Last month President Donald Trump’s administration issued an executive order asking that state and local governments consent, in writing, to refugee resettlement before it happens. This afternoon North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum’s office issued a press release announcing that our state will continue to accept refugees. “We are grateful for the administration’s consideration of states’…
“If This Didn’t Have the Name Keystone on It, Nobody Would Really Be Paying Much Attention to It”
The latest news about the Keystone pipeline spill near Edinburg, North Dakota, is that it was much larger than previously estimated. Which isn’t unusual. Initial estimates about these spills are just that. Initial estimates. They’re almost always revised once cleanup efforts commence and the true scope of the spill comes into focus. In this case,…
Fresh Off an Open Meeting Violation, Minot’s Mayor Is Trying to Be Sneaky About Major Changes to City Manager’s Contract
You readers are probably aware of the phenomena called a “Friday news dump.” For the uninitiated, it’s the tactic of waiting until late in the day on a Friday to make public things you don’t really want the public to notice. The idea being that by Friday evening, the people who would notice are in…
Left Wing Protesters Disrupt Legislative Meeting Over Legacy Fund, Tell Majority Leader to F**K Himself
Lawmakers are in Fargo again today holding public hearings soliciting ideas for the $6.8-billion-and-counting in the state’s Legacy Fund. I wrote about yesterday’s iteration of this hearing earlier today, but sources on the scene tell me today’s continuation of the hearing has been disrupted by left-wing protesters. Here’s a brief (and not very high quality,…
The Legacy Fund Should Be About Legacy, Not the Spending Needs of the Moment
Earlier this year, I wrote a print column headlined, “We’re Going to Do Something Stupid With the Legacy Fund.” Yesterday the Legislature’s Legacy Fund Earnings Committee held a hearing in Fargo and the various special interests who pitched ideas for spending now-$6.8 billion fund, and I’m more convinced than ever that I’m going to be right. The…
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection port of entry near Carbury, North Dakota. Photo via Google Street View
Let’s Not Make It Harder for Our Canadian Friends to Visit North Dakota
Last week Governor Doug Burgum sent a letter (see below) to U.S. Customs and Border Protection urging them not to limit the hours of three ports of entry along North Dakota’s border with Canada (map). The hours of operation for the U.S. side of the crossings at Antler, Carbury, and Maida are 9am to 10pm.…
Dakota Access Pipeline Expansion Expected to Bring in at Least $33 Million Per Year in Tax Revenues
Next week you’ll be hearing a lot about the Dakota Access Pipeline. As I mentioned in a post yesterday, the North Dakota Public Service Commission is putting on a meeting on Wednesday at the Emmons County Courthouse to hear public comment about a proposed expansion to the line. The line can carry about 500,000 barrels…
North Dakota Auditor Now Seems to Be Routinely Referring Audits for Criminal Investigation
North Dakota Auditor Josh Gallion recently referred two of his recent audits to law enforcement for investigation for possible criminal charges. One was related to the withholding of email records at the North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton. The Cass County State’s Attorney reviewed the matter and reported not finding any infractions which…
North Dakota Attorney General Asks for Law Enforcement Investigation Into Commerce Department Audit Findings
In September, Auditor Josh Gallion’s office released the report of an audit of the North Dakota Commerce Department. You can read the full report at the link above, but this is a summary of the findings: In a response included in the audit report, the Commerce Department agreed that funds were not used in the…
If North Dakota’s Universities Are in a “Death Spiral” It’s Not From Lack of Public Funding
There is a popular myth in North Dakota, one particularly acute among those work in our state’s public university system, which holds that the universities are being choked to death by stingy state policymakers. Back in September, Sheila Liming, an Assistant Professor in the English Department at the University of North Dakota, wrote an article…