Maine Education & Food Systems: Old Orchard Beach School District is using Gulf of Maine Research Institute know-how to serve more local, sustainable seafood—then tackling the “how do we get kids to eat it?” problem with hands-on prep and even cafeteria posters. Public Health & Safety: A University of Maine study finds consumers would pay a premium for lobster caught with ropeless gear to reduce whale entanglement risk, even as Maine lobstermen debate safety and practicality. Cyber & AI Governance: A national push is growing to define how AI chatbots should be regulated for kids, while the cyber workforce at CISA remains short-staffed. Privacy Policy Clash: Hawaiʻi’s consumer office joined a coalition opposing the SECURE Data Act, arguing it would cap and preempt stronger state privacy protections. Local Tech Backlash: Opposition to data centers is surging, with activists blocking or delaying major projects nationwide over power, water, and noise concerns. Maine Community Spotlight: An Aroostook Girl Scout earned the Girl Scout Gold Award with a project that also won college credit through a partnership with Central Maine Community College. Science & Engineering Spotlight: The America 250 time capsule is sealed for burial in 2026, with NIST describing the engineering focus on keeping contents dry for 250 years.