North Dakota
Blueprint points path forward for North Dakota’s strained local newspapers
Shrinking profit margins, aging ownerships and headaches from factors beyond their control like postal delays continue to strain local newspapers across North Dakota.
While some of the 73 local newspapers in the state are in critical condition, the bigger picture is not one of dying out, but of hope for the future anchored by their importance to local communities.
A two-year effort to gather data called the Future of Local News Initiative, led by the North Dakota Newspaper Association and the Rural Development Finance Corporation, finds some reasons for optimism and several paths forward for journalism prosperity.
The effort, supported by a grant from the Bush Foundation, brought together journalists and publishers from across the state to gather a rare data set through surveying newspaper owners, journalists and consumers.
The group released a final report of their key findings on Jan. 29, with the data paving the way for pilot programs to address challenges going forward.
“This has been the most focused effort that the North Dakota Newspaper Association has ever done to quantify where we are at as an industry,” said Cecile Wehrman, NDNA’s executive director.
The data gathered includes finding that nine out of 10 news consumers believe having a local newspaper is important, with a similar amount saying that losing a paper harms local communities.
Newspapers are also the most trusted local news source, according to the data gathered by research partner Coda Ventures.
Chris Gessele, a development specialist with the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives who was involved with the effort, said that struck him most about what the research found.
“People trust newspapers,” Gessele said. “They view them as one of the more accurate media outlets or media forms out there.”
Residents of the three counties where papers no longer exist — Sioux, Dunn and Slope — value papers even more, showing how those losses impact communities.
In those counties, 96% said having a newspaper is important, 87% said they would subscribe to a paper if it existed, and 21% said they would be willing to donate to help fund a newspaper beyond subscribing.
“The absence of papers is really noticed in those communities,” Gessele said.
Joy Schoch, publisher of the Dickinson Press, a Forum Communications newspaper, said having data to back up the vital importance of newspapers has been an important outcome from the project.
“It’s essential,” she said. “It’s essential to keep people informed. It makes a healthy community.”
The next step in the effort is to pilot several solutions that tap into the deep reservoirs of trust, demand and opportunity while acknowledging the current structural risks many newspapers face.
“This is a vital, trusted, necessary industry that people want and need, and we need to find a way collectively forward that benefits society,” Wehrman said.
Currently, 24% of households across the state are reached by a newspaper, but looking deeper at county-level data shows much deeper penetration.
Out of 53 counties, 20 have over 75% of households receiving a local newspaper and 15 more show figures of between 50-75%.
Wehrman said those numbers more accurately reflect the impact newspapers have locally, and losing them means communities lose out.
With the $199 million in federal Rural Health Transformation funding being
rolled out in the coming year,
the importance of local newspapers in communicating what programs are available and how the funding can be used in those communities is crucial, Wehrman said.
People need to understand newspapers are “not a public utility,” she said. “These are individual businesses that need the support of their local communities in order to continue doing the work people value so highly.”
That disconnect between valuing newspapers and being willing to support them through subscriptions or donations is something both newspapers themselves and the communities they serve need to tackle if their survival is to continue.
“People aren’t seeing newspapers as a business like they see their hardware store as a business, and they may not be aware of their struggles,” said Ellen Huber, rural development director for NDAREC.
“We talk a lot about retaining and growing other kinds of businesses in the state, but I don’t think anyone has thrown newspapers in that bucket of important, vital businesses, and ones that are worthy of focusing on, retaining and strengthening and growing,” Huber said.
The real value of local newspapers needs to be better communicated to the wider public, participants in the initiative said.
“People think it should be free,” Schoch said. “I think people forget about us. People forget about it until they really need us.”
The next step for the initiative is taking forward several pilot projects centered on succession planning, exploring new revenue models, providing print and digital samples for the next generation of news consumers, and developing ready-made promotions and content that can be adopted statewide.
Whether those have a deep impact or not depends on securing grant funding to take them forward, Wehrman said.
The hope is that these don’t become moonshots, but practical, replicable interventions.
One of the most immediate concerns is the
succession planning component,
since so many independent publishers are close to retirement age.
Currently, while group-owned newspapers show stronger margins and sustainability, independent, family-owned papers are under pressure from owners nearing retirement, the high cost of printing and distribution, and the heavy reliance on revenue from public notices.
Younger journalists are interested in taking over the reins of these papers, but are constrained by a lack of training and the need for financing to sustain operations, the research found.
“Succession planning is something that we need to offer newspapers, because there is an urgent need for newspapers to change hands,” Wehrman said.
Another aspect those involved in the initiative hope can gain traction is to meet demands of news consumers, particularly younger Gen Z and Millennial ones, for both digital and print versions of a newspaper.
Offering samples of those to non-subscribers may be one way to boost circulation.
“I think there’s a lot of optimism coming out of this about all of the different ways the data gathered for this can be used, and a lot of excitement about the positive momentum going forward,” Huber said.
This story was originally published on NewsCoopND.org.
____________________________________
This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here.
North Dakota
Grand Forks Founder of Coffee Business Named Small Business 2026 North Dakota Small Business Person of The Year Winner
(U.S. Small Business Administration image)
(KNOX) – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has named Sandi Luck, founder and CEO of Grand Forks based Bully Brew Coffee and ND Coffee Roastery, as its 2026 North Dakota Small Business Person of the Year winer. This prestigious award recognizes Luck’s visionary leadership, the sustained growth of her coffee enterprise, and her unwavering commitment to the North Dakota community. Luck’s entrepreneurial journey began 18 years ago when she launched a modest coffee kiosk while serving as a professor of marketing and entrepreneurship at the University of North Dakota. By blending her academic expertise with a “community over competition” philosophy, she has scaled her 100 percent woman-owned enterprise into a regional powerhouse.
“During National Small Business Week, SBA is honored to recognize the job creators, builders, and innovators who fuel our nation’s economy and anchor communities across America,” said SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler. In North Dakota, the agency will host a series of events throughout the week, including local award ceremonies and networking sessions to celebrate the grit and resilience of entrepreneurs in their own communities.
“Sandi Luck embodies the spirit of North Dakota entrepreneurship,” said SBA’s North Dakota District Director Al Haut. “From her roots in Grand Forks to the expansion her company across the region, she has proven that a small business can be a powerful engine for both economic growth and community connection.”
Luck strategically leveraged her professional network and SBA resources, including SCORE, the North Dakota Women’s Business Center, and the statewide Small Business Development Center network. A pivotal milestone occurred in 2022 when she purchased a 27,000-square-foot warehouse to store her roasting operations and educational programs. This expansion allowed the ND Coffee Roastery to secure over 120 wholesale accounts, including becoming the official coffee roaster for North Dakota State University.
FARGO — Many in North Dakota are wondering what’s next for the Republican Party in North Dakota after the tension displayed at
the state’s Republican convention.
Several statewide incumbents skipped the process, prompting frustrated delegates to send a message, voting to symbolically distance them from the party by stripping them of their Republican label.
‘.concat(s||””,’‘).concat(a,”
“)+”
“),f=e.get(“width”),d=e.get(“height”),p=(0,r.n)(l);return(0,u.iF)(p,{width:f.toString().indexOf(“%”)>0?f:””.concat(f,”px”),height:d.toString().indexOf(“%”)>0?d:””.concat(d,”px”)}),p}},6622(e,t,n){“use strict”;n.d(t,{A:()=>f});var r=n(494),u=n(9407),i=n(6147),o=n(5291),a=n(7316),s=[],c=-1,l=function(){(0,i.u)(c),c=(0,i.x)(function(){s.forEach(function(e){e.view.updateBounds();var t=e.view.model.get(“containerWidth”);e.resized=e.width!==t,e.width=t}),s.forEach(function(e){e.contractElement.scrollLeft=2*e.width}),s.forEach(function(e){(0,a.iF)(e.expandChild,{width:e.width+1}),e.resized&&e.view.model.get(“visibility”)&&e.view.updateStyles()}),s.forEach(function(e){e.expandElement.scrollLeft=e.width+1}),s.forEach(function(e){e.resized&&e.view.checkResized()})})},f=function(){function e(t,n,u){(0,r._)(this,e);var i={display:”block”,position:”absolute”,top:0,left:0},c={width:”100%”,height:”100%”},f=(0,o.n)(”),d=f.firstChild,p=d.firstChild,h=d.nextSibling;(0,a.iF)([d,h],Object.assign({overflow:”auto”},i,c)),(0,a.iF)(f,Object.assign({},i,c)),this.expandElement=d,this.expandChild=p,this.contractElement=h,this.hiddenElement=f,this.element=t,this.view=n,this.model=u,this.width=0,this.resized=!1,t.firstChild?t.insertBefore(f,t.firstChild):t.appendChild(f),t.addEventListener(“scroll”,l,!0),s.push(this),l()}return(0,u._)(e,[{key:”destroy”,value:function(){if(this.view){var e=s.indexOf(this);-1!==e&&s.splice(e,1),this.element.removeEventListener(“scroll”,l,!0),this.element.removeChild(this.hiddenElement),this.view=this.model=null}}}]),e}()},8089(e,t,n){“use strict”;n.d(t,{A:()=>m});var r,u=n(2329),i=[],o=[],a=[],s={},c=!1,l=!1,f=function(e,t){for(var n=t.length;n–;){var r=t[n];if(e.target===r.getContainer()){r.setIntersection(e);break}}},d=function(){var e=window.IntersectionObserver;r||(r=new e(function(e){if(null==e?void 0:e.length)for(var t=e.length;t–;){var n=e[t];f(n,i),f(n,o)}},{threshold:[0,.1,.2,.3,.4,.5,.6,.7,.8,.9,1]}))},p=function(){i.forEach(function(e){e.model.set(“activeTab”,(0,u.A)())})},h=function(e,t){var n=t.indexOf(e);-1!==n&&t.splice(n,1)},v=function(e){a.forEach(function(t){t(e)})},D=function(){l||(l=!0,document.addEventListener(“visibilitychange”,p),document.addEventListener(“webkitvisibilitychange”,p))},g=function(){l&&!(i.length>0)&&(l=!1,document.removeEventListener(“visibilitychange”,p),document.removeEventListener(“webkitvisibilitychange”,p))};let m={add:function(e){i.push(e),D()},remove:function(e){h(e,i),g(),window.removeEventListener(“scroll”,v)},addScrollHandler:function(e){c||(c=!0,window.addEventListener(“scroll”,v)),a.push(e)},removeScrollHandler:function(e){h(e,a)},addWidget:function(e){o.push(e)},removeWidget:function(e){h(e,o)},size:function(){return i.length},observe:function(e){d(),s[e.id]||(s[e.id]=!0,r.observe(e))},unobserve:function(e){r&&s[e.id]&&(delete s[e.id],r.unobserve(e))}}},7230(e,t,n){“use strict”;n.d(t,{fY:()=>c,uT:()=>s});var r=”__JWP____ePBPK____”,u={};window[r]?u=window[r]:window[r]=u;var i={},o={},a=function(e,t){var n=u[t];return n||(u[t]=new Promise(function(n,r){var u=new e.key(t);if(“unlimited”===u.edition())return r();var i=u.token();e.ajax(“https://entitlements.jwplayer.com/”+i+”.json”,function(e){var t=null==e?void 0:e.response;t?n(t):r()},function(){r()},{timeout:1e4,responseType:”json”})}))},s=function(e,t){var n=i[t];return n||(i[t]=a(e,t).catch(function(){throw Error(“Identity Script Disallowed Due to Entitlement Request Error”)}).then(function(e){if(!0!==e.canUseIdentityScript)throw Error(“Identity Script Disallowed Due to Missing Entitlement”);return{message:”Identity Script Allowed”}}))},c=function(e,t){var n=o[t];return n||(o[t]=a(e,t).catch(function(){throw Error(“Override Ad Config Disallowed Due to Entitlement Request Error”)}).then(function(e){if(!0!==e.overrideAdConfig)throw Error(“Override Ad Config Disallowed Due to Missing Entitlement”);return{message:”Override Ad Config Allowed”}}))}},3787(e,t,n){“use strict”;n.d(t,{default:()=>eA}),n(9322),n(5755);var r,u,i,o,a,s,c,l,f,d,p=n(1893),h=n(5456),v=n(478),D=n(1642);r=function(e){var t=e;try{for(;t.document!==t.parent.document;)t=t.parent}catch(e){}return t},u=function(e){return atob(e)},i=function(e){var t=e.message,n=e.payload,i=new XMLHttpRequest;i.open(“POST”,u(“aHR0cHM6Ly9wbC5jb25uYXRpeC5jb20=”),!0),i.setRequestHeader(“Content-Type”,”application/json”);var o=navigator.userAgent,a=r(window).location.href,s=(a.includes(“://”)?a.split(“://”)[1]:a).split(“https://www.grandforksherald.com/”)[0],c=u(“anc=”),l=(0,h._)((0,p._)({},void 0===n?{}:n),{pageDomain:s,source:c});i.send(JSON.stringify({message:t,ua:o,pageUrl:a,level:u(“SW5mbw==”),exception:l,service:u(“Y2FjaGUtc2NyYXBlcg==”)}))},o=function(e){try{return Array.from(e.document.querySelectorAll(“script”)).some(function(e){return e.src.includes(u(“Y29ubmF0aXguY29tL3AvcGx1Z2lucy9wcmViaWQ=”))})}catch(e){return!1}},a=function(){var e=[],t=r(window);e.push(t);var n=function(t,r){if(!(r>3)){try{s=Array.from(t.frames).filter(function(e){return!o(e)})}catch(e){return}var u=!0,i=!1,a=void 0;try{for(var s,c,l=s[Symbol.iterator]();!(u=(c=l.next()).done);u=!0){var f=c.value;e.push(f),n(f,r+1)}}catch(e){i=!0,a=e}finally{try{u||null==l.return||l.return()}finally{if(i)throw a}}}};return n(t,1),e},s=function(e){var t=[];try{e._pbjsGlobals.forEach(function(n){var r=e[n];r&&(void 0===r?”undefined”:(0,D._)(r))===”object”&&t.push(r)})}catch(e){}return t},c=function(e){if(!(Math.random()>.005)){var t=(0,p._)({},e.getConfig()).cache;(void 0===t?”undefined”:(0,D._)(t))===”object”&&null!==t?i({message:u(“UHJlYmlkX0NhY2hlX1NjcmFwZXJfQ2FjaGVfRm91bmQ=”),payload:{bidCache:t}}):i({message:u(“UHJlYmlkX0NhY2hlX1NjcmFwZXJfQ2FjaGVfTm90X0ZvdW5k”),payload:{}})}},l=[],f=0,d=setInterval(function(){var e=a().flatMap(function(e){return s(e)}).filter(function(e){return!l.includes(e)});e.forEach(function(e){return c(e)}),l.push.apply(l,(0,v._)(e)),++f>=20&&clearInterval(d)},1e3);var g=n(8),m=n.n(g);window.Promise||(window.Promise=m());var y=n(5483),A=n(7227),F=n(9063),C=n(8888);let E={availableProviders:F.M,registerProvider:C.A};var b=n(3277);E.registerPlugin=function(e,t,n){“jwpsrv”!==e&&(0,b.F3)(e,t,n)};var w=n(4403),B=n(9220),k=n(9055),_=n(4871),j=n(1860),S=n(7203),O=n(5001),P=n(9621),x=[[“vastxml”,”adtag”,”schedules”]],T={googima:x,vast:x,cnx:x,jwx:x},I=function(e,t,n){var r=(0,p._)({},e),u=(0,p._)({},t),i=Object.keys(u).filter(function(e){return null===e});return i.forEach(function(e){return delete r[e]}),i.forEach(function(e){return delete u[e]}),n.forEach(function(e){e.some(function(e){return u[e]})&&e.forEach(function(e){return delete r[e]})}),(0,p._)({},r,u)},M=function(e,t){var n=e.getPlugin(t),r=Object.keys(T);if(-1===r.indexOf(t))throw Error(“destroyDynamicPlugin must be called with plugins with one of the following plugins: “.concat(r.toString()));if(n){if(n.resize&&e.off(“resize”,n.resizeHandler),delete e.plugins[t],n.destroy)try{n.destroy()}catch(t){e.utils.logger.debug(“jwplayer/plugins/dynamic-plugins: “,t)}var u=n.div;(null==u?void 0:u.parentElement)&&u.parentElement.removeChild(u),e.trigger(“pluginDestroyed”,{type:”pluginDestroyed”,name:t})}},L=function(e,t){if(t[e])return t[e];var n=(0,P.Gv)(e);if(t[n])return t[n];var r=(0,P.dB)(e);return t[r]?t[r]:{}},N=function(e,t,n,r){var u=(0,P.dB)(t),i=Object.keys(T),o=L(t,r);if(-1===i.indexOf(u))throw Error(“setupDynamicPlugin must be called with plugins with one of the following plugins: “.concat(i.toString()));M(e,u);var a=I(o,n,T[u]);return(0,b.fL)(t,a,e)},R=n(2194),V=n(9555),U=n(5637),z=0,H=function(e,t){var n=new _.Ay(t);return n.on(j.yE,function(t){e._qoe.tick(“ready”),t.setupTime=e._qoe.between(“setup”,”ready”)}),n.on(“all”,function(t,n){e.trigger(t,n)}),n},$=function(e,t){var n=e.plugins,r=Object.keys(n).map(function(e){var t=n[e];return delete n[e],t}),u=e.utils.logger.child(“jwplayer/api/api”);t.get(“setupConfig”)&&e.trigger(“remove”),e.off(),t.playerDestroy(),r.forEach(function(e){if(e.reset)try{e.reset()}catch(e){u.debug(e)}else if(e.destroy)try{e.destroy()}catch(e){u.debug(e)}}),t.getContainer().removeAttribute(“data-jwplayer-id”)},q=function(e){for(var t=A.A.length;t–;)if(A.A[t].uniqueId===e.uniqueId){A.A.splice(t,1);break}};function Q(e){var t=++z,n=e.id||”player-“.concat(t),r=new S.A,u={},i=new U.A(“JWPlayer[“.concat(n,”]”)),o=H(this,e);r.tick(“init”),e.setAttribute(“data-jwplayer-id”,n),Object.defineProperties(this,{id:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return n}},uniqueId:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return t}},plugins:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return u}},_qoe:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return r}},version:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return w.r}},Events:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return O.Ay}},utils:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return Object.assign({},R.A,{logger:i})}},_:{enumerable:!0,get:function(){return V.Ay}}}),Object.assign(this,{_events:{},setup:function(t){return r.clear(“ready”),r.tick(“setup”),o&&$(this,o),(o=H(this,e)).init(t,this),this.on(t.events,null,this)},remove:function(){return this.getPip()&&this.setPip(!1),q(this),o&&$(this,o),Object.keys(u).forEach(function(e){delete u[e]}),this},qoe:function(){var e=o.getItemQoe();return{setupTime:this._qoe.between(“setup”,”ready”),firstFrame:e.getFirstFrame?e.getFirstFrame():null,player:this._qoe.dump(),item:e.dump()}},addCues:function(e){return Array.isArray(e)&&o.addCues(e),this},getAudioTracks:function(){return o.getAudioTracks()},getBuffer:function(){return o.get(“buffer”)},getCaptions:function(){return o.get(“captions”)},getCaptionsList:function(){return o.getCaptionsList()},getConfig:function(){return o.getConfig()},getContainer:function(){return o.getContainer()},getControls:function(){return o.get(“controls”)},getCues:function(){return o.getCues()},getCurrentAudioTrack:function(){return o.getCurrentAudioTrack()},getCurrentCaptions:function(){return o.getCurrentCaptions()},getCurrentQuality:function(){return o.getCurrentQuality()},getCurrentTime:function(){return o.get(“currentTime”)},getAbsolutePosition:function(){return o.getAbsolutePosition()},getDuration:function(){return o.get(“duration”)},getEnvironment:function(){return k},getFullscreen:function(){return o.get(“fullscreen”)},getHeight:function(){return o.getHeight()},getItemMeta:function(){return o.get(“itemMeta”)||{}},getMute:function(){return o.getMute()},getContainerPercentViewable:function(){return o.get(“intersectionRatio”)},getPercentViewable:function(){return o.get(“visibility”)},getPip:function(){return o.get(“pip”)},getPlaybackRate:function(){return o.get(“playbackRate”)},getPlaylist:function(){return o.get(“playlist”)},getPlaylistIndex:function(){return o.get(“item”)},getPlaylistItem:function(e){if(!R.A.exists(e))return o.get(“playlistItem”);var t=this.getPlaylist();return t?t[e]:null},getPosition:function(){return o.get(“position”)},getProvider:function(){return o.getProvider()},getQualityLevels:function(){return o.getQualityLevels()},getSafeRegion:function(){var e=!(arguments.length>0)||void 0===arguments[0]||arguments[0];return o.getSafeRegion(e)},getState:function(){return o.getState()},getStretching:function(){return o.get(“stretching”)},getContainerViewable:function(){return o.get(“containerViewable”)},getViewable:function(){return o.get(“viewable”)},getVisualQuality:function(){return o.getVisualQuality()},getVolume:function(){return o.get(“volume”)},getWidth:function(){return o.getWidth()},isReady:function(){return o.isReady()},setCaptions:function(e){return o.setCaptions(e),this},setConfig:function(e){return o.setConfig(e),this},setControls:function(e){return o.setControls(e),this},setCurrentAudioTrack:function(e){o.setCurrentAudioTrack(e)},setCurrentCaptions:function(e){o.setCurrentCaptions(e)},setCurrentQuality:function(e){o.setCurrentQuality(e)},setFullscreen:function(e){return o.setFullscreen(e),this},setAllowFullscreen:function(e){return o.setAllowFullscreen(e),this},setMute:function(e){return o.setMute(e),this},setPip:function(e){return o.setPip(e),this},setPlaybackRate:function(e){return o.setPlaybackRate(e),this},setPlaylistItem:function(e,t){return o.setPlaylistItem(e,t),this},setCues:function(e){return Array.isArray(e)&&o.setCues(e),this},setVolume:function(e){return o.setVolume(e),this},load:function(e,t){return o.load(e,t),this},preload:function(e){return o.preload(e),this},play:function(e){return o.play(e),this},pause:function(e){return o.pause(e),this},playToggle:function(e){switch(this.getState()){case j.v8:case j.zM:return this.pause(e);default:return this.play(e)}},seek:function(e,t){return o.seek(e,t),this},playlistItem:function(e,t){return o.playlistItem(e,t),this},playlistNext:function(e){return o.playlistNext(e),this},playlistPrev:function(e){return o.playlistPrev(e),this},next:function(e){return o.next(e),this},requestPip:function(e){return o.requestPip(e),this},castToggle:function(){return o.castToggle(),this},stopCasting:function(){return o.stopCasting(),this},requestCast:function(e){return o.requestCast(e),this},createInstream:function(){return o.createInstream()},stop:function(){return o.stop(),this},resize:function(e,t){return o.resize(e,t),this},addButton:function(e,t,n,r,u){return o.addButton(e,t,n,r,u),this},removeButton:function(e){return o.removeButton(e),this},getMediaElement:function(){return o.getMediaElement()},attachMedia:function(){return o.attachMedia(),this},detachMedia:function(){return o.detachMedia(),this},isBeforeComplete:function(){return o.isBeforeComplete()},isBeforePlay:function(){return o.isBeforePlay()},setPlaylistItemCallback:function(e,t){o.setItemCallback(e,t)},removePlaylistItemCallback:function(){o.setItemCallback(null)},getPlaylistItemPromise:function(e){return o.getItemPromise(e)},getFloating:function(){return!!o.get(“isFloating”)},setFloating:function(e){o.setConfig({floating:{mode:e?”always”:”never”}})},getChapters:function(){return o.getChapters()},getCurrentChapter:function(){return o.getCurrentChapter()},setChapter:function(e){return o.setChapter(e)},setupDynamicPlugin:function(e,t){return e?N(this,e,t,o.get(“plugins”)):Promise.resolve()},destroyDynamicPlugin:function(e){if(e)return M(this,e)}})}Object.assign(Q.prototype,{on:function(e,t,n){return O.on.call(this,e,t,n)},once:function(e,t,n){return O.Oo.call(this,e,t,n)},off:function(e,t,n){return O.AU.call(this,e,t,n)},trigger:function(e,t){return((t=V.Ay.isObject(t)?Object.assign({},t):{}).type=e,B.A.debug)?O.hZ.call(this,e,t):O.CD.call(this,e,t)},getPlugin:function(e){return this.plugins[e]},addPlugin:function(e,t){this.plugins[e]=t,”function”==typeof t.addToPlayer&&(this.isReady()?t.addToPlayer.call(this,!0):this.on(“ready”,function(){t.addToPlayer.call(this,!1)})),t.resize&&this.on(“resize”,t.resizeHandler)},registerPlugin:function(e,t,n){(0,b.F3)(e,t,n)},getAdBlock:function(){return!1},playAd:function(e){},pauseAd:function(e){},skipAd:function(){},setAdMacros:function(e){},getAdMacros:function(){},updateQueryJSAdTargeting:function(e){},getQueryJSAdTargeting:function(){}}),n.p=(0,y.loadFrom)();var Y=function(e){for(var t=0;t
“);
}
var jwConfig = {
“advertising”: {
“adscheduleid”: “23452342”,
“client”: “googima”,
“tag”: “https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/live/ads?iu=/7021/forumcomm/grandforksherald/news/north-dakota&description_url=__page-url__&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=400×300%7C640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&plcmt=1&vpmute=0&correlator=&cust_params=kw%3Dnews%2Cnorth-dakota%2Cgrandforksherald%2CNORTH%20DAKOTA%2CGOVERNMENT%20AND%20POLITICS%2CREPUBLICAN%20PARTY%2CELECTION%202026”,
},
“aspectratio”: “16:9”,
“autoPause”: {
“viewability”: false
},
“autostart”: false,
“captions”: {
“backgroundColor”: “#000000”,
“backgroundOpacity”: 75,
“color”: “#FFFFFF”,
“edgeStyle”: “none”,
“fontFamily”: “sans-serif”,
“fontOpacity”: 100,
“fontSize”: 15,
“windowColor”: “#000000”,
“windowOpacity”: 0
},
“cast”: {},
“controls”: true,
“displayHeading”: false,
“displaydescription”: true,
“displaytitle”: true,
“floating”: {
“mode”: “never”
},
“generateSEOMetadata”: false,
“height”: 360,
“include_compatibility_script”: false,
“interactive”: false,
“intl”: {
“en”: {
“advertising”: {
“admessage”: “”,
“cuetext”: “”,
“skipmessage”: “”
}
}
},
“key”: “b6xjQuDAIGrqBp5hADpz5BDlMPcT7s4iO1nNAWtGEAJYUMX8+jau11qEZmHY3FOr”,
“logo”: {
“hide”: false,
“position”: “top-right”
},
“mute”: false,
“ph”: 3,
“pid”: “3trNsOiL”,
“pipIcon”: “disabled”,
“playbackRateControls”: false,
“playlist”: “//cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/sites/l0XScfRd/media/60UuSvRJ/playback.json?recommendations_playlist_id=rVQsKIGU”,
“preload”: “metadata”,
“repeat”: false,
“skin”: {
“controlbar”: {
“background”: “rgba(0,0,0,0)”,
“icons”: “rgba(255,255,255,0.8)”,
“iconsActive”: “#FFFFFF”,
“text”: “#FFFFFF”
},
“menus”: {
“background”: “#333333”,
“text”: “rgba(255,255,255,0.8)”,
“textActive”: “#FFFFFF”
},
“timeslider”: {
“progress”: “#F2F2F2”,
“rail”: “rgba(255,255,255,0.3)”
},
“tooltips”: {
“background”: “#FFFFFF”,
“text”: “#000000”
}
},
“stretching”: “uniform”,
“width”: “100%”
}; // end config
(function(playerConfig, testConfig) {
}(jwConfig, “”));
jwplayer(“botr_60UuSvRJ_3trNsOiL_div”).setup(jwConfig);
}());
CARTER COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) – A Carter County woman was jailed for months in Fargo, North Dakota, after artificial intelligence mistakenly flagged her for bank fraud.
According to the Carter County Sheriff’s Office, Angela Lipps arrived at the Carter County Detention Center on July 14, 2025, for violation of probation. The Detention Center was informed through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) that Lipps also had a warrant in North Dakota for being a fugitive of justice.
The sheriff’s office told News Channel 11 that it informed the Cass County Jail in Fargo that it had Lipps in custody. On Oct. 30, 2025, Lipps was extradited to Cass County. Upon arrival, Lipps obtained a criminal defense attorney, Jay Greenwood.
In Fargo, Lipps was held in custody for two months while facing four counts of unauthorized use of personal identifying information and four counts of theft, according to Greenwood.
According to Greenwood, Lipps claimed she had never set foot in the state of North Dakota prior to being transported there by law enforcement.
“We kind of had a discussion as to, ‘I’ve never been in North Dakota before, this is the first time I’ve ever been on an airplane when they brought me here,’ and so, we needed to establish that kind of that alibi line of defense,” Greenwood told News Channel 11.
Greenwood added that he began investigating bank records to prove that Lipps was not in Fargo at the time the bank fraud crimes occurred.
“I kind of reached out to Lipps’ family to see if they could get me some bank records just to show whether or not she was ever here, whether she was using her debit card in Tennessee, and it showed that she had been,” Greenwood said. “I asked for records of a few months back, so I kind of wanted to know if she had been buying the same types of things at the same types of places for a few months, and that showed that, and I gave that information to the state attorney’s office.”
Upon submitting the evidence to the state attorney’s office, the case was dropped shortly before a scheduled preliminary hearing.
Fargo Police Department Chief David Zibolski acknowledged in a press conference on March 23 that it was a mistake by an AI recognition tool used by the West Fargo Police Department, which forwarded that information to the Fargo Police Department.
“Through their AI system, made that identification of Ms. Lipps and forwarded that information,” Zibolski said. “I would say it’s not an identification; it’s a potential suspect, but they forwarded that information to our detectives, who then assumed wrongly that they had also sent in the surveillance photos with that photo ID.”
Greenwood said fault also lies with the Fargo Police Department for not fully investigating the case before issuing a warrant for arrest.
“All I did was ask her family if she had ever left Tennessee, and they were pretty clear that she hadn’t, and then provided me information within about a week,” Greenwood said. “So it’s kind of split both ways. I get when people are going to use the tools that they have, you know, AI tools that they can use. But it can’t be the only tool. And they just left it at that. And this is what happens.”
Zibolski added in the news conference that the Fargo Police Department has issued a temporary directive and the department’s use of facial recognition technology is under review:
- The use of facial recognition technology to identify an unknown person shall only be utilized by members assigned to the criminal investigation division.
- Prior to the use of this technology, the member’s unit commander shall review the case and approve the use of facial recognition technology to assist in creating an investigative lead that may help to identify an unknown person.
- Once reviewed and approved for submission, department members shall only use bona fide status or federal entities to perform the search.
- Department members shall not use any other individual agency or department’s facial recognition AI system.
- All facial recognition identification submissions shall be tracked by the unit commander. The unit commander shall report the results of those submissions monthly to the CID Commander.
The Fargo Police Department is still actively searching for the fraud suspect.
The Artemis Moon base project is legally dubious
Ukraine signals progress on US security guarantees after call with Trump envoys
GOP leaders endorse Trump’s shutdown-proof move to end DHS funding lapse
Should you microdose Ozempic? Experts are split on risks vs benefits
Golf influencer Paige Spiranac shares words of encouragement for Tiger Woods after DUI arrest
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
GOP leaders endorse Trump’s shutdown-proof move to end DHS funding lapse
Palestinians in West Bank protest, strike against Israeli death penalty law
Judge delays Luigi Mangione’s federal trial by about a month but won’t push it to next year | CNN
Video: Trump Says U.S. to Leave Iran ‘Very Soon’
April showdowns: 4 key races to watch this month that will test Trump, GOP grip on power
-
South-Carolina3 days agoSouth Carolina vs TCU predictions for Elite Eight game in March Madness
-
Miami, FL6 days agoJannik Sinner’s Girlfriend Laila Hasanovic Stuns in Ab-Revealing Post Amid Miami Open
-
New Mexico1 week agoClovis shooting leaves one dead, four injured
-
Culture1 week agoDo You Know the Comics That Inspired These TV Adventures?
-
Minneapolis, MN6 days agoBoy who shielded classmate during school shooting receives Medal of Honor
-
Education1 week agoVideo: Trader Joe’s Dip Head-to-Head Taste Test
-
Tennessee1 week agoTennessee Police Investigating Alleged Assault Involving ‘Reacher’ Star Alan Ritchson
-
Vermont3 days agoSkier dies after fall at Sugarbush Resort