ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota House Republicans are looking at a roughly $45 billion two-year budget. Legislative leaders are considering cuts to some health care programs and state government agencies while drumming up nearly $1.4 billion in tax relief. House Speaker Kurt Daudt has suggested phasing out Social Security income taxes and reducing agricultural property taxes. They could have…
North Dakota’s Republican House majority leader is not giving up on his effort to establish more casinos in the state, even after members of his own party folded on the idea. Fargo Rep. Al Carlson says his proposal to allow up to six state-owned casinos will be reconsidered by the House Judiciary Committee this week. The North Dakota Senate also…
MOORHEAD, Minn. — U.S. Senator Al Franken visited Moorhead to tell senior citizens how Republican plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act could impact them. A nonpartisan analysis estimates the American Health Care Act would immediately leave 14 million people without health coverage. State officials say 1.2 million Minnesotans under the current plan could lose insurance or get…
NORTH DAKOTA — Lawmakers denied the possibility of retail stores opening before noon on Sundays, but a local business owner isn’t giving up. A Fargo man said he is hoping to put a similar measure on an upcoming ballot. “Now that the bill is dead, we hope to put this exact issue to the voters,” said Brandon Medenwald, with North…
BISMARCK, N.D. — A potentially losing hand has been dealt in a Fargo lawmaker’s attempt to allow state-owned casinos. The House Judiciary Committee gave Rep. Al Carlson’s proposal to allow up to six state-owned casinos a 13-2 “do not pass” recommendation on Wednesday. The full House is expected to vote Friday. Carlson’s resolution is a proposed constitutional amendment that…
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt is instructing staff to not issue the $14,000 salary increases recently approved by an independent body. Minnesota voters set the 45 percent raise in motion in November by overwhelmingly approving a constitutional amendment to create a Legislative Salary Council. Though lawmakers no longer have the power to set their own…
MINOT, N.D. — More than 400 airmen from the 5th Bomb Wing in Minot have deployed to the Middle East. They departed last week in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the effort to combat Islamic State militants. The Air Base’s 23rd Bomb Squadron will lead the bomb wing, flying combat operations out of the Middle East. It is the…
REGIONAL — Officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement have arrested 86 people in five states in the Midwest. The arrests happened over three days last week. In all, 26 people were arrested in Minnesota, 4 in North Dakota, one in South Dakota, 32 in Nebraska and 23 in Iowa. ICE says 62 of those arrested, including 10 lawful permanent…
FARGO, N.D. — The North Dakota Secretary of State’s office has approved the language of a petition calling for the recall of Fargo City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn. Recall supporters are upset with Piepkorn’s stance on what they call his anti-refugee message regarding resettlement. Recall petitions should begin circulating Monday and just more than thirty-five hundred eligible voters are needed…
MORTON COUNTY, N.D. — A federal judge has refused to head off the imminent flow of oil in the disputed Dakota Access pipeline. Judge James Boasberg has denied a request by the Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes to stop oil from flowing while they appeal his earlier decision allowing pipeline construction to finish. Boasberg says a “critical…
