Today in Minot

A fatal motorcycle crash occurred in southwest Minot on the evening of June 23, according to the Minot Police Department. Authorities responded to the incident at approximately 7:57 p.m. at 800 37th Avenue SE, where a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle were involved in a collision....

Rep. Scott Louser had a plan to eliminate property taxes on schools forever—let the state pick up the entire tab instead of making homeowners cover 27% through local levies. The Minot Republican was so confident in his approach that he commissioned his own poll to prove voters would back a ballot measure. The results? A statistical dead heat that stopped his campaign cold. When you need a 20-point margin to feel confident about a constitutional amendment and you’re sitting at 49%, it’s time to retreat and regroup. Mary Steurer with North Dakota Monitor has the full story.

Most of the time, government work only makes headlines when something breaks. But every now and then, a quiet success deserves attention. North Dakota’s Sober Ride program is one of those wins—a simple, practical effort that helps people get home safely after big events like the McQuade Softball Tournament. Backed by data and not taxpayer dollars, the program offers $10 Lyft credits to encourage smart choices. The result? Fewer DUI arrests, fewer deaths, and a strong case for expanding a policy that just works. Rob Port with InForum has the full, must-read story.

When tornadoes tore through Enderlin, they didn’t just destroy homes—they scattered lives across the landscape. A letter ended up 90 miles away in Minnesota. Horse trailers, generators, and pickup trucks vanished into the wind. Now, in a modern twist on community barn-raising, neighbors are deploying drones to help find what the storm stole. What started as a social media plea from one resident quickly became a coordinated aerial search effort, proving that sometimes the best way to piece your world back together is to see it from above.

City hall meetings don’t have to happen at city hall—and Minot is proving it by bringing the conversation directly to neighborhoods across town. Monday night’s gathering focused on something that affects many residents: getting around the city when you can’t drive yourself. Between a new certification process for paratransit services and a just-launched app that tracks buses in real time, Minot is working to make public transportation less of a guessing game and more of a reliable option for the community. Megan Topping with KX News has the full story.

Minot’s downtown is about to gain more than a facelift—it’s getting a heartbeat. Citizens Alley, set to open next month, is a new public plaza designed for all seasons and all people. From farmers markets and movie nights in summer to skating and winter lights, the space invites both planned events and spontaneous joy. Years in the making, it’s the product of local experimentation and listening. Now, the courts, concerts, and splash fountains are almost ready—just bring your sneakers or maybe leave them behind. Kyona Rivera with KMOT has the full story.

College rankings usually spotlight the same prestigious names—Harvard, MIT, Stanford—but what if we’re measuring the wrong thing? A new classification system is flipping the script by asking which schools actually move students up the economic ladder, not just which ones already serve the wealthy. The results reveal some surprising champions: tribal colleges in Montana and Kansas, nursing schools you’ve never heard of, and regional universities quietly transforming lives in their communities. It turns out the most important question isn’t where the smartest students go, but where opportunity truly lives. Nadia Tamez-Robledo with EdSurge has the full story.

Russia’s devastating missile strike on Dnipro keeps getting worse—what started as reports of 8 dead has climbed to at least 17 killed and nearly 280 wounded, including 27 children. The attack shattered a passenger train, school, and dormitory while NATO leaders gathered in The Hague to discuss the very threat Russia poses. But June 24 brought more than just another brutal assault: Ukraine announced it could produce 8 million drones annually if properly funded, Trump confirmed he’ll meet Zelensky at the summit, and plans moved forward for a tribunal to prosecute Putin himself for launching this war. For the complete catch-up, The Kyiv Independent has all these stories and more in one place to catch-up quick.

The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library rising from the North Dakota Badlands isn’t just another presidential monument—it’s a bold architectural statement that literally embodies the rugged landscape TR loved. At its heart stands a 30-foot-tall, 240-foot-long rammed-earth wall that looks like it was carved straight from the Badlands themselves. Built using an ancient technique dating back 5,000 years, this isn’t just impressive craftsmanship—it’s a local Dickinson construction crew mastering an art form they’d never attempted before, creating what may be the largest rammed-earth wall in North Dakota history. Tasha Carvell with InForum has the full on the Presidential library progress and the experience that’s emerging in Medora.

When Israel struck Iran this month, oil prices jumped 7% in hours—then something curious happened. Instead of the panic-driven surge that would typically follow Middle East conflict, prices quickly settled back down, now sitting lower than before the attack even began. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Iran produces millions of barrels daily and controls a chokepoint for 20% of global oil flow, yet markets barely flinched. The muted response reveals how dramatically the oil world has changed: the world has a comfortable, diversified supply of oil. Traders have grown skeptical of geopolitical scares, and America’s shale revolution has fundamentally shifted global energy power. Camila Domonoske with NPR has the full story.