With North Dakota’s measles outbreak expanding beyond Williams County, Minot Public Schools Superintendent Scott Faul briefed the school board Friday on the district’s preparations should a case emerge locally. Faul said the district is coordinating with First District Health and has notified unvaccinated families about the risks. While no cases have been reported in Ward County, school officials have already canceled a middle school band trip to Williston as a precaution. The district is ready to follow state-mandated quarantine protocols if needed, with just 10 days of school remaining.
North Dakota’s manufacturing support network, Impact Dakota, is facing a precarious future after the Trump administration abruptly slashed its federal funding. The program, which provides training and efficiency consulting to manufacturers statewide, temporarily lost its $800,000 grant on April 1 and was only granted a six-month reprieve. CEO Jodie Mjoen says without restored funding by fall, the organization could shut down, cutting off vital services especially in rural communities. State officials remain hopeful, but with ongoing economic uncertainty and workforce challenges, many warn this is the worst time to gut support for North Dakota’s industrial backbone.
Despite former Senator Ray Holmberg’s 10-year prison sentence for traveling abroad to sexually exploit children, North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley says the investigation is far from over. Wrigley confirms that his office is actively pursuing leads to identify possible accomplices and individuals who may have helped conceal Holmberg’s crimes. Federal records suggest Holmberg encouraged others to join him on trips to Prague, where he abused boys as young as 12. Wrigley says his office is working closely with international law enforcement and vows that “no stone will be left unturned.”
As Red Flag Warnings persist across North Dakota, state and federal fire crews battled 60 wildfires over the weekend, burning more than 1,100 new acres on top of the 3,600-acre Turtle Mountain fire complex. Dry, windy conditions continue to fuel high fire danger, with major burns reported in Morton and Sheridan counties. Officials urge residents to stay vigilant, avoid burning, and immediately report signs of smoke to help reduce firefighter risk and prevent further damage.
Two North Dakota judges have rejected Summit Carbon Solutions' attempts to dismiss lawsuits filed by landowners over its multistate CO₂ pipeline project, allowing the legal challenges to proceed. The lawsuits target both Summit and state regulators, raising concerns over property rights, safety, and transparency, including alleged withheld data on CO₂ storage impacts. The rulings mark a key legal hurdle for the controversial project, which plans to transport carbon emissions from ethanol plants to western North Dakota for underground storage.
The U.S. and China have agreed to a 90-day pause on escalating tariffs, dialing down tensions in their ongoing trade war. Starting Wednesday, both countries will lower retaliatory tariffs to 10%, easing pressure on global markets — though key duties tied to fentanyl chemicals and small-package imports remain. While the White House calls it a “landmark deal,” critics warn the uncertainty and steep tariffs still in place leave businesses in limbo.
