Semiconductor Safety in Utah/Texas: Texas Instruments rolled out a new battery monitor (BQ79731-Q1) aimed at catching EV and storage thermal runaway by tracking up to 26 cells with electrochemical impedance sensing, as TI expands chip manufacturing with major Texas and Utah investments. Medtech Deal: Medtronic completed its $550M acquisition of Salt Lake City’s Scientia Vascular, folding neurovascular guidewire/catheter tech into its stroke and aneurysm platform. Geothermal Push: Cornell researchers are testing deep geothermal heating for a campus far from volcanic zones, a model that could matter for cold, populated regions. Utah Environment & Land: Tribes and conservationists celebrated a stalled push to rewrite Grand Staircase-Escalante monument rules, keeping the Biden-era management plan intact. Data Center Backlash: A new report says opponents blocked/delayed nearly $130B in data center projects in Q1 2026, with Utah among states seeing rising scrutiny. Utah Education Policy: Utah’s bell-to-bell cellphone ban is set to take effect soon, with districts able to loosen the default. Local Tech/Health: Utah’s municipal golf courses are projected to boost revenue 14%, helping fund infrastructure—an example of how local tech and operations can translate into real-world upgrades. Space/Commemoration Tech: The America250 time capsule was sealed for burial in Philadelphia, built to resist water for 250 years.