Advertise on podcast: The Backstory from the North Dakota News Cooperative

Before the North Dakota Poll produces a single result, weeks of work go into deciding what to ask and how to ask it. The wording needs to be clear, the questions need to avoid steering people toward an answer, and the participants need to reflect the state. On this week’s The Backstory, Mary Jo Hotzler joins Sabrina Halvorson to explain that process. Hotzler, a North Dakota News Cooperative board member, helps lead the cooperative’s polling work. She discusses how NDNC works with Mason-Dixon to develop the questions and why gathering North Dakotans’ views is valuable for reporters, residents, and lawmakers. “We truly want to know what people think. That’s what’s going to drive the good reporting.” — Mary Jo Hotzler The latest poll explores data centers and artificial intelligence, including concerns about resources, household costs, and government oversight. Hotzler shares what catches her attention in the responses, including concerns about AI’s future and how opinions differ across generations and regions. NDNC’s five-part reporting series examines the latest poll’s findings in greater detail.

In this episode of The Backstory, Sabrina Halvorson talks with Eric Masanet, a leading expert on the environmental impact of data centers who has spent about two decades studying data center energy use and has testified before Congress on the topic. Masanet explains how the growth of artificial intelligence is changing the scale of data centers and what their energy and water needs can mean for surrounding communities. Masanet is a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he researches data center sustainability. “You want to understand the peaks, and you also want to understand...is that data center going to expand over time?” - Eric Masanet, professor, University of California, Santa Barbara Masanet discusses how electricity sources, cooling systems, and local conditions shape a facility’s environmental footprint. He explains why North Dakota’s cold climate can offer cooling advantages and why using less water at a data center does not necessarily mean a smaller overall impact. The conversation also explores the information communities need before making decisions about proposed facilities. Masanet outlines questions about power sources, water use, efficiency, and future expansion, along with ways data centers can support the grid and put their waste heat to use.

For this episode of The Backstory, we revisit a conversation with Steve Andrist, co-chair of the North Dakota News Cooperative’s board and one of its founders. As we prepare for our biggest fundraiser of the year, Andrist shares how NDNC came to be and why supporting independent journalism matters for North Dakota’s communities. From Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, the North Dakota News Cooperative participates in NewsMatch, a national campaign that helps nonprofit newsrooms raise support through matching donations. During the campaign, eligible gifts to NDNC are matched dollar for dollar, up to our campaign limit, doubling their impact. Your support helps us produce independent, in-depth reporting and share it with newspapers and communities across North Dakota.

The prospect of AI data centers in North Dakota brings questions about jobs, energy use and how much say communities have in what gets built. On this episode of The Backstory, Sabrina Halvorson talks with Dr. Bob Mayo, an economist and researcher at North Dakota State University’s Sheila and Robert Challey Institute for Global Innovation and Growth, about what attracts developers to the state and what residents could expect from these projects. “I recommend that communities figure out what they want and what they don’t want and educate themselves about this topic before a data center company comes knocking.” — Dr. Bob Mayo Mayo explains how North Dakota’s climate, available land and natural gas resources could influence development. He also discusses the differences between temporary construction jobs and ongoing employment once a facility opens. For communities considering a proposal, Mayo outlines questions about noise, electricity rates, cooling systems and how openly developers communicate with residents.

When a rural hospital struggles, the effects can reach beyond its balance sheet. And that could leave residents with fewer options for care close to home. On this episode of The Backstory, Sabrina Halvorson talks with Alfred Sams, president and CEO of North Dakota’s Rough Rider High Value Network, about how rural hospitals are pooling resources while maintaining local control. “They have the ability to have economies of scale. And yet, maintain that fierce independence at the same time.” — Alfred Sams, president and CEO, Rough Rider High Value Network Sams explains how shared care coordinators help patients get follow-up appointments, screenings and other care. He also discusses the results of a pilot program in Rolla and explains how hospitals can benefit financially by helping patients stay healthier.

In this episode of The Backstory, NDNC’s Sabrina Halvorson talks with Dr. Xiaofan Liang, assistant professor of urban and regional planning at the University of Michigan, about the questions communities face when a data center wants to move in. How much electricity and water will it need? Who pays for infrastructure upgrades? What say do residents have, and what is it like to live next door? Dr. Liang explains that understanding a proposal begins with knowing what the facility will do. Data centers support everything from banking and internet connections to artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency mining. Their purpose and scale help determine the resources they need and how they fit into a community. “Tell us what is this facility about? Like, what is it supposed to be used for? You know, who’s behind it?” - Dr. Xiaofan Liang, assistant professor of urban and regional planning, University of Michigan One of the biggest questions is whether a large new electricity customer will affect everyone else’s bill. Dr. Liang discusses how developers and utilities approach infrastructure upgrades and why the outcome depends on how costs are shared, rates are structured and regulators handle the new demand. She discusses the potential to improve existing infrastructure and whether those costs are paid by residential customers. Water use raises more questions, particularly in places like North Dakota that can be prone to drought. Dr. Liang encourages communities to ask developers for estimates of their water needs and to consider the effects beyond the project site, such as on neighboring communities that share the same water system. Local zoning also shapes how much influence residents have over a proposal. Dr. Liang explains how a project can qualify for approval under existing rules, even when neighbors expect an opportunity to debate whether it belongs there. The discussion explores the choices local officials face in defining data centers and setting conditions for their development. Read more on the topic here.

A young athlete returns to sports after a concussion, then suffers an ankle sprain or a knee injury. Could the two injuries be connected? Researchers are finding a link, but they are still working to understand why it happens. In this episode of The Backstory, host Sabrina Halvorson talks with Dr. Jessie Oldham, an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, about what concussion research is teaching us about young athletes. The conversation is the second part of our series concussion safety in youth sports. “If you’ve seen one concussion, you’ve seen one concussion.” - Dr. Jessie Oldham Dr. Oldham explains why a concussion can affect each athlete differently and what researchers are learning about the risk of other injuries after an athlete returns to sports. She also discusses gaps in research involving younger children and female athletes. What about the effects years later? Dr. Oldham talks about what scientists know, what they cannot yet say, and why following athletes over time matters. She also shares what she wants parents, coaches and student athletes to remember when someone takes a hit and does not feel right. Read the full article on how North Dakota youth sports are changing their approach to concussions.

A young athlete gets up after a hard hit and says they’re fine. But what should parents and coaches watch for, and how do they know when that student needs medical attention? In this episode of The Backstory, host Sabrina Halvorson talks with Dr. Torsten Rotto, a Sanford Health sports medicine physician, about concussions in student athletes. Dr. Rotto explains how concussions can affect memory, concentration, balance, and everyday life. “At the end of the day, getting the athlete removed from play on the same day and not letting them return is key.” - Dr. Torsten Rotto The conversation covers recognizing symptoms that may not be immediately apparent, supporting students during recovery, and gradually returning to school and sports. Dr. Rotto also discusses options for athletes whose symptoms linger and the importance of parents, coaches, athletic trainers, and medical providers working together. This is the first episode in a two-part series on concussions. Next week, Dr. Jessie Oldham of Virginia Commonwealth University joins The Backstory to discuss what research is teaching us about the effects of concussions on student athletes.

Local journalism has changed dramatically over the past three decades. Reporters who once edited tape by hand and carried pounds of television equipment can now record, edit and broadcast stories from a smartphone. In this episode of The Backstory, host Sabrina Halvorson talks with Tom Gerhardt, executive director of Dakota Media Access and a member of the North Dakota News Cooperative’s board of directors. Gerhardt reflects on his more than 20 years in television news and how technology has changed the way journalists cover and share stories. “I always felt like I was working for the communities that I served.” - Tom Gerhardt Gerhardt traces his path from writing for his high school newspaper to working at KMOT-TV in Minot and spending approximately 17 years at KXMB-TV in Bismarck. He also discusses covering the Dakota Access Pipeline protests as the story drew national and international attention, just as Facebook Live and other mobile broadcasting tools were beginning to change television news.

Extreme cold, shifting ice and hundreds of miles without roads or medical resources made crossing Greenland a test of preparation, teamwork and leadership. In this episode of The Backstory, host Sabrina Halvorson talks with Dr. Jon Solberg, a North Dakota emergency physician who served as the expedition physician for a team traveling across Greenland in specially modified trucks. “Adventures are so important to keeping us fresh and excited about life.” - Dr. Jon Solberg Solberg discusses the specialized wilderness and mountain medicine training that prepared him for the journey, how the team responded when a crevasse opened beneath its equipment and what it took for seven people from different backgrounds to live and work together under extreme conditions. Read Michael Standaert’s full story about the expedition and the upcoming documentary screenings:  https://www.newscoopnd.org/real-life-greenland-odyssey-celebrated-in-documentary/

North Dakota farmers are heading into harvest with diesel prices above $5 per gallon, fertilizer costs still elevated, and renewed trade tensions with Canada adding another layer of uncertainty. In this episode of The Backstory, NDNC reporter Michael Standaert and host Sabrina Halvorson discuss how those pressures are affecting farmers and why the consequences extend beyond the farm.

North Dakota requires 60% voter approval for school bond measures. That threshold recently came into play in both Bismarck and Surrey, where bond proposals received more than 58% support but failed to reach the supermajority needed to pass. In Surrey, the measure fell short by just five votes. In this episode of The Backstory, NDNC reporter Michael Standaert and host Sabrina Halvorson discuss why school bond measures can receive support from a majority of voters and still fail. Standaert looked at school bond elections over the past decade and found 48 failed measures, including 13 that came within five percentage points of the 60% threshold. He also discusses what the requirement means for districts trying to address aging buildings, accessibility needs and other facility improvements, and how recent changes to when bond elections can be held affect districts that want to return to voters. “In most voting, it would have passed, but with the 60% requirement, those still didn’t pass.” — Michael Standaert, North Dakota News Cooperative reporter Read the full article here:  https://www.newscoopnd.org/school-districts-struggle-to-sell-bond-measures/

In part two of this Backstory interview, conservation photographer Mike Forsberg and Andrew Caven of the International Crane Foundation reflect on the North Dakota portion of their completed 2,500-mile bicycle journey from Texas to Canada. Forsberg describes riding through the Missouri Coteau southeast of Bismarck as moving through a painting, with rolling hills, wildflowers, grazing cattle and calling birds. Caven says the area was among the most ecologically intact landscapes they encountered during the trip. But elsewhere in the state, they saw the effects of continued grassland and wetland conversion. Caven says some birds and plants he expected to find in northwestern North Dakota did not appear until the cyclists reached Saskatchewan. The conversation also examines the importance of restoring native plants. Caven explains how grasslands dominated by introduced species differ from native habitat and can affect the birds and other wildlife that depend on them.

A few weeks ago, the North Dakota News Cooperative reported on a 2,500-mile bicycle journey following the migration route of the endangered whooping crane. Now that the ride from Texas to Canada is complete, conservation photographer Mike Forsberg and Andrew Caven of the International Crane Foundation join The Backstory to reflect on what they saw, what they learned and what the journey revealed about the challenges facing whooping cranes and the landscapes they depend on. Forsberg and Caven recently completed a 2,500-mile bicycle ride from Texas to Canada, following the migration route of the endangered whooping crane. They explain how traveling the route under their own power helped them better understand the daily challenges migratory birds face as they search for food, water and safe places to rest. The journey also gave them a close look at habitat conditions throughout the Central Flyway. They describe long stretches where wetlands and grasslands have disappeared and discuss how the loss affects whooping cranes as well as monarch butterflies, shorebirds, grassland birds and other species that depend on the same landscape. “Their story in the Great Plains in North America on migration is very much our story, too.” – Mike Forsberg, conservation photographer The conversation also examines the connections among conservation, agriculture and rural economies, including the role sustainable ranching and working lands can play in protecting grasslands and wetlands. Part two will focus on what Forsberg and Caven encountered while riding through North Dakota and how residents can support conservation close to home.

Changing the clocks twice a year can be disruptive. But would permanent daylight saving time actually be better for North Dakota? In this episode of The Backstory, host Sabrina Halvorson talks with North Dakota News Cooperative reporter Michael Standaert about the Sunshine Protection Act and what year-round daylight saving time could mean for the state. “I was a little bit surprised how dark it will be in some of the months if this does go through,” Standaert said. “In the darkest months, some of the sunrises could be closer to 9:30 or 9:45 in the morning. Kids will already be in school when the sun comes up.” Permanent daylight saving time would affect the state differently than many parts of the country. Winter sunrises could come around 9 a.m. in Fargo, 9:30 a.m. in Bismarck and 9:45 a.m. in Williston. Halvorson and Standaert discuss what those dark mornings could mean for students, schools and the body’s natural rhythms, as well as the benefits and complications of permanent standard time. They also look at whether continuing to change the clocks may still be the best option for North Dakota.