Kansas City Today

Kansas' 2026 Teacher of the Year is Rachel Marlow, a music teacher at an Olathe elementary school. Her students say she deserves the award because she goes above and beyond in her classes.

Western Kansas has inserted itself into the corn belt, and even though there's better crop options for the climate, huge industries and government subsidies make it hard for farmers to switch. Plus: The average American eats more than 40 quarts of popcorn a year, but the snack isn't grown on that many farms.

Many Kansas students are getting excited about girls' flag football, which was launched in the state with help and funding from the Kansas City Chiefs. Learn about the sport and its rising popularity.

Voters in both Kansas and Missouri have chosen to protect reproductive rights in their state constitutions. So why are abortion rights advocates challenging both states in court? We'll have the latest on pending legal battles and the state of the abortion debate in the region.

Museums usually keep art behind glass or tucked in storage, but one Lawrence museum lets people get closer. We'll take a trip to “Open Fridays” at the Spencer Museum.

Frank White Jr. has been unseated as Jackson County Executive after losing a special recall election on Tuesday. However, he's fighting the election in court, while county legislators move forward with picking his replacement — a process that could include little public input.

Federal dollars will help bring internet connection to rural communities across the U.S. But new guidance from the Trump administration is asking states to consider the lowest-cost options. What's the status of efforts to fund broadband infrastructure?

Mountain lions in Kansas? Yep! While wildlife officials say there's no evidence of a "resident population," a number of the big cats have been seen passing through the state, and sightings have been on the rise in recent years.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants states to provide personal information about SNAP applicants dating back to 2020. But Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is refusing, despite the threat of losing millions in federal funding and a lawsuit from state Attorney General Kris Kobach.

Sports betting is expected to start in Missouri on Dec. 1. But some are concerned about the consequences of making gambling so easy to access. Plus: Beef is as expensive as it's ever been, thanks to the high cost of cattle. When will prices come down?

Copper wire thefts are on the rise in Missouri, and Kansas City is getting hit hard. It turns out the skyrocketing value of the metal is due in no small part to the Trump administration's 50% tariff on copper imports.

Former detainees are speaking out about what they say are poor conditions at an immigration detention center in eastern Kansas.

The Trump administration's clampdown on student visas means that colleges and universities have gotten a lot fewer students from abroad this year. That could spell trouble for higher education and the U.S. as a whole. Plus: A University of Kansas professor wrote the literal book on "Swiftynomics," about the economic impact of women's work — and Taylor Swift herself.

Election Day is just over a week away, and absentee voting is already underway, in the recall of Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. We'll explain the backstory of this unusual special election, and what it means if you vote yes or no.

Kansas City, Kansas, artist Harold Smith's new series of paintings puts a personal spin on iconic works from art history by adding in his friends and neighbors. You can see these "Around the Way Folk, Saints in Uncommon Places" now at the Mulvane Art Museum in Topeka.

President Donald Trump says that cashless bail is leading to a rise in crime, and wants to see it ended nationwide. But a study from the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas found the opposite, and argues that cash bail for nonviolent crimes is hurting low-income residents.

Critical questions remain about how a 50-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, man died in the Wyandotte County Jail more than two months ago. Charles Adair's death has been ruled a homicide, but new details reveal striking similarities to the death of George Floyd in 2020.

Kansas has lost about 50 newspapers in the past 20 years. And as the owners of many small, family-owned papers get older, it's uncertain who will keep the presses running when they retire. Plus: Missouri Republicans shattered norms when they pushed through redistricting and amendment changes in a special session — and it could have long-term consequences.

Missouri's legislature passed not one but two measures on Friday taking aim at voting rights. In addition to the gerrymandered congressional map, a proposal you might not have have heard much about would heavily restrict citizen-led constitutional amendments.

Troost Avenue in Kansas City was a historic dividing line during the era of racial segregation. Now, as Missouri Republicans look to pass a gerrymandered new congressional map, this avenue would once again split Kansas City.

Indigenous maternal mortality rates have been rising in Kansas for at least two decades. A group of Kansas women is training to bridge modern medicine and cultural practices in birth.

Kansas Republicans already redrew Rep. Sharice Davids' district in 2022. But the state's sole Democratic Congress member held onto her seat anyways. So while Missouri Republicans push through their own gerrymander, some Kansas leaders want to try again.

Andrew Bailey officially left the Missouri attorney general's office yesterday to take on a new position at the FBI. In just a few years, Bailey defined himself through loyalty to President Trump and his opposition to abortion and racial diversity initiatives. Both his admirers and detractors believe he could make a major national impact.

Missouri lawmakers are considering a new map of congressional districts and initiative petition reform during a special legislative session. A reporter from St. Louis Public Radio provides an inside look at last week's committee meetings, debate and testimonies.

Dozens of rare and historic Civil War battle flags stored at the Kansas Museum of History in Topeka are falling apart and in desperate need of restoration. Learn more about the museum's preservation efforts. Plus: The Kansas Jayhawks and Missouri Tigers will face off on the football field this weekend for the first time since 2011.

When consumers get their utility bills every month, it's not always clear why energy costs as much as it does — and there are usually no other options. Why? The upfront investment and barriers to entry create natural energy industry monopolies. Plus: Learn why local fruits and veggies are often more expensive than produce shipped thousands of miles.

More than 30% of formerly incarcerated Missourians return to prison within three years. It can be hard for these individuals to find a path to reentry, but one group seems to have landed on a solution that's beginning to keep offenders out of prison for good.

Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, who has represented much of Kansas City in Congress since 2005, may be the target of the country's next redistricting effort. If Missouri joins Texas in redrawing congressional lines to benefit Republicans, Cleaver warns that lawmakers will "need to dig three graves."

Only months after paid sick leave went into effect in Missouri, it ended. A workers' group wants to put the benefit before voters again as a constitutional amendment, which Republican lawmakers have vowed to fight. We hear from workers in their own words. Plus, in the early 1900s, three Wyandot Nation sisters barricaded themselves in a tribal burial ground in downtown Kansas City, Kansas, to save it from destruction. We'll hear about the new art installation that tells the story of the Conley sisters.

A Black transgender woman sued the Missouri Department of Corrections, claiming officers kept her isolated for six years based on a policy that singles out people with HIV. Missouri is now changing its policy as a result of that settlement.

Frequent Kansas City visitor Taylor Swift is entering her engagement era to Chiefs tight end and fellow podcaster Travis Kelce. Plus: We'll hear about how the four-day school week is working in Missouri and other Midwest states, while some Kansas families are going back to the one-room schoolhouse.

State fairs offer tradition, blue ribbons and fried classics like funnel cakes. And many fairgoers have traditions of their own. Harvest Public Media takes an audio tour of four state fairs around the Midwest. Also, Kansas is known for its massive wheat production, but it has fallen behind because of a lack of new hybrids. Seed companies and universities are making changes that could impact the farmers, and economy, of Kansas.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey surprised many when he announced he would be stepping down from the role to become the co-deputy director of the FBI. It satisfied Bailey's ambition to join the Trump administration, but the role he'll play isn't clear yet.

Betty Bremser has been running Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard for nearly 30 years, turning the Brookside locale into a dessert destination and the start of many local teens' careers. But Bremser is hanging up her scoop at the end of the month.

Kansas City and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority finalized a contract last week after months of fraught negotiations, avoiding a possible shutdown of bus service. But the contract brings back fares for most riders.

More than 3,000 refugees in Kansas City have gotten help acclimating to their new homes since 2014 thanks to Della Lamb Community Services. Many of these new arrivals face unique health challenges, so a local crew of medical students from Kansas City University is volunteering their help.

Voters in Prairie Village, Kansas, will be faced with an unusual question on their ballots in about three months: Shall the city abandon the mayor-council form of government? We'll hear about how a fight over zoning and housing wound up in a legal battle over the city government's structure itself.

Missouri Republican lawmakers say it's likely they'll have a special session to redraw the state's congressional lines and eliminate Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's seat. But could the effort backfire? Plus, we'll hear from Missouri state Rep. Michael Johnson of the Legislative Black Caucus about their plans to fight redistricting.

Kansas City has seen a lot of storms this year, but the metro has avoided a devastating tornado. Some locals say there's a reason for that: the Tonganoxie Split. But is there any scientific evidence backing up this long-standing legend?

A private prison company has fought for months to open an immigration detention center in Leavenworth, Kansas. Even though a court has temporarily barred the facility from holding detainees, CoreCivic has hired dozens of detention officers and is advertising more positions.

Last November, Missouri voters approved a measure that raised the minimum wage and allowed employees to earn paid sick leave. But state lawmakers have ensured that in less than a month, the sick leave requirement is going away.

There's a community of collectors, artists and kids keeping the marble culture alive in Bonner Springs, Kansas. Plus: A lucky pig in eastern Kansas managed to cheat death after jumping off a truck transporting it to a feedlot.