Kansas City Today

On Tuesday, the U.S. and Israel continued attacks on Iran that started over the weekend. Now, President Donald Trump is saying the war may continue for weeks to come. Many Iranians and Iranian Americans are celebrating the potential for democracy in the country, but are anxious about the expanding violence.

Kansas City Council voted to relax some controversial portions of its building code that builders said made it harder to build affordable housing — or anything. Over the past few years, the city has seen a drop in new home construction compared to surrounding cities and suburbs, but the standards aren't the only reason.

Kansas legislators have had an unusually busy year so far — most recently the passage of a law that restricts bathroom usage for transgender people, and prohibits gender changes on IDs. We'll hear about what's been passed at the halfway point, and what's still to come.

The Missouri Republican Party is mulling over how national headwinds could affect key state legislative races and ballot initiatives, such as an abortion ban and redistricting referendum. Plus: Missouri colleges and universities are racing to fulfill a new request for student data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Increased immigration enforcement in Olathe is worrying some. Students across Johnson County have staged protests against ICE, and a recent school walkout led to an altercation with pro-Trump students and several arrests.

Urban rivers are struggling with water pollution, as the Blue River in Kansas City shows. Restoring riverside woodlands and other natural areas could lead to a healthier river.

The Kansas City Police Department paid nearly $11 million to settle lawsuits over police misconduct and wrongful deaths during this fiscal year. As Kansas City faces budget issues and World Cup security demands, some city leaders want to exert more control over these growing legal costs.

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has proposed having citizens vote to phase out the state income tax over the next five years. But is that a viable option for the state budget?

Artist Heidi Pitre's new show brings together literature, nostalgia and pen-and-ink illustrations on vintage library checkout cards. Pitre brings her library card art to — where else? — the Kansas City Public Library.

The wind energy industry has slowed across the country, but some Kansas towns want to invest in it for economic growth. We'll hear about the push for renewable energy in rural Kansas — and the obstacles it faces. Plus: Hear why support for 988, the national suicide and crisis hotline, is stronger in some states than in others.

To prepare for increased immigration enforcement activity, Boots on the Ground Midwest has organized neighborhood groups, facilitated mutual aid and trained thousands to legally observe and record officers. Interest in their trainings spiked after the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.

Newspapers in large cities, with lots of possible subscribers, are struggling to keep operating without major cuts. In small towns, it's even harder. But one Kansas town is making it work.

Independence, Missouri, officials are considering tax breaks for a massive AI data center, but many residents don't even want it built in the first place. Plus: After almost a year of conflict, a private prison operator is finally playing nice with the city of Leavenworth to get a permit for an ICE detention facility.

With the World Cup just four months away, Kansas City will play a major role in not only hosting games, but also serving as a base camp for some of the biggest names in the tournament. Is the city ready? We'll talk about what to watch in the run-up.

The Port Authority of Kansas City voted unanimously this week to cut ties with Platform Ventures, after learning of the developer's plans to sell a massive warehouse in south Kansas City to the federal government for use as a mass immigrant detention facility.

Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City is building entire neighborhoods of affordable housing in Kansas. The nonprofit is using a real estate tool known as a community land trust to ensure the homes remain affordable forever. Plus: The USDA's "Climate Hubs" have helped farmers adapt to a changing climate, but their funding may be in jeopardy.

About 60% of the teachers, principals, aides and other staff at KIPP Kansas City have left in the last year, describing a chaotic environment with frequent mishaps — shorted pay, canceled school trips and bus failures. Leaders say they're trying to reimagine the charter school, but not everyone is on board.

More than a year after Missouri voters narrowly approved the legalization of sports betting, the books are now open across the state. Missourians wagered more than $543 million in December, although the state made little tax revenue from that. Now a bill could legalize video lottery terminals.

While more teens are getting their financial advice from social media, one group of students are taking charge of a real-life credit union from inside a high school in the North Kansas City School District. And yes, they use real money.

More than half the renters living at a Raytown apartment complex recently ended a four-month rent strike against their landlord. Members of the Bowen Tower Apartments union share why the strike took place and what deal they managed to agree on.

Kansas has one of the highest rates of Parkinson's disease diagnoses. Groups there are helping people slow the progression of the disease through activities including exercise and art classes. Plus: Nipple tattoos are an option for the many American women who survive breast cancer and end their treatment looking for a way to reconnect with themselves and their bodies.

A KCUR investigation uncovered a criminal probe launched against a resident by Lenexa police because of a newspaper opinion piece critical of the department.

In 2023, a Kansas City police officer shot and killed two people and injured a third, but he won't face criminal charges. And that's not the only legal settlement involving Blayne Newton. Hear about Newton's conduct and how it has fanned the flames of tension in the community.

A beloved Mexican restaurant in Kansas City is closing for good. We'll hear from the sisters who run the eatery and are taking stock of their decades of work at La Fonda El Taquito.

Finding affordable, quality childcare that fits their schedule feels like an impossible task for many parents. Kansas City parents navigating the workforce while raising young children say the region needs more options.

A trial that could determine the future of abortion access in Missouri has wrapped up, and the decision is now in the hands of a judge. Planned Parenthood is suing to get several laws targeting abortion providers off the books, but the state got its chance this past week to defend the regulations.

For much of Kansas City's homeless population, seeking medical treatment is not only hard, it can also be demeaning. One nurse practitioner made it her mission to change that.

A new proposal in Missouri's legislature could make Jackson County the first county in the state to be split in 150 years. It's spurred by a Republican lawmaker from eastern Jackson County, but elected leaders are skeptical that it will gain traction.

This week, KCUR's Up To Date marked its final broadcast from 4825 Troost Avenue, as the station is required to move out of our longtime home. Although the offices have long been in disrepair, they have held a lot of good memories, too. Steve Kraske and KCUR staff reflected on the last 40 years of history in the building.

Kansas Citians are taking to the streets to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. After the killing of Renee Good, a former Kansas City resident, a demonstration marched through the Country Club Plaza. Meanwhile, local groups are warning each other about potential ICE activity.

Tumbleweeds have taken over the High Plains. The plant thrives so well in the western part of Kansas that sometimes they can shut down entire neighborhoods or highways. Plus: An inconspicuous insect is changing what survival looks like as climate change remains a threat.

State attorneys will take center stage this week in a trial that could reshape Missouri's abortion regulations. Witnesses are expected to include doctors who view the state's TRAP laws as protective, rather than restrictive. This follows a week where Planned Parenthood leaders testified that the state is imposing standards that are impossible to meet.

Just before Christmas, the University of Missouri-Kansas City informed all tenants of 4825 Troost Ave., the largest of which are KCUR and Classical KC, that they must vacate the building by the end of January. We'll talk about what we know — and what we still don't — about the move.

The Kansas City Royals missed a big deadline to tell Kansas their proposal for STAR bond funding, and top lawmakers say they're no longer interested in talks with the team. The doors may also be closing in Clay County, while Missouri's public financing offer is under threat.

A data center in the Crossroads is one of the first in the country to get a loan for clean energy. Plus: Scientists across the central U.S. say they have experienced a year of change and uncertainty under the second Trump administration.

A huge tree is being cut down in Kansas City's Historic Northeast. The burr oak predates even the Revolutionary War and survived as the city sprang up around it. But after a lightning strike and years of disease, Frank the Liberty Tree has reached its end.

The Chiefs are building a new headquarters in Olathe, in addition to their stadium in Kansas City, Kansas. A big Kansas City company is jumping state lines. Add elections on top of all that, and you have the recipe for a dramatic year in Johnson County.

Advocates in Missouri head to court today to argue that the state is unconstitutionally blocking access to abortion care — more than a year after voters chose to overturn the statewide ban. And this trial is all happening as another statewide vote on abortion looms later this year.

What's next for the Kansas City Chiefs after the team's worst season since 2012? We'll hear what could be in store for Mahomes, Kelce, and more in this excerpt from SportsBeat KC, a Kansas City sports podcast from The Star and KCUR Studios.

Missouri lawmakers arrived this week in Jefferson City for the start of the 2026 legislative session, which runs until mid-May. Gov. Mike Kehoe is pushing to eliminate the state income tax, but a smaller budget will likely force spending cuts.

The state of Kansas is luring the Kansas City Chiefs across the state line with funding from STAR Bonds, a unique kind of tax incentive. The team plans to build a $3 billion stadium in Wyandotte County and a practice facility worth hundreds of millions of dollars in Olathe.

A new exhibit at the Nerman Museum in Overland Park packs a punch with ceramic lipsticks, guns, and colorful pastel flowers. Over her five-decade career, Kansas City clay artist Linda Lighton created sculptures that speak to some of the thorniest issues of our time.