Today in Minot

Deer season returns to North Dakota Friday, November 7th, carrying with it equal parts anticipation and adjustment. The Game and Fish Department is taking a cautious approach this year, issuing fewer licenses as deer herds continue to recover from harsh winters, habitat loss, and recent disease outbreaks. While that means fewer hunters in the field, those with tags can expect quieter countryside and the chance to spot deer where good habitat remains—a reminder that patience, like conservation, pays off over time.

North and South Carolina share borders, weather, and soil — but not the same highway costs. Repaving a mile of road in South Carolina costs more than twice what it does just across the state line. Yale law and economics professor Zachary Liscow has spent years studying why state transportation departments vary so widely and how inefficiencies and talent shortages drive up costs. His findings point toward a simple truth: government competence, not just spending cuts, determines how far public dollars really go. If spending less is an intriguing idea, this interview-article from Bloomberg may be of interest.

Fall is among us and the change of temperatures has been very evident the past week. Gardens have been put to bed. I’m guessing this time of year brings gardeners mixed emotions, with some very happy to have a break and that the growing season over....

The Trump administration has cleared the way for oil and gas drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, reigniting one of the country’s longest-running environmental battles. The 1.5-million-acre coastal plain—sacred to the Gwich’in and home to the Porcupine caribou herd—will be opened for potential lease sales under a plan championed by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Alaska’s leaders. Supporters call it economic progress; opponents see a betrayal of sacred lands and fragile ecosystems. Lawsuits are already on the horizon. Becky Bohrer with Associated Press has the full story.

North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers are feeling the pinch — not from drought or hail, but from politics. Years of tariffs, inflation, and low crop prices have pushed many to the brink, and now farm bankruptcies are soaring. Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring says even free money wouldn’t make some producers whole. Yet, as columnist Rob Port notes, the hardship reflects the choices many voters made. Democracy, he argues, only works when people are willing to reconsider who—and what—they’re voting for. Read the full commentary on Inforum.

North Dakota’s birth rate has dropped sharply — down 35% since 2016 — and the implications reach far beyond hospital nurseries. Economists say it’s a reflection of economic uncertainty, shifting family norms, and the lingering slowdown after the oil boom. Fewer births mean fewer workers, fewer students, and new pressures on both urban and rural communities. Experts like UND’s David Flynn warn that the solution won’t come from one fix but from many — immigration, innovation, and renewed investment in quality of life. Sophia Herman with Grand Forks Herald has the full story.

High atop a butte overlooking the Badlands, a new chapter of American history is taking shape. The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, set to open in Medora in 2026, will honor the president who found his strength—and his purpose—in North Dakota’s rugged landscape. Far from any city, the project is both bold and fitting: a tribute built into the very land that transformed him. Supporters call it a risk worth taking, betting that Roosevelt’s legacy—and the scenery he loved—will draw visitors west. Jack Dura with Associated Press has the national coverage on North Dakota’s local story.

Across the Pacific Northwest, wheat farmers are struggling under the weight of tariffs, rising costs, and uncertain markets. But near Pendleton, Oregon, a new story is taking root. On the Umatilla Indian Reservation, a “craft flour” mill is set to rise—one that could bring jobs, pride, and a touch of stability to a volatile farm economy. Backed by the Confederated Tribes and Washington-based Cairnspring Mills, the project blends tradition with innovation, offering rural America a rare ingredient these days: hope. Kirk Siegler with NPR has the full story.

The Dakota Marker game was billed as a clash of titans — No. 1 versus No. 2, national spotlight, bragging rights on the line. But under the lights in Brookings, North Dakota State turned the showdown into a showcase. The Bison stormed ahead early and never looked back, crushing South Dakota State 38-7 before a stunned sellout crowd. For the Jackrabbits, it was a humbling reset. For NDSU, it was confirmation: the road to Frisco still runs straight through Fargo. Mike McFeely with Dickinson Press has the full story.