Today in Minot

Who gets the job — and where they’re from — is shaping up to be a key question for Minot’s future infrastructure projects. This week, the City Council voted to explore a local bidder preference policy, aiming to keep more taxpayer dollars circulating in the local economy. Supporters say it’s a way to protect Minot’s shrinking pool of contractors. Opponents worry it could drive up costs. The debate comes as concerns grow over rising project prices and uncertain state funding for flood protection. jill Schramm with Minot Daily News has the full story.

Most people drive past places like Columbia, Missouri’s Business Loop 70 without a second thought — four lanes of traffic, scattered businesses, and not much reason to stop. But thanks to Carrie Gartner and the Loop Community Improvement District, this once-forgotten stretch of highway is becoming something rare: a local hub for makers, entrepreneurs, and community connection. Through small-scale manufacturing, pop-up parks, and creative partnerships, The Loop is showing other cities how to turn overlooked spaces into places where people want to be.

Why does this matter in Minot? If we’re paying attention, there are roadmaps to building prosperity all over we could navigate from.

Saskatchewan is making its pitch — not to its own residents, but to doctors south of the border. Facing physician shortages, the province is launching a new campaign aimed at attracting American doctors looking for stability in an uncertain political climate. The effort will highlight what Saskatchewan sees as its strengths: lower living costs, work-life balance, and competitive pay. With other Canadian provinces also courting U.S. physicians, the competition for medical talent is stretching well beyond provincial — or national — borders.

Most lawmakers know there’s a time to debate and a time to take a break — and the final weeks of a legislative session usually aren’t the latter. But in Bismarck, while state leaders wrestle with billion-dollar decisions, Rep. Lori VanWinkle of Minot is absent — reportedly on a ski vacation. Her empty seat comes as a surprise to colleagues, some of whom say they weren’t officially notified. For a legislator known for fiery floor speeches, this absence is making headlines of its own. Rob Port with InForum has the full story.

It only takes a glance — but that glance can change everything. Law enforcement in North Dakota and Minnesota are stepping up patrols this month, targeting distracted drivers in a growing effort to curb crashes, injuries, and deaths linked to texting behind the wheel. Officers say the problem isn’t going away — if anything, it’s getting worse. The message from law enforcement is clear: put the phone down, focus on driving, and don’t let a moment of distraction become a lifetime of regret. Kjersti Maday with InForum has the full story.

A new proposal at the North Dakota Legislature is stirring up debate over who pays when state rules land in local libraries. Senate Bill 2307 would require school and public libraries to move “offensively sexual” materials out of easy reach of minors — but lawmakers are divided over the cost. Supporters say it’s a simple fix to protect kids. Opponents argue it’s an expensive, unfunded mandate that leaves libraries — and local taxpayers — footing the bill for a policy they didn’t help create. Peyton Haug with InForum has the full story.

North Dakota lawmakers moved one step closer this week to tightening restrictions around bathrooms in public schools and how gender is defined in state law. The Senate advanced two high-profile bills — one banning all-gender bathrooms in K-12 schools and another defining gender in state code based on biological sex. Supporters say the measures add clarity and enforcement to existing policies. Critics argue the laws target transgender students and solve problems that don’t exist. Both bills now return to the House for final approval. Mary Steurer with North Dakota Monitor has the full story.

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Good places don’t happen by accident — they’re built by people who know how to shape them. In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, architect Will McCollum shares why teaching the next generation of citymakers matters more than ever. From his early inspiration wandering the medieval streets of Toledo, Spain, to launching a new summer program for future architects and planners, McCollum is focused on one thing: helping people understand how design shapes community, connection, and daily life — and why good urbanism always begins with people.

In the wrecked village of Piatykhatky, Ukrainian soldiers surrendered — hands raised, lying face-down in the grass. One video, captured by a Ukrainian drone, shows what appears to be their execution — methodical, brutal, undeniable. The other, recorded by a Russian drone, cuts away with the prisoners still alive, their fate left unwritten. What follows depends on which video you see — and which story you believe. In this war, even the truth is contested ground. Erika Kinetz with Associated Press has the full story.

Diplomacy in a war zone is never simple — and after three years in Ukraine, U.S. Ambassador Bridget Brink is stepping down. Her departure leaves Washington navigating a critical moment without its top diplomat in Kyiv. Brink’s exit comes amid stalled ceasefire efforts, growing tensions, and recent criticism from Ukrainian leadership. The State Department says the search for her replacement is underway — but in a conflict defined by shifting ground, losing an experienced hand adds one more layer of uncertainty to an already fragile situation.