AI & Power Grid: The U.S. Department of Energy used a wartime-era Federal Power Act emergency order for the third time this year to force AI data centers in the PJM grid to switch to diesel backup within 15 minutes, as heat-driven demand and data-center load strain reliability. Public Health: Vermont is seeing a tick season that officials call a “new normal,” with ER and urgent care visits for tick bites running above the 2017–2025 average and researchers linking the rise to climate and more tick-human contact. Local Environment & Wildlife: A Vermont Institute of Natural Science eagle cam continues to draw big attention, while a separate report highlights “zombie flies” as a likely cause behind “dead bee” sightings in Vermont and beyond. Transportation & Energy Infrastructure: Vermont Agency of Transportation is seeking EV charging providers to expand public charging along key routes. Workforce & Construction Tech: AGC Vermont’s Leadership Academy, backed by Northfield Savings Bank Foundation and paired with Vermont Works for Women, aims to train future construction leaders with hands-on, leadership-focused programming. Military Tech: BAE delivered 19 cold-weather tracked vehicles, including the first for the Vermont National Guard’s Army Mountain Warfare School. Health Policy: ACA enrollment is dropping as enhanced subsidies expire and premiums jump, with millions leaving coverage. Online Safety Policy: New guidance and debate are expanding children’s online privacy rules beyond data collection toward online safety and AI-generated imagery.