1. West Fargo School Board decides to keep COVID-19 policies unchanged as one school nears threshold for action
With one elementary school at the threshold of forcing the board to consider a building closure, the West Fargo School Board decided Tuesday, Nov. 30, not to tweak its policy at this time, but try to help everyone understand a building closure is an option, not a mandate if positive case numbers reach a certain level.
The board met Tuesday to discuss eliminating part of their COVID-19 mitigation strategy that states a school could move to distance learning if 5% of the population has active cases of the coronavirus.
On Nov. 30, Legacy Elementary School reported 25 active positive cases in students at the school and two staff cases, which is 5.2% of the total school population.
Read more from The Forum's Wendy Reuer
2. 'It's time for action': President Joe Biden praises $4 billion boost to Minnesota during stop in Rosemount
ADVERTISEMENT
President Joe Biden on Tuesday, Nov. 30, trumpeted the more than $4 billion set to come to Minnesota as part of a federal infrastructure law signed into law earlier this month and made a pitch for the passage of another $1.9 trillion spending plan.
Inside a heavy truck shop at the Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount, Minnesota, the president spoke with Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party leaders, students and others about the school and its role in educating the next batch of skilled laborers. And he made a pitch for Congress to move his proposed Build Back Better Plan.
Read more from Forum News Service's Dana Ferguson
3. Electric vehicle charging network to link Minnesota, North Dakota reservations seeking freedom from oil
A recently funded partnership between clean energy groups on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota and the Red Lake Indian Reservation in Minnesota is aiming to expand access to electric vehicles for Midwest tribes.
Backers of the project say it’s one more step toward independence from fossil fuels on two reservations that have fought major oil pipelines in recent years.
ADVERTISEMENT
The $6.7 million awarded as a joint grant to the Standing Rock Renewable Energy Authority (SAGE) and Minneapolis-based Native Sun Community Power Development will go toward the installation of more than 120 new electric vehicle charging stations to help link the tribal communities, which are separated by about 475 miles.
Read more from The Forum's Adam Willis
4. New Fargo city attorney, law firm selected
With longtime assistant Nancy Morris as the new primary city attorney, the Serkland Law Firm has been selected to represent the city for five years in civil and prosecution matters.
The decision was approved on Monday night, Nov. 29, by the Fargo City Commission on a unanimous vote.
Serkland, which provided one of two proposals for the contract, said it intends to approach representing Fargo as a team, although Morris would be the main provider of legal services and sit with the City Commission at meetings.
Read more from The Forum's Barry Amundson
ADVERTISEMENT
5. Forum, WDAY-TV plan to acquire KVRR-TV in Fargo, KQDS-TV in Duluth
Forum Communications Co., parent company of WDAY-TV, has reached an agreement with Red River Broadcast Co. to acquire the Fargo-based Fox affiliate KVRR-TV and the Duluth-based KQDS, company leaders announced Tuesday, Nov. 30.
The acquisition of KVRR expands Forum Communications’ reach in the Fargo market, bringing WDAY’s award-winning legacy of television broadcasting together with the KVRR team.
The addition of KQDS marks an expansion into a new TV market but one familiar to Forum Communications, which owns the Duluth News Tribune.
