There’s an old joke North Dakota Republican Legislators tell about their worst nightmare: They’re walking down the Great Hall in the Capitol heading for the cafeteria on their short lunch break and they see Secretary of State Al Jaeger coming toward them. Knowing they’re going to get stuck in a boring 15 minute conversation, they … Continue reading What Does A State Treasurer Do, Anyway?

I’ve got a problem. I need to write a column that is going to be kind of critical of three people I like, and I’m trying to figure out how to do it without making them all angry at me. Their names are Sara, Doug and Marvin. They're all kind of half-ass friends of mine. … Continue reading DAKOTA

Let me explain this article before you read it. It is an article that appears in the current (February 2019) issue of Dakota Country magazine. My editor there, Bill Mitzel, is kind enough to let me share my articles with my blog readers who don’t subscribe to Dakota Country or pick it up on the … Continue reading Well, Excuuuuse Me! Not.

Before I depart for a month, leaving the North Dakota Legislature to its own devices, I’m going to comment on some of the strange goings-on over at the Capitol. I just can’t help myself. The best adjective to describe this session of the Legislature is weird. Maybe even awful. Much of the weirdness comes in … Continue reading Strange Goings-On At The Legislature–I Think I’ll Go West

It was newspaper editor Gideon J. Tucker who wrote those words in 1866. A bit of an exaggeration, perhaps, but we’re all well-advised to keep an eye on what goes on over at the Capitol this winter. I’ve got my eye on a couple pieces of legislation, one bad and one good, and I expect … Continue reading No Man’s Life, Liberty Or Property Are Safe While The Legislature Is In Session

I’ve listened to a few State of the State speeches by North Dakota Governors–probably somewhere between 15 and 20—and even had a hand in writing a few of them, so I think I’m qualified to offer a few comments on the one Doug Burgum gave yesterday to the North Dakota Legislature. As they go, his … Continue reading If You’re Going To Talk Like Teddy Roosevelt, You Better Act Like Teddy Roosevelt

Here’s an update on the strangest, and most fascinating, story I’ve written in all the years I’ve been writing on this blog. This story appears in the current—January 2019—issue of Dakota Country magazine, where it reaches a hell of a lot more readers than I have on this blog. But for faithful Prairie Blog readers, … Continue reading North Dakota Has Its Own Version of the Beverly Hillbillies

Okay, if you came here looking for that sappy poem "Billy Peeble's Christmas" that I usually put on my annual Christmas poetry blog, you're going to be disappointed. Even Lillian rolled her eyes when I headed for my office to start writing. She didn't say much, but I got the hint--aren't you tired of that … Continue reading Some Christmas Poetry: ‘Pure As The Soul Of Christ’

UPDATE: The Forest Service will announce today that they have extended the comment period on the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for Oil and Gas Leasing on our Little Missouri National Grasslands.  The 30-day extension means comments will be accepted on the Draft SEIS, outlined below, until January 16, 2019. Although the announcement comes on … Continue reading Notice: Comment Period Extended on Forest Service SEIS

Here's an article I wrote for the December issue of Dakota Country magazine, which should be on the newsstands this week. If you're not already a subscriber, you should be. Here's the place to go to sign up. They've got a Christmas sale going on right now, and the price is right. A year and … Continue reading Fracking and Flaring at Van Hook