Mizzou Energy Tech: University of Missouri broke ground on the $120 million Payne Energy Innovation Center, a 116,000-square-foot hub aimed at tackling rising energy demands tied to AI—bringing together energy, nuclear/materials science, and AI/cyber research with a planned 2028 completion. Health & Regulation: The FDA opened a botanical drug docket, seeking input on how to speed development of plant-based medicines, with comments due Nov. 3—while the Appalachian wild ginseng season is already underway under federal trade controls. Public Health Watch: Researchers in China described a new tick-borne virus (ALTNV) and noted the main tick species is already established across much of the eastern U.S., including 21 Missouri-area states via USDA confirmation—no U.S. human cases reported yet. Local STEM & Outcomes: New National Center for Education Statistics figures show Boone County’s 2018 cohort completion rate for white students at 77.4% by 2024, while other Missouri counties report wide gaps by race/ethnicity. Immigration & Security: A St. Louis County case puts an Afghan interpreter—now a scientist with legal status—into ICE custody on terrorism-related allegations tied to his past work with U.S. forces. Community Science: Centralia families are organizing a Sept. 19 5K for Fox P1, a rare genetic disorder, to fund research via the Fox P1 Foundation.