Thanks to everyone who was able to attend the county meeting last night! The seats were filled, people were left standing, and according to news over a hundred people attended.
Keep in mind this was the *county* meeting, not the *city* meeting, so we'll all have more meetings to attend in the future.

KFRYTV article

KX News Facebook Link (short video)

From the KFYR article;

"MANDAN, N.D. (KFYR) - The Morton County Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing Wednesday on an ordinance determining how the county would handle any proposed data centers.

Morton County Commissioner Jackie Buckley says the county does not have any current data center applications.

The commission plans to discuss what data centers are, conditional use permits required to build them, and public notice requirements.

The meeting at the Morton County Courthouse starts at 5:30 p.m."

The World Resources Institute put together a good article here. The top two concerns were contending with soaring energy prices and the protection of local water supplies. The article goes into more concerns.

Here's a recording from another concerned citizen in a similar meeting.

More from those who live near a data center. The brown tap water is one problem of many.

Here's a youtube video about data centers, including how data centers often get tax breaks and have the electrical costs passed on to the local energy customers.

MDU is already asking regulators to approve a 14.5% rate increase. Here's the KFYR article. Even if they are being honest about it not being data-center related, that just means MDU customers will see further increases as data centers get built.

If you are able, please attend and voice your opposition.

EDIT
Source Links found on mortonnd.gov (specifically here)
The agenda and full packet.
IMPORTANT! From the Agenda;
Public comment period, pursuant to NDCC 44-04-20. Members of the public wishing to provide
comment are asked to provide their full name, address, and agenda topic, in writing prior to the
meeting.

Goose river paintball from Buxton North Dakota July 25th 2026 presents you

Escape from Goose river paintball

Drop in. Loot. Complete the contract.
brings the brutal tension of extraction shooters to the real world. This is a gritty, high-stakes PMC free-for-all designed for all skill levels. New players get a heart-pounding introduction to tactical play; veterans get to test their raw survival instincts.
Play solo or form a tight nit squad to watch each others backs. Your only goal is to complete high-risk quests, strip the zone of valuable loot, and make it to the extraction point before you get eliminated. Bank your funds to fuel your next raid and use your funds to win real prizes.
Every shadow is a threat. Every PMC is a rival. Will you get rich, or get wiped out?

Hello everyone, I have a reproduction of a black powder muzzleloading rifle. I'd love to shoot it off with some blanks just to be sure everything is working fine. Is that allowed at the public ranges around Bismarck/Mandan? Also any recommendations?

I’m 27M new to Bismarck from California.

I’ve been here maybe a week and I’m just looking for chats or hangouts. I dont drink or smoke but I dont mind being around that sort of environment. Not really too much of a nerd but if we can find some common ground I’m sure we’d get along just fine. I like thrifting and collecting retro/vintage stuff like records and VHS tapes.

Been to the bars, seen some of town. Just need some genuine people to spend time with. Sorry if its the millionth post similar to this on this sub but I’ve tried bumble bff and other apps and just, nothing 🫩

Edit: Met a new friend yesterday at fireflour. Gotta say the food scene near downtown aint too shabby!

My primary physician ended my care after I had known and trusted her for years, going back to when I lived in Minot.

She made me believe there was hope, that I had finally found someone who understood my history and would continue helping me—then that hope was suddenly taken away.

Now I am a Black trans man in North Dakota, once again left searching for a doctor in a place where many providers will not see me, do not understand my needs, or make me feel unwelcome.

People often underestimate how devastating it is to lose a trusted physician, especially when finding safe and respectful care is already difficult.

I am not asking for special treatment. I am asking for consistent, compassionate medical care without having to repeatedly prove that I deserve it.

Teddy Roosevelt strongly championed simplifying English spelling phonetically. In 1906, he even ordered the Government Printing Office to use simplified spellings for hundreds of words like "dropped" (dropt) and "thorough" (thoro), though Congress quickly blocked the mandate.

This is the issue we need to be talking about.

Culver’s used to mail out coupons across town that included a bogo double cheeseburger, it was a steal of a deal. I’m not afraid to admit that I’d grab the discarded Culver’s coupons from the trash in my apartment entryway.

Thank you, everyone, who was able to join! The seats were filled, and it is reported a lot of people couldn't join as there was no further available space.
Here are some followup reporting links;
https://northdakotamonitor.com/2026/07/15/data-center-concerns-dominate-public-comment-for-new-legislative-committee/

https://www.kfyrtv.com/2026/07/15/nd-ai-data-center-committee-holds-first-meeting/

Well done! Keep it up!

Here is the tentative agenda;
https://ndlegis.gov/assembly/69-2025/interim/27-5168-02000-meeting-agenda.pdf

Public Comments at 11:15.

Here's the ND Monitor article;
https://northdakotamonitor.com/briefs/north-dakota-ai-committee-releases-agenda-for-first-meeting-next-week/

The World Resources Institute put together a good article here. The top two concerns were contending with soaring energy prices and the protection of local water supplies. The article goes into more concerns.

Here's a recording from another concerned citizen in a similar meeting.

More from those who live near a data center. The brown tap water is one problem of many.

Here's a youtube video about data centers, including how data centers often get tax breaks and have the electrical costs passed on to the local energy customers.

MDU is already asking regulators to approve a 14.5% rate increase. Here's the KFYR article. Even if they are being honest about it not being data-center related, that just means MDU customers will see further increases as data centers get built.

If you are able, please attend and voice your opposition.

Right off of Divide by Econofoods?

Video by @kevlieeeeee, TikTok.

I’m new to this area and looking for a friend to go rock hounding with that’s four twenty friendly also a female in her 40s I work from home so my schedule is wide open going nuts stuck in this apartment while hubby works 12-14 hour days..so many cool places to explore here..dm me if you’re too looking for a friend

Drop in. Loot. Complete the contract. Extract. 👁️‍🗨️
Escape from Goose River Paintball
brings the brutal tension of extraction shooters to the real world. This is a gritty, high-stakes PMC free-for-all designed for all skill levels. New players get a heart-pounding introduction to tactical play; veterans get to test their raw survival instincts.
Play solo or form a tight nit squad to watch each others backs. Your only goal is to complete high-risk quests, strip the zone of valuable loot, and make it to the extraction point before you get eliminated. Bank your funds to fuel your next raid and use your funds to win real prizes.
Every shadow is a threat. Every PMC is a rival. Will you get rich, or get wiped out?

Are there any longer term seasonal campgrounds in and around Bismarck?

Looking for a place to possibly put a destination trailer on, similar to the ones you'll find in the MN lakes area.

Campground style, you pay a seasonal lot rent. Open April to end of September. Can leave the trailer there for the winter and renew each year. About an hour or so away is ok from Bismarck.

Thank you for any suggestions or insights.

Hey still kinda new to the area. Are there and cool spots bars that will be playing the Mexico vs England game?

Hello,

I'm visiting Bismarck from out of town, my flight landed 90 minutes ago. Any great spot to watch fireworks tonight? I saw the Red, White and Boom but wondering if there's other vantage points or other places having fireworks tonight.

I love to look at and take pictures of old historic places/buildings especially if they haven’t been renovated or updated in quite some time (the more rust the better lol)- if you know of any places I could stop by please let me know!!

*I heard of the old Stanley Mickelsen Safeguard Complex but that is a bit further than I can travel sadly

Hey everyone! My fiancé and I are planning a micro-wedding, thinking roughly 30-35 people, and looking for outdoor spots in Bisman area. Any suggestions of secluded or semi-secluded spots? Any hidden gems we should consider?

Thanks in advance!

I’m brand new to the area and looking for secluded swimming spots by the river to grill have some beers and look for cool rocks in bismarck

Where my local transformers nerds at? In a few interatctions at Rock 30 and game shops I'm realizing there's a lot more of us than I thought. Going through a hard time and need to nerd out with some folks.

Favorite series? You reading anything? Favorite character? Tattoos? Geek out with me!
IDW 05; Skybound; Sky Warp; I got one so far.

Hey yall, been thinking about getting my first tattoo.
Just wondering where to go? We got a couple of shops between here and Mandan, so curious as to who you all would recommend.

Evening new neighbors,

New to ND. Signed a lease like 6x weeks ago... management company publicly displays qualifications & disqualifications online & prior to applying to include background checks, credit score, all the things. Applied for myself & kid. Approved. Signed lease, all moved in.

After a very recent & uncomfortable encounter with who I thought was the new neighbor directly across the hall 10ish ft away, I knew it in my bones what that feeling meant. Quick search on the ND registry & 1st name sharing the same address, creepy dude. My stomach fell through the floor.

I cross referenced the management's website & my lease to verify the wording that no such offenders are approved for their properties, which is clearly stated.

This is where I get stuck. After requesting clarification by management, the agent informs me said neighbor was here prior to their company acquiring the building "a few years ago" && "they were unaware" ... also included, when they obtain new buildings & people already live there, "they do not have access to records".... I questioned, "So, basically it is what it is?" To which she responded, "Ya"...

I was utterly speechless.

It didn't register until after the call that in most cases, leases are renewed annually. Not to mention, when a new company does take over- and a lease is renewed- would that not be grounds for backgrounds? Minimally, how can they directly advertise no convicted sex offenders, oh && no current probation or parolees are approved?

Unfortunately, I am far too aware of the abundance & likelihood that they are everywhere, but I also feel like If not me but my kid has the right to feel safe in their own home.

I am open to any and all suggestions.

Thanks for listening.