-
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images North AmericaA new draft White House memo suggests a 2019 law signed by President Trump that guarantees federal employees get paid after a shutdown ends would not apply to furloughed workers. The Kansas City region has tens of thousands of federal workers who could be affected. -
Michael M. Santiago/Getty ImagesThe federal government is currently shut down. NPR's network is following the ways the government shutdown is affecting services across the country, including in Missouri and Kansas.
-
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. -
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. -
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." -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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.
Government
-
Known as SB8, the highly restrictive law has spawned a copycat bill for consideration in Missouri. -
Attorney General Eric Schmitt is using a judge's ruling against state and local public health officials to go after school districts requiring masks. -
Platt is happy with the progress Kansas City has made, but knows there's more to be done. -
The new legislation will bring $3.8 billion to Kansas for infrastructure projects and create two million jobs per year for the next decade. -
On Sunday, December 5th, former U.S. Senator from Kansas Bob Dole passed away at the age of 98. -
As the Strickland evidentiary hearing continues at the Jackson County Courthouse, Mayor Lucas remains critical of Strickland's continued imprisonment. -
The former Republican U.S. senator from Missouri talks about President Biden, the Jan. 6 insurrection, Donald Trump and Josh Hawley. -
The Gilded Age saw an America much like today. Robert Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett examine how the country recovered then and how it can do so again. -
Republicans are pushing Gov. Kelly to eliminate the $300 additional weekly unemployment payments because they say the money makes it harder to fill open jobs. -
Heating bills for school districts spiked during the cold snap earlier this year, leaving some districts unable to pay.
Elections
-
Kansas City Public Schools and three other districts saw bond issues passed by voters Tuesday, allowing them to fund construction projects and pay for maintenance. Five districts in the Kansas City area also held school board elections. -
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has put Missouri's 2nd Congressional District on its target list for the first time since 2020. The seat is currently held by Republican Rep. Ann Wagner. -
Kansas City officials have said the bulk of the money generated by the quarter-cent public safety sales tax will go toward a new municipal detention center. -
Voters overwhelmingly approved the measure that will provide nine charter schools and traditional Kansas City Public Schools campuses with nearly $500 million to address longstanding maintenance needs and improve learning environments. -
The SAVE Act could force eligible voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register and vote. But the lack of resources, potential to disenfranchise applicants and criminal penalties worry some county clerks in Missouri. -
Kansas City Public Schools will ask voters on April 8 to approve $474 million in higher property taxes to help the district update classrooms, build new schools and address long-standing maintenance needs. In order to pass the bond measure, the district will have to convince 57% of voters to sign off. -
Missouri will hold municipal elections on April 8. Voters across the Kansas City area will weigh in on issues like investing in public safety, improving infrastructure and electing their school board members. Here's a guide to what's on your ballot, plus what you need to vote. -
Westwood residents voted 441 to 394 to keep the tiny park. The result puts an end to plans to sell the land to a developer for an office park and retail shops. -
Kansas City voters will decide on April 8 whether to renew the public safety sales tax for 20 more years. Officials plan to use the bulk of the money to build a new municipal detention center. Despite concerns about property crime and gun violence, some residents don’t want a new jail built. -
Voters in Independence, Missouri, will consider whether to approve a $197 million general obligation bond on April's ballot. The majority of the money would fund building a new police campus, but money for infrastructure and the city's youth sports complex are also under consideration.
