Grocery Deal: Kroger agreed to buy Giant Eagle for $1.65B, adding about 200 stores and expanding across West Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic as the industry battles for shoppers amid higher costs. Public Health: A new CDC study says the drug-resistant fungus Candida auris is rising in hospitals, with West Virginia University Hospitals’ infectious-disease leaders warning it’s hard to clear once it settles on skin. Tech & Infrastructure: The West Virginia Supreme Court launched an online dashboard for near real-time court statistics, aiming to boost transparency and help officials plan resources. AI for Bridges: Parsons says AI models using point clouds and drone photos can help predict bridge defects and improve planning as more bridges slide from “good” to “fair.” Energy & Data Centers: A report flags “behind-the-meter” gas plants for data centers as a major emissions driver, with projects concentrated in states including West Virginia. STEM in WV: A Woodlands Development & Lending program called Tech Toolshed will lend pro-grade photo, video, audio, and lighting gear to rural businesses and nonprofits to help them market nationwide. Local STEM Spotlight: An Oak Hill student was accepted into a selective Appalachian STEM Academy at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Healthcare Policy: WV House Democrats asked for an urgent special session on public school funding as closures loom. Sports Law: The Supreme Court upheld West Virginia’s trans athletes ban, a ruling that will shape how schools handle women’s sports statewide.