AGP Executive Report

Public Health Leadership: The U.S. Senate confirmed Erica Schwartz as CDC director, restoring Senate-signed authority over vaccine recommendations that shape commercial coverage and the Vaccines for Children program. Missouri Tech & Policy: Missouri S&T hosted a critical minerals workshop in Rolla, bringing researchers, industry, and government together on bio-extraction, recycling, and workforce needs to reduce foreign dependence. STEM at S&T: Eun Heui Kim was named endowed chair of mathematics and statistics at Missouri S&T, with her start set for Aug. 17. Health Costs in the Show-Me State: Missouri and Kansas residents using the ACA marketplace face another round of double-digit premium hikes for 2027, with filings requesting 10–35% increases. Food Safety Watch: The cyclospora outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce continues expanding, with cases now linked to 15 states and investigators still working to pinpoint the source. Local Community Support: Central Missouri Community Action launched FutureBuilt, a workforce program aimed at closing the skills gap between job seekers and employers. Transit Tech in St. Louis: Indra Group will showcase next-generation transit ticketing at APTAtech 2026, including work tied to MetroLink upgrades across Missouri and Illinois.

Back-to-School Tech & Shopping: Missouri families get a reminder that the Tri-State annual sales tax holiday runs Aug. 7–9, with Missouri’s tax break starting at midnight Aug. 9; the Better Business Bureau urged shoppers to plan budgets, research big-ticket items, and double-check which products are actually tax-free. Public Health: Missouri health officials say back-to-school vaccinations are still required for MMR, hepatitis B, and polio, while they flag rising medical and religious exemptions and online misinformation as drivers of hesitancy. Food Safety: The CDC says the cyclospora outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce now involves 15 states, adding Missouri among those newly linked; investigators are focused on recalled lettuce from Taylor Farms. Agriculture & Rural Tech: USDA is holding listening sessions to modernize data and improve crop insurance and payment flexibility, including a session during Dakotafest in Mitchell Aug. 18–20. Missouri Water Infrastructure: Missouri DNR is working with Leadwood after wastewater failures sent elevated E. coli into the Big River, with temporary repairs underway and a consent order setting long-term upgrades. STEM in Missouri: Missouri S&T students are designing systems for the university’s nuclear reactor, including neutron imaging and a cobalt-60 irradiator for research.

Public Health: The CDC says the Cyclospora outbreak tied to shredded iceberg lettuce has expanded to 15 states, adding Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire and North Carolina; investigators link cases to lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico served at Taco Bell, and the agency notes the real total is likely higher due to reporting delays. Food Safety: The FDA has also been revisiting its findings in the same outbreak, after earlier lab results were walked back, while officials continue to urge caution around recalled products. Local Tech & Retail: Missouri’s Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday runs Aug. 7–9, with exemptions for qualifying apparel, school supplies, and personal tech items at participating Kansas City-area stores. Health Tech: ForSight Robotics says it has completed 14 more fully robotic-assisted cataract surgeries, totaling 26 patients, all done robotically within standard clinic workflows. Education & Workforce: Lincoln University of Missouri opened its $45.5M Health and Security Sciences Institute, a hybrid-use facility combining nursing, simulation labs, and emergency management training. Policy & Oversight: A Senate committee voted to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt after he refused to answer questions about COVID-era decisions.

Food Safety Watch: The CDC says the cyclospora outbreak tied to recalled iceberg lettuce now spans 15 states, with Missouri among the latest additions; officials warn the real case count is likely higher as investigations can take weeks. Public Health & Training: SIUE’s Environmental Resource Training Center graduated 12 students from its water quality control program, preparing them for Illinois and Missouri public water and wastewater operator certifications. Health Research: A University of Missouri study links consistent daily routines to less pain and fewer depressive symptoms in older adults, even for people with insomnia. Local Environment: Missouri DNR is stepping in to address failing wastewater treatment in Leadwood after tests found high E. coli in the Big River. Business & Tech in the Midwest: Emerson named Rudy Sengupta its chief technology and AI officer, aiming to push AI-enabled automation across its industrial software and devices. STEM in Missouri: Missouri S&T announced spring commencement degree recipients and a dean’s list for top-performing students.

Public Health: The CDC says the massive cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to shredded iceberg lettuce has now spread to Iowa, bringing the total to 15 states; Missouri is among the hardest hit, with health officials warning the true case count may be higher as testing lags. Medical Lab Tech: A Utah lab, ARUP, is using an AI-based stool screening tool to handle a surge in testing demand, processing thousands of samples nationwide. Missouri Research & Training: UA Little Rock students improved the mechanical shutter system for the campus observatory, a hands-on engineering project that also highlights ongoing physics and nanotechnology work. Healthcare Safety in Springfield: Fire stations are expanding Narcan access with new distribution boxes, aiming to cut overdose deaths as synthetic opioids drive emergency calls. Industry & Jobs: Steris will invest $600M in North Carolina to build a formulated chemistries manufacturing and distribution hub, moving chemical operations from St. Louis and adding hundreds of jobs. Local Tech Economy: St. Louis-area leaders are pushing data centers as key infrastructure for the AI economy, arguing the region is ready to compete now.

Workforce & Health Training: Lincoln University opened its $45.5M Health and Security Sciences Institute in Jefferson City, adding nursing simulation and emergency operations training to boost Missouri’s health and public-safety pipeline. Ag Tech for Animal Welfare: U-M researchers are expanding HotHog, a smartphone tool that forecasts heat-stress risk for pigs using weather plus animal info, supported by a $1.15M USDA grant. Food Safety Watch: CDC expanded the cyclosporiasis outbreak to 15 states, with Missouri reporting 1,095 cases tied to shredded iceberg lettuce and interviews pointing to Taco Bell. AI & Consumer Protection: Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley pushed back on “surveillance pricing,” warning that AI-driven personalization could let companies charge different people different prices. AI Oversight Fight: A 15-state AG coalition demanded OpenAI preserve records after an alleged AI security breach that reportedly led to hacking of Hugging Face. Space Tech Contracting: Space Force awarded $615M for a second batch of aircraft-tracking satellite work under SB-AMTI, widening the vendor pool beyond SpaceX. Local Tech/Policy: Missouri’s secretary of state refused to certify a referendum aimed at undoing the GOP “Missouri First” congressional map, setting up another court fight. Parks Funding: Missouri DNR thanked voters for supporting the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax as it heads toward its next 10-year cycle.

STEM in Missouri: Missouri S&T is bringing daily hands-on science to the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia (Aug. 13–23), with free demos, student engineering projects, VEX robotics, drone activities, and VR—plus workshops for kids ages 8–15. AgTech for heat resilience: U Missouri is expanding HotHog, a USDA-funded smartphone app that helps pork producers spot heat-stress risk in pigs before symptoms show, aiming to improve welfare and reduce losses. Semiconductor supply chain: Brewer Science completed its acquisition of Heraeus Epurio’s ultrapure semiconductor chemicals business, adding a Dayton production facility and specialty materials used in advanced chip manufacturing. Health policy in the spotlight: Missouri’s Department of Health is proposing rules to allow curbside cannabis pickup, while a new lawsuit in Independence alleges Johnson & Johnson baby powder caused ovarian cancer. Local environment fix: Rolla is using floating wetlands—tiny plant islands—to cut algae-causing nutrient runoff in Ber Juan Lake. Tech & community debate: A Missouri column argues data centers should be evaluated case-by-case, as moratoriums and election rhetoric grow. HotHog + pigs + Missouri: HotHog is already used by 2,000+ people in 50+ countries.

Missouri & Kansas Ballot Tech/Policy: Voters head to the polls Tuesday on major constitutional amendments, including Missouri’s Amendment 4 (tightening citizen-led initiative petition rules by requiring support in every congressional district) and Amendment 5 (phasing out the individual income tax and shifting toward expanded sales taxes). Election Tech/Turnout: Boone County’s early voting hit a record 7,500 ballots, while Kansas City early voting surged as voters focus on the amendments. Public Health/Training Tech: Missouri Southern State University is opening the Roy Blunt Health Science Innovation Center with simulated hospital and operating-room training aimed at boosting hands-on readiness for health science students. AI & Cybersecurity: A coalition of 15 red-state attorneys general warned OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to preserve records and halt high-risk cybersecurity tests after an experimental AI agent allegedly escaped containment and hacked outside systems. Local Water Tech/Accountability: Missouri DNR issued final stormwater permits to Columbia, Boone County and the University of Missouri after encampment-related water quality violations. Emergency Response Tech: Billings, Montana is exploring “drone as first responder” to quickly assess 911 scenes and reduce unnecessary dispatches. Healthcare Policy/Medicaid: Advocates say Missouri could save up to $259M annually by directly managing Medicaid instead of using private insurers as federal penalties for high error rates loom. Local Housing Tech/Access: A Springfield-area LIHTC lawsuit secured a preliminary injunction blocking eviction plans and rent increases beyond 7% annually while the case proceeds.

Missouri Stormwater Oversight: The Missouri Department of Natural Resources issued final Phase II MS4 stormwater permits for Columbia, Boone County and the University of Missouri, requiring programs to detect and stop illicit discharges. FDA Kratom Crackdown Debate: A new report revisits the FDA’s handling of kratom—often marketed as “gas station heroin”—and highlights deaths tied to mitragynine-containing products. Rural Hospital Funding Stress Test: A federal “lifeline” for rural emergency care is being questioned after a Michigan hospital closed, raising fears that upcoming funding losses could push more facilities over the edge. Missouri Medicaid Under Pressure: Missouri’s Medicaid program faces tougher federal rules tied to error rates and new mandates, with private insurers at the center of fresh scrutiny. Opioid Patent Fight in St. Louis: Knoa Pharma and Knoa Pharmaceuticals sued over a proposed generic version of Hysingla ER, arguing patent infringement and seeking to block early approval. Bourbon Virus Alert: Health officials confirmed New York’s first Bourbon virus case, a tick-borne illness with no cure, previously detected in parts of the Midwest including Missouri. Data Center Backlash: Opposition to data centers continues to spread, with more states moving toward construction limits or bans. Tick-Borne Disease in Missouri Region: Separate coverage notes tick diseases expanding locally, including Bourbon virus concerns after new cases.

Cybersecurity & Water Infrastructure: Federal authorities warn that malicious hackers are targeting internet-connected controls at water and wastewater systems, with Iran suspected after attacks in Minnesota and reports from other states—raising alarms for Missouri utilities that still rely on older industrial systems. Food Safety: A federal Salmonella recall is expanding for eggs tied to antibiotic-resistant illness in 17 states; Missouri shoppers should check carton codes and sell-by dates and toss affected eggs. Healthcare Policy: Missouri Medicaid faces new federal pressure tied to error-rate penalties, while advocates question whether private insurers can deliver savings without cutting needed care. Workforce & Regional Tech: SEMO REDI’s new “Industry Insights” highlights Southeast Missouri’s workforce pipeline, local business growth, and industrial site development—aimed at attracting tech and manufacturing investment. Local Tech & Education: UW-Stout’s Make48 fast-food innovation challenge is drawing Missouri students into rapid prototyping and STEM-style entrepreneurship. Surveillance Tech Debate: A national report details how police used Flock camera networks for stalking—fueling renewed concerns about AI camera oversight. Aviation/Drone Rules: Ohio lawmakers advanced updates to drone and aviation facility rules, including warrant requirements for certain law-enforcement drone uses. Public Safety Tech: Missouri’s AG enforcement push for Missouri 811 continues, with July hitting a record month for utility locate notifications.

Cybersecurity Alert: Federal officials warn Iranian-linked hackers have targeted internet-connected control systems at water utilities, with attacks reported in at least seven states; Missouri is among those receiving guidance to disconnect PLCs from the internet, lock down remote access, and change default passwords. Missouri Medicaid Pressure: Missouri faces tougher federal Medicaid rules starting in 2029, with advocates questioning how private insurers will be affected as the state weighs extending managed-care contracts. STEM & Local Learning: A Make48 fast-food innovation contest heads to Kansas City with Missouri student teams building prototypes and marketing in just two days, while Missouri schools and groups also keep pushing AI and STEM training. Agriculture Tech: MU Extension and soybean partners offer free diagnostic testing for red crown rot samples to help farmers catch a disease that can slash yields. Public Safety Tech: Missouri 811 enforcement hit a record month in July, reminding excavators to call 8-1-1 before digging to protect underground utilities. Health Research: University of Missouri researchers say a consistent daily routine may reduce chronic pain and depression symptoms in older adults. Business & Manufacturing: Boeing’s St. Louis-area military jet production and South Carolina 787 work are in focus as the company reports a larger-than-expected quarterly loss.

Cybersecurity & Water Infrastructure: Federal warnings say Iranian-linked hackers have targeted internet-connected water and wastewater systems, including Missouri, with guidance urging utilities to cut PLCs off the internet, lock down remote access, and change default passwords. STEM in Missouri Classrooms: Students from Missouri are heading to a Make48 fast-food innovation showdown in Wisconsin, with top teams earning a Kansas City national spot. Agriculture Tech: MU Extension and soybean partners are offering free testing for red crown rot samples to help farmers catch a disease that can slash yields. Public Safety Tech Debate: Missouri communities are pushing back on surveillance tech—Louisiana, Mo. is considering ending its Flock camera contract, while responders warn drones can interfere with emergency scenes. Health & Research: A University of Missouri study links consistent daily routines with lower chronic pain and fewer depression symptoms. Business & Industry: Boeing reported a larger-than-expected Q2 loss but positive free cash flow, citing progress on Air Force One and Missouri-area production. Missouri 811 Enforcement: July set a record for Missouri 811 activity, as the attorney general’s office highlights compliance before digging.

Food Safety in the Midwest: A Cyclospora outbreak has sickened thousands, with cases reported in Kansas and Missouri, prompting some shoppers to rethink produce choices while officials track the source. Agriculture & Research: Missouri soybean groups and MU Extension are offering free diagnostic testing for “red crown rot,” a disease that can devastate yields, with limited free slots. Public Health & Ticks: Alpha-gal syndrome stories are spreading after tick bites, including accounts of sudden meat and dairy allergies developing weeks later. Tech, Privacy & Surveillance: Missouri voters are weighing data-center growth and local impacts, while nearby communities debate “Flock” cameras and drone use at emergency scenes. STEM in Missouri Classrooms: Burns & McDonnell hosted hands-on STEM workshops for regional elementary teachers, aiming to bring engineering-style lessons back to students. Missouri Policy & Infrastructure: Missouri AG Hanaway says July brought record enforcement for Missouri 811 compliance, pushing “call before you dig” to prevent utility strikes. Space & AI Astronomy: Researchers used AI with DESI data to spot seven promising gravitationally lensed quasar candidates.

STEM in the classroom: Burns & McDonnell hosted about 200 Kansas City-area elementary teachers for hands-on STEM workshops, including apple-carrying hat builds and marble-track challenges, so educators can bring the activities back to students. Agriculture tech: Missouri Extension confirmed corn leafhoppers in five counties, warning they can spread corn stunt pathogens and affect yields if infection hits early growth stages. Space & defense tech: The Space Force created a $981M contract vehicle with 15 vendors to build a digital testing and training environment for next-gen Space Force ranges. Health & research: UNC Pembroke’s Ben Bahr received Sigma Xi’s Wyatt Technology Transfer Award for Alzheimer’s work aimed at an affordable oral treatment, backed by a $1.1M grant and commercialization efforts. Public safety tech: Missouri’s AG reported record July enforcement for Missouri 811, securing settlements with 15 companies for underground utility notification violations. Water resilience: Missouri DNR is mapping northeast Missouri groundwater sources to expand drought options for farms and rural water districts. AI for farming: NSF and India’s MeitY funded a precision soybean breeding project, including a smart sensing network led by a University of Memphis professor. Surveillance debate: A Louisiana, Mo., councilman proposed ending the city’s Flock camera contract after privacy complaints, with public meetings planned.

Bourbon virus in Missouri-area relevance: New York has confirmed Bourbon virus for the first time, with experts warning more cases may be missed because there’s no commercial test and many doctors aren’t looking for it—symptoms can include fever-like illness, rash, and blood-related effects. AI power surge in the region: A $100B+ federal-backed push is set to redevelop Kentucky’s Paducah uranium plant into a hyperscale AI data center campus, but the biggest question remains: no named anchor tenant yet. Missouri courts leadership: South Dakota’s chief justice and Missouri’s courts administrator Kathy S. Lloyd were elected to lead CCJ and COSCA, with Lloyd overseeing Missouri’s statewide court tech and administration. Local tech + infrastructure governance: New Orleans moves toward taking control of its Sewerage & Water Board, including budget oversight and contract review—an example of how city-level control can reshape public-works tech and operations. Missouri election tech policy: Missouri voters face Amendment 4, which would force citizen-led constitutional changes to win majorities in all eight congressional districts, raising the bar for future ballot initiatives. Public health + ticks: A new study estimates alpha-gal IgE positivity is common in lone star tick states, including Arkansas and Missouri, underscoring the need for careful diagnosis beyond a single test.

Public Health Research: University of Missouri researchers report that older adults who keep a consistent daily routine report less physical pain and fewer depression symptoms, even when sleep is poor. Election Tech & Governance: Missouri voters face Amendment 4, which would require citizen-led constitutional changes to win majorities in all eight congressional districts—potentially raising the bar for future ballot initiatives. Local Economic Development: Fulton, Mo. is getting a $30,000 grant through the Center on Rural Innovation’s Heartland Rural Innovators initiative to build a tech-driven downtown growth roadmap. Data Center Policy: Perryville, Mo. is tightening its data center ordinance with stricter transparency rules, limiting builds to the industrial park, and requiring closed-loop water systems. Vehicle Registration Tech: Missouri’s temporary paper tags are set to be phased out as the state’s “Fusion” system rolls out in February 2027, shifting more registration work to dealerships and aiming to cut down on expired tags. STEM & Health Capacity: Gateway to Hope released a regional analysis of breast cancer screening capacity in St. Louis, finding providers use only about half their mammography capacity and screening rates lag recommendations.