Johnson County, Kansas

The state of Kansas is luring the Kansas City Chiefs across the state line with funding from STAR Bonds, a unique kind of tax incentive. The team plans to build a $3 billion stadium in Wyandotte County and a practice facility worth hundreds of millions of dollars in Olathe.

Under pressure from President Trump, some Kansas Republicans want to gerrymander congressional maps in order to oust Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids. But Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins said he's about 20 votes short.

Around 80% of bus stops across the metro do not have somewhere for riders to sit. Even fewer have a shelter. An interactive map from KCUR shows where to find amenities at each bus stop in the metro, and what the area transit agencies are doing to add more.

Fred Sherman had served as Johnson County election commissioner since 2021. "I was given the option to resign or be terminated from the position, and I elected to resign," Sherman wrote on social media.

The Kansas City Royals still haven't committed to a location for their new stadium, but the Aspiria campus at 119th and Nall in Overland Park is under consideration. Residents living in that neighborhood say they have concerns about local businesses, traffic and affordability.

The Panasonic plant in De Soto, Kansas, shut down after officers shot a person suspected of stabbing another. The suspect is dead, and the stabbing victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition.

An effort is underway by President Donald Trump and cities like Kansas City, Kansas, to clear unhoused people from living in public spaces. But one Overland Park mental health expert fears homelessness will be criminalized — not addressing the root issue and costing more than providing adequate access to care.

The Lenexa, Kansas Police Department uses a company called Force Science to train its officers on use of force tactics. But experts in law enforcement say the company's research doesn't stand up to scrutiny, and fuels an adversarial relationship between police and the public.

A Kansas judge sided with Attorney General Kris Kobach that state law does not allow the quarter-cent public safety sales tax to be extended for the uses Johnson County commissioners wanted. The county will formally withdraw their resolution to put the question on the March ballot.

The Strips Chicken and Brewing location in Lenexa boasts a garden where the restaurant's founder grows heirloom tomatoes, lettuce, red onions, spinach, kale and more. He uses much of the produce in his menu.

The new routes will run for 32 days during the 2026 World Cup. For a fee, the buses will take fans and ticket holders between the Kansas City airport, Arrowhead Stadium, the FIFA Fan Festival and "regional hubs."

Johnson County commissioners unanimously approved the county's first ever strategic plan for bus, micro transit and paratransit services. It recommends focusing on increasing frequency of buses along a few key routes, reinstating bus fares and rebranding as "Ride JoCo."