The North Dakota Department of Commerce has opened applications for the state’s Legacy Investment for Technology, or LIFT, loan program, with submissions due April 23. State officials said the program continues to play a key role in helping North Dakota companies commercialize intellectual property and expand innovation-driven businesses across the state. “We are grateful to Read More…
U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons and South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced new coordinated efforts to combat government fraud during a joint press conference Thursday in Sioux Falls. The two offices emphasized a shared commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars, ensuring public funds reach intended recipients, and prosecuting individuals who defraud state, federal, or tribal programs. Read More…
First Interstate and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines are providing $700,000 in combined support to 34 nonprofit organizations across South Dakota, expanding funding for groups working on some of the state’s most pressing community needs. The total includes a $200,000 contribution from First Interstate, matched up to three times through FHLB Des Read More…
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality has released its 2025 State of the Environment Report, highlighting the agency’s work over the past year in air monitoring, water management, land reclamation and regulatory compliance. According to the agency, the report focuses on DEQ’s core responsibilities across air, land, waste and water, while also pointing to ongoing Read More…
(The Center Square) – The Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) is out with June’s unemployment numbers for the state. The June rate is 4.9%, which doesn’t sound too bad until you compare Washington’s performance to the rest of the nation. “When you compare us to somewhere like North and South Dakota, they’re at the 2.0% and Read More…
The Wyoming National Guard proudly celebrated the fourth successful year of its Educator Leadership Rendezvous (ELR) from July 30 to August 1, 2024, at the Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center. This annual event continues to play a pivotal role in fostering strong relationships between educators and Guard members, showcasing the National Guard as a promising Read More…
(The Center Square) – A now-deceased former state employee allegedly forged 13 vehicle titles to obtain almost $400,000 in fraudulent loans, South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said Thursday. The State Department of Revenue contacted Jackley’s office in February. The Division of Criminal Investigation conducted the probe with the cooperation of the Department of Revenue Read More…
Casey Childers of Sheridan has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Rachel Holeman, a Montana woman, in Colorado. Childers was convicted of first-degree murder, second-degree kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit second-degree kidnapping, according to Sheridan Media. The case unfolded in November 2021 when Childers, Shantel Edlund Read More…
Southeastern Idaho boasts abundant wildlife and expansive outdoor adventures, but perhaps none captivates local interest and conversation quite like the mule deer. Thriving in the sagebrush steppe and mountain shrub/aspen habitats that define the region, mule deer hold a special place in the hearts of Idahoans. However, the iconic mule deer herds face numerous challenges. Read More…
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has announced a significant development in a case involving alleged embezzlement from the state’s Department of Social Services. Lonna Carroll, 68, of Algona, IA, has been indicted for reportedly stealing an estimated $1.8 million in state and federal funds from the department’s Child Protection Services program. Carroll faces two Read More…
Governor Doug Burgum has appointed Greg Hoffman to serve as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the North Dakota Information Technology (NDIT) department, effective immediately. Hoffman, recognized for his extensive leadership within the agency, steps into the role following his tenure as interim CIO since June 1, succeeding Kuldip Mohanty. With a career spanning nearly Read More…
CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The Wyoming Transportation Commission is scheduled to convene for its regular business meeting on Thursday, July 18, starting at 8:30 a.m. The meeting will be conducted exclusively via Zoom to address agenda items and conduct necessary votes. The primary agenda items include critical discussions related to transportation infrastructure and pertinent statewide initiatives. Read More…
(The Center Square) – A bill that bans China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia or Venezuela from owning agricultural land in South Dakota took effect Monday. The bill also prohibits any of the countries from leasing agricultural land unless it is for research and is no more than 320 acres or is for the contract Read More…
(The Center Square) – Idaho Gov. Brad Little issued an executive order Wednesday meant to protect Idaho’s water resources from federal intervention. The order comes after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked an agreement between water users in Texas, New Mexico and Colorado over the Rio Grande Compact, asserting federal control in water disputes. That decision Read More…
(The Center Square) – Wyoming transportation officials believe a temporary detour can be built around where Highway 22 in Teton Pass collapsed once the area is secured, the Department of Transportation said on Monday. The pass, which connects Jackson, Wyoming to Victor, Idaho, was closed Thursday following a landslide that caused cracking in the road. Read More…
A truck driver who collided with an SUV carrying a Wyoming family on Interstate 25 was sentenced on Friday to serve 11 years in the Department of Corrections, followed by a mandatory three-year parole period. Jesus Puebla, 27, had been found guilty by a jury in March on five counts of vehicular homicide, as well Read More…
An Oregon man, Michael Meyden, admitted to spiking the smoothies of three of his daughter’s friends with sedatives during a sleepover last year and pleaded guilty to multiple felonies. Meyden, 57, of Lake Oswego, confessed to three counts of causing another person to ingest a controlled substance in Clackamas County Circuit Court. District Attorney John Read More…
(The Center Square) – U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, introduced a bipartisan bill this week in hopes of supporting ranchers who graze their livestock on federal lands. Wyden filed the Operational Flexibility Grazing Management Program Act with U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming. “After embracing the Bureau of Land Management pilot program, ranchers in eastern Oregon worked closely Read More…
(The Center Square) – Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out said Gov. Kristi Noem should examine how she is handling tribal relations after the governor called Mexican drug cartel presence in Indian country “a problem across the nation.” In a statement sent to The Center Square, Star Comes Out said Noem’s current approach Read More…
(The Center Square) – Hearings are scheduled for a carbon dioxide pipeline initially rejected by North Dakota regulators, keeping the multi-state project alive. North Dakota regulators rejected Summit Carbon Solutions’ application for the CO2 pipeline. The company was allowed to re-submit the project. North Dakota is an essential state for the project. Summit has partnered Read More…
(The Center Square) – Wyoming’s U.S. senators, John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, are not happy with the Environmental Protection Agency’s new vehicle emissions standards. The EPA says the new standards, which will be phased in from 2027 through 2032, are necessary to combat climate change and air pollution, cutting carbon emissions by 7 billion tons. The Read More…
(The Center Square) – Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray wants the U.S. Postal Service to withdraw a proposal to move mail processing from Casper’s distribution center to Montana. The USPS would move processing operations from Casper to Billings is part of a broader plan to help save money, improve service, and retain employees. Gray also opposes the Read More…
The Center Square) – Teachers in South Dakota will see raises and a new minimum salary under a bill Gov. Kristi Noem signed into law Wednesday. Noem also signed a literacy bill into law, which will appropriate $6 million to the Department of Education to fund professional development in literacy education for teachers. The teacher Read More…
(The Center Square) – Most major industries in North Dakota will add jobs over the next two years, according to a new report released by the state’s Labor Market Information Center. The state-level report looks at short-term projections through 2025. It predicted only three North Dakota industries would shrink in job numbers. The agriculture, forestry, Read More…
“I am incredibly grateful to have this opportunity to serve, and I look forward to a challenging and rewarding career on the bench,” said Dvorak. “I have a history of wanting to make a difference in the lives of others, whether as a social worker, as a volunteer or in my practice. I hope to Read More…
(The Center Square) – North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said a protest over the Dakota Access Pipeline was a “disaster” for the state during a court hearing Monday over whether the federal government should reimburse the state for $38 million in costs related to the pipeline. More than 5,000 people camped near the pipeline site Read More…
(The Center Square) – North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said Wednesday that Lt. Gov. Tammy Miller has his complete support in her bid to take his place. Burgum announced last month he would not seek a third term. Voters approved a ballot measure in 2022 limiting governors to two four-year terms but grandfathered in current Read More…
Dan Kasowski, who has served in multiple roles throughout more than 40 years at UND’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, will be inducted into the North Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame in March. A native of Buffalo, N.D., Kasowski began working at UND in 1979 as the Odegard School’s second full-time aviation mechanic. Read More…
UND hosted an event just a few blocks from the Pentagon — a conference at which government officials, industry representatives and academics gathered to discuss the role of unmanned aerial vehicles in national security and defense. The third annual UAV Technology USA Conference – organized by the London-based SAE Media Group — has been hosted Read More…
(The Center Square) – The City of Seattle will spend $1.8 million to construct an all-gender bathroom facility near the waterfront. The facility will consist of six individual all-gender stalls including an accessible stall. The breakdown of the $1.8 million bathroom facility sees $300,000 for each all-gender bathroom stall. Waterfront Seattle told The Center Square Read More…
(The Center Square) – Summit Carbon Solutions will get another chance at a carbon pipeline in North Dakota after a ruling by the state’s public service commission. State rules supersede local zoning ordinances based on changes made in 2019, said Randy Christmann, chairman of the North Dakota Public Service Commission. “I know it may not Read More…
(The Center Square) – South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem told state lawmakers Wednesday the crisis at the southern border is affecting the state. Noem is exploring various legal options on how South Dakota can support Texas and force the federal government to do their job. She said she is consulting with the Adjutant General, the Read More…
North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring visited the UND Center for Innovation (CFI) on Friday, Jan. 12, before continuing on to explore the broader biotechnology ecosystem in Grand Forks. On Friday morning, Goehring toured portions of the CFI to learn about the Center and how it is organized. He met with Amy Whitney, the Center’s Read More…
UND will reestablish a journalism major this year, exactly 100 years after first offering what became a popular and highly respected degree. Final approval having been granted from the North Dakota University System, the major will be offered in the Department of Communication, said Soojung Kim, associate professor and chair of the department. Graduates will Read More…
(The Center Square) – North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum appointed Brad Hawk to serve as the executive director of the Indian Affairs Commission and Wayne Salter as commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services. Salter is the former deputy executive commissioner of access and eligibility services for Texas Health and Human Services, according Read More…
(The Center Square) – South Dakota moved ahead of 12 states to climb to 19th place in U-Haul’s Top Growth States report for 2023. U-Haul analyzes its records of one-way equipment rentals in a calendar year to determine which states are growing or shrinking based on each state’s gain or loss of one-way equipment. This Read More…
The Center Square) – Understanding how a home mortgage works, how credit cards and debt can pile up and how to make a budget are critical financial life skills. But many students graduate high school without ever learning those skills, then find themselves deeply in debt for years to come. If a bill sponsored by Read More…
For those who have ever envisioned owning their own ranch, particularly a piece of historically rich land, a cool $67 million can transform that dream into reality. Situated in the Greybull River valley in Northwestern Wyoming, this expansive property spans 96,000 acres, offering natural grass, freshwater, and natural shelter for livestock. The current listing marks Read More…
This fall, the University of Wyoming’s Science Initiative Roadshow reached 4,209 K-12 students in six counties through 14 individual events — the program’s largest one-semester reach since it began in 2017. Events included four STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Days that included participation from the UW Wyrkshop Mobile Makerspace; the Wyoming NASA Space Grant Read More…
Efforts by UND researchers to transform the state into a hub to produce rare earth elements (REEs) and critical minerals (CMs) continue to move forward, and the pilot production facility, located off Mill Road in Grand Forks, has begun to produce concentrated mixtures of the compounds. This most recent development comes on the heels of Read More…
Cheyenne’s Planning and Development Department has been rolling out a series of proposals to update code requirements for building with the goal of incentivizing development — ultimately increasing the supply of housing and decreasing the cost of construction and rent. However, its first large-scale proposal was rejected by the Cheyenne City Council on Monday. Read More…
The South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Department reports that Big Stone Lake on the Minnesota-South Dakota border is the latest body of water infested with zebra mussels. Game & Fish Communications Manager Nick Harrington says effective education and outreach is key for slowing the spread of aquatic invasive species, and the department’s Zebra Mussel Read More…
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has confirmed the presence of chronic wasting disease, or CWD, in Wyoming’s Deer Hunt Area 154. The disease was detected in a hunter-harvested buck mule deer in September. Deer Hunt Area 154 is in the Jackson Region and is bordered by three areas in which CWD was previously detected Read More…
No harmful levels of carcinogenic PCBs were found inside the missile launch facilities at F.E. Warren Air Force base in Wyoming, the service said Tuesday, as it looks for possible causes for cancers being reported among its nuclear missile community. F.E. Warren is among three nuclear bases the Air Force is investigating. Earlier this month the Air Read More…