WASHINGTON (KMOT) – The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded more than $28 million to West Fargo, Spirit Lake Tribe and the Three Affiliated Tribes.

The majority of the funds went to West Fargo for the installation of a road-rail separation with pedestrian, bike and ADA accommodations.

The Tribes were given partial of the funds to design road maintenance and address drainage issues, road widening, and parking accessibility for all.

The money comes from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, or RAISE, grant program.

Copyright 2024 KFYR. All rights reserved.

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott will be moving to other job opportunities.

The chancellor released this statement about his work for the state: “It has been wonderful to be the chancellor and lead the North Dakota system for almost a decade. I am proud of the work we have done as a system during my tenure. I look forward to ensuring the continued success of the students we serve by assisting the Board during the upcoming legislative session.”

Hagerott said he will continue to serve the state of North Dakota as a professor of artificial intelligence and human security.

State Board of Higher Education Chair Tim Mihalick said the State Board of Higher Education is thankful for his leadership: “He has provided a systemwide vision to higher education that is student-centric and fiscally responsible. We look forward to continuing our work together through the next year and a half, to include the upcoming legislative session, and persisting in our shared systemwide higher education goals.”

He said his transition to teaching will be beneficial to the state in the future.

Copyright 2024 KFYR. All rights reserved.

Analysts think Doug Burgum could be named as former President Donald Trump’s running mate, sparking widespread interest in the North Dakota governor’s life, career, background and finances.

The 67-year-old has governed the state since 2016, but before entering politics he was a well-known businessman and led a software company that was acquired by Microsoft for more than $1 billion. Other business interests boosted his bank balance too; he spent millions on his own White House bid last year, briefly trying to run against Trump before dropping his plans and throwing his weight behind the former president.

Now Burgum’s name has been cited by several political commentators compiling lists about who may be chosen as Trump’s for Republican vice presidential candidate and bookmakers have said the odds are firmly in his favor. Being awarded the role would automatically create a favorite for the 2028 Republican nominee for president if Trump were to win and complete his second allowed term.

With just weeks to go until the GOP convention, political news outlet The Hill said Burgum was in the top three “most likely” contenders, along with senators J.D. Vance of Ohio and Marco Rubio of Florida.

Business magazine Forbes estimated last November that Burgum is a worth $100 million “at least.” The magazine said he is worth much more than his financial disclosures would suggest, though, because some of his riches are likely to have been disbursed in trusts for his three grown children.

The governor had relatively humble beginnings, working in his family’s grain elevator business through school and college at North Dakota State University, then becoming a chimney sweep before entering an MBA program at Stanford University.

Following the $1.1 billion sale of Great Plains Software in 2001 to the tech giant, Burgum became a senior vice president at Microsoft and was awarded more than 1.7 million Microsoft shares, which then were worth roughly $100 million, according to Forbes. He later left the firm and over the coming decades sold stock regularly as well as undergoing a costly divorce from his first wife, meaning that today the Microsoft stock is just a tiny fraction of his overall portfolio and is worth up to a $1 million.

But Burgum branched out into a string of other business ventures. He has also worked in real estate development and venture capital.

Some analysts have said money is a key factor playing to Burgum’s advantage because he appears to have been modeled in Trump’s own image. He has “two things Trump wants: a fat wallet and thick hair,” Bloomberg columnist and former political reporter Patricia Lopez joked in an opinion piece on Sunday.

While the Associated Press said: “Trump likes rich people. North Dakota’s two-term governor is most definitely rich.” Burgum and his wife, Kathryn, who are said to be extremely friendly with Trump and his team, would bring “money and rich friends to the table.”

Burgum has remained tight-lipped about the VP situation, but he has been a regular face on TV screens as he campaigns for Trump.

Trump told reporters in Philadelphia this weekend that he had chosen who he wanted to join him on the Republican ticket for November’s election but added that he had not yet revealed his choice to anyone.

Newsweek has reached out to Burgum via the governor’s office seeking further information and comment.