Six degrees of separation from Craig Buckalew

Such a small town that East Grand Forks. The three candidates for the Ward 3 City Council seat all have some connection to one another.

Craig Buckalew is the owner of Hardware Hank and Greg Zimbelman works for him in the rental department. Must be funny to run against your boss especially when you have different ideas about the city. Buckalew thinks things are looking up now that the dikes are done, which means businesses can expand without fear of flooding. Zimbelman thinks taxes and fees are too high and the poor and middle-class can't go on that way.

Buckalew was also chairman of the Chamber of Commerce back in 1994, during which Gary Christianson was the president. The chairman is the elected head of the chamber and president is the top staff person. Christianson left for another job in 1995.

Also, Buckalew was an extra in "Hollow Man," starring Kevin Bacon. Zimbelman's second cousin was once a masseuse to Bacon's agent. And Christianson's best friend's roommate's sister got an autograph from Bacon after the premier of "Apollo 13." OK, I'm totally kidding.

For more info on these candidates, see the City Beat's story in Tuesday's paper.