One of the most well-known columnists and radio personalities in the Dakotas, Tony Bender gained national recognition in 2001 and 2002 when he was awarded a first-place prize for humor writing by the National Newspaper Association. Bender has published three column collections: Loons in the Kitchen, The Great and Mighty Da-Da, and Prairie Beat. Bender and his wife live in North Dakota where they own a funky coffee shop named Jitters and two small weekly newspapers, The Ashley Tribune and The Wishek Star.