Flathead High School alum, former Kalispell resident and retired NFL quarterback Brock Osweiler will be part of the ESPN broadcast team for the upcoming Jan. 6 FCS National Championship game in Frisco, Texas, between Montana State University and North Dakota State University.

Osweiler, who was hired by ESPN in 2022 as an analyst for college football, has been busy of late as college football’s bowl season reaches its peak, with nearly 30 bowl games, plus additional college football playoff games having already taken place between Dec. 14 and Dec. 30. News of Osweiler’s involvement in calling the FCS National Championship began circulating Monday.

This will be the second Bobcats game Osweiler has been in the booth for since Dec. 21, when he and play-by-play broadcaster Dave Fleming and sideline reporter Stormy Buonantony covered the FCS semifinal between MSU and University of South Dakota on ABC. That game, a 31-17 win for MSU, featured a dominant performance by Butte High grad and Bobcats’ starting quarterback Tommy Mellott, who threw for 134 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Montana State was the top-seeded team in the FCS playoffs and is undefeated on the season. They will face a South Dakota State Bison team that is 13-2 and entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed. The two losses on the season for the Bison have come at the hands of University of Colorado and University of South Dakota.

Last week, Osweiler reportedly became the first person in the TV broadcast booth for the Las Vegas Bowl between USC and Texas A&M who had previously played in the Las Vegas Bowl. That was back in 2011 when the Arizona State Sun Devils faced Boise State in a 56-24 loss during which Osweiler went 30 of 47 passing for 395 yards and two touchdowns.

A resident of Scottsdale, Ariz., Osweiler is also part of the TV broadcast team as an analyst for the Dec. 31 ReliaQuest Bowl between No. 11 Alabama and Michigan on ESPN.

Osweiler won’t be the only former pro quarterback from Montana covering the FCS championship game. Ryan Leaf, who grew up in Great Falls, and went on to play for Washington State before spending four seasons in the NFL, will be helping to call the game for the radio broadcasting company Westwood One Sports.

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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.

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – We’re kicking off our coverage of the 2025 Miss America competition!

VNL’s own Sophia Richards took to the skies on Friday, flying to Orlando, Florida to compete as North Dakota’s state delegate.

The 23-year-old is from Hope, ND. She tells us she had 8 students in her class.

“Growing up on a farm, everyone in my family just had such strong work ethic and that’s something I’ve grown up with my whole life,” says Sophia.

“I’m kinda the odd ball out of my family. We’re a big sports family! So when I was first interested in pageants everyone in my family was a bit apprehensive, like what are we getting into?”

Sophia was 16 years old when she competed in her first pageant, taking the title of Miss West Fargo before winning Miss ND.

She adds,“it took me 3 years to win miss north Dakota, I was a non-finalist my first year, then I was first runner up, then my third year I was the winner.”

“I was such an awkward kid, and I went to my first pageant where I saw all these beautiful, confident young women and that’s something I didn’t see in myself. I thought…. That’s exactly what I want to be like when I grow up.”

“Even if you don’t know me, or any of the other contestants, it’s such a testament to female empowerment.”

The notion of female empowerment doesn’t just exist on the stage for Sophia; she’s been building confidence and grace in young women around the state for the past three years

She says, “Biogirls is my community service initiative, nothing in my life has been more impactful. The self esteem crisis in young women is truly troubling. It’s something I’ve personally experienced and I want to make a difference. It’s a North Dakotan organization, so I’m really excited to bring it to the national stage and get it some recognition.”

When she’s not wearing the sash, she’s wearing a microphone

“I already landed my dream job hosting the lifestyle TV show North Dakota Today. I love my career at Valley News Live, I really don’t see myself anywhere else.”

“I’m not gonna lie to you, it’s been really hard this year. A lot of girls, when they win their state title, will actually quit their job or quit going to school for the year… and that just wasn’t in my nature.”

With only 6 days until the miss America competition, her focus hasn’t left the crown

“I’ve had things done, pulled out of my skin, and teased waxed, tanned and sprayed that I never thought I would before.”

“I’ve been having my friends ask me questions, I’ve been doing mock interviews… but I think the most important thing is to just be incredibly in tune with myself.”

She’s got a little help from friends, family and even some guardian angels.

“I have a stuffed animal that my aunt gave me before she passed away. And all the pageants I’ve won, my mom has actually had that stuffed animal sitting with her in the audience so she can ‘watch me’.”

“You are actually more likely to have a son compete in the Super Bowl than have a daughter compete in Miss America. I mean it’s hard. When you’re in a pageant and getting up on stage, you’re telling the judges: this is who I am, take it or leave it.”

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