Plans have been announced for Cerilon to build a $2.8 billion gas to liquids (GTL) complex in western North Dakota. The complex would convert natural gas that is produced locally into high-demand liquid fuels such as low-sulfur diesel and military-grade jet fuel. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2023 at a site near Trenton, ND. See more from Governor Burgum Press Release; Williston Herald, Bismarck Tribune, and the Fargo Forum.

The Watford City Municipal Airport is now open again after undergoing a $24 million upgrade which saw its runway fully reconstructed and realigned. The expansion increases the runway's length from 4,400 feet to 6,550 feet. Also included is a new parallel taxiway. These improvements will allow for use by larger planes and for improved safety.

McKenzie County's Hispanic population grew over 1000% over the past decade according to the recent US Census. Various national news outlets have picked up on this including the Associated Press and EW Scripps TV news shown across the nation. Local Hispanic inclusion work is being done through a committee from Visionwest North Dakota called Hispanic Advocacy of North Dakota (HAND). HAND's next cultural events in McKenzie County include a float in the Watford City Parade of Lights on November 26, and a Hispanic Christmas event on December 12. More details on those events to follow.

In September, members of the McKenzie County Commission and Fair Board held a ground breaking celebration commemorating the beginning of construction for the new Ag and Youth Expo facility. The building will be 112,000 square feet with opportunities for rodeos, tradeshows, motorsports and much more. The project is expected to be completed in time for the McKenzie County Fair in summer 2023. The project is located at the intersection of the Highway 85 bypass and 25th Street NW west of Watford City.

The October 2021 Economy at a Glance is now available. Some data of note include:

Golden Path Solutions is meeting with area junior and senior students this week, getting them set up with a new application to match students to employers helping to prepare both for the future. Golden Path is a Fargo-based company that uses a student’s high school experiences to give them insights into their skills and potential career paths, while at the same time working with employers to profile their companies and careers. The application was licensed for all schools in our region through a Perkins V grant earlier in 2021 via the Great Northwest Career & Technical Center, and Golden Path is in the process of rolling it out to schools covered under the grant. If you’re an employer and want to learn how you can work with them to get in front of students, or you’re an educator or parent and want to learn more, send Patrick a note at patrick@goldenpath.net. 

At this year's annual meeting of the North Dakota Petroleum Council, they announced that next year's meeting will be held September 20-22, 2022 at the Rough Rider Center in Watford City. The 2021 meeting saw over 375 attendees, and the 2022 event has plans for expansion which include expo space which could double of triple attendance expectations.

The McKenzie County JDA Housing Development Subsidy program is the 2021 Governor's Choice Program of the Year. Governor Burgum made the announcement at the Fall conference of the Economic Development Association of North Dakota last week. The program has stimulated the development of 45 houses in McKenzie County--32 of which have been purchased and the other 12 are under construction. All of the funds of the program have been allocated to program houses.

After missing last year's meeting due to the pandemic, the Watford City Chamber/ Watford City Economic Development Corporation will host their annual meeting, Friday November 5, 2021, from 5-10pm at the Rough Rider Center. The keynote speaker will be Malcolm Chapman who will focus on the power of collaborative leadership. More information and tickets can be found here.

The new MHA Interpretive Center located in NE McKenzie County is included in a recent promotional story of the Great American West National Geographic Traveler (UK). The Center tells the history of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nations. In addition to the museum galleries, it includes a gift shop, coffee shop and meeting space. It is open Monday - Friday 8am-4:30pm and is located at 9386 Lake Sakakewea Rd, New Town ND.

The Pioneer Museum is the only museum in North Dakota to host the upcoming traveling Smithsonian exhibit: The Bias Inside Us. This exhibit is a community engagement project whose purpose is to raise awareness about the science and history of bias and what people can do about it. The exhibit will be available from November 13, 2021-January 3, 2022 at the Long X Visitors Center/Pioneer Museum located at 100 2nd Ave SW, Watford City. See more in this article from The Roundup.

Services to seniors in the Alexander area are expanding. The Wild Flour Cafe is joining forces with the "Cafe 60" statewide program to provide nutritious meals to seniors in rural areas at a reduced price. See more in this story from KFYR-TV.

Thousands of folks gathered on Watford City's Main Street last August for the Best of the West Ribfest. Musicians such as Wynonna and Snake Oil performed to the masses with literally tons of ribs and other foods being served. A compilation video is now available showcasing this annual event.