The Steve Hallstrom Show Episode 765: The 90-Degree Heat Ridge, The $23 Million Pool Settlement, and The Soft America Dilemma

Live from the Fargo studio, host Steve Hallstrom delivers a wide-ranging Wednesday edition tackling local news, political shifts, and national health policy discussions. Steve details a high-profile federal lawsuit filed against a Fargo hotel following a child's injury on a pool slide, examines the expanding drought conditions across North Dakota, and explores Senate Leader David Hogue's legislative priorities for the upcoming special session. The episode also features a discussion on higher education grading policies at the University of Michigan and reviews economic development plans for downtown Moorhead. Key Moments Federal Pool Slide Lawsuit Filed Against Fargo Hotel: Steve breaks down a federal lawsuit filed by a South Dakota family against a Fargo hotel and pool contractor. The complaint alleges a five-year-old child suffered a skull fracture and brain bleed after falling from a defective slide during a youth hockey tournament, prompting calls for stricter commercial pool safety enforcement. Governor Armstrong Declares Statewide Drought Emergency: As North Dakota experiences one of its warmest and driest July periods on record, Governor Kelly Armstrong officially declared a statewide drought disaster. Chief Meteorologist Dean Wysocki joins the program to share regional temperature data, noting that Fargo has already logged 24 days over 90 degrees this season compared to zero after Memorial Day in 2025. Senate Leader David Hogue Details Special Session Priorities: North Dakota Senate Majority Leader David Hogue joins the line to discuss the five bills selected for the September special session. Hogue outlines the dual approach to kratom regulation—which includes a complete ban on synthetic derivatives—and details proposed restrictions on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) between local governments and commercial data center developers. The Free School Meal Ballot Measure Standoff: Steve and Senator Hogue analyze the upcoming November ballot initiative proposing free school breakfasts and lunches for all North Dakota K-12 students. Hogue criticizes the measure for eliminating income-based means testing, pointing out that low-income families are already covered under current state and federal programs. The University of Michigan's Pass/Fail Freshman Policy: On Best Thing I Heard All Day, Steve reacts to a report from The Wall Street Journal detailing the University of Michigan's decision to drop traditional letter grades for first-semester freshmen. Replacing grades with pass/fail marks to alleviate student stress, Steve questions whether removing academic friction hinders long-term resilience and professional preparation. Downtown Moorhead Development and Restaurant Transitions: Matt Lysacker, President and CEO of Downtown Moorhead, Inc., stops by the studio to…