Archive for January, 2009
Weekly Energy News
Number of active oil rigs drops by 21 HOUSTON (AP) — The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the United States dropped by 21 this week to 1,568. Of the rigs running nationwide, 1,235 were exploring for natural gas and 324 for oil. The report comes from Houston-based Baker Hughes [...]
Adding value to oil: Refining the state’s energy industry
“How many stories are you going to write?” asked Lynn Helms after an early morning discussion about marketing the state’s oil. A lot. The story of adding value to the state’s oil is as dynamic as the market itself. This is the first in an ongoing series of what state and regional leaders are doing [...]
Your guide to North Dakota’s 61st Legislative Session
North Dakota begins its 61st legislative session with a surplus amid a national economic slump. For the business community, legislation that fortifies the state’s relatively strong economy makes sense. Several issues play a key role. They include property tax relief, developing a strong and skilled workforce and strengthening the energy industry. Initiatives in several other [...]
Energy Potential: Bismarck native takes over as director of Pipeline Authority
When that omniscient voice whispered its famous advice to a farmer in an Iowa cornfield in the movie “Field of Dreams,” Kevin Costner listened. And when North Dakota State University instructors offered their counsel a few years ago to one of their students, Justin Kringstad listened, too. “They told me ‘If you love geology, you [...]
Striking Gold:North Dakota grows its millionaires
During the past several months, reports of oil-made millionaires in North Dakota have reached national headlines as well as local ones. It’s a real-life Cinderella scenar io in which ordinary, hard-working people finally get windfalls. According to Kathy Strombeck, a research analyst at the state tax department, the number of measurable millionaires in North Dakota [...]
Little city, big oil: Watford City
Seven miles west of Watford City, an old school-house turned bed and breakfast has become more of a boarding house than a weekend destination. Initially, Milt Hanson rediscovered the charming, historical school building on a trip ‘home’ from South Carolina. Purchasing it for one dollar in March 1998, and agreeing to a few conditions, Hanson [...]
Editor’s Notes
The economic forecast nationwide is as bleak as the weather: frozen credit, a blizzard of bailouts and a virtual, international financial meltdown. As economies across the world slip and fall, North Dakota legislators are heading into the 2009 Legislative Session to deal with serious economic traction: A projected $1 billion surplus. It’s a tough job, [...]
Snow Business
Winter weather on the Northern Plains brings with it a flurry of activity. Business Watch decided to take a look at some of the people and businesses that embrace the challenges and the fun that snow brings to western North Dakota. Snow means business For the Huff Hills Ski Area, snow means business as winter [...]
Bad hires sap time, training resources, and psychic energy
Bad hires sap time, training resources, and psychic energy, says Susan M. Heathfield, blogging on About.com. Here are her top “rookie” mistakes (often made by experienced pros as well). 1. Failure to Prescreen Candidates Prescreening applicants is a must, Heathfi eld says. A half-hour phone call saves hours of your time and other interviewers’ time, [...]
Business Briefs
Real estate prices stable Home prices may have dropped over the past year across the nation, but not in the Dakotas. The states with the largest price jumps between the third quarters of 2007 and 2008 were North Dakota, at 4 percent; South Dakota, at 3.9 percent; and Texas, at 3.2 percent. Federal data show [...]
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