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.