Breaking News

Letters to the Editor

Look for ways to reduce plastic use

Kathy Martin, Valley City This month is Plastics-Free July, an event initiated in western Australia in 2011. The aim is to find creative and effective ways to drastically cut back our dependence on plastic. As we prepare to vote for local, state and federal offices in November we need to suggest ideas that candidates can pursue to curb plastic pollution. Locally, we can urge merchants to substantially reduce plastic carry-out bags and ask their shoppers to come with reusable bags or boxes. Ask libraries to promote materials encouraging ideas to cut plastic waste. Find ...

Grateful for community response

Wendy Weiss Voeller, Minot My name is Wendy K. Weiss Voeller, living in the Artspace Building downtown Minot. I felt moved to write this following our removal from the Artspace building on Monday June 24. There was evidence found by our Building Manager, Rose Hystad, and the Fire Dept that the structural integrity of our building was compromised, and Fire Chief Kelli Kronschnabel made the tough decision to remove all the Artspace tenants immediately for our own safety. And all this happened 24 hours after the recent downtown shooting. We were reeling and scared, and didn’t ...

Community needs affordable housing

Gary Schell, Minot All new houses in Minot, Burlington and Surrey are 3,000 sq. ft. and priced well above $250,000. Some people are looking for affordable housing. Like 1,000 to 1,300 sq ft. Two bedrooms, two baths and two car garage. Or some new condos with an elevator, 3 or 4 stories tall. (Some 1980 condos are built on North Hill and by the mall). Older people like single stories and again all new houses are two story with bathroom and bedrooms on the second floor. Current housing in Minot that is affordable is listed in the flood plain for only $160k and has never been updated ...

Property tax group turns in signatures

Steven Moen, Minot The Unfair End Property Tax Group turned in 40,592 signatures to the Secretary of State Office to put End Unfair Property Tax on the ballot this fall. This is over 9,000 signatures more than were required. This is amazing as 85% of the signatures were gathered by volunteers, which is largely unheard of in this state. The opposition is already getting ready to scare everyone into voting against it just like they did in 2012 and now just as then the makeup of the opposition is telling. Calling themselves “Keep it Local,” which is the last thing on their minds ...

Handling of public money needs accountability

Leon Mallberg Dickinson There‘s a claim that we have a two-tiered legal system, one for the elites, ruling class and some politicians and another for the rest of us. Lo and behold, this can be said of North Dakota. In Richland County the Water Board Secretary had a warrant out for her arrest for misusing public money. The warrant was for misusing up to $10,000 dollars. There is an appropriate word for that – CRIMINAL. To the west in Sargent County, the Water Board completed a $4,500,000, 4.5 mile “Drain # 11” Improvement Project. The North Dakota Supreme Court on December ...

Lack of ‘Plan B’ lets athletes down

Gary Schell Stanley This is my first ever “letter to the editor.” I’ve coached Boys Golf (7-12), Football (7-8), Girls and Boys Track (7-8), Boys and Girls Basketball (7-12) at various times for 37 years. My concern is the lack of a secondary plan when weather becomes a main factor at a State-sponsored event. In the last two-plus weeks the North Dakota High School Activities Association “forced” North Dakota Boys and Girls athletes to perform during adverse weather in Bismarck (State A & B Track), in Carrington (State B Boys Golf) and in Grand Forks (State A Boys ...