A Closer Look with the Monitor

North Dakota and President Donald Trump have tried to give farmers and truckers a break on diesel prices, but the effectiveness of their executive orders have been limited by a number of factors. North Dakota Monitor deputy editor Jeff Beach joins host Craig Blumenshine to discuss what farmers and researchers are seeing in the week’s episode of A Closer Look with the Monitor.A Closer Look with the Monitor is a partnership with Prairie Public's Main Street.

North Dakota has launched a website to show the public more about the state’s $15 billion Legacy Fund and how it’s invested. North Dakota Monitor reporter Jacob Orledge joins host Craig Blumenshine to describe what the new site provides and what information remains out of view. A Closer Look with the Monitor is a partnership with Prairie Public's Main Street.

State officials are curtailing some hunting in southern North Dakota because of a disease  outbreak. North Dakota Monitor reporter Jack Dura joins host Craig Blumenshine to explain what hunters need to know.Also this week, lawmakers began discussing possible legislation to address data center development that focuses on electricity costs, water use and what happens when a facility is no longer operating. Reporter Jacob Orledge describes the proposal and where lawmakers might have differing views.A Closer Look with the Monitor is a partnership with Prairie Public's Main Street.

North Dakota gives certain low-producing oil wells a tax break intended to help them keep  operating, but the designation is permanent even if a well later produces much more oil. Monitor reporter Jacob Orledge joins host Craig Blumenshine to discuss his recent reporting, which found that North Dakota is on pace to miss out on about $66 million this year in tax revenue from wells that no longer meet the criteria for the tax break.A Closer Look with the Monitor is a partnership with Prairie Public's Main Street.

The state-owned Bank of North Dakota has launched a pilot program for Roughrider Coin, a dollar-backed digital asset that uses blockchain technology. Monitor reporter Jacob Orledge joins host Craig Blumenshine to discuss how the stablecoin technology may help complete financial transactions more quickly and the four North Dakota banks and credit unions that are participating. But questions remain about how the technology will work, what risks it may carry, and whether it will eventually affect everyday banking customers. A Closer Look with the Monitor is a partnership with Prairie Public's Main Street.