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JJ LaneA group called "Stop The Ban" is already receiving six-figure donations for its effort to defeat a proposed constitutional amendment that would repeal abortion rights in Missouri. The amendment was written by Republican lawmakers and is set to appear on the 2026 ballot. -
Courtesy of Fred Wellman's campaign pageFred Wellman is the host of the On Democracy podcast, which has been critical of the Republican Party gravitation to Donald Trump. He's the second candidate to join the Democratic primary for the 2nd District, which has become more competitive in recent years.
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Private prison company CoreCivic is temporarily barred from holding detainees at its dormant Leavenworth facility. Yet preparations to reopen are going full steam ahead. -
Because Proposition A, which included a minimum wage hike and mandated paid sick leave, was a statute change, lawmakers were able to repeal it. If it returns as a constitutional amendment, it would be harder to change again. -
Those wanting merit-based selection of justices are keen to keep the status quo, while others seek to establish direct elections for justices. -
Deandre Pointer took a plea deal in 2023 to end his court challenge to a 2005 conviction for first-degree murder. Then he found out how the Department of Corrections awards credit for time served. -
Long was confirmed to the post by the U.S. Senate in a 53-44 vote on June 12. -
Gov. Mike Kehoe is considering a request from the Trump administration to call a special session so Republicans can gain a seat in the state's eight-member congressional delegation. -
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation also did not say why it deemed the voicemail about Lenexa City Council member Melanie Arroyo credible enough to forward to the Lenexa Police Department. -
Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly tapped a Leawood attorney to fill a vacancy, at a time when conservatives want supreme court justices to be elected in the future. -
Rose Mulvany Henry and Christal Watson will face off in November's general election for mayor of the United Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City Kansas. Here's what happened in the Aug. 5 primary election. -
Lenexa City Council member Melanie Arroyo, who was born in Mexico and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018, wrote about her experience as an immigrant in an opinion piece for the Star. Then an anonymous caller asked the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to look into her ability to hold public office. -
With the Missouri governor's appointment of Heather Hall, a former Kansas City councilwoman from the Northland, the state-run Board of Police Commissioners lacks any appointees from east of Troost Avenue. Residents and activists worry about accountability. -
The Clinton administration once used Matthew Morrison’s U.S. immigration case to help solidify peace in Northern Ireland. Decades after moving to St. Louis to find safety and build a family, Morrison is now fleeing this country out of fear.
Government
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Veterans were exposed to toxic air from burn pits overseas and comedian Jon Stewart and the Veterans of Foreign Wars say Congress needs to approve funds to treat them. -
With a one-party majority and a bag of legislative tricks, Kansas lawmakers conceal much of their bill-making process. -
The leaked draft of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the landmark case would see a complete ban on abortion in Missouri and offer Kansas legislators the opportunity to do the same. -
Local leaders from the Northland to Johnson County are working to make their communities more environmentally sustainable. -
Average starting pay for teachers in Missouri is already the lowest in the country. Now, teachers might not be receiving the raise they were hoping for. -
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says the current system of state control over the KCPD undermines the voices of Kansas City residents. -
Facing a budget shortfall in 2020, Missouri cut 200 jobs at the Department of Social Services including positions in the division overseeing abused and neglected children. -
The Missouri senate bill, introduced by Sen. Holly Thompson Rehder (R-Sikeston), aims to strengthen and broaden existing rape shield legislation. -
Marshall also signaled he was unlikely to vote for Ketanji Brown Jackson's appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. -
A recent Mother Jones article highlighted a bill co-sponsored by Tracey Mann that would extend tax breaks in opportunity zones where he owns properties.
Elections
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A three-year election fraud investigation by former Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden produced only one case for charging: against election commissioner Fred Sherman. The county prosecutor refused to charge. -
Newly-elected Sheriff Byron Roberson said just three people were responsible for more than 100 election fraud complaints that prompted the previous sheriff's investigation. No criminal charges were ever filed as a result, but Hayden repeatedly cast suspicions about election procedures. -
The Great Bend, Kansas, native is currently serving his second term as the state's top election official. If elected in 2026, Schwab said he would work to lower property taxes and help rural communities that are falling behind. -
Wyandotte County this year saw the death of ex-KCKPD officer Roger Golubski, budget cuts in the city government and concerns over high utility fees. Meanwhile, housing issues and homeless shelters, a case of food contamination, and high-stakes elections defined 2024 for Johnson County. -
In November's election, a majority of Platte County voters approved a quarter-cent sales tax that would fund youth mental health services. But Platte County Commissioners refused to enact the tax, drawing criticism from residents and mental health providers. -
Missouri lawmakers passed legislation in 2022 that established a photo ID requirement at the polls. The NAACP and voting rights group had sued, arguing that its intention was to disenfranchise large groups of people. -
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas joined KCUR's Up To Date to give his reaction to election results at the national and state levels — including recent comments from Missouri governor-elect Mike Kehoe. Lucas also discussed the latest on city jail plans, the Royals stadium, and the possibility of a WNBA team coming to Kansas City. -
How did Republicans end up with such a strong election night? Former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander and former U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, from Kansas, share their perspectives on the presidential vote and where the country goes from here.
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It was a strong night for Republicans, and not just because Donald Trump recaptured the White House. Political experts from Kansas and Missouri discuss what the election results tell us on the local and national level. -
Missouri residents voted to legalize abortion, overturning one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the nation. They also voted to raise the minimum wage and send Josh Hawley back to the U.S. Senate. In Kansas, voters reelected Sharice Davids to the U.S. House. Plus, Kansas City and Johnson County voters made big decisions about their top law enforcement officials.
