Urban rivers are struggling with water pollution, as the Blue River in Kansas City shows. Restoring riverside woodlands and other natural areas could lead to a healthier river.

The Kansas City Police Department paid nearly $11 million to settle lawsuits over police misconduct and wrongful deaths during this fiscal year. As Kansas City faces budget issues and World Cup security demands, some city leaders want to exert more control over these growing legal costs.

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has proposed having citizens vote to phase out the state income tax over the next five years. But is that a viable option for the state budget?

Artist Heidi Pitre’s new show brings together literature, nostalgia and pen-and-ink illustrations on vintage library checkout cards. Pitre brings her library card art to — where else? — the Kansas City Public Library.

The wind energy industry has slowed across the country, but some Kansas towns want to invest in it for economic growth. We’ll hear about the push for renewable energy in rural Kansas — and the obstacles it faces. Plus: Hear why support for 988, the national suicide and crisis hotline, is stronger in some states than in others.

To prepare for increased immigration enforcement activity, Boots on the Ground Midwest has organized neighborhood groups, facilitated mutual aid and trained thousands to legally observe and record officers. Interest in their trainings spiked after the killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.

Newspapers in large cities, with lots of possible subscribers, are struggling to keep operating without major cuts. In small towns, it’s even harder. But one Kansas town is making it work.

Independence, Missouri, officials are considering tax breaks for a massive AI data center, but many residents don’t even want it built in the first place. Plus: After almost a year of conflict, a private prison operator is finally playing nice with the city of Leavenworth to get a permit for an ICE detention facility.

With the World Cup just four months away, Kansas City will play a major role in not only hosting games, but also serving as a base camp for some of the biggest names in the tournament. Is the city ready? We'll talk about what to watch in the run-up.

The Port Authority of Kansas City voted unanimously this week to cut ties with Platform Ventures, after learning of the developer's plans to sell a massive warehouse in south Kansas City to the federal government for use as a mass immigrant detention facility.