AGP Executive Report

Missouri Fuel Watch: GasBuddy says one station in Phelps County hit the week’s low for regular at $3.87/gal (state average $4.09). Energy & Agriculture: USDA reported a big weekly jump in broiler-type eggs set for incubation—249.839 million—up 2.535 million week over week, with Missouri sets roughly flat. Health Care Money: Trump’s administration began mailing $500 ACA refund checks to nearly 1 million people in 30 states, including Missouri, aimed at those without premium assistance. Housing & Rents: Apartments.com/CoStar found September rents dipped slightly nationwide (-0.08% to $1,752) but annual growth ticked up to +1.5%. Tech & Data Centers: HostColor expanded to 100Gbps dedicated hosting across major U.S. and global locations. Local Business: Costco in Midtown Kansas City will close Oct. 1 and reopen as a Costco Business Center in spring 2027. Policy & Politics: The U.S. Senate blocked a GOP insider-trading bill after Democrats refused to advance it.

Defense & Manufacturing: The U.S. Navy selected Boeing to develop the F/A-XX sixth-generation carrier fighter in a deal worth $20B-plus, a win that could further boost Boeing’s St. Louis-area production footprint. Local Utilities: Neosho approved selling its water and wastewater system to Missouri American Water, with residents set to see first bills in late October or early November as the utility targets aging-pipe water loss. Cybersecurity & Consumer Protection: Missouri is tied to a multistate settlement with Labcorp over the AMCA data breach, with regulators emphasizing vendor data security as a non-delegable duty. Food Safety: A new survey finds only 31% of Americans strongly believe the U.S. food system produces safe food, as scrutiny grows around delayed traceability rules and a withdrawn salmonella plan. Public Safety Funding: Southeast Missouri crime-victim and crisis centers are bracing for federal Crime Victims Fund cuts, including a reported 16% reduction for one child advocacy and rape crisis center starting Oct. 1. Energy Costs: Gas prices stayed volatile but mixed across Missouri counties, with multiple GasBuddy reports showing localized lows for regular, midgrade, and diesel. Retail & Groceries: Hy-Vee will rebrand remaining Dollar Fresh Market stores to its main banner, adding amenities like bakeries and full-service meat cases. Community & Housing Taxes: Jackson County unveiled interactive websites to estimate property tax credits for homeowners facing assessment increases above 15%.

Retail & Rural Groceries: Hy-Vee is rebranding its remaining Dollar Fresh Market stores in Iowa, Missouri and South Dakota, adding bakeries and full-service meat cases as it folds the discount banner into its flagship. City Budget & Water Infrastructure: Maryville approved its FY 2027 budget, up $40 million, driven by a new ozone biofiltration water treatment plant to tackle algal blooms. College Sports Policy: Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt backed the Protect College Sports Act after it cleared the Senate, aiming to set national rules for NIL, transfers and eligibility. Labor in Missouri Cannabis: Springfield Greenlight workers say 12 were fired after union organizing; a Joplin location voted to unionize days earlier. Power & Data Centers: Missouri Rep. Brad Christ urged the PSC to scrutinize Ameren’s data-center cost assumptions as large-load tariffs roll out. Business Expansion: King Technology opened a $17M manufacturing and distribution center in St. Peters, targeting 40 jobs. Energy Watch: Diesel prices dipped nationally, while Missouri gas prices stayed volatile by county and grade. Local Business Closures: Ancho & Agave abruptly shut its Lee’s Summit location; gift cards are being refunded or honored out of state. Agriculture Markets: USW released its 2026 soft red winter wheat quality survey, citing generally solid end-use performance despite weather swings.

College Sports Overhaul: The U.S. Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act (77-22), setting a national framework for athlete compensation, adding transfer limits, and moving the NCAA toward new antitrust protections; the bill now heads to the House. Missouri Cannabis Licensing Fight: The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments over whether a cannabis company should receive 13 facility licenses after claims the state’s 2019 application scoring was inconsistent. Local Business Pressure: Cape Girardeau downtown owners say a deadly shooting and ongoing street issues are hurting sales and want stronger enforcement. Fuel Costs Hit Missouri Farmers: Diesel prices are at record highs near $6.34 a gallon, squeezing harvest budgets as agriculture uses most of its annual diesel in fall. Wireless Taxes: A new analysis says 2026 wireless taxes and fees will keep rising, adding hundreds of dollars per year to typical household bills. Workplace Pay Dispute: Employees at Cool Crest Family Fun Center in Independence walked out after missing paychecks, temporarily shutting the venue. Tech for Retail: Ozark-based INNAYA is expanding lifesize holographic display sales to help small and mid-sized stores shift ad spend back to physical storefronts.

Data & Privacy: A bipartisan group of 44 state attorneys general reached a settlement over the 2019 Labcorp data breach tied to its debt collector, American Medical Collection Agency, with injunctive relief aimed at tighter vendor security and a nearly $2.3 million payout to states. Construction Costs: NOAA says catastrophic weather has surged, with U.S. billion-dollar disasters more than doubling since 1980—raising the odds of delays and cost overruns that hit projects long after storms pass. Local Infrastructure: Missouri DNR awarded Belton $2.89 million to connect the Olson Acres subdivision to the city’s wastewater system, covering 100% of eligible costs and targeting completion by May 2027. Higher Ed & Workforce: Mizzou’s new Michael L. Parson Meat Lab is ramping up meat processing support, classes, and workforce development for Missouri processors. Business Growth: Diamond Properties closed on a 30,000-square-foot, fully leased industrial acquisition in Earth City, adding income from tenants including Continental Battery and Stifel. Consumer Watch: GasBuddy reports Howell County’s lowest regular price at $3.85 for the week ending Sept. 19, while Missouri’s average rose to $4.09. Media Industry: E.W. Scripps promoted Sean McGarvy to head of news, unifying local and national strategy and standards.

Federal Policy & Markets: U.S. Senate Republicans are lining up final votes before the midterms, with John Thune expected to move a bipartisan college sports overhaul and a House-passed Ratepayer Protection Act aimed at curbing data-center-driven utility cost hikes. Missouri Business & Tourism: Joplin’s Convention and Visitors Bureau director Patrick Tuttle says he’ll retire at year’s end, capping a long run promoting Route 66 tourism. Local Economy & Community Events: Kirksville’s Bippity Boppity Boutique Fairytale nearly doubled attendance, drawing 77 “princesses” to downtown businesses. Healthcare Costs: A Kansas City pharmacist is criticizing pharmacy benefit managers’ use of hidden offshore subsidiaries that, he says, siphon rebates before plan sponsors see them. Energy Prices: GasBuddy reports show Missouri fuel prices easing but still volatile, with standout lows like $3.94 regular in Scotland County and $5.67 diesel in Nodaway County for the week ending Sept. 19. Transportation & Construction: MoDOT laid out mid-Missouri roadwork plans for late September, including I-70-related lane restrictions and county closures. Immigration Labor: USCIS reports Missouri approved 5,740 H-2B worker requests for fiscal 2026 through June 30, 2026.

Fuel Watch: Diesel prices stayed volatile across Missouri, with the week ending Sept. 19 showing the lowest reported diesel at $5.39/gal in Barry County and $5.49/gal in Webster County, while the statewide average rose to about $6.10/gal. Local Roads: MoDOT outlined mid-Missouri roadwork for the week, including Improve I-70 single-lane closures and multiple county projects with lane restrictions and bridge work. Community & Philanthropy: United Way of Northeast Missouri kicked off its 2027 campaign in Kirksville, targeting healthy community, youth opportunity, financial security and resiliency through local partner funding. City Planning: Kirksville City Council will consider 2027 goals Monday, plus airport improvements tied to T-hangar rehabilitation using expiring grant funds. Health Policy: Federal rescheduling of medical marijuana is expected to change taxes and operations for state-licensed dispensaries, with Arkansas operators citing potential tax-rate relief. Housing Data: Zillow reported mixed county home-value movement, including Gentry County up to $136,028 (+3.6%) and Ozark County at $232,797 (+6.3%) in August 2026.

Investigative Spotlight: Missouri Independent reporters Clara Bates and Anna Spoerre won the Missouri Press Association’s A-Mark Prize for investigative journalism for their foster care series, with judges citing major policy failures and real-world impact. Public Safety & Privacy: U.S. senators, led by Missouri’s Josh Hawley, pressed concerns about Flock surveillance cameras, arguing the expanding network could violate constitutional privacy rights. Legal/Justice: A Kansas City man, Alvarez O. McCullough, was sentenced to 11 years and three months for a fentanyl distribution conspiracy tied to firearms and drug trafficking. Crypto Fraud: Federal prosecutors charged a Vietnamese national, Trung Nguyen Van, with money laundering tied to alleged “pig butchering” crypto scams moving about $53.3 million. Local Business: The Dog Stop is opening in Kansas City in late October, bringing dog daycare, boarding, grooming and retail to the Midtown/Downtown area. Energy Costs: GasBuddy data shows Jackson County premium gas hit as low as $4.29 per gallon for the week ending Sept. 19, with Missouri’s premium average at $4.79. Community & Culture: Jefferson City’s 25th annual Oktoberfest drew crowds to Old Munichburg with beer gardens, a kids’ corner and German-themed events.

AI Antitrust: A new lawsuit alleges Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI and Google coordinated to slow AI development, arguing it violates antitrust law and could reduce value for paid subscriptions. Space Security: Cape Canaveral is set to deploy laser weapons to take down drones and protect launch infrastructure as drone incursions rise. Gas Prices Watch (MO): GasBuddy data for the week ending Sept. 19 shows premium gas lows including $4.29 in Jackson County and $4.28 in Jefferson County, while diesel lows include $5.49 in Jefferson County and $5.49 in Wright County. Housing Snapshot: Zillow reports Montgomery County’s typical home value rose 13.4% to $230,056 in August 2026. Local Business & Community: Jefferson City’s 25th annual Oktoberfest drew crowds to Old Munichburg, with proceeds supporting beautification projects. Education & Workforce: Howard County colleges conferred 833 degrees and certificates in 2023-24, led by bachelor’s awards.

Missouri Politics & Courts: The U.S. Supreme Court blocked Missouri’s GOP-backed congressional map for the third time, citing election chaos as absentee voting is already underway, while also letting states use a revamped federal voter eligibility database (SAVE) for now. Election & Privacy: The SAVE move is tied to the administration’s push on noncitizen voting, but experts say a 90-day purge limit may blunt impact. Missouri Business & Safety: Lee’s Summit is tightening Oktoberfest after Downtown Days chaos, moving to a fenced, ticketed format with added security. Local Infrastructure: MoDOT is advancing Exit 93 changes in Cape Girardeau County, including a new roundabout to improve safety and traffic flow. Energy Costs: AAA reports Missouri diesel near record highs, squeezing trucking as holiday shipping nears. Crypto Fraud: A Vietnamese man, Trung Nguyen Van, faces money-laundering charges tied to a $16M “pig butchering” crypto scam targeting a U.S. victim. Public Health & Pharma: AG Fitch urged protection of GLP-1 drug supply chains amid concerns about unsafe foreign ingredients.

Data Privacy & Enforcement: Missouri’s neighbors are pushing hard on health-data security after a multistate $2.3 million Labcorp settlement tied to the AMCA patient-data breach, underscoring that vendor access to sensitive records is a “non-delegable duty.” Local Government & Privacy: St. Louis County ordered an audit of license plate reader cameras on county property and rights-of-way, aiming to tighten authorization rules and address resident privacy fears. Elections & Government Data: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled states can use Social Security data to identify noncitizen voters for audits, a decision that keeps legal fights alive heading into November. Public Safety & Health: Missouri reported 181,296 disabled-worker Social Security beneficiaries in December 2024, down 1.6% from the prior year. Business & Markets: EquipmentShare, based in Columbia, pushed back on a short-seller report, saying its financials and its OWN program comply with GAAP and SEC rules. Housing: Zillow data showed Saline County home values up 4.8% year over year to $184,101 in August 2026. Energy & Costs: GasBuddy price checks show regular gas around $3.73–$4.10 in parts of Missouri for the week ending Sept. 19, with E85 and E15 also tracked county by county. Infrastructure: MoDOT scheduled late-September roadwork across north and northwest Missouri, with lane closures and pavement repairs expected to affect drivers.

Farm Economy: Missouri readers get a window into how higher fertilizer and diesel costs are squeezing U.S. farmers’ margins, with diesel up sharply and fuel “a cost a farmer can’t pass on.” Local Banking & Community: First Interstate Bank’s 9th annual Volunteer Day sent employees to support the Northwest Tama County Food Pantry, with nearly 400 projects across its footprint. Tourism Input: Vermillion and Yankton residents are being urged to weigh in on a Missouri River Water Trail tourism survey through Oct. 14. Health & Research: Mizzou researchers say aging weakens muscles partly because nerve-to-muscle communication becomes less reliable, pointing to a protein that could lead to new treatments. Public Safety & Privacy: U.S. senators pressed privacy concerns over Flock’s AI camera network after reports of wrongful arrests and fears of warrantless tracking; Missouri’s AG and local officials are also in the middle of downtown Columbia’s Reign Bar controversy. Missouri Business Moves: WireCo will close its Kirksville plant, affecting 40–45 full-time jobs, with production shifting to Texas. Housing & Growth: Kansas City council introduced a plan to fund the Royals’ stadium share with about $600M, using bonds and redirected tax revenues. Energy Costs: GasBuddy reports show Missouri regular prices mostly hovering around the low-$4 range in the week ending Sept. 19.

AI & Privacy Watch: U.S. senators grilled the Flock Safety CEO (who didn’t show) over a nationwide license-plate camera network, raising concerns about warrantless tracking and wrongful arrests. Public Safety Tech Fallout: Separate reporting says police misuse of Flock cameras in Indiana led to fraud and stalking charges against officers, adding pressure for safeguards. Healthcare Business: St. Louis-based Stifel reported August operating data, pointing to record client assets and fee-based growth, while flagging mixed expectations for institutional revenue. Banking Earnings Calendar: Great Southern Bancorp set its third-quarter preliminary earnings release for Oct. 21 and a call the next day. Energy & Construction: Mizzou broke ground on a $120M Payne Energy Innovation Center in Columbia, targeting AI and grid security, with completion expected in 2028. Local Economy & Housing: Zillow data showed Newton County’s typical home value rose 4.1% in August 2026 to $248,047. Consumer Costs: GasBuddy reported the lowest E85 in St. Louis County at $3.29 (week ending Sept. 19), alongside continued volatility in regional fuel prices. Ag & Jobs: Delta Peanut received a $5M bridge loan to keep operations moving after losing federal warehousing licensure.

Surveillance showdown: U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley’s Senate hearing put Flock-style license-plate cameras under a microscope, with lawmakers and witnesses arguing the systems can sweep up Americans’ movements without due process and raise Fourth Amendment concerns. Local enforcement pressure: Pinal County Sheriff Ross Teeple told senators he ended his agency’s Flock contract and urged clear legal limits on AI-powered camera networks. Accountability push: Separate reporting from Indiana says prosecutors charged five Indianapolis officers over alleged misuse of Flock access, adding momentum to calls for safeguards. Missouri business impact: St. Louis’ Ballpark Village firms are leaning into year-round events to offset Cardinals crowd swings, while gas watch shows Missouri prices still uneven by county (regular lows like $3.89 in Crawford County; diesel lows around $5.25 in Madison County). Consumer and community: Columbia’s MU off-campus housing is nearly fully pre-leased for 2026-27, and rebuilding fraud efforts in St. Louis target predatory tornado contractors with a new pro bono legal task force.

Trade & Agriculture: Questions linger over China’s promised $17 billion in extra U.S. agriculture purchases ahead of a Trump-Xi meeting, with USDA and University of Missouri analysts saying it’s still unclear which products will count. Missouri Politics & Public Safety: Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is investigating Students for Justice in Palestine, demanding fundraising records and warning funds could be tied to “radical Islamic terrorism.” Privacy & Surveillance: A Senate Judiciary hearing led by Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley zeroed in on Flock license-plate cameras, focusing on privacy risks, search practices, and data retention. Public Health: Health officials warned of possible measles exposure tied to Busch Stadium and nearby St. Louis-area businesses, urging monitoring for 21 days. Infrastructure & Jobs: Missouri’s Department of Natural Resources approved a $5.5 million, no-interest planning/design loan for Sedalia wastewater upgrades, with a larger $55.98 million construction project expected to start in 2027. Local Business & Community: Missouri American Water awarded nearly $50,000 to the Joplin Fire Department for cancer-protective firefighter hoods.

Wendy’s Fallout: A major Wendy’s franchisee, Meritage Hospitality Group (314 restaurants), filed for bankruptcy after Wendy’s moved to terminate its franchise deal, citing tens of millions in alleged fees and “continuous operations” charges—raising fresh questions about restaurant costs and franchise risk. Missouri Politics & Courts: Missouri’s GOP-friendly congressional map fight is back at the U.S. Supreme Court for a third round as ballots are already printed and voting begins, keeping pressure on election timelines and districting rules. Public Safety & Licensing: Missouri AG Catherine Hanaway demanded a plan from Reign Bar in Columbia to curb “nuisance conditions” and violence, threatening legal action if the operator doesn’t act fast. Energy & Legal Pressure: New York and other states sued the Trump administration over offshore wind lease buybacks, arguing the deals are illegal and redirect money away from renewable projects. Rural Income Ideas: Airbnb and American Farmland Trust launched grants to help farmers add farm-stay tourism income as operating costs rise. Fuel Watch: GasBuddy reports show midgrade and E15 prices in Missouri remain volatile, with some counties seeing sharp week-to-week swings. AI Antitrust: A lawsuit alleges top AI firms coordinated a slowdown in development, setting up another major legal test for competition rules.