North Dakota News

North Dakota Ethics Commissioners to evaluate ‘strained’ relationship with Attorney General’s Office

Commissioners Murray Sagsveen, left, and Ronald Goodman, right, members of the North Dakota Ethics Commission, listen to a House committee hearing on March 18, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — The North Dakota Ethics Commission is looking into whether strongly worded communications from the state Attorney General’s Office have negatively impacted commission staff. The decision follows…

North Dakota legislative district map to remain in place for now, Supreme Court decides

A sign in Devils Lake, North Dakota, marks the road leading to the Spirit Lake Reservation. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor)WASHINGTON, D.C. (North Dakota Monitor) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday put a temporary freeze on North Dakota’s legislative district map, keeping it in place pending next steps in a tribal voting rights case against the state. The move came…

Prairie Public expects ‘significant hit’ from federal cuts to PBS, NPR

John Harris, president and CEO of Prairie Public Broadcasting, speaks March 7, 2025, during a legislative committee hearing about state and federal funding for the organization. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)FARGO (North Dakota Monitor) — North Dakota-based Prairie Public Broadcasting may look and sound different over the next 12 months if Senate lawmakers proceed with expected funding cuts. John Harris, president…

Measles outbreaks in Illinois and North Dakota have ended

Health officials in Illinois and North Dakota say their states’ measles outbreaks are over, pointing to a continuing slowdown of measles spread in the U.S. during vaccine-preventable disease’s worst year since 1991. Wednesday’s national case count stood at 1,309 — 21 new cases in a week, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last week, the U.S. passed the…

Gene-Edited Microbe Provides Crops with Nitrogen Boost at Grand Farm

The microbe, developed by Pivot Bio, has the potential to massively increase the yield from crops like corn and barley.

WHEATLAND, N.D. (KVRR) – It was a field day – literally – at Grand Farms Innovation Campus in Wheatland on July 16. The agriculture company Pivot Bio unveiled Proven G3, which are gene-edited-nitrogen-fixing microbes. That may sound complicated – and it is – but the way it is beneficial to crops is relatively simple. Naturally occurring microbes in the soil…

Folkways Making Progress in Getting Approval to Close City Street

They want added safety for the participants when they attempt to break the world record for most s'mores eaten at one time.

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – We have an update on Folkways’ request to close downtown streets for a world record attempt. The organization plans to break the world record for most s’mores eaten at the same time at their Night Bazaar on July 24. They hope to have over 1,200 people in the Broadway square area, so they submitted three separate…

Bail set for Fargo man involved in standoff with SWAT Monday morning in Moorhead

MOORHEAD, Minn. (KVRR) — A Fargo man accused of fleeing and hiding from law enforcement in a south Moorhead house on Monday makes his first court appearance. The judge set bond for 42-year-old Christopher Ringsrud-Knowels at $600,000 with conditions or $800,000 without conditions. He was out on bond for a possesion of explosives case in Grand Forks County and two…

AgViews Live: Trouble in Trump Country

FARGO — Bankers who work in agricultural finance say President Trump’s tariffs are costing him major support among farmers in what used to be solidly Trump country. That’s the word ahead of the annual AgViews Live seminar by Bell Bank. Uncertainty over the future of federal farm programs and tariffs on some trade items, as well as whether tariff trouble…

Fourth person reaches plea deal in brutal downtown Fargo beating in April 2024

Esiquio Hernandez FARGO, N.D. (KVRR/KFGO) — Another man has been sentenced for his part in a beating that left a man severely injured in downtown Fargo in April 2024. In a plea deal, 27-year-old Esiquio Hernandez pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault and had charges of robbery and accomplice to aggravated assualt dropped. He also pleaded guilty to…

Walsh County Commission votes 3-2 to uses sales tax to build new $25 million jail

GRAFTON, N.D. (KVRR/KFGO) — Walsh County Sheriff Ron Jurgens says the county will use the sales tax that passed during a special election in May for a new jail. Voters approved a three quarter percent sales tax but rejected a 20 mill property tax increase. Both needed to pass for the project to move forward, but Walsh County Commission voted…