North Dakota

North Dakota Council Advises $171.3M for Career, Tech Centers

Published

2 years ago

December 2, 2022

(TNS) — The North Dakota Workforce Improvement Council is recommending the state Legislature make investments $171.3 million for funding operations and programming of recent and increasing profession and know-how facilities and profession and technical schooling programming.

Sen. Cole Conley, R- Jamestown, and Reps. Craig Headland, R- Montpelier, and Bernie Satrom and Mitch Ostlie, each R- Jamestown, toured the James Valley Profession and Know-how Middle on Tuesday, Nov. 29. Jamestown Excessive College Principal Adam Gehlhar stated the Jamestown Public College District invited the native legislators to speak concerning the wants of the James Valley Profession and Know-how Middle and different space profession and know-how facilities.

Within the state Workforce Improvement Council’s report of suggestions, the highest precedence is to seek out or safe $171.3 million in funding. The funding contains $23 million for brand spanking new and increasing packages and one-time requests of over $88.2 million for the continuation of recent and increasing profession and technical schooling facilities, $40 million for the influence of inflation and one other $20 million for profession and technical schooling facilities not authorized in 2021-23.

The Workforce Improvement Council’s second precedence is for the North Dakota Division of Profession and Technical Schooling to create and practice a minimal of 16 work-based studying coordinators to assist college students attending profession and know-how facilities. Gehlhar stated the college district did a pilot program with a work-based studying coordinator.

“Simply using somebody 10 hours per week, we had been in a position to triple the quantity of relationships now we have in the neighborhood and quadruple the variety of work co-ops with youngsters enjoying,” he stated. “So having 16 of these full-time work-based studying coordinators to construct these relationships within the enterprise group will get youngsters positioned and provides youngsters suggestions on the job and will get employers concerned in constructing these relationships and maintaining youngsters in our group doing these jobs.”

A holdup on federal funds being launched is delaying a deliberate venture of the James Valley Profession and Know-how Middle that targets workforce wants. The venture contains an addition of a 7,000-square-foot addition to the south of the prevailing Profession and Know-how Middle. Plans additionally name for the renovation of some present area throughout the middle and the institution of an accessible greenhouse for the agricultural trades program.

Preliminary plans referred to as for the James Valley Profession and Know-how Middle to carry a groundbreaking on its venture this summer season. The estimated value of the venture has elevated from about $1.6 million to greater than $2 million, Gehlhar stated.

“We have been ready so lengthy for these funds to be launched that now we have to now ask for the second piece, which is the inflation piece as a result of we have been ready and ready and ready and these funds have not been launched to us,” stated Rob Lech, superintendent of Jamestown Public Faculties.

The North Dakota Division of Profession and Technical Schooling submitted a grant plan to the U.S. Division of the Treasury, stated Wayde Sick, state director of the division, in October. The aim of the Coronavirus Profession and Technical Schooling Capital Tasks Grant is to supply funding as a useful resource for college districts to extend entry to profession and technical schooling alternatives by means of the institution of extra profession and know-how facilities and amenities.

The Profession and Technical Schooling Capital Tasks fund is a grant alternative offered by the North Dakota Legislature, based on the North Dakota Division of Profession and Technical Schooling’s web site. The supply of the funds is a mixture of $20 million of America Restoration Plan Act funds and greater than $68 million of the Coronavirus Capital Tasks Fund.

A portion of the funds — $45 million — was disbursed for broadband enhancements, however the Treasury Division has not launched {dollars} for the profession and technical schooling portion, Sick stated in October. He stated the North Dakota Division of Profession and Technical Schooling obtained $20 million of the American Restoration Plan Act funds which were granted for some initiatives. He stated on the time that the U.S. Division of the Treasury was nonetheless reviewing the profession and technical schooling portion for the funding.

The James Valley Profession and Know-how Middle was awarded an $800,000 grant from the Profession and Technical Schooling Capital Tasks Fund. The grant is matched by a mixture of funds from the Jamestown Public College District’s contribution from the Elementary and Secondary College Emergency Reduction Fund, Jamestown/Stutsman Improvement Corp., James Valley Profession and Know-how Middle and the Carl D. Perkins Profession and Technical Schooling Act of 2006. Gehlhar stated some native corporations additionally contributed towards the grant as effectively.

“Lots of the facilities are counting on district contributions that are tied to ESSER ( Elementary and Secondary College Emergency Reduction Fund) {dollars} and native corporations who stated, yeah we need to be part of this, however they’ve timelines to work on too in the event that they had been seeking to get that as write off for a sure tax 12 months,” he stated. “It is sophisticated issues, the feds holding up this cash.”

Lech stated if the state Legislature approves the $171.3 million request, it will be “backfilled” when federal funding is launched to the state.

“It will simply be getting that cash to (profession and technical schooling) facilities somewhat than asking us to attend one other two years or nonetheless lengthy it takes to launch these funds,” he stated.

Headland stated if the state of North Dakota has the funds and might’t get a call on the federal degree, a part of the hazard is the state has to both spend the funds that had been dispersed for broadband enhancements or lose them.

“These broadband {dollars} that we devoted a specific amount for, I assumed they had been right here, deposited and the limitation was laid down on the federal degree that we couldn’t use these {dollars} for these specific issues (profession and technical schooling initiatives),” he stated.

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North Dakota

Two Grand Forks residents among finalists for state Board of Higher Education

Published

2 hours ago

January 15, 2025

Press Room

Two Grand Forks residents among finalists for state Board of Higher Education

GRAND FORKS — Two Grand Forks residents are among six finalists to fill two seats on the state Board of Higher Education, State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler announced this week.

A nominating committee selected the six finalists, and the names will next go before Gov. Kelly Armstrong to make the final two appointments, which then must be confirmed by the North Dakota Senate.

The selected nominees will fill the board seats currently held by Casey Ryan, a Grand Forks physician who is finishing his second four-year term on the board and is not eligible for reappointment, and Jeffry Volk, a retired Fargo consulting engineer, who is eligible for a second term.

The finalists for Ryan’s seat are:

Levi Bachmeier, business manager of the West Fargo school district and education adviser to former Gov. Doug Burgum,
Russel Crary, a Grand Forks real estate developer, and
Rich Wardner, of Dickinson, a former North Dakota Senate majority leader and retired K-12 teacher and coach.

The finalists for Volk’s seat are:

Beverly Johnson, of Grand Forks, a retired physical therapy professor and clinical education director at the UND medical school,
Warren Sogard, owner and chairman of American State Bank and Trust Co., of Williston, and
Volk, the incumbent.

The nominating committee met Tuesday to review a dozen applicants for the two openings, according to a release. Baesler is chairwoman of the nominating committee, and other members are Jon Jensen, chief justice of the North Dakota Supreme Court; Nick Archuleta, president of North Dakota United, which represents teachers and state employees; House Speaker Robin Weisz, R-Hurdsfield; and Senate President Pro Tempore Brad Bekkedahl, R-Williston, the release said.

The Board of Higher Education has eight voting members and two nonvoting members who represent the system’s faculty and staff. It oversees the North Dakota University System’s 11 colleges and universities.

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

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North Dakota

North Dakota family leads fight against youth suicide

Published

11 hours ago

January 15, 2025

Press Room

North Dakota family leads fight against youth suicide

Editor’s note: If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

FARGO — Suicide is the leading cause of death for young people in North Dakota aged 10 to 24, a sobering statistic The 463 Foundation is determined to change.

The foundation, created by Todd and Elizabeth Medd after losing their son Liam to suicide in 2021, hosted a suicide prevention night at Discovery Middle School on Tuesday, Jan. 14. The event emphasized the importance of mental health awareness and reducing stigma.

“Our goal is to make sure that one person hears the right message or the message at the right time,” said Todd Medd, co-founder of the foundation. “With that message, they can either use it for themselves or share it with others as well.”

The Medd family spoke to students and parents about warning signs such as self-segregation or sudden behavioral changes and highlighted studies showing teen suicides can often be impulsive, with 25% of cases occurring within five minutes of the first thought.

Todd Medd emphasized the power of open dialogue. “Vulnerability breeds vulnerability,” he said. “When you share your challenges, it opens the door for deeper conversations with your kids.”

The 463 Foundation will continue its efforts to spread hope and awareness, including its fourth annual baseball tournament in June to support Fargo youth baseball and promote its mission.

Ryan McNamara joined WDAY as a reporter in late 2024. He is a native of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota and graduated from St. Cloud State University in 2024.

His time as a Husky included copious amounts of time spent at “The Herb” reporting on Husky hockey, or at Halenbeck Hall calling Husky basketball. He also spent two summers with the Northwoods League’s St. Cloud Rox. Along with his duties in news and sports, Ryan dons a headset for occasional play-by-play broadcasts for North Dakota and Minnesota high school sports.

When he’s away from the station, he’s most likely lifting, finding time to golf, or taking in as much college basketball as possible, in order to complete the elusive perfect March Madness bracket.

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North Dakota

Reliance of North Dakota producers on migrant workers

Published

19 hours ago

January 14, 2025

Press Room

Reliance of North Dakota producers on migrant workers

MINOT, N.D. (KMOT) – Farmers and ranchers work with their hands, but sometimes the biggest issue is not having enough.

President-elect Donald Trump will soon be taking office and bringing changes to immigration laws.

When needing an extra hand, producers seek assistance from migrant workers.

These workers go through the H-2A program, granting temporary employment for performing agricultural labor.

Ag Commissioner Doug Goehring said in 2023, North Dakota received 4,600 migrant workers, and that number is expected to grow.

“The margins are even slimmer, so now you have to produce more and you have to produce more acres because of what’s happened with family living,” said Goehring.

He said concerns in the agriculture community aren’t necessarily about immigration, but rather with the Department of Labor, with producers facing lengthy wait periods for paperwork to go through.

“I brought these issues to Sonny Perdue, the Secretary of Agriculture at that time, he actually helped streamline the process,” said Goehring.

He said the public sometimes conflates the issues of illegal immigration and of legal migrants following the correct steps to work here.

“Sometimes the public doesn’t quite understand that, so they think H-2A workers are some of the illegals that are coming across the border. They’re not,” said Goehring.

Goehring added he hopes issues with backlogs in the Labor Department will change when the new administration takes over.

Goehring also addressed the concern of migrant workers taking jobs from American citizens.

He said the processes migrants and employers go through allows plenty of opportunities for American citizens to apply and be hired.

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