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Carlos Moreno/KCUR 89.3As the shutdown of the federal government stretches into its third week, employees are starting to feel the financial strain of being furloughed or working without pay. Many federal workers live paycheck to paycheck, and food assistance programs in the region are starting to prepare for an influx of need. -
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty ImagesIn a hearing on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston said the layoffs have brought a human cost that cannot be tolerated.
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The St. Charles County Republican was a strong supporter in 2022 of drawing a map that would have made it much harder for Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver to win another term representing Kansas City. -
A proposed amendment written by Missouri Republican lawmakers would repeal the reproductive rights measure passed by voters last year — but makes no mention that it would ban abortion. The ACLU of Missouri argues the proposal violates the state constitution and misleads voters. -
At a time when Congressional Republicans are generally opting against town halls, Kansas City-area Rep. Mark Alford is embarking on a four-day, 15-stop tour to meet with constituents. Some of his events have been met with contentious protests. -
Missouri's capital gains tax cut will apply to all gains since Jan. 1, and will be reflected in the income tax returns due in April. It's the first state to exempt profits from the sale of assets such as stocks, real estate, and cryptocurrency from income taxes. -
Missouri lawmakers overturned the mandated sick leave law that voters approved by a wide margin. Two Kansas City workers are part of the effort to put sick days back on the ballot, this time as a constitutional amendment lawmakers can’t repeal. -
Redistricting critics warn that efforts to redraw maps mid-decade risks fueling further gridlock in Congress, and ceding more power to the executive and judicial branches. Missouri Republicans appear ready to jump into the gerrymandering game. -
Newly appointed Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is now representing the office she sued as an attorney for the Grain Belt Express. -
The Trump administration requested assistance from the Missouri National Guard for clerical, transportation and logistical tasks for immigration authorities — not arrests. The Guard would remain under the authority of Missouri's governor. -
Lawmakers voted to repeal the Missouri Incarceration Reimbursement Act, a 1988 law now seen as a property rights violation and a barrier to a fresh start after prison. -
The Cass County Republican represents a safe GOP seat in the Kansas City area and mid-Missouri. But that could change if the Missouri legislature decides to redraw the state's congressional districts. -
Overland Park is set to replace what flag experts had ranked as one of the worst city flags with a new design that evokes the city’s park identity. The old flag features a plain, white background with Overland Park's name and slogan. -
An open letter signed by a majority of Kanas bishops encouraged Kansans to see immigrants as humans, not criminals. Meanwhile, the Kansas Legislature is pushing the governor to "fully cooperate" with the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
Government
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Emily Brown runs a nonprofit in the Kansas City area. She is a black woman who wears her hair naturally. In 2016, she was invited to speak at a national… -
Taxpayers in Kansas City, Missouri, have a chance between now and March 3 to influence how the city spends their money.Mayor Quinton Lucas released his… -
As city and state governments across the country legalize marijuana, Kansas City’s mayor wants to make it easier to clean the slate for people convicted… -
TOPEKA, Kansas — Kansas is unmatched in its tracking of ex-convicts, resulting in more than 21,000 people convicted of sex, drug or violent crimes being… -
TOPEKA, Kansas — When it comes to cybersecurity, most Kansas counties are behind. Overall, only eight county websites end in .gov, a domain extension… -
TOPEKA, Kansas — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s transportation plan isn’t as bold as those that came before it.Since the 1990s, Kansas has spent tens of… -
Kansas is slipping to the back of the pack on some critical economic measures. In this episode of Statehouse Blend Kansas, host Jim McLean talks with… -
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says that without focusing on basic city services in 2020, any goodwill that’s been built up means nothing.“I can say… -
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is set to release his proposed budget Thursday, and it’s roughly $3 million short of what transportation officials say… -
TOPEKA, Kansas — Wendy Couser, a former juvenile intake officer at the Newton Police Department, has always believed in the importance of consequences.…
Elections
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With many Republicans promoting anti-immigrant and racist messaging in the 2024 election, and support for deportations and other tough immigration policies, the director of KC For Refugees says her community feels increasingly isolated. -
Question 1 on Jackson County's Nov. 5 ballot would increase the average homeowner’s tax bill about $20 a year and bring in $8 million for senior services like free meals and transportation. -
With Jackson County's senior services already straining for lack of funding, and the senior population expected to get even bigger, advocates are asking Jackson County voters to approve a property tax this November to help older adults age in place. -
Aunque la población Latina de St. Louis y Missouri es todavía relativamente pequeña, está creciendo rápidamente. Los observadores políticos dicen que su voto podría ser cada vez más influyente en los años que vienen. -
Though Missouri's Latino population is still relatively small, it’s growing rapidly. Political watchers say the vote could be increasingly influential in future elections, but reaching and convincing Latino voters is not simple.
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State Sen. Denny Hoskins and State Rep. Barbara Phifer are running to become Missouri’s next secretary of state, the top election official in the state. Here's what they said on issues like absentee voting, mail-in ballots, initiative petitions and libraries. -
Kansas law requires all ballots to arrive by three days after Election Day, with a postmark on or before Election Day. But to avoid delays with the U.S. Postal Service, Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab is encouraging voters to drop their ballot off in person. -
The Midwest Newsroom partnered with Emerson College Polling to ask registered voters in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska a wide range of questions ahead of the general election. -
Democrats have long enjoyed support from organized labor, but many union members don’t feel a party allegiance any more. Missouri state Rep. Bill Allen, a Republican, and his opponent, Democrat Shirley Mata, a UAW member, both hope to win over dissatisfied voters. -
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, is tackling political issues even as polarization burdens congregations across the country. Plus: Residents near the Lake of the Ozarks hope that approving a new casino could help bring in more tax revenue and fund some long-needed infrastructure projects.
