Good morning, Bismarck.

This week, union members, labor leaders and officials gathered to mark Workers Memorial Day—Monday morning on the Capitol Lawn ribbons were placed on trees bearing the names of 11 workers who died on the job.

Monday evening, the Northern Plains United Labor Council hosted a commemoration at the Fargo-Moorhead Labor Temple and the Northern Valley Labor Council will hold an event in Grand Forks on May 1.

Bismarck Fire Department responded to a fire at Petco—525 S 5th St—on the south side when a refrigerator caught fire on April 28, and firefighters used the building’s sprinkler system and an extinguisher to control the blaze while all occupants and animals were safe.

America’s only rare earths mine received calls from worried companies after China limited exports on April 4 and MP Materials stopped sending its ore for processing.

North Dakota lawmakers and researchers are now studying ways to extract rare earths from local coal—hoping to boost domestic production and lessen reliance on imports.

Project: Constellation will host a free Scandinavian concert at the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum in the Russell Reid Auditorium on May 18 from 2-3 p.m.—the Silva duo and musician Jake Ingamar will perform traditional Swedish and Norwegian songs after Norway’s Constitution Day.

The ND Dem-NPL party renewed its push for a bill that would require elected officials to report crimes against children after revelations that former state senator Ray Holmberg sent text messages about his child sex crimes and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Senator Tim Mathern (D-Fargo) and House Minority Leader Zac Ista (D-Grand Forks) held a press conference Monday at the Capitol to announce the measure and call for full funding of the Ethics Commission.

Bismarck Emergency Management is asking residents to test a storm report survey tool on April 30 for Severe Summer Weather Awareness Week to help plan recovery efforts after storms—participants can submit multiple fictional damage reports and photos from locations around Bismarck.

Tickets for the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast must be bought by May 6 to join the event on May 20 at the Radisson Hotel—retired Adjutant General Alan Dohrmann will speak and funds will support Crisis Care Chaplaincy.

HIE Awareness Month brings attention to a birth condition caused by oxygen deprivation that affects newborns—occurring in about 2 of every 1,000 births and often resulting in severe disabilities or death in up to 60% of cases.

The initiative, launched in 2016, connects families and encourages research into treatments like therapeutic hypothermia.

Sisterhood Saturday

10 a.m.-4 p.m. — Historic Downtown Bismarck — $30 for bouquet making — Celebrate community and creativity by crafting a beautiful bouquet with flowers from various locations.

AARP Smart Driver Course

10-11 a.m. — Burleigh County Senior Adults — $20 for members, $25 for non-members — Learn defensive driving skills and possibly save on car insurance.