North Dakota

4 major takeaways from North Dakota governor debate • North Dakota Monitor

Published

1 year ago

October 11, 2024

4 major takeaways from North Dakota governor debate • North Dakota Monitor

Independent candidate Michael Coachman differed on several issues Thursday in a gubernatorial debate with Republican Kelly Armstrong and Democratic-NPL candidate Merrill Piepkorn.

Here’s how candidates responded to four major issues highlighted during the debate moderated by Prairie Public News Director Dave Thompson:

Measure 4

Armstrong and Piepkorn said they both oppose Measure 4, which would eliminate assessed value property taxes in the state, while Coachman said North Dakotans shouldn’t be paying property tax now because of Article 10 of the state constitution.

“You will start losing absolute local control in the smaller communities,” said Armstrong, North Dakota’s at-large member of Congress. He added state programs would need to be cut to raise funds to fill the budgetary hole left by eliminating property taxes.

Armstrong, Piepkorn differ on gun laws during second gubernatorial debate

Piepkorn, a state senator, said he worries townships would be put into a difficult position if the measure passes because they don’t have taxing authority.

“They’ve got hundreds of miles of roads they are responsible for and it costs a lot to gravel, and maintain and pave those roads,” Piepkorn said. He added a statewide sales tax, more special fees and a decrease in services could be the result if voters pass the measure this fall.

Coachman said “people aren’t free” if they don’t actually own their property because it can be seized by a local subdivision for failure to pay property tax

“What no one wants to address is what happens when people can’t pay a property tax,” Coachman said. “They come and confiscate all those lands.”

He said he would cut services that “don’t have a purpose” and audit state agencies to find and free up funds to eliminate property taxes.

Abortion

Armstrong said he believes the judge who overturned the state’s abortion law erred in his decision.

“I don’t think that’s the last say and I think the North Dakota Supreme Court will have an opportunity to weigh in,” Armstrong said. He added he’s proud of his anti-abortion record and wants the state’s abortion law to make sense for doctors to be able to use in an emergency room and not be worried about a courtroom.

Coachman said life begins at the moment of conception and he does not support exceptions for rape and incest.

“You can call it women’s health care, it’s murder,” Coachman said. “I’m going to do everything I can to protect life.”

Piepkorn told Coachman he doesn’t believe abortion is murder and said the Legislature has no business in conversations between a woman and her doctor

“We shouldn’t be involved in any of that talk,” Piepkorn said. He added people shouldn’t want this type of government overreach.

Child care

Coachman said the state should not be involved in helping to provide child care for North Dakotans.

“You don’t want the state involved in everything,” Coachman said. “We have to stop the spending … because what you are saying is that we should almost be like a socialist country, or communist country, to take care of everyone. No. It’s a free enterprise.”

Armstrong, Piepkorn talk workforce, culture war issues during first debate

He said child care is best handled at the local level with residents helping each other.

Armstrong said the child care workforce needs to be a focus because new facilities won’t be able to succeed without people to adequately staff them.

“You can’t just build your way out of it,” he said. Armstrong said streamlining grant writing processes for providers would make it easier for them to receive assistance.

Piepkorn said the state should incentivize businesses to start child care programs to help their workers, and even suggested they should start a child care program for workers at the Capitol.

“How about at schools for teachers?” Piepkorn said. “So they can have their children right there in that day care at school.”

School choice

Piepkorn said the state should increase its funding commitments for public education before any extra funding is allocated for a school choice program.

“Taking money away, right now, from public education for vouchers, any money you take and send in that direction, is going to mean less money for the public education we have now,” Piepkorn said.

Coachman said he would support a school voucher program because parents should be given choices with their child’s education.

“Parents should have the opportunity to send the child to whatever program they want, public school, private school, home school; the power needs to be in the parent’s hand,” Coachman said.

Armstrong said he believes in school choice, but doesn’t think vouchers would be a good approach because private schools could raise their tuition to take advantage of the new state money.

“It doesn’t need to be either-or,” Armstrong said. “We can fund our public school system and we can have the best public school system in the country, and we can still allow for significantly more parental autonomy in school choice.”

The final debate of North Dakota’s gubernatorial race will be held at 7 p.m. Monday hosted by BEK TV.

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North Dakota

ND State Fair completes 2026 grandstand lineup with EDM artist Zedd, ‘Turn Up ND!’

Published

8 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

ND State Fair completes 2026 grandstand lineup with EDM artist Zedd, ‘Turn Up ND!’

MINOT, N.D. (KMOT) – We now know the entertainers who will round out this year’s North Dakota State Fair grandstand lineup.

In what is a first for the state fair, Zedd will put on an EDM show at the grandstand on Friday, July 24. He’s an award-winning artist and DJ, known for hits like ‘Clarity’ and ‘The Middle.’

The show will feature immersive production, sound and visuals. Tickets will be just over $58, including fees.

The fair wraps up on Saturday, July 25, with this year’s ‘Turn Up ND’ show. It features TI, Da-Baby and Waka Flocka Flame.

All three have made a name for themselves in the trap and hip-hop music genres.

Tickets for this show are just over $78, including fees.

So here’s a look at the full lineup, which is packed with some major stars, featuring Alex Warren, Jon Pardi, Jessie Murph, Niko Moon and Zach Top.

The fair will hold two days of the popular MHA Indian Horse Relays on July 20 and 21.

For information on tickets, dates and more, go to ndstatefair.com.

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North Dakota

Darlene Struble

Published

20 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Darlene Kay Struble was born April 11, 1946 in Valley City, ND to Frank and Ruby (Satreaas) Klima. She grew up in LaMoure, ND and graduated from LaMoure High School 1964. After graduation, Darlene continued her education at North Dakota State School of Science in Wahpeton before completing her LPN training in Grand Forks.

Darlene married the love of her life, Charles Struble, on October 25, 1969 at Trinity Lutheran Church. Together, they made their home in Jamestown where she began her career in the OB department at Jamestown Hospital. Her dedication to caring for others continued throughout her professional life, later leading her to Dakota Clinic in Jamestown. Her work was an extension of her compassionate spirit, and she touched many lives until her retirement in 2009.

She filled her days with many loves; her family above all, but also the quiet joys of gardening, flowers, sewing, crafts, and scrap booking. She had a special gift of preserving memories, and spent countless hours gathering family history. Darlene started her day at the Depot Cafe nearly every morning. It was a simple tradition, but one she shared with her children, friends, and eventually grandchildren. Not only were Depot mornings filled with love and laughter, but an abundance of Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes.

Darlene passed away peacefully on March 23rd 2026 at Eventide in Jamestown, surrounded by the love of her family. She leaves behind her husband Chuck, her sons; Cory (Deb) Struble and Dave (Leslie) Struble, two sisters; Linda (Gary) Kraft and Roberta (Karl) Wilhelm, six grandchildren; Jayden (Darsh), Allie, Jonah, Grace, Evyn, and Owen, and seven nieces and nephews. She has been reunited with her parents, her daughter, Tiffiney Dick, and her sister, Mary Lee Guffy.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Jamestown Regional Medical Center Foundations, specifically to the OB ward.

Memorial Service- 3:30 PM Saturday, March 28, 2026 at Haut Funeral Home in Jamestown, ND, with Pastor Kristi Weber, officiating.

Interment- Highland Home Cemetery, Jamestown, ND (at a later date).

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North Dakota

Hope’s Corner: Hope Springs Eternal

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

I spent the first day of spring, last Friday, weeding my back yard flower beds. Let that sink in, because this is North Dakota. We have April showers in May, and May flowers in June. We sometimes have snow in June, too. Weeding my tulips in March is a first.

The tulips have been up for a couple of weeks in my south-facing gardens. The six inches of snow last weekend did not deter their enthusiasm. According to the South Dakota State University Extension Service, tulips close to our shared border usually begin to appear in late March and early April. Mine are early risers this year. I blame the switch to Daylight Saving Time.

My yarrow and hollyhocks have been green and growing for four weeks. The yarrow was a little miffed at the one subzero night a week or so ago, but the hollyhocks merely flattened out and took it in stride. Our friends at the South Dakota Extension Service assure me both of those plant varieties normally sprout in mid-May. Maybe the frequent solar storms and northern lights displays have affected them.

Shortly after that subzero stretch in February, which Katie the Wonder Puppy and I called The Degrees of Despair, the pussywillow began to bud. I cut my first bouquet this past Friday the 13th. And did you know the blossoms are called catkins?

That shrub is only a couple weeks early in blooming. Obviously, like all cats, my pussywillow is indifferent to solar storms, the northern lights, and Daylight Saving Time. When its feet get warm enough, it stretches out and basks in the sun. Wild catnip has, however, sprouted near the pussywillow’s trunk. I suspect some deep-rooted drug dependency at work there.

But, weeds? There is wild horseradish marching across my tastefully scattered scoria chips. There is quackgrass strangling daylilies and yarrow. There are weeds of unknown name towering over my tulips. Actually, I have a name for those weeds, but that name is best kept to myself.

I pulled out one quackgrass clump, and I am pretty sure its far end stretched all the way to Gladstone. It was like pulling one of those string strips from the top of a fifty-pound sack of sunflower seeds. Not that I regularly buy fifty-pound bags of sunflower seeds for the neighborhood birds, or anything.

I was feeling pretty smug last Saturday after I finished all my weeding. I figured I would need to start mowing in a few more days. I began looking at seed catalogs and dreaming of Big Boy tomato plants.

Late Saturday evening Katie and I went outside to take in the fresh air. It was snowing. Gotta love North Dakota.

Jackie Hope is the longest running Dickinson Press contributor and columnist. Hope’s Corner is a weekly humorous column with a message of hope.

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