Good morning, Williston.

Downtown bakeries and cafés like Ballinger 8 West and Mountain Prairie Bakery are fueling a growing culinary scene as locals propose a Great Williston Bake Off featuring contests for best bread, cinnamon roll, and dessert.

The event may soon bring community members together.

Williston residents gathered at Riverview Cemetery Monday for a Memorial Day ceremony honoring those who served.

A pilot flew over the Missouri River to drop poppies and attendees laid wreaths to remember fallen veterans.

On Monday, May 25, community members gathered at the Virgil Syverson Performing Arts Center in Harmon Park to dedicate a plaque honoring local veteran and journalist Tom Kvamme, whose work shaped many local projects; the ceremony included a blessing and a posthumous key to the city presented to his widow.

ILT Academy, a Minnesota-based business accelerator, is hosting an Idea Accelerator Workshop in Williston to help locals use AI tools and hands-on coaching (no business degree is required) to turn ideas into real ventures.

The event, supported by a federal grant, aims to empower everyday entrepreneurs.

Summer in Williston offers many activities like farmers markets, concerts, and camping trips.

The Williams County Parks Summer Concert Series provides free outdoor concerts at local parks, inviting residents to bring lawn chairs + refreshments under the stars.

Third Space Studio opens this July in downtown, offering creative classes and drop-in sessions for adults.

The studio will preview its programs at the Art + Wine Walk on June 18 from 5:30 to 9 p.m., with memberships starting at $55.

Youth Education on Stage returns this summer with Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS from June 30 to July 2 at The Old Armory Theater for grades 3 to 6 + Shrek The Musical JR. for grades 7 to 12 later, as alumni mentor young performers in a program spanning 42 years.

Williston commissioners approved Project Fighting Pike earlier this year, a data center campus planned near the junction of Highway 2 and Highway 85.

The project will focus on cloud computing and AI infrastructure with noise mitigation and is set to be developed in phases through 2031.

Ray High School announced its fourth-quarter Honor Roll for the 2025 to 26 school year, naming students (with GPAs from 3.0 to 4.0) across all grade levels.

American State Bank & Trust Company announced several scholarships for the 2026-27 school year to high school graduates from western North Dakota and eastern Montana planning to attend college; the awards total $119,800 across four programs, and applications for future scholarships are due April 1.

Ray Public School District #2 has scheduled a bond referendum on June 9 to fund a $23 million addition + a $6 million facility renovation to ease growing enrollment in its aging 100-year-old campus.

Officials held info meetings and will host a final session on June 3 at 6 p.m.

Williams County Planning and Zoning Commission denied the Cornerstone Recovery Foundation’s request for a sober living home in Little Muddy Estates due to local concerns over transportation and proximity to services.

The decision was made after extensive public comment on May 21 (neighbors said the location was not suitable).