Today in Minot

On Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at approximately 4:13 a.m., the Minot Police Department was dispatched to Schatz Crossroads Truck Stop in southeast Minot for reports of a male in the parking lot with a firearm near a BMW sedan. The male was reportedly making threats and...

On Oct. 11, at approximately 11:19 p.m., the Minot Police Department was dispatched to a northwest Minot residence for a report of a physical domestic incident. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the victim, Jane Doe. Doe’s initial report stated that the suspect, Michael Christopher Kantack,...

Minot Fire Department crews were dispatched at 5:05 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12, to the 600 block of 42nd Street NE for reports of a fire on the roof of AGT Foods. Crews arrived on scene at 5:11 p.m. and found the grain conveyor leading to...

Each fall, North Dakota becomes a brief but vital stopover for one of the rarest birds on Earth — the whooping crane. Standing nearly five feet tall and gleaming white against the autumn sky, these endangered travelers make their way from Canada to the Texas coast, resting and refueling in the state’s remaining wetlands. With a record-high population of 557 birds last year, their recovery is encouraging — but shrinking wetland habitat and mistaken identity during hunting season still pose serious risks. Watch below from North Dakota g

Two massive dairy projects planned near the Red River are drawing international scrutiny. Manitoba asked the International Joint Commission to review North Dakota permits for Riverview LLP’s 25,000-cow and 12,500-cow operations, citing Lake Winnipeg’s worsening algae blooms and nutrient overloads. North Dakota regulators say standards are strict; Riverview says discharges are prohibited and manure will be managed on fields. With 37,500 cows proposed along a cross-border river, the review tests how two countries balance agricultural growth with shared water quality. Jeff Beach with North Dakota Monitor has the full story.

When politics and the military mix, the questions get thorny fast. On a recent Plain Talk podcast, a discussion about President Trump possibly deploying the National Guard to Minnesota raised a deeper one: what would North Dakota’s leaders do if asked to help? Governor Kelly Armstrong might make the call, but Attorney General Drew Wrigley could define its legality. His cautious approach — declining to rush into Trump’s corner — stands out in a political climate where hesitation itself can be seen as defiance. Unpack it all in this commentary from Rob Port written for Inforum.

Even as classrooms settle into post-pandemic rhythms, the question lingers: how far have students really come in catching up? A new national report from testing group NWEA offers a clearer — and more complicated — answer. Math scores are rising modestly, and long-standing gaps between student groups are beginning to narrow. But reading remains stuck, showing almost no recovery since 2021. Researchers say the difference hints at something deeper — that learning loss wasn’t just temporary, but a sign of lasting change in how students learn. Erica Meltzer with Chalkbeat has the full story.

When residents of Augusta Township first heard whispers of a massive data center coming to their quiet corner of Michigan, few grasped how quickly it would upend local life. Within weeks, neighbors became organizers, signatures filled petitions, and friendships fractured over questions of power, water, and what kind of future their town should have. To some, it’s progress and prosperity. To others, it’s the end of a way of life. Now, this rural community finds itself at the center of a fight over who gets to define “home.” Tom Perkins with Grist has the full story.

As the mosquito season winds down, health officials say this year’s West Nile outbreak has been one of the worst in decades for Minnesota and well above average for North Dakota. Warm, wet weather and a late frost created near-perfect breeding conditions, leading to more than 100 cases and 10 deaths in Minnesota alone. Experts warn that while most infections cause mild symptoms or none at all, the severe cases—especially among older adults—are a reminder that West Nile never really disappears; it just waits for summer. Robin Huebner with InForum has the full story.

For the first time in decades, NPR reporters — and many of their peers across the media — are being shut out of the Pentagon. The Defense Department is demanding that journalists sign a new document restricting how they gather even unclassified information, a move NPR says would muzzle watchdog reporting and turn the press into mouthpieces. Veteran Pentagon correspondent Tom Bowman reflects on what’s at stake — not just for journalism, but for the public’s right to know what is done in America’s name. His opinion is informed by 28 years working the Pentagon beat, and it’s worth reading.

In McCook, Nebraska, a state prison is quietly being turned into a federal detention center for immigrants — but it’s the secrecy surrounding that deal that’s drawing the loudest protests. Governor Jim Pillen’s office has denied at least nine public records requests about negotiations with the federal government, citing broad legal exemptions that watchdogs say don’t hold up. Critics argue Nebraskans deserve to know what’s being done with their tax dollars — and what’s happening behind those newly fenced walls. Erin Bamer with Nebraska Examiner has the full story.

Labor analysts predict an 11% increase in jobs for community health workers by 2034 to meet demand and North Dakota is trying to garner interest by rolling out a new certification for the occupation. Community health workers are often found helping people in underserved areas. They...

NPR will never be party to limitations on the independence of the press and the objective, fact-based reporting of our journalists. We will not sign the Administration's restrictive policy that asks reporters to undermine their commitment of providing trustworthy, independent journalism to the American public. The...