Good morning, Bismarck.

Cathy Job started BisMan Pink Ladies to raise money for local people battling cancer after losing family members to the disease, and she is expanding her dart league organization—originally launched at a South Dakota tournament—to serve a 50-mile radius with a tournament set for May 31. The group will also work to reach more rural communities in need.

Today, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum signed a statement with the Department of Agriculture to boost wildfire preparedness after nearly 65,000 wildfires burned almost nine million acres across the U.S. last year.

The departments said the plan will ensure firefighters receive more resources and training to stay safe in the field — following a pay increase for fire crews in March.

Road construction is underway and drivers are urged to use extra caution in work zones—DOT officials report that distracted driving led to one fatality and nearly 70 worker injuries in 2024.

Multiple organizations are partnering with the department to boost safety for road users and construction workers.

Burleigh County commissioners approved a preliminary resolution to restructure the Auditor/Treasurer office—splitting the role into an elected Auditor and an appointed Treasurer—amid ongoing calls to remove Mark Splonskowski over allegations of misconduct.

The commissioners discussed moving up the originally planned April 1 strategy, though a final timeline is still months away.

The Office of the Governor admitted that a mistaken line item veto cut $35 million for housing and homelessness programs, and the Legislature may reconvene in a special session to fix the error (official details are expected soon).

Bismarck city officials are working with private developers to turn the parking lot near the Event Center into a new facility and voted 4—1 to have staff draft a memorandum with Adolfson & Pederson Construction.

Preliminary ideas include options for a hotel with convention space or mixed-use development, but funding details have not been decided yet.

STEM Expo 2025

10 AM – 1 PM — Bismarck Municipal Ballpark — Free entry — Experience hands-on STEM learning with exciting activities and prizes for kids of all ages.