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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 Kansas City Royals need to get moving if the team wants a new stadium by 2031. Decision makers in Jackson County, Clay County and North Kansas City do not want to repeat the mistake of working out details after it’s been placed on a ballot. -
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach alleged that the Olathe, Shawnee Mission, and Kansas City, Kansas, school districts are violating federal law by not properly notifying parents of their students’ gender identity. -
Scientists in the Columbia, Missouri, lab have studied the relationship between animals, toxic chemicals and ecosystems since the 1960s. Today, research of PFAS, invasive and endangered species and other environmental risks could end if this part of the U.S. Department of Interior is defunded. -
At issue was whether school systems are required to provide parents with an "opt-out" option when parents claim their religious beliefs conflict with their children's course material. -
The decision issues some limits on the power of federal judges to universally block President Trump's executive order on birthright citizenship, asking lower courts to reconsider their rulings. -
Business leaders don’t mind if Chiefs or Royals move to Kansas — as long as they’re near Kansas CityThe Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce hosted an online presentation downplaying the border question days before teams must decide on Kansas stadium offer. -
The Missouri Hospital Association strongly opposed a plan to cap medical provider taxes at 3.5 percent. The tax helps hospitals, nursing homes and pharmacies pay to treat low-income patients. -
Missouri is among several states that have tried to remove Planned Parenthood clinics from state Medicaid programs, even though Medicaid funds cannot generally be used to fund abortions. -
Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee pushed back against the Trump administration's bid to rescind federal funding for public broadcasting and international aid programs. Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt spoke in favor of revoking funding. -
Kansas' ban on puberty blockers and hormone therapies for transgender minors takes effect next year. This family is trying to navigate the changes — and give their daughter a normal teen life. -
Rising housing costs have put property taxes are calculated under the microscope, with lawmakers looking to provide relief to taxpayers without bankrupting local governments. A property tax cap included in the governor’s stadium funding plan may not be constitutional. -
Critical mineral producers in Missouri are exploring extraction methods as international trade policies fluctuate, and the president's tariff regime plays out.
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. -
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. -
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. -
An estimated 200,000 people could receive coverage if the program was expanded. -
The fire department, whose employees include numerous relatives, had pressed for the changes -
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. -
Jackson County received nearly $123 million in the first round of CARES Act funding, but Kansas City didn’t receive a dime. -
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. -
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. -
In 2018, voters overwhelmingly approved the constitutional amendment known as Clean Missouri, which included state redistricting and ethics changes.
Elections
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Tuesday's election saw 85% of voters supporting the recall of Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr., which will set off a rush by county legislators to appoint his replacement. But White is asking the Missouri Supreme Court to stop the vote certification. -
White has served as county executive since 2016. Tens of thousands of signatures were gathered to trigger the special election, which White believes was called illegally. -
Phil LeVota, DaRon McGee and Dan Tarwater are the three biggest names being quietly discussed to potentially replace Frank White Jr. if he’s recalled. Here’s how the process would work. -
Jackson County residents will decide Tuesday, Sept. 30, on whether to recall County Executive Frank White Jr. Proponents and opponents shared their perspectives ahead of the vote, and explain what will happen if White gets recalled. -
Even as court cases seek to throw out the new redistricting plan approved in the special session, a referendum campaign to put it before voters is gaining momentum. At the same time, campaign committees are preparing to battle over the initiative process. -
At least four states with Republican election officials have offered public data but not sensitive information — driver’s license and partial Social Security numbers — sought by the U.S. Department of Justice. But they're taking pains not to pick a fight with President Donald Trump. -
Early voting is beginning in the Sept. 30 recall election for Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. Supporters of the recall are upset about how White handled property assessments. Opponents say the construction lobby is trying to clear the path for “sweetheart stadium deals.”
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Union leaders say Diane Albert and Hazel Stabler have changed significantly since they joined the board as part of a conservative wave of candidates who focused on mask mandates, critical race theory and other culture war issues. -
The Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations said it's up to businesses to determine what is done with employees’ earned paid sick leave. -
A vote in the full state House of Representatives could come as early as Monday. The changes would also need the approval the Senate and then voters.
