Value: Progress & Innovation

Bismarck mulls offering liquor licenses based on estimated census

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

The Bismarck City Commission has requested City staff draft ordinance language that would move the City to releasing population-quota liquor licenses based on the annual census estimate rather than the 10-year census. Here’s the quote from City Commissioner Shawn Oban: “I think if there’s an appetite for increasing competition and allowing more folks to get

Read & Share   sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

North Dakota students lead nation in AP exam pass rate increase

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

Over the past few years and since the legislature made an investment in supporting advanced placement instruction in high schools, North Dakota students have made fast advances on their AP test performance. Get the full good news education story from InForum.

Read & Share   sourced from: InForum

How well do electric vehicles perform in cold weather?

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

Winter’s over (hopefully) but if you’re thinking about a new car purchase and wondering about going electric, you’ll want to be extra mindful of our longest season. Why? We all know batteries don’t perform as well in winter, and electric cars have lots of batteries. Want to know how much performance your prone to to

Read & Share   sourced from: Star Tribune

What happens when a city chooses Uber to provide public transit?

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

Privatize, privatize, privatize! That’s the mantra of many who believe government does too much in our lives and in our communities. In Minot, this call has most recently been heard as a part of the City’s landfill and sanitation operations. The suggestion is that the private sector can do both better. But is that the

Read & Share   sourced from: CityLab

Saskatchewan must act quickly in Chinese trade dispute

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

Have you noticed the global economy reorganizing in relation to all these trade conversations? Ask a soybean farmer if trade and tariff posturing and global politics matter in North Dakota; if they’re paying attention, they’ll tell you international politics matter on small North Dakota farms. And we’re not alone; our neighbors to the North are

Read & Share   sourced from: Regina Leader Post

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North Dakota’s ‘grow our own’ strategy aims to tackle doctor shortage

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

Where do we get our doctors? Most medical providers are faced with the question, and the problem isn’t unique to Minot or North Dakota. In Fargo, Sanford is finding that adding residency programs gives them an inside track to hiring directly after training is completed. Up the road in Grand Forks, UND Medical School has

Read & Share   sourced from: InForum

The fastest-growing US city is scrambling to survive the shale boom

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

As the price of oil rebounds and activity in North Dakota picks up, few believe we’ll return to Minot’s circumstances of 5 years ago. But what if we did? What if the oil boom came back? What steps would we take today to ensure the downside after our boom wasn’t as dramatic as we’ve recently

Read & Share   sourced from: Bloomberg

Regina city council eliminates permit fee for new street-painting program

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

How do you build community? In Regina, street painting is one activity that’s showing promise. How do you discourage street painting? By charging a large administration free. The City’s administration was proposing just such a fee, but the City Council said otherwise. To them, the benefit was worth more than the cost of the not-inconsequential

Read & Share   sourced from: Regina Leader Post

Future of Farming: Fargo claims first automated farm, hoping for support environment that goes with it

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

What does the future of farming look like? If you’re in the camp that believes the march of technology is unstoppable, than you’re probably willing to bet on automation. Testing that automation in a literal field is a first step to wider introduction. Check out this story from Inforum to see how Fargo is moving

Read & Share   sourced from: InForum

Bismarck Board of Adjustment recommends denial of variance for infill development in Cathedral District

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

How closely should we protect our historical buildings and neighborhoods? Should they be placed under a glass dome and preserved forever or should they be allowed to evolve in some circumstances? And how do we balance these interest against common interests like property tax rights and increasing property tax revenue? In Bismarck, they’re wrestling with

Read & Share   sourced from: Bismarck Tribune

Filling in the blanks, a perspective on implementing infill development

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

Have you heard talk of ‘infill development’ lately? If you’ve followed the local news, probably; it has been a common talking point over the past few years in Minot. It’s also a core principle of Governor Burgum’s Main Street Initiative. In concept, the idea is simple. Focus development towards the urban core of a city

Read & Share   sourced from: Winnipeg Free Press

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On the City Council Agenda for May 6, 2019

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

Minot’s City Council will meet Monday, May 6, 2019, to consider the following agenda. City Council meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. at Minot’s City Hall. Meetings can also be viewed online live through the City’s Facebook page and Youtube Channel. 1. ROLL CALL 2.PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3.PERSONAL APPEARANCES 4.PUBLIC HEARING A public hearing to

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Slow down, pay attention, save a life

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

We all know (hopefully) the roads are dangerous places, but from time to time, we’re given a sad reminder. And while there are many steps being taken to protect drivers, it’s often those people outside of cars — pedestrians and bicyclists — that are often the most vulnerable. In Bismarck yesterday, a cyclist was hit

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Survey seeks business input into Minot downtown strategic plan

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

There’s been a lot of work taking place behind the scenes in Minot, one focus area has been the larger plan and vision for our downtown commerce district. Prior work included a general survey of the community; now, business and property owners are getting a specific opportunity to share their thoughts. Jill Schramm with The

Read & Share   sourced from: Minot Daily News

Economic tax incentives being used to advance research and reduce emissions in Bakken

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

What do you do with a byproduct of the coal power generating industry that’s bad for the environment? In North Dakota, the goal is to use it to enhance the recovery of oil. And when that oil comes out, producers will enjoy an exemption from oil production taxes. Luke Geiver writing with North American Shale

Read & Share   sourced from: North American Shale Magazine

Framing and reframing the Igloo, why savvy news readers are always a little suspicious

by: Josh Wolsky  |  

Media bias is real. Still, it’s not very often that we’re delivered such a clear example from so close to home. Yesterday, Jill Schramm wrote a great recap article on the operation of Minot State’s Air Supported Dome. If you didn’t catch it, please follow the link below to The Minot Daily and read it.

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