Today in Minot

For decades, nuclear power has been stuck in the shadow of its past—haunted by accidents, burdened by regulation, and the butt of pop culture jokes. But as the world scrambles to cut carbon emissions, nuclear is inching back into the conversation. Environmental journalist Marco Visscher argues that dismissing it outright is a mistake. With renewables still dependent on weather and battery storage playing catch-up, nuclear could provide the steady, carbon-free power needed to bridge the gap. The question now: Will we give it another chance?

Plastics are everywhere, and that’s part of the problem. While 400 million tons of plastic are manufactured each year, 57 million tons end up as pollution. Attempts to create a binding treaty on plastic pollution recently stalled, as major oil producers resist curbing plastic production. As clean energy eats into oil profits, these countries see plastics as their lifeline. But is there a way to fix this without pointing fingers at just the producers?

For deeper introduction, the link below will take you to the conversation for more priming. If you’re ready to dive in — listen below.

The strength of U.S. intelligence lies in its ability to provide leaders with clear, unbiased assessments—but recent history suggests that’s easier said than done. An investigation found that during Trump’s first term, intelligence reports were politicized, with officials withholding or reshaping information to fit preferred narratives. This isn’t new; past administrations have also ignored or pressured intelligence findings. As another Trump term begins, the challenge remains: Can the intelligence community uphold its duty to present facts, free from political influence, in service of national security?

Mark Chandler is Professor of Practice and Director, Government Relations – Intelligence and Security Studies Department at Coastal Carolina University. He shared the commentary linked below with The Conversation. If Republicans can find there way to reading it as a critique rather than a political attack, they might hear a message of critical national importance.

In the 19th century, Americans often dropped song references into conversation, expecting shared understanding. For the settlers of the Great Plains, phrases like “When you and I were young, Maggie” echoed the nostalgia of their lives. Francis Edward Abernathy’s work reveals that one song—often just called “Maggie”—was especially cherished among cowboys. Yet, this seemingly simple melody carries a poignant backstory of lost love, revealing how a song can evoke deep emotions while anchoring us to our past.

Imagine how easy it must have been to communicate when everyone shared the same few cultural memes! Today, we’re required to carry cultural references to every television show, movie, and TikTok influencer out there — no wonder we can’t talk to each other anymore. We all speak the same language, but we no longer share a common subtext — because the that subtext has grown exponentially. For a look back at the way it used to be, this little piece from Tom Isern will hit a nostalgic note.

Nathan Anderson, the newly appointed director of the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources, recently returned to his hometown of Minot to discuss the state’s energy outlook at a quarterly meeting of the American Petroleum Institute’s Bakken Chapter. With a wealth of experience from his 25 years in the oil and gas sector, Anderson noted North Dakota’s steady oil production and the potential impact of federal policy changes. He also emphasized the importance of keeping the Bakken competitive amid industry consolidation and rising international pressures on oil prices.

A proposed constitutional measure in North Dakota aims to shake up legislative transparency, ethics, and accountability. If approved, it would make all communications between legislators about public business open records, prevent lawmakers from receiving state employee benefits, and delay pay raises until after an election. It also targets lobbying, barring former legislators from taking lobbying jobs for four years. Supporters must gather over 31,000 signatures to put the measure on the 2026 ballot, setting the stage for a public debate on governance and accountability.

We like to think of politics as something happening to us, a spectacle we watch from the sidelines. But the truth is harder to swallow: the people in office are a reflection of the people who put them there—or didn’t bother to vote at all.

In North Dakota, low voter turnout leaves a lot of decisions to a few. And when the results bring chaos or controversy, it’s easy to disavow responsibility, like a kid standing next to a broken lamp. But we know how it happened.

And if you don’t believe it’s true, Rob Port has the evidence in this column at Inforum.com.