General News

Pembina motor coach manufacturing plant hiring

By Dave Thompson • Feb 15, 2017

Motor Coach Industries in Pembina will soon be hanging a “Help Wanted” sign.

"Things are going well," said MCI plant manager Ron Storey. "Our business is doing quite well. And in tghe next month, we'll be hiring more employees."

MCI already employs 216 people. Storey said the plan is to hire 15 more people now – and more could be hired this fall.

"We have a workforce that's aging," Storey said. "We know we're probably going to have up to a dozen individuals retiring this year. We could be hiring in excess of 30 people for the year before we're all done."

NDSU Innovation Challenge 2017 Near Final Round

By Todd McDonald • Feb 3, 2017

The annual NDSU Innovation Challenge is moving into its final stage. As Prairie Public Reporter Todd McDonald found out, there is plenty of drama to be found...

Spring Flood Outlook projects three to four foot rise on Devils Lake

By Danielle Webster • Jan 26, 2017

The National Weather Service in Grand Forks has released its first Spring Flood Outlook of the year.

20 Years Later... 1997 Red River Valley Flood Remembered

By Todd McDonald • Jan 18, 2017

This spring marks the 10th Anniversary of the historic Red River Flood of 1997. As Reporter Todd McDonald tells us, many of those working on protecting the region from future floods are taking time to reflect on what brought us to this point…

Further Declines in ND Taxable Sales and Purchases

By Todd McDonald • Jan 13, 2017

State Tax Commissioner Ryan Rauschenberger says the 3rd Quarter of 2016 saw a 20% decline in taxable sales and purchases. Commissioner Rauschenberger says the drop in revenues was not entirely unexpected…

"...I think that we anticipated that in the sense that pretty much the entire state -- mostly in the west -- was down. But the East was down too. I think the agricultural commodity prices have hit hard across the entire state."

Rauschenberger says for the west, it has been "doubled-up, with the oil activity being down."

POW's family receives lost medals

By Danielle Webster • Dec 28, 2016

The family of the late Sergeant Robert Johnston received his World War II military records and service medals at a presentation at the Fargo Air Museum. Prairie Public's Danielle Webster has the story.

Catholic Benefits Association, Fargo Diocese file lawsuit

By Danielle Webster • Dec 28, 2016

The Catholic Benefits Association and the Diocese of Fargo have filed a lawsuit in federal district court in North Dakota.

The lawsuit challenges federal rules requiring Catholic hospitals, healthcare providers and group insurers to perform and pay for gender transition procedures and abortions. Archbishop William Lori is Chairman of the Catholic Benefits Association. He says the rules are contrary to their own medical judgment and values, and that they are part of a multi-agency effort to redefine the term "sex" in anti-discrimination laws.

ND Farmers Union set to open 5th restaurant

By Dave Thompson • Dec 13, 2016

Several years ago, the North Dakota Farmers Union got into the restaurant business.

It opened “Founding Farmers” in Washington, DC in 2008. Since then, it has opened two other restaurants in DC, one in Tysons, Virginia and one in Potomac, Maryland. It is set to open another one in the nation’s capital this month.

"Right now, we're serving in the four restaurants about 32,000 people a week," said Farmers Union president Mark Watne.

Highway Patrol: Barricades Are In Place For A Reason.

By Todd McDonald • Dec 9, 2016

Officials with the North Dakota Highway Patrol are reminding drivers to NOT go around barricades on closed roads. Patrol Lieutenant Tom Iverson says the recent blizzard saw a number of drivers go around barricades on closed highways. And Iverson says the advisory also applies to closures not related to the weather. He says current barricade on Highway 1806 south of Mandan is a good example…

“…It’s only open to authorized traffic in that area. Those citizens that live around that area – they would be deemed ‘authorized traffic.’”

Safety groups looking at ways to deter 'drugged driving'

By Dave Thompson • Dec 2, 2016

While drunk driving is dropping nationally, drugged driving is on the rise.

And North Dakota safety groups held a one-day “drugged driving summit” in Bismarck to begin looking at ways to prevent it. But the groups say it’s a real challenge.

"It's a very complex topic," said Gene LaDoucer of North Dakota Triple A. "There's a lot of impairing drugs that impact a person's driving."

LaDoucer said the legalization of medical marijuana just adds to the issue.

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