Kansas City Today

The U.S. Department of Justice has followed through on its threat to sue Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools based on a dispute over the district's transgender policies.

Tenants of the North Lawn apartments in Kansas City's Historic Northeast were forced to move out by the city due to the complex's hazardous conditions — capping off years of troubles with a landlord who failed to make proper fixes. But a deal with the city and the new owner should allow tenants to move back to a repaired building.

Kansas City is dishing out a lot of money for new development plans, specifically toward the Country Club Plaza and Royals downtown ballpark. How do the two projects stack up against each other — and why does Kansas City feel like it needs to give those owners public funding?

Over the summer, an internationally renowned expert on authoritarianism visited Kansas to investigate the state's new polices on transgender rights. Hear why New York Times columnist M. Gessen sees similarities between Kansas and Nazi Germany.

Saying goodbye to a pet can be really hard. But one business in Kansas City is offering a unique way to preserve their memory: preserving and articulating their skeleton. Plus: As more people pick up pickleball to stay fit, emergency room visits related to the sport have nearly quadrupled.

There's a chance your next bowl of cereal or protein shake will include milk that came from Kansas. Dairy production in the state has quadrupled over the last couple decades, and that growth rests on the shoulders of immigrant workers in rural Kansas.

Sports economists looking at the $600 million deal between the Royals and the Kansas City Council aren't very impressed. The quickly-passed measure leaves many unanswered questions about where the public funds will come from, how much risk Kansas City will take on, and if the economic benefits will actually pan out.

Birdwatchers in Kansas might notice tiny, yellow birds in their backyards, a songbird that only recently started breeding in Kansas. Plus: Midwest prairies are turning into woodland. Ranchers are trying to stop this change, but it's an uphill battle.

Last week, a Missouri judge declined to put two measures that received hundreds of thousands of petition signatures on the November ballot. Now the state Supreme Court will take a look. We'll take a closer look at the redistricting referendum and Respect Missouri Voters amendment.

For decades, the names of thousands of local enslaved people lay hidden in deeds, wills, probate records and bills of sale. A recent discovery is shedding new light on Missouri's history of slavery.

International students have traditionally been able to stay in the country for as long as they needed to finish their academic programs. The Trump administration is changing that policy, leaving Missouri and Kansas students and college officials worried about the future.

A new Kansas City Star investigation reveals that the plaintiff in a case brought forward against the city by Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has ties to the mafia.

Midwest lawmakers have tried and failed to ban paraquat, a toxic weedkiller that's been tied to Parkinson's disease. One state senator plans to keep fighting. Plus: The federal government has released new rules controlling how farmers can use the controversial herbicide dicamba.

The August primary elections were big for Johnson County Democrats, with primary wins for U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hamilton and Kansas governor candidate Cindy Holscher. What should voters expect in November, and what does it say about the future of the party and the state?

Purple martins are back in Kansas. Thousands of the birds are gathering near the Wichita airport each evening as they prepare for their annual migration. Plus: A small town in southcentral Kansas proudly bears the nickname “Midway USA,” positioning itself firmly between California and New York.

Missouri's candidates are set for the November general election under a redrawn congressional map. But with Kansas City's three districts carved to specifically benefit Republicans, even longtime U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II faces a tough race.

Childcare costs in Missouri and Kansas can now rival a mortgage for working families, but two Midwestern lawmakers are fighting to change that. Plus: After the Affordable Care Act tax credits lapsed, healthcare premiums spiked for millions of farmers and ranchers.

 State Sen. Rick Brattin was selected by voters during last week's primary election as the Republican candidate for Missouri's 5th Congressional District, a seat currently held by Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II. The 5th District is expected to lean more Republican under newly drawn congressional maps.

Two winners of last week's primaries are aiming for their first terms representing Missouri in Congress next year. We'll hear how Republican Chris Stigall and Democrat Jordan Herrera plan to unite their respective parties and secure seats in Washington.

Drive-in theaters have shown movies under the stars for generations, and many Kansas filmgoers still see value for these nostalgic experiences in a changing movie landscape. Plus: There's a chance the wheat in your spaghetti could be grown in western Kansas in the next few years.

Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected a citizen referendum that would have given voters the chance to overturn the new Republican-drawn congressional map. Hoskins said the measure was unconstitutional, but the group People Not Politicians said he's being "obstructionist."

Missouri residents overwhelmingly voted against proposals to eliminate the income tax and change how citizens can change the Missouri constitution. Meanwhile, Kansans elected Reverend Adam Hamilton as the Democratic opponent to U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall and Democrat Cindy Holscher and Republican Ty Masterson will face each other in the race for Kansas governor.

Today, Missourians will decide the fate of a proposed constitutional amendment that gives lawmakers the ability to expand sales and use taxes in order to eliminate the state income tax.

Missouri Republicans want to make it harder to amend the state's constitution, but even backers of Amendment 4 acknowledge it's getting a rough reception. Plus: Missouri's 6th Congressional District has an open race for the first time since 2000.

Missouri's Republican supermajority redrew the state's congressional boundaries last year to make the 4th and 5th districts a tougher battle for Democrats. We'll talk through the races before Tuesday's primary, the first election under the newly gerrymandered map.

People living in homeless encampments say Missouri and Kansas cities have been more aggressive about enforcement since a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision. Plus: Latino communities in Wichita are on edge after immigration agents asked a bus full of people to present proof of citizenship.

As Gov. Laura Kelly finishes out her last term in office, seven Republicans and three Democrats are making their case to replace her. Find out about the candidates before the Aug. 4 primary. Plus: The cyclospora outbreak has some people scrutinizing where their produce comes from.

The World Cup has come and gone in Kansas City. What could the city's success as a host city mean for future events?

In the Aug. 4 election, Kansas Citians will decide whether to extend a sales tax aimed at re-developing neighborhoods east of Troost, and vote on $1.7 billion in bonds for water and sewers. What's at stake in the votes?

Maud Wagner, one of the country's first known female commercial tattoo artists, was born in Emporia, Kansas. She joined a sideshow act with her sister until a fateful meeting pushed her to pursue carnival stardom, inked from head to toe.

Experts say affordable housing and a lower cost of living are driving people back into the Midwest. Plus: Many farmers are worried whether they'll see a profit this year thanks to high supply costs.

Kansas City opened its doors to thousands of international visitors during the World Cup. What kind of impressions did we make?

Five Republicans are running to replace U.S. Rep. Sam Graves in Missouri's 6th District. Conservative talk show radio host Chris Stigall talks policy ahead of the August primary.

Several Republicans are running to replace U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, who isn't running for reelection in Missouri's 6th District. Kansas City Council member Nathan Willett shares what his priorities would be if he is elected, and why he thinks he's the right fit for the job.

The biggest natural disaster ever to hit Kansas City struck 75 years ago. The Black Friday Flood of 1951 is remembered as bigger, nastier and worse than you can probably imagine.

Immigrants to the U.S. without legal status have found themselves facing deportation to a country where they have no ties. Independence resident Alisa Ramdial Shahib is one of the latest.

Advocacy groups say immigration enforcement in Kansas City resulted in the detention of at least 30 people during the World Cup. The increased ICE presence across the Kansas City metro has kept residents on edge, and led to a backlog in the court system.

A sales tax that funds Missouri's parks and soil and water conservation is back on the ballot this August. It's sharing the spotlight with eight other amendments, leaving advocates wondering if they can cut through the noise.

After a 40-year career in financial services, Kansas U.S. Senate candidate Sandy Spidel Neumann is focused on optimization. She spoke on KCUR's Up To Date about how her business background has prepared her for Congress.

Bright pedicabs are zipping across Kansas City during the World Cup and they're here to stay. Plus: Organizers of a new music venue in Kansas City say it's a place where the listening comes first. 515 Music Hub was a result of the city's Open Doors program for the World Cup, but wants to keep going after.

Missouri saw 2,690 deaths from Alzheimer's in 2024 — a 145% increase since 2000. One southeast Missouri couple is trying to convince lawmakers their support is critical. Plus: A substance abuse counselor in Kansas City has developed secular recovery programs focused on inclusivity.

Kansas U.S. Senate candidate Erik Murray wants "solutions, not chaos" for healthcare and the economy. He spoke on KCUR's Up to Date about the challenges he thinks are most pressing for Kansans in the federal government.