North Dakota
Emergency Commission OKs $3.4 million loan from the Bank of North Dakota for Christmas ice storm costs
The North Dakota Emergency Commission has approved a $3.4 million loan from the Bank of North Dakota, to cover the state’s share of recovering from severe damage caused by the Christmas ice storm.
The state will receive $21.8 million in federal disaster funds. In addition, local governments in the affected 13 counties will have to contribute $3.9 million. It brings the total cost of the damage to $29.2 million.
“About 20,000 residents were without power in 13 counties,” North Dakota Adjutant General Alan Dohrmann told the Commission. He said around 2500 power poles were damaged by the ice.
Gov. Doug Burgum chairs the Emergency Commission. He thanked the Guard for its efforts during the storm.
“When we say 20,000 people, we have hospitals, schools and all kinds of things without power,” Burgum said. “I would again like to thank the Guard, the Department of Emergency Services, and everybody for the work that they did to help protect citizens, and get the power back on as quickly as we could after this extreme situation.”
The loan will be paid back through a deficiency appropriation in the upcoming Legislative session.
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) -A North Dakota woman is facing a federal involuntary manslaughter charge after a deadly crash on an American Indian reservation last fall.
A federal grand jury indicted Brittany Renne Laverdure on April 22, 2026, accusing her of killing a person while driving under the influence of multiple substances on or about Sept. 21, 2025, in Indian country in North Dakota.
Because the incident occurred in Indian country, the case falls under federal jurisdiction, specifically under 18 U.S.C. § 1153, which gives the federal government authority to prosecute certain crimes committed by Native Americans on tribal lands. The indictment identifies Laverdure as an Indian under that statute.
According to the indictment, Laverdure acted with “wanton and reckless disregard for human life amounting to gross negligence.” Prosecutors say she attempted to make a U-turn and pulled into oncoming traffic while impaired, without due care for the safety of others.
The victim’s name is not being reported at this time and court documents did not provide any further details on the incident.
An arrest warrant was issued April 23, 2026 and a special agent with the FBI arrested Laverdure on April 28, 2026, in Grand Forks.
Laverdure is scheduled to stand trial June 23, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Peter D. Welte in Fargo. The trial is expected to last four days.
Involuntary manslaughter under federal law carries a maximum sentence of eight years in prison.
Copyright 2026 KVLY. All rights reserved.
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – North Dakota has a new junior duck stamp winner.
On Saturday afternoon, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service held an awards ceremony for the state contest at the Heritage Center in Bismarck. 900 kids submitted entries.
16-year old, Gabe Coleman, from Baldwin, took first place overall with his entry which is an acrylic painting of a pair of blue-winged teal. Gabe has been entering the contest since he was in kindergarten, but this year is the first time he took best of show.
“For all my nine years, this is what I have been trying to do, and I finally achieved it this year. To win it is actually amazing”, said Coleman, who is a homeschooled sophomore.
Coleman has another reason to celebrate. As the top finisher in the state, his winning artwork advanced to the national competition. He ranked among the top 15 out of 13-thousand entries in the national contest.
Runner-Up Best of Show (Second Place) in the North Dakota contest this year went to first time-entrant Kamryn Nissen from Grand Forks. Kamryn, a sophomore at Thompson Public School, used colored pencils to design her entry of a mallard drake in eclipse plumage.
The Conservation Message winner was Brandi Agnew, a seventh grader from Menoken, with her message: “Protect the prairie; preserve the hunt.”
The call for entries is an educational program that uses science and art to encourage students to explore wildlife, conservation, and recreation.
Copyright 2026 KFYR. All rights reserved.
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