Running lights out, A/C control panel dead, and slipping tranny-- All at same time

2007 Aveo with 242k miles, auto transmission.

A few days back, the a/c control panel went dead. No power to any of the controls and no blower fan. It will occassionally power back up for a bit (usually til the car shuts off) but will be without power when we restart.

The very same day, the running lights failed. The headlights seem to work fine when powered by the switch, but no running lights when the switch is off.

To compound the problem, the transmission also started to slip. However, it is only shortly after the transmission is engaged and still cold. We stop, shut the car off, restart and take off without any further problems.

I have checked continuity on all the fuses, both inside and under the hood with no failure, and the relays are next.

Maybe a ground issue? Before i get much further into this, I just wanted to check to see if anyone had experienced this or where to look next. Seems like a weird trio of event to be related, but since they basically all happened at once, I had to ask.

Thanks, Willie