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Rising health costs concern local governments

Budgets and healthcare costs were on the minds of local government and school officials who met at Minot’s Liaison Committee meeting on Thursday, Sept. 24. One of the shared budget concerns is the rising cost of health insurance. Ward County’s employee health insurance costs increased nearly 10% for 2027. Initially, the county was looking at a 12.9% increase, despite an increase in the maximum out-of-pocket cost for employees, said Ward County Commissioner Miranda Schuler. “”We looked at some different options, potentially increasing the employee (premium) share as well. ...

ND oil production up slightly in July

BISMARCK - North Dakota’s oil production showed a slight increase in July when the state produced 1.156 million barrels of oil a day. In June, the state produced 1.154 million barrels of oil a day. Gunther Harms of the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resource and Justin Kringstad, ...

Campaign results in 5,409 citations

BISMARCK – Law enforcement agencies across North Dakota issued 5,409 citations during the Speeding Slows You Down enforcement campaign July 1 through Aug. 9. According to the North Dakota Department of Transportation's Highway Safety Division, during the enforcement period, participating agencies conducted extra patrols focused on speeding, aggressive driving and other dangerous behaviors. Of the total citations issued, 4,917 were for speeding. Officers also issued 57 citations for failure to wear a seat belt and 10 for distracted driving. Additional enforcement results included six ...

HHS offers car seat safety guidelines

BISMARCK – In 2025, nearly three out of four car seats checked in North Dakota were found to have at least one misuse, according to North Dakota car seat checkup data. During Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 20-26, North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) and Vision Zero are encouraging parents and caregivers to make sure children are properly secured in the right car seat and to seek help from a certified child passenger safety technician. “Car seats are designed to protect children, but they need to be used correctly to provide the protection they are intended to ...

Off-highway vehicles handy but dangerous

FARGO – While often used for recreation, off-highway vehicles (OHVs) are also indispensable for running errands, rounding up cattle, spraying, moving supplies and numerous other tasks. However, operators often underestimate their power and weight and the resulting danger of operating them improperly, according to Angie Johnson, North Dakota State University Extension farm and ranch safety specialist. In 2024, 65 crashes in North Dakota involved OHVs, resulting in three deaths and 72 injuries. In 2026 so far, there have been at least four fatalities in North Dakota involving OHVs. ...

Napoleon ag instructor named Teacher of the Year

BISMARCK – Brian Schneider, an agricultural education teacher at Napoleon Public School and Harvey native, has been named North Dakota’s 2027 Teacher of the Year, State Superintendent Levi Bachmeier and Gov. Kelly Armstrong announced in a joint announcement Thursday, Sept. 24. Schneider ...