Health & Human Services Leadership: Gov. Kelly Armstrong appointed Conner Swanson to lead North Dakota’s Department of Health and Human Services, effective Aug. 29, taking over from interim commissioner Pat Traynor as the agency manages a $5.7 billion, two-year budget and major rural health grant work. TikTok Policy: Armstrong rescinded North Dakota’s ban on TikTok for state-owned devices after the state IT department said the app is no longer a cybersecurity threat, citing ownership changes. Flood Control Milestone: All 19 bridges are now completed for the Fargo-Moorhead Area Diversion project, a key step in protecting the metro from extreme Red River flooding. AI in Education: Lawmakers and educators met in Minot to discuss how AI should be used in classrooms and the risks it can pose to children. Energy & Grid Politics: The U.S. Energy Department canceled three Biden-era transmission line projects, including one corridor that runs through North Dakota and nearby states. Public Safety & Courts: A North Dakota senator proposed a clemency resolution for two men serving life sentences for the 1983 Medina shootout that killed two U.S. marshals. National Note: The World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., was vandalized with pink spray paint and bubble soap as federal investigators begin a probe.