Governor, tribal leaders honor tribal flags now being displayed in Capitol

Gov. Doug Burgum and Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford joined leaders of the five tribal nations that share geography with North Dakota for a ceremony honoring and celebrating their tribal flags, now on display in the state Capitol for the first time as directed by the governor during his State of the State address on Jan. 3..

Burgum expressed his deep gratitude for those who packed Memorial Hall for the ceremony, including tribal leaders, Supreme Court justices, legislators and other elected officials, military veterans, flag bearers and the Lake Region Singers from Spirit Lake Nation.

“Especially for those tribal members that are here today … I want to say welcome to you, because this is your Capitol, too,” said Burgum, who has made strengthening tribal partnerships one his five strategic initiatives.

The governor thanked Sen. Richard Marcellais of Belcourt, an Army veteran and member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, for organizing the ceremony with Indian Affairs Commission Executive Director Scott Davis and his team. Marcellais called it a historic event.

Representatives from all five tribal nations delivered remarks, explaining the history and significance of their respective flags.

Burgum addresses ND Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives

Gov. Burgum joined the NDAREC this week for their annual meeting in Bismarck, thanking them for the investments they make all across rural North Dakota.

"What you do is essential to all North Dakotans," Burgum said. Commenting on the customer governance model of cooperatives, he added, "It's a unique thing about our state where we have so many people that are engaged."

Burgum drew attention to the special interaction electric companies have with our state's economy, as growing businesses rely on low-cost, reliable power to enable 21st century jobs.

Task Force for Veterans Affairs meets for first time

The Task Force for Veterans Affairs created by Gov. Burgum in October met for the first time Friday at the Capitol in Bismarck.

The Task Force was established to examine the governance and delivery of services for veterans in the state and make recommendations on how to improve the current system.

Chaired by retired North Dakota National Guard Brig. Gen. Robert Fode, the Task Force used the first meeting to review the current system of veterans supports.

A list of Task Force members is available at the link below.

North Dakota artist's work on display in Capitol

The offices of the Governor, Attorney General and Treasurer are currently displaying the artwork of Grand Forks artist Pieper Fleck Bloomquist in the Capitol.

Fleck Bloomquist, a Minnesota native and current Grand Forks resident, has been painting in the Scandinavian and Austrian styles of folk art since 1993. Since 2014, she has been a Master Artist in the Traditional Folk Art Apprenticeship program through the North Dakota Council on the Arts, teaching Swedish Dalmålning. She is a current Folk Art Fellow through the American Scandinavian Foundation as a master artist, studying folk painting of Sweden and helping to perpetuate that tradition across North Dakota and Minnesota. When she is not painting, she works as an Oncology nurse at Altru Cancer Center in Grand Forks.

Artists looking to represent their region with artwork placed in the Capitol can submit a brief resume along with links to their work to the North Dakota Council on the Arts, 1600 E. Century Ave., Suite 6, Bismarck, ND 58503. Artists are selected for quarterly display.

The artwork will be on display during the months of January, February and March on the ground floor of the Governor's Office, in the Attorney General's Office on the first floor and in the Treasurer's Office on the third floor.