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McKenzie County Fair

The 65th Annual McKenzie County Fair is scheduled for June 12-15 at the McKenzie County Ag Expo. Entertainment highlights of the fair include a demolition derby, rodeo, 4H livestock show, and much more! There will also be the Olaf Leiseth Jr. Memorial Draft Horse Competition on Wednesday, June 12, and a vibrant fair parade on […]

Plans to build a natural gas-fired plant in North Dakota

Basin Electric Cooperative plans to construct a 1,400-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant in North Dakota, making it the cooperative’s largest power-generating facility and its largest capital expenditure project. CEO Todd Brickhouse announced the plan at the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference, noting that the facility, to be operational by 2030 or earlier, will cost billions and […]

Watford City Rough Rider Fund 2024 enhancement grant awards

The Watford City Roughrider Fund is a one and a half cent city sales tax missioned with enhancing Watford City. In recent history, the fund supported the construction and expansion of large community facilities including the McKenzie Health Medical Complex, the Rough Rider Center and the Watford City Municipal Airport. Each year, the fund supports […]

McKenzie County Heritage Park & ND Oil Museum featured on KFYR news story

The McKenzie County Heritage Park and ND Oil Museum was featured on a KFYR TV news story on Tuesday, April 23. The story showed highlights of the museum and interviewed LeRoy Lillibridge who leads the museum and helps attain its valuable and historic items. With dreams of expansion, Lillibridge continues to infuse his passion into […]

Watford City community survey on redevelopment

Over the last 15 years, Watford City has been at the center of U.S. energy production, unleashed through the extraction of Bakken oil and natural gas. As a result, the community has experienced one of the largest population growths by percentage in the U.S. during that same period. As we continue to grow and evolve, […]

April 2024 Economy at a Glance

The April 2024 Economy at a Glance is now available. Some data of note include: McKenzie County’s taxable sales & purchases for Q4 of 2023 was $84,213,962; in Q4 of 2022 it was $78,934,445. The city sales tax distribution for Watford City in March 2024 was $371,763; in March 2023 it was $354,816. The landfill […]

Bakken Area Skills Center ribbon cutting

The ribbon-cutting ceremony (in this case, a wood-cutting ceremony) for the Bakken Area Skills Center (BASC) in Watford City was held on Tuesday, April 16. Governor Doug Burgum attended the ceremony and spoke towards the success and hopefulness of the skills center. Alongside Gov. Burgum was Superintendent Dr. Steve Holen and other esteemed guests who […]

“Living in McKenzie County” community magazine

“Living in McKenzie County” is a community magazine designed to assist both new and existing residents in establishing connections within the community and exploring the myriad opportunities available in McKenzie County. This comprehensive 48-page publication (front-to-back) features a wealth of information, ranging from local attractions and annual events to workforce resources and childcare options. Delve […]

Population growth in the Bakken

New U.S. Census Bureau estimates reveal varied population changes across North Dakota’s Bakken counties, with slight increases seen in some areas while other areas experienced declines. Ward, Renville and McHenry counties saw a 0.6% decrease in population from July 2022 to July 2023. In that same timespan, Williams, McKenzie and Mountrail County saw notable growth, […]

March 2024 Economy at a Glance

The March 2024 Economy at a Glance is now available. Some data of note include: McKenzie County’s number of load pass permits in February 2024 was 2,572 permits; in February 2023 it was 1,956 permits. The city sales tax distribution for Alexander in February 2024 was $99,193; in February 2023 it was $82,364. The landfill […]