Prairie Public Broadcasting | News, music, and entertainment
NPR

Live Updates: Coronavirus in North Dakota

This page will be updated frequently with news and updates related to COVID-19 in North Dakota.

Read More

Featured Series

Energy Issues and Answers: Oil Well Reclamation
Dave Thompson is investigating the issues surrounding hundreds of North Dakota oil wells that are being plugged and returned to agricultural land.

Local Stories

343 new COVID-19 cases; four more deaths

By Danielle Webster • 10 hours ago

Four more North Dakotans have passed away with the novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide death toll to 231.

 

The patients were a man in his 60s and a woman in her 80s from Bottineau County; a man in his 60s from Stark County and a man in his 90s from Ward County. They each had underlying health conditions.

 

Additionally, 343 new individuals from 43 counties have tested positive for COVID-19 in North Dakota, bringing the new statewide positive total to 20,724.

 

Eight COVID-19 deaths; 497 new cases

By Danielle Webster • Sep 26, 2020

Eight more North Dakotans have passed away with the novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide death toll to 227.

 

The patients were a man in his 70s from Bottineau County; a man in his 50s from Burleigh County; a woman in her 90s from McLean County; a woman in her 70s from Renville County; a man in his 100s, a man in his 90s and a woman in her 80s from Stark County; and a woman in her 70s from Ward County. They each had underlying health conditions.

 

ND Health Department confirms five additional deaths, 461 new COVID-19 cases

By Danielle Webster • Sep 25, 2020

Five more North Dakotans have passed away with the novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide death toll to 219.

 

The patients were a man in his 90s and a woman in her 80s from Burleigh County; a man in his 90s from Morton County; a woman in her 60s, a woman in her 90s and a woman in her 80s from Stark County; and a man in his 70s and a woman in her 70s from Ward County. They each had underlying health conditions.

 

Nine deaths; 471 new coronavirus cases

By Danielle Webster • Sep 24, 2020

Nine more North Dakotans have passed away with the novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide death toll to 212.

 

The patients were a woman in her 70s from Benson County; a man in his 80s and a woman in her 90s from Burleigh County; a man in his 90s, a man in his 70s and a woman in her 80s from Morton County; and a man in his 90s and a woman in her 60s from Ward County. 

 

All but the man from Ward County had underlying health conditions. 

 

Bismarck spa business ordered to pay back $275,000 in gift cards

By Dave Thompson • Sep 24, 2020

A South Central District Judge has ordered the owners of a now-defunct Bismarck spa business to pay $275,000 in restitution to consumers who tried to use gift cards for massages offered at the business.

But it's unlikely the money will be paid back.

Coronavirus update: New risk levels; long term care concerns

By Dave Thompson • Sep 24, 2020
Dave Thompson / Prairie Public

Gov. Doug Burgum has announced changes to risk levels for COVID-19 transmission in certain North Dakota counties.

Three counties – Pembina, Pierce and Rolette Counties – have now gone from blue, or “low risk,” to green, or the “new normal.” Billings, Foster, Mercer and Renviille Counties move from “new normal” to “low risk.” Cass, Dunn, Emmons, McKenzie, Richland, Sargent, Stutsman and Ward Counties go from “low risk” to “moderate risk.”

ND's COVID-19 deaths surpass 200; 475 new cases found

By Danielle Webster • Sep 23, 2020

Seven more North Dakotans have passed away with the novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide death toll to 203.

 

The patients were a man in his 90s from Bottineau County, a woman in her 80s and a woman in her 90s from Burleigh County, a man in his 90s and a woman in her 80s from Morton County, a woman in her 80s from Stark County and a woman in her 80s from Williams County. They each had underlying health conditions.

 

ND's COVID-19 deaths surpass 200; 475 new cases found

By Danielle Webster • Sep 23, 2020

Seven more North Dakotans have passed away with the novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide death toll to 203.

 

The patients were a man in his 90s from Bottineau County, a woman in her 80s and a woman in her 90s from Burleigh County, a man in his 90s and a woman in her 80s from Morton County, a woman in her 80s from Stark County and a woman in her 80s from Williams County. They each had underlying health conditions.

 

Industrial Commission okays changes to natural gas flaring guidelines

By Dave Thompson • Sep 23, 2020

North Dakota’s Industrial Commission has made some tweaks to its natural gas capture policy, while keeping the benchmarks for gas capture in place.

The current policy requires companies to capture 88 percent of the gas produced. That rises to 91 percent by November first.

The policy amends the definition of “stranded gas,” and clarifies how the percentage of gas captured is calculated where variances are applied, and it expands when requests for variances would require public notice and a hearing.

Lifting of quarantine order could lead to more North Dakotans traveling

By Dave Thompson • Sep 23, 2020

North Dakota’s interim state Health Officer has lifted the 14-day quarantine order for those returning to the state from international travel.

And some travel agents are glad to hear it.

Dr. Paul Mariani says his action follows the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control.

"People are ready to start traveling," said Mark Haley of Bon Voyage Travel Leaders of Grand Forks.  "Maybe not to Europe, but to the Caribbean and Mexico."

Pages

News from NPR

NYC Principals Union Votes 'No Confidence' In Mayor And Schools Chancellor

By • 4 hours ago

The executive board of the union representing more than 6,400 of New York City's school leaders passed a unanimous vote of no confidence against Mayor Bill de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza on Sunday for what it called officials' "failure to lead New York City through the safe and successful reopening of schools."

The Council of School Supervisors and Administrators is calling on the mayor to cede control of the city's education department for the duration of the public health crisis, and for both officials to seek swift intervention from New York state.

In Rural Nebraska, Combating Hunger From The Pandemic Is A Community Effort

By editor • 4 hours ago

Lexington, Neb., is just one of the many rural communities that has long dealt with food insecurity, but the global pandemic both intensified need in the town of 11,000 residents and presented new challenges in getting people food.

For One Food Insecure Family, The Pandemic Leaves 'No Wiggle Room'

By editor • 4 hours ago

Ja Nelle Pleasure never used to think twice about putting food on the table for her family.

In fact, the Pleasure family revolved around food. One of their favorite activities was to spin a globe, put a finger down and cook a dish from the country where it lands.

"It was a lot of fun because we got to eat all over the place, stuff that none of us would have dared try before, like silkworms," she says. "They really look disgusting and scary. ... But when you eat it, it tastes like popcorn."

In Affluent Maryland County, Pandemic Exacerbates Food Insecurity

By • 4 hours ago

An hour before the food distribution event began in Bethesda, Md., on a recent Friday, a long line of cars was already winding through the parking lot.

Volunteers from St. John's Episcopal Church worked to unpack boxes of bread, prepared meals and coffee — enough for the first 200 people to arrive. Nourish Now, a Maryland-based nonprofit food bank, provides food for the weekly events.

Waiting in his car, Peter Warner was sure to arrive early this time. Last week, the group ran out of meals within a half hour.

Food Insecurity In The U.S. By The Numbers

By • 5 hours ago

With COVID-19 continuing to spread, and millions of Americans still out of work, one of the nation's most urgent problems has only grown worse: hunger.

More News

Main Street

Teacher of the Year Kristi Reinke ~ Drive In Church Service ~ Review: "The Ghost of Peter Sellers"

Friday, September 25, 2020 - We visit with North Dakota teacher of the year Kristi Reinke of Jim Hill Middle School in Minot. ~~~ A pastor in southwest North Dakota had an idea last Easter -- do a drive-in service. He called on the Waddington Brothers band for the music and sound system, but they thought the size of the system it required was beyond them -- then someone thought of a mini-fm transmitter. The North Dakota Council on the Arts has a report on how it all turned out. ~~~ Matt Olien reviews “The Ghost of Peter Sellers.”

Read More