Audio Feature

The little round balls may seem a bit outdated compared to some current games, but there’s a community of collectors, artists and kids keeping marble culture alive. In this store and studio just outside Kansas City, visitors can watch marbles being made.

In a wide-ranging interview, MoHealthNet director Todd Richardson discussed some of their big challenges — such as incoming work requirements, and new federal restrictions on a tax that helps Missouri pay for the program.

The Springs Aquatic Center isn’t just a public pool. Kansas City families say it’s where their kids can cool off, take a dive or even slide down — and more importantly, be adventurous.

State lawmakers must soon decide whether to cover the extra costs to provide food assistance. If they don’t, food banks and pantries alone can’t make up the difference.

The interest in local food systems, like farmer’s markets and direct farm-to-consumer sales, is on the rise. But the U.S. is still more reliant on imported foods than ever before.

President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has many recent immigrants terrified, hunkering down and holding onto their money. That new fear and frugality is crushing small, mom-and-pop businesses in some immigrant-heavy business corridors, like Central Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas, just as new tariffs are raising the prices of many products that recent immigrants buy.

The so-called Crown Act was signed by Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe on July 9. Missouri became the 28th state to pass legislation that makes it illegal to discriminate based on the texture or style of one's hair.

Missouri has banned medical gender-affirming care for youth and some adults since 2023. But other forms of gender-affirming care is happening in the state — including haircuts, facial waxing and photography — and advocates say it's saving lives.

The Trump administration withheld billions of dollars for schools, including funding that Kansas City area schools rely on to support students learning English as a second language. A local teacher says that will cause "an ache" for schools and some may have to cut roles or programs.

It's called ABS, or the automatic balls and strikes challenge system, and it creates a 2D adjustable strike zone.

Western Kansas is the place for a quiet, rural lifestyle. But with that comes shortages when you need to see a doctor. Many will drive an hour or more to receive quality health care. But some of the problems may not be easily fixed.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is developing a framework for assessing drought in a changing climate. It's a difficult task, as what's considered drought is often situational.