A major week in the news cycle hits high gear as Steve Hallstrom breaks down the high-stakes battle for election integrity in Washington D.C. and a historic transformation for North Dakota sports. Steve explores the "SAVE Act" standoff where congressional Republicans are weighing a government shutdown to secure mandatory voter ID. The show features an exclusive, in-depth interview with NDSU Athletic Director Matt Larson following the bombshell announcement that Bison football is officially moving to the FBS and the Mountain West Conference. Plus, Steve tackles the "California Oil Exodus," the latest arrest in a high-profile West Fargo murder investigation, and why the climate change "endangerment finding" is about to be revoked.
Key Moments
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The Fight for the SAVE Act: Steve breaks down why Representative Anna Paulina Luna is demanding that the SAVE Act—requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration—be attached to any federal spending bill. Steve critiques the "politically savvy" but cautious answers from local officials, arguing that election security is the one hill worth dying on, even if it means a government shutdown.
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Bison Football Goes FBS: Matt Larson joins the show to discuss NDSU’s jump to the FBS level. Larson details the $17 million in entry and reclassification fees, the shift to 85 full scholarships, and his plan to petition the NCAA to waive the two-year postseason ban. He also clarifies that while the Mountain West schedule is being "reshuffled," Bison fans should prepare for dream road trips to places like Las Vegas and Hawaii.
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Arrest in West Fargo Murder Case: Steve provides the latest on the investigation into the disappearance of Isadora Wengel. Fargo PD has arrested 21-year-old Joshua Height on suspicion of murder and tampering with evidence, bringing a somber update to a story the region has followed for weeks.
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The California Refinery Flight: Steve explores the economic fallout of Valero shuttering its California refinery four months early. He highlights how staggering regulations are driving major energy players to Texas, leaving Californians facing potential $12-a-gallon gas by peak summer travel season.
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A Blowout Jobs Report: Steve digests the latest federal jobs data, noting a "monster" increase of 172,000 private sector jobs and a drop in government hiring. However, he remains skeptical of the 900,000-job downward revision for the previous two years, calling it a "fly in the ointment" of federal data accuracy.
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Revoking the "Endangerment Finding": Climate analyst Greg Wrightstone joins the program to discuss the EPA’s plan to strip the legal foundation for greenhouse gas regulations. Wrightstone argues that CO2 is a "miracle molecule" essential for agricultural productivity and that there is no empirical evidence of a climate crisis.
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The Senate Race Rumble: Former NBA player Royce White joins the show to discuss his bid for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota. White takes aim at "special interests" and "establishment" GOP candidates, arguing that the party must double down on its base rather than appealing to the moderate center.
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Melania 2.0: Steve shares his takeaways from the new Melania Trump documentary after a local theater showing. He highlights the "surreal" nature of the Trumps' life and why the film is receiving a 99% audience approval rating despite being panned by critics.