Utility Costs: Ameren Missouri is seeking about a 10% electric rate hike, roughly $13 more per month for the average customer, with changes aimed for mid-2027—while consumer groups push for relief options and more scrutiny. SNAP Funding Pressure: Missouri could be on the hook for about $150 million starting in 2027 if the state doesn’t improve SNAP payment accuracy, after an 8.67% error rate for fiscal year 2025. Farm Bill Watch: Missouri farm groups are weighing a Senate Agriculture Committee farm bill draft that keeps much of the current approach but leaves key fights—like livestock law overrides and pesticide labeling—still unresolved. Missouri Politics & Voting: Missouri’s Amendment 5 is drawing local questions, including at a Joplin City Hall Q&A, as supporters pitch income-tax elimination with sales-tax expansion “guardrails.” Local Economy: Columbia’s Shops at Sharp End faces an uncertain future as ARPA funding nears its end, with leaders asking residents what a next version should look like. Community & Business: A Missouri fireworks company behind a festival no-show is tied to a second bankruptcy since 2014, after the Red, White & Blue Festival had to scramble to keep its show on track. Health & Safety: Missouri’s pharmacy association warns pharmacist shortages are worsening as reimbursement fights squeeze community pharmacies.