North Dakota
Who will and will not be at Gov. Burgum’s ‘major’ announcement in Fargo this week
FARGO — Anyone who pays attention to North Dakota politics or follows the career of Gov. Doug Burgum likely has a few questions about his “major” announcement next week.
Who will be there to cheer Burgum on when he reveals a 2024 presidential run in Fargo around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 7?
Who will introduce Burgum to the national stage as he declares his quest for the Republican nomination?
We know who will not be present at the Sanctuary Events Center that day: the three members of North Dakota’s all-Republican congressional delegation.
A spokesperson for Sen. John Hoeven said he won’t be able to attend because the Senate will be in session next week, but offered this statement:
“I have known Doug Burgum for a long time. He has been a leader for our state in both the private sector and now as Governor. I have already spoken to Doug and he has my endorsement,” Hoeven wrote.
The senator added: “I wish him the very best and know he will do a great job telling the North Dakota story as he is out campaigning.”
The office of Sen. Kevin Cramer said he won’t attend because of the need to be on Capitol Hill.
Rep. Kelly Armstrong will be in D.C. too, with the House in session.
“Otherwise, he would be there,” said an Armstrong spokesperson regarding the Burgum announcement.
With Burgum’s lifelong family roots in North Dakota, and deep relationships built with classmates at Stanford University, colleagues in the tech world and more recently in state government, there’s likely to be a “who’s who” list in attendance.
Ed Schafer, North Dakota’s governor from 1992 to 2000 and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under President George W. Bush from 2008 to 2009, said he’ll be there Wednesday.
“I want to be supportive of a North Dakotan who’s going to run for president,” Schafer said.
Several of Burgum’s colleagues in state government have indicated they will be in attendance for the announcement.
Lt. Gov. Tammy Miller, the former chief operating officer in Burgum’s office and former CEO of Border States Electric, has confirmed she will be there to support him.
North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley has cleared his calendar that day to drive from Bismarck to be at Burgum’s event.
“I’m going there for pretty straightforward reasons. I’m going there to support my friend. I’m going there to support my professional colleague,” he said.
The two have been acquainted for more than 20 years, Wrigley said, but have worked closely in their state government roles over the last year and a half.
Burgum grew up some 30 miles north of Fargo in Arthur, North Dakota, in a family Wrigley describes as “remarkable.”
“They’re philanthropic, they’re hard working, they’re innovators,” he said.
In Fargo, Burgum helped lead Great Plains Software from a small startup company in 1983 to a billion-dollar company serving 140,000 companies in 132 different countries.
He led Great Plains as CEO until Microsoft acquired the company in 2001, and remained on as senior vice president through 2007.
Burgum also founded Kilbourne Group, a real estate development firm that helped revitalize downtown Fargo, and co-founded Arthur Ventures, a venture capital firm.
Despite his roles in tech, business and government, some give the 66-year-old Burgum little to no chance of securing the nomination or becoming president, while others say not to count him out.
“I consider myself a high energy person and he’s 10 years older than I am. Energy and focus and drive on the campaign trail will not be something that people have to ask about,” Wrigley said about Burgum.
“I think he’s going to be pretty refreshing out there. I mean, nobody likes any of the candidates in the Democrat or Republican parties,” Schafer said with a laugh.
Burgum’s June 7 announcement will be carried live by national television pool outlet Fox News, which will distribute it to other national networks.
It will also be broadcast live on WDAY-TV 6 and streamed live on inforum.com.
North Dakota
Vote 'yes' on North Dakota Measure 1, but 'no' on Measure 3
Two statewide measures on North Dakota’s upcoming ballot offer residents a chance to make a difference in the future of the state — one is based on new economics, the other on new social norms and courtesies.
Measure 1 seeks to make changes to how the state Constitution defines institutions in Grafton, Devils Lake and Jamestown. Measure 3 seeks to decrease the funding that can be expended from the Legacy Fund during a single biennium.
Here’s a look at each:
Although a simple majority vote in the Legislature is required to place a proposed constitutional amendment before the voters, Senate Concurrent Resolution 4001 passed without a single “no” vote during the last legislative session.
The real surprise isn’t that the proposal was unanimously passed, but rather that it’s taken this long. Specifically, the measure seeks to change the official name of the state institutions to be more in line with societal evolution that has taken place over the decades. It would change the State School for the Deaf and Dumb in Devils Lake to the State School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; the State Hospital for the Insane in Jamestown to the State Hospital for Individuals With Mental Illness; and the Institution for the Feeble Minded in Grafton to a “facility for individuals with developmental disabilities.” The latter already has been called the Life Skills and Transition Center, but Measure 1 will make it official.
We urge a “yes” vote on Measure 1, and may this be the last time those phrases are used in print.
A statewide vote in 2010 established the Legacy Fund, a piggy bank for the people that collects 30% of tax revenue from oil and natural gas extraction in the state. In its first 13 years, the fund grew past $9 billion.
Now, a constitutional amendment seeks to decrease the amount of principal available for spending each biennium, from 15% to 5% of the total. The amendment would provide for distribution from the Legacy Fund to a Legacy earnings fund, rather than have the accrued earnings be sent to the state’s general fund, as currently happens.
We don’t like the proposal. Why put constraints on future spending, especially if some sort of tragedy or emergency occurs?
And what about the next great idea — one we cannot fathom today but one that might require a large and expedient expenditure to push it to fruition?
Measure 3 seems like an idea not to spend money. We believe North Dakotans should embrace the state’s prosperity. The Legacy Fund was established to provide a better future for the state, and it’s time to start thinking about what that future will look like.
Vote no on Measure 3.
This Forum Communications Co. editorial represents the views of Forum Communications Co., this newspaper’s parent company. It was written by the FCC Editorial Advisory Board.
North Dakota
ORLP Program awards North Dakota a grant of nearly $4.5 million for development projects
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (KFYR) – A grant of nearly $4.5 million from the National Park Service is giving the City of Grand Forks a chance to begin one of its projects that will create more recreational activities in the area.
Thanks to the funding the state received from this grant, the City of Grand Forks is being provided with $3,489,750 to cover phase one of a three-phased masterplan to enhance the Grand Forks Downtown Gateway and Greenway.
“This funding was available, and we met with the North Dakota Parks and Recreation, with Char, and said ‘Is there any chance at all that our project would qualify for funding?’” said Kim Greendahl, Greenway specialist for the city of Grand Forks.
This is the first time the state of North Dakota has qualified for this grant since the beginning of the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program in 2014.
This year, the program awarded the largest grant investment in its history, giving nearly $254 million in 24 states. To qualify, communities needed to have populations of 30,000 or more.
“Before, the requirements were more stringent; populations of 50,000, so a lot of the cities in North Dakota didn’t qualify, but this year it was opened up to multiple cities,” said Char Langehaug, grants coordinator for the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department.
Residents and visitors of Grand Forks can expect phase one to bring a playground area and outdoor learning space, a picnic shelter and a nature promenade. Phase two and three will bring people closer to the water and the addition of a pedestrian bridge.
“The community has really gotten behind this project and it’s exciting, lots of outdoor recreation whilst still being in a flood plain,” said Greendahl.
The City of Grand Forks says it predicts the construction of phase one will officially begin in 2026.
One million dollars of the funds given to North Dakota will be used to enhance the Turtle Mountain Family Recreation Area.
Copyright 2024 KFYR. All rights reserved.
North Dakota
Special welcome home for North Dakota Vietnam veteran
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – A New Salem veteran got a long overdue welcome home Friday afternoon.
Randy Christian served in the U.S. Army from 1969-71. He was stationed in Germany and Vietnam. Christian was one of more than 100 veterans from western North Dakota who traveled to Washington, D.C. on the Western North Dakota Honor Flight earlier this week.
He had a medical emergency while in D.C. and ended up in the hospital. He was discharged from the hospital on Thursday and arrived home to cheers and applause from people gathered at the airport.
“It was unbelievable, and when this did happen, the two people that were with me, I will never forget them. They were honest, they did everything for me. They wouldn’t let me do a thing,” said Christian.
Jody Kerzman was on the Honor Flight and for the next several weeks she will share a number of the veterans’ stories, including Christian’s.
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Copyright 2024 KFYR. All rights reserved.
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