Good morning, Bismarck.

Firefighters responded after neighbors reported thick black smoke from a controlled burn east of Bismarck on Saturday afternoon—officials confirmed the burn was planned and posed no risk to property or residents.

State officials reported that in April, North Dakota’s commercial airports recorded over 104,000 passenger boardings, breaking the previous record of 95,000.

Executive director Kyle Wanner said economic growth—an 11% increase from last April—helped drive the record surge.

An equipment failure at the Bismarck Water Treatment Plant along River Road led to a lime spill — officials report that there are no known issues from the incident.

North Dakota Game and Fish Department crews are tagging walleyes on Devil’s Lake this spring as part of a three-year study to estimate how many fish anglers keep, aiming for at least 1,000 tags each year.

Biologists will tag fish of all sizes and ask anglers to report tags via the department website (or call the local office) so managers can update exploitation rates (which will guide future rules) for the lake.

The North Dakota National Guard will hold its annual Memorial Day ceremony at noon on Monday at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery—six miles south of Mandan.

The event will honor the service of veterans and mark the importance of Memorial Day in our state.

City commissioners are considering a plan to build a new hotel near the city event center after experts from Adolfson and Peterson Construction and Ubl Design Group suggested gathering proposals from private developers.

Mayor Mike Schmitz said they are not ready to use city money and want to avoid tax abatements — the project may cost up to $80 million.

North Dakota is facing its first measles outbreak in 39 years today after 21 cases were confirmed in three counties following a drop in vaccination rates due to misinformation.

Health experts warn that the virus could spread rapidly if at least 95% of residents are immunized.

Ticks are becoming more of a problem as warm weather follows recent rain, and health officials advise people to wear long clothing and check for ticks after spending time outdoors.

They warned that deer ticks— which can spread Lyme disease— pose a greater risk than dog ticks.

A new study finds that low oxygen levels during REM sleep—caused by sleep apnea—may be linked to brain damage that affects memory.

Researchers tracked oxygen drops in 37 participants and found that longer durations under 90% were connected to more white matter damage, though the study does not prove that sleep apnea causes dementia.

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.

Science Debunked

6-8 p.m. — North Dakota's Gateway to Science — $25 per person — Test popular myths with hands-on experiments and discover what's fact and what's fiction.