Alison's Quick Connects -- North Dakota's Top Stories -- Friday, August 21, 2026

Locator: 51524B.

Alison's quick connects:

• Longer laterals reshape development in Williston Basin -- American Oil & Gas Reporter

• Jet fuel manufacturer announces departure from South Dakota -- Sioux Falls Business

• Public Service Commission approves location for Glen Ullin wind farm -- Bismarck Tribune

• Pipeline parts company accuses Summit of backing out of contract -- North Dakota Monitor

• No record of data center nondisclosure agreements found, local gov'ts tell Tribune -- Bismarck Tribune

• No pause on data centers but ND special session to debate nondisclosure deals -- North Dakota Monitor

• North Dakota Legislature will not vote on data center moratorium during special session -- KX News

• Electric co-op adds partner to renew pursuit of carbon capture at ND coal plant -- North Dakota Monitor

• Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak discusses benefits of year-round E15 sales for North Dakota -- KX News

• Oilfield activity in North Dakota set to rise in second half of the year as operators add rigs -- Energy Now

• Advanced Nuclear Energy considers benefits, costs, risks following Wyoming senator's testimony -- KX News

• Reliability key to growing economies; infrastructure essential to competitiveness -- McKenzie County Farmer

• US grid facing "a five-alarm fire" as growing demand outpaces new generation -- McKenzie County Farmer

• Lawmakers want to engage communities across state as they pursue nuclear power -- North Dakota Monitor

• PSC meetings regarding transmission line construction proposal set for Sept. 2-3 -- The Center Republican

• Drought emergency declared and livestock water assistance program activated -- North Dakota Monitor

• Senior advisor Swanson appointed to lead Dept of Health and Human Services -- Office of the Governor

• North Dakota Legislature will take up five bills in special session that targes kratom -- Dickinson Press

• As neighbor states fend off hacks, North Dakota's local water systems are secure, so far -- Dickinson Press

• Commentary: tough questions coming for North Dakota's congressional delegation -- North Dakota Monitor

• North Dakota legislators to consider $35 million loan to fund military museum construction -- KX News

• NDDEQ allocates $2.86 million from the EPA's Nonpoint Source Program to nine state projects -- KX News

• Children's Cabinet report highlights progress on coordinating care for ND youth -- Office of the Governor

• SWC approves $5.9M in funding for dam support, water supply, and other water projects -- Minot Daily News

• Tony Hillig appointed as director of North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department -- Office of the Governor

• ND is second state to receive national certification as Recovery Friendly Workplace -- Office of the Governor

• Williston schools launch specialized program to serve Level 4 special education students -- Williston Herald

• Regulate AI companies, not AI in schools, North Dakota state superintendent says -- North Dakota Monitor

• North Dakota school districts struggle to sell bond measures; failed votes raise questions -- Dickinson Press

• Dickinson High School construction continues as new academic wing takes shape -- Dickinson Press

• Classes to resume across McKenzie County; prioritizing school safety urged -- McKenzie County Farmer

• DCHS music teacher resigns; district to use substitute but long-term hire could be difficult -- The Journal

• New teachers bring new energy; Divide finds mostly local candidates to fill open positions -- The Journal

• Sloulin elementary students in Williston are kicking off the new year in a brand-new school -- KFYR-TV

• White Shield School kicked off the 2026?27 school year with a Back to School Bash -- Minot Daily News

• First day of classes and other important dates upcoming for Divide County School District -- The Journal

• Education leaders, lawmakers look to limit screen time, device use in public schools -- North Dakota Monitor

• New year brings a new role for Steven Bucks as Surrey Public School's superintendent -- Minot Daily News

• Trenton school board discusses leadership after principal's retirement, elementary grading -- Williston Herald

• Hazen School Board fills needed jobs by shuffling positions and adding a part-time hire -- Hazen Star

• Ray sets vision for growth with new comprehensive plan; Renaissance Zone established -- The Journal

• Ordinance regulating data centers cleared the Minot Planning Commission last week -- Minot Daily News

• North Dakota families, childcare providers frustrated by growing waitlist for assistance -- Dickinson Press

• Pine wilt identified in Ransom and Sargent county trees, marks first time found in ND -- Dickinson Press

• Economic Development Administration awards $630K to North Dakota regional councils -- Kevin Cramer

• Medora celebrates local journalism during Newspaper Night, honors top history teacher -- Dickinson Press

• McKenzie commissioners vote unanimously to examine data center sound -- McKenzie County Farmer

• Public comment is being sought on a proposed new water treatment plant in Grenora -- Minot Daily News

• Significant roadwork for Highway 200 in Hazen began August 18; will impact traffic -- Hazen Star

• Minot City Transit adding two extra routes to handle more riders as school gets underway -- KX News

• Two new funding opportunities through Rural Health Transportation program opened -- Minot Daily News

• Nineteen people file as candidates for Three Affiliated Tribes' Business Council -- Minot Daily News

• Grazing management proves key to drought recovery and resilience -- Minot Daily News

• Mercer County Commission holds additional special meetings throughout the month of August -- Hazen Star

• ND Community Foundation grants $11M including Mercer, Oliver's endowments -- The Center Republican

• Hoeven says he believes it's important to keep pressure on Iran despite high gas prices -- KX News

• President Trump posted an image of a map labeling the Strait of Hormuz as a U.S. territory -- The Hill

• Iraq oil pipeline through Syria would take four years to reconstruct and cost $15 billion: Report -- The Hill

• UAE halts all trade, financial, and commercial ties with Iran after missiles fall near its coast -- Oil Price

• Trump postpones tariff and dangles Keystone XL revival as deadline looms over trade deal -- Oil Price

• Romania restarts coal plant to offset lost generation as Danube drought forces nuclear shutdown -- Oil Price

• How roughly $600 billion of Biden's clean energy funding escaped Trump's cuts -- E&E News

• Trump administration has a plan to break China's critical mineral grip. It needs workers first. -- E&E News

• Pipeline construction not slowing down despite major projects having drawn opposition -- OK Energy Today

• Trump administration to back US minerals projects with $500 million in grants to seven companies -- Reuters

• US to end summer-blend gasoline requirements two weeks early in effort to boost fuel supply -- Reuters

• Data centers aren't going anywhere. They are the backbone of the next economy. -- RealClearEnergy

• Trump threatens any country helping Iran in any way with "tremendous economic consequences -- Oil Price

Four New Permits; Five Permits Canceled; And Two DUCs Reported As Completed -- August 21, 2026

Locator: 51523B.

Russia: some/many/most think US has serious military problems now, and forget about this  -- Russia is facing four major fronts: Ukraine; the EU; NATO/US; and, China. In a sense, Putin must be relieved that the US, and to some extent, China, are so focused on the Mideast, if not bogged down. There are reports now, China is taking advantage of the situation in the Far East, undercutting Russia's initiatives there. 

The close:

Tech:

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 Back to the Bakken 

WTI: $87.06.

Active rigs: 34,

Four new permits, #43239 - #43242, inclusive -- 

• Operator: Hunt Oil
• Field: Frazier, Divide County
• Comments:
• Hunt Oil has permits for four Frazier wells, SENE 4-161-97, 
• to be sited 1955 FNL and 325 / 415 FEL.

Five permits canceled:

• MRO: two Hopkins USA permits, Dunn County;
• True Oil: two Superior Federal permits, McKenzie County;
• EOG: one West Clark permit, McKenzie County.

Two producing wells (DUCs) reported as completed:

• 37223, n/d, XTO, Kulczyk 43X-17EXH, Williams County;
• 42246, 1,715, CLR, Charleston 8-22HSL, Williams County;

Again, seeing Kraken acquiring a couple of Neptune Operating wells.

Texas Bitcoin Across The State Of Texas -- August 21, 2026

Locator: 51522BITCOIN.

Texas Tech: 

• CIFR: Cipher Mining -- Bitcoin mining;
• CORZ: Core Scientific -- blockchain infrastructure and digital asset mining svs;
• GLXY: Galaxy Digital -- crypto mining
• HUT: Hut 8 Corp -- originally one of America's largest Bitcoin mining companies, now functions more broadly;
• IREN: IREN Limited -- Bitcoin mining and AI cloud services;
• RIOT: RIOT Platforms -- Bitcoin mining; also LDC; also manufacturing custom electrical power distribution equipment.

USAF News -- The T-7 -- August 21, 2026

Locator: 51521USAF.

Query: Is the USAF still flying the T-38 even though they have transitioned to the T-7A?

Reply: 

Follow-on question:  

Wow, it seems like pure luck where you start (T-38 or T-7A) and I can only imagine that the T-7A is the most sought after. Thoughts?

Reply:

As of August 2026, only Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph (Texas) has officially begun its physical transition to the Boeing–Saab T-7A Red Hawk. The remaining undergraduate pilot training bases are still fully operating the legacy Northrop T-38 Talon. They will phase in the new trainer incrementally over the next decade.

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The Path

1.  Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas.

2. Primary Flight Test Hub: Edwards Air Force Base, California: While not an operational student training base, Edwards AFB remains the critical node for developmental flight testing, envelope expansion, and high-angle-of-attack testing.

3. Future Transition Bases (Not Yet Transitioned). The remaining four primary AETC training bases will completely swap their T-38C inventories for T-7As according to a staggered environmental and manufacturing timeline:

• Columbus AFB, MS; 
• Sheppard AFB, TX;
• Vance AFB, OK; 
• Laughlin AFB, TX.

The Economy -- August 21, 2025

Locator: 51520SURVEY.

Tag: Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Business Outlook Survey 

Let's do some parsing:

• not exactly the Rust Belt, but pretty close -- PA, southern NJ, Delaware;
• any reading above zero: expanding manufacturing conditions
• activity rose to 47.4 -- one of the strongest readings in the survey's history --
• six-month outlook surged to 73.6 -- reflecting peak optimism among regional business leaders.

A trailing indicator. Those who responded to the survey most likely knew how they would be responding to the survey a month ago. And business conditions that generated numbers like this could have happened overnight.