Audio Feature

Nine-year-old Hazen Workman-Duffy was riding her bike to school in south Kansas City when a driver fatally struck her. A year later, signs banning right turns on red have been installed in dozens of school zones.

With Election Day less than a month away, Republican Ty Masterson holds an advantage in recent polls as Democrat Cindy Holscher works to raise her profile. Both candidates continue to focus on education and property taxes on the campaign trail.

Data center demand, severe weather and the aging grid are forcing utilities to drive up electricity rates. While the Midwest has historically had the cheapest energy in the nation, forces are undermining that trend.

The roadrunner, long a symbol of the American Southwest, is experiencing range expansion. That's bringing the bird to places that didn't use to resemble the desert vistas beloved by its cartoon counterpart — such as Kansas and even Missouri.

According to AAA, Missouri diesel hit $5.91 a gallon last month, which is $2.50 more than a year ago. Those record prices are squeezing Missouri farmers, testing the state's cattle-and-crop economy and raising concerns about fertilizer costs.

A St. Louis scientist has spent her career studying sound and is now speaking out about the noise pollution that data centers could bring to the region.

Newspaper layoffs are nothing new, especially at the Kansas City Star, which cut another seven journalists in September. But as local journalism employment continues to decline, communities are losing ways to scrutinize public spending and hold government officials accountable.

Most Midwestern states have little to no regulations of Flock Safety cameras or other automated license plate readers. As surveillance companies face bipartisan backlash, that is likely to change during the next legislative session.

The rules could limit the chances of people attending medical school, further exacerbating the healthcare worker shortage.

"Free birth," when a person gives birth without the help of a medical professional, has been popularized in recent years by influencers. Experts say it’s dangerous, but people who choose to give birth unassisted say the practice is often not as extreme as it seems — or is misunderstood.

Medical loan closets are growing across Kansas, lending out donated equipment including power chairs, crutches, CPAP machines and more for little or no cost.

More than 5 million people are no longer getting food aid in the wake of a slew of cuts and changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. As changes to the program continue to unfold, rural Americans face unique problems.