Bills targeting LGBTQ+ hurts businesses, communities

March 25, 2023

Jazmine Schultz, Minot Affinity Counseling & Education Center, Agassiz Associates, Arch Dental, Badlanders LLC, Becoming Balanced, Better Deeds, Brick Oven Bakery, Canopy Medical Clinic, Carmine & Hayworth Vintage, Carroll Properties, Dahms Design, Dakota Foot & Ankle Clinic, Dragon’s Den, Drekker Brewing Company, Ecce Yoga, Enlightened Beauty Salon & Spa, Fargo Underground, Intersectional Resources, Luna Nox Boutique, Main Street Books, Mindful River Psychotherapy, Prairie Sky Breads, Prairieland Counseling Services, Radio Free Fargo 95.9 FM KRFF-LP, Rest Day Massage Therapy, ...

Virtue signaling on changing child abuse law

March 25, 2023

Jeffrey Dunford, San Diego, Calif. “Estimated 400 children abused” – now another vote garnishing virtue signaling statute change, SB2282. Above quote from Rep. Hogan in HB1456 testimony in the judiciary committee February 7, 2011, 14139. pg 8, changing child abuse statute. Her comments were spot on as in “most children do not report it for many years.” I might add many or most do not disclose, let alone file a case. Now we are on the third statute change in a decade this 2023 legislative session. Yet, the testimony cited and previous decade abuse victims are ...

Shame on Minot legislators

March 24, 2023

Jane Hirst Minot Shame on the four Minot legislators who voted against HB 1491, which provides funding to increase the number of students eligible to receive free school meals. The original bill would have provided free meals to all students, but was amended to provide them to those students whose family income was at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty level. If this bill becomes law, it means approximately 2000 additional students would be eligible that weren’t previously. The amended bill passed the House with bipartisan support, but Larry Bellew, Dan Ruby, Jeff Hoverson and ...

Still time to fix big mistake in HB 1082

March 23, 2023

Amber Vibeto Minot Although HB 1082 has been signed into law, I would like to address the mischaracterization of the concerns surrounding this bill. According to Ed Smith, Chair of the Uniform Commercial Code 2022 Amendments Enactment Committee, misinformation is being spread regarding North Dakota’s HB 1082 and similar bills around the country that are being sold as a simple UCC update. According to Mr. Smith, “There is a national effort to oppose these bills due to a misperception that the amendments will prevent the use of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies and encourage ...

Family sends thanks to Region 6

March 21, 2023

​Greg, Ryan, Riley, and Reid Morlock Lansford We the Morlock Family would like to extend a very heartfelt thank you to all of Region 6.  To all the coaches, players, fans, officials, and tournament workers, you were truly a godsend.  The Pink Shirts, hugs, handshakes, and well wishes will not be forgotten.   When friends, acquaintances, and complete strangers tell you they are thinking about you and praying for you, you realize just how blessed your family really is.  Humbling is an appropriate word.  It was hard to determine at times if the ...

ND needs insulin price cap

March 21, 2023

Ellen Schafer AARP ND Executive Council member Bismarck In 2020, when AARP asked 50+ voters about their experience with prescription drug prices 60% said drug prices are unreasonable and many said they have or will need to make trade-offs to afford their medications. That is especially common for the 58,335 North Dakotans who have diabetes. And if that number doesn’t catch your attention, according the 2022 North Dakota Diabetes Report, 16,281 adults had undiagnosed diabetes and another 177,618 had pre-diabetes. Additionally, the fastest growing diabetic age group is age ...