KCTV5+

KCTV5's Sharon Chen shares information about a violent extremist network actively recruiting children in the Kansas City area through online games and apps.

Bentonville, Arkansas is the kind of place that surprises you — in the best possible way. What was once known mainly as the hometown of Walmart has grown into one of the South’s most exciting small-city destinations, blending world-class art, award-winning trails, a lively downtown square with restaurants, local shopping, and a festival scene that keeps the calendar full. It is polishe...

New records show Kansas City reversed thousands of earnings tax collection cases annually, even as officials dismissed concerns raised by a KCTV5 investigation last month. KCTV5's Zac Summers visited with anchor Taylor Johnson to share some details behind his reporting.

Tucked into the heart of Missouri, you’ll find a place where history runs deep, charm runs wide, and there's always something worth discovering.  From Winston Churchill's famous Iron Curtain speech to brick-lined streets buzzing with local shops and award-winning restaurants.   Fulton is the proud heart of Callaway County — a charming mid-Missouri community where world-c...

Salina, Kansas, offers visitors a well-rounded mix of museums, public art, popular dining, shopping districts, and annual events that give the city a lively regional identity. From downtown culture to family-friendly attractions and major community festivals, Salina has plenty for visitors to explore.

Nestled in the heart of the Ozarks along the historic Route 66 corridor, Lebanon, Missouri is a warm and welcoming small city located approximately 155 miles southwest of St. Louis on Interstate 44. Home to more than 35,000 residents, Lebanon serves as the county seat of Laclede County and proudly embraces its rich history as a crossroads community — first as a stop along the legendary "Moth...

Des Moines, Iowa blends Midwest friendliness with a vibrant mix of culture, food, outdoor fun, and downtown energy. Just 3 hours northeast of Kansas City, Des Moines is featured in this week’s Destination Heartland. Iowa’s capital offers more than expected, with a lively arts scene, great local restaurants, and attractions that make the city easy to enjoy. Des Moines delivers big-city...

It was Missouri’s first state capital and is often associated with the Lewis and Clark expedition, which launched nearby in 1804.  St. Charles, Missouri is a historic city on the Missouri River just northwest of St. Louis, known for its preserved 1800s architecture and walkable Main Street district.   St. Charles sits in St. Charles County, one of the fastest-growing areas in the s...

From big-time tradition to ragtime roots and the roar of the Missouri State Fair,  Sedalia  is a town where the history music and community spirit come together in a way that feels uniquely Missouri. 

Tucked away in Garden City, Missouri, YaYa’s Alpaca Farm offers visitors a chance to slow down and connect with one of the gentlest animals in agriculture. The farm has grown into a popular destination, welcoming thousands of guests each year for tours, seasonal events, and special experiences.  Visitors can learn about alpacas, feed and photograph them, and even explore how their fleec...

A lease to a nearly 7,000 square foot building for a dollar a year for 50 years sounds like a great deal. A deal that does exist in Jackson County, Missouri. At 200 South Main, history sits on hold. Hiding behind the trees, a yellow brick building with white pillars. But look up close, and you can see it: cracked walls and sidewalks, boarded-up windows, and an entryway in disrepair. Built in 1910,...

It is home to Fort Hays State University and has strong roots in frontier history and Volga German heritage. The city offers museums, local dining, shopping, seasonal events, and outdoor recreation, making it a popular stop for both visitors and residents.

In this episode of Destination Heartland, KCTV5 anchor Sharon Chen takes a virtual visit to Eureka Springs, Arkansas.  

The “9D” refers to nine distinct layers of engineered audio — including binaural beats, solfeggio frequencies, isochronic tones, multi-directional sound, neuro-linguistic programming, and subliminal messaging — combined with sustained conscious breathing for 45 minutes to an hour. KCTV5's Lauren Magarino explores the experience known as 9D Breathwork.

It’s known as the “Czech Capital of Kansas” and a mecca of water sports in the state.  Wilson, Kansas, sits just 3 hours west of the Kansas City Metro and it’s this week’s Destination Heartland.

KCTV's Sharon Chen shares more on her story of new research at the Stowers Institute regarding a chromosome variant that may contribute to pregnancy loss.

In this edition of Destination Heartland, we take a virtual visit to Hannibal, Missouri!

KCTV Investigative Reporter Samantha Boring discusses more about her story on Missouri's hands-free driving law.  

A Brazilian asylum seeker shares his personal journey and experience navigating the U.S. immigration system in this extended interview. He says he fled Brazil to escape threats from organized crime and has been in the legal asylum process for nearly two and a half years while residing in the Kansas City area.

Sergio’s life changed in minutes. A routine traffic stop for speeding led to his arrest, and weeks after a new policy eliminated bond hearings, he found himself detained and unable to work. In this extended interview, he describes how that timing—and that policy—affected fighting his removal case.

Trinidad Raj Molina is an organizer and immigration rights advocate with Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation. In this extended interview filmed in November 2025, he discusses the patterns of ICE arrests in the Kansas City area, the tactics being used, recent high-profile raids, and what he sees as systemic failures in the U.S. immigration enforcement system.

Maya King is an immigration attorney working with individuals facing deportation proceedings in Kansas City. In this extended interview filmed August 2025, she discusses a dramatic policy change that eliminated bail eligibility for people who entered without inspection—a shift that has upended cases she’s been handling. She also discusses how ICE is offering detainees financial incenti...

Kristi Nelson is a former immigration judge who served in Chicago’s immigration court from September 2023 to April 2025, when she resigned. She’s practiced law for 30 years. In this extended interview, she discusses the systemic challenges facing the U.S. immigration court system, recent mass terminations of judges, and the pressure immigration judges face from changing administrations...

Rekha Sharma-Crawford is an immigration attorney in Kansas City. In this extended interview filmed in August 2025, she discusses how national policies are affecting the local immigration court system and the fundamental problems with the current immigration system that she argues require a complete overhaul, not band-aid fixes.

A Kansas sheriff discusses the standards his facility must meet, the inspection processes, and his personal views on immigration enforcement.