AGP Executive Report

FCC & Libraries: The FCC is weighing whether to limit or sunset the E-rate program that helps schools and libraries pay for internet and equipment—librarians warn cuts could hit Kansas communities too. Kansas Lawn Science: K-State Extension is urging patience as drought and heat push many Kansas lawns into dormancy; researchers are testing more drought-tolerant grasses. Kansas Health Policy: Rheumatology groups say looming Medicaid “community engagement” exemption rules could unfairly restrict care for people with fluctuating autoimmune conditions. Manufacturing Workforce: The Trump administration launched “Foundry School” under Pax Silica, aiming to train millions of skilled workers for advanced manufacturing by 2033. Kansas Higher Ed: KU added five faculty to its Honors Faculty Fellows cohort, including expertise in emerging technologies and Indigenous communities. Space Spotlight: KU alum and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara will headline KU Reads in October, tying her ISS experience to the book “Orbital.” Sports Tech: A Kansas City Chiefs preseason hot mic moment reignited debate over the NFL’s hawk-eye first-down system. Data Centers Politics: A new Kansas/Ohio/Wisconsin ad push argues data centers can be “good neighbors,” as local backlash grows.

Campus Safety & Infrastructure: Emporia State shut down east-side seating at Francis G. Welch Stadium due to “structural deficiencies,” cutting capacity and moving visitors to Section Q while adding temporary bleachers for students and a small VIP tent. Education & Global Learning: Kansas State University students spent nine days teaching in rural Costa Rican schools, using English/Spanish lesson plans and cultural activities through a research-and-education partnership. Research & Space: KU alumna and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara will headline KU Reads in Lawrence Oct. 8, tying her ISS experience to the book “Orbital.” Healthcare Tech: University Health deployed Zebra mobile computers and printers to modernize point-of-care workflows, slashing provider callback wait times from 45 minutes to seconds. Cybersecurity: A hacker allegedly tried to sell 153 million stolen driver’s licenses, with investigators pointing to possible breaches tied to identity provider IDScan.net. STEM in the Air: Shield AI and GE Aerospace began ground testing a thrust-vectoring F110 engine for the X-Bat collaborative combat aircraft. Public Health Basics: A Rutgers study says waist circumference can flag unhealthy abdominal fat risk nearly as well as more complex measures.

Kansas AI modernization: A Kansas agency modernization story highlights how AI chatbots, transcription, and AI-assisted software development cut routine workload and sped up staff training, while data migration moved nearly 600 million records without losing integrity. Workforce & manufacturing: The Trump administration’s Foundry School launches Sept. 3 to train engineers and technicians for semiconductors, defense, and energy, with Kansas-linked coverage noting the broader push to fill an estimated 3.8 million skilled jobs by 2033. Local tech politics: Independence voters approved a recall of City Councilman John Perkins, tied to support for a 400-acre hyperscale AI data-center project. Cybersecurity for water: The EPA announced nearly $12M in grants for drinking-water systems, including Coffeyville, Kansas, to bolster defenses against cyberattacks and extreme weather. Agriculture research: NSF-funded work led by Arkansas State University aims to boost drought tolerance in rice and wheat using mycorrhizal inoculants, partnering with KU and Kansas State.

Kansas Politics: Incumbent AG Kris Kobach is defending his record in a rematch against Democrat Chris Mann, with both sides leaning on crime, consumer protection, and national issues to drive turnout. Supreme Court & Voting: Democrats renewed calls to expand the U.S. Supreme Court as Congress debates capping justices at nine, with a looming ruling on Trump’s vote-by-mail order raising midterm stakes. Workforce & Manufacturing: Ohio State was picked for Trump’s “Foundry School” manufacturing curriculum, aimed at training engineers and technicians for semiconductors, defense, and energy supply chains. Agriculture Research: A-State and partners landed a major NSF project to boost drought tolerance in rice and wheat using mycorrhizal fungi, with Kansas State and KU among collaborators. Public Health Policy: A Medicare GLP-1 “Bridge” pilot is leaving some patients out, highlighting how eligibility rules can block access even when costs are the main barrier. Cybersecurity & Water: Federal grants target cybersecurity upgrades for Kansas and other drinking-water systems, as utilities face both hacks and extreme weather. Kansas Tech/Business: Midwest Fiber Networks and Midwest FiberPath plan a 1,200-mile Midwest fiber corridor, including Kansas City, to add route diversity for data centers and carriers. Local Science & Community: Hays hosted a Fall Art Walk featuring ceramics and paintings, with Fort Hays State tied in through student media work.

AI & Finance: A Princeton economist warned at the Kansas City Fed’s Jackson Hole symposium that AI trading agents could outmaneuver central banks, forcing more opaque policy communication and raising risks of volatility and manipulation. Fed Watch: Markets leaned toward a September rate hike after Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s hawkish Jackson Hole remarks, even as economists debate how far policy will actually tighten. Kansas Data Centers (Local Power vs. Tech Push): Trump urged communities to “embrace data centers,” while Kansas cities including Edgerton, El Dorado and Emporia are in court over citizen petitions that would restrict large facilities. Cybersecurity: AI companies and security experts issued an urgent call to harden hospitals, water systems and other critical infrastructure against faster AI-driven attacks, after reports of AI agents going off-task. Crime Tech: Five Venezuelan nationals pleaded guilty in a Kansas ATM “jackpotting” case after failed malware attacks in Manhattan and Wamego. Space Science: Kansas City space experts compared NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope to Hubble, highlighting a much wider view. Higher Ed Policy: Kansas universities face a DEI-CRT course ban tied to state funding rules, with Wichita State professors raising concerns. Local Budget: Dickinson County approved a 2027 budget cutting spending and lowering its mill levy/property tax burden. Agriculture Climate: July heat set records, with researchers warning hot nights can hurt corn yield around silking. STEM History: A Kansas farm boy’s homemade telescope helped lead to Pluto’s discovery, a story resurfacing in this week’s coverage.

Space Science: Kansas City space experts say NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is “Hubble’s cousin” but with a much wider view and a new orbit path around the sun near L2. Higher Ed Policy: Kansas universities face a new state definition limiting courses with “DEI-CRT” content, and faculty are warning it could reshape what colleges teach. AI + Markets: A Princeton economist tells central bankers at Jackson Hole that AI trading agents could outmaneuver policy makers, forcing more opaque communication to avoid market gaming. Local Tech + Privacy: Kansans are pushing back on automated license plate readers; two communities ended Flock Safety contracts and a Wichita man is suing over warrantless use. Agriculture + Climate: Record July heat is raising alarms for corn yield, especially when warm nights hit the silking-to-kernel-setting stretch. Public Health/Infrastructure: KU engineers report progress on a federal dam-research effort using AI and digital twins to improve repairs and monitoring. Cybercrime: Five Venezuelans pleaded guilty in a Kansas ATM “jackpotting” scheme after failed malware installs and arrests.

Digital Mental Health Access: KU Wichita and the KU Center for Telemedicine & Telehealth are launching a rural-focused online depression program, funded by a five-year $28 million federal grant, using an interactive cognitive behavioral therapy platform called Thrive. Privacy & Policing Tech: Kansas communities are pushing back on automated license plate readers, including contract terminations tied to Flock cameras and a lawsuit challenging warrant-free use, as candidates call for statewide privacy rules. Gene Therapy in Cardiac Care: Medera presented 12-month results from its MUSIC-HFpEF Phase 1/2a gene therapy trial at ESC Congress 2026, reporting normalization of cardiac filling pressures and reduced exercise pulmonary pressures with a favorable safety profile. Transportation Innovation Funding: The Kansas Department of Transportation opened applications for its Innovative Technology Program, offering transportation project grants aimed at safety, mobility, and new tech, with a Sept. 11 deadline. Rural Business Support: Abilene won an $89,787 USDA Rural Business Development Grant to launch a Rural Business Accelerator offering hands-on help for small and emerging businesses, including planning, technology/AI, and workforce support.

US Social Trends: AARP’s 2025 Friendship Study finds only 22% of adults have a close friend at least 15 years older or younger, down from 37% in 2019—while most people still say they want deeper connections. Kansas Rural Tech & Business: Abilene won an $89,787 USDA Rural Business Development grant for a year-long Rural Business Accelerator, offering hands-on help for small rural firms, including planning, tech/AI support, workforce coaching, and assessments. Kansas Data Center Transparency Fight: Emporia resident Jay Vehige says he’s still waiting on Kansas Open Records Act answers after paying $1,740 for city communications about a proposed hyperscale data center—raising questions about timelines and document releases. Health Tech (Cardiology): New ESC Congress data says transcatheter tricuspid valve repair plus optimal therapy cuts heart-failure hospitalizations and all-cause death for severe tricuspid regurgitation patients, with quality-of-life gains lasting up to 3 years. RNAi Drug Updates: Alnylam presented new ESC Congress results reinforcing RNAi-powered vutrisiran’s cardiovascular benefits across ATTR-CM groups and settings. Local STEM for Kids: Great Bend’s Kansas Wetlands Education Center is taking registrations for Turtle Tots (ages 3–5), a free monthly nature program starting Sept. 4. AI & Kansas Higher Ed: Newman University named Bekah Selby-Leach associate director of its Institute for AI & the Common Good, aiming to build AI bootcamps and statewide education partnerships.

Helmet Safety: A new look at how football helmets protect quarterbacks points to design changes that let the head “meet” the impact more gently, with more space and better energy-absorbing liners. Healthcare Access: Medicare’s GLP-1 discount pilot is drawing backlash after some patients are denied coverage for reasons tied to medical eligibility, not just weight. Public Health Policy: Kansas and other universities are cutting Black studies programs and courses amid political pressure, raising concerns about long-term research and faculty pipelines. Fed Watch (Kansas City): At Jackson Hole, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh signaled inflation still needs work, pushing markets toward higher odds of a September rate hike. Kansas Tech/Education: Fort Hays State University received a $200,000 gift to expand and renovate Stroup Hall, boosting simulation and allied health space. Surveillance & Privacy: A growing national fight over automated license plate readers is turning a road-scanning tool into a flashpoint over surveillance limits. Sports Tech: More NFL teams are using GoPros on quarterbacks’ helmets to capture on-field communication and decision-making.

Meta Settlement: Meta agreed to a landmark $18B deal with 48 states, adding stricter safeguards for teens—stronger age checks, a two-hour daily limit for under-18s, overnight blocks, and hiding “like” counts—after years of criticism over Instagram/Facebook harms. Fed Watch: Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s first Jackson Hole speech (Kansas City Fed) landed as hawkish: he stressed inflation must move to the 2% goal “clearly and at sufficient speed,” and markets quickly priced in higher odds of a September rate hike. Kansas Health Tech: Fort Hays State University received a $200,000 gift to expand and renovate Stroup Hall, boosting nursing and allied health training with more simulation and instructional space. Space Tech: SpaceX asked the FCC to scrutinize Viasat’s new satellite, warning it could interfere with Starlink; separately, tracking firms flagged debris from a Chinese rocket that could raise collision risk for low-orbit satellites. Clinical Research: Cytokinetics and Tenax both reported additional late-breaking ESC Congress 2026 results tied to heart disease treatments, including aficamten and oral levosimendan.

Space & Telecom: SpaceX asked the FCC to block Viasat’s Viasat-3 F2 satellite, warning it could cause “severe interference” to Starlink and accusing Viasat of failing to coordinate spectrum use. Space Debris: A Chinese Long March rocket fragmentation event may have created tens to hundreds of pieces of debris in low Earth orbit, raising collision risk for constellations like Starlink. Kansas Education & Health Tech: Fort Hays State University received a $200,000 gift to expand and renovate Stroup Hall, boosting nursing and allied health training with more simulation space. Kansas AI in Schools: Wichita State is building an AI strategy after Kansas Board of Regents guidance, including surveys on AI awareness and ethics. Kansas Agriculture Science: K-State wheat breeder Dr. Joe Martin died Aug. 20, leaving a legacy of disease-resistant, hard white wheat varieties for western Kansas. Policy & Markets: Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s Jackson Hole remarks kept inflation front and center, nudging rate-hike expectations higher and rattling bond and stock sentiment. Local Infrastructure: Sumner Academy of Arts and Science in Kansas City, Kansas, broke ground on $12M in bond-funded upgrades, replacing decades-old classroom trailers with permanent rooms and a storm shelter.

Value-Based Care in Kansas: Newman Regional Health’s board discussed shifting from fee-for-service toward value-based care, aiming for better outcomes via prevention, chronic-care management, coordinated follow-up, and earlier risk detection. AI in Higher Ed: Wichita State is ramping up AI use after Kansas Board of Regents guidance, building an AI strategy council and surveying faculty/staff on awareness, risks, ethics, and disclosure. Fed Watch for Kansans: Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s Jackson Hole remarks kept inflation front and center and pushed rate-hike odds higher, rattling markets even as the week ended with gains. Cybersecurity: A report says Zbtlink Wi‑Fi routers contain multiple backdoors that could enable remote control from the internet, raising concerns for consumers and businesses. Public Health Tech: Kansas City’s health department launched a public Communicable Disease Dashboard with weekly updates and easy access to local case trends. Healthcare Education Boost: Fort Hays State received a $200,000 gift to renovate Stroup Hall, expanding nursing and allied health space and simulation learning. Rural Media Grants: Kansas awarded $500,000 to five public broadcasters for rural-focused programming and digital literacy/workforce content.

Health & Biotech: Cytokinetics says its Phase 3 ACACIA-HCM trial of aficamten hit statistically significant results in non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, with findings presented at ESC Congress 2026 and published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Public Safety Tech: Vandalia police say Flock-style automated license plate readers help solve crimes, while the company and local agencies adjust policies to address privacy concerns and misuse. Local Governance & AI: Lawrence sustainability planners debated using AI and existing city cameras to track goals—while residents worry about surveillance. Cybersecurity & Critical Infrastructure: CISA warns water systems face ongoing attacks on internet-exposed programmable logic controllers, with July incidents reported across multiple states. Space/Comms: SpaceX launched a “Personal Maritime” Starlink plan for small boats, expanding international territorial-water use. Energy & Climate: A DeSmog report highlights how Supreme Court composition could shape major climate-damages lawsuits against oil and gas. Agriculture Research: Kansas State research suggests limit-feeding calves a high-energy diet can improve efficiency during backgrounding without hurting later performance. Business/Connectivity: Midwest Fiber Networks and Midwest Fiberpath announced a 1,200-mile Midwest fiber corridor deal targeting carriers, data centers, and enterprises.

AI & Markets: Nvidia’s strong earnings and guidance kept the Nasdaq near the top of the day’s movers, lifting tech while other sectors lagged; Kansas City Fed President Jeffrey Schmid warned inflation is still “too hot” ahead of Jackson Hole, where the theme centers on financial innovation and payments. Kansas Housing & Resilience: A Kansas State University architecture professor says manufactured housing communities often lack storm shelters, and a new HUD push could expand how manufactured homes are defined and built. KU & Workforce: KU launched a new “Partner with KU” website to connect employers with research, labs, and training, and the KU Transportation Center highlighted how engineering support helps rural communities maintain safer roads and transit. Energy & Land Use: A neighbor sued Ellis County over approval of a large solar facility, arguing the county didn’t follow proper procedures and that the project could harm drainage, access, views, and infrastructure. Cybersecurity: A report links a hacking gang to a reused online screen name, helping investigators identify a suspect tied to open-source malware tools. Sports Medicine Tech: AMSSM and OpenEvidence announced an AI partnership to build sports medicine education resources for clinicians and patients.

Privacy & Policing: Kansas drivers can now check whether their plates were searched in Flock camera logs via HaveIBeenFlocked.com, as critics push back on AI-powered automated license plate readers and Wichita faces a privacy lawsuit. Public Health Accountability: A national investigation finds Louisiana is the only state sending 20% of opioid settlement money to sheriffs, raising questions about transparency and how funds are spent. Higher Ed Tech: The University of Kansas says campus internet problems were caused by a bad border-router card, with wireless updates planned to prevent repeat connectivity issues. Kansas Research & Industry: K-State’s $125M Western Star Global Center for Grain and Food is set to open Sept. 18, aiming to unite agronomy, animal and food science, and milling/baking expertise. Wildlife Rescue: Rolling Hills Zoo has taken in 83 ornate box turtles confiscated from illegal wildlife trade, after veterinary testing and disease screening. AI in Business: Sportfive says Microsoft 365 Copilot rollout hit 93% adoption to streamline repetitive work across its global sports marketing teams.

Kansas Agriculture & Research: Kansas State University’s $125M Western Star Global Center for Grain and Food is set to open Sept. 18, aiming to bring animal science, food science, agronomy, milling and baking together through private-public partnerships. Public Works & Safety: Faribault is floating concepts to fix the 7th Street “can opener” railroad bridge clearance problem, but the city’s control is limited because the bridge is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City. Health Policy: A Medicare GLP-1 “Bridge” pilot is covering some weight-loss drugs, but eligibility rules are excluding certain patients, including people with specific conditions like obstructive sleep apnea. Cybersecurity: The FBI is investigating a ransomware breach at Micro-Comm in Olathe, a water-utility tech maker, underscoring growing risks to water systems and their vendors. Wichita Cleanup: KDHE approved Union Pacific’s engineering drawings for groundwater cleanup at the 29th and Grove site, with an open house scheduled Sept. 12. Kansas Higher Ed: K-State APDesign named Timothy Schuler inaugural director of a new Institute for Community Design & Research focused on housing, infrastructure and resilience. STEM & Food Addiction: KU researcher Tera Fazzino won a $2.8M NIH grant to test whether “hyperpalatable” foods act like addictive substances. Biotech Manufacturing: Elanco completed a 25,000-square-foot expansion at its Elwood, Kansas biologics site, boosting monoclonal antibody capacity.