North Dakota

Shaw: Analyzing the selection of Doug Burgum to be Interior secretary

Published

1 year ago

November 30, 2024

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.

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North Dakota

As ACA tax credits expire, a North Dakota rural hospital braces for 2026

Published

1 hour ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

As ACA tax credits expire, a North Dakota rural hospital braces for 2026

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – With federal health care tax credits set to expire, rural hospitals in the state warn the ripple effect could strain their budgets while they are already operating on thin margins.

The Emergency Department at Jamestown Regional Medical Center is gearing up for more patients to come into their doors, uninsured, starting Jan. 1.

“We could be affected as early as January of the coming year. So it would happen very, very quickly. And nobody really knows what’s going to happen,” said Mike Delfs, the CEO of Jamestown Regional Medical Center.

Many rural residents are on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Since premiums are predicted to spike significantly, some people will drop insurance, and they will be forced to go to the ER when they get sick. Hospitals cannot refuse emergency patients, and will have to shoulder the cost on thin margins.

“We would be looking at anticipated bad debt, but to what degree we don’t even know, and it is kind of scary to think about,” said Delfs.

Hospital leadership and staff say that the uncertainty is wearing on them, on top of the common stressors rural providers have to deal with.

As of now, they say their best bet is to hope that Congress can put aside partisan differences and come up with a solution.

“We have real people who are either going to lose their insurance or its going to get so expensive they literally can’t afford it. And the downstream effect of that is now you are endangering hospitals in rural locations just by their mere viability,” said Delfs.

According to hospital leadership, without congressional action in 2026, the end of the year could leave the hospital with nearly one million dollars in unpaid medical bills.

North Dakota’s Republican congressional delegation says the Rural Health Transformation Fund will greatly benefit rural hospitals and blames democrats for voting against their healthcare plan.

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North Dakota

Pepperdine hosts North Dakota State following Koenen’s 22-point game

Published

13 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Pepperdine hosts North Dakota State following Koenen’s 22-point game

North Dakota State Bison (8-2) at Pepperdine Waves (7-2)

Malibu, California; Tuesday, 5 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: North Dakota State visits Pepperdine after Avery Koenen scored 22 points in North Dakota State’s 83-55 victory against the Eastern Illinois Panthers.

The Waves are 4-0 on their home court. Pepperdine is 1-0 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents and averages 18.2 turnovers per game.

The Bison are 3-0 on the road. North Dakota State scores 77.4 points and has outscored opponents by 15.3 points per game.

Pepperdine averages 8.1 made 3-pointers per game, 2.8 more made shots than the 5.3 per game North Dakota State gives up. North Dakota State averages 6.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.1 fewer made shots on average than the 7.3 per game Pepperdine allows.

TOP PERFORMERS: Seleh Harmon averages 2.7 made 3-pointers per game for the Waves, scoring 10.4 points while shooting 44.4% from beyond the arc. Elli Guiney is shooting 47.3% and averaging 14.4 points.

Molly Lenz averages 1.7 made 3-pointers per game for the Bison, scoring 7.8 points while shooting 39.5% from beyond the arc. Koenen is averaging 18.2 points, 10 rebounds and 1.6 steals.

___

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

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North Dakota

North Dakota lawmakers from West Fargo announce bid for reelection

Published

1 day 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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