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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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Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe's office is requesting to change the state's SNAP program and restrict certain food and beverages. The governor's office says the changes would promote healthier food, but it may add headaches for customers and grocers. -
LeVota succeeds Frank White Jr., who was recalled by voters on Sept. 30. LeVota will serve until January 2027, which is the remainder of White's term. He used to work in the county prosecutor's office. -
The state's new congressional map uses Troost Avenue as a dividing line, and groups majority Black neighborhoods in east Kansas City with rural communities in the middle of the state. Community leaders worry the new divide will mean the needs of underserved urban neighborhoods go ignored. -
The Kansas Supreme Court’s decision to reject an appeal from Attorney General Kris Kobach allows the state to resume a process that had been in place for more than 20 years. -
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe mobilized Guard members to assist ICE with "data entry, case management, and logistical support." Military experts say they also worry how these new deployments will affect recruitment and public trust. -
The Trump administration says it has started the process of issuing "substantial" reduction-in-force notices to federal employees. Court filings suggest around 4,200 affected so far. -
The 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. -
Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled that Secretary of State Denny Hoskins' proposed ballot language was "fair and sufficient," even though it does not explicitly state that the constitutional amendment would again ban most abortions in Missouri. -
A 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. -
The 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 office of Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is subpoenaing patient medical records, incident reports, “adverse event documentation” and more from Planned Parenthood. The organization called the request "nothing more than an attempt to harass" them and is fighting back in court. -
The St. Louis Democrat's decision sets up a nationally watched rematch against Congressman Wesley Bell, who defeated Bush in one of the most expensive primaries in American history. Pro-Israel groups had spent millions of dollars against her 2024 campaign.
Government
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Kansas City voters will decide in April whether to increase the city sales tax to help maintain buildings and buy new vehicles for the fire department.The… -
TOPEKA, Kansas — The same kids who end up in trouble with the law often come from families in disarray.Those families, in turn, regularly turn to the… -
The KCUR news staff presents the State of Kansas City series as a look ahead to 2020 on topics of importance to the region. Find the State of Kansas City… -
TOPEKA, Kansas — Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s budget wish list is long: boosting spending on higher education, public safety and human services. She'd… -
TOPEKA, Kansas — The 2020 Kansas Legislature is underway. And while Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly laid out some of her top priorities during the State of… -
The Kansas City Council this week will discuss an ambitious proposal to eliminate all traffic deaths by 2030.The measure, dubbed Vision Zero, was… -
TOPEKA, Kansas — Natalie Zarate entered state custody when she was 11 years old, removed from a physically abusive mother and placed in a group home for… -
Gov. Laura Kelly announced Wednesday a plan to form a singular agency — the Kansas Department of Human Services — that would absorb social welfare… -
Kansas City Councilwoman Teresa Loar has come under fire for comments she made about a bike infrastructure plan in the wake of a well-known bicyclist’s… -
As construction continues on a new terminal at Kansas City International Airport, aviation officials are considering different ways to make the trip from…
Elections
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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? -
As KCUR covers the 2024 elections in Missouri and Kansas, we want residents and voters to help shape our coverage. What do you need to know about the voting process, your local races, or what you're seeing in the news?
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If Missouri voters approve the proposed amendment, it would bar local governments from adopting ranked-choice voting models. But it has has a carve out for St. Louis, which implemented ranked-choice in 2020 for its municipal elections. -
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and former federal prosecutor Will Scharf both repeated lies that the 2020 presidential election was illegitimate. That's despite numerous independent studies and government reviews proving there was "absolutely no evidence" of fraud. -
New Republican-backed laws in several states — including Missouri and Kansas — threaten large fines or criminal penalties for minor mistakes in voter registration work. As groups pull back, they're reaching fewer voters. -
The sheriff's admission that no judge signed his search warrant for old election ballots came in the middle of a Republican candidate forum. For years, Hayden has claimed he is investigating voter fraud, but his probe has not yielded any charges or evidence. -
On May 7, voters in Kansas City, Kansas, will decide whether to approve a ballot measure that would raise property taxes for the next 30 years. The bond would pay to consolidate elementary schools, build new buildings, increase early childhood education, and fund additional renovations. -
In 2022, KCUR brought together a politically diverse group of people to share their views on election issues and politics. It's 2024. Where are they now? -
As November 2024 nears, Kansas and Missouri pollsters say that transparency is one key factor for determining a poll's quality.
