Today in Minot

The Ward County Commission will hold its regular meeting on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at 9:00 AM in the Commission Chambers at the Ward County Administrative Building, located at 315 3rd St SE. Ward County Commission meetings can be live-streamed through the county's Vimeo page found...

The Minot Park Board will hold its regular meeting on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at 5:30 PM in Room 203 of the Minot Municipal Auditorium. Minot Park Board meetings can be live-streamed on the Park District's Youtube channel found here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDXQ-wunaM-ZpNZPNvPIY1Q The July meeting serves as...

It turns out Norway isn’t just famous for fjords and oil—it’s also leading the world when it comes to giving young people a seat at the table. A new index ranks Norway first among 141 countries for youth participation in politics and society, highlighting how far some countries have come—and how far many others lag behind. Even so, the report makes clear: no country is perfect, and young people globally still face barriers to real political power. The message is simple: youth aren’t just the future; they’re here now, demanding a voice. The Norwegian American has the full story. The Global Youth Participation Index rankings can be found here; Scandinavian countries rank high, the U.S. falls in at #28.

Grand Forks might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of space exploration, but some see a future where this North Dakota city becomes a key player in the space industry. At UND, Professor Francisco Del Canto Viterale is studying how Grand Forks could evolve into a “space hub,” connecting universities, companies, and government agencies to fuel innovation, jobs, and economic growth. With aerospace infrastructure already in place, the idea is gaining traction—and could help the city keep more homegrown talent right here. Madison Dame with Grand Forks Herald has the full story.

The Science Museum of Minnesota is cutting 43 full-time positions—13% of its staff—and trimming $7 million from its $38 million budget as attendance continues to lag nearly 30% below pre-pandemic levels. The restructuring eliminates entire departments, including access and equity and program evaluation, and reduces staffing across education, IT, and accounting. Museum leaders say the cuts are essential to balance the budget and adapt to changing visitor habits, while union representatives and affected employees criticize the move as short-sighted and damaging to the museum’s role in the community. Frederick Melo with St. Paul Pioneer Press has the full story.

Fewer salties will be making their way through Duluth-Superior this fall, as CHS Inc. shutters its massive grain terminal in Superior, Wisconsin, by the end of August. For decades, this terminal loaded grain—especially durum wheat—for shipment across the Atlantic to Europe and North Africa, where it became pasta and couscous. But falling exports, driven by global competition and shifting trade routes, have made those shipments scarce. The closure marks a blow not just to port workers, but to the region’s connection to distant markets it once served regularly. Dan Kraker with MPR has the full story.

North Dakota is changing how it allocates critical federal funds for schools that serve low-income families—and it’s a shift that will mean big swings in budgets across the state. Instead of using local data tied to students’ economic status at their schools, the state will now base funding on census poverty data for entire districts. While some schools may benefit, others, especially rural and tribal districts, are bracing for deep cuts. At the heart of this change is a debate over fairness—and the real impact on students. Peyton Haug with InForum has the full story.

Sweden is sounding the alarm as tensions rise across the Atlantic. With the U.S. threatening steep new tariffs on European imports, Swedish leaders are warning that no one wins in a trade war—only jobs and economic stability are at risk. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has thrown Sweden’s support behind the European Commission’s push for negotiation, while Sweden’s trade minister is headed to Brussels, hoping diplomacy prevails. Listen to the full report below from Radio Sweden.

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D -- Gen. Anthony Cotton, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, announced the 91st Missile Wing as the 2024 Omaha Trophy winners during the Omaha Trophy presentation here, July 9, 2025. The Omaha Trophy represents the highest civilian honor awarded to top-performing military...