Kansas City Today

The Missouri legislature spent a lot of time in the spring working to un-do laws that voters passed on November's ballot — including paid sick leave and abortion. Now, a group called Respect Missouri Voters wants to stop lawmakers in Jefferson City from doing that.

The Springs Aquatic Center in Kansas City is a popular place for kids to cool off or take a dive. Hear from the families spending their summer poolside. Plus: This year's All-Star game displayed an automated system to help umpires call balls and strikes. Could this system be used by the Kansas City Royals in future seasons?

A Family Dollar store in Kansas City collapsed last weekend, killing a 68-year-old man and critically injuring a 50-year-old woman. Two days before the collapse, a city building inspector was dispatched to the property.

Missouri is one of many states facing pressure from President Donald Trump to redistrict before the 2026 midterm elections. The 5th Congressional District, which encompasses Kansas City, could be targeted — with the goal of forcing out Rep. Emanuel Cleaver.

Missouri recently became the 28th state to pass the CROWN Act, banning discrimination against Black students' hair. We'll head to a Kansas City salon to hear how local teens are reacting. Plus: Farmers worry that Trump's on-and-off tariffs could hurt America's reputation with one of their biggest buyers, China.

Two members of the St. Joseph, Missouri, school board say they've been harassed because of their progressive political beliefs. They say they're being targeted by a multimillion-dollar national organization dedicated to promoting Christianity in public schools.

The late Kansas Sen. Bob Dole was a champion for disability rights. One of his biggest accomplishments was getting the Americans with Disabilities Act passed, 35 years ago this week. We'll look back on the role Kansas played in this landmark civil rights law.

In western Kansas, rural hospitals have been closing or are perpetually understaffed, leaving residents to drive anywhere from an hour to multiple hours for doctors appointments. Plus: Scientists are working on a new framework that factors climate trends into how we think about drought.

Public radio and television stations in rural areas may be hit the hardest after Congress clawed back $1 billion for public broadcasting.

Talks of overhauling the U.S. Postal Service have picked up since President Donald Trump began his second term. With service cutbacks already underway and privatization on the table, rural residents are bracing for more disruptions. Plus: There are more than 40 species of fireflies in Missouri, but for the past few years, people have been concerned about the populations diminishing.

Congress has approved a plan to claw back funding from U.S. foreign aid programs and public broadcasting organizations like NPR and PBS. What does this mean for KCUR? The station's general manager and interim content director discuss how this could impact our work.

Some artists shy away from using AI. Kansas City photographer and digital artist David Morris embraces it. Hear how a local creative harnesses AI to bring his vision to life, and where you can see it. Plus: A Kansas City bookselling icon is retiring after years of tracking down Black books and vinyl. Now, a new generation is stepping up to preserve her legacy.

In recent years, most Kansas City suburbs have cut transportation funding, which means fewer and slower buses. Local officials are racing to fix that. Plus: High school graduation rates in Kansas are higher than ever. But some people worry that the growth of credit recovery programs could be lowering standards for students.

Panasonic's highly anticipated $4 billion electric vehicle battery plant opened in De Soto, Kansas, this week. But problems with Tesla, tariffs and tax breaks have investors worried. Leaders of the plant believe it's just a bump in the road.

Scientists in a Columbia, Missouri, lab have studied how toxic chemicals affect animals and ecosystems since the 1960s. But President Trump's proposed budget would likely mean lights out. Plus: Hydroelectric power is a mainstay of the United States electrical grid, but federal hurdles could take plants offline.

A new report has raised concerns that Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe and his predecessor have failed to fill vacancies at the Missouri Ethics Commission. As a result, the state watchdog has been unable to investigate dozens of complaints of ethical misconduct.

Crews of volunteers are digging into the ruins of a 168-year-old mansion in Lecompton, Kansas, that belonged to a territorial governor. The work is done through the Kansas Historical Society's annual archaeological field school. Plus: Children's author Derrick Barnes from Kansas City is known for books that are all about making Black kids feel seen.

Jackson County's top elected official is facing a recall election. County Executive Frank White Jr. says it's a political vendetta, while lawmakers say it's actually aboutproperty taxes. But will it actually happen next month?

The Trump administration proposed slashing billions of dollars from federal health agencies, but a high school student from Overland Park has been pushing lawmakers to preserve cancer research funding. Plus, we remember a beloved Kansas City singer who died after a long battle with cancer.

President Trump's mass deportation efforts have led to the arrests of tens of thousands of immigrants, some of whom end up at the Phelps County Jail in Rolla, Missouri. Now some local activists are trying to provide comfort and assistance to detainees stuck in an unfamiliar place.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed the state budget into law last week, approving more than $50 billion in spending. But he also stripped more than half a billion dollars out that had been approved by lawmakers, including for dozens of programs and projects in Kansas City.

Kansas City will be the smallest city in North America to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But it may not have embraced the sport at all, if not for the efforts of immigrants who fought for the beautiful game — before there were even soccer fields to play on.

People across Missouri and Kansas are losing their starry views to light pollution. But the right lighting decisions can help preserve night skies and benefit animal and human health.

Many federal workers in Kansas City have seen their jobs and departments cut and their work devalued under the Trump administration. We're bringing you another conversation about the Department of Government Efficiency's impacts in town, this time with a local union representative for the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The Kansas City Chiefs asked the state of Kansas to extend its offer for a stadium funding incentives package, catching Missouri lawmakers off guard after they passed a funding measure of their own. But neither the Chiefs nor the Royals have made any location commitments yet.

Next year, transgender teens in Kansas will no longer be able to access puberty blockers and hormone treatments for gender-affirming care. One family in Wichita is worried about navigating the changes. Plus, aircraft manufacturing is a big part of the Kansas economy, but new tariffs by the Trump administration have some companies scrambling.

An organization that provides teenagers with internship opportunities has grown to be one of the metro's largest summer employers of youth. But are there enough positions to go around for students with the same dream career? Take a deep dive into ProX.

The Kansas City Police Department pays out settlements for crashes for which it takes responsibility. A 10-month KCUR investigation uncovered how often Kansas City police wreck their vehicles — and the cost to taxpayers.

As missile attacks intensified between Israel and Iran last week, a Kansas City-area nurse was providing aid in Jordan. She describes her experience in the country situated between two warring nations.

The U.S. Senate version of President Trump's so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” could ultimately have major budgetary consequences for Missouri, because of a provision capping a critical tax that helps pay for Medicaid. Republican Sen. Josh Hawley says he's concerned about the effect on rural hospitals.

The Lawrence Gay Liberation Front has, under various names, challenged misconceptions about LGBTQ+ students at the University of Kansas for 45 years. Now, a book tells those students' stories. Plus: A Kansas museum dedicated to "The Wizard of Oz" is showcasing a movie prop that's never been seen by the public.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas convened a reparations commission in May 2023 with the goal of recommending how the city could repair harms from racism. Two years later, much of that work has yet to begin.

Native Americans in the U.S. lost much of their land by the 20th century, as portions of their reservations were sold. But in the Midwest, more tribes are reclaiming their ancestral territory as the “Land Back” movement gains momentum.

The U.S. House voted to take back $1.1 billion from public broadcasting stations like NPR and KCUR. Now, the rescission package heads to the U.S. Senate. KCUR's CEO and news director explain what's happening and what it means for this station — plus how the newsroom approaches its journalism.

Many federal workers in Kansas City are seeing their jobs and departments cut and their work devalued under the Trump administration. We're bringing you another conversation about DOGE's impacts in town — this time with a local union representative for the U.S. Department of Labor.

“No Kings” protesters will take to the streets around the country this Saturday to push back against the policies of the Trump administration. Several protests are planned around Kansas City, including at the Country Club Plaza.

Federal lawmakers are considering billions of dollars in Medicaid cuts, a proposal that has divided Republicans. Some Kansans who rely on the program are afraid they'll lose coverage or benefits.

Immigrant detainees at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, have reported denied medical care, prolonged detention and unequal treatment. It's drawing serious scrutiny to the conditions in ICE custody, and the ACLU is calling for changes.

A Kansas City gardener had a light bulb moment: If she chose native plants for her yard, it would be better for wildlife. Now it's home to birds, frogs, bees and many butterflies. Plus: Farmers have been taking on more debt, while their incomes have been shrinking over the last few years.

Reports of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity at Kansas City immigration courts are causing some people to miss routine hearings out of fear, leading to orders for their deportation. Attorneys and advocates are trying to help.

Kansas City's PrideFest kicks off this weekend. But as the festival celebrates its 50th anniversary, organizers say that anti-LGBTQ rhetoric has cost the group $200,000 in sponsorships.

Bayer's herbicide Roundup has been subject to tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging the product causes cancer. A Missouri bill to shield Bayer from some of those lawsuits didn't pass during the spring legislative session, but it could be reintroduced in the future.