AGP Executive Report

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.

Surveillance & privacy clash: Springfield residents erupted after city council fast-tracked a resolution tied to Flock automatic license plate reader cameras, sending it to a planning committee and limiting public comment. Public safety tech scrutiny: Missouri lawmakers and officials keep pressing for oversight as ALPR networks expand, with new questions about how the tech is used and who’s accountable. Higher-ed credit automation: DegreeSight became the official credit evaluation platform for NAIA member schools, aiming to speed transcript and coursework reviews for incoming student-athletes. Food & farm innovation: Bunge will process BASF’s InVigor Gold canola hybrid, designed for hotter, drier conditions, signaling more hybrid canola options for growers. Ag research in Missouri: MU’s Wurdack Field Day highlights virtual fencing trials and other grazing and forage research meant to cut labor and improve pasture management. Healthcare workforce: Rockhurst University expanded nursing training in response to growing nurse demand in the region. Cold-chain tech deal: Copeland completed its acquisition of Dickson to boost environmental monitoring and compliance for pharma and life-sciences cold chains. Local infrastructure planning: Columbia Public Schools began public feedback on a new 10-year facilities plan covering 2027–2037. Tech compliance spotlight: NHTSA opened an investigation into Comma.ai after serious crashes involving modified versions of its open-source driver assistance software.

AI Antitrust: A new lawsuit says Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI and Google coordinated an AI slowdown, arguing it violated antitrust law and could cut value for paid subscribers. Space & Politics: Trump disclosed buying up to $50,000 in SpaceX shares in July, then selling part a week later, adding to his trading activity tied to Musk companies. Missouri Surveillance Oversight: St. Peters police reportedly queried Flock license-plate reader cameras more than 30,000 times over three years, renewing questions about how the system is governed. Rural Health Tech & Workforce: The Trump administration announced $45M+ for Missouri’s Rural Health Transformation Program, including hospital upgrades, faster behavioral health access, and training for hundreds of EMT/paramedics. Agritech Climate Research: Salk researchers are testing deeper-rooted soybeans meant to better handle drought and store more carbon, with funding aimed at moving from trials toward commercial use. Education & Rankings: KU held steady at No. 74 among public universities but fell in overall U.S. rankings, while Missouri’s pre-K spotlight continues with Georgia’s quality benchmarks drawing attention.

AI & Data Centers Policy: Sen. Josh Hawley is pushing the “No Tax Breaks for Data Centers Act,” aiming to block data centers from using federal Opportunity Zone tax benefits—an effort tied to concerns about tech firms building on farmland and getting breaks they don’t need. Missouri Data Center Footprint: A new Missouri map highlights how the state’s data centers are connected, fueling ongoing local debate over power demand and water impacts. Cybersecurity Push: Jefferson City-area firm TCS urges Central Missouri businesses to tighten basics ahead of Cybersecurity Awareness Month—phishing reporting, strong passwords/MFA, updates, and backup/recovery readiness. Education Tech in Missouri: Brainfuse is now on Missouri’s qualified vendor list for live, high-dosage K–5 literacy tutoring tied to Reading Success Plans. STEM & Missouri Research/Training: Missouri S&T remains the top public engineering school in-state in U.S. News’ 2027 rankings, reinforcing momentum in engineering programs. Health Tech Pilot: A Kansas City health system study finds weighted blankets can reduce hospital anxiety, offering a low-cost comfort option during stays. Local Tech/Business: St. Louis staffing firm PEG Staffing & Recruiting launches an “AI Transformation Talent” practice after building its own AI capability in-house.

River Access & Infrastructure: Hamilton, Illinois says its Mississippi River access has effectively vanished as Pool 19 silts up and a long-planned boat facility below Lock and Dam 19 was never built, raising new pressure for fixes. Ag Tech on the Ground: The University of Missouri is helping ranchers adopt GPS virtual fencing collars, cutting the need for physical wire and speeding cattle training to days. Cybersecurity for Courts: Missouri Office of State Courts Administrator Pat Brooks is set to speak in a Oct. 15 virtual tabletop exercise focused on court cyber incident response and resilience. Election Tech: Snohomish County Elections won a national Eagle Award for SnoBat, a ballot tracking system built with county IT and used across elections for 500,000+ voters. Food & Farm Innovation: Missouri Corn Growers back the Radicle Corn Challenge, funding corn-based bio plastics and personal-care ingredients to create new markets. Public Health & Access: A survey finds many pediatricians say immigrant families are avoiding care due to immigration concerns, while a lawsuit challenges Medicaid work requirements that could restrict coverage for vulnerable adults. Energy & Policy: Puerto Rico Governor Jenniffer González-Colón was elected chair of the Southern States Energy Board, highlighting grid resilience and generation upgrades.

AI Antitrust: A new lawsuit alleges Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI and Google coordinated an illegal deal to slow AI progress, arguing it would cut consumer value for paid subscriptions. Data Center Backlash: Lawmakers and communities are pushing back on data-center growth, with a House vote aimed at making states consider charging centers for the full cost of new power and grid upgrades. Missouri Surveillance Privacy: Sen. Josh Hawley is set to hold a Sept. 23 hearing with CEOs from Flock Safety, Axon, Motorola Solutions and Verkada over AI-powered surveillance cameras and privacy risks. Clean Tech for Local Industry: Prysmian and Rio Tinto will supply Amazon’s Ohio data center with low-carbon aluminum cables, with cable manufacturing tied to Prysmian’s Sedalia, Missouri site. Climate & Health: Missouri heat deaths may be vastly underreported, and researchers are testing deeper-rooted soybeans to better handle drought while storing more carbon. Cannabis Safety: Missouri regulators recalled mold-contaminated pre-rolled joints after testing found aspergillus. STEM in the Field: S&T earns $2.6M to advance manufacturing in Missouri.

Surveillance & Privacy: Missouri lawmakers are pushing new limits on automated license plate readers, including deleting vehicle data within 30 days, banning vendor sharing of Missouri data, and blocking AI facial recognition hookups—after reported misuse concerns. Data Centers & Local Rules: Kirksville’s planning commission unanimously advanced zoning code changes that would restrict where data centers can go, steering them into heavy industrial areas with special permits. AI Infrastructure Backlash: Flock Safety is offering voluntary buyouts to employees as communities revolt against its license plate tracking network, citing morale damage and contract losses tied to public anger. Housing Watch (Missouri): Zillow reports typical home values rising across multiple counties, including Shelby (+12.6% to $207,894), Cole (+7.8% to $289,489), and Greene (+2.2% to $257,748). STEM in Schools: Missouri Connections Academy is entering its sixth year with about 4,000 virtual K-12 students and expanded hands-on STEM activities. Health & Access: A national debate over abortion access in Idaho is increasingly framed around doctor shortages, with longer waits and reduced preventive care cited as fallout.

Housing Watch: Zillow reports typical home values rising across Missouri counties in August 2026, including Greene (+2.2% to $257,748), Audrain (+9.6% to $191,237), Grundy (+6.7% to $121,868), and Wright (+7.7% to $212,759), while Lawrence County dipped (-0.3% to $206,460). Hunger Action Month: A new push for September’s Hunger Action Month highlights how food insecurity affects millions and points to local impacts, including Nodaway County figures cited by Feeding America. Consumer Safety: A vacation rental scam story warns travelers about AI-generated listing photos and bait-and-switch tactics, urging people to verify properties beyond the listing. STEM & Education: Missouri Connections Academy begins its sixth year with about 4,000 virtual K-12 students and expands STEM-focused hands-on activities. Local Tech & Privacy: Missouri’s governor continues tightening rules around Flock cameras and automated license plate reader data, adding safeguards as communities debate surveillance tech. Health & Community: Kansas City’s Bike MS ride brings hundreds together to support multiple sclerosis research and programs.

Surveillance & privacy in Missouri: Missouri regulators recalled a cannabis pre-roll after mold was found, and the same week brought fresh scrutiny of Flock Safety and ALPR camera use—highlighting how tech meant for public safety is colliding with community trust. AI policy push: Congress continues to introduce AI bills, while Missouri’s lawmakers and national voices debate whether to regulate, pause, or let innovation run—especially as data centers and AI infrastructure expand. Data centers vs. clean power: A Midwest-focused argument is gaining traction: data-center growth needs clean energy, grid upgrades, and community transparency, not just faster construction. Local tech & education: Missouri schools are examining student tech use in classrooms, as districts weigh learning benefits against security and privacy concerns. Health & community tech: Kansas City’s Bike MS ride drew hundreds of cyclists to support multiple sclerosis research and programs. Politics & culture: Sen. Josh Hawley unveiled a “Declaration for Life” tied to opposition to mifepristone, while national coverage also spotlights labor-backed candidates aiming to reshape midterm races. Housing snapshot: Zillow reported multiple Missouri counties seeing typical home values rise in August 2026, including Morgan (+4.5%), Clinton (+4.4%), and Cass (+3.9%).

AI Policy Watch: Congress is weighing a wave of AI bills, including proposals that would pause advanced AI and impose a moratorium on AI data centers until safety rules and worker protections catch up. Missouri Privacy & Surveillance: Sen. Josh Hawley invited CEOs behind Flock-style automated license plate readers to testify as Missouri’s governor tightens safeguards on ALPR and camera use. Data Centers + Clean Power: A Midwest-focused push argues data-center growth must be paired with clean energy and grid upgrades to avoid higher costs and reliability risks. Health Tech & Public Safety: Missouri regulators recalled moldy cannabis pre-rolls after testing found Aspergillus, marking a second September recall. Housing Tech Signals: Zillow reported August typical home values rising across multiple Missouri counties, including Cass (+3.9% to $343,896) and Dade (+10% to $207,477). Local Tech/Community: Missouri schools are examining student tech use in classrooms, while Columbia sewer monitors are planned to improve downtown infrastructure monitoring. Education & Outcomes: A Missouri debate continues over whether college value should be measured beyond earnings.

Low-Carbon Data Centers: Prysmian and Rio Tinto say they’ll supply low-carbon aluminum cables for an Amazon data center in Ohio, with Prysmian manufacturing in Sedalia, Missouri, using Rio Tinto’s ELYSIS inert-anode smelting to cut emissions at the raw-material level. Surveillance Rules in Missouri: Gov. Mike Kehoe’s executive order tightens Missouri use of license plate readers and facial recognition, requiring faster deletion of images, limiting non-law-enforcement access, and restricting vendor data use. School Bus Safety Tech: A new Missouri law boosts penalties for passing stopped school buses to a minimum $500, backed by video cameras on bus stop arms. AI and Cybersecurity in Classrooms: A higher-ed security warning argues modern classrooms are now an attack surface, with identity and student data compliance becoming central as AI tools spread. Health Tech Milestone: C2N Diagnostics says the FDA cleared its PrecivityAD2 Alzheimer’s blood test for adults with cognitive symptoms as young as 40, with the company highlighting Missouri ties. Public Health & Vaccines: Health professionals reiterate vaccines remain safe and effective amid ongoing misinformation and hesitancy. Bats Conservation: Indiana bat numbers show slow recovery after white-nose syndrome declines, with Missouri mentioned as a key wintering area.

AI Surveillance Probe: Sen. Josh Hawley is widening his investigation into AI-assisted surveillance, sending letters to Axon, Motorola Solutions, and Verkada after starting with Flock Safety—demanding details on how these systems collect and retain data. Public Health: CDC reports 3,471 measles cases in the U.S. as of Sept. 17, with a week-over-week rise and most cases tied to outbreaks. Privacy vs. Cameras: Missouri’s governor has issued executive order safeguards for Flock/ALPR-style camera use, as lawmakers and communities keep clashing over surveillance and driver tracking. STEM in Schools: Warren County 4-H is expanding after-school and STEM programs, adding coding and hands-on activities at multiple elementary sites. Water & Infrastructure Tech: Columbia is installing monitors in downtown sewage pipes to measure weekly flow and model capacity before future development. Low-Carbon Data Center Hardware: Prysmian and Rio Tinto say low-carbon aluminum cables using ELYSIS tech will be installed at an Amazon data center; Prysmian will build them in Sedalia. Agriculture Research: U of Missouri Extension is helping Ozark hay producers respond to drought stress with soil testing, fertility planning, and cover crops. Community Science: UMKC students joined a Kansas River cleanup, linking Missouri and Kansas water quality to local ecosystems. Housing Market Snapshot: Zillow shows Missouri’s typical home value at $267,879 (+2.9% year over year), with several counties posting double-digit gains.

AI Surveillance Probe: Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley is widening his investigation into AI-assisted surveillance, sending letters to Axon, Motorola Solutions, and Verkada after starting with Flock Safety, demanding details on data collection and retention. Public Safety Cameras & Privacy: Missouri’s governor has issued executive-order safeguards for Flock cameras and automated license plate reader data, as residents and local officials push back and ask for clearer rules. Data Center Fight: Hawley introduced the “No Tax Breaks for Data Centers Act” to block Opportunity Zone incentives for data centers, while Missouri groups rally for a moratorium and communities debate local land use and energy impacts. Manufacturing Tech Boost: Missouri S&T won a $2.6M NIST award to expand an advanced manufacturing help center, aiming to bring AI, robotics, and automation to small and mid-sized manufacturers. Legal Tech & Courts: Missouri’s chief justice warned that AI could reshape access to legal help, urging lawyers to use it carefully and avoid hallucinated legal info. Local Tech/Business: EquipmentShare founder William Schlacks bought 10,000 shares, and a law firm says it’s investigating the company for potential securities-law violations. Health Research: A large study links sleep stage patterns—not just sleep duration—to later disease risk.

AI Surveillance Probe Widens: Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley says his investigation into AI-assisted surveillance is expanding beyond Flock Safety, sending letters to Axon, Motorola Solutions, and Verkada asking for details on data collection and retention. State Privacy Rules: Gov. Mike Kehoe signed Executive Order 26-18 setting a 30-day deletion standard for automated license plate reader data, limiting searches, and banning facial recognition integration. Local Tech in Public Safety: Tracy, Mo. is adding a third Flock camera as officials argue it’s needed with a small police force handling heavy traffic. Higher Ed & Jobs: Missouri S&T’s Sept. 22 fall career fair will bring hundreds of recruiters; the school cites strong graduate starting salaries. STEM/Health Tech: Orthopedic trauma surgeons will present real-world performance data on CurvaFix implants from the first 3,800 devices at OTA. Missouri Education Outcomes: Missouri’s six-year bachelor’s completion rate for 2018 entrants reached 59% by 2024. Data Centers & Power: A hyperscale data center near Maryville could be tied to a hyperscaler operator deal, with construction targeted for early 2027. STEM in the Classroom: Microschool students are reported to be matching or exceeding national growth on i-Ready in new data.