BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – A group of North Dakota filmmakers are still awaiting answers on the motion picture recruitment grants administered through the Department of Commerce and how one private business was able to receive all of the grant funding given out over two legislative sessions.

North Dakota filmmaker Matt Fern said he submitted an ethics complaint in February after complaining and then not hearing from Governor Burgum and Attorney General Wrigley. He said the ethics complaint he submitted is against the owner of Canticle Productions, Daniel Bielinski. Fern said he asked the commission to investigate the possibility that Bielinksi acted as an unregistered lobbyist and also had attempted to influence the legislative assembly.

“Since submitting the ethics complaint earlier this month in August, I received an update from the Ethics Commission that the complaint had moved into the investigation stage,” said Fern.

Fern said the North Dakota Auditor released a report on the Department of Commerce identifying concerns with inconsistent timelines for the 2023 grant application process. He said he and his group are now waiting to receive a report from the Ethics Commission on its findings.

Previous Coverage: Grant concerns film makers

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BISMARCK — Emerald ash borer has been confirmed for the first time in North Dakota in LaMoure County, according to the North Dakota Department of Agriculture.

NDDA said in a news release issued Thursday that adult emerald ash borers (EAB) were collected this week from a trap placed in LaMoure County, 9 miles north of Edgeley, North Dakota. Upon follow-up from NDDA staff, additional larvae were collected and officially confirmed as EAB. North Dakota is the 37th state to detect EAB, the NDDA said.

“The North Dakota Department of Agriculture and our partners have been preparing for emerald ash borer’s eventual arrival for many years,” Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. “We have been placing and monitoring traps each summer and promoting awareness through outreach events, training and communication with the public. Now that it is unfortunately here, we urge North Dakota residents and travelers to be proactive to keep EAB from spreading.”

EAB is a wood boring insect originally from Asia, first found in the U.S. in 2002. It has since spread to 37 states and killed hundreds of millions of ash trees.

“North Dakota has more than 90 million ash trees that are at risk in native, rural and urban forests,” State Forester Tom Claeys said. “Ash trees make up between 20% to 80% of the trees along city streets and parks. Unless treated, infested ash trees can be killed in a few years.”

NDDA maintains a quarantine restricting movement of regulated commodities from infested areas. The quarantine will be extended to LaMoure County. Travelers should leave firewood at home and purchase or gather from local sources. Moving regulated materials from a quarantined to a non-quarantined area can result in civil penalties of up to $5,000.

NDDA will collaborate with the North Dakota Forest Service and North Dakota State University Extension to determine the extent of the infestation, continue monitoring ash trees and conduct outreach in the coming months. The ice storm that the area endured in December of 2023 will complicate efforts to find infested trees due to tree damage sustained in the storm.

Residents should check their ash trees for signs of an infestation, which include dieback S-shaped tunnels, also known as serpentine galleries, under the bark, small D-shaped exit holes and woodpecker activity in the upper canopy of the trees.

One option to protect high-value trees are insecticide treatments. Treatments are not recommended until EAB is detected within 15 miles. Residents who choose to treat their ash trees are urged to select a reputable tree service company with a certified applicator able to do these treatments. Most treatment options are restricted use and can only be done by a tree care professional.

For more information, or to report a tree you think may be infested, visit 

www.ndda.nd.gov/eab

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The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s

2024-25 PLOTS Guide

is now available online and features about 836,000 acres of land open to walk-in hunting through the Private Land Open to Sportsmen (PLOTS) program. In this week’s segment of “North Dakota Outdoors,” host Mike Anderson visits with Kevin Kading, the Game and Fish Department’s private lands coordinator, for an insight into what hunters can expect this year.