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Latinos are expected to be 70% of net new homeowners in the U.S. by 2040. Several local programs — mostly in Spanish, but some in English — are designed to help Latinos jump the hurdles that can stand between them and homeownership.
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Photo by Ian Hutchinson on UnsplashThere are more than 37,000 federal employees in the state of Missouri that could be impacted, as well as certain state agencies' funding, if Congress doesn't pass a budget bill.
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The proposal from Secretary Brooke Rollins calls for cutting 2,600 of the department's 4,600 jobs in the D.C. area and expanding the department’s footprint in five regional hubs, including Kansas City.
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The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funnels federal money to public media stations such as KCUR and Classical KC, says it's winding down operations after President Trump signed a law rescinding all funding.
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The lawsuit charges that Missouri's hastily passed Show-Me Sports Investment Act is unconstitutional and "a direct gift or bribe to the owners of the Chiefs and Royals to stay in Missouri."
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Local leaders are addressing AI’s impact on water, surveillance, transparency and more. A mostly hands-off approach at the federal level means regulating complex AI issues is–so far–evolving in a patchwork of laws.
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Two Democratic candidates recently launched their campaigns against Cleaver for his seat in Missouri’s 5th Congressional District. That race will only get more challenging as a battle looms for possible redistricting that would make the seat more conservative.
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The bill from Missouri Republican Rep. Bob Onder is called the "Make Entertainment Great Again Act," but it focuses on one particular venue: the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Significant obstacles stand in the way.
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The governor said Missouri is "always trying to make sure that we have as much Republican representation" as possible in Congress. President Trump is pressuring the state to redraw district lines around Kansas City and force out Rep. Emanuel Cleaver.
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After Republican lawmakers rolled back sick leave benefits and targeted abortion rights, a bipartisan coalition called Respect Missouri Voters started pushing an initiative petition seeking to undermine the legislature’s ability to overturn voter-approved measures.
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The Republican senator from Missouri is teaming up with Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal on legislation aimed at deterring tech companies from training artificial intelligence models on content they didn't receive permission to use.
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State lawmakers must soon decide whether to cover the extra costs to provide food assistance. If they don’t, food banks and pantries alone can’t make up the difference.
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The massive legislation extends tax cuts and increases safety nets for farmers who grow commodities, like corn, wheat and rice. But deep cuts to federal food assistance spending could hurt specialty growers who benefit from programs like Double Up Food Bucks.
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Missouri to lose 200 jobs after Congress kills SNAP-Ed nutrition program: 'This will be devastating'The program partners with schools and communities to teach people of all ages about proper nutrition, physical activity and how to effectively use money from food stamps. Missouri received more than $11 million for SNAP-Ed this year.
Government
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Proposition C supporters say changing the form of government will bring needed reform to the county while opponents say the problem is the current commissioners.
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Lucas plans to enforce his rules, which allows businesses to increase their capacity to 50%, over more restrictive measures announced by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on Thursday.
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City voters have traditionally supported firefighters, but critics worry the city's tax burden is already too high, especially for low-income residents amid the economic downturn caused by COVID-19.
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An estimated 200,000 people could receive coverage if the program was expanded.
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The fire department, whose employees include numerous relatives, had pressed for the changes
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Councilmembers cited a memo by Police Chief Tim Schwartzkopf, who said he was against the ordinance because of the strains it was likely to put on his department.
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Jackson County received nearly $123 million in the first round of CARES Act funding, but Kansas City didn’t receive a dime.
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KCPD has curtailed contact with the public in order to protect investigators from COVID-19. At the same time, homicides and shootings are up over last year.
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Lawmakers say they expect to come back soon, especially if Congress passes a bill allocating money to help state and local governments with budget shortfalls.
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In 2018, voters overwhelmingly approved the constitutional amendment known as Clean Missouri, which included state redistricting and ethics changes.
Elections
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Jackson County voters will elect a new county prosecutor in just over one week. Republican Tracey Chappell and Democrat Melesa Johnson met for a debate on KCUR's Up To Date about how they’d approach criminal justice.
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Democrat Patty Lewis and Republican Joey LaSalle are running for Missouri Senate District 7 in western Jackson County. Both candidates joined KCUR's Up To Date to debate who would best represent voters.
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Johnson County has a number of competitive down-ballot races, including elections for sheriff and district attorney. But the county also has competitive races in the Kansas House and Senate, which could determine if Republicans preserve their total control of the legislature.
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All of Missouri's statewide offices are currently held by Republicans. One of the closest contests this election is the race for attorney general, between incumbent Republican Andrew Bailey and Democrat Elad Gross.
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This fall, Jackson County voters will elect the first Black woman to serve as Jackson County Prosecutor. Republican Tracey Chappell and Democrat Melesa Johnson are both running for the office — which is garnering a lot of attention due to the rise in property crimes.
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Even in the highest turnout years, a third of the eligible voters in Kansas stay home. A nonpartisan group of voter advocates is working to close that gap by nudging their families, friends, book clubs and exercise buddies to get to the polls.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.