Podcast appearances and mentions of Kelly Armstrong

On this episode of Plain Talk, co-host Chad Oban takes the reins with guest co-host and former State Senator Jessica Bell for a conversation with Matt Perdue, Government Relations Director at North Dakota Farmers Union. Perdue, who's running to become the next president of NDFU, emphasizes the uncertainty facing many producers amid economic headwinds, fluctuating commodity prices, and ongoing concerns about federal farm policy and trade conflicts. He also shares how farmers are working through complicated relationships with energy developers, the challenges of rising land prices and absentee landowners, and the importance of investing in rural communities to attract and retain young families. Plus, Chad and Jessica dive into the recent veto snafu by Gov. Kelly Armstrong, the implications of growing partisanship, and the upcoming appointment of a new Superintendent of Public Instruction. This episode is presented by Lignite Energy Council, an organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the development of North Dakota's abundant lignite resouces. Their goal is to maintain a viable lignite coal industry and support the generation of electrcity, syntheitc natural gas, and valuable byproducts. Visit www.Lignite.com/Podcast to connect and learn more. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

On this episode of Plain Talk, Sen. Josh Boschee, a Democrat from Fargo, characterized the just-completed legislative session as marked by crucial victories but also "too many missed opportunities" and numerous "close calls on bad Republican bills." He emphasized how Republicans and Democrats worked together to achieve both. Among the victories? Passing Gov. Kelly Armstrong's property tax plan, which implements $1,600 primary residence property tax credits and 3% caps on growth in property tax bills. Noting his day job in real estate, Boschee extolled "how much this is going to help make housing more affordable throughout our state." He highlighted that the reform could potentially "completely wipe out" property taxes for lower-priced or rural homes or those in smaller communities, allowing residents to invest that money in home repairs, buy a larger home, or open up more affordable housing stock for others. And the bad bills? Boschee said those included "book bans, what teachers are teaching in the classroom, which bathrooms people are using," and issues related to "abortion and gay marriage." Most of those initiatives failed, and Boschee said that's because "a faction of the Republican party worked with Democrats to defeat a lot of those bills." Boschee also praised former Rep. Cynthia Schreiber Beck, who passed away recently. She was someone who "got things done for Richland County or District 25," he said. "Someone that we could all depend on and trust" and who "told you like it was."  "If she wasn't going to support your idea, you knew it," he said, but if she liked your idea, she "would work with you to make it better or to get it across the finish line." Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I discuss the impact the property tax cap may have on the ways North Dakota communities develop, and how the state's new ban on cell phones in schools will play out. This episode is presented by Lignite Energy Council, an organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the development of North Dakota's abundant lignite resouces. Their goal is to maintain a viable lignite coal industry and support the generation of electrcity, syntheitc natural gas, and valuable byproducts. Visit www.Lignite.com/Podcast to connect and learn more. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

05/15/25: Joel Heitkamp is joined by the Governor and former Congressman of North Dakota, Kelly Armstrong, on "News and Views." Joel visits with the Governor on a monthly basis, and today chats about the state legislative session and his thoughts on President Trump wanting a luxury plane from Qatar. (Joel Heitkamp is a talk show host on the Mighty 790 KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. His award-winning program, “News & Views,” can be heard weekdays from 8 – 11 a.m. Follow Joel on X/Twitter @JoelKFGO.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick Archuleta and North Dakota United, the state's combined teacher and public workers union, are touting a report showing that our state is sliding down the rankings in terms of teacher pay. We're now 40th in the nation, down significantly from roughly a decade ago. But Archuleta admitted during an interview on Plain Talk that educators could be doing a better job of giving the taxpayers some context around the pay issue. "We are horrible at telling our success stories," he said. "We have to do a better job," he added, rattling off some examples of the stories that could be told. "Eighth graders are second in the nation in mathematics. Fourth graders are third in the nation in mathematics. Archuleta said it's also time to "tone down the rhetoric surrounding K12 education" and back off some of the expectations, from the left and the right, that educators be central to the culture wars. "Everybody that I know that has gone into education goes into it because they want to make sure that every child has the best educational outcomes that they can possibly have," he said. "They don't go into it to be part of a political scrum and they shouldn't. That's exactly the wrong reason to get into education." As for teacher pay specifically? Archuleta said that North Dakota is "not increasing salaries very quickly." He also noted that other states like Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and New Mexico have "done things that actually raise salaries faster." This is impacting North Dakota's ability to recruit new teachers. "We have an acute teacher shortage in North Dakota" that "has gotten to the point, this is particularly true in rural areas but also in our larger areas, where we're depending more and more on foreign based teachers, particularly from the Philippines." Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I talk about how on-going chaos in the North Dakota Republican Party and a possible legal fight with the state Ethics Commission may impact the upcoming election cycle. We also take a look at the last bills from the recently-concluded legislative session that are on Gov. Kelly Armstrong's desk and what he might do with them. (Full disclosure: Oban also works for North Dakota United.) This episode is presented by Lignite Energy Council, an organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the development of North Dakota's abundant lignite resources. Their goal is to maintain a viable lignite coal industry and support the generation of electricity, synthetic natural gas, and valuable byproducts. Visit www.Lignite.com/Podcast to connect and learn more. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive  

During the closing hours of the legislative session, lawmakers came to a consensus around a property tax plan endorsed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong which provides $1,600 credits for the primary residences of North Dakotans and a 3% cap on the growth in overall property tax bills. Rep. Scott Louser voted for that plan, and encouraged his colleagues to vote for it, but in a surprise move, also announced in a floor speech that he had drafted language for a ballot measure campaign for his own property tax plan which had been amended into oblivion earlier in the session. "I wanted everybody to vote for property tax relief," he said of his eyebrow-raising move. "I just think there's a better way to do it." Louser wants the state to buy out the 60 mills funding school districts across the state, something he estimates will cost $750 million. He says his plan wouldn't nullify the plan lawmakers did pass, but he pointed out that the primary residence credit would have to be reauthorized by lawmakers next session anyway, and that his expectation would be, if voters approve his ballot measure, that lawmakers reduce of eliminate the credit. But wouldn't that mean some people, who saw their property tax bills eliminated by the primary residence credit, would start getting bills again? Louser said the next legislative session ould have to take that issue up, too. "If this were to pass, we are going to be in a situation next session where we have to evaluate for all of those people that had their taxes zeroed out," he said. "How do you balance that? How do you keep it at zero at a lower amount and then continue to step up the credit in the future?" Though Louser also indicated that he's not entirely decided on whether to go forward with his measure campaign or not. "It's hard for me to answer, 'are you going forward?'" he said, indicating that he like to do some polling of the public first. "If the polling shows that it's a 25 point no, why proceed with it? I don't have that answer yet." Louser also expressed frustration about the failure of a campaign finance reform bill which was originally intended to require legislative candidates to disclose beginning and ending fund balances, as well as campaign expenditures but ran into a wall of what was at times viscerally angry opposition in the House chamber. "It was almost all about process and not about the product," Louser said of the debate. "In the end, it's the product that we that we leave for the for the public to see. And the product that we have now is nothing. Nothing changed," he continued, referring to the fact that the legislation, drained of any real reform by the House, ultimately failed. Louser pointed out that taxpayers have "spent a little over a million dollars" on a new campaign finance system for the Secretary of State's office"to make this reporting easier for us as legislators, easier for the public to read," but that system now won't be fed with better data. This episode is brought to you by the North Dakota Petroleum Foundation, providing education and outreach opportunities related to the petroleum industry, advancing quality of life initiatives, and promoting and enhancing the conservation heritage of North Dakota. Learn more at www.NDPetroleumFoundation.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Chas & Dr Dave discuss Father David Smith, JD Vantasy, and The Great Wall Of The Pork0:00 - Introducing: Dr Dave2:26 - Grateful (Aus Elections, Media Watch, Kelly Armstrong)10:12 - Correspondence (Fascism, Supreme Court, North Carolina)19:39 - Updates (PRESS Act, 60 Mins, Jordan Klepper)34:28 - Trump 100 Days Polling1:12:04 - Trade War Update1:45:12 - Stats Nugget (Trump 100 Days Stats)1:49:29 - Immigration (Abrego Garcia, Due Process)2:18:07 - Planet Canada2:38:12 - Unleashed: Toilet Break (Buttigieg)2:48:46 - Unleashed Correspondence (Garcia, Deportations, Murkowski, Medicaid, Daryl Cooper, ASD, RFK Jr, Signal, Stable Chaos, Crusades, New Sting)HOMEWORK: Worst Lawsuit Ever - https://bitly.cx/pfmhThe Carny - https://bitly.cx/zkjlPNathan's ACLU Article - https://bitly.cx/QtpN2Konstantin Kisin Substack on Rogan - https://bitly.cx/NHRFXSHOW LINKS:*Chat with the PEPpers on the Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/WxDD2PPvaW Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this Plain Talk, Sec. of State Michael Howe and Rep. Ben Koppelman joined us to discuss a surprisingly contentious issue in the closing days of the legislative session. Namely, a debate over laws requiring more rigorous campaign finance disclosures from legislative candidates. Howe supports the legislation, saying he wants better data for a new online database his office is implementing. Rep. Koppelman, however, suggested that the information wasn't that important to the public and would be "fodder for just trolling and fishing." He said that allowing the public to "really microscope every movement" is "not a practical or I would argue even a useful reason" to require greater disclosure. But without better disclosures, how could the public and the news media detect if a candidate is engaged in fraudulent or otherwise untoward activities with their campaign money? Koppelman said public officials are expected to "behave with high moral standards and follow these rules in a way that they can defend." Howe, meanwhile, said his office's goal is "to make this easy for the filer and for the public." Koppelman also weighed in on the closing debate over property taxes, saying he's not confident that the public is going to get enough property tax relief to head off another ballot measure. Koppleman called the legislation backed by Gov. Kelly Armstrong "the wrong approach from the get-go" and suggested that it's a futile endeavor. "I don't see any point in passing the bill, quite frankly, because it's like people aren't asking me for three drops in the bucket of relief from their property tax bill," he said. Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I discuss the state of the property tax debate, and when this legislative session is likely to be over. This episode is brought to you by the North Dakota Petroleum Foundation, providing education and outreach opportunities related to the petroleum industry, advancing quality of life initiatives, and promoting and enhancing the conservation heritage of North Dakota. Learn more at www.NDPetroleumFoundation.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Just before Gov. Kelly Armstrong appeared on this episode of Plain Talk, he issued two vetoes for two very controversial bills passed by the legislature. The first was a rejection of Senate Bill 2307, a book ban bill sponsored by Sen. Keith Boehm. "I'm kind of a free speech absolutist," Armstrong said of his decision to spike the legislation, "because nobody's ever figured out who polices the policers." Armstrong criticized the legislation for making librarians and educators subject to potential civil and criminal penalties based on complaints filed against books from anywhere in the country. "They don't have to be in North Dakota. It's any individual," he said, calling the process the legislation set up "untenable and unworkable." Armstrong, who is a proponent of school choice policies, said he vetoed House Bill 1540, sponsored by Rep. Ben Koppelman, because it "is only for private school." What would a better school choice bill look like? One that "allows more parents more options to do more things and have more autonomy over their kids' education," he said. "And that includes a small rural school district that is 150 miles away from the closest private school." The governor is urging support for Senate Bill 2400, backed by Sen. Michelle Axtman, which is still alive in the legislative session. That bill would make education savings accounts available for all students for approved education expenses beyond just private school tuition. Also on this episode, singer and songwriter Chuck Suchy, new minted as North Dakota's official state troubadour, talked about that honor, and his musical career. "I am very grateful," he said, adding that he's happy "the state community embraces music, and I hope art and humanity." This episode is brought to you by the North Dakota Petroleum Foundation, providing education and outreach opportunities related to the petroleum industry, advancing quality of life initiatives, and promoting and enhancing the conservation heritage of North Dakota. Learn more at www.NDPetroleumFoundation.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

04/17/25: Joel Heitkamp is joined for his monthly conversation with the Governor of North Dakota and former Congressman, Kelly Armstrong. They talk about the North Dakota legislature, specifically where he stands on approval voting and public dollars supporting private schools. They also dive into national politics by addressing President Trump's tariffs and how they impact North Dakotans. (Joel Heitkamp is a talk show host on the Mighty 790 KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. His award-winning program, “News & Views,” can be heard weekdays from 8 – 11 a.m. Follow Joel on X/Twitter @JoelKFGO.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Jay Thomas Show from Monday April 14th, 2025.  Guests include Gov. Kelly Armstrong and Cass County Engineer Kyle Litchy.  Plus your calls and emails.

"I think we are for certain going to see another property tax measure if that's the version that we kick out." That's what Minot Republican Rep. Matt Ruby said of the watered-down version of Gov. Kelly Armstrong's property tax plan that the state Senate is currently backing. "I don't think that that measure failing by that amount was because people love paying property taxes," Ruby continued, referring to the Measure 4 proposal to abolish property taxes, which more than 60% of voters voted against last year. "If we don't have a stepped plan where eventually we get to the point where it's zeroed out as best as possible...we're going to be right back in this position fighting." Ruby also took questions about the failure of Attorney General Drew Wrigley's truth-in-sentencing legislation, and his decision to repudiate his vote in favor of a resolution opposing same-sex marriage. Also on this episode, Sen. John Hoeven talked about tariffs, trade, the Department of Government Efficiency, and impeaching judges. On that last, Hoeven called the push to impeach judges "concerning," saying it could threaten the independence of the judiciary, though he also said that there are things Congress can do to address practices such as judge shopping, or judges delaying infrastructure projects for years by allowing endless litigation. Hoeven also took questions about whether he'd hold town halls. "I do public meetings all over the state and people can come. I mean, everybody's got their own style in terms of a town hall, but these are public meetings and I've always done many of them all over the state and I'll continue to do them," he said. "I also come on and talk to guys like you. I answer questions to the press, to the radio. People can come in and see me. I have meetings. I work pretty hard on staying connected with uh North Dakotans, and I respect them, and it's an honor and a privilege to serve him." This episode is presented by North Dakotans for Public Schools. North Dakotans for Public Schools is dedicated to protecting and strengthening public education in North Dakota. United by the belief that public schools are the cornerstone of our communities; North Dakotans for Public Schools fights against harmful policies like voucher schemes that divert resources away from public schools. By bringing together educators, parents, school boards, and citizens; North Dakotans for Public Schools amplifies the voices of those who understand the critical role public schools play in shaping the future of North Dakota's children and communities. Learn more and get involved at www.NDforPublicSchools.com. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Scott Hennen sat down with Governor Kelly Armstrong in his office. The exclusive interview includes details on the battle for property tax, relief and reform, a crucial need for a natural gas pipeline from the Bakken to eastern North Dakota and his big idea to ban cell phones in North Dakota schools & more!

Gov. Kelly Armstrong is pushing a "bell to bell" ban on cell phones in schools, and his inspiration is a book called the Anxious Generation, which was written by Jonathan Haidt. But it's more than a book. It's also a movement. Casey Mock, the senior policy manager for Anxious Generation, joined this episode of Plain Talk to discuss their initiative. Some are condemning this effort as another teen panic, but Mock says that's not so. "You know what makes it different from a moral panic like the satanic panic or even going back to Salem witch trials type witch hunts is that we actually have pretty clear data that demonstrates the impact that not just phones but also social media is having on kids mental health on their educational," Mock said. "There's just pretty clear data that's been assembled over the last decade, decade and a half since these things have become mainstream which makes it materially different from some of these earlier moral panics." He said the goal of the legislation is to make state government the"bad cop" and taking pressure off educators to police phone use. Also on this episode, Coiya Tompkins, president of Grand Forks-based Community Violence Intervention Center, and Seth O'Neill, executive director of the North Dakota Domestic and Sexual Violence Coalition, talked about the uncertainties chaos in the federal government is creating for their work. O'Neill said that getting answers on their current funding, and future appropriations, has proven hugely difficult among cuts implemented by top Trump administration adviser Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency team. "So we just heard recently that the CDC, which funds rape prevention and education,they basically decimated that division. Cut people. We don't even know who we're supposed to supposed to call or who is our a grant manager there because they just pretty much cut everyone," he said. "What I've been telling both federal people at the federal congressional level as well as our state folks is that we do not believe that what we are proposing is a want. It's a need," Tompkins added. Both argued that while cuts to their programs may save money in the short term, over a longer period of time costs will accumulate if their services, which often help prevent crime and violence and ease burdens on the criminal justice system, become less accessible. This episode is presented by Bakken Backers. Bakken Backers is a coalition of businesses, leaders, workers, and citizens who support energy production from the Bakken formation and its many benefits for North Dakota. Learn more at BackTheBakken.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

It's an annual tradition to have Gov. Kelly Armstrong on Plain Talk for a baseball-only episode contemporaneous to MLB's opening day. Unfortunately, we didn't keep our promise this time, since we're in the closing weeks of the legislative session in Bismarck, and there's a lot going on. When you have the governor on in that context, you have to ask some political questions. We asked Armstrong about amendments made to the property tax plan he's backing by the Senate Appropriations Committee at the behest of Senate Majority Leader David Houge. "I spent six years in D.C. where a lot of times Republicans would walk in and step on a rake before we go vote," the former congressman said. "I think this is an unforced error," he added, "and I think this is what happens when you have a small group of people decide they're going to put amendments onto a bill without vetting it publicly." Armstrong says he objects to lowering the tax credit homeowners would receive from $1,450 to $1,250, as well as the 75% cap on how much of a property tax bill that credit could offset. He also pushed back on intent language which aims to use Legacy Fund dollars to pay for non-primary residence properties which in many cases are owned by people who live out of state. Armstrong also commented on amendments he's backing to ban cell phones in schools, saying it's not making him that popular with his own children. "I have two teenagers at home," he said. "You can about imagine how it's going." Also on this episode, Rep. Dawson Holle, a Republican, and Rep. Jayme Davis, a Democrat, talk about their new Future Caucus, which seeks to bring together a bipartisan group of younger lawmakers so that they can find ways to work together. Holle said it's helpful to coordinate these efforts, especially since older lawmakers don't necessarily understand modern issues. He described one older lawmaker who was confused about artificial intelligence issues. "AI, is that artificial insemination for cows?" Holle says he was asked. "Oh my goodness, no, that is artificial intelligence," he replied. This episode is presented by Lignite Energy Council, an organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the development of North Dakota's abundant lignite resources. Their goal is to maintain a viable lignite coal industry and support the generation of electricity, synthetic natural gas, and valuable byproducts. Visit www.Lignite.com/Podcast to connect and learn more. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

There is a big debate over criminal justice reform at the legislative session in Bismarck. Attorney General Drew Wrigley suggests the state has been soft on crime, and that's resulted in higher crime rates. He's pushing a bill to keep people convicted of many crimes locked up for longer. But Jonathan Holth, Gov. Kelly Armstrong's Commissioner of Recovery and Re-entry, pointed out on this episode of Plain Talk that, far from being soft on crime, North Dakota's incarceration rates have been climbing. According to state Department of Corrections data, he's right. The population in North Dakota's state prisons (not counting local jails) is up more than 15% over the last five years, and more than 47% in the previous 20. There is friction between Wrigley and Armstrong's administration over Wrigley's sentencing bill, but Holth joined Plain Talk to talk about another set of bills lawmakers are considering. House Bill 1425, 1417, and 1549, seek to create new tools to help those with addiction and mental health challenges navigate the criminal justice system and find peace and prosperity again. HB1425 addresses diversion and deflection programs, which gives law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges some flexibility to get a person help instead of arresting, charging, and incarcerating them; HB1417 seeks to reform the probation and parole process, addressing things like paperwork and fees that could land people back in jail on minor technicalities; HB1549 deals with helping people re-entering society have the the things they need, like up-to-date ID, to find housing and jobs. Holth says these three bills together provide "a comprehensive look at sort of the front end, the middle, and the back end" of the criminal justice system. Also on this episode, Minot-area librarian Randi Monley, a co-chair of Right to Read ND, gave an update on the progress of Senate Bill 2307, which is book ban legislation introduced by Sen. Keith Boehm, who argues that North Dakota's libraries and schools are showing children pornography. The legislation requires libraries to move supposedly offensive materials to places where children aren't allowed. "So in a K-12 library, what are you going to do? Are you going to have to have a separate space for just high school kids?" she asked. "I doubt many schools are going to do that.  Or does everything in the library need to be at the level for a kindergartener?" Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I discussed a hearing on Wrigley's legislation, Senate Bill 2128, which saw some less than truthful testimony. This episode is presented by Bakken Backers. Bakken Backers is a coalition of businesses, leaders, workers, and citizens who support energy production from the Bakken formation and its many benefits for North Dakota. Learn more at BackTheBakken.org.  If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive  

03/20/25: Joel Heitkamp is joined on "News and Views" by the Governor of North Dakota and former Congressman, Kelly Armstrong. Joel gets the Governor's take on public funds going to private schools, an update on property tax-related bills, and they talk about the most recent news regarding former State Senator, Ray Holmberg. Here is a link to the poll the Governor referred to when talking about public education. (Joel Heitkamp is a talk show host on the Mighty 790 KFGO in Fargo-Moorhead. His award-winning program, “News & Views,” can be heard weekdays from 8 – 11 a.m. Follow Joel on X/Twitter @JoelKFGO.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MINOT — Our attitudes about health insurance shift, depending on the context we're in. When we're healthy and paying premiums, we want costs to be low. When we're sick or hurt or sitting alongside a family member suffering some malady, we want expansive coverage and not a lot of bureaucracy. Unfortunately, these things are in tension with one another; part of it is the process of prior authorization. What is that, specifically? "When a provider requests a procedure, a prescription, or anything like that, what they do is they request this through the insurance provider to make sure that it's covered," Sen. Scott Meyer said. That can sometimes be a lengthy process, taking days or weeks, which aren't happy days or weeks when a person is hurting. Sen. Meyer has sponsored Senate Bill 2280, which targets a specific type of insurance (self-funded policies) for regulation on prior authorization. "If we're going to be reviewing a prior authorization with the insurance company, it needs to be done by a physician rather than a business analyst, an algorithm or AI," Sen. Meyer said of his bill. "The people that ultimately get hurt in this, though, are the patients," added Andy Askew, who is the Vice President of Public Policy for Essentia Health and appeared alongside Sen. Meyer. "This is meant, again, to help these folks that need help, need care, and to get it in a timely manner." Also on this episode, co-host Chad Oban and I discussed a Minnesota lawmaker backing legislation to define criticism of President Donald Trump as a mental illness (and his recent arrest for soliciting sex from a child), the progress on a book ban bill, the status of Gov. Kelly Armstrong's proposed property tax reform, and how my reporting ended up on a Court TV live stream. This episode is presented by North Dakotans for Public Schools. North Dakotans for Public Schools is dedicated to protecting and strengthening public education in North Dakota. United by the belief that public schools are the cornerstone of our communities; North Dakotans for Public Schools fights against harmful policies like voucher schemes that divert resources away from public schools. By bringing together educators, parents, school boards, and citizens; North Dakotans for Public Schools amplifies the voices of those who understand the critical role public schools play in shaping the future of North Dakota's children and communities. Learn more and get involved at www.NDforPublicSchools.com. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Tara is joined by Gov. Kelly Armstrong to discuss Donald Trump's tariffs and government cuts. They break down the Republican budget resolution decision that the Democrats passed in December, which is now blindsiding them. She asks Gov. Armstrong about Trump and Musk's DOGE sledgehammer to government agencies, tariffs and how that affects North Dakota's soybean and fertilizer trade—two of their largest exports. Lastly, Gov. Armstrong talks about getting rid of the North Dakota property tax and what that would entail. Host: Tara Palmeri Guest: Gov. Kelly Armstrong Producer: Olivia Crerie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's no secret that the oil industry is central to North Dakota's economy. Still, it's surprising even for in-the-know citizens to look back at the remarkable growth of that industry over the last couple of decades. The North Dakota Petroleum Council routinely commissions studies into the economic impact of their industry, and the findings are eye-popping. The first study was conducted in 2005. "At that time, the oil and gas industry, we were producing 92,000 barrels of oil a day. We had 3,300 mostly tired oil wells from non-Bakken formations. We employed about 5,000 people," NDPC President Ron Ness said on this episode of Plain Talk. "Today we are a three $3.2 billion industry." "We employ 63,000 people," he continued. "We produce 1.2 million barrels of oil a day. "It's as you said, the rise has just been incredible." But what about the future? Ness says there are opportunities to find new avenues for growth that North Dakota must seize lest oil production and its attendant boons in terms of economic impacts and tax revenues ebb. "With the best technology in all the world focused on this resource, out of every 100 barrels of oil, we're still leaving 85 in the ground," he said. "If we can get another 15%, that's a doubling of the ultimate recovery, and it will add generations and generational wealth and opportunities for future North Dotans. Without that, we're going to we're going to deplete this resource." How do we seize this opportunity? "We're going to need massive amounts of CO2," Ness said, pointing out that the NDPC, along with partners at North Dakota's universities, have been pursuing enhanced oil recovery methods using carbon dioxide. "We've been studying enhanced oil recovery through the use of carbon dioxide since 20 3 with the [University of North Dakota Energy and Environment Research Center]," Ness said. "The uniqueness about carbon dioxide and what it does is it mobilizes new oil off the rock. You've got to keep that that pressure up in that reservoir. Natural gas will help that. It'll do some of that, but CO2, as proven by EERC in Bakken rock, will mobilize new oil." Also on this episode, Sen. Paul Thomas, a Republican from Velva, joined us to discuss the rural perspective on the property tax debate. One concern he has is that the focus of House Bill 1176, which was introduced by Rep. Mike Nathe and is supported by Gov. Kelly Armstrong, is exclusively on property tax relief for primary residences. Thomas argues that this could create a political unbalance that has the spending promoted by a majority of voters supported by a minority of farmers and business owners. "In many of the counties, agricultural land provides the majority of the tax base for that county," he said. "In certain communities, obviously if you go to you know Ward County or you go to Cass County with the larger cities, it's not going to be as high a percentage, but when you get out in the in the other rural counties, the agricultural land is providing a majority of the tax." HB1176 provides property $1,450 tax credits for primary residences. Thomas says he'd like to see that combined with House Bill 1168, sponsored by Rep. Scott Louser of Minot, which buys out school credits. The combo, Thomas argues, would deliver the direct and dramatic relief for homeowners that Gov. Armstrong has asked for while also delivering some relief to business owners and farmers. This episode is presented by North Dakotans for Public Schools. North Dakotans for Public Schools is dedicated to protecting and strengthening public education in North Dakota. United by the belief that public schools are the cornerstone of our communities; North Dakotans for Public Schools fights against harmful policies like voucher schemes that divert resources away from public schools. By bringing together educators, parents, school boards, and citizens; North Dakotans for Public Schools amplifies the voices of those who understand the critical role public schools play in shaping the future of North Dakota's children and communities. Learn more and get involved at www.NDforPublicSchools.com If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

For the second day in a row Afternoons Live is joined by North Dakota's Governor Kelly Armstrong. Today host Tyler Axness chats with the governor about the 2025 session and his push for property tax reform.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Jay Thomas Show from Monday March 10th, 2025.  Guests include Kelly Armstrong and your calls and emails.

North Dakota's Governor Kelly Armstrong joins guest host Shannon Roers-Jones on Afternoons Live with Tyler Axness. Today we discuss crossover in the Legislature and the progress on property tax reform.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the beginning of this episode of Plain Talk, Attorney General Drew Wrigley took exception to my recent reporting suggesting that he and Gov. Kelly Armstrong are at odds over sentencing legislation and the performance of state prison officials. Based on what would follow, I think the conflict between two of North Dakota's top elected officials is positively overt. According to Wrigely, the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, headed by director Colby Braun, is lying to state lawmakers and the public. He took particular issue with a recent fiscal note issued by the DOCR indicating that so-called "truth in sentencing" legislation he supports, which would mean that inmates serve a larger percentage of their sentences, will cost taxpayers as much as $269 million. "Their quest is to make it extraordinarily expensive to turn people away from the bill," he said. "That is a blatant falsehood," a stormy Wrigley told guest-cost Erin Oban and I. "It is not worth the paper it's written on," he continued about the fiscal note. "It would be a joke if it weren't a matter of serious policy debate," he said. Wrigley also said that DOCR officials have been hiding data from the public and lawmakers, and making misleading statements about rising crime rates. "What an absolute abdication of responsibility," concluded. These are serious accusations -- lying, abdication of responsibility, etc. -- but Braun isn't an independent operator. He has a boss. That's Armstrong, who was also scheduled to appear on this episode to discuss the progress of property tax reform, which he has made his primary focus during this legislative session.  I asked Wrigley if he felt Braun should be fired, and he demured, saying it wasn't his place to advise the governor on personnel issues. As for Armstrong's feelings about Braun? "I have total confidence in Colby," Armstrong told us when I asked him about Wrigley's remarks. "I try not to make things personal," he added. Armstrong said he hadn't yet reviewed the fiscal note issued by DOCR in response to Wrigley's legislation, which is Senate Bill 2128, but expressed some sympathy with its conclusions about cost. "It turns out when you lock people up, it's expensive," he said. Armstrong also said that while he'll take advice from his staff and cabinet into consideration, if he is ultimately asked to sign something like SB2128 into law, the decision will ultimately be based on his consideration of its merits. As for the progress on property taxes, Armstrong said he's pleased with the debate, though he's worried about lawmakers watering down the caps in his bill. House Bill 1176, which was introduced by Rep. Mike Nathe and carries the governor's plan, was amended in policy committees to allow local governments to set aside a 3% cap on spending increases for as much as 10 years if approved by a vote. "The way it was done probably means there aren't really caps," Armstrong said of the change, later arguing that it was a loophole so big "you could drive a grain truck through it." This episode is presented by Dakota Resource Council. For nearly 50 years, DRC has worked across North Dakota to protect our land, water and future. Become a member, volunteer and take action, or donate today at www.DRCinfo.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Afternoons Live with Tyler Axness has our monthly chat with North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong. Today we chat about the first 24 days of the legislative session and the threat of loosing federal money under the Trump administration.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our promotions for this episode of Plain Talk, we had indicated that state Rep. Nico Rios would be joining us. Rios has made some fairly ugly headlines over the past year or so. He derated two law enforcement officers with bigoted and homophobic comments during an arrest for DUI. More recently, with regard to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, he wondered in an X post "if the CIA would help Trump overthrow and kick this Jew out of power in Mexico." He's also introduced a resolution, in the current legislative session in Bismarck, which would have the State of North Dakota "acknowledge the Kingship of Jesus Christ over all the world," something that likely violates the state constitution, the U.S. constitution, and would not be in keeping with what many North Dakotans -- those of the Jewish faith, or Islamic, etc. -- believe to be true. Me and my co-host, Chad Oban, were looking forward to a respectful interview with Rios about these words and actions. Unfortunately, just minutes before the agreed-upon time for the interview, Rios backed out. "Ay dude I'm not going on your boring little show," he told me in a text. "When I initially agreed to come on Sunday afternoon I thought it was just to promote my Christ is King Resolution, but you seem to be focusing on my social media. NOT NEWS. Got more important things to do than chat Capitol gossip." We did have a very good interview with state Rep. Mike Nathe, who spoke about his property tax bill (which carries Gov. Kelly Armstrong's plan for reform) as well as legislation he's backing that would require all candidates seeking a political party's nomination to collect signatures to appear on the primary ballot. Currently, candidates endorsed at party conventions do not have to collect signatures. "I'm just glad they got this one out so everyone can see it," he said of his property tax bill, which just emerged from the policy committee with a "do-pass" recommendation and some amendments. The committee added the option for local voters to approve a 10-year exemption from the budget caps promoted by Gov. Armstrong. It also lowered the amount of the primary residence tax credit by roughly $100, and added an income tax cut. "If it was my desire that would have been in a separate bill," he said of the income tax portion. Nathe also responded to some of the controversy around Rep. Rios. "I don't agree with it," he said of Rios's words and actions. "My colleagues don't agree with it." Asked if he felt his party should remove Rios from the caucus, and strip him of committee assignments, Nathe deferred to House Majority Leader Mike Lefor, though he did have this message for the people who elected Rios: "The people of Williston have got to stand up." This episode is presented by Dakota Resource Council. For nearly 50 years, DRC has worked across North Dakota to protect our land, water, and future. Become a member; volunteer and take action; or donate today at www.DRCinfo.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive  

Property taxes are complicated, so is it any surprise that reforming the property tax code is similarly complicated? We talked about the property tax issue on this Plain Talk (again) because it is, without a doubt, the most complicated and consequential question before lawmakers in Bismarck during the 2025 session. Rep. Scott Louser, a Republican from Minot, discussed his property tax plan, which includes coupling a spending cap on local governments with a buydown of property tax mills. He also critiqued Gov. Kelly Armstrong's plan, saying he's worried that his proposed primary residence tax credits could depress North Dakota's real estate markets. Sen. Mark Weber, a Republican from Casselton, talked about his role in this process as the chair of the Finance and Tax committee, which will need to sort through these bills. Weber represents a largely rural area, and said that the owners of farm land are worried about being left out in the cold on property tax relief. In some rural areas, the bulk of property taxes are paid by a relatively small number of land owners. Is that fair? And what sort of a situation are we creating if a small number of voters, who don't pay the property tax thanks to the state's primary residence credits, can vote to raise taxes on a much smaller number of land-owning voters who do? "Everybody should pay a little property tax," Sen. Weber said. He also expressed frustration with the number of bills introduced this legislative session, which close to a record for the last 20 years. "I think we are introducing entirely too many bills in the legislature," he said. "If we had less bills we could have more meaningful debates," he added. This episode is brought to you by the North Dakota Petroleum Foundation, providing education and outreach opportunities related to the petroleum industry, advancing quality of life initiatives, and promoting and enhancing the conservation heritage of North Dakota.  Learn more at www.NDPetroleumFoundation.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

There is a fight in the Legislature between the North Dakota Game & Fish Department and a group of hunters and landowners over regulations aimed at curbing the impact of chronic wasting disease on North Dakota's wildlife populations. But is that fight really about CWD? Or is this another front in the culture war spurred by (in some respects not entirely unreasonable) frustration with Game & Fish regulations? Dusty Backer is an activist (I don't use that word pejoratively, though he objected to being described that way) who joined this episode of Plain Talk to discuss the issue. He argues that concerns over CWD are feigned by state officials, federal officials, and academics as an avenue toward "controlling people." "Prions don't exist," he told us (CWD is described by health officials as "a prion disease"). He said that the state's efforts to regulate bait hunting, implemented as one method to control the spread of CWD, are unreasonable and an affront to property rights. Also on this episode, we've heard a lot about Gov. Kelly Armstrong's property tax plan, but Rep. Ben Koppelman, a Republican from West Fargo, has an alternative he says is better, though he admits that he likes broad portions of Armstrong's proposal. "The cap in the governor's plan I agree with," he said, referring to a 3% limit on growth in local budgets which he says the governor took from him. "I'm honored he would take that idea and put it in his plan." "Where I disagree is on the relief portion," Koppelman continued, saying that his plan delivers more tax relief on primary residences more quickly than Armstrong's plan by buying down a percentage as opposed to providing a fixed credit. He says there is political risk in not delivering tax relief swiftly. "I think we're going to set ourselves up for another measure," he said, referring to Measure 4, a proposal to abolish taxes on property values which voters defeated by a wide margin last year. Koppelman argues that, under his plan, a broader crossection of property owners will feel relief on a shorter timeline than under the governor's plan. "The idea is everyone should get to zer [property taxes] together," he said. This episode is brought to you by the North Dakota Petroleum Foundation, providing education and outreach opportunities related to the petroleum industry, advancing quality of life initiatives, and promoting and enhancing the conservation heritage of North Dakota. Learn more at www.NDPetroleumFoundation.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

In North Dakota, game and fish officials have the authority to restrict bait hunting in order to protect animals from diseases like chronic wasting disease. And that's what they've been doing. When a case is found in the deer population, they ban the use of bait for hunting in an area 25 miles around it. This has a very vocal faction of the hunting community incensed. Many of them insist that chronic wasting disease is a hoax, or at the every least an exaggerated threat, and they want state officials stripped of the ability regulate bait hunting. There are three versions of bills to do that before lawmakers in Bismarck. Brock Wahl is a fifth-generation North Dakotan and chair of the North Dakota Backcountry Hunters and Anglers organization. On this episode of Plain Talk, he told co-host Chad Oban and I that while regulation of bait hunting hasn't been perfect, it is necessary, and it is protecting state deer populations from CWD. "It's undoutable that this is making a difference," he said. As for the opponents? "I think some of these folks are on a disinformation campaign." Wahl spoke at length about the history of prion diseases like CWD, or other maladies like so-called "mad cow disease, calling them "both vertical and horizontal" threats. Part of what he means by that is CWD can spread to other species. Is that a threat to livestock, which is an important part of North Dakota's economy? Wahl said he didn't want to exaggerate the threat. "I don't know that it's a significant concern," he said. But he argued it's like playing the lottery. The odds may be against it, but buy enough tickets, and eventually you'll have a winner. Wahl said that some opponents of baiting regulation invoke property rights, arguing that they should get to do what they want on their property, but Wahl pointed to Article XI, section 27 of the state constitution, which states, "Hunting, trapping, and fishing and the taking of game and fish are a valued part of our heritage and will be forever preserved for the people and managed by law and regulation for the public good." The property may be privately owned, Wahl said, but the wildlife belongs to everyone. Also on this episode, Chad and I discuss the debate over bills mandating the 10 commandments and the Pledge of Allegiance in our schools, the first hearing over Gov. Kelly Armstrong's property tax proposal, and the debate over the explosion in charitable gaming. This episode is presented by the North Dakota Petroleum Foundation. ND Petroleum Foundation provides education and outreach opportunities related to the petroleum industry, advances quality of life initiatives, and promotes and enhances the conservation heritage of North Dakota.    Learn more at www.NDPetroleumFoundation.org. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Afternoons Live with Tyler Axness welcome new governor of North Dakota Kelly Armstrong to discuss the start of the 2025 session, his proposal to reduce property taxes, and his decision to raise flags on Inauguration Day in North Dakota.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just a day after ND Governor Armstrong delivered his State of the State address, he joins Joel to discuss his priorities. Read more from KFGO News here: https://kfgo.com/2025/01/07/north-dakota-governor-unveils-bold-property-tax-plan-in-first-state-of-the-state-address/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The public and media reaction to Gov. Kelly Armstrong's first address to the state Legislature has focused on his bold and aggressive plan for property taxes. That's understandable. There's a near-consensus in the state's political circles over property taxes being the most pressing issue facing this legislature. But Armstrong's state-of-the-state address telegraphed another hot issue that could put him at swords' points with another of North Dakota's top elected officials. During the 2023 session, Attorney General Drew Wrigley was combative with lawmakers who opposes his efforts to implement new mandatory minimum sentences in state law. Ahead of the 2025 session, he told reporter April Baumgarten that he will "lock horns" on the issue again. But during Armstrong's address, he made blunt reference to the fact that North Dakota's jails are full. On this episode of Plain Talk, I asked the governor if there's tension between his stance and Wrigley's. It seems there is. "I don't think we have the space" in the state's jails and prisons, Armstrong said. He added that his staff was briefed on Wrigley's plan the same day as his address and that he "hasn't even looked" at the legislation Wrigley is backing. When asked directly if it were something he'd support, Armstrong said, "I don't know yet," though he added that he's never seen a mandatory minimum sentencing bill that he's supported. "It's expensive to incarcerate people," he said. He promised during his address, and during our interview to be working on what he described as the "cheapest and quickest way to free up prison space," but wasn't ready to provide details, saying he'll announce the plan during a budget address further into he session. Armstrong is a former defense attorney — he described himself as an "old street lawyer" during our interview — and has been passionate about criminal justice reform since he was first elected to the Legislature as a state Senator in 2012. Wrigley, too, is outspoken on the issue. We could see some fireworks. Armstrong also discussed his property tax plan with co-host Chad Oban and I, and former U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp also joined to discuss the demise of the so-called "Chevron doctrine" in American jurisprudence, which may be the most consequential political issue you've never heard of. Why is Congress so dysfunctional? Because they aren't writing laws anymore, instead punting them to regulatory agencies in the executive branch. Why are presidential politics out of control? Because the power Congress has ceded to the executive branch has raised the stakes for presidential elections through the roof. "Congress needs to exercise its Article I authority and write the laws," Heitkamp said. She's leading a bipartisan group creating a roadmap for Congress on how to reclaim that authority. It's a fascinating discussion, and not nearly as boring as it may seem. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

It was an excellent year for the Plain Talk podcast. Our audience grew by leaps and bounds and is larger than ever. For that ,we have you to thank, dear listener. Thank you for tuning in. This Christmas, we wanted to reflect on the year that was, and the year that's ahead of us. On this episode of Plain Talk, Chad Oban and I talk about the highlights (and lowlights) of 2024. The Doug Burgum era of North Dakota politics came to an end, and the Kelly Armstrong era has begun. The North Dakota Republican went through a bruising primary season, but emerged after the general election as dominant as ever. At the national level, former President Donald Trump became president once again. We talk about all that, and more, and also look ahead to what 2025 might have in store for us. And, most of all, Chad and I and everyone involved in producing the Plain Talk podcast hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

12/17/24: Joel Heitkamp is joined by North Dakota's newest Governor, Kelly Armstrong. They talk about his goals now that he has the office, and how he plans to address property taxes in the state.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WDAY First News anchors Scott Engen, Lisa Budeau and Lydia Blume break down your regional news and weather for Monday, December 16, 2024. InForum Minute is produced by Forum Communications and brought to you by reporters from The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and WDAY TV. Visit https://www.inforum.com/subscribe to subscribe.

In this week's episode, we share six tips and tricks for writing while traveling. 00:00:00 Introduction and Writing Updates   Hello, everyone. Welcome to Episode 231 of The Pulp Writer Show. My name is Jonathan Moeller. Today is December the 13th, 2024, and today we're discussing tips for writing while traveling, which seems a timely topic as the Christmas holiday is coming up. First, we'll have an update on my current writing projects and do Question of the Week.   For my current writing projects, I'm very pleased to report that Orc-Hoard, the fourth book in the Rivah Half-Elven series is now out. You can get it at Amazon US, UK, Australia, Canada, and in Kindle Unlimited.   I am also very pleased to report that I have now published a million new words of fiction for 2024, which is the first time I've been able to do that in a year since 2020. I will probably talk more about that in an upcoming episode. Now that Orc-Hoard is done, my main project is Shield of Deception, the fourth book in the Shield War series. I'm 11,000 words into that and I'm hoping to have that out in January 2025, if all goes well. My secondary project will be Ghost in the Assembly. I haven't actually started that. I'm still in the outline writing phase, but I'm hoping that will be out in February or potentially March, depending on how long it takes to write Shield of Deception.   In audiobook news, Ghost in the Tombs is now out in audiobook (as excellently narrated by Hollis McCarthy) and you can get it at Audible, Chirp, and most of the usual other audiobook stores. She's also recording Cloak of Masks for us right now, and that should be out in January, if all goes well.   00:01:29 Question of the Week   Now it's time for Question of the Week, which is designed to inspire enjoyable discussions of interesting topics. This week's question: where do you obtain free media like free ebooks, free audiobooks, free movies, and so forth? There are no wrong answers though for obvious reasons please keep answers limited to legal media sources. No piracy, please.   The inspiration for this question was our 12 Days of Short Story Christmas, during which I'll give away a new free short story every business day until December 23rd. If you want some of those free short stories, head to my website now. They will remain free at my Payhip store until December 31st. Now on to answers from Question of the Week.   Our first response is from Grimlar who says: Well, it's not exactly free, but I do find myself buying books from LMBPN publishing every Saturday for $1 each (their new releases from earlier in the week, usually Thursday or earlier). They drop the price of new books for Saturday as a loyalty bonus for their readers. Also, when a series has been completed, they tend to release a box set (or several for a long series), also priced at a dollar per box. They tend to release several books a week, which is handy, provided you like their stuff, which is mostly urban fantasy with some fantasy and some sci-fi. As I said, not free, but does make reading a much more budget friendly pastime.   I should note that LMBPN publishing also puts nearly all their stuff in Kindle Unlimited so if you're paying for a Kindle Unlimited subscription already, that is an easy way to check out their books.   David says: Some places I buy ebooks and audiobooks from offer some free material from time to time. So when I'm looking for something new I stumble across the odd book that is free that I am interested in, when I do stumble across these free offerings, I sometimes look to see if these authors have other free books. I don't bother with free movies.   Jeanne says: I get emails from BookBub, which sometimes has free ebooks, but most of the ebooks are between $0.99 and $2.99. That's probably actually how I came across you (you being Jonathan Moeller in this case). Otherwise, Kobo has a selection of free ebooks, if small.   Jenny says: I love Libby, and back when it was available, Axis 360 and Hoopla. I'm not sure if they've just gone from my library or gone forever. (Side note from transcriptionist: Axis 360 changed names to Boundless in 2023. Hoopla is still in business.)   Adeline says: The only time I ever received free items is when they're directly given away by the owner. Downloading virtual freebies from somewhere just seems wrong since they would still belong to someone. Although I don't have any movie subscription services myself, I still don't download free movies.   Bonnie says: I use Amazon for ebooks. I usually pay quite often though. I get a free town newspaper every two weeks. I don't watch TV anymore, so that isn't an issue.   Rob says: Amazon (you can search and order by cost) and authors do free downloads with their newsletter, not just Jonathan Moeller, but PA Mason, Kelly Armstrong, etc.   Chris says: Kindle Library, following you online gets me updates.   For myself, I get free ebooks through Libby (the local library system's ebook app) and very rarely audiobooks as well. I also, if I see something I like on the Kindle store that's free, I will download that right away. For free and legal movies and TV shows, I usually go to Tubi, which is free but ad supported and has a surprisingly large collection of stuff. So that's it for Question of the Week.   00:04:38 Main Topic of the Week: Writing While Traveling   Now onto our main topic this week, tips and tricks for writing while traveling, since of course many people travel over the Christmas holidays, so this seems like a timely topic.   Two principles to start with: First, think of why you are trying to write while you're traveling. Is this something you really need to be doing and more to the point, is this really something you should be doing? This obviously depends on the nature of your trip. If you are traveling for business reasons and you're sitting in an airport for four hours waiting for your flight and then you have a five hour flight, that would be an excellent time to get some writing done since otherwise, you would just be like everyone else in the airport paying too much for coffee and staring at your phone. If you are on the kind of trip that is a vacation, it might be a good idea to put aside writing while you are doing that just for the sake of your own mental health. If you are on a trip that involves a lot of family obligations, like for example, a funeral, then it might be a good idea just to set aside writing for that time, focus on the emotional needs of the moment and then pick it back up once the trip is over. The other thing to keep in mind if why you are writing is if you have a deadline. That sort of focuses the mind quite a bit and if you have a deadline, you're going to have to plan accordingly. The other thing to keep in mind is flexibility, why you are writing and flexibility because as we know, modern travel is utter chaos. I mean, it was worse in the past. I mean, Odysseus tried to get home from the Siege of Troy and got lost for 10 years, which is less likely nowadays, but travel is still unpleasant and a lot of things can go wrong, and you have to be flexible and seize the moment when you can and accept that sometimes things are beyond your control. If you are working on a deadline while you are traveling, then you'll have to treat it like any other remote work job while you are traveling. Having a true external writing deadline means you need to plan your vacation or trip differently and in a more structured way if possible. You absolutely need to plan this with your traveling companions in advance (if you're traveling with people), so everyone's prepared for this and pick your destination based on internet access instead of relying on standard hotel Wi-Fi because as we all know if you travel, standard hotel Wi-Fi generally is pretty terrible. You may need to bring some sort of mobile hotspot with you or pay extra to use your phone as a mobile hotspot while you are traveling.   If you are genuinely on a deadline and don't want to burn through your mobile data, check the internet setup of your destination before you arrive. It might also be wise to check on guest internet use policies at nearby libraries or universities if your destination does not have reliable internet and you'll need to use the internet for a significant amount of time. Many of these places require registration or a fee for non-residents/non-students but tend to have far more reliable internet than coffee shops or hotels.   Also, if you're in the phase of writing where you're writing your rough draft, if you're not editing and relying on an online editing tool like Grammarly or Pro Writing Aid, then you can probably do without internet if you absolutely have to. If you're just writing, just open up your laptop, sit down and write, it actually might be beneficial to have the internet off if you are prone to being distracted by the internet, but if you do need internet, bear that in mind.   For the next part of this episode, we're going to focus on the second type of writing while traveling, the feeling that many writers have that they should be writing while traveling or on vacation and fear of missing progress or falling out of their hard-won routine. I'll also provide some suggestions if you decide you want to write while traveling in spite of the various obstacles you might face.   If you don't have a deadline and this isn't a necessity for you and you really want to get some writing done while you're traveling, you need to ask yourself why. Writing because you want to means you can be flexible, but you still want to plan your expectations in advance to make the trip smoother and to deal with things in accordance with reality (always a good idea).   If you're not on a deadline and you don't have to be doing this, why do you want to write while traveling? Do you just want to keep the streak going by at least writing something? Do you want to keep your normal writing routine exactly? Are the reasons why you want to write more important than the personal, work, or family obligations on this trip? Like I said before, there are some trips where it's really in the best interest if you put aside any writing or work for the time and focus on the needs of the trip, whether that's a vacation by yourself or a family vacation, a family gathering such as a holiday or a funeral or another family gathering that's a bit happier than a funeral, like a graduation or a wedding or a baptism, that kind of thing. Do you want a soothing writing retreat at a lakeside cabin, but really you're spending a week with ten relatives in a cabin that you just rented? Then you might need to rethink your expectations for writing during that week. Now onto some tips for writing while traveling.   #1: If possible, plan the time. Note that this may not always be possible. You may have to carve out your own time to get writing done because it's definitely not a group activity, especially if you are on vacation with friends or family or something of that nature. Are you going to be able to sneak in half an hour of writing while everyone else is off on the boat or going to town for ice cream? That's a far more realistic of a goal in that circumstance than an imagined weeklong writing retreat.   Here's a recent example for myself. Over Thanksgiving before dinner, I was the only one who was not taking a nap in the house. I was the only one who was awake. I could have used that time to read or play video games, but instead I pulled out my computer and wrote a thousand words of Orc-Hoard. Now obviously there is nothing wrong with playing video games or reading or quietly browsing the internet in that circumstance, but I felt like what I really wanted to do in that moment while everyone else was taking their naps was to get a thousand words down. So that's what I did, and that's also a good example of a flexibility of seizing the moment when it presents itself.   I should also note that traveling is definitely not the time to start a radical new habit. If you can't get out of bed before 07:00 during a normal day, getting up to write at 04:30 while traveling is unrealistic, especially if you're staying up later, dealing with jet lag, or not sleeping well as usual, since it's often difficult to get a decent night's sleep in a hotel or somebody's guest room.   One long block of writing time may be more realistic than every day of the trip, especially if you're traveling with groups or with small children. Maybe you use the train ride or flight (or better yet, the seemingly endless wait for a delayed flight) as your writing time for the trip, and don't worry about the days at your destination. Like I mentioned before, if you're stuck at the airport waiting four hours before a flight will take you on a three-day trip and you get 3,000 words written during those four hours, you've probably got your trip writing covered.   #2: If possible, minimize distractions/create a working setup. Find a low traffic area if you're going to write such as the guest bedroom or your hotel room or something. Some hotels have work areas or lounges that are more tucked away from the lobby because hotel lobbies can get pretty noisy, especially nowadays when people seem compelled to bring their dogs with them into hotels. We also cover how to minimize distractions pretty extensively in our November Writing Challenge episodes, specifically Episodes 225 and 226, so you can listen to those tips there.   #3: I think this might be the most important tip: find small windows of opportunity. In other words, be flexible. Find short bursts of opportunities to write such as when you're in line for the rental car or waiting for your coffee at a busy coffee shop. These short bursts of two to three minutes might be the most realistic goal for traveling while writing, especially if you can teach yourself to write on your phone with your thumbs.   This might sound a bit outlandish, but I do know people who do this and have written entire books thumb typing on their phones on their commute from rural Britain to London every day. Then you will give yourself a big leg up because there are small, modern laptops you can use pretty effectively in small moments and carry with you, but everyone carries their phones with them most of the time nowadays, so you can whip out your phone and thumb type out a few paragraphs while you're waiting in line. That would be to your advantage, and honestly, it's probably a better use of your time in line than idly browsing social media or the internet on your phone.   #4:  Find a way to store ideas on the fly (especially important for short bursts of writing). You can use the Notes app or voice memos on your phone. Test this before the trip so it feels like instinct to do, to write down things quickly or to record paragraphs or carry a small pocket notebook with a pen. I should note for that myself, I only very rarely write ideas down because I have lots of ideas and I've always figured that if the idea is good, it'll come back to me when I think about it later, and if it's no good, I'll forget about it. I's sort of a survival of the fittest for ideas inside my head, but a lot of people's brains don't work that way, so it's a good idea if your brain doesn't work that way to write down ideas as they come to you.   #5: Be realistic about your goal, and this also ties into being flexible and having a realistic idea of what's going to happen on your trip. Is it worth pausing writing to have undivided time with family/ friends on this trip or is it worth pausing writing so you can relax (for example, if you're going on vacation or if you are visiting family, whether for a happy occasion like a wedding or a graduation or for a sad occasion like a funeral)?   Believe it or not, coming from me who was just boasting about publishing a million new words of fiction this year, there are some advantages to pausing writing for a while when you're compelled to do so by something like a trip. The potential positives: you can come back fresh to your work and your progress, especially after seeing lots of new things. That can work well with some people and help someone out of a rut.   Another advantage is if you're traveling, you don't have to deal with traveling with your laptop or additional tech equipment just for writing purposes or risk getting them damaged or lost. It's a lot easier to travel with a modern smartphone than it is with a modern laptop. This can also give you more enjoyable and focused time with family on vacation, which will help if you need to focus on writing instead of them at some later point, like for example, not making your second cousin's play because of a later deadline won't feel like a pattern of neglect if you just spent a week visiting them at the lake. This can also believe it or not, help with family strife because if you are frustrated with not meeting your writing goals while on your vacation, but if you give yourself permission to take a break, you won't be frustrated and you will probably be better company for any people you are visiting. The advantage is you can enjoy your vacation and spend time with your family or friends being fully present in the moment and not being distracted by what you have to do.   For myself, I've been publishing for…in the coming April, I will have been self-publishing for 14 years and I've veered back and forth at different times over this over the years. There are some trips I've gone on where I've done a significant bit of writing at the time, and there are other trips I've gone on where I haven't done any writing at all and focused on the moment. Again, it really depends on the circumstances of the trip. If, for example, I'm visiting family and everyone's taking naps in the afternoon, why not whip out my laptop and start typing and see if I can get out a thousand words before everyone wakes up and it's time for dinner? But other trips, for example, I've spent all day in the car driving from various national monuments and landmarks, and if you're doing that, that is really not a good time to attempt any writing for those kinds of trips, and so I did not do any writing on those kinds of trips.   Let me use myself as an example here. This coming Christmas holiday between Christmas Eve and about December 29th/December 30th, I'm not planning on doing any writing at all. I might do some writing if, for example, everyone's taking a nap or everyone's out doing errands or on phone calls or something and I have nothing else to do, so I might as well whip out my laptop and see if I can squeeze out a thousand words, but for the most part, I'm planning to focus on the holiday and not do any writing or very much writing between Christmas Eve and the 29th and the 30th or thereabouts. Then usually if I do that kind of thing where I have to take a couple days off or a weekend off or that kind of thing, I feel pretty refreshed and eager to get back at it once I am done with the trip and the vacation or the holiday is over.   Additionally, is it more realistic to use the trip for inspiration instead of getting writing done? You could visit museums related to what you're writing about, historical sites or buildings, or visit new cities. If you're planning to set a book there someday. Thinking of it as a research/inspiration trip may help with a feeling of guilt from not writing and make the trip more enjoyable.   What I've been doing lately is, as I've mentioned before frequently on this podcast, I usually do my own covers now, and that requires, of course, a steady supply of stock photos. So when I'm on a trip lately, if I see something scenic, it's time to whip out the camera and take a few pictures because modern smartphone cameras are good enough and produce high enough resolution images that you can use them on book covers. Several of the book covers I have published this year with my books have elements in them that were taken from photos I took while I was on a trip. So that is one example of how I shut off writing entirely during these trips, but then still take a lot of pictures that I can use for later stock photo use in my book covers.   #6: And now for tip number six that I'm going to emphasize quite a bit, if you are in fact writing while you are traveling, make sure you have a method for backing up your work. This is so important. I'm going to repeat it again. Make sure you have a method for backing up your work to the cloud or a flash drive or something. One of the risks of traveling is that your laptop can be lost, damaged, or stolen, and if you don't have a backup of what you're working on the laptop, you will lose all your work, which is one of the most disheartening feelings you can have.   Fortunately, there are many, many low-cost options to back up your work. You could use a flash drive and copy your work to a flash drive at the end of every session. The advantage of that is your work's in two places. The disadvantage of that is that a flash drive like laptop can be lost, damaged, or stolen, so it's a good idea to use a cloud solution. We talked about finding reliable internet, but you might want to just find just enough internet to connect to a cloud service like Dropbox or Google Drive or OneDrive or Apple Service and then back up your work to the cloud, and that way if your laptop is lost, damaged or stolen, you will not lose your progress. It's an interesting thing nowadays that laptops, as expensive they can be, are often less valuable to their users than the data they contain. The data is the important part, and you want to make sure that you back it up regularly. Even if you don't have a cloud provider, you can just email yourself the file every day of your work progress, so that way if your laptop is again lost, damaged, or stolen, you have a backup copy in your email account.   Recently, I was talking to a relative who is subscribed to Dropbox and he's complaining that he's paying, I think it's like $90 a year for a Dropbox to back up his laptop, and I told him to think of it as the computer equivalent of car insurance. I mean, in the ideal world, if you have car insurance and you get into a car accident, the insurance company will declare your car totaled and write you a check for the value of the car that will help you get your next vehicle. Having a cloud subscription like that is the equivalent of car insurance for computers so that way if once again, repeat it with me, if your computer is lost, damaged, or stolen, all your data is safely backed up in the cloud and you can download it right away to your next computer. You can tell I used to work in IT because I'm really banging on about this, but if you are traveling and you are working, make sure you have a good backup solution for your work. This will avoid, trust me, much later heartbreak.   So to wrap up, I'd say what the main thing I've learned for many years of doing this is that if you want to write while you are traveling, be flexible, which is something I have to admit runs against my personality because I do have a very rigid and routine driven personality, and it was totally up to me, I would do exactly the same thing, exactly the same time every day, but obviously life doesn't work that way.   One must learn flexibility, and flexibility is especially important while traveling. I'd say that is the biggest thing to keep in mind if you want to write while traveling, accept that sometimes you're not going to get any writing done during your trip and that is for the best or accept that other times that there may be moments where if you need to, you can write a thousand words while you're waiting at the airport or everyone else you're visiting is on the phone or running errands.   So I hope these tips and tricks will help you if you decide to write while you are traveling. So that's it for this week. Thank you for listening to The Pulp Writer Show. I hope you found the show useful. A reminder that you can listen to all the back episodes at https://thepulpwritershow.com. If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave your review on your podcasting platform of choice. Stay safe and stay healthy and see you all next week.  

The Jay Thomas Show from Monday December 9th, 2024.  Guests include Kelly Armstrong, Austin Schauer and Michelle Comer.  Plus your phone calls and emails.

North Dakota Governor-elect Kelly Armstrong joins Jason to share how he got into politics, as well as a deep dive on numerous energy issues that he believes are the key to unleashing the American economy.  Plus, Jason ponders how Vice President Harris' staff allowed her to release a video where she did not come across well. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When reporter Adam Willis set out to profile the debate in North Dakota over Summit's Midwest Carbon Express pipeline for Bloomberg, he wanted to focus on the people who are for it, rather than against it. Much of the reporting on that topic, to date, has focused on the naysayers, he told Chad Oban and I on this episode of Plain Talk. During out interview, Willis described what he learned about the people who are working to make carbon capture projects, including Summit's, a reality in North Dakota, as well as some of the strange political bedfellows between the left and right the debate has created. Also on this episode, Oban and I discuss what may be the new political divide in America, which is less along the lines of ideology than the vagaries of pragmatism. The debate, increasingly, seems to be between people who are unflinchingly loyal to their party or buried to their necks in ideology, and those who just want to pursue good ideas. We also discussed the state of President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet appointments, and some of the blowback Governor-elect Kelly Armstrong has received for appointing an outgoing Democratic lawmaker to his cabinet. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy—leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

Heading into their 2025 legislative session, which starts in January, North Dakota lawmakers will consider dozens and dozens of bills dealing with property taxes. That makes sense because despite a ballot measure aimed at abolishing property taxes face planting on the statewide ballot, North Dakotans are not satisfied with the status quo. What property tax reform and relief will look like coming out of this legislative session is an open question, but Senate Majority Leader David Hogue told Chad Oban and me on this episode of Plain Talk that there is one certainty. "There will be caps," he said.  Which is to say, lawmakers will be capping property tax increases, though Hogue explained that how those caps will be structured will be an open debate. Will the caps apply to all local spending or only that funded by property taxes? Will the caps be a flat percentage or tied to inflation? We'll see, but after years of demuring on caps, won over, Hogue said, by the local control argument, the Legislature is ready to get it done. Hogue also spoke about steps the Legislature plans to take to strengthen its oversight role in policy. The majority leader says the plan is to move dozens of executive branch officials who evaluate policy to the legislative branch. Which makes sense. If the Legislature wants to measure the success or failure of a given policy, it might not make a lot of sense to get that analysis from someone working for an agency head who lobbied for the policy in the first place. This move is also aimed at addressing the challenges presented by term limits. Now that the legislature is going to see more turnover, by law, it's going to be losing some level of institutional knowledge. Moving these workers to the legislative branch serves as a buttress to that brain drain. Hogue also spoke to impending debates over state jail and prison populations and state-provided mental health services, including the push to build a new state hospital in Jamestown, which he said is far too expensive. Also on this episode, Oban and I discuss Gov.-elect Kelly Armstrong's decision to appoint Democrat (and erstwhile Plain Talk gust host) Rep. Corey Mock to his administration, and provide some local analysis of President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet choices. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy—leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

11/15/24: Joel Heitkamp is broadcasting live from the Dakota Bowl at the Fargodome, and is joined by Congressman and Governor-elect, Kelly Armstrong. They talk about what he has left to do in his term as a Congressman, and what his first goals will be as Governor of North Dakota. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Governor-elect Kelly Armstrong, fresh off a landslide victory on the statewide ballot, is coming in hot. He's still got a term in Congress to finish out -- he's said he'll resign shortly before midnight the day before he's sworn in as governor on December 15 -- but he's got big plans for his time in Bismarck. "I don't give platitudes," he told me and Chad Oban on this episode of Plain Talk. Armstrong campaigned on property tax reform. He opposed Measure 4 -- he said in a previous Plain Talk interview that he hated the proposal -- but he also isn't a fan of what the Legislature has been doing to address the issue in previous sessions, which as amounted transferring local spending into the state budget. "Don't send me another buy down without significant reform," he told us. "It hasn't worked in the past. It's not going to work going forward." He also talked about his philosophy when it comes to staffing his new administration. "I have a small alaw firm mentality for how I operate," he said (Armstrong practiced as an attorney before his political career). "I hire smart people and empower them to make decisions. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy—leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive

WDAY First News anchors Scott Engen, Lydia Blume and Lisa Budeau break down your local regional news and weather for Wednesday, November 6, 2024.   InForum Minute is produced by Forum Communications and brought to you by reporters from The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and WDAY TV. Visit https://www.inforum.com/subscribe to subscribe.

11/06/24:Joel Heitkamp is joined by Congressman Kelly Armstrong the morning after the 2024 election. Congressman Armstrong won his election last night against State Senator Merrill Piepkorn to become the next Governor of North Dakota. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.