Kansas City Today

After eight years comforting patients and families at MU Children's Hospital in Columbia, a golden retriever named Link is retiring. The therapy dog has brought joy to countless children during some of their most difficult moments. Link has spent most of his life making hospital visits a little less stressful for young patients and their families. KBIA's Jayden Bates-Bland followed Link on his fin...

The University of Kansas is refusing to answer questions over how much it pays student-athletes and where that $20.5 million comes from, even though salaries are public for every other university employee. That's raising concerns over transparency and financial priorities. A federal settlement now allows Division I colleges to pay athletes directly, but the University of Kansas says those salaries...

College football games are getting hotter as summer-like temperatures stretch into fall. With the season starting even earlier in 2027, Kansas and Missouri players, fans and marching bands could face greater risks of heat-related illness. Dangerous temperatures have already disrupted football games across the Midwest, with athletes and spectators experiencing medical emergencies. Researchers and a...

There was a lot of talk last week about the "Blue Wave" that swept through Congress and governors' mansions across the country, but it also made its way to the ruby red legislative chambers of Topeka and Jefferson City. We'll hear about how Republican supermajorities in both states are now a thing of the past. Voters in both Kansas and Missouri ended the legislative supermajorities held by Republi...

Across the Midwest, thousands of children and adults with disabilities are waiting for Medicaid waivers to help pay for their care at home. Also, U.S. farmers are looking for more drought-resistant crops. Sorghum could be the answer. Thousands of people with disabilities in Kansas are waiting for Medicaid waivers to help them stay at home and still pay for care. Missouri doesn’t have a waitlist, b...

The World Cup brought new investments, infrastructure improvements and business opportunities to Kansas City. Months after the tournament ended, some of those changes are here to stay, while others have already disappeared. With colorful murals and expanded public spaces, Kansas City's summer of soccer left its mark across the metro. But not every project has found a way to continue, and some smal...

Rev. Adam Hamilton has become the first Democrat in nearly a century to win a U.S. Senate seat in Kansas. Meanwhile, Missouri voters rejected proposals to ban abortions and cement a gerrymandered congressional map. We'll run down all the biggest election results from both states. KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin speaks with Brian Ellison about the election results — although some remain too close to call. C...

Voters in Missouri and Kansas are deciding some critical races and ballot measures today: constitutional amendments on abortion access, a tight U.S. Senate contest, a governor's race and more. But lower on the ballot is something just as important: Judge retention elections. We'll break down how the judicial retention process works in both states and what voters should know before heading to the p...

Affordability is looming over the coming midterm elections, with new research revealing that almost a quarter of Midwestern households report having trouble paying their bills, mortgage, or rent. Plus: Missourians said “no” in August to a proposed amendment that would have made it harder to change the state constitution. Now, a different amendment could make it lawmakers to reverse voter-approved...

The Glore Psychiatric Museum in St. Joseph documents the country’s torrid history of mental health treatment, but it has an eerie reputation itself. Take a visit inside one of Missouri’s most peculiar museums — located in the former State Insane Asylum No. 2. Inside the Glore are stories of thousands of patients and a bizarre collection of torture devices giving it quite the eerie reputation. But...

Missouri voters will decide whether to create a state-owned investment fund that supporters say could eventually replace state taxes. Supporters say Amendment 7 would provide long-term financial stability, while critics worry it could jeopardize funding for essential services. The proposed Show-Me Prosperity Fund would invest Missouri taxpayer money in the stock market, with the goal of generating...

Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall is blaming his Democratic opponent, Adam Hamilton, for a "split" in the United Methodist Church. But the reality is much more complex. Plus: Missouri voters will once again decide whether to restrict abortion access in the state. How is it different from the last ban? Adam Hamilton, a prominent United Methodist pastor, is facing criticism from Roger Marshall's...

Missouri House Speaker Jon Patterson and Democratic state Rep. Keri Ingle are competing for a closely watched state Senate seat representing Lee's Summit and Blue Springs. The race could determine whether Republicans maintain their supermajority in the Missouri Senate. Missouri's 8th state Senate District has become increasingly competitive as the Kansas City suburbs shift politically. The two can...

Midterm elections are just over a week away, and a lot is at stake for both Republicans and Democrats in Missouri. Several key measures and races appearing on the ballot could have big impacts on the future of the state's political ecosystem.

Every four years, most Missouri counties elect a sheriff to lead law enforcement efforts. That process is outlined in state statute, but if voters approve Amendment 8 at the polls on Nov. 3, the election of sheriffs will also be required in the state constitution. Plus, 30 years ago, roadrunners were spotted in only 28 counties in Kansas, or about a fourth of the state. But a changing climate has...

With less than two weeks until Election Day, Republican Ty Masterson leads Democrat Cindy Holscher in the race for Kansas governor. Plus: How the deportation of a parent can affect children's mental and physical health. Kansas Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher is working to boost her name recognition as she campaigns against Republican Senate President Ty Masterson. Both candidates have made ed...

In the Kansas City Ballet’s production of “The Wizard of Oz,” running through Oct. 25, Dorothy Gale’s ruby-red pointe shoes sparkle with hundreds of tiny rhinestones. Plus: Horse racing is back in Kansas for the first time in 16 years, with gambling revenue helping attract competitors from surrounding states. Creating a little magic takes a lot of work. KCUR’s Julie Denesha went behind the scenes...

Jackson County voters on Nov. 3 will decide whether to renew the county’s 1/4-cent anti-crime sales tax, known as COMBAT. The tax generates between $25-30 million per year to support the county's crime and drug prevention efforts. If passed, the tax will be renewed for 10 years to fund courts, the county prosecutor’s office, law enforcement agencies and nonprofit organizations. KCUR's Nomin Ujiyed...

The Kansas U.S. Senate race has been attracting national attention. But where do Republican incumbent Roger Marshall and Democratic nominee Adam Hamilton really stand on affordability, healthcare, the war in Iran, and other issues that matter to Kansan? Plus: Missouri produces the third-most beef cattle in the country, but the spike in diesel prices has been hitting farmers hard. It’s a tighter th...

The Kansas City Council passed a financing packing that moved the Royals’ stadium development forward in a big way. The deal will tap 30 years of tax growth to repay the costs of construction, to the tune of $1.4 billion. Economists say it's deeply flawed. KCUR reporter Celisa Calacal outlined how Kansas City plans to finance the new Royals ballpark, and what the experts say, on Up to Date with St...

One year ago, a young girl was struck and killed by a car while riding her bike to school in Kansas City. Since then, city leaders, local organizations and families have been trying to improve traffic infrastructure and car culture to make streets safer. Since Hazen Workman-Duffy's death last October, signs banning right turns on red have been installed in dozens of school zones. KCUR’s Celisa Cal...

The makeup of the Jackson County Legislature will change dramatically after the November election, with seven of nine seats getting new representatives. There are also no returning faces in the race for Jackson County executive, after years of scandal and controversy over property taxes. Jackson County voters will elect a nearly entirely new legislature this November, and a brand new county execut...

A Kansas bakery's Facebook post about an unpaid bill from 2020 went viral — because the delinquent customer was Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall. After the $678 bill ended up making national news, the Marshall campaign settled its debt, with interest. The owner of a south-central Kansas bakery did not expect a Facebook post she made last week to go viral and end up featured on the New York Ti...

Early voting begins in much of Kansas this week — where a critical U.S. Senate seat and most state offices are on the ballot. The big races for governor, secretary of state and attorney general are all closer than expected. KCUR’s Brian Ellison spoke with Grace Hills and Zach Boblitt, who are on the campaign trail for the Kansas News Service, to get up to speed. Learn more about your ballot, and h...

Two Kansas City area hospitals have been suing patients over unpaid medical bills. We’ll hear why medical debt is becoming a bigger part of many people’s lives. Nomin Ujiyideen spoke with healthcare reporter Suzanne King, of the nonprofit news outlet The Beacon. King recently publish two stories about local hospitals suing patients over medical debt , and the impact this can have on patients' live...