STATE SPENDING EXPOSED ON OPEN RANGE + THE FUTURE OF SMART LIVING ON THE TECH RANCH

This week on Open Range, host Gary Emineth sits down with Perry Schumacher of the West Fargo Patriot to reveal what they call a stunning failure of leadership at the North Dakota Capitol. Instead of reining in government, legislators approved a massive $1 billion budget increase—despite repeated promises to voters about fiscal discipline and property tax reform. Emineth and Schumacher dissect how temporary tax write-downs and vague pledges replaced real reform, leaving taxpayers with more government and fewer answers. It’s a hard-hitting conversation that challenges the status quo and calls for accountability, transparency, and real representation.
Meanwhile on The Tech Ranch, host Marlo Anderson explores how Aqara is revolutionizing the smart home industry with intuitive technology designed to simplify life. Built on the Latin roots Acutulus (smart) and Ara (home), Aqara offers solutions that respond to natural human behavior—gestures, voices, and routines—to create personalized, adaptive living spaces. Imagine your lights, thermostat, and devices responding to your presence before you even touch a button. Anderson walks viewers through how these systems not only offer comfort, but put control back in the hands of homeowners—helping technology serve people, not the other way around.