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North Dakota prisons find extra inmate beds in county facilities amid overcrowding
The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said Tuesday it will withdraw a request for $1.2 million in state funding to address overcrowding, instead shifting more inmates to county jails. The department said it has partnered with the Heart of America Correctional and Treatment Center in Rugby, the Burleigh/Morton Detention Center and the Williams […] The post North Dakota prisons find extra inmate beds in county facilities amid overcrowding appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Scientists argue over the origins of COVID-19 before U.S. Senate panel
WASHINGTON — Scientists debated the origins of COVID-19 on Tuesday, trading barbs over whether the bulk of evidence available points to a natural spillover event from a wild animal or a virus designed in a lab and then let loose through an inadvertent leak. The hearing in front of the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and […] The post Scientists argue over the origins of COVID-19 before U.S. Senate panel appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Biden to unveil protections for some undocumented spouses, easier DACA work visas
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration Tuesday will announce deportation protections for long-term undocumented immigrants married to U.S. citizens, along with quicker approval of work permits for those in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. President Joe Biden will formally make the announcement during an afternoon White House event to celebrate the 12th anniversary of […] The post Biden to unveil protections for some undocumented spouses, easier DACA work visas appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Fix traffic before building natural gas plant, residents tell PSC
People testifying Monday at a North Dakota Public Service Commission hearing about a natural gas conversion plant were instead directing their complaints at the Department of Transportation. “The whole 1804 corridor there, it’s just really terrible,” said Jonie Slater, one of several residents in the Trenton area that said traffic needs to be fixed before […] The post Fix traffic before building natural gas plant, residents tell PSC appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
North Dakota House candidate files federal complaints alleging fraud, election interference
Julie Fedorchak’s campaign filed complaints with two federal agencies related to a video and text messages sent last week that falsely state the candidate dropped out of the race for U.S. House of Representatives. Complaints were filed with the Federal Election Commission and Federal Communications Commission asking the agencies to investigate the messages, campaign manager […] The post North Dakota House candidate files federal complaints alleging fraud, election interference appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Republican state attorneys general oppose new gag order in Trump documents case
Twenty-four Republican state attorneys general including North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley have interceded in the classified-documents prosecution of Donald Trump, opposing special counsel Jack Smith’s request that the trial judge bar Trump from making hostile statements against federal law enforcement. In a 27-page amicus brief filed by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, the states […] The post Republican state attorneys general oppose new gag order in Trump documents case appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Voting at North Dakota primary polling sites ran smoothly, observers say
Primary election polling sites received high marks from the League of Women Voters’ volunteer election observers, according to an announcement from the organization. Volunteers on election day monitored more than 30 voting locations in Bismarck, Mandan, Fargo, West Fargo, Dickinson, Grand Forks, Jamestown, Devils Lake and Wahpeton. Their goal was to document how smoothly the […] The post Voting at North Dakota primary polling sites ran smoothly, observers say appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
North Dakota congressional age limits law could lead to new legal review
A newly passed North Dakota law could give the U.S. Supreme Court an opportunity to revisit restrictions on who can run for federal office, a legal expert says. North Dakotans voted Tuesday to make it illegal for anyone to be elected or appointed to represent the state in Congress if they’d turn 81 before the […] The post North Dakota congressional age limits law could lead to new legal review appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Natural gas conversion project near Williston also includes carbon capture
A proposed multi-billion dollar facility to turn natural gas from North Dakota’s oil fields into liquid products also includes plans for carbon capture and storage. Canada-based Cerilon says its project in Williams County in northwest North Dakota will be the first large-scale, natural-gas fed gas-to-liquids facility to be built in North America. The project is […] The post Natural gas conversion project near Williston also includes carbon capture appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
States struggle with unreliable federal funding for making sure elections are secure
WASHINGTON — The federal government has sought to bolster election security for years through a popular grant program, but the wildly fluctuating funding levels have made it difficult for state officials to plan their budgets and their projects. Rising misinformation and disinformation about elections, often fueled by conspiracy theories, as well as threats against election […] The post States struggle with unreliable federal funding for making sure elections are secure appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Backlash against DEI spreads to more states
SALT LAKE CITY — Shortly after taking office in 2023, Republican state Rep. Katy Hall heard from constituents complaining about how their adult children were required to write diversity, equity and inclusion statements while applying for medical and dental schools and other graduate programs in Utah. “It doesn’t seem right,” Hall said. “It doesn’t seem […] The post Backlash against DEI spreads to more states appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Anti-abortion groups say Supreme Court’s mifepristone ruling won’t deter them
In the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling Thursday to maintain current access to the abortion medication mifepristone, abortion-rights advocates and opponents vowed to continue their respective battles over the drug. Mifepristone is one of two drugs used to treat miscarriages and terminate a pregnancy during the first trimester, and is the most […] The post Anti-abortion groups say Supreme Court’s mifepristone ruling won’t deter them appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Summit’s carbon storage plans face strong objections at permit hearing
The underground carbon dioxide storage plan that is key to the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline project faced significant scrutiny during a three-day hearing this week. Summit proposes to transport CO2 emissions captured from ethanol plants in five states for permanent storage in an underground rock formation in North Dakota. In addition to needing approval for […] The post Summit’s carbon storage plans face strong objections at permit hearing appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
U.S. Supreme Court overturns ban on bump stocks used in Las Vegas mass shooting
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday struck down a rule enacted following a 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas that defined a semiautomatic rifle equipped with a bump stock attachment as a machine gun, which is generally prohibited under federal law. The opinion, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, reduces the executive branch’s already-limited […] The post U.S. Supreme Court overturns ban on bump stocks used in Las Vegas mass shooting appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Industry, clean power groups breathe a sigh of relief as Senate approves energy regulators
Three nominees by President Joe Biden to serve on the nation’s top energy regulatory panel, which had risked losing a quorum, were approved this week by the U.S. Senate. The vote to approve the new members — two Democrats and a Republican — for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission was cheered by industry, renewable power […] The post Industry, clean power groups breathe a sigh of relief as Senate approves energy regulators appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Trump claims ‘great unity’ after talks with congressional GOP
WASHINGTON — In his first visit to Capitol Hill since leaving office in January 2021, former President Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, mapped campaign strategy with GOP lawmakers and projected party unity ahead of the November elections. Trump said the meetings brought “great unity.” Surrounded by Republican senators who were smiling and applauding him […] The post Trump claims ‘great unity’ after talks with congressional GOP appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Biden Title IX regulation targeted by Republicans in Congress
WASHINGTON — Republicans in Congress got one step further in their efforts to reverse the Biden administration’s final rule for Title IX after the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce approved a measure on Thursday that would overturn the updated regulations. The U.S. Department of Education’s final rule — which seeks to protect […] The post Biden Title IX regulation targeted by Republicans in Congress appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
U.S. Senate Republicans reject Democrats’ bill on IVF protections
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats’ attempts to bolster reproductive rights failed again Thursday when Republicans blocked a bill guaranteeing access to in vitro fertilization from moving forward. The 48-47 procedural vote came just one day after Republicans tried unsuccessfully to pass their own IVF access bill and one week after GOP senators prevented legislation from […] The post U.S. Senate Republicans reject Democrats’ bill on IVF protections appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
Grand Farm, University of Georgia announce collaboration
North Dakota’s Grand Farm project on Thursday announced it will collaborate with the University of Georgia on its own Grand Farm campus. The University of Georgia Grand Farm will be on 250 acres in Perry, Georgia, next to the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter. It’s first field projects are planned for 2025. “This partnership is […] The post Grand Farm, University of Georgia announce collaboration appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
The wait begins for Leonard Peltier
RAPID CITY, S.D. — By July 1, a decision will be made regarding what could be Anishinaabe AIM activist and now elder Leonard Peltier’s last shot at freedom. The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians citizen’s parole hearing lasted about seven hours on June 10. This was Peltier’s first parole hearing in over a decade. […] The post The wait begins for Leonard Peltier appeared first on North Dakota Monitor.
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