North Dakota

Jamestown, state officials tour businesses that received automation grants

Published

1 year ago

December 17, 2024

Jamestown, state officials tour businesses that received automation grants

JAMESTOWN — State and local officials went on a tour of three businesses in Jamestown on Friday, Dec. 13, that highlighted recipients of the Automate ND Grant Program.

The tour included stops at Champ Industries USA Inc., Agri-Cover Inc. and Midmach.

Champ Industries received a $240,500 grant for an automated tool-loading brake press.

“This program helped a lot,” said Kyle Johnson, plant manager at Champ Industries. “Automation is definitely something that we were going towards, and this allowed us to take the first step much sooner than we anticipated.”

Agri-Cover received a nearly $283,000 grant for robot arms and autonomous carts. Midmach received $500,000 for three robotic welding cells.

The North Dakota Development Fund received $5 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funding for a grant program during the 2023 legislative session. The program was developed in response to the workforce shortage in North Dakota, according to the North Dakota Department of Commerce’s website.

The one-time program made grants of up to $500,000 available to primary-sector certified businesses in North Dakota. The grants could not be more than 50% of the machinery, equipment or software being purchased.

“We’ve had legislators reach out to us with interest in advancing and sponsoring a bill to run it into the future and create something or at least do another one-time funding,” said David Lehman, advanced manufacturing business development manager for the state Commerce Department.

The Automate ND Grant Program had 42 applicants with $13 million in requests in a three-month application window from 21 communities, said Shayden Akason, deputy director of economic development and finance with the state Commerce Department. He said 18 applicants were funded from 13 communities.

“It just showed the type of demand and interest that companies have in automation to help their workforce challenges,” he said. “ … The quality of those applications, we probably would have funded another dozen of them. That’s how good they were and that’s how competitive the process was.”

The state needs about 30,000 to 40,000 people to fill its workforce gap, Lehman said. He said the manufacturing sector has around 26,000 to 29,000 employees in the state.

“If you took every graduating high school student and every graduating college student, we still wouldn’t fill our workforce gap in North Dakota,” he said.

A welder does some work at a station at Champ Industries USA in Jamestown.

John M. Steiner / The Jamestown Sun

Lehman said there are three ways for the state to dig itself out of the workforce issue — improving processes, focusing on Visa workers and legal immigration to increase workforce and automation.

“If you can’t, if you can’t improve your processes, you can’t get enough people, then you have to automate it,” he said.

Lehman said automation can be difficult in the short term because the state doesn’t have a strong infrastructure for it and the upfront costs are more expensive.

“But in the long term, so North Dakota, who has consistently been in the top three lowest unemployment states since the Bakken hit, has the opportunity,” he said. “So it’s painful now, but as we automate, it should make us more productive and better.”

Akason said workforce is the No. 1 challenge to expansion and economic development in North Dakota. He said the one-time Automate ND Grant Program was created to help alleviate the workforce shortage and keep manufacturers competitive so they can maintain or expand their market share.

Masaki Ova joined The Jamestown Sun in August 2021 as a reporter. He grew up on a farm near Pingree, N.D. He majored in communications at the University of Jamestown, N.D.

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North Dakota

Nebraska Hoops Game Day: North Dakota

Published

11 hours ago

December 21, 2025

Press Room

Coming off of one of its best weeks in program history, Nebraska looks to keep its record-setting start rolling tonight against North Dakota.

Here is what you need to know going into the game as the Huskers try to improve to a perfect 12-0…

Who, What, Where, When

Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-0, 2-0 Big Ten) vs. North Dakota Fighting Hawks (5-9, 0-0 Summit League)

Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 – 7:00 p.m. CT

Pinnacle Bank Arena (15,500)

TV: Big Ten Network

Radio: Huskers Radio Network

Internet/Streaming: Big Ten Plus

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Nebraska projected starters

Jamarques Lawrence	G	Sr.	6-3/185	Lawrence scored 14 points with six assists in the win over Illinois, including a buzzer-beater 3-pointer. His game-winning three was NU’s first since Jan. 15, 2018 (James Palmer Jr. vs. Illinois).
Sam Hoiberg	G	Sr.	6-0/180	After his seven points, six assists, and five rebounds at Illinois, Hoiberg now leads the nation with a 5.5-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He’s also fourth in the Big Ten with 1.7 spg.
Pryce Sandfort	G	Jr.	6-7/210	Sandfort scored 26 of Nebraska’s first 37 points en route to a career-high 32 in the upset at Illinois. He’s now 11th in the Big Ten in scoring (17.1 ppg) and 12th in 3-point percentage (39.3%).
Berke Buyuktuncel	F	Jr.	6-10/240	Foul trouble and an elbow to the face limited Buyuktuncel at Illinois, but he still finished with three points, three rebounds, three steals, and three blocks in the win.
Rienk Mast	F	Sr.	6-10/250	Mast scored 12 of his 17 points in the second half at Illinois, along with his team-high seven rebounds. He’s now 10th in the Big Ten at 17.9 ppg while shooting 54.6% overall and 41.7% from three.

North Dakota projected starters

Eli King	G	Sr.	6-3/193	A former transfer from Iowa State, King is UND’s lone returning starter from last season. He averages 11.1 points and a team-high 2.7 steals per game.
Greyson Uelmen	G	RFr.	6-2/185	After redshirting last season, Uelmen leads the Fighting Hawks at 13.1 points per game while shooting 50% from the field. He also dishes out 2.2 apg.
Zach Kraft	G	So.	6-3/185	Kraft averages 8.0 points per game and leads North Dakota with 32 made 3-pointers at a 39.0% clip this season.
Garrett Anderson	G	Sr.	6-6/195	A transfer from Central Washington, Anderson averages 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He’s also second on the team with 20 made 3-pointers.
George Natsvlishvili	F	Jr.	6-10/239	A native of the nation of Georgia, Natsvlishvili joined North Dakota last season. The junior currently averages 8.6 points on 57.3% shooting with 4.9 rebounds per game.

3 keys to victory

Don’t get ‘fat and happy’

To borrow a quote from former Husker guard Emmanuel Bandoumel a few years ago, Nebraska cannot get “fat and happy” after its 11-0 start to the season. As impressive as NU has been thus far, it must stay dialed in amid finals week and the looming holiday break. The good news is that Nebraska was in nearly this exact situation two seasons ago when North Dakota came to Lincoln and led by as many as 14 points in the second half. The Huskers rallied back for an 83-75 victory, but that game was a major wake-up call during their NCAA Tournament run. NU must lock in from the opening tip until the final buzzer to do what it’s supposed to do and remain perfect.

Protect the basketball

If there’s one way North Dakota can make things interesting tonight, it will be by flustering Nebraska’s ball handlers with heavy pressure and forcing turnovers. The Fighting Hawks rank 25th nationally in defensive turnover percentage (21.3%) and 45th in defensive steal percentage (12.2%). The Huskers have been good about taking care of the basketball this season, ranking 21st in offensive TO% (13.9) and 27th in offensive steal percentage (7.3). UND runs many of the same defensive schemes as Nebraska, so NU should be no strangers to what it sees tonight. However, the Huskers must handle the pressure to keep the game under control.

Win the glass

While Nebraska shocked the college basketball world with its 83-80 win at Illinois, the Huskers made life unnecessarily difficult on themselves in the victory. That’s because the Fighting Illini managed to score 19 second-chance points off 13 offensive rebounds. That included seven offensive boards for 14 points during UI’s 14-point comeback in the first half. North Dakota is hardly the rebounding team Illinois is, ranking 314th nationally in offensive rebounding percentage (25.6%). Still, Nebraska can’t let UND or any opponent get so many extra shots.

Quotable

“The getaway game is always a dangerous one. I dealt with it in the NBA with the All-Star break. You look forward to having a few days off and an opportunity to spend time with family, but you have to stay focused and go out and take care of business.”
-Head coach Fred Hoiberg on Nebraska needing to lock in for its finals week showdown against North Dakota.

Prediction

Nebraska (-29.5) 91, North Dakota 65

Robin’s season record: 10-1

Vs. the spread: 9-2

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North Dakota

Recap: Penn State wrestling sets NCAA history with 77th consecutive dual meet win

Published

23 hours ago

December 21, 2025

Press Room

Recap: Penn State wrestling sets NCAA history with 77th consecutive dual meet win

Penn State goes two for two and sets a new NCAA record

12/20/2025 07:26:07 PM

Penn State won two matches at the Collegiate Wrestling Duals and has set a new NCAA Division I record with 77 consecutive dual meet victories. The Lions pass Oklahoma State’s previous mark of 76 by beating Stanford 42-0. Earlier in the day, Penn State shut out North Dakota State.

Here are the full results from both matches:

PSU vs. NDSU

125 pounds: No. 2 Luke Lilledahl, Penn State d. No. 31 Ezekiel Witt, NDSU, 6-5 (PSU 3-0)
133 pounds: No. 10 Marcus Blaze, PSU md. No. 29 Tristan Daugherty, NDSU, 11-3 (PSU 7-0)
141 pounds: Nate Desmond, Penn State d. Michael Olson, NDSU, 4-1 (PSU 10-0)
149 pounds: No. 1 Shayne Van Ness, PSU TF No. 24 Max Petersen, NDSU, 19-2 (5:16) (PSU 15-0)
157 pounds: No. 8 PJ Duke, Penn State md. No. 21 Gavin Drexler, NDSU, 16-5 (PSU 19-0)
165 pounds: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink, PSU TF Boeden Greenley, NDSU 18-1 (3:45) (PSU 24-0)
174 pounds: No. 1 Levi Haines, Penn State F. Max Magayna, NDSU (1:38) (PSU 30-0)
184 pounds: No. 4 Rocco Welsh, PSU TF Andrew McMcgonagle, NDSU, 19-4 (6:17) (PSU 35-0)
197 pounds: Josh Barr, Penn State TF Devin Wasley, NDSU, 19-3 (3:20) (PSU 40-0)
285 pounds: No. 13 Cole Mirasola, PSU F Drew Blackburn, NDSU (:33) (PSU 46-0)

PSU vs. Stanford
125 pounds: No. 2 Luke Lilledahl, Penn State d. No. 12 Nicco Provo, Stanford, 4-2 (PSU 3-0)
133 pounds: No. 10 Marcus Blaze, PSU F No. 6 Tyler Knox, Stanford (6:44) (PSU 9-0)
141 pounds: #Nate Desmond Penn State md. Lain Yapoujian, Stanford, 9-0 (PSU 13-0)
149 pounds: No. 1 Shayne Van Ness, PSU d. 14 Aden Valencia, Stanford, 10- 4 (PSU 16-0)
157 pounds: No. 8 PJ Duke, Penn State d. No. 5 Daniel Cardenas, Stanford, 5-2 (PSU 19-0)
165 pounds: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink, PSU F. EJ Parco, Stanford (4:23) (PSU 25-0)
174 pounds: No. 1 Levi Haines, PSU md. Lorenzo Norman, Stanford, 14-4 (PSU 29-0)
184 pounds: No. 4 Rocco Welsh, PSU d. Abraham Wojcikiewicz, Stanford, 5-1 (PSU 32-0)
197 pounds: Josh Barr, PSU TF No. 19 Angelo Posada, Stanford, 19-3 (PSU 37-0)
285 pounds: No. 13 Cole Mirasola PSU TF Luke Duthie, Stanford, 21-6 (2:59) (PSU 42-0)

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North Dakota

Suffolk prosecutors intercept, return scammed cash to North Dakota grandmother

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Suffolk prosecutors intercept, return scammed cash to North Dakota grandmother

An 80-year-old North Dakota grandmother scammed out of $8,500 has her money back after Suffolk County prosecutors and postal inspectors traced the package of cash, which was mailed to a Shirley address, and returned it earlier this week, district attorney’s officials said.

Officials said the woman received a call Dec. 12 from someone pretending to be her granddaughter, saying she had been in a traffic accident in Suffolk County and needed bail money.

The caller said she was charged with three crimes and then handed the phone to a man posing as her lawyer, who gave the grandmother instructions on how to send cash through the mail, district attorney’s officials said.

The grandmother mailed the cash, but the man kept calling, pestering her for more money, prosecutors said. The woman, who eventually realized she had been scammed, called police in Devils Lake, North Dakota, and reported the con.

Detectives, who made no arrests, tracked the package to Shirley. The Suffolk County Financial Crimes Bureau then worked with inspectors from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to intercept the package two hours after it arrived on Wednesday and returned the money to the North Dakota woman.

“Our office is dedicated to combating scammers who prey on the senior citizen community, who criminals believe to be easy prey,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a statement. “Bad actors should know that Suffolk County will not be a haven for mailing scams, and that we will do everything within our power to prevent citizens from being swindled by predatory scammers.”

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.

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