Today in Minot

State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler on Wednesday announced the beginning of competition for about $3.5 million in 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants for the 2025-26 school year.
The 21st CCLCs offer opportunities outside of regular school hours for student learning and instruction in reading, mathematics, and other core subjects, as well as programs that complement traditional classroom offerings.

Eligible agencies and organizations must provide an average of at least seven hours of programming each week. They are required to collaborate with schools that have a large percentage of students from low-income families.

Five-year grants are available, beginning July 1, for a minimum of $50,000 and a maximum of $350,000. Annual grant funding depends on the availability of federal money. Applications must be turned in by 12:01 p.m. on June 10. They must be submitted through the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction’s WebGrants site.

The NDDPI will be accepting grant applications from school districts, regional education associations, consortiums, nonprofits, city or county government agencies, faith-based organizations, institutions of higher education, and for-profit corporations. This new grant round is meant only for organizations that do not have a current 21st CCLC grant award, or those whose existing grant award will end June 30.

The NDDPI will host an applicant workshop at 10 a.m. Central time on April 29. The workshop will provide information about the 21st CCLC program, guidance on the application process, and an introduction to the WebGrants site. Registration for the workshop is required and can be completed here.

Applicants are encouraged to focus on efforts to reduce absenteeism for grades 6-12; offer programs to promote job credentials, internships, and workforce development for high school students; and provide instruction about computer science and cybersecurity.

Lawmakers in North Dakota’s House are weighing in on a request for an extra $50 million to support the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library’s long-term operations. The ask is part of the broader commerce budget, and while the library continues rising in the Badlands, questions are surfacing about the timing and transparency of the request. One part of the bill didn’t make it—Division C, tied to a proposed Grand Forks casino, was left on the cutting room floor. Edward Segal with KX News has the full story.

A federal judge has ruled the U.S. government must pay North Dakota nearly $28 million for its handling of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests 2016-2017. The state sued following the protests, claiming the Army Corps of Engineers failed to enforce rules on its land, allowing demonstrators to set up camp and creating a costly law enforcement and cleanup effort. Judge Daniel Traynor agreed, calling the federal response negligent and disruptive. The ruling highlights ongoing legal fallout from one of the country’s most visible protest movements. An appeal from the federal government is still possible. Mary Steurer with North Dakota Monitor has the full story.

When party rules collide with state law, things can get messy—even in Wyoming. After holding local elections by the book, leaders of the Hot Springs County GOP say they’re being overruled by their own state party. Now they’ve gone to court, alleging that secretive meetings and “provisional ballots” not grounded in any bylaw threaten the legitimacy of their results. At stake is more than who holds local office—it’s a broader clash over who gets to call the shots in a party that plays a central role in public governance.

Editor’s Note: Maggie Mullen with WyoFile has the full story that muddies the water on which elections laws we’re supposed to follow, which we’re supposed to ignore, when we’re supposed to keep it local, and when we’re supposed to bow to central command. What’s absolutely sure is that in Wyoming, and North Dakota, too, it’s exclusively Republicans that making the mess.

Governor Kelly Armstrong supports school choice—but not this version of it. On Wednesday, he vetoed House Bill 1540, which would’ve offered public funds for private school tuition based on family income. His reason? The bill left out most North Dakota families, especially in rural districts with no private school options. Armstrong warned that narrow policies risk long-term setbacks. Instead, he’s pointing lawmakers to Senate Bill 2400, which would open educational savings accounts to every student, not just a few. The bigger debate now moves to the House floor.

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Governor Kelly Armstrong has vetoed a bill that would have required public and school libraries to move certain books out of reach of minors. Senate Bill 2307 aimed to expand an existing 2023 law by applying similar restrictions to school libraries and adding enforcement steps. Armstrong called the bill redundant, expensive, and difficult to implement, warning it could expose librarians and prosecutors to unnecessary legal burdens. He also raised concerns about non-residents influencing what books are challenged in North Dakota. The Legislature can still attempt an override. Peyton Haug with InForum has the full story.

Downtown Fargo businesses got a refresher in safety this week—one that’s as much about people as it is about policy. In a hands-on session led by Fargo police and Homeland Security, shop owners learned how to respond to loitering, intoxication, and other disruptive situations with calm and confidence. The message was clear: don’t hesitate to call for help. As Lt. Travis Moser put it, timely calls give officers the chance to act—and help keep downtown safe and welcoming for everyone.

Where does a city really make its money—and where does it quietly bleed it away? In Langley, British Columbia, residents took that question seriously and built a value-per-acre map to find out. Inspired by national nonprofit Strong Towns, the map breaks down how much tax revenue each property generates relative to its size. The results challenge assumptions: walkable, mixed-use areas often outperform big-box developments. Paired with Strong Towns’ new Finance Decoder, Langley’s project gives local leaders and citizens sharper tools to think clearly about growth, infrastructure, and long-term sustainability.

Editor’s Note: If you’re wondering why this matters in Minot, perhaps you’d consider a different question: why haven’t we done the same? If you’re new to the proper-tax-per-acre idea, this article from Strong Towns is a good place to start. In essence, it maps local revenue to land to figure out which parts of town are the revenue centers, and which ones cost more than they produce.

In a state where teacher shortages have become the norm, Grand Forks is trying something new—and homegrown. Fourteen local teachers are about to earn master’s degrees through a tailored UND partnership aimed at building school leadership from within. The idea? Equip teachers for roles like principals, department heads, or instructional coaches without pulling them out of the classroom. With another cohort already queued up, it’s a quiet but significant shift—investing in educators who already know the students, the hallways, and the heartbeat of their schools.

Sometimes the best way to push back is to go home. As science funding dries up under the Trump administration’s sweeping cuts, researchers like Jessica Cantlon are reaching back to where they came from—small towns and local newspapers—to make the case for why science matters. Through the Science Homecoming project, scientists are penning op-eds for their hometown papers, reconnecting with communities, and reminding readers that science isn’t just a coastal or campus concern—it’s a local one, too. And it turns out, people are listening.

Farmers’ markets aren’t just for foodies anymore—they’ve become a growing lifeline for low-income families. SNAP spending at markets has jumped over 400% in the last decade, fueled by pandemic-era boosts and programs like Illinois’ Link Up, which doubles benefits at the market. But that progress is now under threat. Proposed USDA budget cuts could shrink access and stall momentum, even as more Americans rely on these local outlets for fresh, affordable food—and a stronger connection to the farmers who grow it. Jennifer Bamberg with Investigate Midwest has the full story.