Cybersecurity & Identity Theft: A dark-web claim says 153 million driver’s license records were sold, prompting renewed FBI attention to identity theft risks. Public Safety Tech: Fairfax County may restore dedicated high school crossing guards after budget cuts, using carryover funding while reviewing safety needs. Food & Culture Research: A University of Virginia-linked study reports rice eaters show different relationship and conflict patterns than wheat eaters, tying behavior to regional farming histories. Benefits Modernization: Virginia is rolling out “chip-and-tap” SNAP/EBT cards between September and December to reduce skimming and cloning losses. AI & Power Infrastructure: Grid operator MISO is proposing new reliability rules for data centers and other large electricity users, targeting “computational loads” over 25 MW of IT demand. STEM Innovation in Virginia: Virginia Tech researchers report converting hard-to-recycle PVC into high-performance synthetic oil, aiming to improve recycling and upcycling. Marine Science: Old Dominion University researchers say a harmful algae bloom has spread across Hampton Roads waters, with satellite tracking and ongoing monitoring. AI Infrastructure Financing: Nvidia and Digital Realty’s AI-factory push faces a funding test as new capital and grid-flexibility requirements collide. STEM Breakthrough: Janelia researchers unveiled WHOLISTIC, a system to record near-whole-body cellular activity in living vertebrates at once.