Want to give property owners some relief? Give the firefighters back their full funding

There’s lots of talk about how the state can help reduce local property taxes, but they’re usually just shell games that involve taking money from one place and giving it in another. Rob Port argues that’s a great place to start, only in this instance, we should start by talking money originally meant to support

Read & Share   sourced from: InForum

Hunter Education Is Key to Enduring Hunting Heritage, Become An Instructor Today!

If you’ve ever wondered why a hunter education class isn’t offered in your town or why the dates and times weren’t to your preference, the answer and fix are straightforward. First, all hunter education classes in North Dakota are taught by volunteer instructors. These volunteers likely spend their time during the spring and summer fishing,

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Why do Wyoming legislators import other states’ worst laws?

From gender and LBGTQ+ issues to banning library books, one long-time Wyoming reporter and columnist is wondering why his state legislators insist on importing bad ideas from other places. It’s a question especially relevant as state legislatures around the country seem to be tackling all the same culture issues at the same moment. Read the

Read & Share   sourced from: WyoFile

Their Personal Lives Were None of My Business and Other Legislative Musings From a Long-time Democrat

It is very gracious of the Minot Voice to give me a voice. Like the Federalists and the Whigs of early American history, the North Dakota Democratic party may be on the road to being a mere memory. Why and how that has happened, I will leave to historians. There is plenty of blame to

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Indigenous knowledge is key to sustainable food systems

Have you noticed the price of food increasing? Have you noticed shelves empty? They’re two questions that invite a third: have you noticed how vulnerable we are to the industrialized and corporate shareholder driven food systems? They’re three questions that invite a fourth: are there other methods or ways to hedge against our dependence current

Read & Share   sourced from: Nature

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North Dakota Local Elections Are No Place For Local Control

When it comes to electing City officials, Fargo has broken ranks with the rest of us. They no longer select the one candidate they want elected, they select all the candidates they approve of getting elected. Whoever gets the most approvals gets elected. It’s an adaptation Fargo turned to given the high number of candidates

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Manitoba’s Prairie Garden book series is a must-have

If you haven’t noticed, North Dakota is basically one big garden. In that light, it makes sense to bring you a lot of ‘gardening’ content. And the Grand Forks Herald and Don Kinzler have a little more for you this morning. It’s a book review in an annual series you need to put in your

Read & Share   sourced from: Grand Forks Herald

Republicans Have Lost Their Way

What do Republican’s stand for these days? That’s the question Rob Port is asking, while at the same time nostalgically remembering the old days when individualism and freedom were respected values in the party. And if you need evidence of his argument, he’ll point you straight to the legislation. Get the full commentary from Rob

Read & Share   sourced from: InForum

Gabbing with the greenery

Do you talk to your plants? I read an interesting article last year on this topic and filed it away for later use. It turns out the dark foggy days of January are the perfect time to explore the benefits of plants in our lives. In 2022, Trees.com surveyed 1,250 people to see how chatty

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North Dakota leaders to remind Minnesota not to regular inter-state commerce

North Dakota’s Industrial Commission is made up of Governor Burgum, Ag Commissioner Doug Goehring, and Attorney General Drew Wrigley. They met on Wednesday, and among the items they considered was proposed Minnesota legislation requiring electricity consumed in Minnesota to come from non-carbon bearing production methods. The Industrial Commission acted to draft a letter reminding Minnesota

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The Game Outdoor Enthusiasts Should Be Watching in January are the Legislators

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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Brandon Manitoba Prioritizes Global citizenship, It’s Making a Difference

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

Brandon Citizens weigh in loudly at last chance to prevent a costly infrastructure project

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

Magrum’s Feud with Gov. Burgum puts North Dakota’s economic wellbeing at risk

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: InForum

Why private flood insurance is a positive for FHA-secured mortgages

The 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

A poison pill was just dropped into debate over North Dakota’s public worker pensions

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