ban Archives - KVRR Local News

Minnesota Legislators, Activists Push For School Phone Ban

Minnesota Considers School Cell Phone Ban

The ban is not quite as encompassing as that of North Dakota; a concession lawmakers said was necessary in order to get an official piece of legislation on the books.

February 26, 2026

Gabriel Ostler,

MOORHEAD, MN (KVRR) – Katrina Ball, a co-lead for the Distraction Free Schools Policy Project in Minnesota, initially focused on a cell phone ban for her local school district in Battle Lake. Quickly, though, she came to find that a tedious and ineffective method for policy change. “If we wait for all 330+ school districts to come to the same…

Vape Store Owners Speak Out About Potential Ban Of Flavored Products In Fargo

Vape Store Owners Speak Out Regarding Potential Flavored Tobacco, Nicotine Ban

Zach Johnson, the owner of Sports Vape, argues that the ban would not prevent minors from obtaining such products and would cost the city a significant amount of tax revenue.

February 25, 2026

Gabriel Ostler,

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – “We shouldn’t be taking away our rights and our freedoms under the guise of protecting the youth,” says Zach Johnson, owner of Sports Vape in Fargo. Johnson says that he understands the basic motivation behind the proposed ban of flavored tobacco and nicotine products, but that it simply won’t have the desired effect. Last Friday, the…

School cell phone ban, legal marijuana edibles & 80 MPH on interstates go into effect August 1

Both pieces of legislation signed by Governor Armstrong don't have universal support - with opponents of the phone ban saying it cuts off students' access to communication in case of emergency, while marijuana advocates wonder why recreational consumption isn't yet legal.

July 31, 2025

Gabriel Ostler,

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – It’s been a common refrain from educators and even parents frustrated at their child’s amount of screen time. Electronics are making it exceedingly difficult for kids to focus, especially in school. Thanks to HB 1160 – those distractions should be eliminated, starting on August 27 for the 2025-26 Fargo Public school year. “It’s also going to…

Walsh County Bans Camping at the Matejcek Dam

Authorities say they didn't want to take this step, but felt they had no other choice given locals' safety concerns.

July 3, 2025

Gabriel Ostler,

WALSH COUNTY, N.D. (KVRR) – Walsh County Commissioner Kristi Brintnell lives just miles from the Matejcek Dam. She says that for ages, people used the informal campsite overlooking the water as a place to enjoy the beauty of nature for a few nights. Now, though, people are staying for months at a time. That’s raised concerns about safety and cleanliness…

TikTok Back Online After Brief Shutdown

The future of the app is still unclear, but reports indicate that President-Elect Trump plans to sign an executive order delaying the ban for 90 days.

January 19, 2025

Gabriel Ostler,

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KVRR) – Nobody knew for certain what TikTok would look like come January 19th – the day its supposed ban went into effect. But it ended up being the 18th that saw all the drama. First, a warning. Then, a full shutdown. Followed by a quick restoration that gave credit to President Trump – the day before his inauguration….

North Dakota seeks dismissal of lawsuit over health care for transgender youth

November 26, 2024

KVRR Staff,

South Central Judicial District Judge Jackson Lofgren presides over a hearing Jan. 19, 2024, in Bismarck. (Amy Dalrymple/North Dakota Monitor)BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) — An attorney representing North Dakota in a lawsuit challenging its ban on gender-affirming medical care for minors asked a state judge on Monday to throw out the case. Special Assistant Attorney General Joseph Quinn presented…

FDA issues plan to ban menthol cigarettes, cigars

April 28, 2022

Jim Monk,

WASHINGTON – The U.S. government has released its long-awaited plan to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars. The Food and Drug Administration said phasing out menthol cigarettes would save hundreds of thousands of lives by helping adult smokers quit. Menthol is the only cigarette flavor that was not banned under the 2009 law that gave the FDA authority over tobacco…

Watch: Biden bans Russian oil imports

March 8, 2022

Jim Monk,

WASHINGTON – President Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia’s economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine, according to a person familiar with the matter. The move follows pleas by Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy to U.S. and Western officials to cut off the imports. Energy exports have kept a steady influx of cash flowing…

Ban on Evictions Ends Tonight in Minnesota

October 12, 2021

TJ Nelson,

ST. PAUL, Minn. — When millions of Americans were unable to work because of the COVID-19 shutdown, a ban on evictions went into effect to help those behind on their rent. In Minnesota, tonight those protections end. The only exception is for renters who have already applied for rental assistance through the state. Tenants with pending rental assistance claims will…

Minnesota bans moving farmed deer to control CWD

June 1, 2021

Jim Monk,

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota wildlife managers have imposed a statewide ban on the movement of farmed white-tailed deer through the end of July. They’re attempting to control an outbreak of chronic wasting disease that threatens the state’s wild deer population. The ban is meant to curtail the spread of the fatal brain disease, which can spread when captive deer…