AD FREE-KC2DAY

The eyes of the world will soon be on Arrowhead Stadium for a World Cup quarterfinal match. But Lawrence, Kansas, is also trying to get in on the action by promoting itself as the perfect training site for a team. The World Cup soccer tournament is coming to Kansas City next summer. A total of six games will be played at Arrowhead, drawing in hundreds of thousands of soccer fans from across the gl...

Changes to federal food assistance could cause thousands of Kansans to lose some or all of their benefits. The consequences for low-income families will depend now, more than ever, on state lawmakers. Plus: When you're shopping the produce section of a grocery store, you probably want to buy local — but that food probably traveled a long way to get there. This summer, Congress passed a massive bil...

Kayakers are trying to clean up garbage from the Kansas River, but new trash keeps coming. Learn about the small nonprofit group determined to protect the waterway. Plus: Extreme drought in the Midwest and Great Plains is allowing a fungus that kills trees to flourish. How are forestry crews and experts adapting to rapidly changing tree canopies? Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on ...

Missouri has banned medical gender-affirming health care for youth and some adults since 2023. But there are plenty of other forms of gender-affirming care happening in the state, and advocates say it’s saving lives. Plus: Missouri’s Medicaid program is about to go through a major change with the advent of federally imposed work requirements. In 2023, the Missouri Legislature passed a law banning...

The Missouri legislature spent a lot of time in the spring working to un-do laws that voters passed on November’s ballot — including paid sick leave and abortion. Now, a group called Respect Missouri Voters wants to stop lawmakers in Jefferson City from doing that. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian...

The Springs Aquatic Center in Kansas City is a popular place for kids to cool off or take a dive. Hear from the families spending their summer poolside. Plus: This year's All-Star game displayed an automated system to help umpires call balls and strikes. Could this system be used by the Kansas City Royals in future seasons? Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Faceboo...

A Family Dollar store in Kansas City collapsed last weekend, killing a 68-year-old man and critically injuring a 50-year-old woman. Two days before the collapse, a city building inspector was dispatched to the property. Multiple people raised concerns about the structural integrity of the Family Dollar store on Broadway Boulevard in Kansas City before it partially collapsed Sunday. "The roof is we...

Missouri is one of many states facing pressure from President Donald Trump to redistrict before the 2026 midterm elections. The 5th Congressional District, which encompasses Kansas City, could be targeted. The state of Missouri is divided into eight congressional districts, six of which are held by Republicans and two by Democrats. Missouri lawmakers are being pressured by Trump to target Democrat...

Missouri recently became the 28th state to pass the CROWN Act, banning discrimination against Black students' hair. We'll head to Kansas City salon to hear how local teens are reacting. Plus: Farmers worry that Trump's on-and-off tariffs could hurt America's reputation with one of their biggest buyers, China. Hair salons and their Black clients are relieved Missouri has passed a law prohibiting di...

Two members of the St. Joseph, Missouri, school board say they’ve been harassed because of their progressive political beliefs. They say they're being targeted by a multimillion-dollar national organization dedicated to promoting Christianity in public schools. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Elli...

The late Kansas Sen. Bob Dole was a champion for disability rights. One of his biggest accomplishments was getting the Americans with Disabilities Act passed, 35 years ago this week. We'll look back on the role Kansas played in this landmark civil rights law. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyed...

In western Kansas, rural hospitals have been closing or are perpetually understaffed, leaving residents to drive anywhere from an hour to multiple hours for doctors appointments. Plus: Scientists are working on a new framework that factors climate trends into how we think about drought. Western Kansas is the place for a quiet, rural lifestyle. But with that comes shortages when you need to see a d...

Public radio and television stations in rural areas may be hit the hardest after Congress clawed back $1 billion for public broadcasting. High Plains Public Radio, which broadcasts in western Kansas, lost 15% of its operating costs, according to executive director Quentin Hope. And in southern Missouri, general manager Rachel Knight says Ozarks Public Radio has lost 10% of its budget and Ozarks Pu...

Talks of overhauling the U.S. Postal Service have picked up since President Donald Trump began his second term. With service cutbacks already underway and privatization on the table, rural residents are bracing for more disruptions. Plus: There are more than 40 species of fireflies in Missouri, but for the past few years, people have been concerned about the populations diminishing. Contact the sh...

Congress has approved a plan to claw back funding from U.S. foreign aid programs and public broadcasting organizations like NPR and PBS. What does this mean for KCUR? The station's general manager and interim content director discuss how this could impact our work. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian...

Some artists shy away from using AI. Kansas City photographer and digital artist David Morris embraces it. Hear how a local creative harnesses AI to bring his vision to life, and where you can see it. Plus: A Kansas City bookselling icon is retiring after years of tracking down Black books and vinyl. Now, a new generation is stepping up to preserve her legacy. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Fo...

In recent years, most Kansas City suburbs have cut transportation funding, which means fewer and slower buses. Local officials are racing to fix that. Plus: High school graduation rates in Kansas are higher than ever. But some people worry that the growth of credit recovery programs could be lowering standards for students. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Faceboo...

Panasonic's highly anticipated $4 billion electric vehicle battery plant opened in De Soto, Kansas, this week. But problems with Tesla, tariffs and tax breaks have investors worried. Leaders of the plant believe it's just a bump in the road. The Kansas News Service's Zane Irwin covered the grand opening of the Panasonic plant, which aims to employ 4,000 people and have eight fully operational prod...

Scientists in a Columbia, Missouri, lab have studied how toxic chemicals affect animals and ecosystems since the 1960s. But President Trump's proposed budget would likely mean lights out. Plus: Hydroelectric power is a mainstay of the United States electrical grid, but federal hurdles could take plants offline. The White House wants to cut the budget of the Ecosystems Mission Area, the research ar...

A new report raised concerns that Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe and his predecessor have failed to fill vacancies at the Missouri Ethics Commission. As a result, the state watchdog has been unable to investigate dozens of complaints of ethical misconduct. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It i...

Crews of volunteers are digging into the ruins of a 168-year-old mansion in Lecompton, Kansas, that belonged to a territorial governor. The work is done through the Kansas Historical Society's annual archaeological field school. Plus: Children’s author Derrick Barnes from Kansas City is known for books that are all about making Black kids feel seen. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR o...

Jackson County’s top elected official is facing a recall election. County Executive Frank White Jr. says it’s a political vendetta, while lawmakers say it’s actually about property taxes. But will it actually happen next month? The Jackson County Legislature this week approved a special election to recall White. Lawmakers set the election date for Aug. 26, but the county election board said that d...

The Trump administration proposed slashing billions of dollars from federal health agencies. A high school student from Overland Park has been pushing lawmakers to preserve cancer research funding. Plus, we remember a beloved Kansas City jazz who died after a long battle with cancer. Matthew Chen, a senior at Blue Valley North High School, knows the importance of cancer research firsthand — he’s b...

President Trump's mass deportation efforts have led to the arrests of tens of thousands of immigrants, some of whom end up at the Phelps County Jail in Rolla, Missouri. Now some local activists are trying to provide comfort and assistance to detainees stuck in an unfamiliar place. A group known as Abide By Love is providing ICE detainees in Missouri with food, hygiene products, clothing, and acces...

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed the state budget into law last week, approving more than $50 billion in spending. But he also stripped more than half a billion dollars out that had been approved by lawmakers, including for dozens of programs and projects in Kansas City. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by B...