North Dakota

Letter: Judge Welte was right to side with ND tribes

Published

2 years ago

January 21, 2024

Letter: Judge Welte was right to side with ND tribes

Thank goodness U.S. District Court Chief Judge Peter Welte decided to fix North Dakota’s violation of the Voting Rights Act. The remedy will give voters from the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa and the Spirit Lake Nation a fairer opportunity to elect representatives of their choice to the North Dakota Legislative Assembly.

It’s been a long road to get here. During the 2021 North Dakota Legislature’s special session for redistricting, the two tribes came to the Legislature to recommend district boundaries for their area. The tribes had their proposal verified as meeting criteria of the Voting Rights Act, but it was rejected by the Legislature’s redistricting committee, who then approved a plan that very likely would violate the law.

During deliberations in 2021, legislators struggled over creating single member House districts as a way to bring those elected closer to local voters. Lawmakers found many reasons to say they were a bad idea. However, when the Legislature ended up approving subdistricts for Fort Berthold and Turtle Mountain reservations, members of the majority party changed their minds and sued, claiming subdistricts gave Native Americans an unfair advantage. The court ruled the subdistricts were fine. South Dakota has had several reservation subdistricts for a couple decades.

While the Legislature’s district boundaries improved election fairness for Three Affiliated Tribes, the boundary changes made it harder for Turtle Mountain and Spirit Lake voters. They took it to court and made a well-researched, strong case that the Legislature’s 2021 redistricting plan violated the Voting Rights Act by “unlawfully diluting the voting strength of Native American voters who live on and around” the two reservations. Welte agreed.

Since the court decision, North Dakota legislators, the secretary of state, and attorney general have struggled. Rather than dealing straight-on with the issue, current North Dakota leaders wanted to sidestep in an appeal using a legal technicality from a recent outlier decision by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

I watched a lot of the legislative hearings and floor debates. Even those who spoke in favor of complying with the Voting Rights Act usually added “I don’t like it, but it’s the law…”

Current state leaders have 90% of the legislative seats and 100% of statewide elected offices, yet they fight so hard to not do the right thing. North Dakota’s current leaders are evidence that the Voting Rights Act – along with strong citizen efforts – is still very much needed to ensure that voting rights are adhered to.

Hopefully, it won’t be so difficult next time.

Don Morrison lives in Bismarck.

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North Dakota

Bids awarded for construction of Highway 85

Published

6 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

Bids awarded for construction of Highway 85

WATFORD CITY, N.D. (KUMV) – The North Dakota Department of Transportation awarded more than 150 million dollars in bids to continue expanding highway 85 south of Watford City.

More than $83.8 million will go to Park Construction out of Minneapolis for one segment. It covers about five and a half miles south of the Long X Bridge, going through another section of the badlands. It’s expected to be a three-year project due to the rough terrain.

The next segment covers 12 and a half miles south from the badlands to the highway 200 intersection. The winning bid went to Strata out of Grand Forks for $61.7 million. It will be a two-year project.

Funding for these projects were provided by both the state and federal government.

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North Dakota

Griffin’s 18 lead Western Illinois past North Dakota 69-66 in OT – WTOP News

Published

18 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Isaiah Griffin had 18 points in Western Illinois’ 69-66 overtime win against North Dakota on…

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Isaiah Griffin had 18 points in Western Illinois’ 69-66 overtime win against North Dakota on Saturday.

Griffin had three steals for the Leathernecks (4-7). Karyiek Dixon scored 17 points while shooting 6 of 10 from the field and 5 for 6 from the line and added 18 rebounds. Lucas Lorenzen shot 3 for 13 (1 for 9 from 3-point range) and 7 of 8 from the free-throw line to finish with 14 points.

Eli King led the way for the Fightin’ Hawks (4-9) with 13 points, two steals and four blocks. Greyson Uelmen added 13 points for North Dakota. Garrett Anderson had 11 points and six rebounds.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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North Dakota

Community rescues grieving North Dakota widow — by harvesting their late pal’s 1,400 acres of crops

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Community rescues grieving North Dakota widow — by harvesting their late pal’s 1,400 acres of crops

In North Dakota, farmers aren’t neighbors — they’re family.

When a sudden car crash tragically took the life of a beloved community member, the goodhearted folks of Antler came together to carry out one final act of kindness: they harvested his crops.

Randy Fyllesvold was killed in September, and his grieving widow, Kharra, and their two sons were left reeling, in no condition to deal with the 1,400 acres of corn and soybeans still in the fields surrounding their home.

That’s when the close-knit community stepped in.

Two of Randy’s pals — Wyatt Thompson and Andy Gates — decided to organize a large-scale harvest of their late pal’s crops.

First, they put out a call for help.

And the people answered. In a flash, more than 75 volunteers from surrounding communities were rolling onto the farm on 12 combines, in 40 trucks, all loaded with other equipment — along with willing hands.

They worked together like a well-oiled machine, and the massive effort was locked up in just a couple days.

Kharra said being among so many people harvesting her husband’s final crop was “nothing short of breathtaking” and she feels blessed to be the recipient of so much love and support in such a harrowing time.

But they wouldn’t have it any other way.

“To know Randy was to love Randy,” said buddy Wyatt Thompson told local station KFYR. “..The reach that he had was kind of endless.”

Kharra said she’ll never forget what they did for her.

“As I stood in the shop and looked around before the final Randy Fyllesvold corn harvest started, I was flooded with memories we created with all of you,” she wrote in a heartfelt Facebook post.

“The day was full of emotion, but I found so much peace in watching it unfold … but from the bottom of my heart, thank you. I will always remember this and Randy would be so proud.

“God Bless all of you and the boys and I love each and every one of you. 12 combines, 7 grain carts, over 40 trucks all for you Randy.

“I know you are smiling down.”

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