• North Dakota State Rep. Liz Conmy died in a small plane crash in a Minnesota suburb.
• The crash occurred shortly after takeoff from Crystal Airport, killing both people on board.
• The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash.

State Rep. Liz Conmy, a Democrat from Fargo, died Saturday after a plane crash, North Dakota’s Democratic-NPL Party said Saturday evening.

The crash involving a small plane occurred shortly before noon Saturday in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, a suburb of the Twin Cities, the Brooklyn Park Police Department reported. 

The National Transportation Safety Board said a Beech F33A airplane crashed in a residential area shortly after taking off from the Crystal Airport in Minnesota. The Federal Aviation Administration said two people were on board.

Brooklyn Park Police said both occupants died. Police did not identify the victims as of Sunday. No one on the ground was hurt.

KFGO reported the pilot who died was a friend of Conmy’s.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, and an investigator was expected to arrive on the scene Sunday to document the site and examine the airplane, said NTSB spokesperson Keith Holloway.

More: FAA changes drone rule after Minneapolis photojournalist’s lawsuit

North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong offered condolences Saturday to Conmy’s family, friends and fellow legislators.

“Liz served her state and community with care and compassion, from her service in the Legislature and on the state’s Human Trafficking Commission to her work on education, habitat and immigration,” Armstrong said in a statement. 

State Sen. Tim Mathern has represented District 11 in south Fargo alongside Conmy. 

“I really see Liz as having a zest for life,” Mathern said Sunday. 

Mathern said many people did not realize that Conmy was still actively engaged in agriculture, running the farm near Langdon that she took over from her parents. 

“She had one foot out there in rural North Dakota and one foot in Fargo,” Mathern said. “That sort of broad perspective was unique among legislators.” 

House Minority Leader Zac Ista, D-Grand Forks, said he is “completely devastated” by the loss.

“She lived life to its fullest, never shying from adventure or speaking her mind — often in refreshingly direct terms,” Ista said in a statement. “As a lawmaker, she championed public education, the environment and transparency.”

More: DOJ loosens federal rules on medical marijuana, a ‘historic’ shift

Conmy was elected to the House in 2022 and was running for reelection. In a campaign announcement in January, Conmy said she wanted to continue representing south Fargo’s diverse community by focusing on education, housing, childcare and healthcare.

She has four children. Her professional career included work in journalism, corporate communications, and as a faculty member at Minnesota State University Moorhead, according to her campaign announcement. She was active on boards of Audubon Great Plains and CATCH ND, which promotes legal immigration in rural communities.

“I think her death is a reminder that we all ought to engage in life,” Mathern said. “The best way we can honor Liz Conmy is to be engaged in positive things.” 

Armstrong directed all U.S. and North Dakota flags to be flown at half-staff on the day of Conmy’s interment.

A preliminary report from the NTSB is expected within 30 days, with a final report detailing the probable cause of the crash expected in one to two years, Holloway said. Witnesses or anyone with surveillance video or other information are asked to contact the NTSB at witness@ntsb.gov. 

This story was originally produced by North Dakota Monitor, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Minnesota Reformer, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) -The Fargo Park District launched the state’s first high school girls flag football program in partnership with the Minnesota Vikings.

The program is part of a national trend. More than 68,000 girls played high school flag football last year, and participation jumped about 60 percent in a single year.

For senior Jennaya Volk, the new league is the answer to years of asking.

“I play track and basketball. I’m in track right now and I’ve been wanting a football team since I was a little kid,” Volk said. “I bothered my school every year since middle school to finally get a team and my senior year they finally get a high school league and I’m the only one from our school in the whole entire league.”

When Volk found out girls flag football was coming to Fargo, she signed up right away.

“I started screaming, I was upstairs in my room when I found out and I screamed down to my parents that they’re starting a high school league,” she said. “I signed up right away… the website wasn’t working and I was like ‘I need to get in!’ So just really excited about it.”

This new league is proving that everyone is welcome and many of Volk’s teammates had zero experience with flag football. That was the case for Fargo North student, Tempy Meier.

“Uhh, I’ve had zero experience. I’ve played catch with my Dad just in our yard but that’s all my experience that I have,” she said.

Her coach said that’s true for most of the roster. The team practices once a week, then plays games on Sundays.

“I’m just proud of these guys. We get 1 practice a week, and then we have a game on Sundays, so they’ve had to drink through a fire hose when it comes to learning football,” the coach said. “I’m just incredibly proud of what we’ve been able to get done in that time.”

The coach said the team stayed positive even after falling behind in the first game.

“We were down early in the first game and I asked some on the sideline ‘You guys don’t like hate this because we’re losing now right?’ And they were like ‘No! This is really fun,’” the coach said.

Volk encouraged other girls to try the sport.

“Go for it… Don’t let anyone stop you, don’t let anyone judge you, just go for what makes you happy,” she said. “Go for a sport that might not be popular right now but it will be, so just go for it.”

Meier said she has no regrets.

“Oh heck yeah. I’m so glad I did it. I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said.

Flag football will make its debut on the Olympic stage in 2028.

BROOKLYN PARK, MN (CBS News) –The National Transportation Safety Board says it is investigating after an airplane crashed near Minneapolis late Saturday morning. According to the NTSB, it was a Beech F33A plane that crashed.

Two people were inside the aircraft, according to the FAA. The Brooklyn Park Police Department said that both people in the plane died. The police have been in contact with the family of the deceased.

WCCO has been able to confirm that one of the deceased in the plane was a North Dakota Representative, Liz Conmy.

North Dakota Democratic Minority Leader Zac Ista said in a statement, “I am completely devastated at the loss of our friend Liz. She lived life to its fullest, never shying from adventure or speaking her mind—often in refreshingly direct terms.”

Conmy has ties the University of St. Thomas and Minnesota State University.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner will release the name of the other person inside the plane.

Local fire crews were on scene within minutes of receiving the call, according to officials.

The Metropolitan Airport Commission confirmed that a single-engine aircraft departed from the Crystal, Minnesota, airport.

There are no details on what could have led to the crash.