AI & Environment: Reuters reports xAI installed 59 unpermitted natural-gas turbines for its Colossus 2 data center in Tennessee, with most sited across the line in Mississippi—raising clean-air and public-health concerns for nearby Black communities. Local Governance & Data Centers: Roane County commissioners voted to seek a two-year pause on data centers and related facilities, citing water, power, noise, and emergency-response risks. Higher Ed & Cost of Living: Tennessee’s public colleges and universities approved 2026-27 increases to in-state undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees, citing inflation and funding uncertainty. Quantum Research: The Jane Goodall Institute USA and FormationQ launched a trapped-ion quantum computing research program exploring the ecological roots of lethal intergroup violence. STEM in the Classroom: Vanderbilt’s Center for STEM Leadership program selected students from a Tennessee middle school for national recognition. Health & Logistics: FedEx created a standalone FedEx Life Sciences unit to move pharmaceuticals and clinical trial materials, with a healthcare network centered in Memphis. Energy Innovation: University of Tennessee professor Yilu Liu won the Global Energy Prize 2026 for smart-grid monitoring and control systems.