Mathern joins fight
Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo, is helping to fight an effort by state attorneys general to overturn health care reforms.
In a news release, Mathern said he and other state legislators from across the country have filed a friend of the court brief that opposes a federal lawsuit by several states that challenges federal health care reform based on constitutional grounds.
"The attorney generals who filed this lawsuit want to stop health care reform at the expense of working families in North Dakota and across America," Mathern said in a statement. "They are threatening the gains we have made -- no pre-existing conditions for children, no lifetime caps on treatment, covering our young people until age 26 on family policies -- while also putting future benefits at risk."
Alcohol-free parties
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North Dakota communities and organizations can apply for $1,000 in funding for alcohol-free New Year's Eve events.
The North Dakota Department of Human Services' Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services said as many as 75 communities can receive funding.
Events must last a minimum of four consecutive hours -- including midnight -- and must be alcohol- and drug-free and suitable for all ages.
The deadline to apply is Dec. 3. The application is available at www.nd.gov/dhs/services/mentalhealth/prevention/community-services.html .
Tourism shows growth
The summer months went well for North Dakota's tourism industry.
Canadian border crossings were up 18 percent compared with the third quarter last year, the Tourism Division said in a news release.
Major attractions were up 10 percent; airline boarding were up 8 percent; cumulative lodging tax was up 10 percent and local visitor centers were up 6 percent.
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"North Dakota's tourism industry continues to be strong," Tourism Division Director Sara Otter Coleman said in a statement. "North Dakota has been experiencing growth upon growth at a time when most states now are just starting to show growth in their tourism industry."
