Kansas averages 25 dangerously hot days per year. That’s 10 more than it would in a world without climate change, according to the report.

Factors as far away as the Caribbean Sea and as nearby as the cornfields of Iowa can bring on that muggy, sticky feeling. For people with certain health conditions, it’s more than an annoyance.

After debates where local dentists made the case that fluoridated water was a crucial part of dental health, and out-of-town opponents argued it was dangerous, Rolla City Council has postponed a vote on a measure to remove fluoride from the drinking water.

“The next three and a half years are going to continue to be very bumpy” for the reproductive rights movement, says Kathryn Boyd of Trust Women in Wichita. “We just have to be ready.”

Even after Missouri Republicans pushed through a measure that would ban most abortions again, which voters will likely see on the 2026 ballot, Planned Parenthood will continue offering abortion services throughout the state.

Congressional Republicans are looking to cut at least $880 billion from a pool of federal funding that includes Medicaid — and the program is likely to take a major hit. A previous budget crunch in Missouri offers a window into how cuts ripple through people's lives.

Federal lawmakers are considering big cuts to the health care program Medicaid. Some Kansans fear they’ll lose coverage or benefits.

Voters will likely see the issue on the ballot in 2026. The amendment would ban most abortions, with limited exceptions before 12 weeks of pregnancy, and also includes language banning gender-affirming care for minors — something that's already in state law.

The bipartisan bill allows requests for an investigation to be submitted by individuals or community groups, not just local governments.

Missouri’s system for providing legal representation to families ensnared in the foster care system is highly decentralized and has little state oversight. The result is that some parents go without legal help at all, while kids stay in foster care far longer than the national average.

The legislation, which state Rep. Jim Murphy called "a pro-life bill that everybody agrees with," also expands tax credits for maternity homes and diaper banks and creates a "Zero-Cost Adoption Fund."

With elder abuse cases in Kansas on the rise, investigators are taking on three times the number of cases they can adequately manage. The state says it can't release data on caseloads but advocates say metrics for evaluating elder abuse are lacking.