AGP Executive Report

Data Centers & PFAS Cooling: A new push to replace water-heavy cooling with PFAS-linked immersion systems is colliding with “forever chemicals” concerns, as AI builds drive PFAS producers to expand capacity. Energy Policy: Ohio Sen. Jon Husted’s Ratepayer Protection Act would require large electricity users like data centers to help pay for grid upgrades, aiming to stop cost-shifting to families and small businesses. Local Health Tech & Care Access: Nationwide Children’s plans a 215,000-square-foot pediatric outpatient center in New Albany, while Ohio State research finds people with intellectual or developmental disabilities are less likely to be evaluated—and nearly 40% less likely to receive—kidney transplants. Space & STEM in Ohio: NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman says Ohio has a “good shot” to host a new U.S. Space Academy, with proposals due Oct. 26. Higher Ed Data Use: Ohio universities are sharing student engagement survey results through more accessible dashboards and campus reporting, including Ohio University, UC, and OSU’s NSSE data integration efforts. Healthcare Innovation: OhioHealth’s Dr. Stephen Berling performed a newly available thumb arthritis procedure using a specialized implant to shorten recovery. Education & Community: Ohio’s Governor’s Healthy Aging summit highlighted how emerging technologies can support an age-friendly state.

Ohio Tech & Education: Ohio University, Ohio State, Dayton, Cincinnati, and Youngstown State are rolling out new ways to use National Survey of Student Engagement results—building interactive dashboards, merging NSSE with other campus data, and tailoring reports for departments to improve student engagement and readiness. Local Surveillance: Columbus paused its Flock Safety license plate reader cameras during an investigation into alleged officer misuse, but hundreds of similar cameras still operate across central Ohio, keeping privacy concerns front and center. AI Workforce Readiness: A Battelle study finds a mismatch between what employers expect from AI-ready workers and what educators think they’re teaching, pushing schools toward more practical human-skill training. Energy & Infrastructure: Miami County leaders face pushback on a proposed high-voltage Grid Growth transmission project, as officials weigh reliability gains against local impacts. Ohio Economy & Housing: Zillow data shows Gallia County’s typical home value rose to $175,571 in August 2026. STEM & Research: Researchers report an ancient continental crust fragment hidden beneath East Antarctic ice, using satellite gravity and seismic data. Business & Risk: Pulse Biosciences faces investor skepticism over valuation versus execution and pending clinical/regulatory milestones. Public Safety: A 12-year-old was charged after a gun was found in a backpack at West Clermont Middle School.

Higher Ed Data Use: Ohio State, Ohio University, Dayton, Cincinnati, and Youngstown State are leaning on the National Survey of Student Engagement to improve how they share student-engagement results—moving from raw survey dumps to dashboards, division-level reports, and staffing and service decisions. Pollinator-Friendly Solar: Big Plain Solar in Madison County is supporting 3 million honey bees across 50+ hives, showing how solar sites can double as managed habitat. Semiconductor Supply Chain: SK hynix is weighing bigger U.S. memory moves, including possible work at Intel’s Ohio complex, as it balances cheaper Korea production against customer and policy pressure. Defense Tech Contract: The Air Force more than doubled a DZYNE Technologies (Ondas) long-endurance drone contract to about $85.6M, with Dayton as the contracting activity. AI Ethics Debate: A Berkeley conference is asking whether AI can feel pain and what protections it should get if it can. Ohio Senate Race & Data Centers: A federal land data center project in southeast Ohio is fueling debate in the Husted vs. Brown Senate contest. STEM Grant in Schools: SOCCo gave Oak Hill School System $1,000 for hands-on STEM equipment tied to science and water-quality learning.

Ohio Senate & data centers: A federal land deal in southeastern Ohio is fueling a high-stakes battleground Senate race, with OpenAI’s planned Pike County project spotlighting jobs, power demand, and the politics of big AI infrastructure. Telecom policy: The FCC paused Verizon’s plan to retire copper landlines in Ohio and other states, extending review after rural and consumer pushback over service reliability. AI governance & prediction markets: Kalshi faces another setback after a major court loss, raising fresh questions about how states can regulate prediction markets. Campus data use: Ohio universities are leaning harder on student engagement survey results, with Ohio University and others building dashboards and merging survey data with campus metrics to guide staffing and program decisions. STEM education recognition: Ohio’s Thomas Edison Award honors STEM schools and students, while local universities continue expanding tech-focused programs and initiatives. Health & biotech: Q32 Bio’s bempikibart update keeps alopecia areata regrowth hopes alive, though broader clinical follow-up is still the key. Agriculture & weather: Ohio pumpkin growers are dealing with heavy rain and rot risk after last year’s drought stress. Nuclear modernization: The U.S. Navy’s W93/Mk7 program moves into engineering and manufacturing development for a modern submarine-launched deterrent. Local schools: Amherst School District seeks a Nov. 3 levy after cutting programs and staff to close a budget gap.

Education & Literacy: Montgomery County’s Educational Service Center will launch structured literacy tutoring for K-12 students, including dyslexia screenings, evaluations, and family guidance, aiming to close Ohio’s persistent reading gaps. Public Health & Safety: A Nashville forensic lab says it has found the synthetic opioid cychlorphine in 18 states, tied to dozens of deaths in East Tennessee, as regulators warn about unsafe supply chains. Healthcare Access: ProMedica Ebeid Children’s Hospital opened a pediatric sleep center in Toledo for overnight studies and diagnosis of childhood sleep disorders. STEM Recognition: Hilltop High School won Ohio’s Governor’s Thomas Edison Award for Excellence in STEM Education and Student Research. Tech & Data in Higher Ed: Ohio universities are using NSSE survey results in new ways—dashboards, staffing decisions, and merging engagement data with other campus metrics—to improve student outcomes. Local Tech/Infrastructure: Ohio University finished a master plan for Alden Library renovations, but construction awaits funding. Automotive Security: Kia and Hyundai agreed to a $1M Columbus settlement over anti-theft tech tied to higher car thefts.

Agriculture Watch: A new corn leaf disease has been spotted in Michigan, with plant pathologists warning it could be widespread across the Great Lakes; growers are urged to submit samples because sequencing hasn’t confirmed the fungus yet. Public Health: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital flagged a possible measles exposure after two out-of-state patients visited its emergency department; officials say anyone who developed symptoms should call ahead, as vaccination rates remain a concern. Ohio Education & Data Use: Ohio universities are leaning harder on the National Survey of Student Engagement, using dashboards and campus reporting to track student engagement, satisfaction, and belonging for program improvement. STEM & Workforce: Youngstown State’s STEM Expo drew dozens of companies seeking interns and co-ops, while local events like a safety expo aim to connect training with hiring. AI Infrastructure & Local Impact: Ohio communities continue debating data centers and their effects on power, land use, and transparency, as national scrutiny grows around AI-driven buildouts. Emergency Services Funding: FEMA awarded more than $68M across the Midwest to help fire departments and first responders buy equipment and expand staffing.

Measles in Ohio: Ohio’s 2026 measles outbreak is now in 16 counties with 196 cases reported, mostly among unvaccinated people; Morrow County is among the latest to report cases, and health officials also flagged possible exposures tied to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Cancer & aviation safety: A new U.S. analysis of death certificates finds higher odds of certain cancers among pilots and flight attendants, renewing debate over radiation-related risks for military aviators. AI governance pressure: A report warns that frontier AI risks can show up before models reach the public, including past internal testing incidents where safeguards were turned off. Ohio consumer protection: New York AG Letitia James secured about $2.3M from Labcorp and pushed reforms after a 2019 breach exposed data for tens of millions. Industrial AI in Ohio’s orbit: Rockwell Automation is rolling out an AI maintenance copilot to help shop-floor teams troubleshoot faster, using worker know-how and manuals. Local tech & community: Madison High School opens a “Student Depot” combining a credit union branch, student coffee shop, food pantry, and clothing closet. Health & climate watch: Ohio’s weather outlook points to above-normal temperatures and wet conditions into early October, with August reported as the wettest on record.

Ohio Education Funding: Gov. DeWine announced $20.7M in grants to expand high-performing community schools, including $6.4M for four schools via the federal Charter Schools Program and $14.3M for facilities upgrades. Sports & Safety Research: A new Ohio State–linked study in the Sociology of Sport Journal finds heavy-contact youth sports and dropping out after starting are linked with higher lifetime violence involvement. Library Planning: Ohio University’s Vernon R. Alden Library renovation concept is moving through a master plan for an “eight floors, eight experiences” remodel, but funding is still missing. Local Tech & Privacy: Lebanon city officials faced heated public pushback over Flock license-plate cameras, with residents raising misuse and database concerns. Health Tech & Risk: A mini-stroke (TIA) is tied to higher dementia risk, even after accounting for shared vascular risk factors. Workforce & Training: Northwest State Community College reported record enrollment and a push to raise adult post-secondary completion rates in northwest Ohio. Food Recall: Nearly 1.7M pounds of brown and powdered sugar were recalled over possible wheat contamination.

Chinese Trade & Security: US senators led by Elissa Slotkin and Ohio’s Bernie Moreno are pushing a fast Senate vote this week on making a Chinese vehicle ban permanent, as Trump meets Xi. Voting Systems Watch: Reuters reports states may have added 30,000+ noncitizens to voter rolls since 2000 due to software and clerical errors in driver’s license/ID processing. Ohio Energy Policy: Ohio lawmakers are weighing a 90-day gas and diesel tax suspension, with a vote possible next week as pump prices stay high. Data Centers & Politics: A new look at the midterms shows data centers becoming a bipartisan flashpoint, with Ohio governor candidates both pitching moratorium-style plans. Health & Consumer Protection: Ohio’s AG and other state leaders urge people to file claims tied to multistate settlements over inflated generic drug prices. STEM & Research: OSU and UCSF won a $3.46M NCI grant to study why some older AML patients resist VenHMA treatment. Climate Tech in Ohio: Oberlin’s geothermal project details how the campus moved from failing infrastructure to a geothermal district energy system.

Unclaimed Money Watch: Ohio’s Division of Unclaimed Funds released new ZIP-code rankings showing where $5.4B in unclaimed money sits, led by 45840 (Findlay) at $24.8M, then 43215 (Columbus) at $23.9M and 45202 (Cincinnati) at $22.9M—Ohioans can search at unclaimedfunds.ohio.gov. Grid & Data Center Power: Clark County residents are pushing back on Grid Growth West, a multi-county transmission plan tied to rising electricity demand from data centers and electrification. Surveillance Backlash: Monroe City Council voted to remove all 24 Flock Safety cameras, citing privacy and constitutional concerns, while supporters warned of public-safety tradeoffs. Public Health Under Threat: A new study says 76% of public health leaders faced harassment or threats after COVID-19, including intimidation and violence. Cancer Research Funding: OSU James and UCSF won a $3.46M NCI grant to study why some acute myeloid leukemia patients respond to treatment and others don’t. Tech Governance in Insurance: NAIC’s Columbus meeting highlighted tighter oversight for AI, third-party data/models, cybersecurity, and privacy. Ohio Space Push: Ohio lawmakers and leaders renewed efforts to bring a U.S. Space Force Academy to the Dayton/Wright-Patterson area. East Palestine Update: New testing reports toxins above screening levels in the years after the 2023 derailment, including dioxins and cancer-linked PAHs.

Medicaid Oversight: Ohio Auditor Keith Faber says a review found about 3% of Medicaid enrollees in the Aged, Blind and Disabled program weren’t eligible, including “several millionaires,” and that benefits kept going to more than 3,000 deceased people—prompting calls for tighter guardrails and better data sharing. Higher Ed Tech Spotlight: Arizona State University was named No. 1 for innovation for the 12th straight year in U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 rankings, with the methodology tied to how schools innovate in curriculum, faculty, students and tech. Data Center Legal Fight: Ohio’s Supreme Court blocked a Wilmington ballot measure that would have added operating limits and let nearby residents sue over a planned $4B AWS campus, saying the enforcement power exceeded the city’s authority. Public Safety AI: Colorado Springs Police launched an AI-assisted system to help dispatchers handle 911 and non-emergency calls faster. Gene Therapy Breakthrough (Ohio): Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Abigail Wexner Research Institute said the FDA approved FAYUVI for Sanfilippo Syndrome Type A. Ohio Aerospace Push: Ohio lawmakers backed plans for a U.S. Space Force Academy at Wright-Patterson, with renderings and a growing coalition of state support. Manufacturing Expansion: Velocity Group opened an 80,000-ft² injection molding plant in Cambridge, adding large-part and precision machining capacity for higher-precision components, including for data centers.

Campus Safety & Policy: A new federal requirement is pushing colleges to post confirmed hazing incidents online, and a HazingInfo review found at least 556 incidents nationwide between July 2025 and August 2026, including two deaths tied to Ohio schools. Privacy & Surveillance: Ohio AG Andy Wilson and a police union are urging tougher rules and penalties for misuse of Flock license-plate reader data, after audits and concerns about how camera searches are handled. Public Health: Measles cases are rising sharply in the U.S., with Ohio reporting multiple local cases and most infections tied to unvaccinated or unknown vaccination status. Local Tech & Law Enforcement: Cleveland’s drone policy is stricter than Ohio’s new statewide drone law, banning facial recognition, gait analysis, and weapons on drones while raising questions about how long bystander data is kept. STEM & Education: Cleveland Clinic Children’s expanded congenital cytomegalovirus newborn screening, boosting detection rates about 2.5 times. Space & Industry: Ohio leaders renewed efforts to bring the U.S. Space Force Academy to Dayton, citing Wright-Patterson and NASA-Glenn. AI & Data Centers: Alibaba unveiled a new AI chip and data-center expansion plan, as regulators and communities keep debating the power and privacy costs of the AI boom.

Manufacturing Upgrade: Nestlé Purina opened a $500M, 1.3M-square-foot advanced factory in Batavia, Ohio, bringing robotics, automation, and new food-safety systems to brands like Purina Pro Plan and Dog Chow. AI Targeting Ethics: A report says DraftKings used machine learning to identify customers most likely to respond to promotions by losing—raising concerns that the same targeting could overlap with gambling harm. Data Center Power Politics: The House advanced a federal rule pushing big data centers to help pay for grid upgrades, while the Senate blocked a similar effort—fueling a new fight over who bears energy costs. Low-Carbon Infrastructure: Prysmian and Rio Tinto will supply Amazon’s Ohio data center with low-carbon aluminum cables made using inert-anode smelting. Education Tech: Toledo’s Learn Kernel is a “pocket tutor” for students, running offline to reduce distractions while delivering personalized reading and math lessons. Public Safety & Health: Ohio hospitals are seeing rising use of prostate MRI before biopsy, and a new coalition letter warns of Chinese-sourced pharmaceutical supply-chain risks. Space Push: Ohio lawmakers are backing a bid to bring the U.S. Space Academy to Wright-Patterson.

Ohio Defense & Space Push: Gov. Mike DeWine signed HB 292 creating the Ohio Defense and Space Commission and a defense/aerospace expansion program, with grants and a focus on tech to counter unmanned aerial systems. AI in Classrooms (Marietta): Marietta City Schools launched a district-wide MagicSchool AI pilot aimed at digital literacy while keeping student data protected. Space in Ohio (NASA Glenn): NASA Glenn opened its campus to the public for the Cleveland Space Race 5K during Ohio Space Week, with astronaut Doug Wheelock and Artemis II “Rise” attractions. Cyber-Adjacent Education Tech: Huntington University installed a curved LED “Volume” for virtual production training in digital media arts. Veterans Benefits Scam Warning: Ohio reporting highlights “claim sharks” charging veterans large fees for VA disability claims, prompting calls for tighter rules. Housing Affordability: Freddie Mac says 30-year mortgage rates hit 6.95%, adding pressure as midterm election season nears. Drones as Terror Tools: A new analysis warns domestic extremists are increasingly using drones, mirroring tactics from foreign terrorist groups.

Semiconductor Workforce Crunch: A new joint analysis warns the U.S. semiconductor industry could face up to a 157,000-worker shortfall by 2030 as AI and software firms outcompete chip manufacturing for talent. Nuclear Fuel Deal: Centrus Energy signed a multi-year HALEU supply contract with Antares, signaling accelerating demand for advanced reactor fuel. Data Center Water Stress: A Ceres report highlights that most data-center water use comes from power generation, raising risks for communities in water-stressed states including Ohio. Ohio Crypto Payments: Ohio launched Buckeye Billfold, letting residents pay certain state fees with crypto (converted to dollars instantly), though skeptics flag risk. Youth Mental Health & Social Media: Meta agreed to limit teen scrolling on Instagram/Facebook, with Ohio included in the settlement funding. Ohio Tech in the Real World: A Lorain alarm-services owner credits wireless tech for faster installs and expanding northern Ohio coverage. Great Lakes Trade Pressure: Tariffs tied to Canada threaten shipping on the Great Lakes, with ports and supply chains bracing. Local Environment Win: Lake sturgeon were reintroduced into the Cuyahoga River in Akron as part of ongoing Great Lakes restoration.

Renewables & Industry: Egypt is pitching homegrown wind as a model for Africa, pairing a 2,000-megawatt Gulf of Suez project with a first local turbine factory and technology transfer. Great Lakes Trade: New U.S. tariffs are rattling shipping tied to Canada, threatening supply chains across the region. Space Science: A new helium measurement using pristine small galaxies cuts uncertainty to 0.5%, sharpening what the universe’s first five minutes may have looked like. Ohio Conservation: Summit Metro Parks reintroduced lake sturgeon—“living fossils”—into the Cuyahoga River in Akron as part of broader Great Lakes restoration. Data Centers & Politics in Ohio: A Sherrod Brown ad attacking data centers features a Google facility in Lancaster, while lawmakers debate who should pay for electricity and grid upgrades. Health Access: University Hospitals’ Seidman Cancer Center in Geneva is set to close Nov. 13, pushing patients toward a farther Lake County hub. Public Safety Tech: North Carolina DOT used truck-cab alerts via ELD-linked messaging to warn drivers during major storm closures. Privacy & Surveillance: Flock Safety’s voluntary exit signals trouble for the surveillance firm as cities question privacy and misuse.