Politics / Elections

Seventy Minnesota school districts hold vote on tax levy

DILWORTH, Minn. (KVRR) — Seventy school districts in Minnesota had referendums on the ballot. Asking residents in their district to consider a tax levy for ten years. “I believe it’s important to keep the IEP’s and special needs stuff in the school. The sports and everything is really important to keep the kids active. And to broaden their minds of…

Around 70 school districts across Minnesota have referendum votes on Tuesday

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — Tuesday is election day and Minnesota School Boards Association says 70 school districts have referendums on the ballot, amounting to $1.6 billion in potential tax levies. The association points to a number of factors behind the rise in school referendums including inflation, state Paid Family Leave requirements and uncertainty over federal funding. Among the school districts…

Trump administration says SNAP will be partially funded after judges’ rulings

President Donald Trump’s administration said Monday that it will partially fund SNAP after a pair of judges’ rulings required it to keep the food aid program running. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program starting Nov. 1 because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown. The program…

North Dakota tribes finding food, fuel solutions with federal aid uncertain

The Great Plains Food Bank, which works with food pantries across North Dakota, is getting money from the state of North Dakota to buy food in light of uncertainty over federal nutrition programs. Some of that food is expected to benefit tribal nations. (Photo courtesy of Great Plains Food Bank)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe,…

Republican House Speaker Demuth to run for governor of Minnesota

Republican State Rep. Lisa Demuth of Cold Spring sworn in as House SpeakerST. PAUL (KVRR/FOX9) — Minnesota Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth is jumping into the crowded field of Republicans running for governor. The 58-year-old from Cold Spring represents District 13A in central Minnesota which includes the cities of Cold Spring and St. Joseph. She was named speaker back…

1 named to North Dakota Ethics Commission, other 2 seats still in limbo

Sen. Kathy Hogan, from left, Gov. Kelly Armstrong and Sen. David Hogue hold an Ethics Commission selection committee meeting Sept. 23, 2025, at the Capitol. (Photo by Jacob Orledge/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — State officials have tapped former Office of Management and Budget Director Pam Sharp to fill one of the three open seats on the North…

North Dakota provides $1.5 million for food, federal aid programs

Interim Health and Human Services Commissioner Pat Traynor discusses how the state is working to fund a federal assistance program for new mothers and young children during the federal government shut down. (Mary Steurer/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — North Dakota is using $1.5 million in Department of Health and Human Services general fund money to address food…

FMWF Chamber of Commerce starts initiative to promote civic engagement within the community

FARGO — The Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce is starting an initiative to get more people involved in their communities. They are launching the Civic Engagement Center and are hoping to help shape the next community leaders. It will be a website rather than a physical location where people and businesses can learn about their local representatives and…

Judge slashes jury damages in Greenpeace case to $345 million

DAPL protest (Morton Co. Sheriff)DICKINSON, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — A North Dakota judge has nearly halved the $660 million sum Greenpeace was ordered to pay the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline in March. A nine-person jury had found the environmental group at fault for harming Energy Transfer during anti-pipeline protests in North Dakota in 2016 and 2017, as…

If SNAP benefits end November 1, how many people will be impacted in our region?

FARGO, N.D. (KVRRFOX 9) — SNAP or food stamp payments will end this weekend due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. The program provides food assistance to over 42 million low-income people each month. That equals nearly 1 in 8 people across the country. In Minnesota, there are 451,966 people on SNAP with 57,129 in North Dakota and 75,282 in…