Environmental Policy: Gov. Kelly Armstrong named Jennifer Turnbow as the new director of the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, starting Oct. 6, after Dave Glatt’s retirement; Turnbow brings decades of environmental and infrastructure experience and will oversee air, drainage, water discharge, and monitoring. Courts & Health: The North Dakota Supreme Court upheld the state’s ban on gender-affirming healthcare for trans minors, ruling minors don’t have a fundamental right to the treatments and that lawmakers can restrict care for health and welfare reasons. Election Watch: The League of Women Voters released a nonpartisan November voter guide through Vote411.org, letting North Dakotans preview races and ballot measures and compare candidate answers. Public Safety & Tech: A Tennessee woman jailed for six months after a Fargo AI facial-recognition mix-up sued Fargo and a detective for $10 million, after charges were dropped and she was released on Christmas Eve. Agriculture & Energy: North Dakota’s “farm-to-fuel” biofuels and carbon capture push drew international visitors to GEVO’s Richardton-area plant, highlighting how local grain feeds ethanol and carbon storage. Statehouse Pay: A legislative committee backed a 3% pay increase for lawmakers for the next budget cycle, described as a starting point. Health & Consumer Protection: Nebraska (with North Dakota and 18 others) joined a multistate push for stronger federal action against counterfeit GLP-1 drugs. Border/Local Law Enforcement: RCMP reported a high-speed pursuit after a suspect fled at the Emerson port of entry, with a handgun and ammunition seized.