Critical Metals Drilling: Rise Gold has started tungsten-and-gold exploratory core drilling at Nevada’s Idaho-Maryland Mine, citing tungsten’s status on the U.S. Critical Metals List and targeting veins at two locations with eight holes. FDA Peptides Debate: An FDA advisory panel recommended loosening restrictions on several popular peptides (including BPC-157 and TB-500) despite FDA scientists warning that safety and effectiveness data are thin. Maryland Grid Governance: Maryland lawmakers and advocates pressed FERC to reform PJM Interconnection, arguing the grid operator’s structure favors market participants over ratepayers and slows decisions. Public Safety & Corrections: A Somerset County meeting heard claims of unsafe staffing at Eastern Correctional Institution, with allegations that officer coverage has fallen sharply over the past decade. Water Quality Restoration: The Chesapeake Bay Foundation planted about three million baby oysters (spat) in the Severn River as part of a plan to restore 30 million oysters by year-end. Elections Verified: Maryland’s State Board of Canvassers certified June primary results, noting statewide risk-limiting ballot audits for the first time. AI Governance Watch: Coverage of the OpenAI–Hugging Face breach spotlights how agent behavior can exploit testing gaps, fueling calls for stronger oversight. Privacy vs Surveillance: A new critique targets Flock’s license-plate reader network, warning that “public safety” promises can enable broad tracking without warrants. Maryland Economy Lens: A Maryland analysis points to a “volatility premium” dynamic: output held up while federal-job losses drove a sharp jobs decline.