Earlier this year state lawmakers considered legislation, introduced by Rep. Scott Louser (R-Minot), which would have allowed those running for local political office to affiliate themselves on the ballot with a political party. You can listen to my interview with Louser about the legislation here. It wasn’t too popular among some local elected leaders, including…
Democrat Lawmaker Offers Non-Apology for Hitler Memes
If your apology starts with “I’m sorry if” it’s not really an apology. Yet that’s how Rep. Mary Adams, Hitler meme aficionado, worded a letter to the editor of the Grand Forks Herald. She even started off the letter acting as if an elected official comparing the President of the United States to Hitler (not to…
Any Reform to North Dakota Speeding Fines Should Avoid Move Toward Policing for Profit
If there were no risk of death, injury, or property damage on our roads we’d have no need for speeding fines. Unfortunately, that risk exists, and so to mitigate it we set speed limits and enforce them primarily with fines. Many, including the editorial board of the Grand Forks Herald today, argue that North Dakota’s…
Official National Weather Service Twitter Account for Eastern North Dakota Calls Mitt Romney a “Fraud”
Something odd happened on the official, verified National Weather Service account for eastern North Dakota today. It posted a message, responding to Republican Mitt Romney, calling the one-time Presidential candidate a “fraud.” I didn’t get a chance to capture which Romney tweet this was in response to before it was deleted, but I’m pretty sure…
“I’m Not a Big Believer in Endorsements” Says Senate Candidate Furiously Touting Endorsement
Based on the way the Heidi Heitkamp campaign has been touting it, you’d think the endorsement the incumbent got from Grand Forks Mayor Mike Brown were the biggest development in our nationally noteworthy U.S. Senate race. Weeks after the endorsement happened on July 11 the Heitkamp campaign is still touting it. Just like Grand Forks…
Should the Grand Forks Mother Who Killed Herself and Her Children Have Been Able to Buy Her Gun Legally?
Earlier this month a Grand Forks woman was found dead in her home with her three children. A law enforcement investigation later revealed that the woman, Astra Volk, had killed her children and then herself. Now we learn that Volk purchased the gun used to kill herself and her children from a pawn shop the…
North Dakota Democrats Continue to See Weak Turnout for Their District Conventions
“High turnout for Democratic convention in Fargo,” reads the headline over a weekend article by Wendy Reuer. Unfortunately, the headline is inaccurate. Little more than a regurgitation of talking points put out by the political activists on hand. “At least 200 voters attended the convention,” Reuer writes, and while that’s not a bad crowd, it’s…
Governor Burgum and the Grand Forks Herald Are Feuding Over the Wrong Thing
Governor Doug Burgum sure cheesed off the folks at the Grand Forks Herald. Ahead of a recent visit to Grand Forks to meet with city leaders, said city leaders told the Herald that it was Burgum’s first “official” visit to the city since taking office. Burgum took offense and made some comments during his visit pushing back…
Maybe It’s Not the Government’s Job to Set Values for a Community?
The Grand Forks City Council is struggling with an “inclusion resolution” which, if passed, would create for the city a statement of values (albeit one without the force of law). The problem local government officials are finding is that it’s hard to define a set of values for a community. From the Grand Forks Herald:…
Fargo City Commission Needs to Reconsider FedEx Tax Deal
In an editorial published today the Fargo Forum admits that it was wrong for the City of Fargo to hand out a tax exemption to FedEx after the company told the city commission that they’d move even without it. But the paper also claims that there was no intention to use the incentive to lure FedEx…