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Jackson County Sports AuthorityKansas has been trying to sway the region’s NFL and MLB teams to cross the border. Lawmakers in both Kansas and Missouri have lobbed tax incentives and construction fund packages at the teams. -
Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri IndependentThe proposed amendment drafted by Republican lawmakers will appear before voters in November 2026, two years after Missourians codified the right to reproductive health care in the state constitution.
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Fred Wellman is the host of the On Democracy podcast, which has been critical of the Republican Party gravitation to Donald Trump. He's the second candidate to join the Democratic primary for the 2nd District, which has become more competitive in recent years. -
Kansas City is a regional hub for federal offices and the almost 30,000 federal workers who make up the largest workforce in the area. Many of those workers are furloughed without pay, their agencies closed until the government reopens. -
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. -
Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins will have to rewrite the ballot summary for a proposed constitutional amendment a third time, because the judge ruled that it "fails to adequately alert voters" that the measure would ban abortion. -
The Democratic National Committee announced it will send people and money to Missouri, to help a referendum effort aimed at blocking a new congressional map from going into effect. -
The Unified Government could vote this week on an ordinance that would make it illegal for people to sleep outside on public and private property. But without a single overnight shelter in Wyandotte County, community groups say the crackdown will only worsen conditions for unhoused residents. -
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. -
Kansas Republican lawmakers are circulating a petition for a special session to redistrict. The goal is to defeat the state's only Democrat in Congress. -
The move comes amid President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement practices garnering increasing criticism. Kehoe said that Missouri National Guard troops will help with "administrative, clerical and logistical duties." -
The federal shutdown will affect people across the United States. NPR's network of member stations explains what will be impacted and where. -
A rarely-used maneuver could force a vote in the U.S. House on a bill requiring the Justice Department to publicly disclosed unclassified records and documents relating to Jeffrey Epstein. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver has signed onto the petition, but of Missouri's GOP representatives, only Rep. Mark Alford says he will vote to advance the bill. -
Federal Medicare and Medicaid regulations mandate staff vaccinations for employers that receive funding. But the high court ruled that Katlin Keeran was protected by a 2021 Kansas law making it illegal for employers to question the sincerity of religious beliefs for opting out of vaccines.
Government
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Even though it’s the offseason, Kansas Rep. Rui Xu says being a legislator is a full-time job.Over the course of a week, on top of his part-time gig as a… -
A growing coalition of groups and citizens wants Wyandotte County to become the first place in Kansas to issue local identification to residents.Advocates… -
The head of the embattled Missouri Public Defender System is stepping down after more than four years on the job. Michael Barrett said he’s resigning… -
Underwire bras may still be setting off the metal detectors at the Jackson County jail, but the standoff over the issue, nicknamed “bra-gate,” has ended —… -
Dave Hardy, an attorney in private practice in Arizona, thinks this is the term when the Supreme Court finally decides whether a constitutional right to… -
The federal public defender's office in Kansas says it’s entitled to nearly $224,000 in legal fees because of prosecutor misconduct in an explosive case… -
People from all over Kansas City packed a city council hearing Wednesday to support a change in the city's marijuana laws. The committee delayed a… -
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 7:15 p.m. to include comments from Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas.Kansas City, Missouri's longtime City Manager… -
On Friday, when Jerry Bausby got two life sentences for the sexual assault and murder of his 18-year-old daughter, it was the culmination of three years…
Elections
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Missouri polling places are open from 6 a.m.-7 p.m. on Election Day, Aug. 5. See live primary election results as they come in for governor, U.S. Senate and more. -
Kansas polling places are open from at least 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Election Day, Aug. 5. See live primary election results as they come in for U.S. House and more. -
Competitive primaries are driving the onslaught of negative political ads — particularly among Missouri Republicans. University of Missouri-Kansas City political scientist Dr. Beth Vonnahme analyzes the rhetoric this campaign season. -
On Tuesday, Aug. 6, Missouri voters will decide on Amendment 1, which grants the legislature power to exempt childcare facilities from property taxes. -
Primary races for Missouri governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General and more could determine the political course of the state for the foreseeable future. -
Kansas Republicans and Democrats are targeting the suburbs of Kansas City as it becomes increasingly purple in the Republican-dominated state. -
The number of polling places around Kansas City has rapidly declined since 2020, when COVID closed much in-person voting and the spread of conspiracy theories caused safety concerns for election officials. -
Kansas City experienced its deadliest year on record in 2023, although homicides are down so far in 2024. With longtime Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker stepping down, multiple Democrats and a Republican are proposing ways to refocus the office. -
Missouri state Rep. Crystal Quade and Springfield businessman Mike Hamra are both running for governor as Democrats, and although either would be the underdog in November, they could benefit from a proposed amendment to legalize abortion. Plus: Rep. Sam Graves is heavily favored to retain his seat representing Missouri’s 6th District, even as some critics say he’s lost touch with constituents. -
Missouri voters will see two statewide ballot items in next week's primary election: Amendment 1, giving tax breaks to child care facilities, and Amendment 4, which would force Kansas City to increase how much funding it gives to the police department. Plus: How Democrats Lucas Kunce and Karla May are planning to take on Republican Josh Hawley for Missouri's U.S. Senate seat.
