ND higher ed board has new president
FARGO, N.D. (GPN) — A former college biology professor has been elected as the new president of North Dakota’s Board of Higher Education. Board members unanimously elected Kirsten Diederich (DEE’-dur-rich) as their president during a meeting at North Dakota State University on Thursday. Diederich will succeed Duaine Espegard in the job on July 1. Diederich [...]
Read More →ND Supreme Court reprimands GF state senator
BISMARCK, N.D. (GPN) – North Dakota’s Supreme Court has reprimanded a Grand Forks attorney and state senator for neglecting a dispute over medical bills. The Supreme Court says Connie Triplett must return her client’s $500 retainer and 11 years’ interest, and pay almost $3,000 in disciplinary costs. Court records say a client hired Triplett in [...]
Read More →Pembina man’s murder conviction upheld by ND Supreme Court
BISMARCK, N.D. (GPN) – A Pembina man who shot a friend outside his home will have to serve a life prison sentence. The North Dakota Supreme Court upheld the criminal convictions of Miguel Medina Romero on Tuesday. A jury convicted Romero of murder and drug charges in the October 2010 shooting of 19-year-old Bryon Kalis [...]
Read More →Xcel Energy customers to get electric refunds
BISMARCK, N.D. (GPN) – Most of North Dakota’s Xcel Energy electric customers will be getting small refunds soon. The state Public Service Commission says Xcel collected too much money from rate increases in 2011 and 2012. Public Service Commissioner Julie Fedorchak says Xcel will be paying about $201,000 in refunds to customers within the next [...]
Read More →Senate defeats $10M for rural western ND hospitals
BISMARCK, N.D. (GPN) – A $2.8 billion North Dakota human services budget won’t include money for some rural hospitals in the state’s western oil country. North Dakota senators approved the two-year spending plan Wednesday. It isn’t the final word. The bill’s final details will be worked out by House and Senate negotiators. Some rural western [...]
Read More →Bring your driver’ s license: ND Legislature approves voter ID law
BISMARCK, N.D. (GPN) – When you vote in the next election, don’t forget your I.D. The North Dakota House on Friday gave final approval to a new law that says voters must have identification to get a ballot. The I-D must show a birth date and a residential address. Representatives endorsed the measure 68-24. It [...]
Read More →Grand Forks senator’s ‘walk-off’ during abortion vote ignites debate
BISMARCK, N.D. (GPN) – A North Dakota state senator says she refused to vote on an abortion bill because it was “beyond the pale” and a step toward mind control. Grand Forks Democrat Connie Triplett’s action touched off a heated debate in the North Dakota Senate on Friday. The bill bans abortions in North Dakota [...]
Read More →ND regulators to take public comment on Xcel Energy electric rate increase
BISMARCK, N.D. (GPN) – North Dakota’s Public Service Commission will hold public comment sessions in four North Dakota cities next month to talk about a proposed Xcel Energy electric rate increase. Xcel Energy wants to raise its electric rates by 9.25 percent. It would boost the electric bill for a typical Xcel customer by more [...]
Read More →Clothing sales tax exemption defeated in ND House
BISMARCK, N.D. (GPN) – The North Dakota House has turned down a bill that would exempt clothing sales from state and local sales taxes. House members voted 63 to 25 on Tuesday to defeat the tax exemption. A similar bill is awaiting a vote in the North Dakota Senate. Analysts estimate that removing the sales [...]
Read More →Trust me, this column could have been much uglier
When I read the most recent legal opinion by the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office, I immediately wrote a column to trash everyone who was involved with it – mainly Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem. In that column, which I ultimately decided against publishing, I wrote that Stenehjem illustrated the wide gap between common sense and […]
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