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Astronaut Buchli is North Dakota's newest Rough Rider Award recipient

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7 months ago

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Astronaut Buchli is North Dakota's newest Rough Rider Award recipient


BISMARCK — Gov. Doug Burgum has announced NASA astronaut James Buchli as the 49th recipient of the North Dakota Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award.

Buchli was the first North Dakotan to fly in space and is a veteran of four space flights, orbiting the Earth 319 times, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

“As the first person born in North Dakota to visit space, he’s an example of just how far a North Dakotan can go,” Burgum said in the release.

Born in New Rockford and a graduate of Fargo Central High School, Buchli has represented North Dakota in the fields of space exploration and aviation.

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Jim Buchli is a North Dakota native who became the first person from the state to fly in space.

Contributed

He was a distinguished Marine Corps aviator before becoming a NASA astronaut, and he frequently returns to the state to engage with the University of North Dakota’s space studies program.

Considered the state’s highest commendation for its citizens, the Rough Rider Award recognizes current and former North Dakotans who have been influenced by the state in achieving national recognition in their fields of endeavor.

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The award will be presented later this year with Buchli in person at a date and location to be announced, the release said.

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.





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North Dakota

Montana State defeats South Dakota 31-17 in FCS semifinals to advance to Frisco

Published

3 hours ago

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December 22, 2024

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Montana State defeats South Dakota 31-17 in FCS semifinals to advance to Frisco


11:34 pm, December 21, 2024

Montana State defeated South Dakota, 31-17, to advance to the national title game.

The Bobcat defense stepped up big in the second half, holding South Dakota to only three points. In the fourth quarter, Montana State came up with two fourth down stops and a key fumble recovery on the final defensive possession.

Quarterback Tommy Mellot led the way offensively with 134 passing yards and a touchdown plus 125 rushing yards and two touchdowns. 

It’s the first title appearance for Montana State since 2021. Fittingly enough, Montana State played — and lost to — North Dakota State in the title game that year, the first for head coach Brent Vigen and quarterback Tommy Mellott. The Bobcats and Bison will meet in Frisco, Texas to play in the FCS National Championship Game on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025 at 7 p.m. ET.

Click or tap here for stats from the game

11:26 pm, December 21, 2024

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11:19 pm, December 21, 2024

After Montana State stopped South Dakota in the redzone on fourth down, the Coyote defense forced a punt to get the ball back. South Dakota will get the ball down 31-17 with 4:46 remaining and two timeouts.

11:00 pm, December 21, 2024

One quarter remains until we find out who the second FCS title game participant is. Montana State has a 14-point lead over South Dakota, 31-17 entering the fourth quarter. The Coyotes added a field goal with 2:11 to play in the third quarter to cut the deficit.

When play resumes, South Dakota will have the ball facing second-and-three at its own 40-yard line.

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See stats through three quarters below

stats

10:31 pm, December 21, 2024

Tommy Mellott showed off why he’s one of the most electrifying players in the FCS. Mellott dropped the snap, made a defender miss, hurdled another defender and darted 41 yards into the endzone. Montana State leads 31-14

9:57 pm, December 21, 2024

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A field goal lat in the second quarter gave Montana State a 10-point lead entering halftime. The score was another addition to an explosive first half.

South Dakota scored two touchdowns of 55 and 45 yards on the ground. However, the pass game hasn’t been as explosive as Aidan Bouman only has 76 yards through the air going 0-2 on third down. 

Montana State’s offense has been powered by Tommy Mellott. He’s 8-15 passing for 134 yards and a touchdown while rushing 13 times for 69 yards and a score. Mellott and the Bobcat offense have run 44 plays to South Dakota’s 16, while possessing the football for 20:28 to 9:24 for the Coyotes.

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When play resumes, South Dakota will receive the second half kickoff.

stats

9:30 pm, December 21, 2024

9:19 pm, December 21, 2024

It took just one play into the second quarter for South Dakota to tie the game up. Running back Charles Pierre Jr. rushed 45 yards to the house on the second big run for the Coyotes today.

9:15 pm, December 21, 2024

It’s been an explosive first quarter as both Montana State and South Dakota are moving the ball with ease for the most part. While both teams punted on their second possession, they scored quickly on their first.

Montana State’s third possession put them in front shortly before the first quarter expired as Tommy Mellott has two touchdowns, passing and rushing, for 90 yards passing and 29 yards rushing.

When play resumes, South Dakota will have the ball facing first-and-10 at the Montana State 45-yard line.

See first quarter stats below

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stats

9:10 pm, December 21, 2024

8:47 pm, December 21, 2024

South Dakota responded to a quick Montana State touchdown on its opening drive with a quick touchdown of its own. The Coyotes found the endzone in just five plays as running back Travis Theis ran 55 yards for a touchdown. 

8:41 pm, December 21, 2024

It took just six plays and a little over three minutes for Montana State to find the endzone in the FCS semifinals. Quarterback Tommy Mellott found wide receiver Taco Dowler for a 34-yard score to put the Bobcats up 7-0. It was the second time the duo connected on the drive as they connected for 20 yards on the first play of the game.

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8:38 pm, December 21, 2024

The second FCS semifinal game is underway as No. 4 South Dakota battles No. 1 Montana State. The Bobcats received the opening kickoff.

8:12 pm, December 15, 2024

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Here’s how to watch the 2024 FCS semifinal game between South Dakota and Montana State:

8:11 pm, December 15, 2024

Here are some of the top storylines and players to watch entering this year’s FCS semifinal game between South Dakota and Montana State.

Storylines

  • How they got here
    • South Dakota ended the regular season with plenty of momentum after knocking off North Dakota State in a top-five matchup. Once the postseason started, the Coyotes rallied past Tarleton State in an explosive second-round win before beating UC Davis without ever trailing in the quarterfinals.
    • Montana State has dominated the competition all season long as the only undefeated team remaining in the FCS. The Bobcats haven’t played a close game in the playoffs after averaging 50.5 points scored and a 32.5 margin of victory in two games.
  • Past matchups
    • Montana State and South Dakota have only met once in the two program’s histories. The Bobcats won the lone matchup in 2008, 37-18.
  • Coaching
    • Two Coaches of the Year will meet in the semifinals. Big Sky Coach of the Year Brent Vigen will face MVFC Coach of the Year Bob Nielson. Vigen was also named the Eddie Robinson Award winner as the FCS coach of the year.
  • What’s at stake
    • South Dakota is in uncharted territory making its first-ever semifinal appearance. It’s only the fourth FCS playoff season in Coyote history. Meanwhile, Montana State is still chasing its 1984 FCS championship. The Bobcats have only made one return to the title game since (2021), the first year of the Brent Vigen-Tommy Mellott era.

Players to Watch

Here are some players to watch from South Dakota

  • MVFC Offensive Player of the Year: DL Mi’Quise Grace

South Dakota All-MVFC Players

  • 1st Team | RB Charles Pierre Jr.
  • 1st Team | FB Travis Theis
  • 1st Team | OL Joey Lombard
  • 1st Team | TE JJ Galbreath
  • 1st Team | DL Nick Gaes
  • 1st Team | DL Mi’Quise Grace
  • 1st Team | DB Dennis Shorter
  • 2nd Team | OL Joe Cotton
  • 2nd Team | OL Bryce Henderson
  • 2nd Team | DL Blake Holden
  • 2nd Team | LB Gary Bryant III
  • 2nd Team | DB Mike Reid

Here are some players to watch from Montana State

  • Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year: QB Tommy Mellott
  • Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year: DL Brody Grebe
  • Big Sky Freshman of the Year: RB Adam Jones

Montana State All-Big Sky Players

  • 1st Team | QB Tommy Mellott
  • 1st Team | RB Scottre Humphrey
  • 1st Team | FB Rohan Jones
  • 1st Team | OL Marcus Wehr (unanimous)
  • 1st Team | OL Conner Moore
  • 1st Team | DL Brody Grebe (unanimous)
  • 1st Team | LB McCade O’Reilly
  • 1st Team | DB Rylan Ortt
  • 1st Team | PR Taco Dowler
  • 2nd Team | OL Titan Fleischmann
  • 2nd Team | OL Cole Sain
  • 2nd Team | DL Paul Brott
  • 2nd Team | LB Danny Uluilakep
  • 2nd Team | DB Andrew Powdrell
  • 2nd Team | P Brendan Hall





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North Dakota

North Dakota State defeats South Dakota State 28-21 in FCS semifinals to advance to Frisco

Published

11 hours ago

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December 21, 2024

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North Dakota State defeats South Dakota State 28-21 in FCS semifinals to advance to Frisco


North Dakota State and South Dakota State are tied at 14 apiece after the first half. It’s been a tightly-contested battle as most battles between the two rivals are.

South Dakota State has been able to lean on its running attack, gaining 111 yards to NDSU’s 53. Amar Johnson and Mark Gronowski have scored on the ground.

Meanwhile, Cam Miller has accounted for both North Dakota State touchdowns, scoring once with his legs and once with his arm. Miller also has been efficient, completing six of seven passes.

The biggest play of the first half was the lone turnover, a fumble by Amar Johnson that gave North Dakota State the ball in Jackrabbit territory. 

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When play resumes, North Dakota State will receive the second half kick. See first half stats below.





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North Dakota

Port: Tribal sovereignty is a two-way street

Published

19 hours ago

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December 21, 2024

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Port: Tribal sovereignty is a two-way street


MINOT — The activists pushing for President Joe Biden to sign, in the closing days of his administration, a sweeping executive order creating a new national monument out of roughly 140,000 acres of western North Dakota tell us their initiative

is led by our state’s tribes.

They also talk a lot about the importance of tribal sovereignty.

Let’s explore this.

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I’m not sure all of the tribes knew they were leading this project. That’s certainly not the impression I got after a discussion with Chairman Mark Fox of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation. “When the entities came before to request support for a national monument, we just thought that would be nice without considering any possible impacts in terms of policy,”

he told me.

“We’re going to reconsider,” he added.

Fox stressed that he and his fellow tribal leaders aren’t necessarily against the national monument concept. He expressed enthusiasm for the new opportunities for preservation and tourism. Fox is concerned about the possibility that the monument could inhibit land use in the area — specifically, energy development, which is of vital importance to the MHA Nation.

“Depending on how large the designation is, it could impact some of our drilling. That’s where we lack clarity,” Fox told me. “We really didn’t have any of that information.”

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That’s not a great look for a coalition that has marketed this proposal as a tribal initiative.

What’s also unseemly are aspersions cast at Fox because of his diligence. State Rep. Lisa Finley-DeVille, a Democrat from Mandaree, a member of the MHA Nation, and a spokesperson for the national monument campaign,

told reporter Jeff Beach

“that misinformation is undermining the monument effort, including among tribal leaders.”

“They need to read the proposal,” Finley-DeVille said. “We’re not trying to take anybody’s rights away. We’re not trying to stop oil and gas.”

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That’s a tough claim to swallow when your coalition includes the Sierra Club, an organization committed to stopping oil and gas production, but the jab at Fox is what’s notable.

Finley-DeVille often talks about the importance of tribal sovereignty, and I agree with the sentiment, but I’d note that sovereignty is a two-way street. If you only respect tribal sovereignty when tribal leaders take positions you agree with, you’re not respecting tribal sovereignty.

I don’t think Chairman Fox is misinformed. I think his concerns are valid.

“Some entities have used this national monument declaration to stop drilling and stop energy production,” he said, and he’s right. The Biden administration has used these declarations to block or inhibit development around Spirit Mountain, in Nevada, and Bear Ears National Monument in Utah. “We don’t want it stopped at all either for ourselves or the state,” Fox told me.

Finley-Deville says Fox has been misled, but who has been misleading him? Finley-Deville is pursuing a new land declaration of the sort that has been used to block energy development elsewhere while working side-by-side with a deep-pocketed national organization that sees blocking oil and gas development as its mission but expects us to believe that she and her partners are “not trying to stop oil and gas.”

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Fox is skeptical. Can we blame him?

Rob Port is a news reporter, columnist, and podcast host for the Forum News Service with an extensive background in investigations and public records. He covers politics and government in North Dakota and the upper Midwest. Reach him at rport@forumcomm.com. Click here to subscribe to his Plain Talk podcast.





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