Workforce & SkillsUSA: Catoctin High School student Tanner Shorb won a Silver Medal in welding at the SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference in Atlanta, after taking gold at Maryland states. Health Systems: UPMC Western Maryland Center for Breast Care earned American College of Surgeons accreditation, meeting standards across clinical care, research, outreach, education and quality improvement. Brain Health Research: A new study links optimal midlife vascular health (no diabetes, hypertension, or smoking) to up to ~12.6 extra years of dementia-free survival, using data from adults followed for decades across several states including Maryland. Public Health & Newborn Care: Reuters reports vitamin K shot refusals for newborns jumped more than 57% from January through June, raising risk of severe bleeding. Maryland Tech & Tax: Maryland’s new IT services tax is bringing in far less than expected; one Frederick firm says it’s adding about $15,000 a month in costs and cutting some cybersecurity services. Defense Tech: The Army moved its TITAN targeting platform into production, awarding $192M to Palantir and Anduril for delivery orders. Energy Resilience: The Army’s Janus program selected vendors and sites for nuclear microreactors on bases to reduce dependence on vulnerable grids. Space: NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launched from Florida, built to map dark energy/dark matter and survey the universe. Local Safety: Columbia Association’s aqua mower capsized at Lake Kittamaqundi; staff are safe and an investigation is underway.