Missouri Budget & Health Funding: Gov. Mike Kehoe signed Missouri’s $50B budget with major vetoes, including cutting $1M from the Opioid Addiction Treatment and Recovery Fund that supported a prevention resource center network, raising alarms about reduced teen early-intervention rides and services. Public Finance Oversight: A state audit rated former Gov. Mike Parson’s office “fair,” citing missing travel documentation for hundreds of thousands in state aircraft trips and other recordkeeping problems. Utilities & Regulation: The PSC set intervention deadlines in Missouri-American Water’s general rate case and Evergy Missouri West’s fuel adjustment request, keeping utility rate fights active. Local Government & Development: Kansas City moved to start a receivership process for the long-vacant Federal Reserve building, aiming to stop ongoing nuisance conditions downtown. Workplace Safety: A dangerous heat wave pushed extreme heat alerts across the eastern U.S., with cities shortening events and workers facing higher risk. Business & Growth: America’s 250th anniversary spotlighted Missouri’s economy in a state-by-state GDP ranking, while Missouri also pursued faster infrastructure permitting via a federal permitting partnership. Crime & Courts: Trial dates were set for a man accused in a 2022 Jefferson City bar shooting, with prosecutors seeking the death penalty.