Commentary – Page 6 – TheMinotVoice.com

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

Saving Snowflakes By Banning & Burning Books?

by: Jim Maxson | January 6, 2023

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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Gambling in North Dakota has become a cut-throat, billion-dollar industry with little oversight

by: Josh Wolsky | January 5, 2023

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

Questions before granting a $14.5 million tax incentive

by: Josh Wolsky | January 3, 2023

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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The Best Band You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of Is Playing a New Year’s Eve Show in Minot

by: Josh Wolsky | December 30, 2022

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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Army Corps greenlights $2.2 billion plan to stop coastal Louisiana from washing away

by: Josh Wolsky | December 21, 2022

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/Drekker’s Brewhalla Proving Breweries are Big Economic Development Engines

by: Josh Wolsky | December 21, 2022

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

Can an entire football division survive on the backs of the Dakotas and Montana?

by: Josh Wolsky | December 19, 2022

When it comes to FCS College Football, the season-ending drama is consistently featuring the same teams. This season is no different. Last weekend’s games resulted in NDSU and SDUS advancing to the championship game in Frisco, Texas. Many formerly competitive teams in the division have opted up. It’s a circumstance that has many asking how

Read & Share sourced from: Star Tribune

Politicians use hostility for the news media to escape accountability

by: Josh Wolsky | December 19, 2022

It’s become popular to gang up on the news, especially when the work of professional journalists results in something we dislike. The ‘fake’ news label has become so common that for many among us, there is no one left to trust. Rob Port provides commentary on the unfortunate trend of elected leaders blaming media for

Read & Share sourced from: InForum