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Letters to the Editor

Taxes, control should be local

Kevin P. Nelson Minot It is interesting to follow the proposals on cutting, reimbursing or eliminating property tax. There seems to be a continuous movement for higher levels of government to take over the funding, and then the control, of what has been a lower level’s responsibility. A prime example is how, over time, the Department of Education has supplied funding and taken control of what should be the responsibility of the teachers, administrators, school boards and parents. I also notice in the paper, almost daily, that several “grants” have been issued by the federal ...

Thank you to city workers

Jeannie Sovak Minot On Tuesday evening, as I was coming home at 9:30 pm after being gone, West Central Avenue was blocked off and I could not get into my driveway. There were heavy equipment machines and trucks parked all around my house. I walked up to a worker in a city pickup to ask what was going on and if I could go home. He told me the water main had burst, but that I would have water again within an hour and yes, I could go home. These men had been working in frigid -30 temperatures all day and evening in the freezing mud. It seems they were committed to restoring the ...

Attention mineral owners with coal leases

Troy Coons NWLA Chairman The Northwest Landowners Association (NWLA) hopes to raise awareness of House Bill 1459 and its potential serious consequences for your mineral rights. HB 1459 provides a framework for the development and permitting of critical minerals and rare earth elements, but it does something else extremely concerning for landowners and those who value rights to private property and private contracts. This bill seeks to change terms in private coal lease contracts that you or your ancestors may have negotiated and signed. As an organization, NWLA supports ...

Bill supports patients facing costly care

Emily Ouellette Fargo As Executive Director of the Bleeding Disorders Alliance of North Dakota, I have the privilege of serving patients across the state who rely on life-saving medication to manage their conditions. The issue is deeply personal to me. My husband, who grew up in Devils Lake, has severe hemophilia. Without medication to aid in clotting, a minor injury for most people could be life-threatening to him. Our two young daughters are carriers as well. For individuals with chronic illnesses, access to medication is not optional; it is essential for survival. But it can be ...

Facility is smart investment in fighting hunger

Mary Carlson The Lord’s Cupboard Food Pantry Minot As a local partner of the Great Plains Food Bank, I see firsthand how vital its work is to the Ward County area and the entire state of North Dakota. Families rely on local food pantries like ours to put meals on the table, and the demand has only grown. There is only 1 food bank in the state and they can’t operate efficiently without the right infrastructure. That’s why I strongly support House Bill 1143, which would provide a $10 million state investment to help build a new statewide food distribution center — a ...

Confused about USAID, tariffs

Sharon Buhr, Valley City I’m confused. President Trump has recently closed USAID (a humanitarian organization that provides food in famine, medicines for preventive care for diseases like TB, measles, AIDS, etc and grants to help people in developing countries grow their own food). Yet the very same week that USAID was closed President Trump called on Americans to be more religious. Being religious means action – to help our fellow human beings (“love your neighbor as yourself”). Call or email your representative or senators to ask them to help our neighbors by ...