AGP Executive Report

NIH Funding: Truman State University and Missouri S&T are using student learning surveys (NSSE/FSSE) to improve how they teach and support students, with Missouri S&T tying results to “belonging” and reorganizing into a Student Success Division. Oral Cancer Research: Missouri S&T’s Oral Biology department landed two NIH grants for new faculty—one probing gene mutations in aggressive oral cancer and another studying rare cells in salivary gland disorders. Public Safety Tech: Missouri’s Department of Public Safety rolled out a 10-page best-practices guide for automated license plate readers, including limits on retention (30 days), audit requirements, and a ban on pairing with facial recognition. SNAP Paperwork: Missouri will add new documentation requirements for SNAP applicants starting Oct. 1, including housing, utilities, dependent care, and bank account proof. Energy & Materials: Missouri S&T researcher Dr. Michael S. Moats got a joint appointment with Savannah River National Laboratory to advance critical minerals and materials for energy. Space: Astro Brief highlighted ESA/JAXA’s BepiColombo mission as it heads toward Mercury this November. Health Tech/Trials: TriGemX Bio closed a $94M financing and is advancing Phase 3 migraine trials for elismetrep. Logistics: XPO opened new service centers in Mesa, AZ and Cameron, MO to expand freight capacity.

Missouri Public Safety: The state rolled out new guardrails for police use of Flock cameras and license plate readers, including legitimate search reasons, access tracking, monthly audits, independent verification of alerts, and data deletion guidance (mostly after 30 days). AI & surveillance policy: U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley is pushing the Stop Flock Abuse Act to tighten nationwide rules on AI-powered plate-reader data, including limits on retention, audit trails, encryption, and bans on selling data to outside groups. Energy planning: Missouri unveiled a long-range energy plan aimed at boosting in-state power as demand rises from data centers and other large users, with nuclear expected to play a key role. Roads research: Missouri S&T researchers are studying asphalt at a microscopic level to better predict deterioration and help cities time maintenance more efficiently. Public health tech: A new ICUS review says “state law” usually doesn’t bar trained sonographers from placing IV lines or administering ultrasound contrast agents, pointing instead to internal hospital policies and misunderstandings. Healthcare innovation: UVM won a record $38M to build an “AI twin” of patients to test treatments in clinical trials before trying them on humans. Cold cases: Missouri AG Catherine Hanaway and partners launched Cold Case Playing Cards to generate new leads in unsolved homicides, missing persons, and unidentified remains cases. Business/healthcare manufacturing: JEDMED announced it is acquiring Oak Tree Group to expand manufacturing for head-worn medical device components. Higher ed data use: Missouri S&T and Mizzou are using NSSE/FSSE survey results to improve student success, with Mizzou targeting a higher response rate and Missouri S&T reorganizing support around “belonging.”

Defense & Manufacturing: Boeing won the U.S. Navy’s $20B-plus F/A-XX next-generation stealth fighter contract, beating Northrop Grumman—another sixth-gen win after the Air Force’s F-47—positioning St. Louis as a major “Fighterland USA” hub for engineering jobs. Local Industry Growth: King Technology opened a $17M St. Peters manufacturing and distribution center, aiming to expand capacity and support dealers nationwide. STEM Education: America Makes launched a “3D Printing for Drones” initiative for high schoolers, building on Missouri University of Science and Technology’s camp to teach design, additive manufacturing, and drone flight. Research & Health: U. Missouri researchers found amphibian brains can produce ketone bodies locally during glucose depletion, offering new clues for brain survival under metabolic stress. Ag & Environment: A new National Cover Crop Survey reports continued U.S. adoption growth, with farmers citing less erosion and better weed control. Workforce Training: A regional inland maritime partnership including UW-La Crosse and Western Technical College earned federal “Center of Excellence” recognition to strengthen Mississippi River workforce pipelines. Policy & Tech: Missouri’s universities are pushing higher student-success data use—Mizzou and Missouri S&T are boosting NSSE/FSSE response rates and reorganizing support around “belonging.”

Defense & Manufacturing: The U.S. Navy picked Boeing for the F/A-XX sixth-generation carrier fighter, a $20B-plus program that will deepen Missouri’s “Fighterland” role with work centered in St. Louis. Food Safety & Policy: A new survey finds only 31% of Americans strongly trust the U.S. food system’s safety as a delayed traceability rule and a withdrawn salmonella plan face fresh scrutiny. Agriculture & Health: Monsanto’s Roundup trial kicked off in Missouri, with plaintiffs arguing the product wasn’t properly tested before sale after the Supreme Court’s ruling. Public Health: WHO recommended the 2027 southern hemisphere influenza vaccine recipe as flu activity rises. Energy & Climate: Ameren Missouri filed a long-range plan that critics say leans harder on fossil fuels, including more gas and continued coal use. STEM & Research: U. Missouri researchers report amphibian brains can generate ketone bodies locally during glucose drops, a potential new angle on brain energy survival. Local Tech/Industry: King Technology opened a $17M water-treatment manufacturing facility in St. Peters. Education & Data Use: Truman, Mizzou, and Missouri S&T are using NSSE/FSSE results to improve student success and campus planning.

Missouri Higher Ed & Student Success: Missouri S&T is merging academic support and student affairs into a new Student Success Division after NSSE/FSSE findings showed “belonging” gaps tied to dropout risk, while Mizzou is pushing its NSSE response rate toward 30% (up from 17%) to strengthen planning and student-experience decisions. Defense & Aerospace: A U.S. Air Force acquisition update says Boeing’s F-47 sixth-generation fighter production line work in St. Louis is “getting closer,” with first flight targeted for 2028 and operational service in the early 2030s. Public Health & Safety: TruMo Analytics opened a Missouri cannabis testing lab in Strafford, offering compliance panels and R&D testing with free statewide sample pickup. Environment & Health: A new analysis flags atrazine contamination at harmful levels across about 860,000 miles of U.S. rivers and streams, renewing pressure on regulators. Education Outcomes: UMKC-tracked data from Kansas City’s Literacy for All Students initiative shows early progress in closing the national reading growth gap after two years. Policy & Justice: A federal judge dismissed Monsanto PCB indemnity claims without prejudice, and a U.S. House bill would create a national system to track sexual-assault evidence kits and lab testing timelines.

Student Success Data in Missouri: Missouri S&T, Truman State, and Mizzou are leaning harder on NSSE/FSSE results to improve retention and learning, with Missouri S&T pointing to “belonging” as a key dropout driver and reorganizing into a unified Student Success Division. College Sports Pay Bill Advances: A bipartisan Senate measure would set a national framework for college athlete compensation, add antitrust protections for the NCAA, set a five-year eligibility timeline, and require disclosure of foreign funding over $600. Wireless Taxes Climb: A new federal surcharge increase pushes 2026 wireless taxes/fees higher for typical households, even as base service prices keep falling. AI Surveillance Privacy Push: Sen. Josh Hawley’s subcommittee hearing spotlights privacy risks from AI-powered license plate reader networks like Flock, with CEOs declining to testify. Missouri Research & Workforce: MU’s new Parson Meat Lab expands meat processing, teaching, and industry troubleshooting; Missouri Southern names its 2026 Willcoxon Scholars for undergraduate research. Local Tech/Infrastructure: O’Fallon considers a federally funded Hwy. N shared-use path to improve pedestrian access. Community Science: Boonville’s Monarch Migration Tagging Day drew families and partners for hands-on pollinator conservation.

Smart meters in Columbia: The city approved a $41.8M rollout of smart electric and water meters for more than 50,000 customers, aiming for faster leak/outage detection and expected resident savings starting in about three years. Grid buildout: A new push for HVDC “macrogrids” would let power move across regions to cut blackout risk during extreme weather—built line by line instead of all at once. Battery safety: University of Missouri Extension urged safer lithium-ion charging habits during National Fire Prevention Week, citing the growing scale of battery-related fires. Local infrastructure: O’Fallon is considering federal funding for a 0.61-mile Hwy. N shared-use path with ADA crosswalks and curb ramps, adding connectivity to the Great Rivers Greenway. Education data use: Mizzou, Missouri S&T, and Truman State are using NSSE/FSSE survey results to improve student success, including boosting engagement and “belonging.” Health access: A Blue Cross vs. CHI St. Vincent network dispute in Arkansas is leaving many patients out of network while both sides argue over fair reimbursement. Tech & business: MyEyeDr. announced an acquisition of EyeCare Partners’ optometry division, expanding its footprint across 300+ offices.

Data Center Supply Chain: Prysmian and Rio Tinto are supplying low-carbon aluminum electrical cables for an Amazon data center in Ohio, with cables made at Prysmian’s Sedalia, Missouri facility—another sign Missouri is getting pulled into the decarbonized power buildout. Rural Health Tech: Northeast Regional Medical Center in Kirksville is expanding heart care with an implantable pulmonary artery pressure reader for earlier heart-failure management and leadless pacemakers for less invasive treatment. Higher Ed Analytics: Mizzou, Truman State, and Missouri S&T are using NSSE/FSSE results to improve student success, including efforts to raise response rates and strengthen “belonging” through organizational changes. Immigration & Labor: Missouri saw 5,740 H-2B worker approvals in fiscal 2026 through June 30, with a 100% approval rate in reported worksite-linked decisions. Local Tech Governance: St. Louis County ordered a review of license plate camera systems amid privacy concerns, as lawmakers and police leaders face renewed scrutiny of automated surveillance. STEM in Early Childhood: United Way of Central Missouri is bringing hands-on science lessons and STEM support to early childhood centers across the region.

Higher Ed & Data: Mizzou is forming a committee to boost NSSE response rates to 30% (up from 17%) and use student survey results for strategic planning; Missouri S&T is also reorganizing student support into a unified Student Success Division after NSSE/FSSE work pointed to “belonging” as a dropout driver. Rural Health Funding: CMS announced about $45M for Missouri rural hospitals, behavioral and maternal health, and EMS workforce training under the Rural Health Transformation Program. Local Tech & Infrastructure: Kirksville’s council meets Monday to consider airport T-hangar rehab and sewer rehabilitation contracts, plus 2027 city goals focused on prosperity, investment, accountability and stewardship. Public Safety Vote: Jefferson City residents will vote Nov. 3 on raising a public safety sales tax from a quarter-cent to a half-cent. Health Research: U. of Missouri researchers report a protein (TG2) in immune cells may drive inflammation and arterial changes in high blood pressure, pointing to a more targeted treatment path. Housing Pulse: Zillow reports multiple Missouri counties seeing double-digit August 2026 home-value jumps, including Crawford (+10.4%), Hickory (+13.1%) and Knox (+18.1%).

Health Policy: New Medicaid work requirements are starting in January, and some Republican-led states are demanding medical documentation sooner than federal rules—raising fears that people too frail to work can’t afford doctor visits; Missouri Research: University of Missouri scientists say a protein (TG2) in immune cells may drive inflammation and artery changes in high blood pressure, pointing to more targeted hypertension treatments; AI & Antitrust: A lawsuit alleges Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI and Google coordinated to slow AI development, claiming it could reduce value for paid subscriptions; Space Defense: Cape Canaveral is set to deploy laser-based systems to detect and take down drones as part of broader spaceport security upgrades; Surveillance Privacy: A cybersecurity researcher’s map of Flock Safety’s camera network (about 300,000 devices) is facing takedown pressure after a Senate hearing spotlighted automated license plate reader concerns; Higher Ed in Missouri: Truman State and Mizzou are using NSSE/FSSE results to improve student learning and boost response rates, while Missouri S&T is reorganizing for “student success” after finding belonging gaps tied to dropout risk.

Medicaid Work Requirements: A new lawsuit challenges a Trump rule tightening exemptions for “medically frail” Medicaid recipients, arguing it adds extra proof beyond federal law—while some states are already demanding documentation immediately, raising coverage and paperwork hurdles for people who can’t afford care. SCOTUS & Missouri Elections: The Supreme Court backed Missouri’s 2022 congressional map in the latest redistricting fight, keeping the state’s midterm path clearer after emergency-order chaos. Flock Safety Backlash: A cybersecurity researcher’s public map of Flock’s camera network is facing a push to be taken down after a trademark complaint, just as lawmakers continue pressing for stronger safeguards around large-scale license-plate and surveillance systems. AI Data Center Opposition: Public resistance to AI data centers is surging, with new polling showing three-quarters of Americans oppose new sites near home—driven by power, water, and neighborhood strain. Public Health Tech: A new synthetic opioid, cychlorphine, has been detected in 18 states, including Missouri, underscoring the fast-moving drug threat. Higher Ed Assessment in Missouri: Truman State and Missouri S&T are using NSSE/FSSE results to improve student learning and “belonging,” including changes to rubrics and student success structures.

GLP-1 Supply-Chain Watch: Missouri AG Lynn Fitch joined a 20-state push urging the federal government to tighten safeguards against low-quality or unsafe Chinese pharmaceutical ingredients entering the U.S., citing reports of workarounds around FDA protections. Election Tech & Courts: The U.S. Supreme Court again blocked Missouri’s Republican-drawn congressional map for the Nov. midterms, while also temporarily allowing states to use the SAVE voter-eligibility database—raising fresh concerns about data accuracy and voter access. Privacy vs. Surveillance: St. Louis County Executive Sam Page ordered an audit of automated license plate readers on county property and rights-of-way, plus a review of installation approvals and data-use procedures. Health Research in Missouri: University of Missouri researchers report age-related muscle weakness may stem from breakdowns at the nerve-to-muscle connection, pointing to a potential protein target to help older adults maintain strength. Local Tech/Community: Missouri universities are using NSSE/FSSE student survey data to improve student success, including efforts to boost response rates and redesign support structures. Wildlife Science Event: Hannibal’s Sodalis Nature Preserve will host a bat walk and night hike to see endangered Indiana bats emerge for the season.

Missouri Higher Ed & Student Success: Missouri S&T is reorganizing student support by merging academic advising and student affairs into a unified Student Success Division, using NSSE/FSSE survey data to tackle dropout drivers like “belonging.” Truman State is also using NSSE results to rethink how students perceive higher-order learning, building new rubrics for cross-course thinking. State Tech Governance: Missouri’s Office of Administration IT Services Division earned a top “A” overall in the 2026 Digital States Survey, plus an award for Health and Human Services innovation. Education Choice Debate: A new EdChoice Friedman Index report says Missouri is falling behind neighbors on education choice access, scoring just 1/100. Public Safety Tech: MU Extension is urging safer lithium-ion battery charging habits as battery fires rise, citing NIST estimates of large numbers of incidents nationwide. Local Industry & Jobs: Schreiber Foods plans a $267M process cheese facility in Carthage, targeting 2028 operations and about 100 new jobs. Health & Environment: An analysis warns many Missouri recreational waterways show potentially unsafe fecal contamination levels during the fall season. Agriculture Innovation: BASF and Bunge say Bunge will process BASF’s InVigor Gold canola seed, supporting commercialization ahead of a 2027 U.S. launch.

AI & Privacy: Senators pressed FDA nominee Heidi Overton and also grilled Flock Safety’s fast-growing AI camera network, with lawmakers warning about “always watching” risks and accountability gaps as police misuse cases pile up. Public Health Tech: A new WashU study links Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab to dozens of blood protein changes, pointing toward cheaper ways to track treatment response beyond brain scans. Transportation & Infrastructure: MoDOT’s “Forward 44” plan would reshape I-44 near Springfield with interchange upgrades and widening, with public feedback sought before possible October construction. Energy & Research: Mizzou broke ground on a $120M energy innovation center focused on power, storage, grid security, and AI; meanwhile, the Air Force selected small businesses for up to $3.5B in environmental cleanup and restoration. Local STEM & Education: Columbia Public Schools will turn West Middle into a fine arts lottery school, while MU and other Missouri education updates continue to expand specialized learning. Consumer Tech & Data: The FTC is watching “surveillance pricing,” where personal data can drive different prices for different shoppers. Health Care Workforce: Blessing Health System nurse educator Rachel Pettitt earned PCCN certification for progressive care. Housing Market: Zillow reports Missouri county home values rising year over year, including Gasconade (+4.1%) and Carroll (+6.9%). Business & Tech Economy: World Wide Technology founder David Steward tops Forbes’ Missouri list as a major tech employer, underscoring the region’s growing tech footprint.

Automated Surveillance in the Spotlight: Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed statewide safeguards for automated license plate readers after months of backlash, while Sen. Josh Hawley pushes a Senate probe into AI-powered surveillance networks like Flock. Local Privacy Rules: Platte City approved new limits on Flock camera use and data retention, but residents remain split between safety and privacy. Misuse Allegations: An Indianapolis officer faces 26 criminal charges for allegedly using Flock to track people, including women he didn’t know. Rural Health Tech & Training: UMKC broke ground on a $41M conservatory expansion, and Northwest Missouri State reopened renovated Martindale Hall as part of a push to train rural healthcare workers. Missouri Industry Growth: Schreiber Foods plans a $267M Carthage expansion creating about 100 jobs by 2028. Health Access Pressure: A new report says over half of Missouri counties are maternity care deserts, with telehealth and doula support filling gaps. Science & Research: Mizzou researchers link weaker aging muscles to declining nerve-to-muscle communication, pointing to potential new treatments.

Automated Surveillance Crackdown: Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed an executive order adding safeguards on automated license plate readers, targeting misuse of location data while keeping legitimate law-enforcement uses. Federal Privacy Fight: U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley pushed a Senate hearing on Flock’s nationwide AI camera network, arguing subscriptions can enable broad access and “treating every citizen…as if they’re a criminal,” as Flock also told lawmakers it would welcome federal rules. Local Accountability Pressure: Testimony from a Pinal County sheriff and a separate case in Indianapolis show growing legal and oversight scrutiny of Flock-related searches. Tech Safety Watch: NHTSA opened a preliminary probe into comma.ai aftermarket driver-assistance gear after crashes and deaths tied to its openpilot system. Health & Tech in Practice: Three Kansas City-area ECMO survivors reunited with their care teams, highlighting Missouri’s limited but critical life-support capacity. Public Health Alert: Measles cases are rising in Missouri and the St. Louis region, with exposure notices in Edwardsville and calls to check vaccination status. STEM & Workforce: Missouri’s Digital States interview spotlights CIO John Laurent’s push on cybersecurity resilience, AI governance, and accessibility. Community Tech Education: Deaf Awareness Week in Springfield highlights assistive tech and vocational supports for deaf students. Local Infrastructure: Sedalia received a $5.5M state loan for wastewater planning and design ahead of a larger 2027 project.