Students ‘think like a prairie’ with hands-on art experience
Programs support lifelong awareness of ND’s most important ecosystem
Latest
Local news is not dead, but it needs you
In this episode of The Backstory, Sabrina Halvorson and Michael Standaert of the North Dakota News Cooperative unpack a new initiative aimed at reshaping the future of local journalism and why community support may be the key to its survival.
Listen now:
Backstory 210:00/664.825421×
The conversation centers
Do closed-loop geothermal systems at data centers use a lot of water?
No.
Closed-loop geothermal cooling systems are engineered to minimize water usage.
These systems circulate sealed fluid (typically water or a water-antifreeze mix) through buried pipes or geothermal heat pump loops. The same fluid continuously transfers heat between the ground and the data center without evaporation or release. Only the initial
Newspapers have bright future in local communities, if they embrace change
Future of Local News Initiative dives deep on state of industry
The silent failure of a housing solution
In this episode of The Backstory, journalist Michael Standaert joins Sabrina Halvorson to discuss the ongoing housing shortage in rural North Dakota. They explore the root causes, including infrastructure challenges, floodplain restrictions, and developer disinterest.
Listen now:
Backstory 200:00/620.0207031×
Standaert highlights Senate Bill 2225, a widely supported
You helped shine a light on what North Dakotans really think
Hello,
Summer has flown by, and it’s been a busy season for us at the North Dakota News Cooperative. From in-depth polling to fact-checking timely issues, your support has helped us bring important information to communities across the state.
You helped shine a light on what North Dakotans really
Are North Dakota businesses allowed to put cameras in bathrooms?
No.
North Dakota law prohibits businesses and individuals from installing cameras in restrooms or other places where people reasonably expect privacy.
Under North Dakota Century Code § 12.1-20-12.2, it is a crime to record, photograph, observe or broadcast someone in a bathroom, hotel room, dressing room, locker room, tanning
Amid continued statewide housing shortfalls, some hope for renewed efforts
Lack of housing a major hurdle for workforce attraction
Podcast: Preserving Local News in Rural North Dakota
In this episode of Backstory, host Sabrina Halvorson speaks with Ryan Janke, the new owner and publisher of the Wishek Star and Ashley Tribune. Janke discusses his unexpected path from city employee and freelance reporter to small-town newspaper publisher, and the steps he took to keep two long-standing rural newspapers
Are speed cameras legal in North Dakota?
No.
North Dakota does not authorize automated traffic enforcement using speed or red-light cameras.
Citations must be issued by a law enforcement officer who personally observes the violation and halts the driver. The North Dakota Century Code (§ 39-07-07) specifies that an officer “shall issue a traffic citation” to an individual
How NDNC turns poll data into stories
How do raw poll numbers become meaningful, unbiased journalism? In this episode, reporter Michael Standaert takes us inside the process of transforming statewide survey data into trusted news North Dakotans can rely on.
Listen here:
Backstory 180:00/359.9203851×
We go behind the scenes of the North Dakota News
Did North Dakota lawmakers vote against releasing the Epstein files as of August 2025?
Update (September 10, 2025): The U.S. Senate voted 51-49 to table (i.e. block) an amendment that would have required the release of Epstein-case files, meaning the files would not be released as proposed. Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer both voted to table the amendment. The following is
Poll: Voters want to tap Legacy Fund, with limits
Taxes, lunches okay; charter schools a firm no
Poll: ND voters back tariffs, but mixed on impacts of Trump trade policies
Respondents also back Trump immigration policies