News

Gov. Doug Burgum accepted the resignation of Interim State Health Officer Dr. Paul Mariani, thanking him for his leadership of the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDOH) and appointing NDDOH Chief of Staff Dirk Wilke to fill the role until a replacement can be named.

Gov. Doug Burgum presented the 2020 Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Public Service, recognizing team members for their dedicated work in state government and making a positive difference in the lives of North Dakota citizens during an extremely challenging year.

Gov. Doug Burgum and State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler announced that Kristi Reinke, a social studies teacher at Jim Hill Middle School in Minot, has been named the 2021 North Dakota Teacher of the Year.

Gov. Doug Burgum has approved an Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) request from the state of Oregon for a firefighter task force to support the response to suppressing the deadly wildfires there.

Gov. Doug Burgum has directed all government agencies to fly the United States and North Dakota flags at half-staff on Friday, and encourages North Dakota residents to do the same, in remembrance of those who perished in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Gov. Doug Burgum announced changes to the COVID-19 risk levels for 21 of North Dakota’s 53 counties under the ND Smart Restart plan, stressing the need to reverse the state’s upward trend of active coronavirus cases and positive test rate.

First Lady Kathryn Burgum will participate in a White House roundtable discussion on recovery-friendly workplaces from 1 to 3 p.m. CT Thursday, Sept. 3. The session, titled “Recovery at Work: Celebrating Connections,” will focus on how employers, state and local governments, and other community leaders have joined hands to expand employment opportunities for Americans in recovery.

Gov. Doug Burgum and Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford welcomed U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette to North Dakota, highlighting the importance of Minot Air Force Base’s nuclear mission and the state’s coal, oil and natural gas industries to the United States’ economic and national security.

Gov. Doug Burgum issued a statement after the Army recommended that the U.S. Department of Justice should engage in settlement talks over North Dakota’s claim that the federal government should reimburse the state for $38 million in costs related to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.  

Gov. Doug Burgum expressed his gratitude after the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved North Dakota’s participation in the Lost Wages Assistance program created by President Donald Trump to ease the economic burden for those who have lost their employment because of the coronavirus pandemic.