Walaker attacks Wimmer over role in 2009 flood; mayor claims commissioner was vacationing in California

FARGO – In Fargo’s increasingly heated mayoral race, the incumbent questioned Wednesday where his challenger was five years ago during the city’s worst recorded flood.

• Mayor Dennis Walaker, left, and challenger Brad Wimmer

Josh Duhamel dines at Buffalo Wild Wings in north Fargo

FARGO – North Dakota-born actor Josh Duhamel was seen Wednesday eating at the north Fargo Buffalo Wild Wings.

• Josh Dumahel and Maddi Roth, his Buffalo Wild Wings server

Dilworth man accused of giving ninth-grade girl drugs and assaulting her

MOORHEAD – A Dilworth man is accused of giving a ninth-grade neighbor girl drugs and sexually assaulting her at their shared apartment building.

• Omar Taha Yaseen

Attorneys unsure if Supreme Court ruling on mental disabilities will affect Rodriguez death-penalty case

FARGO – Alfonso Rodriguez once boasted of reading hundreds of books, but dropped out of school at the age of 18 without graduating.

• Alfonso Rodriguez
• Should low intelligence be grounds for vacating a death sentence?

City, developer trade charges in dispute over land north of Fargo

FARGO – In a years-long legal dispute with the Fargo City Commission over land, a residential developer says it feels a bit like Charlie Brown. And the city, the developer alleges, is Lucy.

Woman convicted of murdering 4-year-old gets life sentence

GLENWOOD, Minn. - A Starbuck woman was found guilty of murder Wednesday in the death of a 4-year-old boy in her care and was immediately sentenced to life in prison.

• Amanda Peltier

Victims identified in fatal crash near Hillsboro on I-29

HILLSBORO, N.D. – The woman killed and three others injured in a crash on Interstate 29 on Tuesday were identified Wednesday.

Tubing company given OK to operate on Otter Tail River after owner's promises

DETROIT LAKES, Minn. – Two tubing companies will continue to operate on the Otter Tail River this summer. On Tuesday, the Becker County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved Roger Klemm’s request to operate K&K Tubing for 2014.

Value of GOP endorsement to be tested at convention this weekend

The Minnesota Republican Party’s process for endorsing candidates is at a tipping point.

ND secretary of state challenger urges 'no' vote on June ballot

BISMARCK – The Democratic candidate for secretary of state joined a conservative activist Wednesday in urging North Dakota voters to reject a proposal that both said could have a chilling effect on voter-driven ballot measures.

Tour gives ND higher ed officials a glimpse of oil industry careers

TIOGA, N.D. – North Dakota’s higher education leaders got a peek into the oil and gas industry Wednesday to better understand how to prepare workers.

• Touring Oil Patch

Red River Basin eligible for federal funding of water-retention projects

FARGO – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated the Red River Basin as a region with dire conservation needs, which means local efforts to mitigate floods through water retention are eligible this year for a share of $400 million in federal money.

A question of fairness: Businesses differ on merits of stalled online sales tax bill

Fargo - Opinion is mixed in the Fargo business community as to whether a bill now stalled in Congress that would expand requirements for online sellers to collect sales taxes should move forward or continue to languish without action.

• Online sales tax

What is that?: Dirt moving part of lagoon expansion project

West Fargo - A reader recently asked about the large amount of dirt being bulldozed in the neighborhood of 12th Avenue North and 26th Street West in West Fargo.

• Expanding West Fargo sewage treatment ponds

Review: Taco truck serves up impressive empanadas

FARGO – Summer is settling in on Fargo, and with it comes the return food trucks – perfect spots for a relatively quick lunch without suffering fast food guilt and gut.

• Luchadores' empanadas

Weekend Watch: Annual Hawley Rodeo Fest kicks off with week of events

HAWLEY – Sure, Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer, but the annual Hawley Rodeo Fest is always a surefire sign of the season.

• Hawley Rodeo

Lamb: Two days stuck in O’Hare makes coming home sweeter

Vacation is great. Travel is another issue. Over the years, I’ve logged thousands of miles driving and flying around the country, sometimes with delays. Then there was a recent return trip from Atlanta, a scheduled six-hour trip that took 50 hours, including 44 hours and two nights of sleeping in O’Hare Airport due to weather and technical malfunctions.

• John Lamb

U.S. author, poet Maya Angelou dies at 86

WINSTON-SALEM N.C. - U.S. author and poet Maya Angelou has died at age 86 in North Carolina, local media reported on Wednesday, citing her agent and a local official.

• Maya Angelou receives a Medal of Freedom

Primus, Black Label Society add Venue dates

FARGO – The Hub may be closing this weekend, but The Venue will keep rocking with shows by Black Label Society and Primus added to the lineup.

NDSU senior adept in the classroom and the batter's box

Fargo - You have to search long and hard to find something not perfect about North Dakota State senior Tim Colwell, and that includes his personality. He’s not only the baseball team’s best player, but he’s probably the nicest guy.

• North Dakota State senior Tim Colwell

Rheault, West Fargo eye 17th title in a row

West Fargo - Brittany Rheault’s first softball memory was pitching on the sidelines of her sister’s games – even then preparing for her fruitful future not yet written.

• West Fargo’s Brittany Rheault