Today in Minot

BISMARCK, N.D., Nov. 24, 2025 – New State School Superintendent Levi Bachmeier began his first day in the position Monday by declaring his goal to visit all of North Dakota’s 167 school districts, beginning with its smallest, Marmarth, in the southwestern corner of the state. "Every...

Cropland rental talks in Minnesota are heading into a tougher season. After a couple of strong income years, farmers are now facing softer corn and soybean prices that make 2026 agreements harder to balance. Extension educator Nathan Hulinsky is urging landowners and producers to start with clear numbers and honest conversations, especially as land values stay firm and break-even prices outpace market returns. His message is practical: when margins shrink, transparency matters, and written agreements can help both sides land on something fair. Michael Johnson with AGWEEK has the full story.

A political firestorm erupted this week after the Defense Department said it was reviewing “serious allegations of misconduct” against Sen. Mark Kelly, following a video in which he and other Democratic veterans reminded service members they must refuse illegal orders. The inquiry — announced just hours after President Trump called the video “seditious” — raised alarms about safety, separation of powers, and whether a retired officer serving in Congress can be hauled before a military court. Kelly pushed back sharply, calling the move an intimidation tactic as constitutional scholars weighed in on the broad protections lawmakers hold. Jennifer Shutt with News From The States has the full story.

Western governors gathered in Arizona last week with a rare message in today’s political climate: cooperation still matters. Leaders from both parties sat down with top Trump administration officials to hash through some of the region’s biggest challenges — from data center power demands and water shortages to looming Medicaid cuts and a stalled farm bill. The conversations were candid, sometimes tense, but grounded in a shared reality: problems like energy, food, and water don’t care about partisanship, and the West will have to navigate them together. Jerod Macdonald-Evoy with AZ Mirror has the full story.

In Minot, a small gesture is turning into a big lift for local seniors. Elementary students are spending December crafting handmade Christmas cards, each one meant to brighten the day of someone who may be spending the holidays alone. The Minot Commission on Aging will deliver the cards through its Meals on Wheels program, which reaches hundreds of homebound residents. For the kids, it’s a chance to share joy; for the recipients, it’s a reminder that their community hasn’t forgotten them. Sometimes kindness really is that simple. Kyona Rivera with KMOT has the full story.

Fargo city leaders have stepped back from a plan to stop broadcasting public comments, keeping livestreams intact while they revisit how those comment periods should work. The reversal came after residents raised transparency concerns and commissioners said they hadn’t been consulted about the change. Officials say the real challenge is balancing open participation with rising incivility, a problem many cities are facing. Now the commission will review its rules to ensure comments stay relevant and orderly without cutting the public out of the conversation. April Baumgarten with InForum has the full story.

Mild fall weather has left Manitoba’s (and North Dakota’s) waterways far less stable than they look, and the consequences have been heartbreaking. RCMP are urging residents to stay off the ice after two men drowned in separate incidents over the weekend near Norway House and Cross Lake. In both cases, what seemed like solid footing gave way to open water, complicating rescue efforts and search operations. With freeze-up lagging weeks behind, officials warn that even familiar routes may not be safe yet.

Vaccine resistance in the United States isn’t limited to people. Alongside skepticism toward routine childhood and some adult vaccines, veterinarians are seeing the same hesitation spread to pets. What was once a routine part of preventive care has become a fraught interaction — and the implications...

Farmers across north-central North Dakota are closing out the 2025 harvest on a strong note, with solid yields and quality across wheat, soybeans, canola, and corn. Grain buyers say early storage gave way to more selling as prices recently improved, easing the pressure on full elevators. Even with a few weather hiccups and temporary backlogs, most operations stayed fluid thanks to timely train movement. With plenty of grain still in on-farm bins, many producers are now watching for the next price rally to make their move. Jill Schramm with Minot Daily News has the full story.

The week of Thanksgiving is the busiest airline travel time of the year, but there are ways to make your trip less stressful. “During the holidays, we tend to have a lot of passengers who don’t travel on a regular basis,” Minot International Airport Director Jennifer...