AGP Executive Report

AI in the courtroom: A Louisiana judge sanctioned a lawyer after AI chatbot output included fabricated quotes in a legal brief, and courts are now cracking down on error-strewn AI filings. Energy & grid policy: Maryland passed a Utility RELIEF Act that includes protections for rate hikes and requires data centers to help pay for grid upgrades, aiming to stop costs from landing on ratepayers. Clean power milestone: Solar generated more U.S. electricity than coal for the first time on record in May, with solar at 12.8% of generation versus coal at 12.2%. Mississippi research push: USM joined a NOAA-backed seafood aquaculture effort (CI-Farm) with $13.5M to develop fish-farming tech and use AI to improve operations. Mississippi legal-tech fallout: A Mississippi judge reportedly barred lawyers after both sides admitted relying on AI hallucinations they never reviewed. Public health & safety: The FDA issued a high-risk recall call for Alfredo sauce tied to salmonella concerns, affecting distribution across 41 states including Mississippi. STEM leadership in the region: Southeastern Louisiana named Michael Eble as its visual arts and design department head.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Aquaculture: The University of Southern Mississippi is joining NOAA-backed CI-Farm, a $13.5M, five-year push to grow more seafood at home using new fish-farming tech, AI-assisted operations, and better ocean-condition monitoring. NOAA + Seafood Research: The same effort is positioned to make U.S. aquaculture more efficient, affordable, and environmentally sustainable—while creating jobs along the coast. Workforce Training for Shipbuilding: Mississippi State University is partnering with Bollinger Shipyards and CHAND to build an Integrated Logistics Support training curriculum, aiming to strengthen shipbuilding workforce skills for long-term operations and readiness. Food Safety Alert: The FDA issued a high-risk recall for Alfredo sauce tied to a bacterial contamination ingredient, affecting 913 cases distributed across 41 states including Mississippi. Public Health Watch: The Pan American Health Organization urged caution over reports of a new Russian COVID-19 vaccine, saying it must pass standard safety and effectiveness trials before any recommendation.

Mississippi workforce & training: Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and J. Allen Automotive Group launched a Diesel Technician Apprenticeship Program at the West Harrison County Center, pairing classroom work with on-the-job experience to feed a high-demand local pipeline. Mississippi industry & defense tech: Sen. Roger Wicker toured General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems in Tupelo, unveiling an advanced munitions production line aimed at faster delivery timelines for U.S. and other clients. Gulf aquaculture milestone: Dauphin Island Sea Lab harvested its first redfish from an offshore aquaculture platform near Fort Morgan, a small-scale test of whether nearshore fish farming can work in Gulf waters. Local infrastructure: Taylorsville moved to fix recurring water-system failures by adding more than 80 critical isolation valves and upgrading key lines to reduce outages and improve pressure. STEM & community science: Mississippi State University and other universities are part of the Great Pollinator Census, inviting residents to do simple 15-minute counts to track pollinator trends. Policy & public health: The CDC recognized Chagas disease as endemic in the U.S., with an estimated 300,000 Americans living with it unknowingly. Energy trend: New national data shows solar overtaking coal for the first time in monthly electricity share, even as coal gets political support.

Mississippi AI push: Jackson State University hosted the Southern Spark Conference to help Mississippians “not be left behind” as AI reshapes business and education, with groups like the Mississippi AI Collaborative emphasizing practical skills and safer use. Gulf aquaculture milestone: Dauphin Island Sea Lab harvested its first redfish from an offshore multitrophic aquaculture platform near Fort Morgan, a small-scale effort aimed at expanding local protein options while navigating NOAA and other permits. Workforce pipeline: Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and J. Allen Automotive Group launched a Diesel Technician Apprenticeship Program at the West Harrison County Center, pairing classroom learning with on-the-job training. Water system upgrades: Taylorsville is adding more than 80 isolation valves to improve repairs and reduce outages, targeting a more reliable water network. Public health & safety: A CDC update says Chagas disease is now recognized as endemic in the U.S., with an estimated 300,000 Americans living with it unknowingly. Defense industry tech: General Atomics unveiled an expanded advanced munitions production line in Tupelo to speed delivery timelines for U.S. military needs.

Mississippi AI Readiness: Jackson State hosted the 2026 Southern Spark Conference, bringing together educators and tech leaders to help Mississippians “not be left behind” as AI reshapes work and classrooms. Workforce Training: Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and J. Allen Automotive Group launched a Diesel Technician Apprenticeship Program, pairing classroom learning with on-the-job experience. Defense Manufacturing in the Magnolia State: General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems unveiled an expanded advanced munitions production line at its Lee County plant, aiming to speed delivery timelines. Water System Upgrades: Taylorsville is replacing aging infrastructure and adding more than 80 isolation valves to reduce how often residents lose service during repairs. Public Health & Policy: The CDC recognized Chagas disease as endemic in the U.S., with an estimated 300,000 Americans potentially living with it unknowingly. STEM for Teachers: Harrison County Soil and Water Conservation trained Mississippi teachers in field-based science skills ahead of Envirothon. Social Security Watch: A new report warns the trust fund could run out by 2032, potentially triggering a 22% cut—an issue with direct stakes for Mississippi beneficiaries.

Agriculture Research: Early University of Missouri wheat trials in southeastern Missouri are turning up strong results, with some locations averaging triple-digit bushels per acre and conditions helping suppress disease. Mississippi STEM & Public Health: The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is gearing up for a summer of hands-on learning, including its annual Snake Day, while the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is offering a free July 7 seafood food-safety certification course in Biloxi. Workforce & Education Policy: Mississippi lawmakers are pushing a bipartisan Community College Agriculture Advancement Act to expand USDA-backed workforce training and education at community colleges. Energy & Environment: The EPA and the Mississippi River/Gulf of America Hypoxia Task Force say states have surpassed a 2025 interim nitrogen-reduction goal, though phosphorus reductions are lagging. Space & Defense Tech: The Naval Research Laboratory is leading NASA’s INSPYRE mission to study wildfire-driven pyrocumulonimbus storms, and it also received a transportable Space Force tracking antenna to expand joint space testing. Local Tech & Infrastructure: A new Wood Flow South website from Texas A&M Forest Service maps the “what, where and when” of forest products trade for Mississippi and neighboring states.

AI in Mississippi Courts: A federal judge in Mississippi sanctioned lawyers after both sides relied on AI filings with hallucinated citations, canceling the trial and barring some attorneys from appearing. Energy & Environment in the Magnolia State: NAACP and environmental groups updated their lawsuit against xAI’s Southaven site, alleging unpermitted air pollution as turbine counts rose to 57. Air Quality Watch: New state monitoring data shows more moderate-or-worse pollution days over the past decade in southeast Mississippi, raising respiratory risk. Agriculture & Pests: Texas rice growers are bracing for the rice delphacid threat while planted acres are expected to drop in Mississippi and other states due to low prices. Coastal Restoration: Alabama’s RESTORE Council funding package cleared another step, with $87M approved for Deepwater Horizon restoration projects. STEM & Community Learning: Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is hosting World Snake Day activities, and a Cleveland school opened a garden education center with hands-on produce and a local farmers market. Aquaculture Research: UH researchers joined a $13.5M federal aquaculture consortium to strengthen U.S. seafood supply.

AI in Logistics: Port of New Orleans and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad are rolling out an AI rail-planning tool to speed up delivery of oversized construction cargo for big projects like data centers and a planned Hyundai steel mill. Energy & Carbon Leadership: CapturePoint promoted Kris Roberson to president and COO, putting an operations veteran in charge as the company expands CO2 pipelines and carbon management. Coastal Resilience: Alabama’s RESTORE Act funding got a big boost, with $87M approved for Gulf Coast restoration tied to the Deepwater Horizon spill. Mississippi Air Quality: New data shows more “moderate or worse” pollution days over the past decade in southeast Mississippi, raising respiratory risk. Weather Watch: NOAA declared El Niño is here and says it’s likely to strengthen, with a 63% chance of “very strong” conditions by late 2026 into early 2027. Food Safety Training (MS): Mississippi’s seafood industry can register for a free ServSafe course in Biloxi on July 7. Local Tech & Community: Mississippi launches a statewide AI network, aiming to expand access to AI tools across the state.

AI in courtrooms: A Mississippi federal judge sanctioned and removed lawyers after both sides admitted filing AI-generated briefs with fake citations, underscoring how “AI hallucinations” are now a courtroom problem, not just a tech one. Data center pressure in the region: A Mississippi class action targets xAI’s Southaven data center for near-constant noise, while other states are debating data center tax breaks and new rules as communities worry about health, water use, and utility costs. Mississippi AI push: Mississippi is rolling out a statewide AI network, signaling more public-sector adoption even as backlash over data center impacts grows. STEM education on the coast: The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources ran “Teachers on the Estuary” for hands-on lessons on invasive species and coastal ecosystems, aiming to bring field learning back to classrooms. Public safety in heat: A Mississippi-focused explainer highlights why hot-car deaths happen and how prevention steps can stop tragedies. Health policy debate: Mississippi lawmakers warned against efforts to restrict contraception, arguing mifepristone has uses beyond abortion and raising privacy concerns. Engineering and space support: The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory received a transportable satellite tracking antenna system from the Space Force to expand joint space testing and training.

AI & Data Centers Backlash: States are moving to rein in data center costs and impacts, from Arizona’s proposed sales-tax pause to Texas pushing regulators to require developers to fund infrastructure—while critics argue the rush is straining power, water, and health. Mississippi Tech & Security: Jackson-based C Spire won Arctic Wolf’s 2026 Southeast Partner of the Year for AI-driven threat defense, and Mississippi’s DHS is rolling out the connect-EBT app to help SNAP recipients manage and lock cards. Space Tech: The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory received a transportable satellite tracking antenna from the Space Force to expand joint testing, and Elon Musk floated a bold “1M tons to orbit” goal for SpaceX. Energy Transition: Solar hit a milestone by overtaking coal for the first time in May, even as federal policy favors coal. STEM & Education: Mississippi’s AI network launch and a national push to align teacher prep with the science of reading both signal where workforce and classroom priorities are heading. Local Science/Health Leadership: RIT named Hassan Aziz dean for health sciences and technology, and a new UH Hilo aquaculture research push aims to strengthen U.S. seafood supply.

Aquaculture Funding: NOAA launched CIFARM, a new five-year, $13.5M-a-year effort to expand U.S. marine aquaculture research and markets, with the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo as a core consortium member led by UH Hilo’s Chatham Callan. Port Tech & Logistics: New Orleans is rolling out an AI rail-routing system that uses digital maps to speed up planning for oversized industrial shipments—an approach that could ripple to Gulf Coast supply chains. Mississippi Infrastructure: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cleared a key hurdle for the Port of Gulfport’s $548M channel deepening/widening, moving it toward congressional authorization. Public Safety Cameras: Hinds County launched a countywide 911 camera-sharing initiative using Brivo Eagle Eye, aiming for faster dispatcher access to footage during emergencies. Education & Literacy: A national assessment found rare rebound in reading and math for young students, while Mississippi lawmakers weigh school consolidation plans. Energy & Solar: New data shows solar and storage are still dominating new U.S. power additions despite political headwinds. Legal Tech Misuse: A Mississippi judge sanctioned lawyers after AI-generated filings included made-up information.

Education & Reading: A new national report finds only a small share of teacher prep programs are truly aligned with the science of reading, with most Oregon programs earning F’s—raising fresh questions about how new teachers are trained. Courts & AI: A Mississippi judge paused and dismissed a case after lawyers admitted they filed AI-generated court material without checking it, a reminder that “AI help” can backfire fast. Mississippi AI: Mississippi launched the nation’s first statewide AI network, MAIN, offering free AI education and resources through statewide partners. Coastal & Blue Economy: The Gulf Coast Business Council honored Southern Miss’s Gulf Blue Navigator with a Rising Tide Award for accelerating maritime startups and blue-tech commercialization. Aquaculture Research: NOAA backed a new aquaculture research and markets institute (CIFARM) with $13.5M, naming University of Southern Mississippi and Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant among partners. Infrastructure: The Port of Gulfport cleared a major step toward deepening its federal channel, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recommending authorization. STEM Outreach: ExxonMobil and Rice’s Tapia Center helped run a Mississippi STEM summer camp at Jackson State, pairing students with hands-on algorithms and energy projects. Workforce & Skills: FORGE’s BuildHER Construction Camp is training girls ages 11–14 with hands-on trade experiences and career confidence-building. Local Tech: A Mississippi-made payment kiosk is coming to Waycross City Hall to let residents pay fees 24/7. Education Policy: Mississippi lawmakers are weighing school consolidation and closures, with districts under 1,000 students most at risk.

Mississippi Election Watch: A U.S. Supreme Court case could tighten absentee ballot rules in Mississippi, potentially ending the current grace period that lets postmarked ballots be counted after Election Day; lawmakers are already preparing voter guidance if deadlines shift. Gulf Coast Energy & Health Tech: Biloxi’s $150 million Tomaston Medical Park is moving forward with a sustainable power plan—solar, hydrogen fuel cells, and battery storage—to help buildings run independently of the grid. STEM & Workforce Pipeline: FORGE’s BuildHer Construction Camp is training Mississippi girls for careers in the building trades, with hands-on skills and a competition at the end of the week. Education Policy: A national report finds teacher prep programs are improving on “science of reading” methods, but many still fall short—especially for English learners and students with disabilities. Public Health & Safety: Mississippi coverage highlights why mosquitoes are the deadliest animal globally and notes the state has dozens of mosquito species, with only a few that transmit diseases. Research & Industry: Austal USA names Gene Miller president, while Gulf of Mexico subsea work continues with SLB OneSubsea winning a boosting contract for BP’s Thunder Horse project.

Mississippi Education & Health: Mississippi stayed 16th for K-12 education in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2026 KIDS COUNT, but health dragged it to last overall (50th), with the weakest scores tied to low-birth-weight babies, uninsured kids, child/teen deaths, and obesity. East Mississippi Conservation-Military Link: Mississippi State and partners won federal Sentinel Landscape designation for the East Mississippi Sentinel Landscape, tying pilot training missions to working-lands conservation and long-term resilience. AI & Industry in Mississippi: Nissan is exploring partnerships to use its underutilized Canton plant for other automakers’ vehicles, with a mid-size pickup among options. MSU Inclusion in STEM-adjacent research: MSU’s Christie Collins co-edited a new anthology on disability, illness, neurodivergence, and ableism in creative writing—filling a gap in scholarship. Data Centers & Power Costs: A new report warns behind-the-meter gas plants for data centers can raise energy bills, as projects increasingly build their own generation. Local Science/History Work: A diver searched muddy waters in Evans City, recovering carved 1830s gravestone fragments and planning a larger summer dig.

Mississippi AI & workforce: The Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN), housed at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, picked up regional recognition and hosted hands-on training for state leaders and educators, aiming to build an “AI ecosystem” that connects education, jobs, government, and responsible adoption. University research boost: The University of Southern Mississippi is set to add a new state-of-the-art science research facility in Hattiesburg with $30 million from the Mississippi legislature, targeting biological, biomedical, and environmental research. STEM in classrooms: Louisiana eighth graders used a carbon-capture lesson (including a classroom CO2 model) to learn about carbon dioxide and CCS, with debate over industry influence. Public health & policy: A new KIDS COUNT Data Book reports child wellbeing fell from 2019 to 2024, driven largely by reading/math declines and worsening health outcomes. Wildlife science: Tulane University research finds mangrove forests are showing a global turning point after decades of loss, with gains outpacing losses for 16 years. Community & inclusion: A Jackson gathering by Capital City Pride highlighted how local events can support LGBTQ+ community connection and wellbeing.

University Research Funding: The University of Southern Mississippi is set to add a new state-of-the-art science research facility in Hattiesburg, backed by a $30 million Mississippi legislature appropriation, aiming to expand work across biological, biomedical, and environmental sciences. STEM Workforce Pipeline: Southern University is expanding its EDGE esports and digital gaming program to train students for game development, broadcasting, content creation, and emerging technologies—pushing them from consumers to creators. Education Gaps in Mississippi: A new look at Mississippi student performance shows early gains in reading and math, but weaker outcomes for eighth graders and high schoolers, with lawmakers and educators planning new supports for students and families. Climate & Coastal Science: New research from Tulane finds mangrove forests are rebounding globally after decades of loss, with gains outpacing losses over the past 16 years—good news for coastal protection and climate mitigation. Community Tech & Learning: Mississippi State University hosted the Appalachian Regional Commission’s 2026 conference, focusing on economic growth, workforce pipelines, and applied research partnerships.