This week’s episode explores two different efforts to address North Dakota’s shortage of workers: helping people get degrees faster and developing new housing in rural areas.Jeff Beach, deputy editor of the North Dakota Monitor, talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street, about the state’s new experiment with reduced credit bachelor’s degrees. Monitor contributor Ceilidh Kern joins Craig to talk about a rural housing shortage and a regional effort aimed at helping small communities attract workers, families and long-term growth.

A new website allows the public to view the financial interest statements of North Dakota officials and political candidates.Reporter Jacob Orledge talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street, about the new transparency requirements and six lawmakers who failed to meet the deadline.A Closer Look with the Monitor is available on major podcast platforms, or wherever you listen to Prairie Public.

The ongoing war in Iran has disrupted oil supply, pushed prices higher, and injected uncertainty into markets around the world.Here in North Dakota, those shifts are being felt, but not always in ways people might think.North Dakota Monitor reporter Jacob Orledge talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street, about why the Bakken isn’t seeing a surge in new drilling, even as oil prices hover around $100 a barrel.

Under state law, North Dakota residents cannot vote while incarcerated for a felony. They can vote after they’re released, however, as long as they meet all other requirements. People can also vote if they’re serving time for a misdemeanor, or if they’ve been charged but not convicted. Volunteers with the League of Women Voters of North Dakota have noticed that many North Dakotans with criminal records don’t know their voting rights. North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street, about steps the League of Women Voters and state agencies have taken to help educate people ahead of election season.

It has been 75 years since oil was first struck near Tioga, an event that helped transform not just a small North Dakota community, but the trajectory of the entire state.North Dakota Monitor reporter Jacob Orledge talks with Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street about how oil has shaped Tioga’s identity and North Dakota's economy – from boom and bust cycles to billions in tax revenue.

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 unconstitutional. North Dakota Monitor reporter Mary Steurer talks to Craig Blumenshine, producer and host of Prairie Public’s Main Street, about the lawsuit and a recent court hearing.

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, which Applied Digital would pay for, is coming up April 2 in Fargo. Meanwhile, the company is looking for other sites to build in North Dakota, including Oliver County northwest of Bismarck. Also, North Dakota Monitor editor Amy Dalrymple previews the upcoming North Dakota Republican Party state convention, which all statewide incumbents are boycotting this year.

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 projected.Meanwhile, local cities, counties and school boards say the new cap is making budgeting stressful. Some suggest lawmakers change the law in 2027 to link the cap to inflation or exempt costs like public safety, infrastructure and election expenses.

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 oilroyalties are calculated and paid. Legal experts say the ruling could also trigger a wave of new litigation.Then the conversation turns to the proposal from the Bank of North Dakota for the creation of a state-backed digital currency known as the Roughrider coin.‘A hell of a lot of royalties’: Supreme Court ruling likely to trigger litigation for oil companiesNext steps for Bank of North Dakota stablecoin to be reviewed this month

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 involving Energy Transfer, a case that has drawn national and international attention. Also, Monitor editor Amy Dalrymple previews the upcoming Democratic-NPL state convention, which is expected to have a strong turnout with members reporting increased enthusiasm statewide.