The passion for and against a coal fired power plant in western Kansas has been evident, as the Kansas Department of Health and Environment held the first in a series of public hearings. The event was in Johnson County where some 400 people were ready to give comments.

It's an ongoing fight extending over years and gaining interest, as noted by Christi Pankratz of KDHE.

"So far we've received a little over 21 hundred written testimonies," says Pankratz. "For the 2007 round we had received 745 total, for the written and oral testimonies."

Kansas City has been under an excessive heat advisory all day, with the temperature hovering around 100 degrees this afternoon. The heat index surpassed 110 degrees.

Greg Mitchell has been outside all day, working on the Troost bridge. He says he has one word for the weather:

"Satan," says Mitchell, laughing. "It feels hot. I mean, just real bad, hard to breath."

Mitchell says drinking a lot of water, seeking shade, and taking frequent breaks is helping him manage in the extreme heat.

A new Center for American Indian Health is coming to the region. KU medical center has received a $7.5 million federal grant aimed at reducing American Indian health disparities.

Compared to the rest of the U.S. population, American Indians are much more likely to suffer from things like diabetes and breast cancer.

Shelley Bointy is project director of the new center. During a news conference at Haskell Indian Nations University on Friday, Bointy said the program will involve an unprecedented amount of community participation at the university level.

Primaries for the Jackson County Legislature don't usually draw enough much money or attention to even run ads. But no Republicans are running this year for the at-large seats, so those races will be decided by voters on Tuesday, August 3, and the races have become pretty contentious.

The candidates hear this question a lot: "So . . .what does the Jackson County Legislature do, exactly . . . besides collect property taxes?"

By Steve Bell

Kansas City, MO –

By Steve Bell

Kansas City, MO –

The 3rd Congressional District in Kansas will be among the most closely watched races in the country this election season. Incumbent Dennis Moore is retiring after six terms, and his wife is among two Democrats vying to replace him in Washington.

Nine Republicans and one libertarian will be on the ballot as well.

It's a year in which Republicans are hoping they will be able to win back a seat in a district they feel has been rightfully theirs for a long time.

THE DEMOCRATS

Truckers are more likely than average Americans to be overweight, which can lead to health problems including sleep apnea, which disrupts sleep and causes fatigue, contributing to thousands of crashes a year. No one knows for sure because the government has never required that drivers be tested.

'I've Gained 100 Pounds'

Outside the Iron Skillet restaurant on I-70 east of Kansas City where you can get a salad but the chicken-fried steak and eggs with gravy sure look more appealing it appears few truckers are going hungry.

By The Walt Bodine Show

Kansas City, MO – The papers and airwaves are filled with stories about a few big battles for hotly contested congressional seats or spots in the Senate. But how is a voter supposed to know what's on their local ballot? Or what exactly that county ballot issue is about? Or how two seemingly similar state house candidates of the same party line up on the issues?

Arts Reporter Steve Walkers takes a look at new films showing in KC.

The Girl Who Played With Fire

Right on the heels of the DVD release of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" comes the second film adaptation of Steig Larrson's Swedish crime epic about Lisbeth Sanders, a bisexual computer hacker, and the journalist who can't get her out of his system.