Johnson County, Kansas

Blue Valley, De Soto, Olathe and Shawnee Mission school districts say the state of Kansas has failed to meet its legal obligation for funding special education for 15 years, forcing them to fill the gap. The four districts say that cost more than $119 million alone last year.

Of the seven races a Democratic campaigning organization has targeted to hold or flip in Kansas, six are in the Kansas City area.

On July 11, federal immigration officers detained a U.S. citizen after he took a video showing an ICE agent backing into his car. That incident also showed an agent referencing Kansas' new "Halo Act" banning people from going within 25 feet of a first responder.

The Edgerton City Council unanimously overrode the planning commission's denial of a $860 million data center project. Some Edgerton residents say the decision made them lose trust in their elected officials.

Kansas' 3rd congressional district is not considered a battleground. Democrat Sharice Davids has held it since 2019, even after redistricting changed her constituency four years ago. This year, she faces two Republican challengers, a Libertarian and a Democrat running to her left.

As the Trump administration continues to bolster deportation efforts, local advocacy groups have reported a rise in immigrant arrests between June 15 and July 3, while Kansas City hosted World Cup matches. The increased ICE presence across the Kansas City metro area has kept residents on edge.

Construction began in April as Beale Infrastructure expanded its project scope to include four buildings and nearly 2.9 million square feet. One resident called it "a breach of understanding with this community."

On Aug. 4, voters in Kansas and Missouri will decide multiple, consequential ballot issues, vote in primaries for U.S. House and Senate seats, plus decide local and county-level races on both sides of the state line.

De Soto Mayor Rick Walker says revenue from a planned $3 billion data center campus is an opportunity to grow the city. But one resident is concerned that leaders are moving too fast and not weighing the negative impacts on the community and environment.

Three Republican candidates and three Democratic candidates for Kansas governor did not participate in the forum.

Kansas City G.I.F.T, a nonprofit focused on growing Black entrepreneurship, will distribute a guide in June that features 30 Black-owned businesses. The hope is that the World Cup, predicted to bring in more prospective shoppers than Kansas City has ever seen at once, jumpstarts long-term growth.

Argentina and Algeria face off June 16 at 8 p.m. at Kansas City Stadium. Demand for ConnectKC26's direct bus service to the stadium for the match is surging, with some routes already sold out.