Midwest Newsroom

Fifteen former residents of Change Academy at Lake of the Ozarks say they were physically assaulted by staff, and some say they were sexually abused by other residents a youth residential treatment center in Missouri that takes in children from across the country.

More than 45,000 habeas corpus cases have flooded federal courts across the country with petitioners alleging their detention was illegal. In Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska, these filings have been overwhelmingly successful, according to an analysis by the Marshall Project and the Midwest Newsroom.

Judges in Kansas City Immigration Court hear asylum cases from across Missouri and Kansas. The high denial rates for asylum stem from judicial discretion and how hard it can be to prove persecution in one’s home country.

Joe White's pending retirement from Kanakuk Kamps is called a 'copout' by the sister of Trey Carlock, who died by suicide after being abused there as a boy.

Federal prosecutors said the teenager was driven in handcuffs from California to a Christian reform school in southwest Missouri. Agape Boarding School later closed amid an abuse scandal.

The lawsuit, against the police board and an officer, alleges excessive force, among other claims.

After a two-year court battle, Sniper 1 can finally be identified as Keaton Siebenaler. KCUR and The Midwest Newsroom have confirmed he departed the Joplin Police Department in August and graduated from the MSHP academy last week.

Even in the Midwest, the cost of life’s essentials is going up. Rising everyday expenses, including food, energy and transportation, are straining household budgets. We invite you to share how you are affording life in 2026 in a short survey.

Many Midwest residents distrust their tap water. Some purchase water and ice from standalone kiosks. University of Iowa researchers found at least trace levels of lead in most of these kiosks.

The national governing body for gymnastics said it made the unusual move to terminate GAGE's membership because of allegations that coaches were not complying with the terms of their suspensions tied to claims of abuse.

Trump promised to "make America affordable again," but food prices are still rising. Although Kansas City and St. Louis residents enjoy a lower cost of living than many Americans, that's of little comfort when household staples remain unaffordable for many.

Tariffs are a key component of the Trump administration’s policy to revive the U.S. economy. So far, the strategy of taxing trading partners is not working as promised in Nebraska.