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Construction begins on US Highway 2/85 at 11th street.

City of Williston plans new office building; 17,800-ft-square; Williston Development Center.

First phase of quality apartment residences to begin; 160-acre; 330 apartments.  Entire develpment called The Ridge; first phase, the Prairie Pines at the Ridge.

Debate over need for crew camps/temporary housing in Williams County continues.

2012 ND Crime Statistics released:

Western North Dakota's oil-producing counties have gotten a bit of a bad rap as far as crime goes, but the state's attorney general says increases in crime there have not been out of line with population increases.  Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said approximately 25 percent of North Dakotans live in 12 of the busiest oil-producing counties. While crime has increased in those counties, it also has increased across the rest of the state.  Stenehjem unveiled the state's crime statistics for 2012 this week.

Human interest story: overseas workers helping in the oil patch:

Little did the two young women know that when they met at the airport in Beijing in early June it would be the start of a beautiful friendship.  In Qinyan Guo and Shuangyi Dai's homeland a mountain range divides their two Chinese provinces, but in Williston their lives have converged over shopping, learning English and American fast food.  Guo, known as Carly, and Dai, who took the name Ruby, are part of a cultural exchange program that has brought 42 students (23 women and 19 men) to the city from China, Jamaica, Jordan and Moldova to work at the iconic golden arches - McDonald's.

Groundbreaking for new lounge, restaurant, meeting space in Crosby.

For long-term residents in western North Dakota, this really is a big deal: Cash Wise Foods opens in Watford City. 

Cash Wise Foods has opened in Watford City, the first tenant in a commercial development by Minneapolis-based Oppidan Investment Co.  

The 130,000-square-foot development is expected to be fully occupied and open by the end of the year.  Other tenants, including Alco, American Smokewagon BBQ, Happy Joe's Pizza, Happy Rice Buffet, Mailbox Solutions, Oppidan Investment Co., Red Wing Shoes, Taco John's, Tractor Supply Co. and Z Wireless, are expected to open for business beginning in November. 

Two new hotels, restaurants planned for New Town.

Sounds like the boom continues. When I was growing up in Williston, if even one of these projects was happening, it would have been a big deal. But go back through the list and count the number of new projects.