EDITORIALS

Minnesota GOP shuts its big tent

The Republican Party of Minnesota zipped the flap on its “big tent” some time ago. Moderates were the first to be shut out. In 2010, recall, the party actually banned two former Republican governors, Arne Carlson and Al Quie, and former Republican U.S. Sen. Dave Durenberger, so incensed were party leaders at the moderates’ supporting Independence Party candidate Tom Horner for governor.

By Grand Forks Herald , May 23, 2012

WSI needs a little sunshine

The Forum’s recent reports by Patrick Springer on the missteps at North Dakota Workforce Safety and Insurance suggest that reforms favored by the voters a few years ago have gone somewhat unheeded. WSI, the state’s workers’ compensation agency, went through what was supposed to be top-to-bottom soul-searching after it was revealed former administrators violated state law. Following that mini-scandal, the agency was scrutinized by an inattentive Legislature. When little of significance was done to clean up WSI, a measure calling for reforms aimed at making the agency more worker-friendly went to the ballot, and voters easily passed it.

By The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead , May 22, 2012

Buffalo chip to Delta’s unfair air travel rates

The Jamestown Sun hands out these bravos and a buffalo chip this week:

May 19, 2012

N.D. should jealously guard water

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has decided not to push the issue of charging North Dakota users for water from the Missouri River, at least until it has a national policy.

By The Bismarck Tribune , May 18, 2012

Poll results show that Measure 2 won’t fly

A Forum Communications poll confirms that a majority of North Dakotans are not buying into the phony promises of Measure 2, the proposed property tax repeal. If there is a surprise in the survey conducted by Essman/Research of Des Moines, Iowa, it is that the majority who intend to vote “no” on No. 2 is upward of 70 percent of those polled May 3-8.

By The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead , May 17, 2012

Ease rules on man camps

“Yes, the man camps cause problems, just substantially less problems than any other way to handle it.” That quote from a comment on a Dickinson (N.D.) Press story sums the situation up.

By Grand Forks Herald , May 16, 2012

N.D. must vote smart in a month

Less than a month from today, North Dakotans will go to the polls in municipal, primary and statewide elections. The June 12 ballot will be packed not only with candidates for school boards, city commissions and park boards but also with state ballot measures and, in Fargo, an infrastructure sales tax extension.

By The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead , May 15, 2012

Bravo to JMS students for penny drive

The Jamestown Sun hands out these bravos and a buffalo chip this week:

May 12, 2012

Billionaire Buffett endorses Keystone XL pipeline

Add Warren Buffett to the list of people who say the Keystone XL pipeline should be given the go-ahead.

May 11, 2012

N.D. tourism to stay on track

Tourism is North Dakota’s third-largest industry, a reality that can get lost in the state’s celebration of newfound oil development. Tourism’s success has been built on the state’s natural resources, heritage and the efforts of a network of public and private campgrounds, museums, trail rides, parks, events and shared marketing. The state built its tourism industry from scratch, and it has been paying off.

By The Bismarck Tribune , May 10, 2012

Vaccine studies develop

An idea that was hatched a few years ago, and then became a vision, today is beginning to deliver on its promise. The Tri-College University’s vaccinology curriculum will graduate its first students in a couple of days. The first undergraduate degree of its kind in the nation, the local program is a collaborative effort among educators, business people and visionary scientists. Still small, the program is aimed at establishing Fargo-Moorhead as a center of vaccine research and production.

By The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead , May 09, 2012

Build the stadium

Of all of the talk about the Vikings stadium, some of the most sensible has come from Twin Cities chief executives who are used to weighing costs and benefits, looking down the road on behalf of their businesses and making complex decisions.

By Grand Forks Herald , May 08, 2012

State parks and oil rigs will never mix well

Little Missouri State Park is 4,592 acres in size. That’s 7.175 square miles.

By Grand Forks Herald , May 07, 2012

Bravo to JRMC employees

The Jamestown Sun hands out these bravos this week:

May 05, 2012

Taking PR lessons from Darth Vader

The Fargo-Moorhead Diversion Authority seems to channel Darth Vader when it comes to public relations. The authority’s decision to approve of, but not formally participate in, something called an Executive Leadership Council smells of the arrogance and sneakiness of the reviled “Stars Wars” villain.

By The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead , May 04, 2012