AGP Executive Report

Ohio University Health & Research: A new NIH grant (nearly $4M over four years) will expand an Ohio primary-care model for opioid use disorder treatment to about 40 clinics across Ohio and West Virginia, pairing prescribing support and mentorship with long-term patient outcome tracking. Ohio University Tech & Medicine Access: Starting July 1, Ohio University Libraries will provide campus access to UpToDate, a point-of-care clinical decision support tool. Public Health & Aging Science: Ohio University aging researcher Cory Baumann received a $2.9M grant to study how muscle proteins change with age and why recovery slows—aiming to preserve strength and mobility. AI in Healthcare Trust: Ohio researchers report that transparency about AI use can boost patient trust in both clinicians and AI tools, but higher AI diagnostic accuracy may not always increase trust. Rare Earth Supply Chain: REalloys secured preferential access to Appalachian rare-earth feedstock tied to a Pentagon deadline to reduce Chinese-origin magnet materials. Workforce for Data Centers: Meta’s $115M “America’s Workforce Academy” will begin paid training with job offers in Indiana, Louisiana, Ohio, and Texas. Ohio Data Centers Policy: Ohio’s first broad data center bill stalled amid a tax-break fight between the House and Senate. Wildlife Tracking: ODNR collared a nearly 600-pound black bear in northeastern Ohio to track movements as sightings hit record levels. Transit Tech: Kansas City’s RideKC reinstated bus fares and rolled out contactless payments with fare capping.

Rare Earth Supply for Defense: REalloys secured preferential access to Appalachian rare-earth feedstock tied to a Pentagon deadline, aiming to boost domestic supply of magnet metals like neodymium and dysprosium. Opioid Treatment in Primary Care: Ohio University researchers won a nearly $4M NIH grant to scale a model that helps primary care clinics prescribe medications for opioid use disorder, expanding to about 40 clinics across Ohio and West Virginia. AI in Medicare Oversight: A House appropriations move would halt funding for an AI-driven prior authorization pilot affecting radiology services in six states, with lawmakers demanding clearer impacts on access and provider burden. School AI Guardrails: States and districts are scrambling to set rules as AI use in K-12 grows, with new legislation pushing AI coordinators, teacher training, and student literacy. Ohio Data Center Tax Fight: Ohio Republicans backed off a plan to shrink a major sales tax break for data centers after lawmakers learned the credit cost about $2B in 2025. Health & Community Tech: Ohio launches “Reading for Resiliency” to support family mental wellness through shared reading, while Ohio University libraries add UpToDate access starting July 1.

Rare Earth Supply for Defense: REalloys secured preferential access to Appalachian rare earth feedstock tied to a Pentagon deadline, aiming to boost domestic supply of magnet metals like neodymium and dysprosium. Opioid Treatment Access: Ohio University researchers won a nearly $4M NIH grant to expand a primary-care model for prescribing opioid use disorder medications across about 40 clinics in Ohio and West Virginia. Clinical Tech for Ohio: Ohio University Libraries will add UpToDate access starting July 1, giving clinicians and students point-of-care decision support via web and mobile logins. AI in Healthcare Trust: A study on patient-provider relationships finds transparency about AI use can raise trust, while higher AI accuracy can sometimes stall or reduce it. School AI Guardrails: States and districts are scrambling to set policies as AI use in K-12 grows, with lawmakers pushing for AI literacy and clearer classroom rules. Data Center Backlash: SOKY Indivisible hosted a public discussion on data centers and local regulation, following a Bowling Green moratorium vote. Ohio STEM/Manufacturing: NAWAH opened its first North American VACNT manufacturing facility in Englewood, Ohio, targeting composite materials production. Energy Cleanup Funding: The U.S. released more money to help states plug abandoned, methane-leaking oil and gas wells.

NIH Opioid Care Expansion: Ohio University researcher Berkeley Franz won a nearly $4M, four-year NIH grant to scale a primary-care model for prescribing medications for opioid use disorder across about 40 Ohio and West Virginia clinics, testing whether brief prescribing support and mentorship can close the gap between research and real-world practice. Clinical Tech Access: Ohio University Libraries will add UpToDate starting July 1, giving students and clinicians point-of-care clinical decision support via web or mobile login. AI Trust in Healthcare: A study using a scenario survey found that transparency about AI use boosts patient trust in both providers and the AI tool, while higher AI diagnostic accuracy can reduce or stall trust—raising concerns about doctors outsourcing judgment. SNAP Fraud Fight: The Ohio House passed a bill to move SNAP EBT cards to chip-enabled versions, targeting skimming and PIN theft after $17M was stolen from 34,000+ households. Local Data Center Rules: Washington Township’s zoning commission advanced proposed updates for data centers while Howland approved a six-month moratorium to study impacts. Solar Momentum: New U.S. solar data shows 7.8 GWdc installed in Q1 2026 and Ohio ranking among top states, with solar plus storage driving most new capacity. Workforce for AI Infrastructure: Meta’s $115M “America’s Workforce Academy” bootcamp is training skilled trades for AI data centers, including a Columbus pilot.

NIH Grant for Opioid Care in Primary Clinics: Ohio University researcher Berkeley Franz won a nearly $4M, four-year NIH award to expand a pilot model that helps primary care providers prescribe medication for opioid use disorder, scaling it across about 40 Ohio and West Virginia clinics with outcome tracking and mentorship support. Ohio Healthcare Access: Ohio University Libraries will add UpToDate starting July 1, giving students and clinicians point-of-care clinical decision support via web and mobile login. Ohio Education Policy: Ohio House advanced a revamped K-12 math bill (SB 19) aimed at improving statewide proficiency after pandemic-era declines, with further Senate approval needed. AI in Schools Catch-Up: A national look at K-12 AI policy shows districts and states scrambling for guardrails, with lawmakers pushing AI literacy, coordinator roles, and teacher training. Local Control for Traffic Cameras: Ohio bills would let residents vote on whether municipalities can use automated traffic enforcement cameras, with rules for new installs and contract changes. Data Centers Under Pressure: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered regulators to require data center developers to cover infrastructure costs and protect consumers, as backlash grows over power and water impacts. Meta’s Workforce Push: Meta announced a $115M “America’s Workforce Academy” to train skilled trades for AI data center buildouts, including free training and job offers in Ohio and other data-center states. Ohio Tech Courts: An Ohio appeals court ruled Google Search isn’t a common carrier, limiting attempts to treat it like a regulated utility. Ohio River Infrastructure: The U.S. Army Corps’ locks-and-dams electrical systems got circuit breaker relay maintenance support from Prime Power troops across multiple states. Ohio Business & Finance: Grocery Outlet reshuffled top leadership with dual EVP appointments, while Solidion closed a $35M private placement to fund commercialization of its extreme-climate battery tech. Public Health Watch: A report highlights FDA scrutiny gaps around peptide weight-loss “retatrutide” sales and hospitalizations tied to unapproved use.

Data Center Tax Fight in Ohio: New reporting says Ohio approved at least $2.3B in sales tax breaks for data centers, with Meta, Google and Amazon getting 100% exemptions for up to 40 years—sparking lawmakers’ push to cap future deals at 50%. Local Governance: In the Mahoning Valley, communities and officials are debating a Lordstown-area AI data center boom, weighing jobs and tax base against power and water strain. Workforce & AI Infrastructure: Meta is rolling out “America’s Workforce Academy” with $115M to train skilled trades for AI data center construction, with Ohio listed among pilot states. Policy Watch: Arizona lawmakers also agreed to a three-year pause on new data center tax exemptions, echoing the national backlash over utility impacts. Public Tech & Services: Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague announced “Buckeye Billfold,” a digital wallet option for paying state agencies, including crypto converted to dollars at checkout. Health Tech Research: Ohio State researchers found unmet social needs like housing instability and transportation barriers are linked to lower colorectal cancer screening rates. Local STEM: Youngstown State partnered with South Side Academy to build a pollinator garden, blending classroom STEM with real-world environmental work.

AI in Ohio healthcare: A new study finds patients trust both doctors and AI tools more when clinicians are transparent about AI use, but trust can stall or drop when AI diagnoses are “too accurate,” raising fears that doctors may outsource judgment. Workforce for AI infrastructure: Meta is funding America’s Workforce Academy with $115M for paid, credentialed training and job guarantees in skilled trades tied to data center buildouts, with an initial Ohio launch. Ohio carbon capture law: Ohio lawmakers unanimously passed a framework allowing CO2 injection underground, including rules that can override landowner objections and shift long-term liability to taxpayers. Utility planning scrutiny: Ohio state senators advanced a bill pushing independent third-party review of utility electricity demand forecasts to prevent speculative projections from driving customer costs. VA records rollout: The VA expanded its Electronic Health Record system to four more Ohio/Kentucky sites, aiming to improve record sharing and reduce duplicated testing. Local tech & mobility: Waymo bought Apple’s abandoned self-driving test proving ground for $220M, boosting its controlled testing capacity. Public health access: A Cleveland Clinic study reports rural patients at high risk for sleep apnea are less likely to get referrals than urban patients. Ohio weather watch: Cincinnati faces a heavy-rain flood risk with 1–3 inches possible.

STEM Workforce Boost: Ohio’s Choose Ohio First is awarding more than $26M to 59 institutions for new STEM scholarships starting in 2027-28, aiming to grow the state’s pipeline of science, tech, engineering, and math talent. AI Infrastructure Reality Check: A new look at AI power planning shows utilities facing a widening gap between announced data center demand and what they can actually deliver, with Ohio’s AEP seeing big early requests trimmed after stricter requirements. Skilled Trades for Data Centers: Meta is rolling out its America’s Workforce Academy, a $115M free training program with job guarantees for graduates, launching pilots in Ohio along with Louisiana, Indiana, and Texas. Local Tech in Public Safety: Sitestream won a five-year automated speed enforcement contract for Kirtland Hills, installing and managing two speed cameras under a SaaS deal. Ohio Education Debate: A public pushback in Ohio County Schools rejected later start times, despite claims of improved student outcomes. Health Tech & Care: Research highlights how transparency about AI use can raise patient trust in clinicians and AI, while AI diagnostic accuracy alone may not boost trust the same way.

AI in healthcare: A new Ohio State–linked pilot study finds an online patient portal for national cancer trials was easy to use and boosted willingness to stay engaged, while separate research highlights how transparency can raise trust in AI-assisted care—even as higher AI diagnostic accuracy may not always increase patient confidence. Biotech funding: City Therapeutics (Ohio) says it has $99.5M for RNA interference drug testing, including a Factor XI program now in Phase 1. Workforce + data centers: Meta will launch its AI infrastructure workforce academy with training sites including Columbus, aiming to fill construction and build roles for AI data centers. Urban heat tech: Cities are using data tools like lidar to map tree canopies and plan for extreme heat, with predictive analytics becoming part of emergency preparedness. Ohio energy + jobs: A new shale investment dashboard reports about $2.9B in direct investment in Ohio’s shale sector in early 2025. Local governance + courts: Stark County is accepting applications to replace a retiring Family Court judge, while Athens officials face questions after a property owner dropped a lawsuit tied to a fire training mishap. Public safety surveillance debate: Cities continue to push back on AI camera networks, with some officials covering cameras to limit automated tracking.

Data Centers Backlash: Ohio lawmakers are moving to regulate data center development as voters push back over energy use, water impacts, and local quality-of-life concerns, with political caution despite broad public opposition. Public Safety Tech: Ohio launched a new online Ohio Crime Statistics Dashboard to make felony charges, arrests, and sentencing trends easier to explore across all 88 counties. Health & Research: OSU’s mail-in Buckeye Tick Test is helping residents understand tick-borne disease risk by testing submitted ticks for pathogens. STEM for Kids: Eastern Ohio’s Educational Service Center will host a Camp Invention: Spark program for third through fifth graders, focusing on hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math. Health Tech Startups: Westwood-based Kin Health raised $9 million to build a patient-first app that helps people remember and understand doctor visits. Energy & Batteries: Solidion Technology announced new patents for silicon anode battery tech aimed at extreme-climate use, including space and lunar applications. Local Enforcement: Westlake Police stepped up crackdowns on reckless driving around Crocker Park with targeted traffic enforcement. Corrections Policy: Ohio is breaking from large juvenile facilities, launching smaller downsized juvenile justice sites intended to reduce violence and improve rehabilitation.

Ohio Capital Budget: The Ohio Senate’s version of the state capital budget approved June 3 would send more than $12.5 million to West Central Ohio projects, including major funding for Allen County community and health upgrades. AI Public Ownership: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with Sen. Bernie Sanders after Sanders proposed letting the public take a 50% stake in AI companies via a public wealth fund; Altman backed the idea even if he wouldn’t support the 50% threshold, while Trump also floated a plan for Americans to benefit from AI success. Cybersecurity & Defense: The 179th Cyberspace Wing at Mansfield Lahm Air National Guard Base held a change-of-command ceremony, with a new commander leading a cyber-enabled air superiority mission. Surveillance Cameras Debate: A nationwide Flock Safety license-plate camera network remains in the spotlight after reporting tied a Texas search to abortion-related questions, intensifying concerns about how camera data is used. Local Tech & Learning: Euclid Public Library reopened after $18 million renovations, adding a business resource center, a technology classroom, improved accessibility, and new children’s interactive space. Health & Community: Dublin’s Teen Buddy Program pairs teens with older adults to reduce isolation and improve mental health, earning a statewide ServeOhio award. Food as Medicine (OSU): Ohio State researchers report tomato-soy juice with plant compounds lowered inflammation markers in adults with obesity after four weeks.

AI Infrastructure & Energy Policy: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine paused billions in data-center tax incentives over concerns about power demand and water use, signaling a tougher look at the AI boom’s real-world costs. Compute Race: Meta is reportedly building tent-style, weatherproof data centers to speed AI chip deployment, underscoring how fast the infrastructure arms race is moving. Ohio Power Costs: Ohio regulators are weighing Duke Energy’s request to raise electric distribution charges by 38%, with some customers facing about $18 more per month starting in 2027. Public Equity in AI: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with Sen. Bernie Sanders to discuss public ownership of AI gains, with Trump also floating a “partnership” idea for Americans to benefit. Health & Food Science: New research links ultra-processed foods to rising young-onset colon cancer and suggests alcohol-related hormone changes may intensify cravings for certain foods. Local Science in Ohio: OSU students are studying turkey populations in Ashtabula County as numbers decline. Community Safety: Toledo police are searching for suspects after at least 12 people were shot near the Old West End Festival. Education Leadership: Spelman College named roboticist and former NASA engineer Dr. Ayanna Howard as its next president.

AI & Cybercrime: The FBI says Americans lost nearly $900M to AI-generated scams in 2025, with experts warning the next wave will look even more “official” and convincing. AI Policy: Trump, Sanders and Sam Altman are converging on “public ownership” ideas for AI—talks that could seed equity for the public via AI company stakes. Ohio Tech Infrastructure: Meta is reportedly building tent-style data centers to speed AI chip deployment, while Ohio lawmakers face renewed pressure over data-center impacts and incentives. Local Tech & Connectivity: John Glenn Columbus International Airport tops U.S. airports for Wi‑Fi speed, a reminder that connectivity quality can vary wildly by location. Autonomous Freight in Ohio: Cab-less electric trucks are set for real-world testing in Marysville under Ohio’s DriveOhio corridor program. Health & Tech: Ohio State research links heart attacks to higher risk of later cognitive impairment. STEM in the News: SETI updates alien-contact protocols to account for social media, AI and deepfakes—aimed at preventing hype from outrunning science. Weather/Outdoor: Heavy rain around Columbus has left gardens waterlogged, raising root-rot and compaction risks.

Autonomous Freight in Ohio: Einride and EASE Logistics will run two cab-less electric trucks on local roads this summer in Marysville as part of ODOT’s DriveOhio corridor, moving warehouse-to-warehouse cargo while researchers track safety and efficiency. AI Policy Meets Politics: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with Sen. Bernie Sanders after Sanders pushed for public ownership in AI firms; Trump also floated a plan for Americans to benefit from AI success, underscoring how the AI boom is turning into a political fight over who gets the upside. Ohio Data-Center Debate: A new BGSU/YouGov poll finds Ohio voters are clearer than candidates on data centers, with Vivek Ramaswamy backing them more aggressively than others. Health Research: OSU Wexner reports heart-attack survivors face higher risk of cognitive decline, adding urgency to heart-brain care. Public Safety Tech: Ohio lawmakers are moving to limit sharing of license-plate camera data as privacy concerns grow. Local Tech & Education: Trinity Health System’s medical laboratory science program earned maximum 10-year accreditation, and TCTC students won national honors at BPA in Nashville.

Leadership in Ohio tech education: Spelman College named Dr. Ayanna Howard—an Ohio State engineering dean and former NASA engineer—as its next president, starting Aug. 1, with a focus on robotics, AI, and human-centered technology. AI governance in Ohio law: The Ohio Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Conduct issued an ethics guide for lawyers and judges on using AI, stressing confidentiality, tool vetting, and keeping up with differing court rules. Ohio data for public safety: Attorney General Dave Yost launched an Ohio Crime Statistics Dashboard with 10 years of felony arrest and sentencing data across all 88 counties. Research computing boost: Wright State is expanding hands-on teaching and research using the Ohio Supercomputer Center. Health tech in the lab: Cleveland researchers reported a faster, cheaper lab method to detect fidaxomicin-resistant C. difficile using an antibiotic-enhanced culture medium. EV and battery R&D: GE Aerospace completed a megawatt-class hybrid-electric engine ground test at its Ohio facility, tied to NASA’s electrified powertrain work. Infrastructure and power pressure from AI: Meta’s AI buildout in New Albany, Ohio, is reportedly using large fabric “tents” to speed deployment, while lawmakers push for briefings on foreign influence claims tied to data center protests. Ohio road safety: An OSU aerospace student died after a crash on I-71 in north Columbus.

Ohio Senate Budget: The Mahoning Valley is set to gain major capital support, including more than $13M for Youngstown State University and $3.5M earmarked for the new YSU-Steubenville campus, plus roof, elevator safety, and dental upgrades. Defense Manufacturing Tech: America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining picked winners for a $2M project call aimed at using AI to improve how additive-manufacturing materials are qualified and certified for defense. AI in Courts: Florida’s Supreme Court tightened rules for AI-assisted legal filings, requiring attorneys to verify cited authorities to stop “hallucinated” cases from slipping into court. Data Center Policy: Gov. Mike DeWine ordered a pause on new Ohio data center tax exemption requests while lawmakers study impacts on communities and local benefits. Healthcare Innovation: Phase 3 MS trials report strong results for fenebrutinib (FENhance), targeting both inflammation control and progression mechanisms. Local Tech for Seniors: SCOPE Senior Services is partnering with Cell Phone Repair to expand one-on-one tech help for older adults across the Mahoning Valley. Space & Batteries: Solidion Technology announced 30+ patented lithium anode protection advances aimed at ultra-high energy batteries for space and LEO AI data centers. Energy Corruption Case: Ohio AG Dave Yost says FirstEnergy ex-executives were reindicted in the long-running bribery scheme, adding new counts after earlier mistrials.