Construction & Sports: PC Construction’s Shawn Walsh Hockey Center and Harold Alfond Arena renovation just earned a third big industry award, including the CMAA New England Mark H. Hasso Project of the Year, after earlier MEREDA and AGC Build Maine honors. Cyber Defense: A new CSIS report argues the U.S. could stand up a dedicated cyber service branch by 2028, outlining a path to build a force of roughly 30,000 people. Maine Politics (Tech & Policy Angle): Maine Democrats picked physician Nirav Shah in the gubernatorial primary race, while Graham Platner won the Senate nomination—setting up a high-stakes matchup with Susan Collins amid fresh controversy. Marine Conservation: A Maine right-whale lobster rule pause is set to expire soon; a proposal would extend it again, with critics warning it sidesteps federal protections while entanglement risks persist. Health Care: MaineHealth Pharmacy opens its first Portland retail storefront, aiming to bring hospital-level pharmacy care, vaccinations, and MyChart-connected refills to the public. STEM in Schools: New Maine DOE science results show county-by-county proficiency snapshots, including higher-than-state-average male science proficiency in Kennebec County. Privacy & Surveillance: Auburn lawmakers are pushing to ban AI-powered Flock cameras, citing privacy concerns even as police say the tech helps solve crimes. Ancient DNA Science: Researchers used environmental DNA from 700,000-year-old squirrel poop to reconstruct Ice Age ecosystems—an unusual new tool for studying deep time.