News

Gov. Doug Burgum has accepted the resignation of Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR) Director Leann Bertsch, thanking her for her 15 years of transformational leadership as she leaves for the private sector, and appointed DOCR Director of Administration Dave Krabbenhoft as interim director of the department.

Gov. Doug Burgum, in consultation with State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler, has taken executive action to suspend four members of the Oberon School Board pending the outcome of an audit that was requested after criminal charges were filed against the members last week.

Gov. Doug Burgum has directed all government agencies across the state to fly the United States and North Dakota flags at half-staff, and encourages North Dakotans to do the same at their homes and businesses, from sunrise to sunset on Tuesday, June 2, in honor of Grand Forks Police Officer Cody Holte, who died in the line of duty Wednesday in a fatal shooting. Holte also served as a First Lieutenant in the North Dakota Army National Guard. Funeral services are scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks.

Gov. Doug Burgum signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency in Fargo, West Fargo and Cass County and activating the North Dakota National Guard to help local authorities respond to unlawful activity and the risk to people and property due to civil disturbances.

Gov. Doug Burgum announced North Dakota is moving to the next phase of its ND Smart Restart plan, as the state continues to see a high rate of testing per capita, a low positive test rate and adequate hospital capacity to handle potential surges in COVID-19 cases.

Gov. Doug Burgum and Maj. Gen. Alan Dohrmann, adjutant general of the North Dakota National Guard, extended their condolences after the Grand Forks Police Department identified the officer killed Wednesday while responding to a shooting incident at an apartment building as Cody Holte, 29, who also served as a First Lieutenant in the North Dakota Army National Guard.

Gov. Doug Burgum released a statement after a Grand Forks Police Department officer was fatally shot today while responding to a shooting incident at an apartment building. A Grand Forks Sheriff’s Office deputy also was wounded in the incident, which claimed the life of a woman in the apartment and left the man authorities say initiated the shooting with gunfire injuries.

Gov. Doug Burgum appointed University of North Dakota Interim President Joshua Wynne to be the state’s chief health strategist and Dr. Andrew Stahl to serve as interim state health officer overseeing the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH). The governor thanked outgoing State Health Officer Mylynn Tufte for her leadership of the NDDoH for over three years, including through the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Gov. Doug Burgum commemorated Memorial Day by delivering remarks during a virtual ceremony livestreamed from the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery near Mandan and in a video message as part of the virtual ceremony for the Fargo National Cemetery.

Gov. Doug Burgum requested a presidential major disaster declaration for widespread spring flooding estimated to have caused more than $40 million in damage to roads and other public infrastructure in North Dakota. The request follows an executive order Burgum issued April 24 declaring a statewide flood emergency.