Surrogate dispute in Texas: A Texas surrogate who refused an abortion after a heart-diagnosed pregnancy has triggered a new legal fight, with the baby’s biological parents seeking more than $100,000 for alleged breach of the surrogacy agreement. Fuel watch (ND): GasBuddy reports show bargain pockets for drivers, including the lowest E15 at $3.16 in Cass County and regular gas lows like $3.99 in Dunn County and $3.89 in Dickey County (week ending Aug. 8), while diesel averaged about $4.78 in Cass County. Ag trade & ethanol: At a Grand Forks roundtable, U.S. ag negotiator Julie Callahan and Rep. Julie Fedorchak heard farmers push for more certainty on tariffs and market access; separate discussion highlighted year-round E15 as a potential boost for corn ethanol and retail options. Economic development funding: The U.S. Commerce EDA awarded $630,000 to three North Dakota regional councils for economic planning. Workforce & services: Mandatory overtime for North Dakota economic assistance eligibility workers ended Aug. 3 after about 13,000 overtime hours helped clear a backlog. Local growth: Birdtree, an independent animation studio in North Dakota, is expanding in-state opportunities for artists and freelancers.