Letters to the Editor

January 23, 2026

Dear Editor:

Faith leaders in the Twin Cities metro area were amongst the first to call for a day of prayer and fasting today (Jan. 23); a day to pause and pray for peace and humanity to be restored in the Twin Cities. It was picked up by union leaders as a day for a general strike with partners such as MN Indivisible Alliance and the MN League of Women Voters adding on as non-partisan partners. There are now dozens and dozens of partners and an outpouring of support for…

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To the editor,

By now, we have all seen the reports of President Trump disparaging our Somali communities — specifically, those in Minnesota — by describing them in a way we won’t repeat in this letter. We believe our faith requires us to speak out when our friends and neighbors are cruelly attacked in such a manner.

Every major religious tradition calls us to walk in the ways of love and compassion. This is not always an easy path, but it is a sacred path of wholeness, health,…

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To the editor:

August 2025 marks 65 years since the Voting Rights Act came into law and changed the course of history communities of interest like tribes. For the first time, we had federal protections that ensured we could participate fully in elections and choose our own representatives.

This is how I was elected. Under the Voting Rights Act, our tribal nations were protected from barriers that for generations diluted our votes and silenced our voices. It gave us the ability to elect…

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To the editor:

We are landowners and township residents directly affected by the proposed 345kV transmission line from Jamestown to Ellendale. In recent weeks, we asked the North Dakota Public Service Commission to rescind its November 2024 order approving the project. We believe this project was unlawfully approved and should not move forward.

The line was processed under the wrong statute. It advanced without the notice, environmental review, or public input required for high-voltage…

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To the editor:

As a North Dakotan who cares about our rural communities, I’m concerned about the House’s recently passed tax and spending bill. Touted as a “big, beautiful” solution, this 1,100-page boondoggle is anything but — it’s a massive giveaway to the wealthy that threatens to rip vital support away from rural communities.

While a few short-term tax breaks like an increased child tax credit or temporary tip tax relief may sound positive, they’re just window dressing…

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By John Strand

jas@hpr1.com

One description that perhaps aptly describes the mental state of many lately is that they feel they are attached to a string. Or several strings.

Call it the notion that people are played like puppets, the sensation of a pulling on one’s own lifeline — and the knowledge that others are similarly situated. Everywhere you turn, vast numbers are bobbing up or down according to the tugs on their strings.

This is not an ordinary or customary historical experience…

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To victims and survivors across North Dakota,

As the news reveals more about Ray Holmberg’s decades-long abuse and exploitation of men and boys, we — the undersigned advocacy and service organizations for survivors of sexual and domestic violence, child abuse, neglect and human trafficking — want to speak directly to you.

We know this is a difficult time. The graphic details emerging through the news cycle, social media and local discussions have created a wave of renewed pain and…

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To the editor:

When I spoke out against the resolution that seeks to have the Supreme Court overturn marriage equality last week, I was not prepared for the subsequent outpouring of love and support. What started as a difficult moment has become a powerful reminder of the amazing community we have.

The first half of this legislative session has brought forward several troubling bills — ones we wish we could overturn. The attack on marriage equality is just one example. We’ve also seen…

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To the editor:

I have attended the Wellstone Academy Advanced Campaign Strategy training. One thing they emphasized, Don’t Do Stupid (DDS). It has become obvious my Dem-NPL friends no longer follow this practice.

HB 1242 (Shared Parenting) recently came to the house floor. It failed by one vote initially, and four votes on reconsideration. Not one Democrat voted in favor of this cost saving common sense bill. The bill was co-sponsored by Democratic Senator Tim Mathern. It is very…

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Fred W. Evans

fred@tttoil.com

Concerned tax-paying citizens of North Dakota:

Taxes, taxes no doubt, we all don’t like taxes! As the saying goes, the two things in life are certain, death and taxes!!

Fair and equitable, what taxes are both fair and equitable? None, whether income tax, death tax, gas tax (electric-cars, free) or any other tax, there are always inequities, not fair, but regardless have to be paid!!

What about property taxes? Are they fair, and why is this an issue in…

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