Emergency Management: Gov. Kelly Armstrong proclaimed August Emergency Management Awareness Month, highlighting the behind-the-scenes work of local, tribal and state emergency managers who coordinate preparedness and recovery across North Dakota. Public Safety & Health: North Dakota is moving to ban kratom after concerns about unregulated products, especially concentrated 7-OH, with the Board of Pharmacy citing addiction and potency risks. Consumer Protection: North Dakota ranked 50th for BBB Scam Tracker reports in July, with 35 scams reported and online purchase scams the most common; Larimore also logged a home-improvement scam loss. Local Economy & Policy: Sen. John Hoeven outlined priorities tied to the Farm Bill 2.0, additional agriculture assistance, and trade actions aimed at protecting U.S. sugar producers. Infrastructure & Growth: An NDSU researcher released a guide on how AI data centers could affect North Dakota’s water use, electrical costs and noise—aimed at helping policymakers ask better questions before approving projects. Weather & Risk: Drought conditions are cutting mosquito numbers, but West Nile risk remains a concern as fewer mosquitoes can still mean more virus transmission.