The Steve Hallstrom Show Episode 498: Street Fairs, Sky Scares and Side Hustle Slowdowns

🎙️ Episode Description:Steve Hallstrom dives into the day’s biggest regional and national stories with his signature mix of straight talk and sharp insight. From B-52 near misses in Minot to Barack Obama facing treason chatter, Steve pulls no punches. He’s joined by North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong for an update on disaster relief, the gas pipeline project, and why Fargo’s storm recovery matters statewide. Plus, real estate guru Eric Hatch drops by with a candid breakdown of Fargo’s housing market—spoiler alert: “You’re always paying a mortgage. It’s either yours… or your landlord’s.” Oh, and yes—Steve has strong opinions about cheese curds, street fairs, and how expensive life’s gotten for first-time buyers. ⏱️ Key Moments & Timestamps: [00:00] – 🎡 Cheese Curds & Street Fair RantsSteve opens with his take on Fargo’s Street Fair (spoiler: it was packed), cheese curd imposters, and why he skipped this year. [06:30] – 📈 Economic Snapshot & Rapid-Fire News Average gas prices: ND $2.90, MN $3.01 Dow up, Bitcoin spikes Street fair attendance up 10% Fargo debates charging for street closures FAA sirens go off mid-rainstorm (yep, it was a test—but nobody warned us) [22:10] – 🛫 B-52 Bomber vs. Delta Jet: What Happened?Details emerge about a near-miss over Minot between a Delta flight and an Air Force B-52. Steve raises concerns about communication lapses. [27:00] – 🏫 Moorhead’s $60M School ReferendumSteve explains what the proposed 10-year levy could cost homeowners: ~$24/month starting in 2026. [35:30] – 📉 Is the Side Hustle Era Over?New data shows side gigs are on the decline for the first time in 8 years. Why? Fewer people need them—at least for now. [43:20] – ⚖️ Treason Talk: Obama & the Tulsi Gabbard BombshellSteve reacts to Speaker Mike Johnson’s comments about subpoenaing Barack Obama over intelligence manipulation allegations. Is this going anywhere? “I don’t think the American people have the stomach for it,” Steve says. [1:00:30] – 🧾 Governor Kelly Armstrong Joins the ShowTopics include: 🌪️ Disaster relief for 19 ND counties ⚠️ Power grid recovery & grain bin destruction 🏭 Pipeline progress & what it means for data centers 💸 3% property tax cap fallout: “It’s a feature, not a bug.” [1:30:00] – 🏡 Eric Hatch on Real Estate Reality ChecksReal estate expert Eric Hatch breaks down the local housing market: Median Fargo home = $325K Why renting is now more expensive than a mortgage USDA and VA loan hacks…