Melissa Van Der Stad is a Night Reporter at the Forum. She covers Fargo city government, Cass County government, and the issues faced by underserved populations in the area. Melissa is featured in various publications including the Echo Press Newspaper, Prairie Business magazine, and The Bismarck Tribune, among others.
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Melissa's coverage primarily focuses on local government announcements, specifically related to Fargo and its governance. She appears particularly interested in topics such as city planning, law enforcement activities, property regulations, and infrastructure development within the region.
For effective outreach to Melissa, consider providing insights or analysis related to recent government decisions or policies affecting Fargo. This could include discussions around urban planning proposals, law enforcement initiatives, property tax reforms, infrastructure projects or any other local governmental issues. Additionally, if you have expertise in these areas and can provide valuable commentary on how these developments might impact the community at large or specific demographics within it would likely be well received by her audience.
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By: Melissa Van Der Stad
“There are plenty of things to be done (to raise Matbus revenues) but you don’t have to make people who are vulnerable pay for it,” Robert Jackson said.
By: Melissa Van Der Stad
It’s important to focus on the future, City Administrator Michael Redlinger said. He urged commissioners not to rehash the events of the last few weeks for “legal reasons.”
City commissioners labeled residential buildings just one block apart near downtown Fargo as dangerous and ordered them to be demolished.
By: Melissa Van Der Stad
“Apathy doesn’t come from people not wanting to contribute to a more sustainable environment,” said student Setiya Hamidi. “But mostly based on misconceptions, confusion and a lack of communication.”
Harper, Alexander and Sloan helped their parents envision, organize and do mountains of paperwork for a new bike trail the Fargo Park Board recently greenlighted.
By: Melissa Van Der Stad
“I’m afraid somebody is going to have a heart attack in that facility because it’s just unbearably hot and humid in there,” regular pickleball player Daniel Rice said.
By: Melissa Van Der Stad
There was little discussion from members of the public during the hearing of next years’ budget for Cass County, but the lone resident who spoke garnered significant support from elected officials.
Residents react as Fargo leaders weigh future of homeless services; 3 locations proposed for new center
“It’s going to be painful for everybody,” resident Christopher Coen said of spending cuts proposed for 2026. “Let's spread it out a bit so we don’t damage any one thing too much.”
By: Melissa Van Der Stad
But most Fargo city commissioners on convention center committee abstain from ranking proposals.
