Kansas City Today
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Kansas City Today is a daily news podcast from KCUR Studios bringing you all things Kansas City, wrapped up in 15 minutes or less. Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, it’ll be waiting in your feed every weekday. Hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin.
Available episodes
Newest first
Oldest first
1 day ago
This Kansas teacher's pension has been frozen in time for 23 years
Many pension-holding public employees in Kansas haven't seen cost-of-living adjustments in decades. Without lawmakers' support, years of higher inflation mean many retirees are seeing the value of their payments vanish. Plus: Climate change is making farming riskier and crop insurance more expensive.
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2 days ago
Jackson County will freeze property taxes for seniors
Thousands of senior citizens in Jackson County will soon be eligible for a property tax break following this year’s most recent assessments, which saw home values spike by 40% or more. But how will that affect schools?
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3 days ago
Behind the sudden departure of Overland Park's Police Chief
Overland Park Police Chief Frank Donchez suddenly resigned last week after nine years in the position. As it turns out, the city of Overland Park had already begun the process of firing Donchez before he resigned.
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4 days ago
A new COVID vaccine arrives in Kansas City
The FDA recently approved a safe and effective new coronavirus vaccine booster to protect against the latest variants, and it should be available around the Kansas City area soon. Residents can also get the booster at the same time as the latest flu shot, which experts say you should do before Halloween.
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5 days ago
Why can Kansas police seize cash and property from people?
A process called civil asset forfeiture allows Kansas police to take money, cars and other property from citizens — even if they're never convicted of a crime. Police say it stops criminals, but opponents say law enforcement takes too much, without enough oversight.
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Sep 15, 2023
A Kansas City organist revives the art of silent movie soundtracks
When silent films ruled the silver screen, pipe organs were used to enhance the drama of an otherwise quite medium. Now a Lee's Summit musician is bringing back that tradition. Plus: There's more federal dollars behind the push to get locally grown food into school cafeterias.
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Sep 14, 2023
Americans don't trust each other, and it's killing us
Americans are becoming less and less likely to believe our fellow citizens are trying to do the right thing, and that has added to the crisis facing rural health care. Plus: Are Midwest homes prepared for more scorching summer days?
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Sep 13, 2023
What will it take to get Kansas students back in class?
The number of Kansas students who are chronically missing school has nearly doubled in the past two years. Plus: Missouri Gov. Mike Parson vetoed more than a half a billion dollars in spending from the state budget, but lawmakers have a chance to override.
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Sep 12, 2023
Missouri has thousands of backlogged cases of child abuse
There are more than 10,000 cases of alleged child abuse and neglect in Missouri that remain open, including over 3,600 in the Kansas City region. The NPR Midwest Newsroom found that investigators in the state's Children’s Division are overloaded and dealing with a shortage of case workers.
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Sep 11, 2023
Why can the governor pardon people, anyway?
After former Kansas City Police officer Eric DeValkanaere was convicted of killing unarmed Black man Cameron Lamb, there's been speculation — and protest — about his potential pardon by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson.
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Sep 8, 2023
It's not easy being green
Sustainability leaders are trying to make Kansas City the greenest place in the country. With an overall goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the KC Regional Climate Action Plan covers 80% of the region's population.
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Sep 7, 2023
Remember when the Kansas City Chiefs were bad? These fans do
Arrowhead Stadium will be rocking tonight with a sellout crowd for the Kansas City Chiefs’ season opener against the Detroit Lions. Some fans remember what it was like before the team became perennial Super Bowl favorites. Plus: If you were planning a party a century ago in Columbia, Missouri, Annie Fisher was the caterer you’d do almost anything to book.
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Sep 6, 2023
You still can't bet (money) on the Chiefs in Missouri
Bills to legalize sports betting in Missouri are stalled in the legislature, even a year after Kansas lawmakers signed off on gambling. Plus: Why Mexico’s president is trying to ban the import of genetically modified corn from the U.S.
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Sep 5, 2023
A Missouri hospital demanded more money after her husband died
Eloise Reynolds, a resident of Olivette, Missouri, encountered a perplexing reality in medical billing: Providers can come after patients for more money well after a bill has been paid.
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Sep 1, 2023
An 'Oddball Hoedown' in Kansas City
A new Kansas City square-dancing group is putting a gender-neutral spin on an age old American tradition. Plus: A Kansas historian documents the internal fighting between white soldiers and mistreated Black soldiers that threatened America's war efforts in Vietnam.
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Aug 31, 2023
Kansas City refugees are teaching each other how to drive
Refugees coming to Kansas City often need to learn how to drive in order to get a job or go to school. One Congolese man is stepping up to teach his fellow compatriots. Plus: Despite the fact that child care can cost more than a mortgage in Kansas, providers say they can barely afford to stay open.
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Aug 30, 2023
Why missing Black women are still going unreported in Kansas City
Jaynie Crosdale’s family remembers her as charismatic and able to talk to anyone. Her death has brought up questions about how police handle cases of missing Black women.
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Aug 29, 2023
Missouri's ban on health care for trans youth takes effect
A ban on gender-affirming health care for minors in Missouri took effect yesterday, preventing transgender youth from accessing treatments like puberty blockers and hormone therapy. Plus: Farmworkers are particularly vulnerable to the increasing temperatures and record heatwaves that have been plaguing the Midwest.
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Aug 28, 2023
Kansas City is filled with high-fee crypto ATMs
Installed inside gas stations, liquor stores and smoke shops, cryptocurrency kiosks tend to be placed in Kansas City neighborhoods with larger numbers of Black and Latino residents. Critics say they're a targeted attempt to exploit financially vulnerable people with steep fees for a volatile product.
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Aug 25, 2023
Why Black Kansas City women are buying guns
As Kansas City heads toward a record-setting year for homicides, these Black women say guns are not the problem but a symptom of underlying problems. They're also buying guns and learning how to use them safely. Plus: A fatal illness spreading among cervid populations could cause Kansas to ban deer baiting.
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Aug 24, 2023
Can Kansas City reinvent 'Flush Creek'?
Brush Creek is stinky, dirty and poorly maintained. Can Kansas City turn it into an attraction? Plus: Ranchers across the Midwest and Great Plains are battling black vultures that prey on newborn livestock.
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Aug 23, 2023
Prairie Village torn apart by affordable housing fight
A plan to change zoning laws to allow for more multi-family housing in Prairie Village is dawning sharp opposition from some residents who fear the changes threaten the suburb's "Perfect Village" image.
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Aug 22, 2023
Independence starts a 4-day school week
This school year will look a lot different for students in Independence, who head back to the classroom this week. Independence is by far the largest district in Missouri to make the switch to a four-day school week. Plus: Dealing with household clutter is a part of life, but for some Kansans it spirals into hoarding.
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Aug 21, 2023
Even more Kansas foster kids are sleeping in offices than before
Two separate audits of the Kansas foster care system have found troubling trends in child welfare. After a 2018 lawsuit, which alleged that foster kids moved around so much they were essentially homeless, the state agreed to improve on a handful of metrics. But years later, the situation is just as bad — and in some cases, worse.
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Aug 18, 2023
Has Jackson County's anti-crime tax been successful?
For 30 years, a Jackson County tax has funded anti-crime efforts. But as gun deaths continue to climb, tracking the program's success can be challenging. Plus: coverage of homicides in Kansas City often centers victims. But the pain that stays with family and friends left behind is long-lasting and often overlooked.
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Aug 17, 2023
Seized, but not silenced
Journalists at the Marion County Record worked late into the night to publish their first issue since the widely criticized raid of their office by local police. Plus: Senior Kansans who want to live out their golden years in the rural towns where they grew up face the growing issue of how to get around.
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Aug 16, 2023
At the Marion County Record, the presses won’t stop
Staff at the Marion County Record rushed to complete the latest edition of the paper after police confiscated much of their equipment last week. We'll have the latest on the raid and the fight it's sparked over free speech protections. Plus: Hundreds attended a memorial service for another Kansas football player who died after practicing in the summer heat.
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Aug 15, 2023
When police raided a small-town Kansas newspaper
Local police raided the offices of the Marion County Record and the home of its publisher, in an unprecedented and potentially illegal move that is being called a violation of First Amendment rights.
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Aug 14, 2023
Missouri libraries struggle with 'confusing' new restrictions
To comply with a rule from Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, public libraries in the state now require kids as old as 17 to have adult permission to get a library card. The rule also prohibits libraries from buying materials that are "obscene," but librarians say that's dangerously vague.
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Aug 11, 2023
What’s the 411 on Kansas City’s 311 program?
Kansas City's 311 program allows residents to report a host of problems including trash pickup, property violations and lost pets. But in some parts of town, residents wait a lot longer for their issues to be fixed.
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Aug 10, 2023
Microplastics in Kansas lakes
A new global study, published in Nature, found microplastics in every lake sampled — no matter how remote. But how do Kansas lakes stack up?
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Aug 9, 2023
You’re telling me Missouri made this shrimp?
Fresh shrimp historically comes from the coasts. But some Missouri farmers think they can produce tastier shrimp far from the ocean. Plus, former Democratic Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is getting back in the political fray — and not everyone in his party is pleased.
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Aug 8, 2023
What Missouri's execution of Johnny Johnson tells us about the legal system
How do courts and the state decide whether someone is mentally competent to be executed? Last week, Johnny Johnson — a Missouri man with schizophrenia, who was convicted of abducting and killed a girl two decades ago — was killed by lethal injection after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to issue a stay in his case.
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Aug 7, 2023
Kansas’ bad bet on sports gambling
Sports gambling companies are handing out millions of dollars in free bets to get people in the habit of betting, and Kansas taxpayers are subsidizing the habit. Plus: The increased access to mobile betting apps poses a heightened danger of addiction.
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Aug 4, 2023
How Missouri made the Lake of the Ozarks
With more shoreline than the coast of California, the Lake of the Ozarks in mid-central Missouri is a popular tourist destination for land-locked Midwesterners. But few know the origin of this man-made lake and the communities it displaced. Plus: A Kansas City artist has turned his car into not just a vehicle, but a piece of art.
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Aug 3, 2023
Kansas City health departments are in a tough spot
Health departments were thrust into the spotlight by the COVID-19 pandemic. Three years later, they're still dealing with the coronavirus, and planning for what might happen next. Plus: Experts say a merger between St. Luke's in Kansas City and St. Louis' BJC HealthCare could mean hospital patients pay more.
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Aug 2, 2023
What can Kansas City's mayor actually do about gun violence?
As he enters his second term, Mayor Quinton Lucas is on a mission to lower gun violence in City — but there's only so much he can do. Plus: River Hawk Boat Shop in Lee's Summit is crafting sleek, state-of-the-art racing boats that are in demand for the MR340, a 340-mile river race that begins at Kaw Point.
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Aug 1, 2023
Can Kansas City withstand hotter and hotter summers?
This summer, communities across the U.S. are suffering from extreme heat waves, and Kansas City is no exception. We’ll hear why cities are often hotter than other places — and ideas for cooling them down.
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Jul 31, 2023
It's election time for Johnson and Wyandotte County voters
Tuesday is a primary election in Kansas. Voters in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties are heading to the polls to narrow the field for area city councils, county commissioners and school boards.
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Jul 28, 2023
Keeping Kansas City kids safe, and having fun, in the summer
Summer brings new challenges to making sure kids safe, busy, and away from violence — especially with youth homicides on track to set a record this year. One Kansas City club is trying to keep children and teens occupied with drum lines, movies and games. Plus: A collector who's determined to make Kansas City's antique fans cool again.
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Jul 27, 2023
Kansas City's marijuana sales tax will help fund homelessness solutions
Kansas City voters in April approved a 3% tax on recreational marijuana revenue — 1% of which will go toward finding solutions for the unhoused population. The city's homelessness prevention coordinator says that funding will go toward street outreach and other initiatives.
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Jul 26, 2023
Andrew Bailey lost his fight to slow down an abortion rights amendment
The Missouri Supreme Court last week ruled against Attorney General Andrew Bailey in a fight over a proposed abortion rights amendment. Bailey had pushed to falsely inflate the estimated cost of the ballot issue, but the court ruled he did not have that power — and forced him to sign off.
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Jul 25, 2023
Oops, all elderberries!
Elderberries are native to Missouri and the Midwest, and became commercial grown only within the last two decades. But now the industry is wondering whether they'll stay a small, niche crop or turn into something bigger. Plus: It's tick season, and not just in rural areas.
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Jul 24, 2023
No more giant tax breaks for Kansas megaprojects?
Luring Panasonic to Kansas with $830 million worth of incentives was considered a major victory for the state. But those kinds of deals may go away.
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Jul 21, 2023
Mission Gateway is dead, again
The city of Mission has terminated its multi-million dollar deal to bring a new, $270 million mixed-use development to the long-vacant Mission Gateway site. The reason: Its owner failed to pay property taxes. Now it's back to the drawing board.
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Jul 20, 2023
A Kansas gardener sues for the right to sell honey from her yard
A Kansas gardener is suing for the right to sell honey and fruit from her Ottawa yard. Plus: In an effort to reach zero carbon emissions by 2050, the Biden administration is offering more tax credits for carbon capture sequestration and utilization, but the cost is high.
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Jul 19, 2023
Kansas City Council created municipal IDs and gave itself a raise
In its last legislative session of the term, the Kansas City Council passed pay raises for council members and the mayor, allocated millions of dollars for 2026 World Cup preparations and created a municipal ID program. The next time the body meets in August, it will welcome seven new faces.
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Jul 18, 2023
New Missouri moms will be able to stay on Medicaid longer
Missouri will now extend Medicaid benefits for new mothers from 60 days to a full year postpartum. Supporters of the new law say that without the extension some health problems could go untreated. Plus: There is only one facility in Kansas that deals with runaway foster kids. But critics of the program say it is only making the situation worse.
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Jul 17, 2023
Can a Democrat actually win the Missouri governor race?
Missouri state Rep. Crystal Quade, a Springfield Democrat who serves as the House minority leader, announced her gubernatorial candidacy for Missouri governor last week. She says her primary issues are childcare and health care access, and defending public education.
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Jul 14, 2023
It's time for the Granny Basketball national championship
This weekend, two teams based in Olathe, Kansas will play in the Granny Basketball national championships. Organizers want to foster camaraderie, sportsmanship and a “gentle game” for women over age 50. Plus: the elite violinist whose world-renowned musical family called Kansas City home.
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Jul 13, 2023
Kansas City's mayor wants the power to pass more gun laws
Kansas City is on pace to have more homicides this year than last, and reports of gun deaths are a weekly, if not daily, occurrence. But local leaders like Mayor Quinton Lucas say they’re restricted by state policies that make it impossible to pass local regulations — and they want to change that.
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Jul 12, 2023
Kansas City's streetcar won't be running for a while
It's gotten even harder to get around downtown Kansas City. After a "track failure" caused by the summer heat, the KC Streetcar has suspended service — and it likely will be down for several weeks. With construction still ongoing for the extension to UMKC, the incident is raising questions about the durability of the streetcar infrastructure.
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Jul 11, 2023
SleazyWorld Go goes from Kansas City to the national stage
SleazyWorld Go, who calls Kansas City home, is one of hip-hop’s most exciting new voices. His songs about the city's epidemic of violence earned him a spot in XXL Magazine's Freshman Class of 2023. Plus: Kansas City physicians are preparing medical students for the inevitability of gun trauma.
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Jul 10, 2023
What's going on with Jackson County's property tax assessments?
Jackson County property tax assessments, required every two years by a Missouri state statute, are causing concern and frustration among some residents who saw a significant increase in the valuation of their home. Some owners have seen spikes of more than 200%, and the deadline for filing an appeal is coming up fast.
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Jul 7, 2023
Kansas City enters its Taylor Swift era
Taylor Swift fans rejoice: the Eras tour has officially arrived in Kansas City. As the pop-star and her Swifties take over the city, local businesses are hoping to capitalize on the hype with Taylor-themed drinks and specials.
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Jul 6, 2023
Why crowds are flocking to see the body of a 'miracle' nun in Missouri
Religious pilgrims have been visiting a monastery north of Kansas City to see the well-preserved remains of an exhumed nun, who is drawing claims of sainthood because of her “incorrupt” body. Plus: Congress made SNAP work requirements stricter, shortly after Kansas made similar changes.
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Jul 5, 2023
It's become even harder for Kansas hospitals to hire nurses
One Kansas hospital was planning to start welcoming 100 nurses from the Philippines this fall. But a lengthy backlog in visa applications has put that on hold, possibly for a year or longer. Plus: A handful of states have not adopted the federal government’s option to extend postpartum care coverage for mothers on Medicaid.
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Jul 3, 2023
Is this technique to get students under control putting Missouri kids at risk?
Missouri secluded and restrained more than 1,000 students last school year. Justyn Jefferson, an 11-year-old from Belton, is one of them. But because schools don't always report instances of seclusion and restraint, it's difficult to know if they're using the techniques legally.
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Jun 30, 2023
Finding safe homes for Kansas City bees
Honey bees are critical to pollinating field crops and fruit trees across the region — and they make delicious honey. One Kansas City beekeeper helps when these insects make their homes in inconvenient places. Plus: Big dollars are going towards urban tree canopies across the country.
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Jun 29, 2023
A sports betting loophole is costing Kansas a lot of money
The month the Chiefs won the Super Bowl, Kansans made $194 million in wagers. Yet the state only got $1,134 in revenue. That's because of how Kansas' new sports betting law is structured, which lets casinos write off significant promotional expenses.
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Jun 28, 2023
Should Missouri lower the voting age to 16?
A Kansas City teenager is leading a push to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in city council and school board elections. DJ Yearwood says it would make voting a habit from an earlier age and create a "civic transition into adulthood."
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Jun 27, 2023
'Abortion abolitionists' in Kansas
A year after the U.S Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, divisions in the anti-abortion movement are becoming more visible. In Kansas, "abortion abolitionists" have begun organizing for a nationwide abortion ban with no exceptions — and for abortion patients to be charged with murder.
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Jun 26, 2023
What's going on with the Missouri Attorney General?
The Missouri Attorney General seems to be picking a lot of legal fights and grabbing a lot of headlines, with some high profile court losses lately. We'll take a look at Andrew Bailey’s first six months on the job, what the role of attorney general is supposed to be, and what it's becoming.
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Jun 23, 2023
Willi Carlisle celebrates Missouri's queer culture
Ozark troubadour Willi Carlisle brings his small-town love and queer themes into the folk music tradition. Based in Arkansas, Carlisle has found an impressive audience in Kansas City and beyond. Plus: How a prehistoric fish in the Missouri river could signal trouble for the Big Muddy.
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Jun 22, 2023
Has the Kansas City Royals' academy for local talent lost its way?
The Urban Youth Academy helped plant the Kansas City Royals' flag in the Historic 18th and Vine district, but many residents of nearby neighborhoods have only mustered lukewarm acceptance. Will the lack of enthusiasm affect the push for a new downtown ballpark? Plus: Kansas lawmakers want a quicker switch to teaching reading in a way that actually works.
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Jun 21, 2023
A Kansas City high school will teach the Cherokee language
How did Kansas City vote in the 2023 municipal elections? Plus: Many Indigenous languages are at risk of dying out after centuries of forced assimilation. Now Kansas City Public Schools and members of the KC Indian Center are trying to change that by bringing the Cherokee language to East High School.
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Jun 20, 2023
It's Election Day — again — in Kansas City
Kansas City’s tenant union formed a political organizing group last year. The group has been campaigning hard for six candidates as it tries to shift the balance of power in Kansas City with today's election. Plus: Missouri voters could decide whether the state constitution should be harder to change, but it may face a tough reception at the polls.
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Jun 19, 2023
When Independence destroyed a Black neighborhood (update)
In the 1900s, the Neck neighborhood was the center of the Black community in Independence, Missouri. But by 1969, the neighborhood had been demolished — thanks to urban renewal policies put into place by President Harry S. Truman, who lived nearby. A special episode from the KCUR Studios podcast A People's History of Kansas City.
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Jun 16, 2023
What Missouri owes the wrongfully convicted
Gov. Mike Parson is expected to sign a bill that could expand the eligibility and payout for Missourians who have been wrongfully convicted and exonerated, as long as they waive their right to sue the state. Experts say the bill is an improvement, but still wouldn't help very many people.
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Jun 15, 2023
Will Jackson County take down its statues of Andrew Jackson?
Legislators in Jackson County will consider a new resolution calling for statues of President Andrew Jackson to be dismantled and removed from the front of courthouses in Kansas City and Independence. The namesake of Jackson County was a slaveholder and largely responsible for the forced removal of Native Americans, but a previous vote to remove the statue failed in 2020.
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Jun 14, 2023
What one inmate thinks about Kansas City's gun violence surge
A Missouri inmate serving life without parole on a gun crime says young inmates don’t seem to care if they come and go from prison. Plus: A growing legal movement to grant natural entities like rivers and forests legal rights is having a moment in the US. Now environmentalists are setting their sights on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.
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Jun 13, 2023
A Kansas City library system bans Pride book displays for kids
Mid-Continent Public Library has banned LGBTQ Pride book displays in children’s areas after rules issued by Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft ban libraries from “age-inappropriate” materials under threat of losing state funding. Staff say the new policies are confusing and point to a work environment that is not inclusive of LGBTQ staff.
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Jun 12, 2023
A really, really early look at Missouri's 2024 elections
Josh Hawley is nearing the end of his first term in the U.S. Senate, and Missouri Democrats are already jumping in the race to challenge him — although they'll have a difficult time winning a statewide contest. There's also a highly contested GOP field developing for Missouri governor, with Gov. Mike Parson not up for re-election.
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Jun 9, 2023
Kansas City's very first Pride parade
June is synonymous with Pride, as cities and organizations recognize the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ rights through parades and rainbow regalia. Kansas City's own Pride celebration can trace its start back to one activist: Lea Hopkins. Plus: Meet a Kansas City singer who hasn't let her newfound fame take away her hometown roots.
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Jun 8, 2023
This Parkville girl needs a $20,000-a-month drug
In January, a Parkville family learned their 8-year-old daughter had a rare illness. Though there is no cure, there is a drug that could help slow the disease. The problem? It costs more than $200,000 a year. Plus: Kansas politicians make bold claims about how to stop population declines in rural communities. Their efforts may not be enough to reverse the trend.
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Jun 7, 2023
Ralph Yarl is recovering, but waiting for justice
It's been almost two months since teenager Ralph Yarl was shot in Kansas City's Northland when he accidentally arrived at the wrong house. The case sparked nationwide outrage and attention. But Yarl's family is frustrated with how a Clay County judge is handling the criminal case against accused shooter Andrew Lester.
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Jun 6, 2023
Early voting begins in Kansas City's 2023 general election
Starting today, residents across Kansas City can begin early voting for the June 20 election for mayor and City Council. The new council is confronting an urgent need for more affordable housing, recent spikes in violent crime, economic development and neighborhood livability issues.
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Jun 5, 2023
Missouri's attack on the LGBTQ community
Two openly gay lawmakers in Missouri look back on a legislative session that many regard as the most anti-LGBTQ in state history.
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Jun 2, 2023
Is KC Pet Project leaving dangerous dogs on the streets?
Animal ordinance citations have dropped dramatically since KC Pet Project took over animal control from Kansas City. While the nonprofit says the drop in tickets is evidence of success, other animal advocates worry it's leaving dangerous dogs on the streets.
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Jun 1, 2023
Transgender Kansans brace for sweeping anti-trans law to take effect
An expansive Kansas law limiting transgender rights takes effect this summer, and trans residents are bracing themselves. Plus: Despite the return of KCPD's Missing Person's Unit, community members are worried about how the department will handle the disappearance of Black women and girls.
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May 31, 2023
Without child care, parents in Kansas aren't getting addiction treatment they need
Successfully completing drug addiction treatment becomes more complicated when parents need to find child care for their children. That means some Kansans parents never go into treatment. Plus: Despite several GOP lawmakers saying they have no interest in pursuing restrictions on gender-affirming care for adults, transgender Missourians are bracing for more limits on their rights.
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May 30, 2023
What you need to know about Missouri's 'burdensome' new library rules
Missouri libraries could lose state funding if they don’t follow new rules regarding what materials children can check out. But librarians say the rules are a huge burden — and have encouraged hostile behavior from the public.
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May 29, 2023
The merry old land of Oz?
The Wizard of Oz has given Kansas something very few other states have: A global brand. But generations after the film’s release, is that brand still a gift? Or has it become a curse that boxes Kansas into an inaccurate, outdated image?
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May 26, 2023
'Somebody Somewhere' finds big heart in the 'Little Apple' of Kansas
From The Chef Cafe to Varsity Doughnuts, HBO's "Somebody Somewhere" is telling big stories in Kansas' "Little Apple." Having spent much of his career playing bit parts, breakout star Jeff Hiller reflects on his newfound fame playing sentimental Joel living in Manhattan, Kansas.
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May 25, 2023
Kansas City drops liquor card rule for service industry workers
Service industry workers will no longer need liquor licenses from Kansas City, Missouri, to work at restaurants or bars. The cards, which cost $42 and a trip to the Regulated Industries Division, were largely seen as unnecessary.
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May 24, 2023
Keystone pipeline owners knew about problems before massive oil spill
Investigators looking into the Keystone pipeline oil spill in Kansas found problems in the manufacturing and installation of a pipe that burst last December. Owner TC Energy also knew that the specific piece of the pipeline had been warped for a decade. Plus: The unique role that Kansas City played in McDonald's becoming a fast food giant.
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May 23, 2023
Why these young Kansas Citians are arming themselves
Some young Kansas Citians say they’re losing trust in the ability of elected officials and law enforcement to keep them safe from groups they believe want to do them harm. So they're turning to gun ownership. Plus: Why an ancient grain could help Midwest farmers survive climate change.
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May 22, 2023
Kansas: Where church and state are anything but separate
Republican lawmakers in Kansas have been religion to justify anti-LGBTQ bills, anti-abortion laws and funding for private education vouchers in the state. The Kansas Reflector took a deep dive into the influence of religious beliefs on state politics.
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May 19, 2023
Where will Kansas City's trash go?
Whispers of a new landfill in south Kansas City have sparked a fierce opposition campaign from nearby cities and residents. But the controversy also renewed interest in where this rapidly growing city will store its waste in the years to come. Plus: A Kansas City woodworker is creating chess boards based on his hometown's iconic skyline.
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May 18, 2023
Kansas City's lowrider culture
Lowrider culture in Kansas City began as a strictly Mexican American thing, but founders of the scene say the subculture has grown more and more diverse. Plus: What the end of the coronavirus public emergency means for Missouri patients.
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May 17, 2023
What did the Missouri legislature accomplish in 2023? Not a lot
The Missouri legislature stumbled its way to the end of this year’s legislative session. Catch up on the biggest things lawmakers did and what was left unaddressed. Plus: Inmates at a state prison in Lansing, Kansas, rioted three years ago but nobody has been charged yet.
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May 16, 2023
Tenants are fed up with poor housing conditions in Kansas City
At an affordable housing apartment complex near Kansas City's sport stadiums, tenants have lived through uninhabitable conditions for years. Plus: Real estate company VineBrook Homes is snatching up homes around the Midwest and in Kansas City at a rapid pace, but tenants are crying foul.
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May 15, 2023
Is Kansas City fast-tracking drastic election changes?
Kansas City reviews its city charter once a decade — a process that usually takes months. But this time the commission only has five weeks to consider major changes to the democratic process — including raising the bar for ballot initiatives and canceling general elections if one candidate wins a high enough portion of the primary vote.
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May 12, 2023
Leaving Kansas City because of anti-trans laws
With bills limiting gender-affirming care and trans sports participation on their way to Gov. Mike Parson, some transgender Missourians are packing up and moving to other states. Plus: How an unlikely feathered friend changed one Kansas City homeless man's life.
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May 11, 2023
Does a fetus count as an employee? Missouri says so
When a Missouri Department of Transportation employee and her unborn son were killed in the course of her job, her family sued for wrongful death — but the state argued they're shielded from liability because her fetus counts as an employee. The case has brought renewed attention to Missouri's fetal personhood laws since the end of Roe v. Wade.
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May 10, 2023
Why Overland Park needs more diverse trees
Cities in Kansas and Missouri are finding that they often have too many of the same kind of trees, making them extra vulnerable to pests and diseases. Plus: Three companies in the Midwest want to capture carbon dioxide from ethanol plants and store it underground, but that idea worries some landowners.
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May 9, 2023
When the health care system fails Kansas City women
Mortality rates for Kansas City mothers and infants, especially in Black and brown communities, are well above the national average. So local groups are stepping outside the traditional health care system to bridge the gap. Plus: The leaders of a small southeast Kansas hospital say the only way to keep it from closing is to cut back on services.
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May 8, 2023
What to expect in the flurry of Missouri's last legislative week
This year’s legislative session has ended in Kansas, although some bills are still awaiting Gov. Laura Kelly's signature or veto. And in Missouri, after a chaotic end to the session last year, state legislators vowed this year would be different — but that's yet to be seen.
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May 5, 2023
Some Kansas City businesses say their NFL Draft sales didn't live up to the hype
For some Kansas City small businesses, the NFL Draft turned out to be a "huge disappointment."
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May 4, 2023
What could reparations look like for Kansas City?
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has appointed 13 members to the city's new commission on reparations, which is tasked with looking into reparations for slavery and discrimination for Black residents. They're focusing on a few specific impact areas, including housing, economic development and criminal justice.
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May 3, 2023
Why the director of Kansas City's civil rights office got pushed out
Kansas City officials hired a private investigator to surveil the city's then-Civil Rights director — something she said was retaliation for raising alarms about a massive development project in the Northland. A report from the Civil Rights office says Kansas City officials let Meta, the parent company for Facebook, ignore the city's diversity hiring rules when constructing a Northland data center.
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May 2, 2023
Kansas City workers want a better deal from the Royals
The Kansas City Royals want a new stadium, and area labor groups see it as inevitable. Trade unions want the stadium to be 100% union-built, and labor groups are fighting for an agreement that makes sure it benefits workers and the community. Plus: Despite its monumental impact, the latest farm bill may find itself part of a tug-of-war in Congress.
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May 1, 2023
Massive redevelopment in the West Bottoms
An out-of-state company's plan to redevelop over 20 acres in the West Bottoms has some saying the area will become Kansas City's next Crossroads Arts District. But the historic neighborhood’s small business community has raised concerns that the rapid change will price them out of the area.
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Apr 28, 2023
Abortions are spiking in Kansas
As post-Roe abortion bans swept the United States, legal abortions dropped nationwide — but not in Kansas. Plus: how new rules in Kansas are making it even more difficult for patients to get life-saving liver transplants.
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Apr 27, 2023
The Kansas City Chiefs who made NFL Draft history
Father and son Ed and Brad Budde both played offensive line for the Kansas City Chiefs, and they were both first-round draft picks — a singular achievement in the NFL that still stands today. Plus: Three companies want to capture carbon dioxide from Midwestern ethanol plants, transport it by pipeline and store it underground — but environmentalists question the benefits.
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Apr 26, 2023
Chaos inside the Hickman Mills school board
The Hickman Mills school board finally seated its newly elected members this week — after the last meeting ended abruptly when two board members walked out. Plus: Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s emergency rules on gender-affirming care will restrict options for adults, creating alarm for LGBTQ communities across the U.S.
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Apr 25, 2023
What happens when Kansas City kids lose free school lunches
Kansas City schools have seen student lunch debt soar since a pandemic-era universal free lunch program expired last fall. Now, there’s a push to make cafeterias welcoming for all students. Plus: Kansas teachers say student behavior has gotten much worse since the COVID pandemic.
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Apr 24, 2023
The eyes of the world on Kansas City
After the shooting of 16-year-old Ralph Yarl, and with hundreds of thousands of people coming to town for the NFL Draft this week, Kansas City is at the center of attention right now — for better and for worse. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas talks about the specifics of the Yarl case and his concerns with Missouri's "guns everywhere" approach to safety.
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Apr 21, 2023
How Kansas City is feeling a week after Ralph Yarl's shooting
It's been more than a week since 16-year-old Ralph Yarl was shot in Kansas City. Now that the dust is settling, how are Black residents feeling and what questions are still left unanswered? Plus: Why some cities still ban a plant that helps endangered monarch butterflies.
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Apr 20, 2023
Missouri's 'Stand Your Ground' law and the Ralph Yarl case
The shooting of 16-year-old Ralph Yarl in Kansas City has put more attention on Missouri’s self-defense laws, known as the "castle doctrine" and "Stand Your Ground." But will they help the shooter escape a conviction in this case? Plus: Lawmakers in some states — including Missouri — are considering legislation to require automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, in schools.
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Apr 19, 2023
Protesters demand justice for Ralph Yarl
Protestors gathered in downtown Kansas City yesterday to show their support for Ralph Yarl, the Black teen shot last week when he accidentally went to the wrong house. The accused shooter, Andrew D. Lester, was arrested but released on bond. Plus: How have Mayor Quinton Lucas’ promises matched up to the reality of his first term?
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Apr 18, 2023
The shooting of Ralph Yarl
Sixteen-year-old Ralph Yarl was trying to pick up his twin brothers at a friend's house in Kansas City's Northland when he rang the doorbell at the wrong home. The resident, Andrew D. Lester, is charged with shooting Yarl twice — including once in the head — through a glass door.
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Apr 17, 2023
What gender-affirming care actually looks like for trans Missourians
The Missouri General Assembly is considering multiple proposals to limit — or eliminate — gender-affirming healthcare in Missouri. Today we take a deeper look at the issue and hear from patients, who say many people have the wrong idea about gender-affirming care.
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Apr 14, 2023
The future of boxing is in Independence, Missouri
Boxing's popularity has faltered with younger generations, but a referee and a gym in Independence, Missouri, want to bring it back — and help young athletes leave their personal fights behind. Plus: How White Castle got its start in Kansas and created a playbook for American fast food.
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Apr 13, 2023
Meal debt is soaring in Midwest schools after free lunch programs stop
After the end of pandemic-era free school meals, kids in Midwest states are eating fewer lunches and meal debt is rising. Plus: After decades of inaction from Kansas leaders over the Ogallala Aquifer drying up, the state's approach to water conservation might finally be shifting.
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Apr 12, 2023
Is Kansas City actually recycling your recycling?
Kansas City has seen a decline in recycling over the last few years, in part, due to confusion and frustration about how the process works. So just how much of what you sort out is actually recycled, and how much is just shipped off to a landfill?
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Apr 11, 2023
How Kansas lawmakers want to change education
Kansas lawmakers have considered sending more state tax dollars to private schools, passed restrictions on transgender athletes and debated pay raises for teachers — and the session isn't done yet.
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Apr 10, 2023
How Missouri lawmakers want to change education
Education issues that gained steam during the pandemic — how race and LGBTQ topics are handled in schools, and what role parents and the government should have in their child’s education — are now reaching a head in the Missouri legislature.
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Apr 7, 2023
This stinky tree is wreaking havoc in Kansas and Missouri
Spring brings a return of wildlife and a boost in temperature, but it also reminds conservationists of the ongoing war against the Callery Pear tree. Known for its picturesque blossoms and pungent odor, this tree is hard to get rid of. Learn why the Callery Pear is virtually everywhere — and why that's a bad thing.
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Apr 6, 2023
What we learned from Kansas City's primary election
Kansas City voters decided on Tuesday to impose a new sales tax on recreational marijuana sales as well as new taxes and fees on short term rentals like Airbnbs. And despite low turnout, Mayor Quinton Lucas said the new city council could be the "most progressive" in city history.
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Apr 5, 2023
How Kansas City voted in the 2023 primary
Kansas City voters narrowed the field of City Council and mayoral candidates yesterday. Find out who advanced to the general election and how proposed taxes on weed and Airbnbs fared. Plus: Mental health coverage can be hard to find in Kansas, but major changes could make help more available.
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Apr 4, 2023
Bringing Kansas City's Muslims together for Ramadan
It’s Ramadan, and Muslims around the Kansas City metro are marking the holy month with daylong fasts. Residents say there are joys and struggles to fasting in an area where many people don’t share their faith. Plus: Why some counties in the Great Plains and Midwest are losing their grocery stores.
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Apr 3, 2023
Mike Kelly on the state of Johnson County
Former Roeland Park Mayor Mike Kelly was elected chair of the Johnson County Board of Commissioners in November. As he prepares for his first "state of the county" address this week, Kelly shares his priorities and hopes for the most populous county in Kansas.
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Mar 31, 2023
Your favorite 'Hamilton' actor is from Kansas City
Lee's Summit graduate Bryson Bruce got his start performing in musicals and plays in the Kansas City area. Now he's a touring cast member in one of the most popular musicals of our time.
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Mar 30, 2023
A Kansas City political group doesn't want to be the 'old boys' club
The Citizens Association political organization is almost 100 years old. At one time, its endorsement was a requirement if you wanted to be elected in Kansas City. Now, a new group of political players is trying to remake the group to be more inclusive. Plus: Cyber attacks on hospitals can put patients’ lives at risk — and leave hospitals on the hook for millions of dollars.
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Mar 29, 2023
'Chaos' at the Kansas City Housing Authority
People selected to be screened for housing vouchers from the Housing Authority of Kansas City last weekend say the event turned chaotic when they were forced to wait for hours. Plus: Families say Kansas Medicaid red tape cuts off kids from the medical equipment they need.
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Mar 28, 2023
What is gender-affirming care and why is Missouri trying to ban it for kids?
Last week, the Missouri State Senate passed legislation to prevent medical professionals from providing gender-affirming care to minors — but what is "gender-affirming care" and how will its absence affect trans youth?
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Mar 27, 2023
A Republican battle over Missouri's budget
Missouri has a record budget surplus and this week, lawmakers will take up what is potentially its biggest plan for spending state dollars ever. So why isn’t the Republican governor’s plan sailing smoothly through the Republican-controlled legislature?
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Mar 24, 2023
How one Kansas City family is coping with anti-trans legislation
Lawmakers in Kansas and Missouri are passing bans on transgender kids' participation in sports and restrictions on gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth. We hear from the parents of a transgender teenager in Kansas City, who describe the immense mental and physical toll these political debates are having on their family.
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Mar 23, 2023
Who benefits from a downtown baseball stadium in Kansas City?
A potential downtown baseball stadium would be an economic boon, possibly creating 20 thousand jobs, according to Kansas City Royals owner John Sherman. An advocacy group wants to make sure workers’ voices are a part of that conversation.
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Mar 22, 2023
Two Missouri bills targeting transgender kids
The Missouri Senate is advancing a pair of bills banning transgender athletes from participating in sports that align with their gender identity, and transgender minors from health care that affirms their gender identity. Plus: Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas talks about the possibility of a downtown baseball stadium and a park above I-670.
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Mar 21, 2023
Flying into Kansas for an abortion
Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, abortion rights groups have been resorting to increasingly scrappy tactics in their quest to keep abortion accessible across the country. Thanks to volunteer pilots, some are flying into Kansas by plane. Plus: Midwest farmers have tripled their use of cover crops, and a new farm bill might make them even more popular.
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Mar 20, 2023
Why Kansas education leaders oppose 'school choice' bills
The Kansas House last week narrowly passed a "school choice" bill that would shift public tax dollars to private schools, much to the frustration of public school leaders and Gov. Laura Kelly. The Kansas State Board of Education opposes the bill, saying there's no way to track how students are doing.
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Mar 17, 2023
Meet the regulars of Broadway Café
Since 1992, Broadway Café in the heart of Westport has remained a central part of Kansas City's coffee scene. Plus: Ice skaters in mid-Missouri have to drive up to two hours in order to find a rink where they can practice their sport, but these two teens aren't letting that stop them.
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Mar 16, 2023
Kansas foster care is failing high-needs kids
Young people with intellectual disabilities often get placed in foster care because their challenges are more than their families can handle. Kansas lawmakers and foster agencies hope they can help keep some of those kids in their original homes. Plus: Teachers at Kansas City Public Schools will soon be paid the highest starting salaries in the region.
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Mar 15, 2023
A battle over Kansas City's police budget
Kansas City’s state-controlled police board is trying to use the courts to increase police funding. Advocates are worried it could strain the city's resources even further, while failing to improve police services.
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Mar 14, 2023
Missouri and Kansas lawmakers want to limit who can buy farmland
There’s a push in Missouri, Kansas and Washington, D.C., to restrict foreign ownership of farmland, and growing tensions between the U.S. and China are a big reason why. Plus: States like Kansas and Missouri put a hard cap on the amounts that juries can award in non-economic damages for medical malpractice cases, but who does that actually help?
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Mar 13, 2023
What's at stake in Kansas City's 2023 election?
Kansas City's municipal elections are coming up on April 4, with three ballot questions and three dozen candidates up for a vote. The election will determine the direction of the city for years to come.
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Mar 10, 2023
Magic MO-shrooms
A Republican state representative from St. Charles wants to legalize psilocybin, aka magic mushrooms, for medical treatment in Missouri. Plus: Manor Records closed its brick-and-mortar store in Strawberry Hill and is focusing on its true mission: making money for local musicians.
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Mar 9, 2023
What's next in the fight over Missouri's gun law?
A federal judge this week struck down a Missouri law that banned state and local police from enforcing federal gun restrictions, but the state attorney general vowed to take the case to the Supreme Court if necessary. Plus: Black students in a Missouri school district want diversity programs — and the safe spaces they created — restored at their schools.
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Mar 8, 2023
How is Missouri's legal weed industry going so far?
Missouri started selling recreational marijuana about a month ago, and experts say the state’s relatively low prices and taxes have already created a “canna-tourism” industry. Plus: One of the best women in college basketball right now is from tiny Green City, Missouri, and she’s determined to push her Central Missouri Jennies deep into the NCAA Division 2 tournament.
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Mar 7, 2023
Remembering Kansas City jazz legend Ida McBeth
Celebrating the life and legacy of Kansas City singer Ida McBeth, who died last week at age 70. Plus: Missouri voters legalized recreational marijuana last November. Will Oklahoma be next, and what can they learn from Missouri's successful ballot measure?
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Mar 6, 2023
What has the Missouri legislature accomplished so far in 2023?
It’s the last week before the midterm break in the Missouri legislative session. What’s winning out – bipartisan agreement about how to spend the state’s record budget surplus? Or the acrimony that's paralyzed the General Assembly around controversial issues in recent years?
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Mar 3, 2023
A redesigned and more diverse art museum
The Spencer Museum of Art has a new gallery and curators have been deliberate in their selection of more diverse artwork — and an unexpected literary twist. Plus: The Kansas City jazz community is mourning the sudden loss of Ronald McFadden, legendary tap-dancer and musician and one half of the McFadden Brothers.
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Mar 2, 2023
Kansas City's furniture bank offers more than free couches
Kansas City's lone furniture bank offers formerly homeless residents a free shopping spree to help make their new house into a home. Plus: Kansas is one of the biggest wind energy producers in the country, but the lights from thousands of turbines annoy some rural residents.
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Mar 1, 2023
Kansas City's new airport is finally open
After decades of planning and five years of construction, Kansas City has officially made the switch to its new airport terminal. Plus: Why the Missouri Attorney General's effort to remove the St. Louis prosecutor from office could have statewide implications.
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Feb 28, 2023
Hazara refugees make a new life in Kansas City
Kansas City is home to a growing community of refugees from Afghanistan, including an ethnic minority known as the Hazara who are finding a place here and spreading awareness of what they call a genocide back home.
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Feb 27, 2023
A tax rate as flat as Kansas
The Kansas Senate approved a sweeping proposal that would eliminate tax brackets and create one flat income tax rate of 4.75%. But could the plan actually mean a tax increase for lower income Kansans?
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Feb 24, 2023
The rootin' tootin' rodeo kids of western Kansas
With small towns on the decline, some residents in western Kansas are trying to brainstorm ways to keep their rural lifestyles alive. Their answer? Youth rodeos. Plus: One Kansas City orchestra wants to inspire the next generation of jazz artists.
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Feb 23, 2023
How Kansas conservatives want to change education
Republican lawmakers in Kansas want to make it easier for parents to send their children to private schools, and they’re once again pushing for more parental control over what’s taught in public school classrooms. Plus: A look into the vision of Kansas City Artists Coalition's new leader, who took the position a few months ago.
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Feb 22, 2023
'Cult' behavior at a Kansas City teen addiction program
Former members of Kansas City addiction treatment groups for teenagers allege the programs isolated them from friends and family and pushed them into unsafe behavior. Plus: a "foster care bill of rights" is moving through the Kansas Legislature.
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Feb 21, 2023
Missouri may kick a lot of people off Medicaid soon
Enrollment in Medicaid hit a record high in Missouri in part because states weren’t allowed to kick people off during the coronavirus pandemic — but that changes soon, threatening health insurance for hundreds of thousands of residents. Plus: Across the Midwest, statewide weather monitors that provide critical weather data are threatened by a lack of stable funding.
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Feb 20, 2023
Inside a Kansas anti-abortion 'crisis pregnancy center'
Some Republican lawmakers in Kansas want to give millions of taxpayer dollars to crisis pregnancy centers, controversial clinics that try to discourage women from getting abortions. Critics say they're dangerous and misleading people at their most vulnerable.
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Feb 17, 2023
The mystery of the landfill that doesn't exist
Surrounding cities have voiced opposition to a possible landfill in southeast Kansas City, Missouri. But the city continues to claim there are no plans for such a project. Plus: An Overland Park game café has become a home and hangout for "three generations of nerds."
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Feb 16, 2023
How public schools in Kansas City, Kansas, reduced homelessness
Thousands of Kansas City area students are homeless, but one local district has managed to find many families permanent housing and employment. Plus: Kansas City turned the town red during yesterday's Super Bowl parade.
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Feb 15, 2023
Kansas City, it's time for a Super Bowl parade
Kansas City is welcoming back the Chiefs as Super Bowl champions, and Mayor Quinton Lucas talks through what fans can look forward to during Wednesday's victory parade and rally. Plus: His reaction to a recent report on lasting racism and sexism within the Kansas City Fire Department.
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Feb 14, 2023
Stolen Kias and Hyundais
Across the country, the number of stolen Kias and Hyundais has skyrocketed, but nowhere more so than in Missouri. Police say social media is partly to blame.
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Feb 13, 2023
Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl!
For the second time in four years, the Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl champions, pulling out a thrilling last-second defeat of the Philadelphia Eagles. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was crowned MVP once again, as Chiefs fans took over the streets of the city to celebrate. A victory parade is being planned for Wednesday.
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Feb 10, 2023
What to expect from the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl
Kansas City will be watching as the Chiefs take the field in this weekend's Super Bowl. What is the energy like on the ground in Arizona, and what should fans expect out of the team? Plus: A Kansas organization is spending $20 million on Super Bowl commercials as part of a campaign to "rebrand" Jesus.
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Feb 9, 2023
No Super Bowl is complete without 'The Sodfather' of Kansas City
George Toma is a local groundskeeper who started with the Kansas City Chiefs their very first year, and he's worked every single Super Bowl game since the first one. Plus: No matter who wins, this weekend's Super Bowl match-up will make history as the first to ever feature two Black starting quarterbacks.
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Feb 8, 2023
Missouri dispensaries are selling a whole lot of recreational marijuana
Marijuana dispensaries in Missouri are now able to sell recreational cannabis, and they're seeing more demand than ever before. Plus: Kansas City Chiefs fans in Philadelphia always have a home at Big Charlie's Saloon — except during the 2023 Super Bowl.
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Feb 7, 2023
Even some local fans feel uneasy about the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs fans are considered among the most loyal in football. But for some, that loyalty comes with big moral questions about the team's imagery and traditions. Plus: Digital archivists are busy scanning hundreds of thousands of photos that capture more than a century of Kansas City history.
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Feb 6, 2023
Big highway dollars for Missouri
Rep. Sam Graves represents the largest Congressional district in Missouri. With a high-profile new position chairing the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Graves has a big platform and plans to use his influence to bring a lot of highway funding home to Missouri.
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Feb 3, 2023
What's next for Kansas after the Keystone Pipeline spill?
It’s been almost two months since the Keystone pipeline erupted and crude oil rained down upon several acres of native prairie and cropland, and polluted more than three miles of Mill Creek. Hundreds of workers have been hustling around the clock to recover the oil, but landowners want more information about the cleanup and about why the pipeline broke.
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Feb 2, 2023
Missouri may be about to execute an innocent man
Missouri is set to carry out its second execution of 2023 next week. Despite his 2004 conviction, Leonard Taylor has insisted he is innocent in the quadruple murder. His attorneys are hoping for a stay of execution.
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Feb 1, 2023
How Kansas City is helping to make doomsday weapons
A plant on the southern edge of Kansas City is deeply involved in remaking the warheads that stock the U.S. nuclear arsenal, and it's expanding rapidly. Plus: A U.S. Supreme Court case could end some federal protections for wetlands, threatening both water and wildlife.
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Jan 31, 2023
When Independence destroyed a Black neighborhood
The Neck neighborhood was in the center of historic Independence, Missouri, and housed the biggest Black community in the city. When the Harry S. Truman Library was built to honor the president, urban renewal policies he put in place destroyed the neighborhood.
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Jan 30, 2023
Anti-LGBTQ bills in the Missouri legislature
The Kansas City Chiefs are going to the Super Bowl for the third time in four years. Plus: Missouri Republicans have proposed more anti-LGBTQ bills than any other state legislature in the country, from banning drag shows to restricting transgender kids from participating in school sports. The ACLU of Missouri says these bills are an attack on freedom of speech.
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Jan 27, 2023
Fake credentials and stolen money
A new lawsuit accuses the former leader at one of Kansas City's major economic development agencies of lying about his credentials and wiring himself millions of dollars. Plus, the AFC Championship game is back in Kansas City for the fifth year in a row — and business is booming.
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Jan 26, 2023
Days without heat at the Gladstone Court Apartments
Dozens of tenants in a Kansas City apartment building were left without heat and electricity for days, while freezing temperatures took hold of the city. Even after the utilities were restored, residents blame an absentee landlord for the building's poor living conditions.
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Jan 25, 2023
Reparations in rural Missouri
Cities like St. Louis and Kansas City are gaining national attention for starting the process of reparations for Black residents, but rural areas in Missouri are taking their own steps toward righting historic wrongs. Plus: What is Kansas doing to fix the problem of runaway foster children?
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Jan 24, 2023
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson
Missouri's Republican governor said he wants to put some of the state's multi-billion-dollar budget surplus toward expanding highways and broadening access to early childhood programs. He told KCUR that issues like transportation and education shouldn't be hyper-partisan.
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Jan 23, 2023
Missouri's GOP governor finds support for budget plan — from Democrats
Missouri Governor Mike Parson’s budget proposals are attracting some surprising support — from Missouri Democrats. We’ll find out why and get a Democratic take on the legislative year ahead.
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Jan 20, 2023
Why has it taken so long to shut down Agape Boarding School?
Agape Boarding School, a Stockton-based Christian residential facility that's been under scrutiny for decades, is shutting down Friday. Dozens of former students have gone public with their allegations of physical, mental, and sexual abuse at the boarding school.
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Jan 19, 2023
Why are eggs so expensive right now?
Customers are paying more at the grocery store for a number of items, but one item is seeing a bigger spike than anything else: Eggs. Plus: Kansans with long COVID struggle to find remedies in one of the only states without dedicated treatment centers.
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Jan 18, 2023
How Kansas Republicans are trying, again, to restrict abortion access
Abortion is expected to remain a friction point in the Kansas legislative session, even after last year's vote that protected it as a constitutional right. Plus: How Missouri's economy is taking a toll from tens of thousands of residents still experiencing the symptoms of long COVID.
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Jan 17, 2023
Should Kansas City tax legal weed and Airbnbs?
Kansas City residents will head to the polls in April to elect the mayor and city council, but voters will also decide whether to implement new taxes on recreational marijuana and short-term rentals, like Airbnb.
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Jan 16, 2023
The long struggle for civil rights in Kansas City
How is the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. living on in Kansas City? We hear from two Kansas City activists about their experiences living through the Civil Rights Movement and how they think the country and this city are doing in the long struggle for justice.
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Jan 13, 2023
One secret to the Kansas City Chiefs' recent success
At only 5-foot-9, Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon is considered undersized for the NFL. But the football veteran has helped propel the team through this year’s grueling, 17-game season. Plus: Meet the "Decaf Boys" who have eaten breakfast together at a Lee's Summit diner every day for more than a decade.
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Jan 12, 2023
The killing of Shayla Curts
Shayla Curts was pregnant with her third child when she was shot and killed in December. Her family says this might not have happened if Jackson County's child welfare system had worked like it was supposed to. Plus: The plan to conserve water in western Kansas and save the region from drying up altogether.
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Jan 11, 2023
A new life at Lotus Care House
A former Days Inn hotel has been transformed into a unique sanctuary for Kansas City's unhoused population. Plus: A Missouri town offers a case study for what happens when rural hospitals close and jeopardize access to critical health care.
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Jan 10, 2023
How the Catholic Church covered up child abuse in Kansas
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has identified 188 clergy suspected of committing crimes — including sodomy, rape and child rape — and documented how the church covered up the abuse. Plus: Homeowners in Kansas City's Westside may get some relief for sky-high property tax increases.
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Jan 9, 2023
How Kansas is becoming more divided
Kansas Democrats can't seem to overcome the urban-rural divide that's keeping them out of the state legislature, despite some gains in Johnson County. Plus: A new law is changing how Missouri students are taught to read.
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Jan 6, 2023
A trove of Japanese antiques returns home from Kansas City
After a century, a collection of Japanese antiques has made its way from Kansas City back to a Christian girl’s school in Yokohama, Japan. Plus: Kansas native and opera star Joyce DiDonato is up for her fourth Grammy Award.
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Jan 5, 2023
What we're watching in the Missouri and Kansas legislatures this year
The Missouri General Assembly gaveled in a new session on Wednesday, and the Kansas Legislature is reconvening next week. What's at the top of the agenda?
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Jan 4, 2023
What we learned on the education beat in 2022
Kids around the metro are returning to class after the holiday break — but the new semester has some familiar issues kicking around. Staffing issues in schools, fights over curriculums and controversial mascots were some of the top stories in 2022, and those continued debates are setting the tone for the year ahead.
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Jan 3, 2023
What we learned about Missouri politics in 2022
The midterm made 2022 a busy year for Missouri politics. Republicans strengthened their control in Jefferson City and voters voiced their support of recreational marijuana. A look at the biggest Missouri politics stories of the year and what to expect in 2023.
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Dec 30, 2022
What we learned on the criminal justice beat in 2022
This year saw the arrest and indictment of retired Kansas City, Kansas, police detective Roger Golubski. Gun violence and homicides continued to plague Kansas City, something that the new KCPD chief is ready to tackle. A look at the biggest criminal justice stories of the year.
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Dec 29, 2022
What we learned from housing stories in 2022
In 2022, hundreds of refugees made their way to Kansas City with hopes of finding help. This year also saw tenants in housing court receive much-needed assistance with their legal representation. We'll take a look at the biggest housing stories of 2022.
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Dec 28, 2022
What we learned from the climate beat in 2022
Missouri saw flooding, drought, extreme heat and bitter cold in 2022. Meanwhile, in Kansas, drought-fueled wildfires are exhausting resources and adding importance to the fight to conserve water. We'll take a look at the biggest climate stories of the year.
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Dec 27, 2022
What we learned from the health beat in 2022
With another year of the COVID-19 pandemic coming to a close, health and health care access are still on the minds of many people. This year also marked the fall of Roe v. Wade and a rise in respiratory illnesses. Kansas City Today has a collection of all the major health stories from throughout 2022.
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Dec 23, 2022
Strawberry Hill forever
An iconic bakery in Kansas City, Kansas, is still selling same sweet bread that the owners' great, great grandmother brought from Croatia at the turn of the last century. Plus: The Easy Inn on Strawberry Hill looks like your average neighborhood dive bar, but to its regular patrons, it's a refuge.
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Dec 22, 2022
The Keystone pipeline spill gets harder to clean up every day
Hundreds of thousands of gallons of crude oil spilled out of the Keystone Pipeline in north-central Kansas, and cleaning it up will be especially difficult. Plus: Kansas nursing homes are facing allegations of neglect, even after receiving rewards for more thoughtful care.
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Dec 21, 2022
One man's battle against opioid addiction
Opioid overdoses spiked during the pandemic and recovering from addiction can take years and involve multiple relapses. One Kansas man explains how access to medical care has played a pivotal role on his path to recovery.
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Dec 20, 2022
Kansas City's new police chief
The Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners named a longtime department veteran as the new KCPD chief of police: Major Stacey Graves. However, the selection process was criticized by many in the community, including Mayor Quinton Lucas and the Urban League.
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Dec 19, 2022
Gov. Laura Kelly faces another GOP supermajority
With another four years secured, Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is hoping to continue the policy work she began in her first term. But the state legislature's GOP supermajority may have other plans.
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Dec 16, 2022
Friday Night Protest
It started as a weekly demonstration outside the KCPD headquarters, reciting the names of people killed by Kansas City police. Now KC LEAP is taking another step in advocating for accountability and the victims of police violence. Plus: What will it take for the city to host the World Cup in 2026?
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Dec 15, 2022
Missouri Secretary of State defends controversial library rules
The public comment period is ending for proposed rules from Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, which threaten to take away state funding from libraries unless they restrict "non-age-appropriate materials" from minors. Ashcroft says the rules are meant to empower parents, but library administrators call it a slippery slope.
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Dec 14, 2022
Treatment over punishment in Johnson County
Johnson County courts are expanding a program that focuses on treating individuals with mental illness or drug issues, instead of punishing them. Plus: Scientists are grappling with how to better define and predict extreme weather events causing havoc across the Midwest.
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Dec 13, 2022
'A total lack of institutional control at KCPD'
Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas discusses a bombshell whistleblower complaint from a former KCPD lawyer, who alleges the police department hid criminal case evidence and illegally withheld public records. He also criticizes how the police board is conducting the hiring process for a new chief.
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Dec 12, 2022
'Book banning by another means'
Public comment is closing soon on a proposal from the Missouri Secretary of State, who wants to crack down on which materials children can access in public libraries. But former library administrators are speaking out against what they see as government overreach.
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Dec 9, 2022
It's Trombone Christmas time
Trombone players were feeling left out of Kansas City's popular "Tuba Christmas" event, so they began their own brassy tradition. Plus: After living in New York for 25 years, Kansas City artist Ky Anderson and her colorful, abstract paintings are coming back home.
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Dec 8, 2022
Prairie Village heats up over affordable housing
Prairie Village is considering updating its zoning laws to help create more affordable options and encourage diversity in a city short on both. But the proposed changes are drawing vocal opposition from some residents.
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Dec 7, 2022
Johnson County teens lead the way in preventing suicide
Johnson County schools have found success in a suicide prevention effort where teenagers help each other through mental health problems. Plus, the families of students in the Independence School District say they're frustrated by a lack of transparency.
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Dec 6, 2022
Are Airbnb guests replacing neighbors?
Short-term rentals like Airbnbs are popular for investors and convenient for travelers — but many of the city’s rentals aren’t properly licensed. Hear why community members want to take action on illegal short-term rentals.
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Dec 5, 2022
What Congress' same-sex marriage bill means in Missouri and Kansas
A bill that would enshrine recognition of same-sex and interracial marriage into law passed the U.S. Senate this week, with support from Republican Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt. That's despite a last minute plea from Missouri's Secretary of State to vote against the legislation.
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Dec 2, 2022
Bringing Union Station's model train village alive
Model trains run year-round at Union Station, but during the holiday season the exhibit gets even bigger. Meet some of the volunteers who design, build and maintain the fan-favorite display. Plus, Kansas City arcades took a big hit during the pandemic, but now pinball wizards — both new and old — are coming back in force.
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Dec 1, 2022
Sports gambling in Kansas is a big win for lobbyists
Wagers are well underway in Kansas under the state's new sports betting system. But taxable revenues from the industry have nearly disappeared, thanks to questionable deductions and the state's comparably small share of the profits.
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Nov 30, 2022
Is drought the new normal for the Midwest?
In the Midwest and Great Plains, widespread drought has dried up lakes and rivers, ignited wildfires, decimated crop harvests and left cattle with no grass to eat. The ripple effects of this and future droughts will continue to affect our diets, health and economy for generations to come.
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Nov 29, 2022
The execution of Kevin Johnson
Kevin Johnson was sentenced to death in 2007 for the slaying of a Kirkwood, Missouri, police officer. But an extensive investigation found the state’s handling of death-eligible prosecutions was rife with pervasive racial bias.
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Nov 28, 2022
Missouri's abortion law puts hospitals and patients at risk
Missouri's abortion ban contains only one exception, not for rape or incest, but for "medical emergencies." But the law is vague on what that means — and that's a problem for hospitals, since performing an abortion could carry a felony and prison time. It's also a problem for patients in critical need of care.
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Nov 25, 2022
Rum cakes and Crock-Pots
A sweet smell is filling the air in Old Town Lenexa as Jude’s Rum Cakes begins baking thousands of tasty treats for the holiday season. Plus: You can thank a group of scrappy Kansas City women for the invention of the Crock-Pot as we know it today.
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Nov 23, 2022
The 'last waltz' of a Kansas City blues festival
Kansas City has long held a reputation as a center of blues music and culture. But as elder musicians pass away, one Kansas blues festival appears to have reached its conclusion. Plus, Kansas City's first bicycle collective has transformed junk into reliable rides for 15 years.
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Nov 22, 2022
Can bison save the Kansas prairie?
As climate change threatens the Great Plains, bison may be a key to creating resilient prairies. Plus, a look at the Farm Bill, a $500 billion plan that sets policy on everything from crop insurance to food benefits.
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Nov 21, 2022
Kansas City Royals want a new downtown stadium. Who's paying?
The owner of the Kansas City Royals says the team plans to abandon Kauffman Stadium and build a downtown "ballpark district." But experts say the payoffs aren't so clear, especially if taxpayers have to help foot the bill.
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Nov 18, 2022
How a Jackson County district is failing homeless students
School districts are required by law to help homeless children stay in school. Most Kansas City-area districts take that role seriously, but the Blue Springs School District may be undercounting its unhoused kids — and failing to provide them critical services.
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Nov 17, 2022
Child labor at Missouri meatpacking plants
A company hired to clean meatpacking plants in Missouri and other Midwest states is accused of illegally using children for potentially dangerous jobs. Plus: Eric Schmitt is heading to D.C. as Missouri's next U.S. Senator, but he'll be entering a very different legislative environment than the one he's used to at home.
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Nov 16, 2022
Sex trafficking charges against detective Roger Golubski
Former Kansas City, Kansas, police detective Roger Golubski was paid to help protect a sex trafficking operation of underage girls run out of an apartment complex, according to an expanded federal indictment. What do we know about the case against Golubski so far?
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Nov 15, 2022
Is it time for Kansas City to end state control of KCPD?
Missourians voted last week to require Kansas City to spend even more money on its police department, though most Kansas City residents were against it. But the results still left local advocates optimistic about the future. Plus: Kansas nursing homes are struggling to stay staffed and open.
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Nov 14, 2022
What happens next with legal weed in Missouri?
Recreational marijuana will soon be legal for Missourians over the age of 21 after voters passed Amendment 3. But how soon can people expect to buy it, and what's the timeline for expunging criminal records?
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Nov 11, 2022
Urban farms and mushroom hunting in Kansas City
Urban farms can take blighted vacant lots and turn them into green space that provides food for neighborhoods, but in Kansas City and the Midwest, they struggle to get that land from private owners and city land banks. Plus: For one local forager, fall weather is the best time for hunting mushrooms.
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Nov 10, 2022
Gov. Laura Kelly wins reelection in a Republican Kansas
Two very close races have been called in Kansas: Incumbent Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly won a second term, with about a 1.5% lead over her Republican opponent, state Attorney General Derek Schmidt. And Republican Kris Kobach beat Democrat Chris Mann by about 2 points in his bid for attorney general.
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Nov 9, 2022
Missouri legalizes recreational marijuana and other election results
In Missouri, voters have approved the recreational use of marijuana by adults and will send Republican Eric Schmitt to the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile in Kansas, voters gave Democrat Sharice Davids another term in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Nov 8, 2022
Election Day is here!
Kansas and Missouri are headed to the polls today! Voters have some big races to decide: governor, U.S. Senate and attorney general in Kansas, and in Missouri, an open U.S. Senate contest plus constitutional amendments to legalize recreational marijuana and increase KCPD funding.
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Nov 7, 2022
The race for Jackson County Executive
The race for Jackson County Executive nears the finish line as incumbent Frank White faces off against Republican Theresa Galvin.
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Nov 4, 2022
Breaking down the U.S. Senate race in Missouri
The Missouri general election battle for U.S. Senate has been somewhat tame compared to the wild primary season, but does that signal a unified rightward trajectory for the state? Plus: Voters in northwest Missouri say they’ve always been conservative but used to be able to call themselves Democrats.
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Nov 3, 2022
Can Rep. Sharice Davids hold onto her gerrymandered district?
The newly-rearranged Kansas 3rd congressional district is seeing incumbent Democrat Sharice Davids face off against Republican Amanda Adkins, with abortion and inflation stealing the spotlight. Plus: Missourians will decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana this election, but Amendment 3 isn't that straight forward.
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Nov 2, 2022
Kansas may pressure schools to ditch Native American mascots
The Kansas Board of Education will soon vote on a recommendation to do away with Native American mascots statewide. Plus, a Board of Education race in Johnson County is between two candidates who diverge on hot button issues like control of curriculum and how schools discuss mental health.
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Nov 1, 2022
When national politics overwhelmed a Missouri district
Once a Democratic stronghold, a swing congressional district in northern Missouri became dominated by Republicans, thanks to a national realignment and the influence of conservative media. Plus: Why a Democratic candidate thinks she has a shot to flip a Kansas House district in Johnson County.
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Oct 31, 2022
Wyandotte County voters are ready to be rid of Aaron Coleman
Two political newcomers seek to represent Kansas House District 37 after what many Wyandotte County voters feel was two years of lost time with a scandal-plagued lawmaker. Plus: the abortion debate has gone local with many towns across the Midwest banning procedures inside city limits.
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Oct 28, 2022
When running for office is your third job
First-time Democratic candidate Sarah Shorter is taking on Missouri Senator Tony Luetkemeyer — but working two other jobs and running against an incumbent in a Republican district is no easy task. Plus: Why pumpkin patches and apple orchards are bringing more people out to visit farms.
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Oct 27, 2022
A Kansas City, Kansas, legislative seat may be up for grabs
Will the Kansas House's 35th District in Kansas City, Kansas, break its 30-year Democratic streak and send a Republican to the statehouse? Plus: Remembering Charles Wheeler, the feisty and forceful former Kansas City, Missouri, mayor, who died on Tuesday.
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Oct 26, 2022
Laura Kelly vs. Derek Schmidt
Who should be the next governor of Kansas? Republican Derek Schmidt is making his bid about President Biden and Democratic policies he says have failed to address rising prices and angered parents over schools. Meanwhile, incumbent Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is touting a balanced budget and a growing Kansas economy.
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Oct 25, 2022
Breaking down the U.S. Senate race in Kansas
Former Kansas City, Kansas, mayor Mark Holland sees a path to victory against longtime U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, who's running for re-election this November. Plus, Black babies in Kansas have long had a much higher chance of dying than white babies — and then the pandemic hit, and Black infant mortality surged 58%.
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Oct 24, 2022
Breaking down the Kansas City ballot
This election, residents of Kansas City, Missouri, will weigh in on several hot-button topics on the statewide ballot, including marijuana legalization and KCPD funding. There's also several ballot issues for local voters that are not as flashy, but could have big impacts on the city's finances for years to come.
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Oct 21, 2022
How Independence spent COVID relief money on the police
The city of Independence allocated millions in federal COVID relief funding to its police department — for things like sniper rifles and officer bonuses — but little to the health department. Plus: Kansas Jayhawks football has stirred up talk with their early-season success under coach Lance Leipold. But how long will it last?
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Oct 20, 2022
Missouri hid groundwater contamination for decades
Residents in Springfield, Missouri, had no idea that their drinking water might be contaminated with toxic chemicals, disposed of improperly by a defense contractor, until 2019. In the years since, the community is still looking for answers to how this happened.
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Oct 19, 2022
Understanding the Missouri National Guard amendment vote
Missouri is one of only two states where control of its National Guard does not rest with the governor, but Amendment 5 could change that in November. Plus: Engineers in Kansas are trying a new way to prevent reservoirs from getting filled with mud.
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Oct 18, 2022
Breaking down the race for Johnson County Commission chair
Two candidates with sharply opposing ideologies on rising property taxes, economic development, climate change and more are competing to be the next chair of the Johnson County Commission.
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Oct 17, 2022
Kansas U.S. Senate candidate Mark Holland
Kansas hasn’t elected a Democrat to U.S. Senate in 90 years, but Mark Holland hopes he's the one to change that — after all, the former mayor of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, has won elections before.
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Oct 14, 2022
Why Kansas City wants to close 10 schools
Kansas City Public Schools says it's considering closing 10 schools as part of its long-term plan to expand student opportunities and combat declining enrollment. Plus: Kansas beadwork artist Mona Cliff is one of 19 local artists creating new work for the new KCI airport terminal.
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Oct 13, 2022
Missouri Attorney General's invasion of 'academic freedom'
Free speech advocates say Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is attacking academic freedom by filing records requests at schools and universities, targeting issues of journalistic fact-checking and social-emotional learning.
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Oct 12, 2022
Adapt to climate change, or get flooded
Climate change is forcing communities in the Mississippi River Basin to deal with constant flooding on farmland and the places they call home. Plus: Missouri’s state commission designated to advocate for Hispanic communities disappeared 14 years ago, but Latino residents say there's an even greater need for it now.
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Oct 11, 2022
Inside Kansas City's newest abortion clinic
A new Planned Parenthood in Kansas City, Kansas, opened in June, just after the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Just a few months in, the demand for abortion services has become more than they can handle. Plus: How Hays, Kansas, became the pioneer for water conservation in the Midwest.
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Oct 10, 2022
Two perspectives on Missouri's legal marijuana amendment
Missouri voters are weeks away from casting their ballot on recreational marijuana. Even for those who support legalizing weed, Amendment 3 has drawn complaints about how licenses are distributed and whether it goes far enough in clearing criminal records.
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Oct 7, 2022
Breaking down the Kansas governor race
In the Kansas governor's race, education, LGBTQ rights, and the economy have become major divides between Republican Derek Schmidt and Democrat Laura Kelly. Plus: The Kansas City Current broke ground on a women’s soccer stadium set to open in 2024.
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Oct 6, 2022
Abortion clinics in Kansas can't keep up with demand
Kansas clinics that provide abortions are struggling to keep up with demand as patients travel from as far as Texas and Louisiana to receive care.
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Oct 5, 2022
Kansas foster kids are still sleeping in offices
Kansas in 2020 settled a lawsuit over the way the state’s foster care system treated children. Has the state lived up to its promises? Plus: A federal program aimed at helping low-income communities access food pays its own employees so little that some workers qualify for food stamps themselves.
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Oct 4, 2022
Breaking down the Kansas attorney general race
Republican Kris Kobach promises to sue the federal government every chance he gets if he’s elected Kansas attorney general. Plus, how a new program in Kansas City is already helping hundreds of tenants facing eviction.
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Oct 3, 2022
Missouri's 2022 election: What you need to know
With the 2022 midterm elections about five weeks away, we're taking a deep dive into what’s on the Missouri ballot — including some significant ballot issues and an open U.S. Senate race.
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Sep 30, 2022
Making art on the Missouri River
Roger MacBride, captain of The Kansas City Lady, made his boat into a friendly space for friends, artists and musicians to engage with the Missouri River. Also, a Kansas City artist spent 88 days canoeing the entire Missouri River, painting watercolors and taking photos along his journey.
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Sep 29, 2022
Thousands of Missouri kids could suddenly lose health insurance
Pediatricians are worried about kids losing Medicaid coverage when the federal COVID emergency declaration ends. Plus: Why the Biden administration and Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly don't agree on proposed new rules for a popular weed killer used by farmers.
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Sep 28, 2022
What's going on with the Mission Gateway project?
The long-stalled Mission Gateway project, a $268 million redevelopment plan whose future has been up in the air for a decade, is back on the table again. Plus: After a medical condition abruptly ended Marcus Walker's pro basketball career, he's turned to teaching the next generation in Kansas City.
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Sep 27, 2022
Does KCPD discriminate against officers of color?
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas responds to the U.S. Department of Justice's investigation into alleged racial discrimination in the hiring practices of the Kansas City Police Department.
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Sep 26, 2022
Are election debates a thing of the past?
How difficult is it to be "fair and balanced" when one side of the conversation won't return your call? What it means when candidates and elected officials stop talking with journalists about the issues that affect people’s lives.
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Sep 23, 2022
Parents sent police to a Missouri school — over books
A school librarian recalls ‘surreal’ police visits at a Missouri high school library. And a revolt is brewing at Emporia State University after 33 staff members were laid off due to budget cuts.
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Sep 22, 2022
Kansas governor's power on the ballot
Kansas legislators want voters to give them power to overturn state rules and regulations set by the governor, but critics say the move is meant to shift political power from Democratic governors to Republican lawmakers. Plus, young voters from around the Kansas City metro say even though they feel politicians don't really care about them, they still plan to vote.
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Sep 21, 2022
Will the abortion fight affect the Kansas Supreme Court election?
Six of the seven Kansas Supreme Court Justices will be on the November ballot to keep their jobs. While retention elections usually fly under the radar, the fight over abortion could raise the stakes on Nov. 8. Plus, Kansas inmates say medical care is so bad, they're suffering for years without relief.
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Sep 20, 2022
The case against Roger Golubski
Former KCKPD detective Roger Golubski is out on bond, even after federal prosecutors detailed seven more women who accused the longtime officer of sexual assault. Plus: A first look at KCUR's new investigative podcast, Overlooked, about Golubski and corruption in Kansas City, Kansas.
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Sep 19, 2022
The solar farm dividing communities in Johnson County
A proposed solar farm in eastern Kansas could be the largest in the state, but not everyone is excited about 2,000 acres of panels being built in their backyard. Plus: How some Midwestern states are getting creative in their attempts to attract tourists.
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Sep 16, 2022
What we know about the FBI arrest of a former KCKPD detective
Former detective Roger Golubski, who allegedly used his police badge to exploit vulnerable Black women in Kansas City, Kansas, has been arrested by the FBI. He's charged with sexual assault and kidnapping.
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Sep 15, 2022
Why are Kansas City's intersections so terrible?
Kansas City's streets are often confusing and dangerous for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. Although the city has several efforts underway to make its roads safer, there seem to be too many "cursed" intersections to fix all at once.
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Sep 14, 2022
What you should know about the new COVID booster shot
A new bivalent booster shot for COVID-19 is being administered at pharmacy chains in the Kansas City area and will soon be available at local health departments. Should you get one if you've already had a booster?
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Sep 13, 2022
Will Missouri's abortion ban hurt Republicans?
Many Missourians don't support the state's abortion ban, but that doesn't appear to change who they vote for. Plus: The 988 emergency mental health hotline debuted this summer, but some advocates question if Missouri is committed to funding the project long term.
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Sep 12, 2022
Why Kansas City is seeing a surge of traffic deaths
Kansas City traffic fatalities are up 25% from a year earlier, and nationwide, deaths are at a 20-year high, a surge not seen among any other developed countries. Plus: Congress is spending billions to help states stop pollution from abandoned oil and gas wells.
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Sep 9, 2022
When Kiwi Farms came for a Kansas City family
Kiwi Farms, a website known for harassing LGBTQ people, has lost its home on the internet. Now a Kansas City mother is speaking up about how the website conducted an abuse campaign against her transgender child.
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Sep 8, 2022
Kansas congresswoman Sharice Davids
The race for Kansas' 3rd congressional district is tighter than it was in 2020, and no one knows that more than incumbent Rep. Sharice Davids. Finding herself in a more conservative district after Republican redistricting, Davids says the two key issues for voters are managing inflation and access to reproductive health care.
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Sep 7, 2022
Kansas congressional candidate Amanda Adkins
After Kansas' 3rd Congressional District was redrawn to make it more competitive for Republicans, U.S. House candidate Amanda Adkins sees 2022 as her year to defeat incumbent U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids. Adkins says the two key issues for voters this November are inflation and immigration.
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Sep 6, 2022
Missouri's controversial new voter ID law
Missouri's Secretary of State defends a new election law requiring anyone who wants to cast a ballot to have a form of government-issued photo identification. Two lawsuits have already been filed to block the restrictions from taking effect.
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Sep 5, 2022
The fight over silica mining in Missouri
Efforts to open silica mines in southeast Missouri are bringing back memories of toxic lead mining that scarred the region centuries ago. Plus, a Midwest "rite of passage" that was predominantly done by teenagers has changed as seed companies shift jobs to migrant workers.
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Sep 2, 2022
A Kansas City musician who conjures sounds from painting
A Kansas City artist invented an instrument that paints and composes at the same time, creating music with a brush stroke. Plus, one Kansas golfer is trying to bring more diversity to the caddie community.
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Sep 1, 2022
Why an ex-teacher returned to education
A former teacher is trying to make a difference for the Park Hill School District, but not from the classroom. Plus, how Missouri sex-workers are organizing to help protect their community's access to abortions.
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Aug 31, 2022
Kansas City’s barbecue king
You may love burnt ends, but you probably haven’t heard of Henry Perry, Kansas City's original "barbecue king." Plus: How Hiram Young, a former slave, opened the first school for Black children in Independence and became one of the wealthiest persons in the county.
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Aug 30, 2022
Kansas will take your sports bets now
This week, Kansas is joining the list of states where sports gambling is legal, just in time for the 2022 NFL season. Casinos and sports betting apps are eager to set up shop.
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Aug 29, 2022
Kansas City's big swing for carbon neutrality
Kansas City is taking steps to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 with a new Climate Protection and Resiliency Plan. It's expected to decommission Evergy’s Hawthorn coal power plant, create more bike lanes, increase tree canopies and much more.
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Aug 26, 2022
Is Missouri's voter ID law unconstitutional?
Starting this weekend, Missouri voters will need to present a government-issued photo ID when casting their ballots. But voting rights groups have filed lawsuits claiming the law is unconstitutional.
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Aug 25, 2022
Foster kids kept away from their birth parents due to a lack of social workers
Jackson County is facing a shortage of social workers, forcing birth parents to miss court-ordered visits with their children. Plus, the Missouri Senate's controversial conservative caucus has disbanded, leaving behind moral victories and calls for unity.
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Aug 24, 2022
Kansas voters defended abortion access, but that's no guarantee
After voters defended the right to abortion at the ballot, Kansas will continue to be an abortion destination for patients coming from other states where the procedure is banned. At the same time, many rural Kansas counties that voted to protect abortion rights are likely to send anti-abortion conservatives back to the Legislature.
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Aug 23, 2022
A 'two-tiered system of justice' in Kansas
A loophole in Kansas state law allows probation to be extended indefinitely for failure to pay court costs, fines or restitution. For those who are too poor to afford those costs, it could mean probation for the rest of their lives — which also means losing the right to vote.
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Aug 22, 2022
Can an independent win in Missouri?
John Wood knows that he faces long odds in his independent candidacy for U.S. Senate in Missouri, but the self-described mainstream conservative still thinks this year is the right time for such a run.
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Aug 19, 2022
A new Amelia Earhart museum in her Kansas hometown
Aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart disappeared in 1937 on a doomed voyage around the world. But she’s still a big presence in her hometown of Atchison, Kansas, where a new museum dedicated to her is opening next year. Plus, the Kansas City man who's been designing and altering fur coats for over 40 years.
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Aug 18, 2022
The downside of Kansas embracing the electric car industry
Environmentalists are praising the news of an electric vehicles battery plant coming to Kansas, but this "green industry" comes with its own issues. Plus: An experimental farm in southern Missouri is trying to prove that grazing animals in forests is better for everyone, including the cows.
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Aug 17, 2022
Afghan refugees make a new life in Kansas City
A year after the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, 760 refugees have made Kansas City their new home. But even after finding jobs and housing, these new residents remain separated from their family and uncertain about their future — including if they'll be allowed to stay.
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Aug 16, 2022
Are we fumbling the monkeypox response?
Monkeypox cases are on the rise, bringing with them a stigma that echoes the HIV/AIDS crisis.
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Aug 15, 2022
Missouri voters could legalize weed
Missouri voters will decide this November whether to legalize recreational marijuana, four years after they first approved the drug for medicinal use. But will advocates be able to get the votes to pass this constitutional amendment?
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Aug 12, 2022
A Kansas City rapper shares his roots with the world
After playing Austin's South by Southwest festival earlier this year, a Kansas City rapper known as The Pradagy is making a name for himself in the local scene. Plus: An artist is using native flowers to bring new color to Kansas City’s Marlborough neighborhood.
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Aug 11, 2022
Where Black Kansas Citians could live the American Dream
Parade Park was a symbol of pride for Black families in Kansas City who finally got their chance at home ownership — but the neighborhood may not survive redevelopment. Plus, staff shortages are forcing Missouri school districts to consider four-day weeks.
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Aug 10, 2022
Why have Kansas City's pools closed already?
Despite an alarmingly hot summer, all public pools in Kansas City, Missouri, have closed early because of funding and staffing issues. Plus, how western Kansas' prehistoric ocean could help scientists understand the future of life in a changing climate.
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Aug 9, 2022
Kansas police departments face officer shortages
Police departments in Kansas are struggling to attract and hire officers — often losing them to other jobs. The shortage is hampering departments across the state.
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Aug 8, 2022
KU kicks out fraternities
For the third time this year, the University of Kansas has suspended a fraternity for hazing offenses. The fate of Sigma Chi highlights ongoing problems with Greek life on college campuses nationwide.
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Aug 5, 2022
A Kansas City Chiefs coach in the Hall of Fame
Former Kansas City Chiefs Coach Dick Vermeil will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend, 17 years after leaving the city. Plus, a Kansas City comic company is making space for Black and brown characters in manga.
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Aug 4, 2022
Missouri and Kansas get their U.S. Senate matchups
The race for U.S. Senate in Kansas appears to be incumbent Republican Jerry Moran’s to lose. But to some voters, the world looks different this election cycle. Plus: What to look forward to with Missouri's own U.S. Senate showdown.
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Aug 3, 2022
Kansans resoundingly defeat abortion amendment
Kansans went to the polls on Tuesday to decide who will advance to the general election in several key races. They also weighed in on whether the state constitution includes the right to an abortion.
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Aug 2, 2022
It's Election Day in Kansas and Missouri
Missouri and Kansas voters are headed to the polls for some important elections today. Plus: The Johnson County Sheriff's Office says they've gotten hundreds of tips relating to election fraud, but after a records request from KCUR, they only produced one.
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Aug 1, 2022
Do Missouri Democrats stand a chance in the U.S. Senate race?
Republicans have gotten most of the attention in the U.S. Senate primary in Missouri, but August 2 also has a competitive Democratic primary too. Plus, one candidate hopes he will become one of the few elected Hispanic officials in Jackson County.
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Jul 29, 2022
A crowded GOP primary for Missouri's 4th district
Abortion has emerged as a big topic on the campaign trail for the seven Republican candidates vying for Missouri's 4th district congressional seat, which is being vacated by Rep. Vicky Hartzler. Plus, antique toys could put children at risk of lead poisoning.
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Jul 28, 2022
Will Kansas voters end abortion rights?
Kansas voters will soon decide whether to strip abortion rights from the state constitution, and possibly open the door to a total ban. Plus, what the "ghost story" of "Doc Annie" Smith could reveal about the last time abortion was illegal in Missouri.
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Jul 27, 2022
U.S. Senate candidate Trudy Busch Valentine
Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine comes from one of the wealthiest families in the country and has never run for office before. She believes her nursing background — and focus on issues like the opioid crisis and reproductive rights — will help her connect with voters in Missouri's U.S. Senate race.