Dickinson Firm May Build Border Wall
Dickinson-based Fisher Industries is building a half-mile section of border wall which company officials believe will convince the powers-that-be in Washington that it should be awarded a contract to build the entire project.
Tommy Fisher, in an interview on the radio program,
The Need to Know Morning Show, said the work his company is doing on the southern border will demonstrate that it is capable of doing the job.
Click
here to listen to Fisher’s comments.
Although Fisher said the location was "undisclosed," an
article in the Washington Post described it as a mountainous area near Sunland Park, New Mexico, which is just west of El Paso, TX. The Post's article is critical of President Trump for urging the Corps of Engineers to award the contract to the Dickinson company, but Fisher said Trump is right to question the federal procurement process.
Click
here to listen to Fisher’s comments.
Fisher said he believes his company’s performance will allow President Trump to cut through the Washington bureaucracy to get the wall built.
Click
here to listen to Fisher’s comments.
Senator Kevin Cramer was also quoted in the Washington Post article, describing how he’s urged the President to consider Fisher Industries for the work. Cramer, who was interviewed on the radio program,
What's on Your Mind, said he is optimistic that Trump will be successful in speeding up the project.
Click
here to listen to Cramer’s comments.
Cramer said he wants “a process that’s fair, transparent, that’s price-oriented, quality-oriented, time-oriented,” and if that happens he expects Fisher will get the work.
Click
here to see a YouTube video of Fisher’s border fence demo day. Click
here and advance to the 4:15 mark to listen to the full radio interview with Fisher.
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Burgum Requests Disaster Declaration
Gov. Doug Burgum has requested a presidential major disaster declaration as a result of widespread spring flooding that damaged homes and public infrastructure, inundated hundreds of roads and thousands of acres of farmland around the state.
Burgum pointed out flooding occurred in areas seldom subjected to high waters. He cited unprecedented flooding near the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers in McKenzie County as one example. Burgum surveyed the area in late March, where flooding forced evacuations and prevented 110 displaced residents from returning to their homes for several days. At least eight homes were destroyed and 12 sustained major damage.
“In the flood’s aftermath, residents and their communities are recovering from extensive personal property and infrastructure damages," Burgum stated in the request. "Our private and public partners have made the long-term commitment to increase the resiliency of our impacted communities. The support you provide our state will expedite this initiative.”
Preliminary assessments indicated that flood damage was expected to exceed nearly $8.5 million. At the time of inspection, it was estimated an additional $2 million would be eligible when floodwaters receded.
The request being sent to President Trump through the Federal Emergency Management Agency seeks a disaster declaration for the period from March 21 to April 29 for the counties of Adams, Barnes, Cass, Dickey, Emmons, Grand Forks, Grant, Hettinger, LaMoure, Logan, McKenzie, Morton, Pembina, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele, Traill and Walsh.
A copy of the request can be viewed
here. For more information about flooding, fire danger and other major pressing incidents, go to
www.ndresponse.gov.
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Gov and Lt. Gov Tour Watford City
Governor Doug Burgum and Lt. Governor Brent Sanford spent the day in Watford City yesterday, touring facilities in the community and holding a town hall discussion with local residents.
The visit was part of the governor’s
Mainstreet Initiative, to promote healthy, vibrant communities. Sanford, who was the mayor of Watford City before Burgum selected him, said the community went through a process of self examination to identify the things it needed to do to make it attractive to the workforce.
Click
here to listen to Sanford’s comments.
Burgum said he admired the work that’s been done in Watford City from his first visit during his campaign for governor. He jokingly described the day he met Brent Sanford as a “life changing event.”
Click
here to listen to Burgum’s comments.
Burgum said the Mainstreet Initiative is a tool for communities to make them an attractive place to live.
Click
here to listen to Burgum’s comments.
Burgum and Sanford were interviewed on the radio program,
What's on Your Mind. Click
here and advance to the 15:45 mark to listen to the full interview. Click
here to see the ND Tourism Department’s description of Watford City.
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Tax Commissioner: Oil Tax Will Top $5 Billion
North Dakota Tax Commissioner Ryan Rauschenberger said he expects oil tax revenue in the coming biennium could top $5 billion.
During an interview on the radio program,
Energy Matters, Rauschenberger said oil taxes will account for more than half the tax revenue collected by the state.
Click
here to listen to Rauschenberger’s comments.
Rauschenberger said
SB 2312, which amended state law to give the Three Affiliated Tribes a greater share of the tax generated by oil production on tribal trust land, was a positive development for the state. He said the new tax sharing agreement eliminates the threat of possible dual taxation, creating certainty that will encourage additional industry investment.
Click
here to listen to Rauschenberger’s comments.
Rauschenberger said the passage of Operation Prairie Dog (
HB 1066), which will provide a direct allocation of oil tax revenue to fund infrastructure projects in non-oil communities, received a lot of attention during the legislative session. But he said it’s important to recognize that oil taxes are distributed in many other areas of the state budget.
Click
here to listen to Rauschenberger’s comments.
Click
here to see a chart depicting the “buckets” through which oil production and extraction taxes will be distributed in the 2019-21 biennium. Click
here to see a study developed by WDEA and the North Dakota Petroleum Council that shows where oil tax dollars have been spent over the past 10 years.
Click
here to read an op-ed by Rauschenberger on the new tribal oil tax agreement. Click
here and advance to the 30:15 mark to listen to the full
Energy Matters interview with Rauschenberger.
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Baesler: Student Test Results Can Help Parents
State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler says the results of new state math and English tests offer parents helpful information about how well their children have done in school.
Parents can ask their children’s school principal for the individual student report, which reflects the results of their performance on the North Dakota State Assessment in math and English. Baesler said tests were given to 10th graders and students in grades three through eight. She said the tests are designed to help parents identify areas in which their children can improve.
Click
here to listen to Baesler's comments.
Baesler said the last tests were given in early May. She said they were graded quickly, and give parents up-to-date information about the school progress of their children.
Baesler added that teachers may find the information useful in doing their lesson planning for the next school year.
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Pick Up the Patch Wraps Up This Weekend
Volunteers throughout western North Dakota are wrapping up the annual Pick up the Patch litter control effort coordinated through the Theodore Roosevelt Expressway Association.
TREA Executive Director Cal Klewin said he doesn't have a complete total of the trash collected, but reported that more than 230 bags were picked up between Dickinson and Bowman. Klewin, who was interviewed on the radio program,
Energy Matters, said no matter how much it's discouraged, the ditches somehow get filled with litter.
Click
here to listen to Klewin's comments.
Klewin said this was the fourth year for the Pick up the Patch project. He said in its first year, volunteers collected more than 1,700 bags of trash in cities and along the highway.
Click
here and advance to the 45:25 mark to listen to the full interview with Klewin.
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Young People Urged to Learn Entrepreneurship
Williston Making Plans for Lemonade Day June 8
For the third year, the Williston area is encouraging today’s youth to be tomorrow’s entrepreneurs by teaching them how to start, own and operate their own business – a lemonade stand.
The foremost objective of Lemonade Day is to empower youth to take ownership of their lives and become productive members of society – the business leaders, social advocates, volunteers and forward-thinking citizens of tomorrow.
Each child that registers receives a backpack with an Entrepreneur Workbook that teaches them the lessons of Lemonade Day like creating budgets, setting profit-making goals, serving customers, repaying investors and giving back to the community. Along the way they acquire skills in goal-setting, problem solving and gain self-esteem critical for future success. They keep all the money they make and are encouraged to spend some, save some and share some.
For more information or to register for this unique program, click
here.
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NDDOT Kicks Off Construction Season
The ND Department of Transportation is kicking off the 2019 construction season with help from the Associated General Contractors of North Dakota and the North Dakota Highway Patrol.
This year’s busy construction season consists of approximately $370 million in projects throughout the state to enhance the highway system.
NDDOT is incorporating some new technologies in work zones to enhance safety this year. The department has deployed Intelligent Traffic Systems technology on the I-94 project through Mandan. The technology gives real-time traffic congestion information on digital signs as motorists enter the work zone. Another technology being used a second year is portable rumble strips in work zones. The rumble strips are installed at various work zones to alert drivers that they are approaching a flagger in a work zone and need to stop or slow down.
Click
here for a list of major NDDOT reconstruction and rehabilitation work scheduled this year.
Click
here for an article in the Bismarck Tribune about safety awareness surrounding road construction.
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Inspection of the Long X Bridge Complete
The North Dakota Department of Transportation has completed a routine inspection of the Long X Bridge on Highway 85 south of Watford City and all lanes are now open to traffic. NDDOT reminds motorists to slow down, follow traffic control signage and use caution throughout work zones.
For more information about construction projects and road conditions throughout North Dakota, call 511 from any type of phone or visit the
Travel Information Map.
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WDEA Offering Energy Scholarships
The Western Dakota Energy Association will award five $1,000 scholarships this fall to students in an energy-related field at a North Dakota college, university or technical school.
WDEA President Gary Wilz said the association is offering the scholarships to help the industry and western communities meet the workforce challenges now being experienced with the surge in oil industry activity.
“We recognize that North Dakota will see benefits from higher oil prices only if the industry is able to attract the workforce it needs,” said Wilz, who is Superintendent of the Killdeer Public School District. “We want to do everything we can to encourage young people to explore the many opportunities for a rewarding career in the energy industry.”
Funding for the scholarship program is generated by sponsorships of WDEA’s annual meeting, as well as royalties from advertising in Basin Bits magazine.
Click
here to learn more about the selection criteria and how to apply.
Click
here to view or download an application form.
The application deadline is August 31, 2019. Scholarships will be awarded in September.
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Quick Connect
- North Dakota officials prepare to appoint ethics commission -- Fargo Forum
- Worker identified from North Dakota oilfield fatality last Saturday -- Bismarck Tribune
- Minot Public School teachers reach a deal on new two-year teaching contract -- KFYR-TV
- Operation Intern aims to strengthen North Dakota workforce for businesses -- Bismarck Tribune
- Companies lobby U.S. Congress on carbon tax; senator expects bill in weeks -- Reuters
- Report: N.D. does well attracting jobs, businesses with tax incentives -- KXMB-TV
- Bakken Midstream plastics plant could bring up to 200 jobs to Tioga -- The Journal
- Williams County, Williston sign joint powers agreement for land around airport -- Williston Herald
- Professional Bull Riding announces a return to Williston, will be a big event -- KFYR-TV
- Estimate: Minot population drops as oil communities continue growth -- Minot Daily News
- Oil from US shale on track to rise 16% in 2019 with big increases in 2Q -- Oil & Gas Journal
- Texas bill could mean 10-year prison sentence for pipeline protesters -- Houston Chronicle
- Study shows oil and gas regulations bring enormous cost and little benefit -- Inside Sources
- ExxonMobil: Permian investment to bring $64 billion in benefits to New Mexico -- News release
- Colorado regulators reject permitting moratorium, will write new rules -- Energy in Depth
- South Prairie student heading to Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington -- KXMB-TV
- Towner fourth-generation rancher Ryan Taylor joins Ducks Unlimited staff -- Minot Daily News
- Area farmers set back by chilly temps, but say moisture is always welcome -- Beulah Beacon
- Economists have been “useful idiots” for the national Green Socialist movement -- IER
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Factoid of the Week
There are laws and regulations for fossil collecting on public land in North Dakota. Paleontological resources on land owned by the state of North Dakota and its political subdivisions are protected by chapter 54-17.3 in state law, and chapter
43-04 of the
administrative code. A permit is required to investigate, excavate, collect or otherwise record paleontological resources on these lands.
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May 27-29
Regina
May 28
Bismarck
May 28
Bismarck
May 30
Bismarck
June 6
Bismarck
June 10-13
Bismarck
June 17-20
Bismarck
July 11 -12
Eagle Ridge Golf Course and The Links of ND
July 16-17
Bismarck
July 16
Bowman
July 17
New Town
July 18
Van Hook
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Oil prices and rig count
May 24, 2019
WTI Crude: $58.63
Brent Crude: $68.69
Natural Gas: $2.60
North Dakota Active Rigs: 65 (down 1)
5/24
/2018
-- 65 rigs
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Geoff Simon
Editor/Executive Director
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