North Dakota
Shaw: Analyzing the selection of Doug Burgum to be Interior secretary
Donald Trump selecting North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum to be secretary of the Interior and “energy czar” is a good move. Burgum is smart, experienced and connected in these areas. Perhaps more importantly, Burgum is capable and competent, unlike unfit Cabinet nominees such as Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr.
Yes, Burgum has been a Trump bootlicker, and was very good at it. He made numerous appearances on television, while making excuses for Trump’s transgressions. He campaigned all over the country for Trump. He constantly traveled to Mar-a-Lago. He even attended Trump’s criminal trial in New York. In essence, Burgum bet on the right horse and was rewarded.
Trump was undoubtedly attracted to Burgum’s experience as a wealthy businessman and his connections to the oil industry. However, the most important thing to Trump is loyalty, and Burgum clearly demonstrated that. Burgum has come a long way since he said he wouldn’t do business with Trump.
Part of Burgum’s responsibility will be to oversee the National Park Service. Hopefully, Burgum will put an end to attempts to remove wild horses from Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.
Burgum will also oversee the Bureau of Indian Affairs. That’s a good fit, as Burgum has impressively reached out to Native Americans in North Dakota.
Burgum’s nomination comes at a time when oil production is at record highs. However, Trump’s position of “Drill, baby, drill” could cause major problems for the environment. Will Burgum push for drilling for oil and gas or a refinery in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge? How about near Theodore Roosevelt National Park? How about in other protected federal lands?
Any of those scenarios would be very damaging.
Following Trump’s lead, Burgum would likely move to abolish climate rules and eliminate subsidies for clean energy. That would be alarming.
Burgum should easily be confirmed by the Senate, and it will be good to have a North Dakotan in the Cabinet. However, by working so closely with Trump, Burgum’s words will prove to be prophetic when he said, “You’re judged by the company you keep.”
Good to hear that Sen. Kevin Cramer says the allegations against Pete Hegseth, Trump’s nominee for Defense secretary, are “very concerning.” According to a police report, Hegseth allegedly committed a disturbing violent sexual assault and then paid off the victim. Hegseth is also unqualified for the job.
Sen. Tina Smith got it right when she told the Minnesota Star Tribune that Hegseth has “zero experience managing on this scale.”
Thanks so much for once again voting me “Best Columnist of the Red River Valley.” I am truly humbled, especially because there are several other outstanding columnists in this area. It’s an honor to have this platform, and it’s very gratifying to know that I am connecting with you, the readers.
InForum columnist Jim Shaw is a former WDAY TV reporter and former KVRR TV news director.
North Dakota
ND State Fair completes 2026 grandstand lineup with EDM artist Zedd, ‘Turn Up ND!’
MINOT, N.D. (KMOT) – We now know the entertainers who will round out this year’s North Dakota State Fair grandstand lineup.
In what is a first for the state fair, Zedd will put on an EDM show at the grandstand on Friday, July 24. He’s an award-winning artist and DJ, known for hits like ‘Clarity’ and ‘The Middle.’
The show will feature immersive production, sound and visuals. Tickets will be just over $58, including fees.
The fair wraps up on Saturday, July 25, with this year’s ‘Turn Up ND’ show. It features TI, Da-Baby and Waka Flocka Flame.
All three have made a name for themselves in the trap and hip-hop music genres.
Tickets for this show are just over $78, including fees.
So here’s a look at the full lineup, which is packed with some major stars, featuring Alex Warren, Jon Pardi, Jessie Murph, Niko Moon and Zach Top.
The fair will hold two days of the popular MHA Indian Horse Relays on July 20 and 21.
For information on tickets, dates and more, go to ndstatefair.com.
Copyright 2026 KFYR. All rights reserved.
North Dakota
Darlene Struble
Darlene Kay Struble was born April 11, 1946 in Valley City, ND to Frank and Ruby (Satreaas) Klima. She grew up in LaMoure, ND and graduated from LaMoure High School 1964. After graduation, Darlene continued her education at North Dakota State School of Science in Wahpeton before completing her LPN training in Grand Forks.
Darlene married the love of her life, Charles Struble, on October 25, 1969 at Trinity Lutheran Church. Together, they made their home in Jamestown where she began her career in the OB department at Jamestown Hospital. Her dedication to caring for others continued throughout her professional life, later leading her to Dakota Clinic in Jamestown. Her work was an extension of her compassionate spirit, and she touched many lives until her retirement in 2009.
She filled her days with many loves; her family above all, but also the quiet joys of gardening, flowers, sewing, crafts, and scrap booking. She had a special gift of preserving memories, and spent countless hours gathering family history. Darlene started her day at the Depot Cafe nearly every morning. It was a simple tradition, but one she shared with her children, friends, and eventually grandchildren. Not only were Depot mornings filled with love and laughter, but an abundance of Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes.
Darlene passed away peacefully on March 23rd 2026 at Eventide in Jamestown, surrounded by the love of her family. She leaves behind her husband Chuck, her sons; Cory (Deb) Struble and Dave (Leslie) Struble, two sisters; Linda (Gary) Kraft and Roberta (Karl) Wilhelm, six grandchildren; Jayden (Darsh), Allie, Jonah, Grace, Evyn, and Owen, and seven nieces and nephews. She has been reunited with her parents, her daughter, Tiffiney Dick, and her sister, Mary Lee Guffy.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Jamestown Regional Medical Center Foundations, specifically to the OB ward.
Memorial Service- 3:30 PM Saturday, March 28, 2026 at Haut Funeral Home in Jamestown, ND, with Pastor Kristi Weber, officiating.
Interment- Highland Home Cemetery, Jamestown, ND (at a later date).
North Dakota
Hope’s Corner: Hope Springs Eternal
I spent the first day of spring, last Friday, weeding my back yard flower beds. Let that sink in, because this is North Dakota. We have April showers in May, and May flowers in June. We sometimes have snow in June, too. Weeding my tulips in March is a first.
The tulips have been up for a couple of weeks in my south-facing gardens. The six inches of snow last weekend did not deter their enthusiasm. According to the South Dakota State University Extension Service, tulips close to our shared border usually begin to appear in late March and early April. Mine are early risers this year. I blame the switch to Daylight Saving Time.
My yarrow and hollyhocks have been green and growing for four weeks. The yarrow was a little miffed at the one subzero night a week or so ago, but the hollyhocks merely flattened out and took it in stride. Our friends at the South Dakota Extension Service assure me both of those plant varieties normally sprout in mid-May. Maybe the frequent solar storms and northern lights displays have affected them.
Shortly after that subzero stretch in February, which Katie the Wonder Puppy and I called The Degrees of Despair, the pussywillow began to bud. I cut my first bouquet this past Friday the 13th. And did you know the blossoms are called catkins?
That shrub is only a couple weeks early in blooming. Obviously, like all cats, my pussywillow is indifferent to solar storms, the northern lights, and Daylight Saving Time. When its feet get warm enough, it stretches out and basks in the sun. Wild catnip has, however, sprouted near the pussywillow’s trunk. I suspect some deep-rooted drug dependency at work there.
But, weeds? There is wild horseradish marching across my tastefully scattered scoria chips. There is quackgrass strangling daylilies and yarrow. There are weeds of unknown name towering over my tulips. Actually, I have a name for those weeds, but that name is best kept to myself.
I pulled out one quackgrass clump, and I am pretty sure its far end stretched all the way to Gladstone. It was like pulling one of those string strips from the top of a fifty-pound sack of sunflower seeds. Not that I regularly buy fifty-pound bags of sunflower seeds for the neighborhood birds, or anything.
I was feeling pretty smug last Saturday after I finished all my weeding. I figured I would need to start mowing in a few more days. I began looking at seed catalogs and dreaming of Big Boy tomato plants.
Late Saturday evening Katie and I went outside to take in the fresh air. It was snowing. Gotta love North Dakota.
Jackie Hope is the longest running Dickinson Press contributor and columnist. Hope’s Corner is a weekly humorous column with a message of hope.
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