AI Education Push: The South Dakota Board of Regents approved new artificial intelligence degree programs—an AI doctorate at Dakota State and AI engineering bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate tracks at South Dakota State—expanding AI training across the state’s public university system. University Research Infrastructure: SDSU also cleared a preliminary facility statement for a new on-campus computing center, a step aimed at boosting research capacity as AI and data-heavy fields grow. Agriculture Funding & Risk: The U.S. House advanced a roughly $95 billion budget framework that includes $12 billion in new farm aid, but Senate leaders—including South Dakota’s John Thune—signal major hurdles ahead. Water & Health Watch: A Columbia University study links lithium in household drinking water to long-term lithium exposure, with findings showing drinking water as a major contributor to urinary lithium levels in Western Tribal communities. Energy & Grid Pressure: Power providers in the region are preparing for possible triple-digit heat, urging customers to conserve early to protect the grid. Conservation Dollars: USDA’s NRCS is making $3 million available for wetland mitigation banking projects, with South Dakota listed among priority states. Local Business Impact: Downtown Sioux Falls road work tied to railroad crossing upgrades is expected to wrap mid-August, with businesses reporting sales slowdowns during closures. Food Safety Recall: Amy’s Kitchen recalled more than 184,000 cans of organic lentil soup nationwide due to a pull-tab defect that could lead to spoilage, including distribution in South Dakota.