Data Centers & Water Transparency: Nebraska lawmakers passed a new law pushing data centers to report annual water use and power demand to the state, as residents and regulators worry about shortages during drought and wide swings in water availability; the reporting gap is big enough that even basic counts of facilities are unclear, with company-reported figures like Google’s 732 million gallons in 2025 fueling the debate. Local Zoning Pushback: In Lincoln County, planning commissioners reviewed draft data center regulations covering water, electricity, emergency response, decommissioning, and financial guarantees, with more public input expected before a hearing. Helium Extraction Proposal: A Lincoln County planning commission considered a conditional-use permit for a helium extraction plant near Birdwood Creek, with developers saying it would be contained and regulated, and that wells would use nitrogen stimulation rather than hydraulic fracturing. Endangered Species Review: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is starting a status review that could add the plains spotted skunk to federal protection, prompted by a Nebraska-based group’s petition. Public Health: West Nile virus is entering its peak transmission season, and 2026 is already the worst early start in more than 20 years, according to CDC updates. Wildfire Preparedness: South Dakota Mines student Gavin Bird is gaining wildfire forecasting experience through a summer internship focused on how weather drives fire behavior. Ag Resilience & Taxes: UNL will host an Aug. 27 webinar for tax professionals on farm disaster tax rules, including deferrals, casualty losses, and recovery payments. Rural Innovation: NSF awarded $15 million over two years to RuralSTAMINA, a Nebraska-Iowa biomanufacturing initiative aimed at turning biomass into higher-value products for rural communities.