Agriculture & Conservation: North Dakota’s Legacy Soil Health and Habitat Program is drawing more interest than the state can fund yet—about 20,000 acres are in play, but first-year demand topped available money with 458 applications requesting roughly $10.5 million on a $6.5 million grant. Energy & Infrastructure: Crews are replacing all 818 windows at the North Dakota Capitol, a ~$5.6 million project aimed at better winter energy efficiency, with work running through October. Trade & Farm Economics: U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer says tariffs are becoming a permanent feature of policy, not a temporary bargaining chip—raising fresh uncertainty for North Dakota’s farm belt as the US weighs NAFTA-style talks and China fallout. Oil & Transportation: River levels are dropping and barge cargoes are being cut back in Europe, a reminder that water-dependent logistics can tighten supply chains quickly. Local Utilities & Power: PSC Commissioner Sheri Haugen-Hoffart is seeking reelection, focusing on energy development, utility costs, and landowner concerns. Water & Community: Summer Water Tours are scheduled across ND (Carrington, Watford City, Dickinson, Belcourt, Bismarck) to spotlight water supply and irrigation issues. Workforce & Tech: UND’s rare earth pilot plant tour highlights efforts to scale domestic strategic materials manufacturing from lignite-derived inputs. Public Safety: A Beulah shooting stand-off ended with a suspect hospitalized after a six-hour incident involving multiple agencies.