For the fourth straight month, North Dakota’s economy slowed.

Dr. Ernie Goss is an economics professor at Creighton University, and he conducts a monthly survey of manufacturing supply managers in the Mid-America Region. He says North Dakota’s reading on the business conditions index for the month of June was 45.5, which is up from May’s 40.2 – but still below a reading of 50, indicating a shrinking economy. Goss says a number of things contribute to this; he says North Dakota’s energy and agriculture industries are both slowing down. He says exports are also down – 16 percent last month as compared to the same time last year.

Despite the challenges, Goss says there are some overall positive aspects to the economic outlook.

“Well, the good news is ultimately, they’ve got to have our food, they’ve got to have our energy, and we are the most productive on the face of the earth. We will do well in the long run; this is just a tough spell we’ve got right now. USDA projected this farm income would be down for 2024, we’re seeing that spilling over into the manufacturing – for example, agricultural equipment manufacturing, not doing well, and of course we see that in John Deere and other manufacturers of agricultural equipment.”

Goss also says inflationary pressures have also slowed, and he predicts the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates at their next meeting in September.

VALLEY CITY, N.D. — Two juveniles were injured in a single-vehicle rollover Sunday evening, June 30, about 5 miles southeast of Valley City, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol.

The patrol said a 13-year-old Valley City boy was driving a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox west on 36th Street Southeast at about 6:20 p.m. Sunday with a 14-year-old Valley City boy as a passenger. The patrol said the Equinox failed to slow down for a T intersection at 121st Avenue Southeast and went through the intersection, entered the ditch and rolled. The Equinox came to rest in a wheat field southwest of the intersection, the patrol said.

Both juveniles were transported by private party to CHI Mercy Health in Valley City where they were treated for their non-life-threatening injuries.

Charges are being investigated for the 13-year-old driver who was not wearing a seat belt, the patrol said. The passenger was wearing a seat belt.

The patrol said the names of the juveniles will not be released.

The patrol is investigating the crash.

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FARGO, N.D. — The Willmar American Legion baseball team was able to end its weekend tournament on a high note.

After dropping its first three games of the Jim Pettersen Fargo-Moorhead Invitational, Post 167 clinched a 4-0 victory against Tri-City Red on Sunday.

Tri-City Red is a team composed of players from Mounds View High School.

All four of Willmar’s runs came in the first inning. Cullen Gregory led Post 167’s offense, going 2-for-3. Braeden Fagerlie was 1-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Conlan Carlson, Blake Reiman and Connor Smith also scored runs in the victory.

Post 167 opened the tournament with an 11-0 loss to the St. Cloud Chutes on Friday. That was followed up by 2-1 losses to the Brookings (South Dakota) Bandits and the Bismarck (North Dakota) Governors on Saturday.

Willmar heads to Green Lake Diamonds in Spicer on Tuesday to play New London-Spicer. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.

The Bismarck Governors’ Jace Groseclose and Gavin Lill combined to throw a no-hitter against Willmar.

Mason Thole scored Post 167’s lone run on a groundout by Jaxin Schirmers in the top of the seventh inning.

Brookings’ Jack Merrit delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning for a walk-off victory against Willmar.

Dylan Staska, Blake Reiman and Gavin Banks each finished with a hit for Post 167. Tyler Madsen scored the team’s lone run in the top of the second.

Connor Smith finished with four strikeouts over 6-1/3 innings.

Noah Jensen’s two-out, two-run RBI single drove in the game-winning run for Glenwood-Lowry as it secured the championship title against host Montevideo.

Nathan Dell pitched a complete game for Glenwood-Lowry and earned the win. He struck out four and walked one, allowing 10 hits, three runs and two earned runs over seven innings.

Cooper Dack and Ben Gunlogson both went 2-for-4 for Montevideo. Gunlogson added a run.

New London-Spicer out-hit Holdingford 10-3 in a victory at Holdingford.

Nolan Johnson was 2-for-3 with a home run, four RBIs and two runs for Posts 545/537. Chi Schneider was 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and an RBI.

Grant Paffrath tossed all seven innings for the win, striking out five.

Montevideo secured a win over Breckenridge at its home tournament.

Leading Post 59’s offense was Sam Knoop. He went 1-for-2 with two runs and two RBIs.

Gannon Reidinger and Cooper Dack combined to strike out seven and hold Breckenridge to one hit and one walk.

Sam Knoop struck out 14 in Montevideo’s victory over Prinsburg in Montevideo.

Cooper Dack finished 1-for-1 with a double and two runs scored for Post 59. Landon Olson drove in two runs in a 1-for-3 effort.

Payton Meyer had Prinsburg’s lone hit.

Noah Jensen led a trio of Glenwood-Lowry players with multiple hits in a victory over Anoka in Montevideo.

Jensen finished 3-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and a run scored. Dylan Alexander was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run. Alex Panitzke was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs.

Austin Ballhagen struck out five while giving up just two hits and one walk in Glenwood-Lowry’s win over Sacred Heart/MACCRAY at Montevideo.

Connor Erickson finished 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run for Posts 187/263.

Wyatt Swenson and Trevor Peterson both had hits for the Scarlets.