North Dakota
Will North Dakota keep standing pat on minimum wage?
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When the calendar flips to January, a number of states will increase their minimum wage levels – but just like recent years, North Dakota won’t be among them. Those pushing for changes plan to try again.
North Dakota’s minimum wage hasn’t gone up in 15 years, standing firm at $7.25 an hour – also the federal level.
Meanwhile, many other states in this part of the country have gradually boosted theirs above $10.
State Representative LaurieBeth Hager – D-Fargo – said she made this a big priority while serving in North Dakota’s Legislature.
She echoed what some in the research community have noted, about giving low-income populations the power to lift themselves out of poverty.
“If people are making more, and have more buying potential, more earning potential,” said Hager, “their whole life and their whole dreams can be entirely different.”
And while researchers say these moves might not lead to big job losses, there are lingering concerns about employers turning to automation.
Hager said she doesn’t have a firm number for a forthcoming bill this session, but she said she plans to keep it around $9 to make it easier for small businesses to absorb.
Republicans still control both chambers, and Hager said she plans to seek approval in placing the issue before voters – as opposed to a simple Legislative vote like last session.
Citizen-led ballot questions also are options and have worked in other conservative-led states – but Hager said that can be a thorny issue in North Dakota, even if voters say yes.
Meanwhile, Landis Larson – president of the North Dakota AFL-CIO – said skeptics might argue about costs being passed along to consumers or other drawbacks.
But he added that not making adjustments for low-wage earners can be felt in other ways.
“You know, if you look at it another way,” said Larson, “most of those people are on some kind of government programs that actually everyone pays for in the long run.”
A 2021 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that millions of American adults earning low wages rely on federal programs, like Medicaid, to meet basic needs.
Nationwide, more than 20 states and nearly 40 cities will increase their minimum wage rates when the new year begins.
North Dakota
North Dakota voters to decide single-subject requirement for future constitutional amendments on June 9
BRECKENRIDGE — Coaches, teammates, friends and family gathered in the south parking lot of Breckenridge High School for another state tournament sendoff.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
This year, it was Troy Berndt taking the ceremonial convertible ride. He is headed to St. Michael-Albertville High School for the Minnesota Class A State Track and Field Meet on June 4-6.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
He will be running in the third heat of the 400-meter prelims, scheduled for 4:52 p.m. June 4. There are seven athletes in each heat, 21 total, and nine will advance to the finals at 6:20 p.m. June 5.
The top two finishers in each heat advance, along with the next three best times. Berndt’s personal best time of 50.67 has him seeded 13th, but the 10th-, 11th- and 12th-seeded runners are less than five hundredths of a second ahead of him. The eighth- and ninth-seeded runners are also close, at 50.33 and 50.39, respectively.
Berndt dropped nearly seven-tenths of a second from his previous personal best at the Section 6A West Subsection Meet on May 21, running 51.35, and shaved another 0.68 seconds off at the Section 6A Championships on May 28 with a time of 50.67. If he keeps lowering his time, he will have a shot at reaching the podium against the best runners in Class A.
Corbin Abner Lee / Wahpeton Daily News
Results and photos will be available online immediately following the race June 4 and in the June 10 print edition of the Wahpeton Daily News.
Corbin Lee is a sports reporter for the Wahpeton Daily News and Richland County News-Monitor. Corbin can be reached by calling (701) 291-3551 or emailing corbin.lee@wahpetondailynews.com.
On this day in 1971, Rugby repeated as North Dakota’s high school sand greens golf champion behind medalist Dwight Stempson’s winning performance.
Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:
Rugby Repeats As Sand Greens Golf Champion
RUGBY, N. D. — Rugby repeated as North Dakota high school sand greens golf champion here Wednesday, posting a four-man total of 293 strokes for 18 holes.
Led by medalist Dwight Stempson’s medalist 36-35 — 71, the Panthers were eight strokes ahead of runnerup Stanley, which had a 301. Following were Garrison 311, Beulah 315, Leeds 322, Ashley 323, Bottineau 328, Pembina 329, Tioga 332, Parshall 341 and Hettinger 342.
Stempson and teammate Bruce Carlson each had one-under par 71s, but Carlson was unable to be at the regional and wasn’t qualified for individual honors.
Rounding out the Rugby totals were Delwin Wilson 40-37 — 77 and Dennett Hutchinson 35-39 — 74. Gary Kirchoffner, 41-39 — 80, was Rugby’s fifth entrant with the best four-of-five scores counted.
Runnerup Stanley was led by Steve Springan’s 34-38 — 72 and Joe Springan’s 36-38 — 74. Their two-man total of 146 strokes was good enough for the doubles title. Two strokes back with a 148 was the duo of Stempson and Wilson. Stan Saathoff and Mike Stepina of Garrison each had 76s for a 152 total and the Ashley combo of Steve Maier (76) and Dave Kretschmar (78) was fourth with a 154.
Stempson was the driving contest winner with a distance of 280 yards. Chris Knutson of Garrison headed the pitch and putt competition.
Kate Almquist is the social media manager for InForum. After working as an intern, she joined The Forum full time starting in January 2022. Readers can reach her at kalmquist@forumcomm.com.
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