Midwest

Warmer-than-normal-temperatures in the Pacific Ocean are driving what could be the strongest El Niño on record. Here’s how that’s likely to impact weather across the central U.S this year.

Corn and soybean harvests are starting just as the fuel farmers need to reap is shooting up in price. Plus, older Americans on fixed incomes are hit especially hard when food costs spike.

Data centers that power AI are exploding across the Midwest — and so is opposition to them. Now, people across the political spectrum want to see stricter regulation and more transparency.

Big tech companies are facing formidable opposition from a coalition of people across the political spectrum. Meanwhile, local elected officials find themselves scrambling to draft regulations and defend themselves against accusations of secrecy.

Grinter Farm's sunflower field in Lawrence, Kansas, draws visitors and photographers from around the world. This season’s flowers are expected to fade more quickly than previous years’ due to the extreme heat this week.

Inflation in food prices can hit even harder for people in their 60s and older as they also juggle fixed incomes, health problems and changes in federal law. Experts say the age group is a “forgotten population” when it comes to food insecurity.

With most foreign students paying full tuition, campuses will lose out as the numbers of international students decrease. Meanwhile, students worry as new restrictions about how long they can stay in the U.S. are set to go into effect.

Kansas City, Missouri, continues to sit at No. 11 in the latest ranking of best startup cities in the Midwest, a place it's held since 2022. Columbia, Missouri, jumped five spots to No. 17. Wichita, Springfield, Manhattan and Topeka all landed in the top 50.

Lawmakers in 13 states have proposed banning or restricting paraquat, a toxic herbicide that researchers have tied to an increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease. But efforts to outlaw it have failed across the Midwest.

Giving birth without a doctor or midwife present or foregoing prenatal care are increasingly popular practices. They’re attracting people who mistrust the healthcare system or believe in all-natural approaches to birthing.

Childcare can be nearly as expensive as a mortgage in some Midwest states, but legislation sponsored by two lawmakers aims to reduce that cost by increasing subsidy eligibility and funding new childcare centers.

In many Midwestern cities, even those without camping bans, officials are more aggressive with removing encampments from public spaces. People experiencing homelessness say they’re moving frequently and experiencing anxiety.