A Closer Look with the Monitor

A legal fight over prescription drug pricing in North Dakota is now playing out in federal court, and at the center of it is a fundamental question.  Who actually benefits from a program designed to help low-income patients? A new state law aims to protect access to discounted medications through the federal 340B program, but pharmaceutical companies argue the law goes too far and may even be unco...

As the Applied Digital data center at Harwood takes shape, a new powerline and substation is needed to provide the electricity the AI-factory will need.  North Dakota Monitor deputy editor Jeff Beach talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street , about his latest reporting on the Applied Digital project. A public hearing on the $75 million power system upgrades, wh...

An expanded property tax credit is proving to be popular with North Dakota homeowners, but a 3% cap on annual property tax increases is creating challenges for local governments. North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street , about why the state now projects the expanded property tax credit will cost $20 million more than...

In the new edition of A Closer Look with the Monitor, reporter Jacob Orledge talks with Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street , about two developments that could influence North Dakota's economy and financial future. First, a recent ruling from the North Dakota Supreme Court that could reshape how oil royalties are calculated and paid. Legal experts say the ruling co...

A North Dakota judge recently ordered Greenpeace to pay $345 million to the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline, an official order that came following a nearly yearlong tug-of-war over a Morton County jury’s verdict. North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer catches up with Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street , about the latest twists and turns in litigation i...

Delays in the federal immigration system are creating frustration for North Dakota residents seeking legal immigration and employers who have come to depend on immigrants. Monitor deputy editor Jeff Beach and reporter Mary Steurer talk with Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street , about changes in the legal immigration system and how the flow of immigrants has slowed....

A North Dakota man is among five people facing federal criminal charges related to investments in a cattle and beef marketing company that was determined to be a Ponzi scheme.  North Dakota Monitor deputy editor Jeff Beach talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street , about the latest development in the fraud case estimated to have cost investors $220 million. Nor...

North Dakota has a small but growing number of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention cases moving through federal court.  North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street , about emergency petitions recently filed in the state seeking court review of ICE detentions. It’s part of a broader national surge tied to in...

An unwanted byproduct of North Dakota’s oil field could be the key to unlocking a new industry in the state within the next few years.  An international company is proposing to begin extracting lithium , a key component of batteries produced for smartphones and other technology, from produced water by the end of 2027. It’s one of at least four similar projects in development in North Dakota. This...

A North Dakota ballot measure that would change voter-approved legislative term limits could face a challenge before the state Supreme Court. Monitor reporter Mary Steurer talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street , about a new lawsuit that could change what appears on the November ballot. North Dakota voters in 2022 approved a ballot measure that limits state l...

A southwest North Dakota hospital is at risk of closing due to severe financial trouble, but lawmakers are considering a bill this week that would give the hospital a lifeline. Three lawmakers introduced a bill designed to help the Jacobson Memorial Hospital Care Center in Elgin, North Dakota.  Monitor reporter Jacob Orledge talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main St...

North Dakota lawmakers took final steps this week to prepare for a special session to authorize the spending of federal health care money. Monitor reporter Mary Steurer talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street , about why the Rural Health Transformation Program is a big deal for North Dakota. They talk about how the state plans to use the money to help rural co...

North Dakota’s farmers are looking for higher profits but things may get worse before they get better, ag industry experts say.  North Dakota Deputy Editor Jeff Beach chats with Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street program, about why farmers may not be set up for success in 2026 and the challenges facing agriculture in North Dakota. Also, North Dakota Monitor Editor...