Governor’s Choice Economic Development Awards presented
The North Dakota Governor’s Office, Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Association of North Dakota (EDND) presented the Governor’s Choice Economic Development Awards on Monday during the EDND Fall Conference in Minot.
The 2018 Economic Developer of the Year award recipient in the urban community division is Keith Lund, president/CEO of the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corp. The recipient in the rural community division is Julie Campbell, director of the Walsh County Job Development Authority.
The Project of the Year award in the urban community division went to the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corp. for its involvement in the Dakota Specialty Milling expansion in Fargo. Stark Development Corp. received the rural community division award for its involvement in the Stone Mill LLC project in Richardton.
Adams County Development Corp. and the Hettinger Chamber of Commerce received the Community Development Award after they launched Helping Hettinger Day, a volunteer day in which residents completed 15 projects in the community.
“These award recipients are attracting and retaining the workforce talent and capital that North Dakota needs to compete in a global economy, while also fostering a business-friendly environment and making the most of existing infrastructure,” Burgum said. “We thank them for their leadership efforts and alignment with our Main Street Initiative, creating healthy, vibrant communities with smart, efficient infrastructure to attract and retain a skilled workforce for the 21st century economy.”
Innovative Education Task Force meets at Fort Yates
The Innovative Education Task Force met Tuesday at Fort Yates Middle School, touring the facility, learning about tribal education and discussing the future of education in North Dakota.
Task Force members began to wrap up their policy discussions and continued to narrow and refine the priority themes and recommendations for their final report.
Gov. Burgum formed the 15-member panel last year to underscore North Dakota’s commitment to leading the nation in innovative education and to provide direction on how state government can empower districts to adopt student-centric learning practices designed to support a 21st century economy impacted by rapid technological change. Transforming education is one of the governor’s five strategic initiatives.
Burgum also delivered closing remarks for a Civil Discourse panel discussion on advancing educational equity and opportunity, organized by the Frontline Research & Learning Institute, at Prairie Knights Casino.
Burgum signs proclamation for World War I Remembrance Day
Gov. Burgum on Friday signed a proclamation declaring Nov. 11 as World War I Remembrance Day and encouraging North Dakotans to ring bells in remembrance of those who served in The Great War.
The signing ceremony in the Capitol’s Memorial Hall included military veterans, Secretary of State Al Jaeger and members of North Dakota’s World War I Centennial Committee, including its chairman, Darrell Dorgan.
The proclamation encourages North Dakotans to toll bells at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I. County veterans service officers also are encouraged to read aloud the names of those from their counties who died in World War I, from the steps of their county courthouses after the bells have tolled 21 times.
More than 1,400 North Dakotans were among the more than 116,000 Americans who gave their lives in World War I. A total of 4.7 million American men and women served during WWI, including more than 28,000 from North Dakota.
Governor, Lt. Governor wrap up higher ed tour
Gov. Burgum and Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford completed their final higher education campus tour on Monday with a visit to Bismarck State College. During the tour, Burgum and Sanford got a first-hand look at activity on campus and received updates from campus leadership, faculty, staff and students.
The visit fulfills the administration's commitment to visit all 11 of North Dakota's public higher education institutions in 2018, which Burgum announced at this year's State of the State Address in Minot.
The Governor’s Task Force for Higher Education Governance also met Wednesday as they near the completion of their work to evaluate the state’s system of higher education governance. Last November, Burgum established the task force to assess the existing higher education governance structure in North Dakota and determine if changes are needed to ensure the system meets the state’s educational and workforce needs in the 21st century. Transforming education is one of the governor's five strategic initiatives.
Governor and First Lady host dino-mite Halloween
Gov. Burgum and First Lady Kathryn Helgaas Burgum continued a long-time North Dakota tradition by opening the Governor’s Residence to Halloween trick-or-treaters on Wednesday. More than 500 spooky ghouls, goblins and more visited the residence to get their fill of candy and a slice of North Dakota’s prehistoric past. Celebrating the state’s unique geologic history, members of the North Dakota Geologic Survey were on hand with real dinosaur fossils – discovered in the state – to entertain and educate kids and parents alike.