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Cara Penquite/Columbia MissourianStarting in late 2026, Missouri drivers will no longer leave car dealerships with a temporary tag, and buyers will have to pay sales tax at the time of purchase. -
Leah and Lane HensleyLatinos 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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Federal lawmakers from Kansas have introduced legislation that would transfer control of Haskell Indian Nations University from the U.S. Department of Interior to Haskell’s Board of Regents but continue federal funding for the school. -
Gov. Mike Kehoe appointed five people to a state board that would manage the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. But some St. Louis lawmakers criticized the governor for primarily choosing white men. -
The state could soon join 27 others banning hair discrimination if Gov. Mike Kehoe signs the proposal into law. -
Kansas and Missouri Republicans were quick to express their support for the attack, which came despite years of promises made by Trump to keep the U.S. out of conflict in the Middle East. -
The attack marks a major escalation in the burgeoning war between Iran and Israel and came despite years of promises by President Trump to keep the U.S. from entering another Middle East conflict. -
Experts say the Panasonic plant could tap the breaks on hiring while it waits out economic uncertainty. The company can still collect hundreds of millions of dollars from Kansas even if it does. -
Missouri's House Speaker declined to sign a letter calling for passage of the "Big Beautiful Bill," citing its potential impact on the state's Medicaid program. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley said the latest proposal "needs work." -
Jeff Suchman, president of the union representing local U.S. Department of Labor employees, says that layoffs and budget cuts have undercut basic functions like workplace safety and child labor investigations. He argues the Trump administration is trying to destroy morale to get more employees to leave. -
Attorney General Kris Kobach instructed the Kansas Department of Revenue, which houses the division of motor vehicles, not to make gender marker changes while the issue is in litigation. -
Uniting more than 200 sites across eastern Kansas and western Missouri, Freedom's Frontier preserves the story of the border war and the settlement of the western frontier. But the Trump administration has blocked funding for National Heritage Areas. -
One lawmaker said Missouri runs the risk of becoming a "sanctuary state for pedophiles" if the General Assembly doesn't pass a bill that would give victims of child sex abuse more time to press civil charges against their abusers. -
The Missouri Republican also said he's confident the U.S. Senate will pass President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," although he agrees with Sen. Josh Hawley that the measure should not cut Medicaid benefits.
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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Pat Contreras and Patty Lewis are facing off in the 2024 Democratic primary for Missouri's 7th Senate District. The candidates joined KCUR's Up To Date for a debate and to discuss what issues are facing the district. -
A growing number of young potential voters are increasingly frustrated by the politicians they have to choose from. One Kansas City resident says the age of candidates is a big reason why. Plus: Two years after Kansas lawmakers reshaped the state’s four congressional districts, there’s a scramble for an open seat in the 2nd District. -
Republican Calvin Hayden has repeatedly criticized Johnson County's election system and recent increases in Democratic voter registrations, but his years-long probe into election results has failed to successfully present any charges of fraud. -
Attacks on poll workers have been on the rise since 2020. One local election worker is afraid that four years of conspiracy theories and harmful rhetoric are putting her in danger — and she’s not alone. -
A young Waldo resident says he won’t vote for either presidential candidate this fall because he thinks they're too old. He believes the increasing age of candidates shows America’s political system does not serve young people. A growing number of voters under 30 agree with him. -
One naturalized Kearney resident, originally from Mexico, is ready to make her voice heard in the 2024 election. Nearly 900,000 immigrants and refugees became U.S. citizens in 2023, and the rapidly growing population could impact elections. -
In last year’s election for mayor, county commission and other Wyandotte County races, 11 of the 337 people who were eligible voted in one section of the 2nd Precinct. But it wasn't because they don't care, as non-voters are often portrayed. They have reasons for staying home on Election Day. -
Kansas Citians had much to say after the first presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. After the face-off between 81-year-old Biden and 78-year-old Trump, some KCUR listeners expressed concern about both candidates' health and integrity. -
The centrist group was officially recognized last month as the state’s third minor party. The party's chairperson says the goal is to provide a middle ground for Kansans who don’t feel represented by Democrats or Republicans. -
Debido a que KCUR cubre las elecciones del 2024 en Missouri y Kansas, queremos que los residentes y los votantes ayuden a dar su opinión sobre nuestra cobertura. ¿Qué necesita saber sobre el proceso de votación, sus carreras locales, o lo que está viendo en las noticias?
