Commentary – Page 5 – TheMinotVoice.com

Indigenous knowledge is key to sustainable food systems

by: Josh Wolsky | January 29, 2023

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

North Dakota Local Elections Are No Place For Local Control

by: Josh Wolsky | January 29, 2023

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

Read & Share sourced from: InForum

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

by: Josh Wolsky | January 29, 2023

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

by: Josh Wolsky | January 28, 2023

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

by: Carrie Knutson | January 28, 2023

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

by: Josh Wolsky | January 27, 2023

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

Read & Share sourced from: InForum

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

by: Doug Leier | January 27, 2023

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

by: Josh Wolsky | January 26, 2023

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

by: Josh Wolsky | January 26, 2023

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

by: Josh Wolsky | January 21, 2023

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

by: Josh Wolsky | January 21, 2023

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

by: Josh Wolsky | January 19, 2023

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

Ehh, What Did These Wise Guys Know Anyways?

by: Jim Maxson | January 17, 2023

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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There’s a Right Way and A Wrong Way to Do Government Accountability

by: Josh Wolsky | January 16, 2023

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

Dear Minot: Join us at the State of the City on Feb. 9

by: Mayor Tom Ross | January 14, 2023

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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Maybe These Political Colors Don’t Mean What We Think They Mean?

by: Josh Wolsky | January 7, 2023

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