Dental Education Upgrade: WVU’s School of Dentistry officially opened expanded, renovated clinics—modernized Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic spaces plus a Dental Innovation Center—funded largely by a $12.6M federal award. GLP-1 & Culture: A WVU fashion expert says GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are reshaping body culture and even how lifestyle media covers “medical” topics. Water Infrastructure Scrutiny: WVDEP issued a stormwater permit for the Sidewinder raw water line; reporting raises questions about whether local utility records and required sign postings were handled properly. Clean Energy for Data Centers: At the WV Chamber summit, Gov. Morrisey announced $81B+ in new private investment tied to NScale and Starwood, with High Impact Data Center certification and major power needs. Grid Reliability Push: NextEra briefed the Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link (MARL), a proposed 107.5-mile, 500-kV line aimed at supporting fast-growing electricity demand from data centers and AI. Local Tech in the Real World: Google, MN8 Energy, and Eos are partnering on a Kanawha County solar-plus-storage project using long-duration zinc and lithium storage. STEM & Trades Pipeline: Tractor Supply’s FFA Future Leaders scholarships included a West Virginia recipient and students pursuing diesel mechanics and electrical engineering. Policy Backlash Watch: A national look shows data center opposition is growing in statehouses, with hundreds of bills introduced in 2026 to restrict new builds.