Late January is sometimes considered a time when not much is going on in North Dakota’s outdoors. But this year with new boat registrations coming in and the state legislature in session, it’s a busy time at the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Here’s a recap of a few news items from recent weeks
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For almost three decades, our prairie neighbors to the North in Brandon have been making a point to think globally and act locally. It’s more than a call to action, it’s a call to decency. And one citizen is selected annually and recognized. It’s a small award for a big idea, you can learn more
Read & Share sourced from: Brandon Sun
In the second story from Brandon in today’s news feed, you can read about a level of community engagement we do not commonly see in Minot. The City of Brandon proposed spending ~$30 million on new lift stations. The public showed up in force, and they weren’t shy with their opinions. They didn’t like the
Read & Share sourced from: Brandon Sun
Senator Jeff Magrum filed several bills earlier this week related to the Summit Carbon pipeline; the bills, largely related to eminent domain and property rights, got more than a little media attention around the state. But Rob Port speculates that it may not be a purely political move. From his perspective, it looks personal. He
Read & Share sourced from: InForumThe risk of required and rising flood insurance premiums offered by the National Flood Insurance Program has been a proverbial gun to Minot’s head over the past several years. And one problem has been the Federal government’s insistence on using the NFIP for FHA-backed mortgages. It’s a policy that keeps the private insurance market from
Read & Share sourced from: Dallas Morning News
North Dakota’s pension for public workers is short $2 billion, and the task to solve that problem falls to the legislature. It’s an issue fraught with politics and special interests. And when we boil it down, it can metaphorically be explained with a question: do we put another band-aid on, or tear the one we’re
Read & Share sourced from: InForum
Our nation’s founding fathers were in search of perfection in an imperfect world. The American experiment, although flawed as is any other human endeavor, is something that has had immeasurable benefit for those of us who are lucky enough to live in this country. Separation of church and state is one of their lasting legacies.
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The recall of an elected official is organizing in Bismarck. And then there’s the Capitol riot that took place on January 6, 2020. They’re both examples of citizens exerting power over their government, but they are not the same. Rob Port has commentary on the differences and why they matter in the article linked below.
Read & Share sourced from: InForum
It’s early January at the City of Minot, which means we’re in the middle of making preparations for our annual State of the City event. This year’s State of the City is scheduled for Feb. 9 at The Depot (15 Main Street North). The State of the City is open to the public, with my speech
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Have noticed political discourse — if we can call it that — seems to include a lot of color-calling? What does it really mean to represent ‘red’ or ‘blue’, and what did it used to mean? The politics of the prairie are not static. And if the topic interests you, then this article from Tom
Read & Share sourced from: Plains Folk
I recently completed reading The 1619 Project. I may or may not have bothered, but the fact that many political types want to ban it from public schools piqued my curiosity. The book is a compilation of essays by a number of authors of African descent giving their opinions on race relations in the USA.
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Charitable gaming has quietly become a big business in North Dakota, a nearly $1.7 billion dollar business in 2022. And it’s the legalization of electronic pull-tab machines (the polite way of saying slot machines) that’s multiplied the haul. E-tab machines accounted for nearly 90% of the revenue last year, and with that kind of money
Read & Share sourced from: InForum
Let me say at the outset, that I’m a supporter of tax incentives and TIF districts. The TIF district approved for the Big M building was an outstanding use; we the taxpayers would have owned and paid for the demolition of that building had it not been saved through use of a TIF. Sometimes the
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When it comes to music, calling any band the ‘best’ is likely to start a debate, maybe even an argument. I’m not looking for either; I was looking to get your attention. If you’ve made it this far, I got it, so I’ll get to it. The genre is Rock/Americana. The band is the Social
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The Corps of Engineers working to restore the natural, delta-building characteristics of the Mississippi River. Southern Louisiana is one of the most man-made environments around because for hundreds of years, we’ve been diverting and containing the lower river. It’s an expensive, ambitious project with the goal of righting past wrongs. It’s also not without risks
Read & Share sourced from: Star Tribune
Fargo’s Drekker Brewing is making a move uncommon in the bar business; they’re making room for competitors. The concept is called Brewhalla, and it’s a lot more than a brewery. It’s a food destination, a market, a brewery, and a hotel, and more. It’s also built around the idea that when competitors of the same
Read & Share sourced from: InForum