Author: Jim Monk

Highway Patrol reports icy roads in central North Dakota

(North Dakota Highway Patrol)BISMARCK, N.D. (KVRR) – Slippery road conditions are causing travel issues in portions of central North Dakota. The North Dakota Highway Patrol says an icy section of road led to a rollover crash just east of Bismarck on I-94 near the rest area. Troopers say the driver lost control, went into the ditch and rolled. The driver…

North Dakota income drops during pandemic

BISMARCK, N.D. – Reported income by all North Dakota residents and the number of filers dropped last year largely due to the coronavirus pandemic. State Tax Department data show the reported gross income by North Dakotans dropped by 8.4 % in 2020, while the number of filers dropped by more than 18,000 from the year before. Tax Department records show…

Former middle school principal found dead in Brainerd jail

BRAINERD, Minn. – A former middle school principal serving a prison sentence was found dead in the Crow Wing County Jail. Christopher Jerome Endicott had previously been sentenced to prison for identity theft, stalking and burglary. Endicott was arrested in 2018 on charges of illegally accessing school district records after leaving the district and making purchases using the credit card…

Redevelopment of south Fargo Kmart site takes another step

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR/KFGO) – The Fargo Tax Exempt Review Committee is recommending the City Commission approve the renewal plan and developer agreement for tax increment financing for a portion of the proposed redevelopment of the vacant Kmart site on University Drive. The $1.45 million tax break sought by Enclave Development is needed for the plan to proceed according to the city’s…

South Dakota Supreme Court rules against pot legalization

PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Supreme Court has upheld a lower court’s ruling that nullified a voter-passed amendment to the state constitution that would have legalized recreational marijuana use. Gov. Kristi Noem instigated the legal fight to strike down the amendment passed by voters in November. The Republican governor opposed marijuana legalization, but her administration argued in court that…

Avian flu in Minnesota turkey flock not a risk to public

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Health officials say a strain of avian flu confirmed in a commercial turkey flock in southern Minnesota does not pose a risk to the public and there are no food safety concerns for consumers. The state Board of Animal Health says routine testing discovered low pathogenic avian influenza at a farm in Kandiyohi County. The board…

North Dakota outlines plan to restore native grasslands

BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Game and Fish Department has outlined a plan to bring landowners, conservation groups, scientists, and others together to restore native grasslands. The agency says North Dakota has lost more than 70% of its native prairie, which is essential for wildlife, pollinators, ranching operations and communities. The Meadowlark Initiative allows producers to plant marginal cropland…

Biden asks federal appeals court to reinstate vaccine mandate

WASHINGTON (CNN) – The Biden administration is asking the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals to wipe away an order from another appeals court blocking its Occupational Safety and Health Administration vaccine mandate. Several lawsuits were brought challenging the OSHA mandate, and last week the cases were consolidated in the 6th Circuit. Before the cases were consolidated, the 5th US…