On transparency, it’s time for the City of Minot to Start Exceeding Expectations

Transparency was a popular theme at Minot’s recent meet the candidates forums. But when the 14th is behind us, we all need to do a better job of holding elected officials accountable to the task. To put it simply, the City is clearing the low bar when it comes to transparency. But in a town

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2016 Presidential Election: Which ‘Facts’ Do You Hate More?

We can all hardly wait for the 2016 Presidential campaign to give us more information about the past sex lives of two men in their seventies. We have all been taught in school that one of the great things about America is that it is a classless society. I rest my case. What could possibly

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Raising the Questions… Some Ideas on What We Should Be Asking Those Seeking Local Office

Minot’s election season swings into full gear tonight with the first of a couple of community forums focused on getting to know our local candidates. Tonight the event is at the Auditorium and is hosted by #MakeMinot. Next Tuesday is the second chance, with the Minot Daily News and the Grand Hotel sponsoring. And here

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Watch: Discussions on Oil Should Reflect the Nuance of Such a Critical Industry

In North Dakota, we’re an understandably oil-friendly state. And that’s a good thing because we need oil. But do we occasionally let the rhetoric of black or white political discourse on the topic shape our opinions and policy? Perhaps our discussions on the in-other-places-controversial industry could stand to embrace a bit more nuance. In the video below,

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Letter: It’s Time to Do More for Downtown Businesses

Why the hell isn’t the City of Minot doing any kind of “Shop our Downtown” advertising? Come on, people! I’m sick and tired of watching our local businesses slowly waste away from this construction disease! We are going to lose these places if something isn’t done, and soon. These small businesses have been fighting the good

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On Burgum, Nelson, Stenehjem, At Least We Know We’re Getting a Norwegian

Because most of us have already made up our minds about the Presidential race to make America grate again, let’s shift over to the intraparty contest for the Republican gubernatorial nod. For full disclosure, once upon a time in the west, I served for eight years with Wayne Stenehjem in the North Dakota state senate.

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Opinion: The City of Minot’s Procurement Process is an Open Door to Questions of Integrity

Did you notice? The City of Minot Public Works Department and Committee are recommending the City hire Houston Engineering to complete engineering work required for Minot’s System Wide Improvement Framework (SWIF). The SWIF is the plan we’re going to execute to bring our existing flood control levees back into compliance with Corps of Engineers requirements.

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One Guy’s Opinion: NE Minot Getting Hosed by Flood Protection Plan

Did you catch last week’s video flyover of Minot’s first phase of flood protection? It’s an extremely helpful visualization tool, and the City of Minot and Houston Engineering should be applauded for developing it. Well done! That said, there’s a significant design flaw, and if it doesn’t get corrected now, it’s the people in Northeast

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Commentary: Socialism is Thriving in North Dakota, and Under Republican Leadership?

If election years are good for nothing else, they are good for irony. Our Republican friends seem to be preaching that socialism is a threat to America. We could become “European” and as substandard as German cars, Swiss chocolates, and French wine. Meanwhile, here in North Dakota, every statewide elected office in Bismarck is held

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#MakeMinot Launches ‘Yes’ Campaign for June 14 Reform Vote

As #MakeMinot, we’ve formally launched our campaign to vote ‘Yes’ on City Council reform at the June 14th Primary Election. The full news release follows below. — Official News Release, #MakeMinot — A group organized to advocate City Council reform in Minot has announced their campaign to support a ‘Yes’ vote on a reform question

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Commentary: A House Divided…

In an earlier opinion piece, I referred to the USA as “The Divided States of America”. The never ending presidential campaign is doing little to reunite us. In theory, the best way to govern would be if we were represented by persons who had enough self-awareness and self-doubt to listen to those with differing opinions

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Election Night Fireworks, An Apology, and a Tip of Hat to the Keepers of Democracy

Last Tuesday, I took a seat in room 201 at the Auditorium to watch what happens after the polls close. Elections are a sacred part of the process that makes our democracy work, and I — like I assume most of us — knew little about what happens behind the scenes. My role with The

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Prescription Medication: We’re Getting Hosed!

Just out of curiosity, during my February travels, I did some comparison pricing regarding a randomly selected prescriptive medication. The investigation involved a non-narcotic  lotion which requires a prescription. The manufacturer in all three instances was the same. The portion in all three instances was the same. The strength in all three instances was the

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Editorial: Check Check Yes Yes at Tuesday’s City Council Reform Election

Let’s be honest, this Tuesday’s election is not exciting. Few elections are except for those among us who are politically obsessed. But unless you’re a municipal law lawyer, this one is particularly boring because Minot’s Home Rule Charter is not something you care about. And have you read the ballot language? Yikes. I’d rather read

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Commentary: North Dakota’s Governor Election is in June

Update: When I first published this article, the content was hidden behind a silly survey that served no purpose. That was a dumb idea. I have removed the dumb idea, and published the commentary below. And watch for the column ‘On the Record’ next week, when our Governor candidates talk about their first priorities if

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With Scalia’s Death, the Paris Climate Plan Is Back in Play

When the Supreme Court injected itself into Obama’s clean air plan by staying the law until legal challenges were resolved, an unusual act in itself, coal producing states and regions rejoiced. But the death of Justice Scalia may put things back in play.

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