North Dakota
Spirit Lake Tribe pushes for more ways to help state's missing and murdered Indigenous people
SPIRIT LAKE NATION — As Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives Awareness Day approaches, the Spirit Lake Tribe and other tribal nations throughout North Dakota continue to face the widespread issue by advocating for legislation, offering reward money and organizing widespread searches.
“This day serves as a crucial call to action, spotlighting the urgent need for legal reforms and resources to combat violence against Indigenous communities,” says a press release issued by the Spirit Lake Tribe.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR) Awareness Day is Monday, May 5. As of Tuesday, April 29, there are 14 Indigenous people considered missing in North Dakota, according to the state’s missing persons database.
Five have disappeared within the last six weeks, including
Renzo Bull Head, a 20-year-old member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe whose disappearance has inspired nearly 100 people across various tribes and regions to volunteer their efforts to search.
All tribal nations located in North Dakota, as well as some in South Dakota and Minnesota, have dispatched staff and equipment, including drones and boats, to help search, according to the release. Nonprofit organizations have offered their assistance as well.
More than a month after he went missing, these efforts continue.
“Spirit Lake is still assisting with his search,” Vicki Alberts, Spirit Lake Tribe’s public relations specialist, told the Grand Forks Herald. “The council has still been open to deploying resources, and still allowing me to help where I can with the family, as far as getting their story out, and continuing to help with some of their social media posts.”
The Spirit Lake Tribe acknowledges that while state and federal resources and support are vital to resolving missing persons cases, “they cannot always be relied upon,” the release said. “Instead, (tribal nations) must assist one another in all ways possible, reinforcing the importance of inter-tribal solidarity in the face of adversity.”
Alberts said the Spirit Lake Tribe will soon be reinvigorating efforts to find its own missing people —
Isaac James Hunt
and
Jemini Posey
— both of whom have been missing for more than a year.
“We have search efforts that will be deployed here in May,” Alberts said. “It’ll be posted on the main
Spirit Lake Facebook page
once we get all of the details put together because, with that one, it is more of a coordinated effort. We are working specifically with our emergency response team here at the tribe, and they’ll be bringing in some of the local nonprofit search-and-rescue teams to assist with that effort.”
The tribe is offering a $20,000 reward — which would come out of the tribe’s general fund — for information leading to the recovery of Posey and Hunt, the release said.
“These are our people, and we want the families to know that we stand with them in their search,” Chairwoman Lonna Jackson-Street said. “Every effort counts, and we are committed to utilizing all available resources to find Jemini and Isaac.”
A 5K walk/run in honor of Posey and Missing Indigenous Women’s Month is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, May 11, in Fort Totten.
Another area of advocacy for Indigenous peoples has occurred at this year’s legislative session, during which two bills that could help have been making their way through the Legislature.
HB 1199, a bill that aims to establish a state-funded task force that focuses on missing Indigenous peoples, passed 46-1 in the Senate Monday, April 28, with an emergency clause that makes it effective immediately once filed with the secretary of state.
“This bill is about ensuring that when an Indigenous person goes missing, every available resource is mobilized to bring them home safely,” said Rep. Jayme Davis, D-Rolette.
The second bill, HB 1535, aims to establish a state “Feather Alert” system, which would allow for notifications to be issued when an Indigenous person is missing. When the bill returned to the Senate with amendments Thursday, May 1, it passed 45-1.
“The Feather Alert system is essential for empowering our communities to respond swiftly to missing persons cases,” Jackson-Street said. “We cannot afford to wait when lives are at stake.”
WILLIAMS COUNTY, N.D. (Valley News Live) – The North Dakota Highway Patrol is urging drivers in northwest North Dakota to stay off the roads Thursday afternoon as blowing dirt creates near-zero visibility in some areas.
As of 1:30 p.m. Thursday, troopers were reporting low to no visibility in parts of the region, including along Highway 85 in Williams County near mile marker 212, where a crash occurred. The Highway Patrol shared a photo from the crash scene showing extremely reduced visibility.
Officials are asking people to stay home if possible. Those who must travel are urged to slow down, turn on their headlights, leave extra space between vehicles and be prepared for rapidly changing conditions.
Copyright 2026 KVLY. All rights reserved.
WASHINGTON — The North Dakota Department of Emergency Services has been recognized for its wildfire prevention efforts with a national Bronze Smokey Bear Award.
“These awardees demonstrate what fire prevention looks like in action,” said U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Sarah Fisher. “Their efforts protect lives, support firefighters and make a real difference in communities across the country.”
May is Wildfire Awareness Month, and with North Dakota experiencing another active spring wildfire season, each fire prevented is one that local responders don’t have to put out, underscoring the importance of each individual’s responsibility to work and recreate safely outdoors. The award to the N.D. Department of Emergency Services (NDDES) recognizes its efforts in communicating just that.
The communications team is led by Strategic Communications Chief Alison Vetter and is supported by Autonomous Systems and Communications Specialist Clint Fleckenstein.
According to information from the Forest Service, the team’s creative products are visually appealing, engaging and effective. The “Learn Before You Burn” tagline urges North Dakotans to visit the interactive N.D. Fire Declarations and Burn Restrictions map to learn their local restrictions, fire danger and red flag warnings before burning or recreating outdoors. Vetter and Fleckenstein consistently take initiative to address fire prevention issues proactively and go above and beyond to become the best possible storytellers of wildfire prevention messaging.
Alison Vetter
Their statewide efforts identify unique and effective avenues to communicate these important public safety topics, addressing top human-caused fire causes like open burning and equipment use through reels, interviews, Gas Station TV, visits with local students, and GoodHealthTV kiosks found in local health units, schools and other public buildings.
During the historic October 2024 wildfires, NDDES mobilized the Joint Information Center, responding to the elevated need for education, prevention and response to determine messaging needs in real time. This included topics like publicizing daily fire danger, sharing resources for affected landowners, advocating for defensible space and safety tips, and messaging ways to minimize fire risk when harvesting, hunting, or enjoying the outdoors. Alison and her team worked over the winter of 2024-2025 to identify prevention efforts and causes, and crafted effective communications strategies to reduce wildfire occurrence, which proved necessary into an active spring 2025 fire season as well. After the devastation of the October 2024 wildfires, they created a documentary to highlight the value and appreciation for those who responded to the call and showcase the unique way North Dakota communities show up for one another in crisis.
The 2026 Smokey Bear Awards will be presented at the National Association of State Foresters’ annual meeting in Lexington, Kentucky, in September.
North Dakota
Armstrong directs flags at half-staff Thursday in observance of Peace Officers Memorial Day
BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Kelly Armstrong has directed all government agencies to fly the United States and North Dakota flags at half-staff on Thursday, May 14, and encourages North Dakotans to do the same at their homes and businesses, in observance of national Peace Officers Memorial Day.
The governor’s directive is in accordance with a proclamation issued by President Donald Trump, who also proclaimed May 10-16 as national Police Week.
Armstrong will join North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley and Supreme Court Chief Justice Lisa Fair McEvers in delivering remarks during a North Dakota Peace Officers Memorial Service at 7 p.m. Thursday in Memorial Hall of the State Capitol. North Dakota’s 69 fallen peace officers will be remembered and honored during the service, and the Capitol windows will be lit to display a “Thin Blue Line” as a mark of respect for all law enforcement officers, past and present.
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