North Dakota

North Dakota Skydiving Museum takes off in West Fargo

Published

10 months ago

February 3, 2025

Press Room

North Dakota Skydiving Museum takes off in West Fargo

WEST FARGO — Cooperstown has the “National Baseball Hall of Fame.” Cleveland has the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

But West Fargo has just become home to the North Dakota Skydiving Museum.

The museum pays tribute to the sport and the pioneer who jumped out of planes for 50 years and helped “jump-start” skydiving in this part of the Midwest.

Just off main avenue in West Fargo, tucked in next to a Subway, a new space packed full of everything related to North Dakota skydiving.

“These are the skydiving suits from the 50s and 60s,” Megean Solberg, museum director and daughter of Don Solberg, said. “This is a Pegasus suit from 1978, one of his parachutes he jumped with for a long time,” Megean said.

Megean Solberg is talking about the man behind the parachute: Don Solberg, her father.

“To be dedicated to a sport that many years, and especially skydiving, he just had so much passion for it,” Megean said.

Don started skydiving at age 22. His skydiving groups changed names over the years, but in the end, “Skydive Fargo” became the popular organization where hundreds of people in our region learned to skydive. Don would teach it in the basement of his house and then jump with those students. He loved the sport that much.

“It is just a feeling, that he was so proud of it , and I was so happy to be a part of something he was an entrepreneur in,” Megean said.

The museum is packed full of jump suits, photos, awards and history of skydiving in North Dakota.

“It is a testament to what one person can do,” Jim Krogh, longtime skydiver, said.

Krogh learned to skydive from Don Solberg back in the 80s.

“He was a character, and even if you didn’t know him, you would find out quickly that he was a skydiver,” Jim said of Don.

Jim has been jumping a lot since. A lot.

“4,610 jumps, actually,” Jim said of his jump total, so far. He is in Arizona this week for a big formation jump.

He called Don the constant promoter of skydiving in North Dakota. Never missing a chance to talk about it. When Don passed last year at the age of 79, he left all this behind. Decades of skydiving, along with close to 3,000 jumps and hundreds of people who now jump because of him.

“He was just one of those people who wanted to share his love for the sport,” Megean said.

There is no fee to see the museum.

The ND Skydiving Museum is located at 113 E. Main Ave. in West Fargo. For more information on the museum, you can reach out to (701) 866-3317 or

mlsolbergjobcoach@gmail.com

Kevin Wallevand has been a reporter at WDAY-TV since 1983. He is a native of Vining, Minnesota in Otter Tail County. His series and documentary work have brought him to Africa, Vietnam, Haiti, Kosovo, South America, Mongolia, Juarez,Mexico and the Middle East. He is an multiple Emmy and national Edward R. Murrow award recipient.

Reach Kevin at kwallevand@wday.com or 701-241-5317

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North Dakota

North Dakota lawmakers from West Fargo announce bid for reelection

Published

10 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

North Dakota lawmakers from West Fargo announce bid for reelection

WEST FARGO — Three incumbents from West Fargo will run for reelection to their state legislative seats.

North Dakota Sen. Judy Lee and Reps. Jim Jonas and Austen Schauer, all Republicans, announced Sunday, Dec. 14, that they would campaign to represent District 13 in the state Legislature. The district covers much of north West Fargo.

Austin Schauer.

Special to The Forum

Lee was first elected to the North Dakota Senate in 1994. Jonas and Schauer have served in the state House since 2023 and 2019, respectively.

The three ran unopposed in the 2022 election. The next election for their seats is in 2026.

Jim Jonas, candidate for West Fargo School Board. Michael Vosburg / Forum Photo Editor — Jim Jonas.

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

Bids awarded for construction of Highway 85

Published

22 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

1 day 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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