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ND News Cooperative

Jerry VandeWalle: A Career Defined by Service

Jerry VandeWalle: A Career Defined by Service

A new biography examines the life and long career of North Dakota’s longest-serving Supreme Court chief justice, tracing how decades of public service shaped both the man and the court he led. Listen here: Backstory 350:00/513.8347621× In this episode of The Backstory, NDNC reporter Michael Standaert

Does the US Postal Service always postmark an election ballot on the day it is mailed?

Does the US Postal Service always postmark an election ballot on the day it is mailed?

No. The U.S. Postal Service adopted a rule effective Dec. 24 clarifying that some mail is not postmarked when it is first received – at a post office, for example – but rather on a later date, during processing. The rule doesn’t change practices, but instead is “intended to improve

Economic Stability but Uneven Pressures in North Dakota

Economic Stability but Uneven Pressures in North Dakota

While North Dakota’s overall economy remains relatively strong, recent polling shows that rising costs are affecting residents unevenly. In this episode of The Backstory, host Sabrina Halvorson talks with NDNC reporter Michael Standaert about what the data reveals, how inflation is being felt differently across the state, and why

Does Lutheran Social Services get special payments for recruiting or bringing Somali immigrants into North Dakota and Minnesota?

Does Lutheran Social Services get special payments for recruiting or bringing Somali immigrants into North Dakota and Minnesota?

No. Lutheran Social Services does not receive special or additional payments for Somali immigrants. Like other nonprofit resettlement agencies, Lutheran Social Services participates in the federal U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and receives a standard, one-time grant of about $2,000 for each refugee it helps resettle, regardless of nationality

Shaping North Dakota's Electricity Prices

Shaping North Dakota's Electricity Prices

How electricity prices are determined is often less visible than other parts of the energy system, but they’re shaped by a mix of infrastructure, demand, and long-term planning. In this episode, we take a closer look at how those forces interact in North Dakota and what they mean for

The rise of AI in ND schools

The rise of AI in ND schools

Artificial intelligence is entering North Dakota classrooms, and while some educators see new opportunities, some are struggling to keep pace with the fast-moving technology. In this episode, reporter Michael Standaert joins Sabrina Halvorson to break down how schools are navigating AI use, what guidance exists at the state level, and

Has North Dakota only had four females on the state Supreme Court?

Has North Dakota only had four females on the state Supreme Court?

Yes. North Dakota has had only four women serve on its Supreme Court since statehood. The first, Justice Beryl Levine, was appointed in 1985 and broke nearly a century of all-male membership on the state’s highest court. Justice Mary Muehlen Maring followed in 1996, serving nearly two decades. Justice