell phone heads (08/29)
Yellow Bird: The wonderful sound of the 'pop' (8/22)
Yellow Bird: Paying tribute to corn, the sacred plant (8/16)
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Yellow Bird: Summer ceremony for the children (8/8)
Yellow Bird: Don't study Kennewick Man remains (07/18)
Yellow Bird: Speeding through another summer (7/11)
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Yellow Bird: Indian Health Service has failed us (5/10)
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Yellow Bird: A visit to the Sacred Heart Monastery (4/19)
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Yellow Bird: Media interested in getting the true story (3/30)
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Yellow Bird Series: Suicide on the reservation (03/16)
Yellow Bird Series: Suicide on the reservation (3/14)
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Yellow Bird: An excellent adventure in the country (3/7)
Yellow Bird: Another one of my excellent adventures (3/1)
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Yellow Bird: 'Fighting Sioux' needs to be changed (2/21)
Yellow Bird: Don't pull funding from 'Iron Horse' (2/14)
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Yellow Bird: Singing to myself about a new highway (9/13)
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Yellow Bird: Reflecting on Civil Rights Act of 1964 (6/8)
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