North Dakota
Federal judge agrees to toss $28M judgment related to Dakota Access Pipeline protests
BISMARCK (North Dakota Monitor) — A federal district court judge indicated he will nullify a nearly $28 million judgment against the federal government related to costs North Dakota incurred during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests so the parties can reach a settlement.
North Dakota is still set to receive a payment Attorney General Drew Wrigley described as satisfactory, but attorneys would not disclose the amount during a Friday hearing.
Attorneys for the United States and North Dakota said the settlement would allow the parties to avoid litigating the case in appeals court,putting the nearly seven-year-old lawsuit to rest.
“We’re hoping we really don’t need to fight any further,” Department of Justice attorney Jonathan Guynn said during the hearing.
The lawsuit, filed in 2019, concerns demonstrations against the construction of the crude oil pipeline, also known as DAPL, that took place in rural south-central North Dakota in 2016 and 2017.
North Dakota claims the federal government caused the protests to grow in size and intensity by unlawfully allowing demonstrators to camp on federal land. The state says it had to pay millions of dollars on policing and cleaning up the encampments as a result. The United States denies the state’s allegations.
North Dakota U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Traynor in April 2025 sided with the state and ordered the executive branch to pay North Dakota the $28 million sum, a decision the U.S. Department of Justice later appealed to the 8th Circuit.
If the settlement moves forward, North Dakota would receive a “substantial monetary payment” from the United States, attorneys said Friday. As a condition of the agreement, the Department of Justice wants Traynor’s judgment and three other orders in which he ruled against the United States to be voided. That includes the court’s 120-page ruling from April 2025.
Both parties said Friday that having the rulings nullified wouldn’t have a significant negative impact on the public, since the documents could still be cited even if they no longer hold the weight of court orders.
At the same time, Guynn said the Department of Justice wants the orders vacated because it doesn’t want the legal conclusions Traynor made to influence the outcome of future lawsuits.
“The downstream consequences of keeping these on the books is troublesome for the United States,” he said during the hearing. If Traynor does not agree to axe the rulings, the United States would likely no longer be willing to settle and move forward with its appeal instead, Guynn added.
Traynor’s orders make findings about the federal government’s responsibility under the Federal Tort Claims Act — the law North Dakota filed the suit under — which the state noted previously in court filings “could have utility holding the federal government to account” in the future.
Still, attorneys for the state said they believe this trade-off is outweighed by the time and money the public would save by not going through the appeals process. North Dakota would also avoid the risk of having Traynor’s judgment overturned by higher courts.
Wrigley said the settlement will be made public once it’s finalized.
The United States’ appeal of Traynor’s decision has been on hold since last summer, when the state and federal government informed the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals they had started settlement negotiations and wished to pause the case.
The 8th Circuit will have to first send the case back to Traynor before he could grant the parties’ requests.
The case went to trial in Bismarck in early 2024. During the four-week trial, the court heard from witnesses including former governors Doug Burgum and Jack Dalrymple, Native activists, federal officials and law enforcement.
The Dakota Access Pipeline carries crude oil from northwest North Dakota to Illinois. It crosses the Missouri River just north of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, which prompted the tribe to begin protesting the pipeline on the grounds that it poses a threat to its water supply and sovereignty.
North Dakota’s lawsuit originally requested $38 million in damages from the federal government. Traynor ordered the executive branch to pay $28 million since the U.S. Department of Justice previously gave the state $10 million as compensation for costs it spent related to the protests.
North Dakota
Carmen Tweeten
Funeral service for Carmen Tweeten, 90, of Albuquerque, NM, formerly of Dickinson, will be 10:00 am, July 23, 2026 at Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson with Pastor Konrad Tweeten officiating. Burial will follow to Dickinson Cemetery. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service. Carmen passed away July 8, 2026. Carmen Wayne Tweeten was born on February 4, 1936, in Grand Forks, North Dakota, the son of Tillman and Minerva (Dahl) Tweeten. He grew up in Grand Forks and Dickinson, North Dakota, graduating from Central High School in Dickinson in 1954. He married Henrietta Oukrop on June 13, 1954, in Dickinson. They celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary this year. In February of 1955, they welcomed their only child, a boy whom they named Konrad (Kon). Carmen graduated from Dickinson State College and then taught Junior High Science in Glendive, Montana. He graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago, Illinois, with the highest grade point average in the school’s history (as of 2012 it was still not surpassed). Carmen worked at Silvernale Funeral Home in Glendive until moving to Echo, Minnesota in 1960 where he managed Sunset Funeral Home until 1978. In 1974, Carmen gave his life to Jesus Christ and began to teach Bible studies in the Echo area. He filled many pulpits for vacationing pastors and churches who were in between pastors. He also held revival meetings in western North Dakota. In 1978, he and his wife, Henrietta, moved to Dickinson, North Dakota, where they owned and operated Tweeten Funeral Homes in Dickinson and Bowman, North Dakota. In November of 1984, Carmen and Henrietta relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico where they lived for the past 42 years. Carmen worked at French Mortuary as both a funeral director and then as a pre-need funeral planner. He also worked for Monumental Life Insurance Company in Baltimore, Maryland, as a trainer and conference speaker. He retired in 1998 in Albuquerque where he and Henrietta continued to enjoy each other until his death at home on July 8, 2026. He is survived by his wife, Henrietta; his son, Kon (Connie) Tweeten of Albuquerque; three granddaughters, LaChae Webster of Oklahoma City OK, Kristy (Brian) Sterling of Wylie, Texas, and Yvette (Joshua) Smith of Dayton OH; fourteen great grandchildren, and nine great, great grandchildren; one brother, Dennis of The Villages Fl; one brother-in-law, Daniel (Kathy) Oukrop of Bismarck ND and many nieces, nephews, cousins and a multitude of friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Tillman and Minerva Tweeten and Harry and Amy Oukrop, two brothers, two sisters, and one grandson. Remembrances and condolences can be shared at www.stevensonfuneralhome.com.
North Dakota
Wrestling: Yates, Raper excel in North Dakota – Salisbury Post
Wrestling: Yates, Raper excel in North Dakota
Published 2:07 am Monday, July 13, 2026
Carson Raper. Rhett Hoy photo.
Staff report
FARGO, N.D. – Carson Raper, a rising sophomore at South Rowan, and Braylen Yates, a rising sophomore at East Rowan, did very well on a national stage in the 16U Junior Nationals held over the weekend in the Fargodome.
Yates wrestled at 175, while Raper wrestled at 113.
Yates finished fourth (out of a field of 128 wrestlers) to earn All-America honors.
Yates dominated his first three matches before winning a close quarterfinal. He lost a 4-0 decision to a Minnesota wrestler in the semifinals and a 6-2 decision to an Illinois wrestler in the third-place match.
Raper won his first two matches by technical fall before losing to a Missouri wrestler in the Round of 32.
Raper bounced back in the consolation bracket to win two more matches. He lost a 12-10 decision to a Florida wrestler to end his run in the tournament. Raper was the youngest in his weight class.
Raper won a 4A NCHSAA championship last winter, while Yates was a state runner-up in 5A.
They have big futures.
North Dakota
NDSU Sets North Central Research Extension Center Field Day for July 15
FARGO, N.D. — Farmers, crop advisers, agribusiness professionals and community members are invited to a field day hosted by North Dakota State University’s North Central Research Extension Center on July 15. The annual event will provide the latest research-based information on crop production, livestock, soil health, pest management and agricultural markets from NDSU Extension specialists and researchers.
The annual field day highlights current research addressing the challenges and opportunities facing North Dakota agriculture.
“The NCREC field day is the opportunity to see how the research and Extension efforts at NCREC directly benefit producers,” says James Rogers, interim assistant director of NDSU’s North Central Research Extension Center. “It is a great opportunity to interact with researchers and Extension specialists.”
Registration and the morning program begin at 8:30 a.m. with a pest clinic, educational display booths, and coffee and donuts. The official program starts at 9 with welcoming remarks and presentation of the NDSU Partnership Award. The morning continues with a market outlook presented by Frayne Olson, NDSU Extension crops economist and professor, offering attendees insights into current agricultural market trends and economic conditions.
Participants will then travel by trailer to a series of field stops featuring the latest NDSU Extension and research recommendations:
- Forage and livestock management updates – Rogers and Lacey Quail, NDSU Extension livestock management specialist
- Weed control strategies – Brian Jenks, weed scientist at the North Central Research Extension Center
- Corn weed management updates – Joe Ikley, NDSU Extension weed specialist
- Soil health trailer demonstration – Carlos Pires, NDSU Extension soil health specialist
- Soybean and canola production updates – Ana Carcedo, NDSU Extension broadleaf crops agronomist
- Hard red spring wheat variety research – Andrew Green, associate professor in NDSU’s Department of Plant Sciences
- Small grains disease management – Andrew Friskop, NDSU Extension plant pathologist
- Insect management updates – Jan Knodel, NDSU Extension entomologist
The field sessions conclude at noon with lunch, providing attendees an opportunity to visit with NDSU specialists and fellow producers.
For registration and additional information about the field day, visit ndsu.ag/NCREC-fieldday26 or contact the center at 701-857-7677.
— NDSU Extension
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