Education & STEM Pathways: Range Cooperatives and Virginia Coop Credit Union named scholarship recipients for 2026–2027, including students studying biology, computer science/physics, and other STEM-adjacent fields. Student Housing & Workforce: Minnesota’s “student-built homes” program expands, with Elk River Area Public Schools partnering with Central Minnesota Habitat for Humanity to teach house construction in 2026–27. AI & Inflation Watch: As oil eases, investors are watching AI infrastructure spending—hyperscalers’ chip and data-center buildouts are starting to ripple through prices and hiring. Healthcare Quality: Essentia Health-Virginia earned a four-star CMS hospital quality rating, alongside an emergency department expansion. Mining & Jobs: Mesabi Metallics launched a major hiring push for operator roles as Minnesota’s next-generation iron ore mine and pellet plant moves toward full operations. Water & Lake Science: Fairmont is funding a yearlong MSU-Mankato study of its chain of lakes to build better baseline data for lake health. Local Environment & Recreation: Lake Minnetonka leaders are bracing for starry stonewort, emphasizing early detection and prevention. Public Safety Training: Minnesota’s Wildfire Academy is underway in Grand Rapids, training hundreds of firefighters to national standards. Policy & Permitting: Monticello adopted a data center planned unit development zoning framework and an AUAR that lays out potential impacts—while residents and advocates continue to challenge the process.