Missouri’s 26 rail trails, including the 240-mile Katy Trail, could be affected as Congress takes up the 2026 transportation bill, the largest source of federal funding for trails, walking, and biking, supporting a 42,000-mile national network.

Food insecurity is on the increase in Missouri, according to the University of Missouri's new 2025 Missouri Hunger Atlas. Released every two to three years, the report maps where need is rising and helps guide efforts to get food to those who need it most.

On this episode of 'Going Public', Ginny Smith, Executive Director of Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority (CTA), discussed CTA's partnership with Southeast Missouri State University to provide expanded transportation for students, replacing the SEMO shuttle program with CTA buses. CTA's ridership increased by over 100% from July 2022 to May 2023 due to efficiency and community partnerships. The new service will offer more frequent access to local businesses and amenities. Additionally, CTA collaborated with FlixBus to establish a bus stop in Cape Girardeau, offering affordable routes to cities like Chicago and Memphis. Smith emphasized safety measures, including live camera footage and driver training, and encouraged the use of CTA's new transit app for better service planning.

On this episode of 'Going Public', Ginny Smith, Executive Director of Cape Girardeau County Transit Authority (CTA), discussed CTA's partnership with Southeast Missouri State University to provide expanded transportation for students, replacing the SEMO shuttle program with CTA buses. CTA's ridership increased by over 100% from July 2022 to May 2023 due to efficiency and community partnerships. The new service will offer more frequent access to local businesses and amenities. Additionally, CTA collaborated with FlixBus to establish a bus stop in Cape Girardeau, offering affordable routes to cities like Chicago and Memphis. Smith emphasized safety measures, including live camera footage and driver training, and encouraged the use of CTA's new transit app for better service planning.

SEMO student workers will see their pay rise to at least $13.75 an hour this August under a new Missouri law, with a further increase to $15 set for 2026, ending the university’s lower student wage.

In this episode of 'Going Public', we speak with Jakob Pallesen, who personally conducts the trainings that will be offered during Southeast Missouri State University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) eight-week Early-Stage Business Bootcamp. This series launches the newest cohort beginning August 26 and runs through October 14 at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

In this episode of 'Going Public', we speak with Jakob Pallesen, who personally conducts the trainings that will be offered during Southeast Missouri State University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) eight-week Early-Stage Business Bootcamp. This series launches the newest cohort beginning August 26 and runs through October 14 at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce.

After the second time appearing on the ballot—this time with a different funding structure, the City of Cape Girardeau water infrastructure issue passes.

Missouri advocates for families say the federal budget "megabill" could make it harder for them to put food on the table. The changes shift more of the administrative costs for SNAP, the federal program formerly known as food stamps, onto the state, and make it harder for some people to qualify for benefits.

Illinois schools have already been grappling with a teacher shortage, budget deficits, and growing student needs. Experts say there was an anticipated budget shortfall of $280 million due to frozen federal K-12 funds, but administration officials say those funds are now unfrozen.