AGP Executive Report

Social Media Safety: West Virginia parents are being urged to stay actively involved as nearly all U.S. teens use social platforms, with experts recommending clear rules, privacy settings, parental controls, and regular check-ins to reduce risks like cyberbullying and scams. Public Health Watch: Cyclosporiasis cases keep climbing nationwide, with Maryland reporting 110 confirmed cases and the CDC linking thousands to a growing outbreak tied to contaminated food and water. STEM & Youth Tech: Scouting America kicked off its 2026 National Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, bringing 15,000 Scouts and adding a PlayVS gaming activation focused on teamwork and digital citizenship. Energy & Infrastructure: The West Virginia Public Service Commission reiterated that coal comes first in hearings tied to FirstEnergy’s proposed gas plant and AEP’s long-term energy plan. Local Tech in Action: Lumen and Forge used immersive projection mapping to light up the West Virginia State Capitol dome for America’s 250th birthday celebrations. Consumer Scam Alert: The WV Attorney General warned of a “free” gas card mailer scam that charges a $5 fee and then hits victims with extra charges.

Water Infrastructure Push: House and Senate committees advanced the Water Resources Development Act of 2026, moving WRDA bills toward full-chamber votes, with provisions aimed at ports, inland waterways, flood risk, and faster Army Corps project delivery. Public Health Watch: Cyclosporiasis cases keep climbing nationwide, with the CDC reporting record-high totals across 41 states; West Virginia is in the mix as officials continue tracing a multi-state outbreak tied to contaminated food and water. Food Safety & Accountability: The FDA retracted a key lab finding in the Taylor Farms cyclospora probe after calling it a false positive, but said the recall and outbreak investigation basis remain unchanged—fueling renewed scrutiny of how regulators and companies communicate. Tech, Privacy, and Local Power: Huntington’s $2.1M Flock Safety surveillance contract is facing legal challenge after resident backlash over license plate readers and cameras, raising questions about consent and government use of new tech. STEM in the Mountains: WVU is supporting the National Scout Jamboree at Summit Bechtel Reserve with hands-on STEM programming, including “Science Behind the Sport” activities. Research & Growth: NSF announced 12 new Regional Innovation Engines to scale research into jobs and critical technologies, including efforts tied to energy, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing. Scam Alert: West Virginia AG warned residents about “free” gas card mailers that charge processing fees and trigger extra unauthorized charges.

STEM & Research Expansion: WVSOM is pressing ahead with a $35M expansion of its Fredric W. Smith Science Building in Greenbrier County, adding 28,523 sq. ft. to grow research and gross anatomy lab space, with construction activity already reshaping parking and walkways on campus. Energy Innovation: WVU leads the RETI Consortium, selected for an NSF Regional Innovation Engines award that could bring up to $160M over a decade, with total support reaching $321M, aiming to spur energy tech, startups, and jobs across the region. Public Health Watch: The CDC says cyclosporiasis cases have climbed to 4,173 confirmed infections across 41 states, with thousands more suspected; the outbreak remains tied to iceberg lettuce and the Taylor Farms recall, even as FDA lab testing gets disputed. Food Safety & Accountability: FDA retracted a positive Cyclospora lab result tied to Taylor Farms but stressed the recall and epidemiological link still stand—keeping consumer guidance to avoid recalled lettuce front and center. Local Tech & Privacy: Huntington’s $2.1M Flock Safety surveillance contract is facing legal and public backlash, with the ACLU of West Virginia filing suit and residents raising constitutional privacy concerns. Healthcare Access: Gov. Morrisey announced $11M+ to expand virtual care and mobile health clinics through the Rural Health Transformation Program, targeting underserved communities. Community STEM Outreach: WVU will support the National Scout Jamboree in Fayette County with hands-on “Science Behind the Sport” activities for thousands of Scouts.

Food Safety & Public Health: The U.S. cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms remains a moving target: HHS says it’s “under control,” while FDA guidance has shifted after a “false positive” test, and officials continue tracing cases across dozens of states, including West Virginia. Local Utilities & Courts: A Fayette County judge temporarily blocked the sale of Kanawha Falls Public Service District to West Virginia American Water, citing a dispute over unpaid engineering debt. Emergency Communications: Tucker County officials discussed radio “deadzones” affecting emergency and law enforcement, with a potential siren-tower fix estimated around $800,000–$1 million and a push to find grants. Privacy & Surveillance: A legal debate over government surveillance tech is heating up after a Supreme Court decision involving geofence warrants and location data, raising questions for vehicle camera systems like Flock. STEM & Workforce: Girls in Aviation Day returns to Yeager Airport with hands-on STEM activities and career demos for girls and young women. Agriculture & Invasive Species: Spotted lanternfly has been detected in Kanawha County, adding to West Virginia’s growing list of affected counties.

Cyclospora Update: The FDA says a lab test that briefly pointed to cyclospora in Taylor Farms lettuce was a false positive, but the agency insists its investigation still centers on shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms’ Mexico operations—keeping West Virginia in the mix as cases remain concentrated in a few states. Public Health & Food Safety: Health officials stress the parasite’s long incubation and tricky detection, so tracing relies heavily on patient histories and supply-chain links, not just one test result. Air Quality: Canadian wildfire smoke pushed air quality alerts across much of the U.S., including West Virginia, with warnings to limit outdoor activity during peak pollution. Local Tech & Privacy: Huntington’s $2.1 million Flock Safety surveillance contract is facing legal and community backlash, with an ACLU lawsuit challenging the city’s 24/7-style monitoring approach. WV Research: WVU researchers highlight driving anxiety triggers and coping strategies, pointing to avoidance that can worsen mental health and safety. Water Protection: A push to repeal the Roadless Rule could threaten drinking water supplies for millions by reopening protected national forest watersheds to logging and new roads.

Healthcare AI in WV: A Commonwealth Fund report, based on interviews with patients in NYC and rural West Virginia, finds people feel both hope and fear about patient-centered AI—especially when tools are rolled out “top-down” without patient input. Public Health—Cyclospora: Alabama reported 28 cyclosporiasis cases as the national outbreak investigation continues; in West Virginia, Taco Bell-linked iceberg lettuce remains central, but the FDA says a key lab test was a false positive, adding uncertainty even as recalls stay in place. Food Safety—What to do: A UMaine food safety expert says standard hygiene and cross-contamination prevention help reduce Cyclospora risk, even though the parasite’s spread is hard to trace. Road Safety: After a fatal I-77 crash in Jackson County, the sheriff is urging cable barriers on a stretch that lacks them, arguing prevention could have changed the outcome. Local Tech/Industry: Helsing plans to build an HX-2 AI-enabled strike drone manufacturing plant in Martinsburg, targeting 2,000 drones per month at full rate. STEM & Jobs: Pratt & Whitney Canada won a $1B JPATS sustainment contract tied to PT6A-68 engine overhauls, highlighting its Bridgeport, WV workforce. Environment & Health: Canadian wildfire smoke and ozone are driving air quality alerts that include West Virginia.

Food Safety Update: The FDA says a Cyclospora test tied to Taylor Farms was a false positive after a re-review, with no confirmed positive sample results as of July 19—though Taylor Farms’ earlier voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce remains in play. Public Health: Cyclospora cases keep climbing nationwide, including Missouri’s fivefold jump to 216 reported infections in a week, as officials urge people to follow guidance on potentially affected produce. STEM in WV: Gov. Patrick Morrisey toured SpaceTrek, a two-week aerospace engineering camp for young women in Buckhannon, aimed at steering students toward STEM majors. Local Tech & Privacy: A Huntington man sued the city over a $2.1 million Flock Safety surveillance contract, alleging required procedures weren’t followed before approving AI-enabled cameras, drones, and gunshot detection. Energy Tech: Vireo Growth announced it will acquire cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, and retail assets from The Cannabist across five markets, including West Virginia, with deal value up to $35M. Air Quality: Canadian wildfire smoke continued to trigger air quality alerts across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, including parts of West Virginia.

STEM Outreach: Gov. Morrisey toured West Virginia Wesleyan’s SpaceTrek aerospace camp in Buckhannon, a free, two-week program for young women aimed at boosting interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Public Safety Tech & Privacy: A Huntington man sued the city over its $2.1 million Flock Safety surveillance contract, alleging required procedures weren’t followed before installing license plate readers, live cameras, drones, and gunshot-detection tech; the ACLU of West Virginia also moved to challenge the deal. Food Safety Crisis: Federal health officials linked a Cyclospora outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce supplied to some Taco Bell locations, with Taylor Farms removing Mexico-sourced product from distribution as cases climb across multiple states including West Virginia. Energy & Infrastructure Policy: The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee advanced the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act of 2026, with West Virginia’s Sen. Shelley Moore Capito highlighting funding for flood risk management, ecosystem restoration, and water-system cybersecurity. Wildfire Smoke: Canadian wildfire smoke continued to trigger air quality alerts across parts of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, including areas of West Virginia. Higher Ed Governance: Harrison County natives Hutson and Reynolds were re-elected to leadership roles on the WVU Board of Governors.

Food Safety Crisis: Federal health officials say shredded iceberg lettuce served at some Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia is linked to a growing Cyclospora outbreak, with Taylor Farms and Sysco pulling Mexico-sourced product from distribution and consumers urged to discard it. Public Health & Air Quality: Canadian wildfire smoke is triggering air quality alerts across a wide swath of the U.S., including West Virginia, with “very unhealthy” conditions reported in parts of the region. Energy Tech in WV: WVU’s RETI Consortium is set to receive up to $321M total to build energy security and grid resilience tech, including NSF-backed innovation work aimed at jobs and startups. Privacy & Surveillance: Huntington faces an ACLU lawsuit over its Flock Safety camera contract, raising questions about how the city approved the deal and what residents can expect from the technology. STEM & Local Innovation: WVU-led RETI and regional partners are also tied to broader energy and AI innovation efforts, while West Virginia students and teams keep scoring wins in engineering competitions. Housing Affordability: A new analysis flags West Virginia as one of the few states where homeownership remains within reach for middle-income earners.

Food Safety Alert: Federal health officials say shredded iceberg lettuce tied to Taylor Farms and served at some Taco Bell locations is the likely source of a fast-growing Cyclospora outbreak, with cases reported across Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia; Taylor Farms and Sysco moved to pull Mexico-sourced lettuce from distribution and consumers are being told to discard affected products. Public Health & Air Quality: Canadian wildfire smoke is triggering air quality alerts across a wide stretch of states including West Virginia, with officials warning of unhealthy conditions and haze that may linger into the weekend. Energy Tech: A WVU-led Resilient Energy Technology and Infrastructure (RETI) consortium was selected for a major NSF Regional Innovation Engines award, aiming to boost energy security and grid resilience with $321M total backing. Privacy & Local Tech: Huntington faces an ACLU-backed lawsuit over its approval of Flock Safety camera tech, raising questions about how the contract was handled and what residents will be recorded. STEM in WV: Vandalia Health CAMC Greenbrier Valley Medical Center installed a surgical robot to expand minimally invasive procedures, marking a new tech milestone for the region.

Food Safety Crisis: Federal health officials say shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell locations in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia is linked to a major Cyclospora outbreak, with more than 1,600 confirmed illnesses and hundreds of hospitalizations; Taylor Farms says it’s voluntarily removing the Mexico-sourced product after FDA traceback. Public Health & Air Quality: Canadian wildfire smoke continues to disrupt events across the U.S., with air alerts affecting outdoor plans and raising concerns for major gatherings. West Virginia Tech & Research: WVU leads the RETI Consortium, selected for a National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines award totaling up to $321M to boost energy security, AI, and grid resilience through startups and jobs. STEM in the Mountain State: Fairmont State hosted the ASCE Civil Engineering Student Championship where Western Kentucky University’s Concrete Canoe Team won first place. Local Tech & Privacy: Huntington faces an ACLU-backed lawsuit over its Flock Safety camera contract, arguing city procedures and public transparency were mishandled. Robotics in WV Schools: College of Southern Maryland’s Talons Robotics team honored advisors with flags flown over the Pentagon for mentorship and competition impact. Water Infrastructure: The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously advanced the WRDA 2026, with Capito highlighting cybersecurity and flood-risk work relevant to West Virginia.

Food Safety Watch: Federal health officials say shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia is linked to the Cyclospora outbreak, with CDC reporting 1,644 confirmed cases and Michigan already surpassing the prior national record; the FDA is tracing the supply chain and Taco Bell says it will pull the implicated lettuce from its network. Energy & Jobs: WVU leads the Resilient Energy Technology and Infrastructure (RETI) Consortium, winning up to $160M from the NSF over a decade plus $161M in partner support for a $321M push aimed at energy security, grid resilience, and new startups. Local Tech in Healthcare: Vandalia Health CAMC Greenbrier Valley Medical Center installs a surgical robot for minimally invasive urology, gynecology, thoracic, and general procedures. Civic Tech & Accountability: ACLU sues Huntington over a $2.1M Flock Safety surveillance contract, arguing the city moved too fast and didn’t follow required procedures. State Policy: West Virginia releases some TANF funds after an internal review, clearing programs including WV 211 and WVU Research Corp’s Healthy Families. Higher Ed Scrutiny: WVU’s Washington Center for Civics, Culture and Statesmanship faces questions after reports of extremely low enrollment.

Food Safety Alert: Federal investigators say shredded iceberg lettuce from a single supplier tied to Taco Bell is a likely source of the fast-growing cyclosporiasis outbreak, with cases reported in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia; Taco Bell has voluntarily pulled potentially impacted lettuce in select states while the CDC and FDA keep tracing the source. Public Health & Prevention: Health officials stress careful produce washing and cutting away damaged areas as the parasite’s symptoms can take days to appear and the outbreak is expected to continue through August. Local Tech & Privacy: Huntington’s $2.1 million Flock Safety surveillance contract is now facing an ACLU-WV lawsuit, with critics arguing the city didn’t follow required procedures and could expand AI-powered license plate and video monitoring. Energy Innovation: WVU-led RETI consortium work is set to begin after a major funding award aimed at boosting advanced manufacturing, AI, cybersecurity, and grid resilience across Appalachia. Healthcare Workforce: Gov. Morrisey announced $25M+ for prevention-focused rural health programs, including nutrition interventions and a statewide wellness referral technology platform. STEM Careers: Allison Hess Ralston became the first West Virginia recipient of the Knowles Teaching Fellowship, supporting early-career high school math and science teachers.

Energy & AI Funding: WVU-led Resilient Energy Technology and Infrastructure (RETI) Consortium has been awarded up to $321M to build an Appalachia energy innovation hub, with partners including Pitt and Carnegie Mellon and a focus on AI, grid security, advanced manufacturing, and jobs. Public Health: Investigators say shredded iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms—supplied to Taco Bell—is a potential source in the fast-growing cyclosporiasis outbreak, with CDC pointing to a likely link across Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Local Tech & Privacy: Huntington’s $2.1M Flock Safety surveillance contract is being challenged in court after an ACLU of West Virginia lawsuit, arguing the city didn’t follow required procedures and warning of expanded automated monitoring. Healthcare Policy & Data: The Senate rejected a Democratic push to end a Medicare AI prior-authorization pilot, keeping the debate over how AI shapes care decisions front and center. STEM & Community: Concord University’s Michelle Taylor will help guide community engagement for the RETI initiative, while the National Scout Jamboree returns to Fayette County next week with STEM programs for thousands of visitors.

Energy & Grid Investment: WVU leads the NSF’s $321M Resilient Energy Technology and Infrastructure (RETI) Consortium, a decade-long push with Pitt, Carnegie Mellon, and 60+ partners to modernize the grid, boost energy storage, and build AI-ready industrial tech. Defense Manufacturing: Gov. Morrisey says Helsing will invest $50M in Berkeley County to build its HX-2 AI strike drones, targeting at least 60 high-paying jobs. Public Power Debate: West Virginians packed a PSC comment session opposing a proposed Monongalia County gas-fired plant, warning about rising electric bills and pushing for alternatives. STEM for Kids: BridgeValley’s 2026 STEAM Academy runs July 20–24 for rising 5th–8th graders, with hands-on science and engineering activities plus scholarships. Health Alert — Cyclosporiasis: CDC-linked outbreaks of cyclosporiasis are rising; officials say cases in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky may be connected, with lettuce and leafy greens under scrutiny. Data Privacy & Enforcement: WVU Health System reached a $4.177M civil settlement with the U.S. attorney/DEA over controlled substance record-keeping and reporting violations. Genetic Testing Fallout: West Virginia attorneys general continue joining multistate 23andMe settlements tied to the 2023 genetic data breach.

Energy & Jobs: WVU leads the Resilient Energy Technology and Infrastructure (RETI) consortium with Pitt and Carnegie Mellon, landing up to $321M total (NSF + partners) to build energy and grid resilience over the next decade, with projections of major job and startup growth. Broadband: West Virginia BEAD projects are moving forward as ISPs work through federal environmental permitting, with $545.6M already awarded to connect 73,000 locations. Manufacturing & Trade: A Japanese business delegation toured Wood County industrial sites, including the Polymer Alliance Zone and WVU Parkersburg’s tech hub, as part of an economic development push. Public Health: Cyclosporiasis cases tied to produce continue to surge nationwide; federal and state officials say the count could keep rising through August while FDA traces likely items, with West Virginia among states in a linked cluster. Food Safety: Health agencies and retailers are responding to the outbreak as investigations focus on lettuce and other salad-related products. Legal/Privacy Tech: West Virginia’s legal landscape intersects with tech and data as AGs announce multistate settlements tied to the 23andMe genetic data breach, including state payouts. STEM/Research Funding: NSF also named new university-led Regional Innovation Engines, adding more research and commercialization momentum for critical technologies. Education Policy: Fayette County school leaders say school choice options and the Hope Scholarship are pulling students from public schools, affecting funding and staffing. Sports Policy: The Supreme Court upheld state limits on biological males in women’s sports, leaving some questions open for future fights.