The Steve Hallstrom Show Episode 699: The Fargo Mayor Financial Disclosures & The Commission Clash

The Steve Hallstrom Show Episode 714: The Battle for Fargo

Get ready for a jam-packed episode of The Steve Hallstrom Show for Monday, June 8, 2026! We are breaking down everything you need to know ahead of tomorrow's critical local elections, catching up on breaking news, and finding out how you can score an unbelievable European vacation. What’s On Today's Episode Local Elections & Voting Guide: Host Steve Hallstrom dives deep into the high-stakes Fargo Mayor and City Commission races, outlining exactly why this vote could mark a monumental political shift for the city. How and Where to Vote: Get a comprehensive breakdown of the open polling locations across Cass County, voting hours, and what forms of identification you need to bring to make your voice heard tomorrow. Inside the VoteFMW Resource: Cale Dunwoody from the Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo Chamber of Commerce joins the show to discuss their non-partisan voter guide website, designed to educate the community on exactly where candidates stand on key business and community issues. Dreaming of Spain: Cindy from Travel Travel stops by with a jaw-dropping vacation package to Barcelona, Spain, featuring round-trip airfare and a seven-night stay for an incredible price. Morning Wire News Update: Catch up on global developments, including the latest escalations between Israel and Iran, alongside your daily market report, agricultural updates, and local weather forecast. Episode Deep Dives Making Sense of Tomorrow's Vote "We have a chance to turn the commission... conservative for the first time since we started caring if it was conservative or liberal. This is very important." — Steve Hallstrom Steve stresses the sheer gravity of tomorrow's municipal elections, calling on voters to stay informed and get to the polls. From 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Cass County residents can cast their ballot at any designated polling location, including the Fargo Civic, the FargoDome, the Ramada by Wyndham, or various local community halls. Don't forget to bring a valid ID, such as a driver's license or tribal ID—and if you've moved recently, a utility bill or bank statement works perfectly to establish your current residency! Inside the Chamber's Voter Guide Unsure about where the candidates stand? The Chamber of Commerce has you covered. Cale Dunwoody explains how their platform, VoteFMW.org, provides unedited, video-recorded responses directly from the candidates on issues affecting local taxes, infrastructure, and school boards. It’s a completely non-partisan, user-friendly tool built to ensure you don't guess when you get to the ballot box. Jet Off to…

The Steve Hallstrom Show Episode 713: The District 13 Rebellion, Low Skyway Foot Traffic, and the $1.9 Billion Broadway Boom

Live from a hotel room in downtown Minneapolis, Steve Hallstrom anchors a dense Friday edition tracking stark cultural shifts and escalating primary battles. Steve explores a highly unusual conservative clash in West Fargo as sitting state representatives openly break ranks with the Governor over targeted financial endorsements. The show audits a newly released federal employment surge, maps out a record-breaking $1.9 billion ticket spike on Broadway, and details a sudden active shooter false alarm that shook a local shopping mall. Plus, an exclusive face-to-face sit-down with North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe to break down a massive wave of early voting numbers ahead of Tuesday's high-stakes primary. Key Moments West Fargo Primary Escalation Ignites: Steve isolates a glaring structural rift within the North Dakota Republican Party . West Fargo State Representative Ben Koppelman publicly slammed Governor Kelly Armstrong for stepping onto the primary scale to financially endorse District 13 incumbents Senator Judy Lee, Representative Jim Jonas, and Representative Austin Schauer . Koppelman broke ranks to throw his support behind conservative primary challengers Phil Solberg, Everett Duckworth, and Russell Bubach, criticizing the Governor for duplicating controversial primary meddling tactics . Incumbents Fire Back on Conservative Records: District 13 incumbents Senator Judy Lee, Representative Jim Jonas, and Representative Austin Schauer call into the show to forcefully defend their legislative footprints . Rebuffing accusations that they are "too liberal," Representative Schauer challenges voters to check their record on passing $500 million in tax relief, championing 39 veteran bills, and enacting the state's classroom cell phone ban . Senator Lee highlights her ongoing policy work utilizing rural health transformation grants to bridge critical medical access gaps across far-flung counties . Record-Breaking Cass County Early Turnout: North Dakota Secretary of State Michael Howe joins the program to drop exclusive, real-time voter statistics ahead of the June 9th primary . Howe reveals that a massive 5,329 residents have already cast early in-person ballots in Cass County, completely crushing the entire historical early vote tallies from both the 2022 and 2024 primary cycles . Howe balances the surge by noting that while a hotly contested Fargo mayoral race is hyper-activating local city voters, broader statewide turnout remains historically light at a projected 14% to 20% baseline. Downtown Minneapolis Stagnation: Broadcasting from his old college stomping grounds, Steve voices deep nostalgia and concern over the changing landscape of downtown Minneapolis . He notes a stark drop in…

The Steve Hallstrom Show Episode 712: War Power Pushbacks, District 13 Friction, and the Global Bond Trap

Steve Hallstrom kicks off a news-heavy Thursday edition from the Flag Family Media headquarters in Fargo, unpacking a shifting political matrix that has sitting state representatives clashing directly with the Governor. Steve analyzes a historic bipartisan house coalition moving to aggressively clip the President's executive war powers as the conflict in Iran crosses a 90-day threshold. The show features an inside look at a black bear tracking through Harwood, a spooky archaeological excavation beneath the North Dakota Governor’s residence, and a direct, one-on-one sit-down with Public Service Commissioner Jill Kringstad on her mathematical blueprint to shield local utility rate payers from out-of-state green energy mandates. Key Moments Bipartisan Coalition Targets Executive War Powers: Steve reports a massive political escalation on Capitol Hill as four House Republicans broke ranks to join Democrats in passing a sweeping War Powers Resolution. Aimed at pulling back the President's military capabilities in Iran, the historic vote marks the first formal house challenge to executive deployment since hostilities began 90 days ago. Proponents argue the temporary 60-day utilization window stipulated under the 1973 War Powers Act has completely expired, setting up a high-stakes Supreme Court battle if the Senate advances a matching measure. Commissioner Jill Kringstad in Studio: Sitting Public Service Commissioner Jill Kringstad outlines her "boots-on-the-ground" auditing strategy as she campaigns to protect North Dakota utility consumers. Utilizing her distinct background as a CPA, Kringstad details her successful push to intercept regional transmission networks attempting to pass off multi-million dollar out-of-state renewable energy development costs directly onto North Dakota families. She highlights that rigorous oversight has successfully maintained North Dakota’s status as home to the absolute lowest electric rates in the entire nation. The Sited Judge Playbook: Commissioner Kringstad outlines the exact boundaries of the Public Service Commission regarding controversial carbon dioxide pipelines and local data center grid hookups. Rebuffing outside political pressure, Kringstad explains that the PSC operates strictly as a "judge of facts". Rather than passing moral or ideological judgments on a project, the commission evaluates strict environmental, historical, and geological inputs to ensure every layout strictly aligns with codes established by the legislature. Palace Intrigue in District 13: Dr. Phil Solberg, a Republican challenger for the North Dakota State Senate in District 13, joins the phone line to detail a growing structural drift within the party. Solberg voices sharp frustration over current incumbent lawmakers, accusing them of entirely shunning elected grassroots delegates…

The Steve Hallstrom Show Episode 711: Minnesota's Endorsement Chaos, and the Free Speech Battleground

Steve Hallstrom hosts a spirited, high-energy Wednesday, June 3rd edition, rallying listeners to embrace the mindset of "happy warriors" and refuse to let outside forces steal their joy. Steve tracks a major grassroots victory in West Fargo after residents banded together to completely ax a multi-million dollar roundabout project. The show covers a wild "square one" reset within the Minnesota GOP following a convention voting glitch and dives into an intense, exclusive in-studio conversation with school board candidate Carissa Geske regarding her bold stand for Western values, free speech boundaries, and the severe corporate cancellations hitting her local business. Plus, an operational look at the historic cross-country tour of the Union Pacific "Big Boy" locomotive. Key Moments West Fargo Overturns $3.5 Million Roundabout: In a massive grassroots victory, the West Fargo City Commission voted 4-1 to permanently cancel a proposed roundabout project at 52nd Avenue West and 9th Street West, agreeing to return all associated federal safety grant funds. Spurred by dense, passionate resident turnouts fighting for child safety near Legacy Elementary, the commission reverted the intersection back to a traditional four-way stop. The infrastructure reversal comes despite traffic metrics revealing that a stunning 70% of area drivers currently fail to stop at the existing signs. Minnesota GOP Nullifies State Endorsements: Steve details a chaotic political development out of the Minnesota Republican state convention in Duluth. Following a severe electronic voting glitch that completely undermined the legitimacy of the results, Minnesota GOP Chairman Alex Pleck officially released all gubernatorial candidates from their pledges to honor the convention's endorsement. The technical reset gives House Speaker Lisa Daymuth a cleared, un-penalized pathway to continue her campaign into the August primary. Carissa Geske on the West's Moral Blueprint: Fargo School Board candidate Carissa Geske joins the studio to directly answer the media backlash surrounding her recent live forum commentary. Geske stands firm on her warning for voters to examine the ideological compatibility of Islamic Sharia law with traditional Western Christian values. She highlights the cultural dangers of child marriage rules and specialized school prayer rooms, arguing that Islam's integrated militant and political framework directly challenges the boundaries of the First Amendment. Local Business Slapped with "Hate Speech" Cancellations: Candidate Geske exposes the harsh economic retaliation hitting her local spring roll business, which she co-owns alongside her mother, a legal Asian immigrant. Despite having deep relationships across diverse faith backgrounds, Geske’s team was abruptly…

The Steve Hallstrom Show Episode 710: Roundabout Reversals, Woke Retractions, and the Ideology Battlefield

Steve Hallstrom targets a massive listener-driven edition packed with infrastructure showdowns, explosive primary shifts, and a deep cultural audit of modern corporate messaging. Steve hits the local pavement to break down why West Fargo leaders completely axed a multi-million dollar roundabout following a rowdy public meeting. The show tracks a massive post-convention ripple effect within the Minnesota GOP, checks the temperature on $107 crude oil, and highlights the historic cross-country tour of the Union Pacific Big Boy locomotive. Plus, an intense in-studio conversation with school board candidate Carissa Geske on her push for Western Christian values, free speech, and the extreme corporate backlash hitting her local business. Key Moments West Fargo Kills the $3.5 Million Roundabout: Steve breaks down the major public safety and infrastructure reversal at 52nd Avenue West and 9th Street West. Following an intense public meeting driven by parents worried about children walking to Legacy Elementary, the West Fargo City Commission voted 4-1 to cancel the roundabout project entirely and return the federal grant funds. Investigators revealed that video data captured 70% of vehicles entirely ignoring the intersection's current four-way stop signs. Minnesota GOP Endorsements Cast into Chaos: Steve updates listeners on a massive "square one" shift within the Minnesota DFL and GOP gubernatoral race. Following an electronic voting glitch at the Duluth state party convention that threw the validity of the results into question, Minnesota GOP Chairman David Hann officially released all candidates from their pledges to honor the convention's endorsement. The tactical shift gives House Speaker Lisa Demuth a cleared pathway to battle through the August primary without apologizing for breaking her word. The Chasing of the Union Pacific "Big Boy": Producer Addison shares his long weekend chasing Union Pacific 4014—the "Big Boy"—the world's largest operating steam locomotive. Built during the 1940s for World War II, the million-pound, 16-foot-tall locomotive is traveling from coast to coast to mark America's 250th anniversary, drawing a crowd of  onlookers who followed the massive engine as it rumbled through Omaha. Carissa Geske on the Sharia Law Threat: Fargo School Board candidate Carissa Geske joins the studio to directly address the political firestorm surrounding her live forum comments. Geske doubles down on her position that Western culture must analyze the growth of Islamic ideology, warning against the potential creeping of child marriage rules and specialized prayer rooms into local school systems while arguing that Islam's political and militant framework directly…