AGP Executive Report

Recovery-Friendly Workplaces: Gov. Wes Moore signed an executive order making Maryland a recovery-friendly workplace, requiring state agencies to train staff on substance use disorders, treatment, and overdose response. Public Health Data Fight: The CDC’s latest measles update again omitted two Pennsylvania deaths, after a dispute involving HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CDC leadership over how the cases should be counted. Animal Cruelty Case: Hurlock horse farmers accused of neglect and cruelty have had their case moved to Dorchester County Circuit Court. Legacy IT Resilience: A new piece looks at how organizations can improve resiliency in aging IT environments as cyberattacks and outages stress recovery plans. Healthcare & Community Support: Partners In Care Maryland added four community leaders to its advisory board to support older adults aging in place. AI in Government: CMS is shifting its AI strategy from tracking usage to measuring outcomes. IRS Tech Funding: A watchdog report says the IRS has spent about two-thirds of its Inflation Reduction Act tech and operations money, with billions still available. Regenerative Farming in Maryland: DNR opened 111 acres for regenerative farming leases, marking the first such lease on state-owned land. Baltimore Public Safety Training: Baltimore police officers graduated from a new Basic Investigators course focused on crime scene work, interviews, and courtroom testimony. Navy AI Maritime Monitoring: Vantor will help the U.S. Navy “fingerprint” dark fleets in the Pacific using AI-enabled maritime monitoring. Mail Voting Block Extended: AG Rob Bonta secured longer-term relief blocking USPS changes to mail voting through the November elections. Local Tech/Privacy: Verizon privacy counsel discussed how privacy assessments and children’s privacy DPIAs are operationalized alongside AI and consent design.

Maternal Health Playbook: Milwaukee is borrowing Baltimore’s “B’More for Healthy Babies” approach to cut Black infant mortality, aiming to fold key elements into a new maternal and child health plan. Energy Efficiency Watch: Maryland regulators are weighing how much to shrink EmPOWER Maryland, with utilities proposing deeper cuts that could lower bills but may raise future grid costs. Cybersecurity in Healthcare: Anne Arundel Medical Center and other hospitals in the region faced disruptions tied to cyberattacks, highlighting ongoing risks to patient care systems. Space Science: Maryland-linked researchers say the “no-heat” logic that constrained dark photon searches was flawed, reopening parts of the dark matter parameter space. Wearable Health Tech: A University of Maryland-linked smart underwear concept tracks flatulence to help study how diet and gut microbes affect digestive health. Climate Impacts: Maryland reported 59 heat deaths so far this summer, the deadliest on record, as officials and researchers look for why the spike hit so hard. Privacy & Policing: A Virginia case challenges “reverse-keyword” Google warrants, raising Fourth Amendment concerns about searching people via search data. STEM & Education: NPR is running a public radio immersion day for HBCU students, bringing hands-on media experience to Bowie State, Howard, and Morgan State.

Maryland AI for development: Gov. Wes Moore’s administration launched the expanded Maryland Community Compass, now powered with Anthropic, giving developers a free way to explore neighborhood funding options and parcel-level zoning/build potential. Transportation planning: MDOT released a $21.9B draft transportation plan (FY27-32) that keeps the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild and Martin State Airport improvements front and center. Power and data centers: NextEra made the case for the Mid-Atlantic Resiliency Link (MARL), a proposed 500-kV line aimed at supporting reliability as data centers and AI drive faster electricity demand. Cyber policy: The Assistant Secretary of War for Cyber Policy visited Marines at Fort Meade to discuss CYBERCOM 2.0 and cyber-force priorities. STEM education: Montgomery College added an animation A.F.A. and a career-focused animation certificate to feed Maryland’s digital media and creative tech workforce. Space science: NASA confirmed a new Saturn south-pole atmospheric decagon, with a principal investigator at NASA Goddard in Greenbelt. Regional rail: Delaware is studying a passenger rail “Diamond State Line” that could connect to Maryland communities.

Space & Research: NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy toward the Sun-Earth L2 point, beginning a three-month, million-mile journey to map the universe’s deepest mysteries. Biotech & Business: Clene will present at major September investor conferences, highlighting its late-stage mitochondrial-focused neurodegenerative pipeline. Health Policy: A Reuters report says U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. asked the CDC to remove references to two Pennsylvania measles deaths from the agency’s online tally, after a dispute over whether measles contributed to the fatalities. Cyber & Security: A Maryland neurotechnology firm, Evon Medics, is relaunching its MemoryDriver navigation app with a national “Beat the Clock” challenge. Energy & Regulation: Maryland regulators are weighing how much to cut EmPOWER Maryland, the state’s energy-efficiency program, as utilities propose changes that could affect bills starting in January. Public Safety Tech: Montgomery County officials defended automated license plate readers as a key police tool while addressing privacy concerns. AI Backlash: Across the U.S., Republicans are increasingly challenging data-center expansion amid local opposition, while a new pro-AI advertising push tries to blunt the backlash.

Cybersecurity in Maryland Health Care: Luminis Health says a cyberattack disrupted systems at Anne Arundel Medical Center and Doctors Community Medical Center, forcing rerouted ambulances and delayed care. Local Tech Governance: Baltimore County Council members want to extend the county’s data center pause to Dec. 2027, arguing residents need more time to weigh land-use and utility impacts. Maryland Research & Infrastructure: Maryland DNR contracted Lyman-Morse Workboats for a 59-foot aluminum research vessel to support year-round Chesapeake Bay and near-coastal Atlantic field work. STEM & Innovation: UMD researchers turned crab-shell-derived chitosan into a zinc battery electrolyte, reporting 1,000 cycles with near-total energy efficiency in lab tests. Space Science: NASA’s Hubble spotted a new, evolving 10-sided atmospheric wave around Saturn’s south pole, offering a rare look at a developing jet pattern. Energy Policy Debate: A U.S. House hearing focused on how state and local natural gas bans raise costs and strain electric grids. Education & Tech Outreach: Rep. Jamie Raskin promoted Maryland students’ participation in the Congressional App Challenge.

Federal Funding: The U.S. House passed a stopgap spending bill extending funding through Dec. 11, averting a shutdown and kicking the can to full-year budget talks. AI & Security: The NSA says it wants access to all commercial AI models, while the Philippines is already using AI to strengthen anti–money laundering work. Biotech/Health: United Therapeutics said the FDA accepted its supplemental application for nebulized Tyvaso to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, with review expected by late April 2027. Cancer Tech: QUB researchers reported a dissolvable, 3D-printed microneedle patch delivering two drugs for localized skin cancer. Maryland Education: Towson University tuition rose for 2026-27 as the University System of Maryland works to offset reduced state funding. Maryland Industry/Defense: General Dynamics delivered the Wolf XM30 prototype to the U.S. Army at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, with design details still concealed. Maryland Environment: A look back at a 1991 Conowingo Dam fish lift shows how hard it is to hit restoration targets. Local Business/Community: Charles County Charitable Trust awarded $1.5M across 57 nonprofits supporting residents.

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.

Biotech & Health Equity: GeneDx CEO Katherine Stueland was named a 2026 Fierce 50 honoree for Health Equity, highlighting how genomic diagnosis is moving into mainstream care. AI in Medicine: A study finds an AI tool detects hepatic steatosis on routine noncontrast CT scans far more often than what radiology reports document—suggesting “no mention” shouldn’t be read as “no condition.” Healthcare Access Gap: New research says nearly 1 in 3 young women (21–29) in 2023 have never had cervical cancer screening, up sharply from 2005. Maryland Tech & Security Updates: UMD is rolling out device and account changes tied to multi-factor authentication, campus Wi‑Fi reconnecting, and Zoom updates. Defense Tech: The U.S. Navy awarded Textron Systems $15.47M for sea-based unmanned aircraft intelligence missions, with work managed through Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River. Climate & Weather Tech: KBR won NOAA’s National Mesonet Program contract to expand extreme-storm and severe-weather forecasting data, with program management in Greenbelt. Energy & Data Centers: Maryland’s Office of People’s Counsel challenges PJM’s plan to buy extra capacity tied to projected data center growth, warning of major ratepayer cost risk. Space Tech (Maryland-built): NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launched from Florida after being assembled in Maryland, aiming to map dark energy and dark matter. Environment & Biosecurity: Beech leaf disease is spreading across Maryland, threatening beech trees over the next decade.

NASA & Maryland Industry: The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launched Sunday on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, with major assembly work tied to Maryland and science operations led through Caltech/JPL—aimed at mapping dark energy, dark matter, and exoplanets. Space Policy: Trump signed an executive order creating a U.S. Space Academy, setting up a commission to shape training for astronauts and space-focused careers. AI & Energy Costs: A new report contrasts New Jersey’s data-center rate protections (to keep grid upgrade costs off other customers) with broader “AI power” pressure on utilities. Local Tech vs Data Centers: Maryland tech leaders warn county bans and delays could throttle compute availability as demand grows. Cyber/Defense GenAI: The Pentagon’s GenAI.mil portal now lets approved users access multiple commercial models, including OpenAI and Grok, for mission use. Public Health Research: Two USDA Cyclospora projects are being shut down or relocated as cases surge past 17,000, raising concerns about future outbreak tracking. Consumer/Data Privacy: The FTC and 22 states sued Amazon over alleged hidden ad surcharges; Consumer Reports backs California’s move to curb sale of sensitive personal data. Community Solar: Somerset County’s proposed 2.25-megawatt solar project draws mixed neighbor reactions during a Maryland PSC review. Surveillance Backlash: More jurisdictions are ending contracts with Flock Safety cameras after public pushback.

Space Science: NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has launched on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy and begun a three-month, million-mile trip to its final orbit, with ground controllers at NASA’s Goddard in Greenbelt receiving telemetry soon after liftoff; the mission will use wide-field infrared vision to probe dark matter, dark energy, and exoplanets. Maryland Tech & Policy: A Patuxent Partnership speaker series from the University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland will tackle how businesses can adapt to rapidly changing government procurement and technology practices. Local Infrastructure: Emmitsburg won a $2.779 million USDA loan to replace a critical Main Street water line, part of broader rural water and wastewater upgrades. Labor & Public Services: Charles County library workers ratified their first collective bargaining agreement with a 90% yes vote, aiming for better wages, conditions, and protections. Education & Skills: Cursive is returning to all second- and third-grade classrooms in Baltimore and Harford counties, as districts expand handwriting instruction. Health Research: Politico reports USDA is shelving cyclospora research projects amid funding cuts and relocations, raising concerns for parasite science continuity. Tech & Industry: Samsung Biologics published the tender offer prospectus for PolyPeptide, setting up a major biotech deal with a stated cash price and timeline.

Space Science: NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launched Sunday on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, heading to Lagrange Point 2 to map the cosmos and probe dark energy, dark matter, gravity, and exoplanets, with first images expected in early 2027. Maryland Tech & Research: A NASA–University of Maryland study suggests some Earth microbes could survive in permanently shaded lunar south-pole regions, raising contamination concerns as Artemis missions plan longer stays. Food Safety & Federal Science Funding: The Trump administration is shuttering two of three USDA cyclospora research projects; the remaining effort is set to move from Maryland to Iowa, but scientists reportedly won’t relocate, even as outbreaks sickened thousands. AI in Schools (Local): Virginia Beach schools signed a deal with OpenAI for a more secure, staff-only ChatGPT version, joining other districts including Baltimore in using AI under tighter controls. STEM Policy & Access: A federal court ruling lets an Asian-American college admissions lawsuit proceed into discovery, potentially opening the door to internal admissions data. Community & Culture: A new Gloucester mural exhibit, “Six Scenes, One Place,” uses art and artifacts to tell local history, including Native American, Revolutionary War, and plantation-era stories.

Space & Astronomy: NASA launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from Kennedy Space Center on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, aiming to map dark energy/dark matter, test gravity, and hunt exoplanets; mission leaders say Roman will survey the sky far faster than Hubble and push data delivery into a cloud-based workflow. Maryland Research & Health Tech: UMD researchers developed a diabetes complications risk calculator that updates predictions month-by-month using routine clinical data, aiming to flag likely heart, kidney, nerve, and vision problems earlier. Biodefense Docs: New documents describe an interagency CIA–NIH/NIAID arrangement during Fauci’s tenure focused on “forensic microbiology” for bioterrorism threats, raising fresh questions about intelligence links to civilian research. STEM Education in Southern Maryland: College of Southern Maryland’s Early College program is helping Charles and Calvert County high school students earn credits and associate degrees while still in school. Local Tech & Infrastructure: Woodsboro approved hiring a leak-detection firm to find issues in town water lines, tied to meeting state water capacity requirements.

NIH–CIA Biodefense Ties: New documents claim Anthony Fauci’s NIAID helped “cover” CIA bioterrorism work, including CIA-funded “forensic microbiology” using civilian virus research. Space Tech in Maryland: NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set to launch, with Baltimore’s Space Telescope Science Institute leading science operations as Roman streams about 1.4 terabytes of data daily into a cloud-based workflow that could broaden who can do astronomy. Health AI for Marylanders: Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine built a Diabetes Complication Risk Calculator that updates a patient’s risk month-by-month using routine clinical data. Maryland Education: A Bethesda teacher returned to Little Flower School to start first grade, highlighting local STEM/education pathways. Chesapeake Bay Fishing: Maryland DNR’s striped bass closure ends Aug. 31, reopening targeting with up to $2,000 fines for violations. Local Innovation: Harford County will host a free “Buying a Business 101” workshop Sept. 10 at the CONVERGE Innovation Center in Aberdeen.

Space & Research: NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set to launch from Florida after surviving proposed budget cuts, with Maryland-based clean-room work at Goddard in Greenbelt helping ready the mission to hunt exoplanets and probe dark energy and dark matter. STEM & Health: UMD stroke rehabilitation specialists helped craft new guidelines for precision rehab studies that track molecular biomarkers alongside recovery over time, aiming to match the right therapy to the right patient. AI & Governance: Cities are turning to AI to speed housing permitting by catching incomplete applications earlier, while the federal government backs the push with an Innovation Fund and grants for automated building-code review. Defense Tech: The Army is set to field a first batch of Spectrum Situational Awareness Systems at Aberdeen Proving Ground to help units detect their own emissions and reduce targeting risk. Maryland Community & Culture: ShoreRivers announced its Eastern Shore photo contest (Sept. 1–Oct. 31) focused on river beauty and resilience, and a West Baltimore shed project is turning into a community space for art, markets, and hands-on STEM. Policy & Society: A new report warns AI-powered policing can erode public trust, and a U.S. consumer sentiment drop of about 11% highlights ongoing inflation pressure.

Precision Rehab in Stroke: A University of Maryland School of Medicine team helped develop new international guidelines for large studies that track blood-based molecular biomarkers alongside detailed recovery measurements over time, aiming to move stroke rehab toward more personalized, precision approaches. Maryland Power Costs: Gov. Moore praised a Maryland Public Service Commission ruling blocking Pepco from raising rates to cover “imprudent” infrastructure spending, with the decision disallowing a major substation investment and lowering the approved rate of return. Healthcare & Cancer Tech: 20/20 BioLabs (Gaithersburg) rescheduled an investor webinar to Sept. 2 to discuss OneTest™ results and commercial expansion, while Maryland Oncology Hematology expanded by partnering with GW Medical Faculty Associates Oncology & Hematology in Washington, D.C. Diabetes Risk Tool: UMSOM researchers validated a new risk tool to estimate a diabetes patient’s likelihood of developing complications and update estimates as new data arrives. Military Spectrum Safety: At Aberdeen Proving Ground, the Army said it will soon deliver early batches of a Spectrum Situational Awareness system to help units detect their own emissions and reduce targeting risk. Data Center Backlash: A Chesapeake Bay Journal report highlights growing local opposition to data centers, including bans and moratoriums driven by concerns about water use, pollution, and grid strain. Space Honors: Cockeysville native Reid Wiseman and the Artemis II crew received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, alongside plans announced for a U.S. Space Academy.

Space Science: NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set for launch, promising a long-term complement to Hubble and Webb as it targets dark energy, dark matter, and exoplanets. Local Tech & Policy: Baltimore’s Planning Commission held a heated hearing on new rules for data centers as a city moratorium nears its end, with residents warning about pollution and traffic and developers pushing for clearer pathways. AI in the Courts: Maryland lawyers are dealing with AI “hallucinations” that can slip into filings, driving demand for new legal tools that flag fake or incorrect citations before judges see them. STEM Education & Workforce: College of Southern Maryland expanded a mentorship program pairing students with working professionals, aiming to close job-hunting and networking gaps for fields like cybersecurity. Public Health: UMES reported a rabies-positive bat on campus and urged precautions for anyone potentially exposed. Environment & Community: Earth Funeral’s composting approach is moving forward in Maryland, raising neighbor questions about land use and how remains are handled.