I recently published a novel based on newspaper accounts of a real murder in Neche ND in December of 1907. It was featured on Prairie Public’s Main Street earlier this week. I’m posting a link for that interview and my website that has links to the original news articles about the murder. The book is called A Murder for Christmas.

https://tronsetbio.com/books/a-murder-for-christmas/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/main-street/id1327026631?i=1000777782153

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.

First-time homeowner in ND here and panicking a bit. After that last hail storm rolled through, I noticed a water spot starting to show up on our ceiling. The roof is definitely damaged and leaking, and I’m worried about tracking down bigger issues once the next heavy rain hits.

I’ve heard nightmare stories about insurance adjusters denying claims if you don't document everything properly upfront. Should I call insurance first, or find a solid local contractor to inspect and document the damage to give me some leverage?

Watch the full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-RBrjMUQ8M

We’re going to run into a “glass ceiling” with housing in North Dakota where it becomes a “burden” on the state’s economic growth, says Adrian Cummings, president of the Grand Forks-based Forx Builders Assocation.

We’ve had our power drop out three times this past month alone, and with these summer storms rolling through, I’m done dealing with the grid failing. Our neighbors lost a fridge full of groceries during the last outage, so I’m looking into getting a proper rooftop solar array paired with a battery backup (like a Tesla Powerwall) to keep things running.

I had the chance to drive through your beautiful state and do some exploring recently. I got to see some good nature, stop at a few towns and walk around, and overall had a good experience. I did have two questions as I drove through;

1.) What is life like in Bismarck? I drove through and noticed that it seemed to look “new” and clean. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it was a pleasant surprise.

2.) What is life like in an oil town? I think Williston is one. I noticed a lot of semis with the drilling pipes and wanted an insight to the life in that town as well. The great, the good, bad, and ugly.

Again, very beautiful state and seemingly peaceful and nice. Everyone I talked with seemed to be doing well. Thank you North Dakotans!

Today was the best day in a quite a long time we've had for a good, long hike in Southeast North Dakota. Temperatures in the mid to upper 70s, a steady 20mph NW wind rolling across the prairie and Oak savanna. So, that's what I did!

I rarely see other people once I trek far enough into the interior of the Grasslands. Before you is the seemingly endless, rolling expanse of stabilized dunes. Bluestem and Switchgrass swaying like waves on a lake. Leadplant and Snowberry persisting as some of the few shrubs tolerating the most well drained and droughty uplands.

It's been dry enough this July that much of those perenially droughty sites are turning golden brown as the grasses go dormant and begin to cure in the sun. Lower swales and areas with locally more mesic soil conditions (retaining more moisture, silts/clays) are remaining rather lush and green. The Bur Oaks that call these uplands home however are as healthy and vibrant as ever.

Bur Oak is well adapted to these conditions. It's deep taproot finds moisture well below the surface. The groves of aspen that are scattered and common in favorable swales and other slightly to considerably more moist/fire protected sites are also very healthy this year, no signs of late-season hard freeze damage like the prior growing season, where many were perpetually stressed and sparse in foliage.

The epitome of summer on the Northern Plains.

Sitting on a lonely gravel road, far from any town in Richland county, watching this little storm put on a show. The prairie sky is truly vast. The night sky like a blanket over the landscape, the milky way shining bright above the lonely thunderstorm.

All you hear as you stand there is the rustling of the grasses in the steady breeze of the storm's outflow. The chorus of Katydids and crickets continues in spite of the nearby storm, and suddenly - A lonely coyote calls from somewhere that sounds both near and distant.

This is part of a much longer cross-country trip.

We've crossed similar area on I-90 and don't want to repeat that.

We'd like to avoid heavy traffic as much as practical. Time is not strictly of the essence, but we do need to get from Spokane to Duluth in 3 driving days.

Edit: Thanks for all the comments. We aren't looking for speed, and the higher speeds on 94 will cost us more gas (4Runner, shaped like a brick, bad MPG at high speeds).

Edit 2: This trip is in early October, in case that matters.

I hope you have the day you deserve

We have planned trip to the shores of Lake Superior in MN, WI, and the Porkies but it is choked in smoke. We are considering pivoting to North Dakota because we have never been there. We have 3 weeks and will be in a small camper with a 6 mo puppy. We love hiking, nature, history, and oddball attractions. What should we see in ND?

North Dakotans support the military, and the Heritage Center in Bismarck is a wonderful and popular amenity, so it’s shocking that the state Historical Society couldn’t raise $38 million to get a military museum built. But ground has been broken on the project, and if some donors don’t step up, the taxpayers may be left holding the bag.

I’m hoping this doesn’t get taken down. I’m seeking help and advice for an ex who got stranded up in ND. She has a baby and a few dogs. I would like to know if anyone knows of any churches or any resources in the are to help her out.

This is full story of her situation.

So she had car trouble up in ND near minot and her truck and rv were towed. She ran out of money and was stuck there. She befriended a girl around her age who said she would let her stay at her place and help her with a job if she paid $1000 for 2 months rent. This helped them both as her ex boyfriend didn’t pay his side of the rent and she was short. Her mother has been threatening to sell the house if she didn’t come up with the rent and she was desperate to make it up.

So they agreed on it, sadly my ex doesn’t have anything except her dogs her baby and the clothes they have since her stuff was taken. She stayed there 2 nights but the morning after paying the 1k the girl and her mother kicked her out of the house because my ex is sick and doesn’t have a way to get stuff. I was trying to mail her baby supplies and food, food for her and clothes and bedding for both but can’t deliver anything to the town she is in. She’s about an hour drive from Minot and 20-35 minutes for bottoneau where she could get that stuff. The girl who kicked her out is refusing to give her back the money and doesn’t want her at the property anymore.

I’m worried about them, but I don’t know anything in the area that could help her. I’m hoping there’s someone in church or community that can help out with something to get them out of this situation. Please let me know if you know anythinge.

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!