Federal Courts: The U.S. Senate confirmed North Dakota Judge Dan Traynor to the 8th Circuit in a 48-47 party-line vote, elevating the District of North Dakota judge to a lifetime appeals seat. State Courts & Public Safety: The North Dakota Supreme Court upheld the conviction of former Cass County deputy Carson Theodore Quam for possessing hundreds of child sexual abuse files, rejecting arguments that the search warrant lacked probable cause. Utilities & Infrastructure: The North Dakota Supreme Court ruled the Public Service Commission gave adequate notice before approving the Jamestown-to-Ellendale high-voltage transmission line (JETx), clearing the project’s path. Local Governance & Housing: Fargo police say they’ve used Flock AI-linked license plate cameras more than 500 times in the last month, while officials stress audits and “public trust” amid privacy concerns. Public Policy: A proposed North Dakota ordinance fight over pipeline safety is heating up as Democratic PSC candidates argue the commission can’t treat safety as off-limits. Energy & Economy: Oil prices pushed back into triple digits as Middle East tensions raise supply-risk premiums, with North Dakota officials warning consumers to watch retail impacts. Agriculture: NDSU Langdon broke ground on a new seed-cleaning facility aimed at boosting capacity and efficiency for farmers and new crop varieties. Wildfire Response: Sen. John Hoeven introduced a resolution urging Canada to do more to prevent and fight wildfires after Canadian smoke affected air quality across the U.S. Elections & Candidates: Lynnell Popowski withdrew her name from the District 19 state representative ballot for November.