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Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesThe Trump administration says it has started the process of issuing reduction-in-force notices to federal employees. It's not clear how many agencies are affected or how many people. -
Carlos Moreno/KCUR 89.3The Jackson County Legislature will appoint an interim county executive to serve until November 2026. Former County Executive Frank White Jr. was recalled by voters on Sept. 30, and former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes is serving for up to 30 days as temporary county executive.
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The GOP-dominated Missouri House easily passed legislation Monday night to gerrymander the state's congressional districts. It would link urban areas of Kansas City with rural counties more than 250 miles away. -
A Missouri mother says her experience with the guardianship system has inspired her to push for changes in state law to protect families like hers. -
Quinton Lucas said the plan to split Kansas City could make the Republican-held 4th and 6th districts more competitive. The mayor, who is term-limited from running for reelection, said he may try to flip U.S. Rep. Mark Alford’s 4th District seat. -
Because Missouri Republicans don't have enough members due to several vacancies, their proposed congressional map could be open to a referendum that requires a statewide election before taking effect. -
A Democratic state representative said the Republican-drawn map will purposefully dilute Black political power in order to force out Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, who was elected as the first African American mayor of Kansas City. -
Missouri Democrats have accused their GOP colleagues of kowtowing to President Donald Trump, who is pressuring Republican-led states to redraw their maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. -
The Trump administration is considering placing marijuana in the same federal classification as codeine, instead of where it currently is alongside heroin. -
Nearly four years after a New York Times reporter found a tracking device on his car in Lawrence, Kansas, authorities have yet to tell him what happened. -
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.
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The move sets up the new map, which targets U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Kansas City, for debate next week. -
Statehouse Republicans already redrew Democrat Sharice Davids' district in 2022. They may try again, joining the national gerrymandering battle over the U.S. House of Representatives.
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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Kansas City resident Nathan Kline is the Green Party's candidate for the U.S. Senate race in Missouri. He is running on a platform focused heavily on campaign finance reform. -
With early voting well underway and Election Day next Tuesday, KCUR's Up To Date breaks down what you need to know about some of the biggest races in Missouri and Kansas. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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. -
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.
