This Level of Transparency Isn’t Good Enough For Me

On May 6th, at 4:49 p.m. at a Special City Council Meeting, Minot City Council entered what is known as an executive session to consider two agenda items. The one germane to this commentary is included here: 3. EXECUTIVE SESSION: POTENTIAL LAND PURCHASE. The topic of discussion will be regarding a potential land purchase by

Read & Share  

City of Minot Buys Building Flood Protection Does Not Need, Plans Demolition

Minot City Council has voted to purchase the Nok Back Tavern building. The building is not required for flood protection, and the acquisition will cost more than leaving it in place.

Read & Share  

Today in Minot | May 20, 1926

Have you noticed the world seems a little screwed up these days? It’s kind of like somewhere along the way, the plan went sideways. If you’re among those who are feeling a little lost by all of it, or are tuning out because of it — and because of all the yelling, we’ve got something

Read & Share  

2024 Auto Insurance Comparison

BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Insurance Department today released the results of its annual cost comparison survey of auto insurance companies in North Dakota, which illustrates the various factors and rates drivers pay for coverage. Participating insurance companies were asked to provide quotes based on 12 scenarios with varying factors, including age, family size,

Read & Share  

How Much Have We Given Him?

Facebook turned 20 earlier this year. Next year you can buy it a beer – if it’s still around. It started on college campuses and grew like crazy. It was late in  2006 –  with momentum then fully rolling – that it began letting the rest of us in. There’s a lesson there if you’re

Read & Share  

Subscribe to Today in Minot!

It's the free, easy way to stay informed about what's happening in Minot, and it helps support independent local news and journalism.

Introducing Tomorrow’s News. Today.

Have you noticed the world seems a little screwed up these days? It’s kind of like somewhere along the way, the plan went sideways. If you’re among those who are feeling a little lost by all of it, or are tuning out because of it — and because of all the yelling, we’ve got something

Read & Share  

It’s a Crowded Ring for ND’s U.S. Congress Race

North Dakota’s sole congressman is running for governor. There are seven, yes, seven people facing off in this year’s primary election seeking to replace him. The Democrats endorsed Minot resident and Velva native, Trygve Hammer. He is being challenged by Roland Riemers, who did not seek the party’s endorsement. Hammer’s background as a U.S. Marine

Read & Share  

Governor Candidates Are Racing Us to the Bottom

Let’s give Lt. Governor Miller and Congressman Armstrong both the benefit of the doubt by stipulating that neither of them are liars. Miller’s negative ads more or less claim that Armstrong can’t be trusted to be North Dakota’s next governor. Similarly, Armstrong’s negative ads suggest that Miller can’t be trusted with the same role. Obscene

Read & Share  

Is It Insanity That Drives Congressional Approval Ratings?

The present approval rating of Congress, especially the House of Representatives, has a well-deserved abysmal approval rating with the American public. For those who think this may be a modern phenomenon, let’s take a trip back in time to the 1840s. At that time, classic American poet, Walt Whitman, was a journalist in New York

Read & Share  

Will God Be in the Voting Booth With You?

Our founders wrote separation of church and state into our constitution. Our constitution is subject to interpretation. American religion is also subject to interpretation according to the actions of its citizens. According to the Minot phone book, there are 44 different churches in Minot. There are 16 miscellaneous Protestant churches of various ideologies. Additionally, there

Read & Share  

A Republican Primary Process Predicament?

Polls are somewhat similar to a carpenter’s tool. They are as valuable as the skills of the artisan utilizing them. I recall a very pleasant one on one dinner in 1995 with the head of a “special interest” group based out of Washington, D.C. My dinner companion was a self-made man who due to talent,

Read & Share  

Subscribe to Today in Minot!

It's the free, easy way to stay informed about what's happening in Minot, and it helps support independent local news and journalism.

The Real Results of Proposed Property Tax Reforms?

The many questions I have asked about the elimination of real estate taxes have not been answered. There are more which were not included in a prior article. Minot has a high percentage of sales tax revenue for obvious reasons. Thanks to the grace of God and industrious citizens, Minot is the regional center for

Read & Share  

This is a Flawed Location for a Transit Center; We Can Do Better!

At tonight’s City Council meeting, the Council will take up the proposed location of a downtown transit center. If you’re not familiar with that idea, that’s a central hub to which all the public transportation routes eventually return. It’s basically a start, and end, and a transfer station to other routes. The location proposed by

Read & Share  

City Council Agenda, December 18, 2023

Minot’s City Council will meet tonight at 5:30 in the Council Chambers at City Hall. The following agenda will be considered. Minot City Council meetings are live-streamed through the City’s Youtube Channel found here. The meeting will consider the agenda attached below. Notable items include consideration of a suspension of a liquor license for The Spot,

Read & Share  

Begrudgingly, I’m Recycling

Nuance Alert: If you see the world in clear cases of right and wrong, black and white, us and them, you’re going to be confused by what you read next. I color myself fully for the environment. Climate change is real, human impacts are pushing the global environment out of balance, and we should absolutely

Read & Share  

Weighing In for the Battle for Local Control

In 2024, North Dakota voters will probably vote whether or not to eliminate real estate property taxes. It looks like it will be a proxy war between the obvious factions within the North Dakota Republican party. Republicans in recent history have comprised roughly 75% of North Dakota voters. Is the Republican party still the party

Read & Share