AGP Executive Report

AI & Housing Costs: New Hampshire renters are seeing rent set by AI “revenue management” software, with one Portsmouth-area case tied to algorithmic pricing that can swing lease terms dramatically. Privacy & Surveillance Tech: WMUR reports New Hampshire’s stricter privacy rules have slowed adoption of Flock license-plate cameras, including limits on how long data can be kept. Workforce & Training: UNH won a $250,000 federal grant to build highway construction workforce training, while Stay Work Play NH launched a pilot internship program to keep young talent in-state. Healthcare Access: A Northeast Kingdom report highlights how long travel and specialist shortages still delay care for rural patients. Blood Safety Research: Dartmouth researchers report higher allergic transfusion reaction rates in alpha-gal syndrome regions when non-O plasma/platelets are used. Energy & Infrastructure: Federal filings suggest a potential large data center in Bow, while Derry’s capped landfill solar project is now online. STEM in Schools: Safe Schools NH is expanding online behavioral health counseling pilots with student-led rollout.

AI & Housing Costs: Portsmouth-area renters say AI “revenue management” is driving big rent swings, after one lease renewal offered multiple month-to-month terms and a 12-month rate far below shorter options. Privacy Tech: New Hampshire’s stricter privacy rules appear to limit adoption of Flock license-plate cameras, including faster data purging requirements, even as the tech spreads elsewhere. Workforce Training: UNH won a $250,000 federal grant to build a highway construction workforce pipeline for adults and high school students amid persistent labor shortages. Clean Energy: Encore RE’s 2.25-MW solar array is now online atop a capped Derry landfill, aiming to cut Derry’s electricity costs by an estimated $4M over 25 years. Education & Mental Health: Safe Schools New Hampshire is funding three years of online behavioral counseling for students in five districts, with students helping roll it out to peers. STEM Education: North Light AI and UNH Professional Development & Training launched an asynchronous AI certificate for K–12 educators. Data Centers Watch: Bow officials and state filings suggest talks about a potential large data center, while Gov. Kelly Ayotte backs a moratorium.

Public Safety Review: Providence released an independent PERF review of its response to the Brown University shooting, praising overall speed and professionalism while flagging communication gaps for future incidents. AI in Education: North Light AI and UNH Professional Development & Training launched a new asynchronous AI certificate for K–12 educators focused on judgment, assessment, and responsible classroom decisions. Tech & Industry Expansion: Caliber acquired Key Collision, expanding collision-repair services into Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. LED/AV Business Growth: INFiLED appointed UC Technology Partners as its Northeast representative, including New Hampshire, to expand sales of LED display and production systems. Housing Permitting Tech: Cities are turning to AI to speed up housing applications by catching incomplete submissions, supported by new federal funding for “innovation” in permitting. Surveillance Tech Pushback: A growing national debate continues over automated license plate readers and Flock cameras, with multiple states moving to restrict or remove them. Energy Infrastructure: Maine approved funding for a major new transmission line to bring onshore wind power into New England, including New Hampshire’s region. STEM History Spotlight: Multiple pieces highlighted that the term “artificial intelligence” was coined in 1955 at Dartmouth in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Physical AI & housing: Reframe Systems raised $40M to scale its robotics-enabled microfactory homebuilding network across New England and beyond. Energy & infrastructure: Maine regulators approved a new 1,200-megawatt transmission line from Aroostook County to the regional grid, paired with an 800-megawatt onshore wind project—costs shared by several New England states. Privacy tech pushback: Florida ordered removal of automated license plate readers from state rights-of-way, citing misuse and surveillance-state concerns; New Hampshire’s faster data-purge rules are referenced as a model. Local STEM & environment: UNH research highlights how warming soils may be shifting how northern forests absorb and release carbon, using decades of Bartlett Experimental Forest data. Public safety tech: Nashua is weighing a $5.7M Axon upgrade that would add drone capabilities for faster first response. Wildlife incident: Lebanon police reported an unprovoked fisher attack, prompting caution near wooded areas. Health & food safety: Lundberg Family Farms recalled 27,000+ packages of jasmine rice distributed to New Hampshire. STEM-adjacent learning: A Minot-Sleeper Library workshop will teach fall perennial division with UNH Extension Master Gardener guidance.

New Hampshire STEM Spotlight: Public safety tech: Nashua is weighing a $5.7M, 5-year contract to upgrade its police camera and evidence systems, with a “drone-as-first-responder” setup using docked autonomous drones to expand aerial coverage. Campus science safety: MIT says a graduate student’s reported synthesis of dimethyl mercury led to temporary building closures and decontamination, with later updates raising questions about whether the compound was actually made. Research & health transparency: A KFF Health News report finds a $50B rural healthcare transformation program is moving fast but not sharing enough details for meaningful oversight, raising fraud and “what works” concerns. Energy engineering: Maine’s regulators revived a major Aroostook County wind transmission plan, handing construction to Avangrid and reigniting political fights over cost and benefits. STEM in the community: Kearsarge alum Arden Rossi will represent Team USA at the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships in Italy, studying biotechnology and mathematics.

Campus Safety & Tech: Brown University’s external review of the Dec. 2025 mass shooting says it’s “highly unlikely” the attack could have been prevented, but flags staffing and security gaps and recommends stronger emergency coordination and preparedness. Public Safety Systems: Providence’s follow-up work on the Brown response points to faster action but also disconnected cameras and communications, with Brown moving toward an activation-based link to Providence’s Real Time Crime Center under privacy controls. Toxic Chemistry Incident: MIT is running specialized decontamination after a graduate student reported synthesizing dimethyl mercury; the school says the compound’s risk is severe, and it’s rechecking whether it was actually made. NH STEM Talent: Kearsarge alum Arden Rossi will represent Team USA at the 2026 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships in Italy, studying biotechnology and mathematics. Energy Policy (Regional): Massachusetts plans a Sept. 30 summit with New England governors to explore advanced nuclear and fusion options to lower electric bills, including support for Seabrook and Millstone. Wildlife Science: Scientists confirm swallow-tailed kites are breeding on Cape Cod for the first time, a milestone for tracking shifting habitats.

AI & Housing Permitting: Massachusetts is convening New England governors to discuss whether advanced nuclear and fusion (plus existing nuclear) can lower electric bills, while cities elsewhere are turning to AI to speed up housing approvals by catching incomplete applications before they bog down review cycles. Energy Policy: The Massachusetts summit is set for Sept. 30 at UMass Lowell and builds on a March regional agreement to plan together for reliable, affordable power. STEM Education: Lakes Region Community College and MIT launched a four-week “Gateway to AI” pilot for 16 New Hampshire high school students, aiming to expand hands-on AI math access in rural areas. Public Safety Tech & Privacy: New Hampshire’s debate over license-plate reader cameras continues, with coverage of how Flock-style systems work and why towns are pushing for tighter controls. Health Research: Dartmouth Health and Geisel received an $11.8M federal grant to study rural health-care access for older adults with serious illness. Environment & Wildlife: Scientists confirmed swallow-tailed kites breeding on Cape Cod, and New Englanders are increasingly eating invasive green crabs to reduce ecological damage.

AI for housing permitting: Lebanon, NH-area cities are turning to AI to speed up housing approvals by catching incomplete applications earlier, with new federal funding and grants aimed at automated building code permitting—keeping final decisions with humans. STEM education pipeline: Lakes Region Community College and MIT launched a “Gateway to AI” pilot for 16 New Hampshire high school students, bringing rural teens hands-on math and AI problem-solving. Energy policy: Massachusetts is convening a New England summit on advanced nuclear and fusion to help lower electric bills, with Seabrook Station in NH part of the regional nuclear picture. Climate & snow research: UVM leads a $3.3M NSF-funded effort to study northern New England snowpack and its effects on water, flooding, and the winter economy, with UNH as a key collaborator. Public safety tech debate: New Hampshire’s Flock license-plate reader rollout is drawing privacy scrutiny as other states tighten rules and require more oversight. Health research: Dartmouth Health and Geisel secured millions to study rural access to care for older adults with serious illness. Local environment: New Hampshire-linked reporting highlights invasive green crabs being turned into premium food products, including in the region.

Energy Policy: Massachusetts is convening New England governors Sept. 30 at UMass Lowell to assess whether advanced nuclear and fusion can cut electricity bills, building on a March regional agreement that includes support for Seabrook Station in NH and Millstone in CT. AI & Housing Permitting: Cities are turning to AI to speed up housing applications by catching incomplete forms and errors, backed by a new federal Innovation Fund and HUD grants for automated building-code permitting systems. STEM Education: Lakes Region Community College and MIT launched a four-week “Gateway to AI” pilot for 16 NH high school students, aiming to expand advanced math and hands-on AI access in rural areas. Public Safety Tech: After-action reviews of the Dec. 13, 2025 Brown University shooting say Providence responders acted quickly, but camera and communications gaps slowed follow-up; Brown is moving toward an activation-based link with Providence’s Real Time Crime Center. Wildlife & Invasives: NH Fish and Game notes rabbit booms around Concord likely reflect shifting predator pressure and abundant food; meanwhile, “creeping Jenny” is a prohibited invasive, and the recommended removal is hand-pulling/digging or smothering with tarp or layered cardboard and mulch. Rural Research: Dartmouth Health and Geisel secured $11.8M to study rural access to care for older adults with serious illness.

AI Education: MIT and Lakes Region Community College launched a four-week “Gateway to AI” pilot for 16 New Hampshire high school students, aiming to boost advanced math access in rural communities. Rural Health Research: Dartmouth Health and Geisel secured an $11.8M federal grant to study rural access to care for older adults with serious illness. Snow Science: UVM leads an NSF-funded $3.3M regional effort (with UNH as a primary collaborator) to improve northern New England snowpack modeling and understand impacts on water, flooding, and the winter economy. Public Safety Tech & Privacy: Coverage highlights growing backlash over Flock automated license-plate readers, with New Hampshire’s strict data-retention rules and calls for local approval before fixed readers go up. Emergency Preparedness: Independent reviews of the Brown University mass shooting response in Providence found it “highly effective,” while flagging communication and coordination gaps. Conservation History: A new book preserves NH conservation history through the dispatches of longtime game warden Carl B. Akerley. Local Housing: Northern Forest Center broke ground on a $12.5M, 24-unit Greenville affordable housing project.

AI Education: MIT and Lakes Region Community College launched a four-week “Gateway to AI” pilot for 16 New Hampshire high school students, aiming to boost rural access to advanced math and hands-on AI problem-solving. Nuclear Policy: New Hampshire’s energy department is building a nuclear “playbook” to expand generation, with stakeholder sessions surfacing sharp disagreement over whether nuclear can deliver the full benefits leaders want. Privacy Tech Backlash: The debate over license plate reader cameras keeps spreading, with New Hampshire cited as a model for limiting government surveillance while other states push new rules. Public Health: A cyclospora outbreak tied to recalled iceberg lettuce has expanded to 20 states, with New Hampshire listed among the affected. STEM Accessibility: An Auburn, NH eighth grader with symbrachydactyly built an adaptive VR controller after standard gear didn’t work for him, partnering with a mechanical engineer uncle to prototype and refine it. Tech & Kids: Meta’s multistate settlement would add protections for teens on Instagram and Facebook, including daily limits and nighttime blocks. Immigration & Tech: ICE arrested a transgender Israeli computer engineer in Concord, NH, after kidnapping-related charges, raising questions about how her tech background intersects with the case.

Meta Child-Safety Settlement: New Hampshire is set to receive up to about $224M as part of a landmark multistate deal over Instagram/Facebook harms to kids, with Meta required to add major youth-safety limits and “productive pauses.” Adaptive Tech for Access: An Auburn, NH eighth grader with underdeveloped fingers built an adaptive VR controller with help from a mechanical engineer uncle, turning a school project into a real accessibility tool. Snow Science Funding: UVM and UNH won NSF support for a regional snow monitoring push (Snow STORE) to track snowpack in real time and connect winter weather to the outdoor economy across Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Privacy vs. Surveillance Tech: Florida Gov. DeSantis and local officials are pushing tighter rules on AI license-plate readers, pointing to New Hampshire-style limits as the model. Public Health Alert: The FDA says cyclosporiasis cases tied to recalled iceberg lettuce have spread to more states, including New Hampshire. STEM in the Classroom/Workforce: A UNH/region-focused research and tech story mix also includes new equipment and training angles, from adaptive devices to snow and automation.

Snow Research Funding: UVM and UNH just landed a $5.9M NSF grant to build a real-time snowpack monitoring system across Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine—aimed at better weather modeling and protecting the winter recreation economy. Public Health & Blood Safety: New research links tick-borne alpha-gal syndrome to higher allergic transfusion reactions for type O patients receiving B or AB platelets/plasma, prompting at least one NH hospital to change what it stocks. Child Safety Online (Meta): New Hampshire will receive up to about $224M from a landmark multistate Meta settlement over Instagram/Facebook design choices affecting teens, with new platform safety requirements. Courts & Tech: NH courts launched LUCIE, a new online portal to make it easier to look up Circuit and Superior Court case info as the old system is retired. Finance Tech: 39 state banking groups formed the BankChain Alliance, targeting a 2027 industry blockchain network for tokenized deposits and smart payments. Local STEM-adjacent: Mystic Aquarium reported the harbor seal “Peanut” returned to the ocean after rehab, after being found ill along the NH coast.

Meta Child-Safety Settlement: New Hampshire is set to receive up to about $224M from Meta as part of a $17B+ multistate deal over Facebook/Instagram teen harms, with court-ordered changes like teen time limits, stronger parental controls, and reduced night/school notifications. Health & Science: New research links alpha-gal syndrome (often from Lone Star tick bites) to a higher risk of allergic transfusion reactions for type O patients when hospitals use B/AB platelets or plasma in tick-heavy regions—prompting at least one NH hospital to change which blood products it provides. Public Tech & Access: The NH Judicial Branch launched LUCIE, a new online portal to look up Circuit and Superior Court case info as the old system is phased out. Cancer Care: AACI welcomed Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute as a new member, expanding research-driven, equity-focused cancer prevention and screening efforts across eastern MA and southern NH. Wildlife Rehab: Mystic Aquarium released “Peanut,” a harbor seal rescued off the NH coast, after weeks of rehab and weight gain. Blockchain in Banking: 39 state bankers groups formed the BankChain Alliance aiming for a regulated, industry-owned blockchain network launch in 2027. Elections & Policy: A UNH poll shows Chris Pappas’ lead over Karishma Manzur in the NH Senate Democratic primary narrowing to about 13 points, while separate coverage highlights debate and campaign dynamics in the GOP Senate race.

Big Tech Child Safety: Meta reached a multistate deal worth up to $17.1B (and as much as $18B in some reports) over claims it designed Instagram/Facebook to addict children, with sweeping reforms like age assurance, nighttime blocks, school-day notification limits, and default teen time caps. NH Education & AI: OpenAI expanded “ChatGPT for Teachers” with Kamehameha Schools, adding secure, educator-managed access plus training for responsible classroom use. UNH Research & Defense Tech: Integer Technologies launched Integer Constellation Labs, including a hub co-located with the University of New Hampshire, aimed at speeding applied research into mission-critical technology. Health & Allergy Risk: Dartmouth-led research links tick-borne alpha-gal syndrome to higher severe allergic transfusion reactions for type O patients receiving B/AB blood products, prompting at least one NH hospital to change platelet use. Local Environment & Food Innovation: New Englanders are increasingly eating invasive green crabs—soft-shell “molt” crabs fetch far higher prices—turning a damaging species into a marketable product. Cybersecurity for Residents: Laconia Public Library hosts a DHS- and NH-DIT-backed cybersecurity awareness session on Sept. 16.

Lake Winnipesaukee Protection: A pushback against developing the former Camp Menotomy site argues that more luxury shoreline development could worsen the lake’s declining water quality, with courts and deed issues still in play. Cybersecurity for Residents: Laconia Public Library will host a grant-funded municipal cyber defense training with DHS and NH IT partners, focused on spotting scams and responding to digital threats. School Tech Backlash: Upper Valley schools that added tech are starting to roll it back, as educators and families debate how AI and screens should fit classroom life. Health & Vaccines: Dartmouth researchers report new risks for alpha-gal syndrome patients during certain transfusions, while NH’s school vaccine rules are unchanged as students head back. Public Health Alerts: Pennsylvania reported the first U.S. measles deaths in 35 years as cases surge nationwide. State Policy & Infrastructure: NH lawmakers overrode Gov. Ayotte’s veto to move forward on the 10-year transportation plan, including toll changes starting in 2027. Data Privacy Breach: Paylogix says hackers stole sensitive financial and health data from its benefits platform. Space Science: NASA’s Pandora mission begins studying exoplanets and their host stars to improve how Webb-era atmosphere measurements are interpreted. PFAS Watch: Contaminants Compass highlights ongoing PFAS regulatory and legal updates, including EPA guidance and drinking-water standard fights.