AGP Executive Report

Ohio Pharma Investment: Bayer plans to invest $2.2 billion in a new drug-manufacturing site in Ohio, a major addition to the state’s life-sciences sector. Caregiver Research: University of Cincinnati physician Natalie Kreitzer won a five-year, $2.5 million NIH grant for a multisite trial of support for caregivers of people with traumatic brain injuries, beginning in 2027. Medical AI: Riverain’s ClearRead Chest AI will be offered through the RapidAI platform, extending access to the chest-imaging tool. Autonomous Freight: Einride and EASE Logistics have begun daily driverless electric-truck runs on Ohio roads, bringing automated freight into operation. AI & Energy: Data centers remain a flashpoint in Ohio as concerns grow over electricity costs. The Energy Department is offering $4.2 billion in loans for nuclear projects in Ohio and Pennsylvania, part of the push to expand power supply.

Cancer Care Leadership: City of Hope named Laurie Sicaeros president of its Cancer Center Arizona and Melissa Childress president of its Cancer Center Atlanta, aiming to expand clinical capabilities and access as diagnoses rise. Ohio Research & Health: An Ohio State chemistry researcher, David Nagib, won a 2026 Blavatnik National Award for Young Scientists for faster drug discovery methods. NIH-Funded Trial: UC’s Natalie Kreitzer received a five-year, $2.5M NIH R01 grant for a caregiver wellness intervention trial for families managing traumatic brain injury. Cancer Prevention Focus: The NCCN summit in Washington highlighted strategies to improve cancer prevention and screening, including patient-friendly guideline resources. AI + Energy Pressure: Google backed nuclear plant uprates via a power-purchase agreement, as projections warn AI data centers could drive record electricity demand by 2027. Ohio Data Center Politics: Ohio’s Senate race is heating up around data centers, with Democrats and Republicans trading attacks over power costs and local impacts. H-1B Policy: Sen. Jon Husted introduced a bill to raise the H-1B salary threshold from $60,000 toward nearly $140,000, targeting what he calls a loophole. Ohio Mobility & Flooding: Athens is buying flood barriers and adding backflow prevention after major storms, while Cleveland airport backers urged council to keep Burke Lakefront Airport open.

Data Centers & Energy Politics: A New York Times/Siena poll finds Ohio voters are more likely than other battleground-state voters to name data centers as the top issue shaping their vote, while Newsweek’s AI Policy Scorecard shows some Ohio Republicans taking a more “booster” stance on AI and data-center policy. AI Power Crunch: A new report explains why AI data centers are driving major electricity demand spikes, pushing developers toward power strategies that can strain local grids. Ohio Pharma Jobs: Bayer will invest $2.2B in a flexible, modular drug manufacturing campus in New Albany, aiming for 600 jobs plus thousands during construction, using advanced digital and automation tech. Autonomous Freight in Ohio: Einride and EASE Logistics say SAE Level 4 electric trucks are now running daily routes between Marysville facilities under remote oversight. Transportation Safety: ODOT reports a 100% drop in fatalities after converting a Greene County intersection with a restricted crossing U-turn. Local Clean Air Update: Cleveland is moving to update its air code for the first time since 1977, tightening rules and adding indoor air quality programming. Healthcare & Education: Washington State College of Ohio earns nursing accreditation for ADN and RN-to-BSN programs, while UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital again earns U.S. News national pediatric rankings. Tech in Construction: Autodesk names Diana Colella to lead its AEC division, promising deeper AI integrations through Forma.

Nuclear Power Push: The U.S. Department of Energy announced up to $4.2B in conditional financing for Vistra to upgrade and modernize nuclear plants in Pennsylvania and Ohio, adding 433 MW and extending operations by 20 years. Workforce Training: Northwest State Community College kept its Ohio TechCred provider status, preserving access to 60+ tech credentials for employer-focused training. Health & Tech in the Clinic: OSU Wexner Medical Center researchers argue dermatology may help flag early lung disease in autoimmune patients, aiming to speed screening and referrals. Public Safety—Charging Risk: Ohio Fire Marshal and NFPA promote Fire Prevention Week with “Charge Into Fire Safety,” urging safer charging habits for lithium-ion devices. Education Oversight: Ohio DEW expanded its investigation into testing anomalies, identifying issues at 52 additional school buildings statewide. Ohio Tech Leadership: OH.io Ventures named Kevin Pohmer chief business officer to help AI/software startups with go-to-market growth. Housing Pressure: Toledo eviction filings hit a six-year high, with affordability cited as a key driver. Campus Disruption: Bomb threats shut down Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center campuses as police swept buildings. Measles Alert: New York declared a measles disaster emergency as outbreaks spread across multiple states, including Ohio.

Bayer Expansion in Ohio: Bayer will build a $2.2B modular pharma campus in New Albany, creating about 600 permanent jobs and 1,500 construction roles, with drug-substance work starting in 2031 and drug-product manufacturing following in 2034, using digital and automation tech. Election Tech Backlash: Ohio is home to more than half of U.S. data-center ballot measures this midterm, with voters weighing limits tied to electricity demand and other zoning and approval rules. Nuclear Power Loan: The U.S. Department of Energy is lining up to offer Vistra up to $4.2B for uprates and modernization at Beaver Valley (PA) plus Davis-Besse and Perry (OH), aiming to extend operations about 20 years. Public Health Watch: Pennsylvania’s measles outbreak has topped 1,000 cases, underscoring how low vaccination rates can fuel major resurgences. Local Growth & Planning: Columbus City Council approved a 1,408-unit Big Darby Creek-area housing plan near Hilliard, as the watershed’s long-delayed land-use overhaul continues. Health Care Access: UC Health opened Southern Ohio’s first adult celiac disease center, partnering with Cincinnati Children’s to help patients transition from pediatric care. Science & Aging: Einstein researchers report that restoring a cellular recycling process (CMA) can help the body clear senescent “zombie” cells, easing age-linked lung fibrosis in mice. Ohio Safety for Devices: Mount Vernon kicked off Fire Prevention Week with guidance on safer charging habits to reduce lithium-ion battery fire risk.

AI & Higher Ed: Educause 2026 in Denver put AI disruption front and center for Ohio-relevant campus leaders, with sessions on AI literacy, cybersecurity, and keeping humans in the loop. Data Centers & Power Politics: Wall Street is growing skeptical of the data center boom as IPO plans stall and investors question valuations—while Ohio remains a key battleground where voters worry about electricity costs and land impacts. State Tech & Payments: Ohio’s Secretary of State launched security-enhanced payment options, adding Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit cards, and cryptocurrency for faster, more secure transactions. Public Safety Tech: Ohio Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon highlighted accessible smoke and CO alarms for deaf and hard-of-hearing families, including visual alerts and vibration under mattresses. Space Education Push: Gov. DeWine formed a steering group for Ohio’s bid to host the U.S. Space Academy, aligning NASA and Wright-Patterson strengths. Life Sciences Jobs: Bayer announced a $2.2B pharma manufacturing campus in New Albany, targeting drug substance and drug product modules starting in 2031 and 2034. Transportation Infrastructure: ODOT and OTIC released the final feasibility study for a proposed US 23/I-71 connector north of Columbus.

AI Data Centers in Ohio Politics: President Trump defended AI data centers at a rally near Dayton, warning that if the U.S. turns them away, projects “will go to China,” while voters and lawmakers argue about electricity costs and local impacts; Power-Bill Fight in the Senate: Senate Democrats blocked Ohio Sen. Jon Husted’s Ratepayer Protection Act, which would have required data-center developers to help cover the power and infrastructure they drive; AI Economy Math: A new Bain & Company estimate says AI infrastructure spending could reach $1.5T by 2031 and that the industry may need about $6T in annual revenue to justify the buildout, with much of the growth tied to search, ads, autonomous systems, and enterprise productivity; Food Safety Recall: PepsiCo recalled about 122,021 cases of Gatorade Lemon Lime and Orange (plus zero versions) across 37 states after FDA flagged undeclared Yellow No. 5/6; Local Tech/Innovation Angle: Chick-fil-A says it won’t use AI to take drive-thru orders, aiming to keep “human to human” service even as rivals roll out automated ordering.

AI & Data Centers: Trump defended Ohio’s data-center buildout at a Vandalia rally, warning projects could “go to China” if blocked, while also backing light-touch AI regulation via a White House accord that leans on company self-policing plus external auditing. Biopharma in Ohio: Bayer says it will invest about $2.2B in a New Albany plant for active ingredients and finished meds, creating roughly 600 jobs. Healthcare Access: A Nationwide Children’s Hospital-led Medicaid study finds pediatric sleep testing for conditions like sleep apnea varies wildly by location—up to fourfold—raising equity concerns. Public Health Travel Risk: Radon levels are rising in several popular destinations, with new testing and mapping highlighting where visitors may face higher exposure. Policy & Tech Governance: Ohio schools are rolling out mandatory AI policies, while national debate continues over how to regulate AI and protect students. Local Tech/Infrastructure: Kroger reopened its Englewood Marketplace after a $1.5M renovation, adding new digital tech and checkout capacity. Ohio Tech Economy: Youngstown Technology Park broke ground, signaling continued investment in advanced manufacturing and workforce development.

AI Regulation: Trump signed a “morally binding” AI accord with tech leaders that favors light-touch oversight, pushing companies toward internal safety controls plus outside auditing, while the FTC plans to demand documents and testimony. Ohio Pharma Jobs: Bayer will invest $2.2B in a new New Albany manufacturing site, targeting cancer, heart and kidney medicines, with about 600 jobs and production starting in 2031. Ohio Tech & Public Safety: Regional dispatch centers won Ohio’s 2026 Technology Leadership Award for building integrated Computer Aided Dispatch systems that let agencies share incident info faster across jurisdictions. STEM Workforce: Youngstown State hosted Manufacturing Day where students used collaborative robots to learn basic automation skills. Health Policy Watch: An ACA marketplace study finds Ohio plan selections down 19.5% in 2026 and premiums up 19.7% nationwide, with fewer people choosing exchange coverage. Local Environment: Solon is creating a “mini-forest” by planting 1,000+ native trees and shrubs on a vacant site to boost canopy and future park space.

Medical & Public Health: A Cornell University sexual assault investigation has been reopened, putting ketamine (“Special K”) back in the spotlight; the drug is a dissociative anesthetic that affects NMDA receptors and can cause “disconnected” states, hallucinations, and unconsciousness. Cancer Care: The FDA approved pirtobrutinib (Pirtobrutinib) for frontline CLL/SLL, expanding treatment options for patients who may receive only one or two therapy lines. Ohio Tech & AI Education: A new Ohio student nonprofit, Students for AI Literacy (SAIL), has grown from a school club into an international network teaching safe AI use and misinformation awareness. Data Centers & Local Power: Amazon’s data-center push is colliding with community backlash over electricity and water demands, while Ohio voters face a wave of local data-center ballot measures and “right-to-compute” policy debates. Ohio Law & Safety: Gov. DeWine signed House Bill 519 to target electronic car-theft devices, raising penalties as vehicle theft tactics evolve. STEM in Ohio: WACO in Troy is launching a NASA-designed “Fun with Flight” program for preschoolers, and local groups are using National Manufacturing Day to bring additive manufacturing and drone tech to students.

Biomanufacturing in Ohio: Bayer will invest $2.2B in a new pharmaceutical manufacturing site in New Albany, aiming to create about 600 jobs plus 1,500 construction roles, with drug substance and drug product production on a modular campus using advanced digital and automation tech. Health equity via telehealth: A new study highlights who’s least likely to get autologous stem cell transplants—older patients, Black patients, and people from lower-socioeconomic areas, including rural Appalachia—and suggests virtual specialist consults could reduce geographic and access barriers. AI in the auto shop: Ford is rolling out AI “second set of eyes” guidance for dealer technicians, with Rockwell Automation reporting training time cut from nine months to three. Water infrastructure deal: HydroEdge Solutions acquired majority interest in RES Water, building a full-cycle water management platform across the Marcellus/Utica tri-state region. STEM education push: America Makes’ National Manufacturing Day at Mahoning Valley Career & Technical Center featured a 3D-printing-for-drones design/build/fly experience for students. Coral protection research: Beneficial bacteria treatments prevented reef corals from bleaching during a Red Sea heat wave, with heat-killed options also showing promise. Ohio higher-ed data sharing: OSU and Ohio University are expanding how they use NSSE survey results, moving from raw data toward campus dashboards and department-level reporting. Local politics (District 52–54): Candidate profiles spotlight healthcare cost and rural hospital sustainability, public school funding and property tax relief, and workforce/trades priorities.

Nuclear Power Deal: South Korea and the U.S. are in talks to inject $10B this year into a major U.S. nuclear reactor effort, tied to a broader plan to build eight reactors, even as viability reviews continue. Ohio Additive Manufacturing: Fives AddUp says it will bring U.S. manufacturing for its FormUp 750 laser powder bed fusion platform to Hebron, starting in 2027. AI + Data Centers in Ohio Politics: Trenton, Ohio, is weighing financial steps tied to a Nov. 3 vote that would block data centers above 25 megawatts, as lawmakers elsewhere debate ratepayer protections. Cleveland Street Medicine: MetroHealth won a $2.5M federal grant to expand street-medicine training for residents across Cuyahoga County. Cyber/Privacy + Courts: A federal appeals court revived a class action over the Columbus cyberattack, while Ohio courts also highlight virtual self-help centers for access to justice. Public Safety Tech: Ohio’s tax department warns of AI-generated property tax scam videos targeting seniors. Health Research: Case Western Reserve researchers mapped hundreds of new hair cells in squid, offering fresh clues for human hearing loss.

Ohio Higher-Ed Data Dashboards: Ohio State and Ohio University are pushing student-engagement survey data into campus-wide dashboards, aiming to turn NSSE results into department-level reports and better support for assessment and reaccreditation. Cybersecurity & Courts: A Columbus ransomware class action can proceed after an appeals court revived claims that the city mishandled security and delayed fixes. AI in Health Care: In six states including Ohio, Medicare’s WISeR prior-authorization model routes some Original Medicare requests through state-run AI vendor screening—raising new questions about denials and patient access. Nuclear + Power for AI: Microsoft’s deal to restart Three Mile Island Unit 1 underscores the race to supply steady electricity for AI data centers, while lawmakers fight over whether data centers should pay more for grid upgrades. Environment & Water: Ohio is marking Stormwater Awareness Week, spotlighting engineering fixes like bioretention and detention basins to cut runoff pollution. PFAS Litigation: PFAS turnout-gear lawsuits keep expanding, with more public fire agencies suing major manufacturers including 3M and DuPont. Ohio Tech Policy: Aurora advanced electric bike rules, setting speed limits, sidewalk bans for class 3 bikes, and helmet requirements for younger riders.

Ohio University Data Dashboards: Ohio University is making NSSE results easier to use across campus with interactive Tableau dashboards, filters for groups like Pell and first-gen students, and plans to merge NSSE with other campus data for better assessment. Ohio State Research & Biology: OSU researchers report how a key gene-regulating protein (linker histone H1) needs a chaperone to reach its DNA target, using single-molecule experiments to clarify the mechanism. Climate & Ice-Age Timeline: OSU-linked polar research finds ancient ice in Tibet that may extend the last ice age record by 100,000+ years, using radioactive markers to date the layers. Public Health Watch: Wood County confirmed a measles case in Bowling Green and listed multiple exposure sites tied to BGSU, a restaurant, and local clinics—urging people to check immunity and watch symptoms. Privacy & Surveillance: A new Ohio-focused explainer revisits how Flock license-plate cameras work beyond “stolen car” alerts, raising concerns about searchable movement records. Energy & Policy: Ohio’s Bernie Moreno and Michigan’s Elissa Slotkin push a bill to permanently ban Chinese-connected internet vehicles, but Senate action is delayed pending negotiations. Local Tech/Infrastructure: ODOT and the Ohio Turnpike Commission released the final feasibility report for a U.S. 23–I-71 connector north of Columbus, including corridor options, costs, and tolling models.

AI Policy & Politics: Trump doubles down against stricter AI guardrails, urging the term “artificial intelligence” be replaced with “superintelligence,” while Democrats argue the GOP’s approach is “toothless” as data centers drive higher power bills. Ohio Tech & Public Safety: Lake County adds AI to emergency medical dispatch, moving from sampling to reviewing 100% of calls and generating performance reports for supervisors. Health Tech & Research: Ohio State researchers and VA advocates push for independent psychedelic research to complement federal psilocybin studies for veterans. Higher Ed Data Use: Ohio State and Ohio University expand how they share National Survey of Student Engagement results, aiming to merge survey data with other campus metrics for better assessment. Manufacturing & Batteries: GM and LG’s Ultium Cells plans to retool Spring Hill, Tennessee for prismatic LMR battery cells, while Ohio’s Youngstown Technology Park breaks ground and expands advanced manufacturing space. Local Business & Finance: Peoples Bancorp’s deal to buy Capital Bancorp pushes it past the $10B-asset mark, with a 2027 close expected. Community & Fraud: Delaware County indicts a former food pantry co-director accused of stealing at least $37,500.

AI & Policy: President Trump says major AI firms signed a voluntary “self-police” accord with internal and external reviews, even as OpenAI pauses training its latest model amid concerns about rogue AI. Ohio Tech Law: Ohio’s HB 251 now requires law enforcement to get a search warrant before using drones for surveillance, with added limits on UAVs from foreign-adversary countries. Drones & Business Growth: ZenaTech reported steep revenue gains—up 316% in Q2 and 425% for the first half—driven largely by its Drone as a Service push. Public Health Tech: OSU-led research finds CGM hypoglycemia alerts in ICUs can reliably flag impending lows and prompt action without adding much alarm burden. STEM & Workforce: Google is backing a transition program for 25,000 veterans into skilled trades as data centers expand, while Ohio’s Youngstown Technology Park breaks ground for light and advanced manufacturing. Campus Data Use: Ohio University, OSU, UC, and Dayton are reshaping how student engagement survey data is shared across departments, aiming to make results easier to use for decisions.