Featured Articles in Regional News

Applications Open for Wyoming Main Street Advisory Board

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Applications are open for Wyoming residents seeking a seat on the Wyoming Main Street Advisory Board, a volunteer panel that helps guide efforts to strengthen downtowns and support local businesses across the state. The seven-member board works alongside Wyoming Business Council staff on the services and priorities of the Wyoming Main Street Read More…

Gordon Says Wyoming Supreme Court Ruling Clarifies School Funding Duties

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon said a new state Supreme Court ruling provides clearer direction on the Legislature’s constitutional obligations for public-school funding while preserving lawmakers’ authority over how the state meets those requirements. The Wyoming Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part a lower-court ruling in a long-running dispute over education funding. The Read More…

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Two new officers mark a first for UND Police

There wasn’t much empty space inside UND’s Office of Safety on Sept. 23. Family, friends and fellow officers packed the room to watch two new female officers take their oaths. “Two new women joining the constellation of stars here in the Department of Safety is a monumental event,” said Chief of Police Rodney Clark. Standing Read More…

Applications Open for Wyoming Main Street Advisory Board

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Applications are open for Wyoming residents seeking a seat on the Wyoming Main Street Advisory Board, a volunteer panel that helps guide efforts to strengthen downtowns and support local businesses across the state. The seven-member board works alongside Wyoming Business Council staff on the services and priorities of the Wyoming Main Street Read More…

Medora opens new possibilities for research at UND

In about 12 minutes, an artificial intelligence program running on UND’s new high-performance computing cluster, Medora, identified business challenges in 500 sets of notes from meetings with North Dakota business owners. The test was an early step in a project that could help small business advisors recognize recurring problems and better anticipate what their clients Read More…

Gordon Says Wyoming Supreme Court Ruling Clarifies School Funding Duties

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon said a new state Supreme Court ruling provides clearer direction on the Legislature’s constitutional obligations for public-school funding while preserving lawmakers’ authority over how the state meets those requirements. The Wyoming Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part a lower-court ruling in a long-running dispute over education funding. The Read More…

North Dakota Drone Replacement Program Nears Final Procurement Stage

North Dakota is entering the final stages of procurement for the state’s Drone Replacement Program, an initiative designed to transition state agencies to National Defense Authorization Act-compliant unmanned aircraft systems. Made possible through support from the North Dakota Legislature, the program was created in response to changing federal requirements surrounding UAS technology. Transitioning agencies to Read More…

UND again named among region’s best places to work

For the second year in a row, the University of North Dakota has been named one of the region’s 50 Best Places to Work by Prairie Business magazine. The annual list recognizes organizations across the region based on nominations from the people who know those workplaces best. This year, Prairie Business received nearly 1,400 nominations Read More…

South Dakota DCI Reviews Edmunds County Commission Candidate Petition

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said the Division of Criminal Investigation reviewed discrepancies involving Edmunds County commission candidate Juliane Burgod’s nominating petition and her owner-occupied property-tax status. The matter was referred to the Attorney General’s Office by Edmunds County State’s Attorney Vaughn Beck, who reported that the address listed on Burgod’s candidate petition appeared Read More…

Seattle mayor gives official explanation for police chief’s forced resignation

(The Center Square) – Seattle City Councilmember Bob Kettle acknowledged receiving a long-awaited formal explanation from Mayor Katie Wilson’s administration regarding the forced resignation of former Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes on Friday. He maintains he still disagrees with how the executive branch handled Barnes’ ousting. In a letter sent on behalf of the mayor, Read More…

Registration Open, Agenda Announced for 2026 Governor’s Workforce Summit

The North Dakota Department of Commerce announced that registration is open and the agenda has been released for the 2026 Governor’s Workforce Summit, set for Sept. 23 at the Bismarck State College National Energy Center of Excellence. The summit will bring together policymakers, employers, educators, workforce professionals and community leaders to explore solutions for strengthening Read More…

South Dakota Highway Patrol Graduates Nine New Troopers

Nine new South Dakota Highway Patrol troopers graduated Thursday during a ceremony at the Larkspur Landing Event Center, joining the agency’s 73rd recruit academy class. Gov. Larry Rhoden congratulated the graduates and thanked them for their commitment to public service, saying law enforcement officers play an important role in keeping South Dakota communities safe. Highway Read More…

UND welcomes new faculty cohort

Last week, UND welcomed its latest cohort of new faculty members to campus for an event designed to familiarize them with the University and the wider Grand Forks community. On August 21, 42 scholars gathered at the Nistler College of Business & Public Administration for the University’ annual new faculty orientation. Vice Provost for Faculty Read More…

Idaho Honors Nine First Responders With Medal of Honor

Idaho Gov. Brad Little and Attorney General Raúl Labrador have awarded the Idaho Medal of Honor to nine first responders for acts of courage that went beyond the ordinary demands of their jobs. The recipients include five law-enforcement officers and four firefighters whose actions ranged from entering burning buildings and fast-moving water to confronting an Read More…

North Dakota Awards $269,400 for Regional Workforce Projects

The North Dakota Department of Commerce has awarded nearly $270,000 to three regional projects aimed at addressing workforce shortages and improving employee retention in healthcare, energy and education. The funding comes through the state’s Regional Workforce Impact Program, which supports locally developed strategies designed around the workforce needs of individual communities and industries. “RWIP continues Read More…

South Dakota Taps Three Agencies to Lead State Tourism Marketing Push

Lawrence & Schiller, Lou Hammond Group and Miles Partnership win multiyear contracts after fifty firms competed for the work Travel South Dakota has selected three marketing and public relations firms to guide the state’s tourism promotion efforts, capping a competitive bidding process that drew interest from agencies across the country. The state tourism office said Read More…

AG Labrador Secures Up to $127.7 Million for Idaho in Meta Settlement

Idaho will receive at least $89.2 million and could collect as much as $127.7 million under a sweeping $17.1 billion multistate settlement with Meta Platforms over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were deliberately designed to encourage addictive use among children. The agreement, announced by Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, resolves claims brought by states and Read More…

EERC research looks to unlock more of the Bakken

Most North Dakotans will never set foot on a drilling rig or analyze rocks from thousands of feet beneath the surface of the Bakken Formation, but nearly everyone in the state has benefited from what lies below. For more than two decades, the Bakken Formation in western North Dakota has helped fuel North Dakota’s economy, generating more than $35 billion in tax revenue Read More…

Armstrong Appoints Tony Hillig as North Dakota Parks and Recreation Director

Gov. Kelly Armstrong appointed Tony Hillig, recreation division chief for the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department, as the agency’s new director, effective immediately. Hillig has served as chief of the department’s recreation division since December 2020, overseeing recreation grants, trail management, motorized recreation and safety programs statewide. He joined the department in 2019 as Read More…

Labrador Appeals Ruling Blocking Idaho’s Abortion Law

Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador filed a notice of appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and an emergency motion seeking a stay of a federal district court ruling that he says improperly overrides Idaho’s Defense of Life Act and invents a new constitutional right to abortion. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill ruled Read More…

North Dakota Joins $15.5M Settlement With Mortgage Servicer Over Force-Placed Insurance

The North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions joined financial regulators from 48 agencies across 47 states in reaching a $15.5 million settlement with NewRez LLC, one of the nation’s largest mortgage servicers, over the company’s improper use of force-placed insurance on borrowers who already had active homeowners insurance policies. The settlement, announced Wednesday and coordinated Read More…

Governor Gordon Appoints Jeremy Kisling to Wyoming’s Fourth Judicial District Circuit Court

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Gov. Mark Gordon has appointed Jeremy Kent Kisling to serve as a circuit court judge in Wyoming’s Fourth Judicial District, filling a vacancy on the bench serving Johnson and Sheridan counties. Gordon announced the appointment Aug. 6 following Wyoming’s judicial selection process. Kisling was among the nominees submitted to the governor by Read More…

UW Contributes to New Study on North America Bison History

Genetic material from bison bones collected at Wyoming archaeological sites — and housed at the University of Wyoming — played a key role in a sweeping new study about the history of the iconic species in North America. The study — which involved researchers from more than 30 institutions and organizations, including Wyoming State Archaeologist Read More…

Thick smoke rises from an industrial chimney. Photo: Kelly / Pexels

Financial officers applaud climate rule rescission

A coalition of state financial officers applauded the Securities and Exchange Commission for moving to rescind its 2024 climate disclosure rules that is estimated to save public businesses more than $7.9 billion. In March 2024, the SEC approved amendments to its rules that would mandate all public companies disclose greenhouse gas emissions, how it managed climate-related risks, Read More…

Human nutrition degree opens new path to medical school

Nutrition is moving closer to the center of medical education, allowing pre health students a different path to careers in medicine. In June, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced new commitments from medical education and accreditation organizations to strengthen nutrition instruction throughout medical school, residency and professional training. Seventy-three medical schools have Read More…

UND Launches Four New Degree Programs Targeting Workforce Gaps

The University of North Dakota has launched four new degree programs spanning aerospace, law and nursing, all designed to address workforce shortages in North Dakota while expanding opportunities for students. The newest addition to UND’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences is a dedicated Bachelor of Science in Helicopter Operations, separating helicopter flight training Read More…

Register Now for North Dakota’s 2026 Global Talent Summit

The North Dakota Department of Commerce has opened registration for the 2026 Global Talent Summit, a one-day event bringing together employers, workforce professionals, educators, community leaders and government partners to explore strategies for addressing workforce shortages through global talent. The summit will be held Sept. 3 at the National Energy Center of Excellence on the Read More…

Labrador Secures Record Amounts for Idaho Consumers

Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced his Consumer Protection Division returned a record amount to Idaho consumers through voluntary dispute resolution in the first half of 2026, with more than $956,000 recovered without the need for lawsuits or court orders through the end of June. After Labrador reorganized the division in mid-2025 to strengthen investigations Read More…

Armstrong Appoints Three to ND Higher Education Board

North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong appointed Minot entrepreneur Kevin Black and Grand Forks physician and healthcare administrator Dr. Joshua Deere to four-year terms on the State Board of Higher Education, along with Mayville State University student Kelby Azure to a one-year term as the board’s student member. Black, who has served on the board since Read More…

Court Blocks SD Abortion Pill Ad Ban

A federal judge on Friday blocked South Dakota from enforcing a new state law restricting advertising for abortion pills against a New York-based reproductive health nonprofit, dealing a temporary setback to the state’s effort to crack down on abortion pill information campaigns. U.S. District Judge Camela Theeler issued a preliminary injunction barring enforcement of House Read More…