North Dakota

Industrial Commission delays decision on hiring next North Dakota oil regulator

Published

2 years ago

July 31, 2024

Industrial Commission delays decision on hiring next North Dakota oil regulator

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, left, and state Attorney General Drew Wrigley, right, both members of the North Dakota Industrial Commission. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

By: Mary Steurer

BISMARCK, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) – The Industrial Commission held off on picking North Dakota’s next top oil regulator for another week to 10 days after public interviews of both finalists.

“I feel like we’ve got two strong candidates here that are very different, one who’s got a lot of experience on the regulation side, the other one’s got great experience on the private sector side,” Gov. Doug Burgum said at the Tuesday afternoon hearing. “I think what’s missing for me is not ‘Do we have strong candidates?’ It’s, ‘What are the exact needs of the agency right now?’”

The commission hasn’t yet announced a firm date for when it will make its final decision.

The Industrial Commission seeks a successor for Lynn Helms, who served as director of Mineral Resources for nearly 20 years.

In all, 16 people applied for the director position. The search committee spoke with five semi finalists before advancing Nathan Anderson and Kevin Connors to the final round of interviews. Only the names of finalists are public under North Dakota law.

Anderson, a Colorado resident, has about 25 years of industry experience working across states including North Dakota, Texas, Ohio and Michigan.

He works for Chevron in Colorado and owns a company called 3B Investments.

The Minot native earned a bachelor’s degree in geology from North Dakota State University.

He said previous employees have described him as a fair, empathetic, trusting and empowering leader.

Connors, meanwhile, works for the University of North Dakota’s Energy and Environmental Research Center. He has previous experience at the Department of Mineral Resources, spending eight of those years in the Oil and Gas Division.

Connors said that his prior history working for the state means he already has partnerships with North Dakota oil and gas regulators and other state agencies.

The Bismarck resident’s current role at the EERC is assistant director for regulatory compliance and energy policy. He works extensively with carbon capture.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of Montana.

Connors described his leadership style as “shepherd”-like.

“I come from a culture at the EERC where we are laser-focused on employee development and leadership,” he said.

In both interviews, members of the Industrial Commission made it clear they want a director that can carry on Helms’ legacy.

“He’s been in the role for so long, he kind of defines what it is,” Burgum said while interviewing Anderson. “How does this mission of this particular role resonate with you?”

Anderson said he would strive to keep North Dakota a pro-business, pro-energy state.

“One hundred percent, North Dakota will have a seat at the energy table — and a front row seat at that,” Anderson said.

Connors, who worked with Helms, said he considers the former director a mentor and friend.

“I saw the way Lynn had to switch gears throughout the day,” Connors said. “I really worked hard to try to position myself to be able to have that skill set.”

During the meeting, the commission also approved an agreement to continue working with Helms on a contract basis until the next director starts.

Helms will advise the agency on technical cases and help prepare for new leadership, said Reice Haase, deputy executive director for the Industrial Commission.

After postponing the vote to pick a new director, Burgum noted he wished that the state would consider adding a new position to the Department of Mineral Resources so that the agency could hire both candidates.

“Man, why wouldn’t we get both these guys going?” Burgum said. “There’s only one role on paper. We can’t fix that necessarily now without a change in legislation, but I’m almost ready to ask the Industrial Commission, as another project, let’s think about what drafting that would be like.”

The Industrial Commission is comprised of Burgum, Attorney General Drew Wrigley and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. The Department of Mineral Resources serves as the oil and gas industry regulator in North Dakota, the nation’s No. 3 oil producing state.

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North Dakota

Today in History, 1943: 2 North Dakota men die in separate Army plane crashes

Published

10 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Today in History, 1943: 2 North Dakota men die in separate Army plane crashes

On this day in 1943, two North Dakota army officers, Second Lieut. Arthur B. Kuntz and First Lieut. Bernard A. Anderson, were killed in separate medium bomber training crashes in Florida and Georgia.

Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:

Army Plane Crashes Kill Two N. D. Men

Two North Dakota officers in the army air forces were killed Sunday in bomber crashes during training flights, Associated Press dispatches revealed Monday.

Second Lieut. Arthur B. Kuntz of Harvey (Wells county) was killed with 10 others from the Avon Park, Fla., army bomber base when two medium bombers collided during a routine formation flight. Both planes crashed and there were no survivors.

First Lieut. Bernard A. Anderson of Warwick (Benson county) was one of six killed when a medium bomber from MacDill field, Tampa, Fla., crashed near Savannah, Ga. Lieutenant Anderson was co-pilot of the plane.

None of the other victims of either accident was from the Dakotas or Minnesota.

Lieutenant Kuntz, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Kuntz of Harvey, was graduated from the army air force navigation school at Hondo, Texas, as a second lieutenant last October, and received his wings as a navigator.

See more history at Newspapers.com

An ad featured in The Forum on March 2, 1943. Newspapers.com

Kate Almquist is the social media manager for InForum. After working as an intern, she joined The Forum full time starting in January 2022. Readers can reach her at kalmquist@forumcomm.com.

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North Dakota

Presidential Searches at 3 North Dakota Colleges Narrowing

Published

22 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Presidential Searches at 3 North Dakota Colleges Narrowing

(Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – Two North Dakotans are semifinalists for the Bismarck State College president’s job as North Dakota State University narrows its presidential candidate list.

Valley City State University also is searching for a new president, with an application period closing this month..

Kevin Black, chair of the State Board of Higher Education and co-chair of the North Dakota State University Presidential Search Committee, said the committee reviewed over 60 applications. The committee is planning off-site interviews with candidates March 9-10 and campus visits with semifinal candidates March 23-27.

“We’re really excited about taking the next step and there’s some very quality people in there,” Black said.

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North Dakota

After falling short a year ago, West Fargo United wins ND girls hockey state title

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

After falling short a year ago, West Fargo United wins ND girls hockey state title

FARGO — One season ago, a Cinderella run for the West Fargo United girls hockey team came up just short in the state championship game.

United, the No. 7 seed, fell to Legacy/Bismarck in the 2025 final.

This time around, the team had momentum swaying in its favor, riding nine consecutive wins into Saturday’s title game against Grand Forks at Scheels Arena.

Led by goals from a pair of senior captains, United capped its redemption season with a 10th straight victory, fending off the KnightRiders 2-1 to claim the North Dakota girls hockey state tournament championship.

“It just means everything,” said United’s Payton Stocker, whose goal at the 12:31 mark of the second period gave her team a 1-0 lead. “We’ve worked so hard and throughout the season, it’s just been such a battle. Winning and coming out on top is just such a great feeling.”

West Fargo United captains react as they are presented the team’s 2026 state championship hockey trophy after defeating Grand Forks on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena in Fargo.

Eric Hylden / Grand Forks Herald

Stocker was followed up in scoring by United captain Rachel Spanier. The defenseman fired a slap shot from the left point that beat Grand Forks goaltender Kylie Schmaltz to make it 2-0 with 35 seconds remaining in the middle frame.

Reagan Wilson locked things down in net for United, finishing with 23 saves and picking up an all-tournament team nod.

“This is my first year of high school hockey,” the sophomore goaltender said. “I can’t believe coming in here and winning a state title with all of these girls. I just love them so much.”

While it was the senior duo of Stocker and Spanier finding the net for United on Saturday, contributions were seen across the board.

Sophomore Emma Hassler also put forth an all-tournament campaign with five goals and an assist for six points over the three-day stretch.

030226 WFGOUnited3.jpg — Grand Forks’ Dustee Balek’s shot is blocked by West Fargo United goalie Reagan Wilson in the North Dakota girls hockey state championship game on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena.

Freshman Kaylee Augdahl finished the tournament with four points — including

a double-overtime winner

over Fargo North/South in Friday’s semifinals — and junior Liana Williamson added three assists.

“It wasn’t just us (seniors),” said Stocker, who joined Hassler and Wilson on the all-tourney team. “It was everyone collectively. Being seniors, it feels a lot better. It was a great feeling.”

United, the No. 5 seed this year, capped its season with a record of 17-9-0.

“These girls are awesome,” first-year United head coach Kennedy Blair said. “They’ve worked super, super hard since last April. Wake up early in the mornings, go into off-ice training, on-ice training and all that.

“This group of girls is really special. They’re a really close-knit group, and they trusted our coaching staff coming in as a first-year group.”

030226 WFGOUnited2.jpg — West Fargo United players pose for the camera as they wait for the 2026 state championship hockey trophy after defeating Grand Forks on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, at Scheels Arena.

Blair knows a thing or two about winning championships. She was a North Dakota state champion goaltender with the former Bismarck Blizzard co-op and also won an NCAA Division I national title with the Wisconsin women’s program in 2021.

Yet, she never imagined ending her first year as a high school varsity coach with a state championship.

“No, I didn’t,” said Blair, who also won North Dakota High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year honors. “But I had belief in these girls that we could get to the state championship again.”

It’s the United co-op’s first-ever state title — which consists of West Fargo, West Fargo Sheyenne and West Fargo Horace high schools.

Prior to Saturday, the last time a West Fargo girls program won the state title was in 2014 when it was still a standalone program competing as the Packers.

“It’s amazing considering United hockey has never won a championship game,” Wilson said.

Grand Forks, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, ended its campaign with a 21-5-0 record.

Ella Yahna’s fourth goal of the tournament — which came on a 2-on-1 rush with the assist from teammate Reese Meagher, put the KnightRiders within one shot with 8:17 remaining in the third.

Grand Forks, however, was unable to find the equalizer as its bid for a first state championship came up just short.

“I thought we came out in the first and we had a tough time,” Grand Forks head coach Kelly Kilgore said. “I felt we battled some nerves. I really liked our second period … We carried the play and tilted the ice a little bit back in our favor. The shots kind of started to really turn in our favor.”

Stocker said she wouldn’t have wanted to win a state title as a senior with any other group of teammates.

“(They mean) everything,” Stocker said. “We’re so tight and they’re all my friends. Leaving them is going to be hard. But they mean everything to me. We’re all so close and I love them a lot.”