Kansas City Today

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...

THURSDAY 10/08/2026: Why Midwest electricity bills are rising

A few weeks ago, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents began descending on western Kansas. More than 100 people were detained, leaving communities and the massive local beef industry to deal with the aftermath. Southwest Kansas has a large immigrant population. After residents in several towns noticed unfamiliar vehicles driving around, reports of ICE arrests began to emerge. On KCUR's Up To...

A proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution this November would make it harder for state lawmakers to change or overturn laws passed by voters through the initiative petition process. Missourians will vote on Nov. 3 on Amendment 6, which would strengthen protections for the state’s initiative petition process and require a higher threshold for lawmakers change voter-approved measures . On KC...

A proposed amendment to the Kansas constitution would specify that only U.S. citizens may vote in elections. But the problem, according to opponents, is that non-citizens are already prohibited from voting. Kansans will vote on Nov. 3 whether to rephrase the constitution’s requirements for participating in elections to clarify "only" a person who is a citizen of the United States is eligible to vo...

The Kansas City Royals celebrated Denny Matthews’ 8,000th game behind the mic during last week’s matchup against the Cleveland Guardians. An inductee into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Matthews has been "the voice of the Royals" since the team first began 57 years ago. Nearly 20 years and thousands of games later, Matthews is continuing on to his 59th season. Steve Kraske spoke with Matthews...

For years, Soakie's in downtown Kansas City was one of the only Black gay bars in the United States. The bar closed in 2004, as development began on the Power & Light District, but a new historical marker remembers its impact. Soakie's started out as an Italian sandwich shop, but became home to many in Kansas City's Black LGBTQ+ community. The bar eventually closed when development began to ra...

A Kansas City Medicaid enrollee is among several plaintiffs suing over policy changes that would require medically frail people to prove their condition significantly impairs their ability to work. Plus: Massive restrictions on federal food benefits are being felt especially hard in rural areas, where food insecurity is on par with urban centers. Some Missourians who rely on Medicaid are complaini...

Home births have been increasing in Missouri and Kansas. And "free birth," when a person gives birth without the help of a medical professional, has been popularized in recent years by influencers. Hear why experts are concerned, but women who have done it say the practice is misunderstood. Experts say that free births carry a lot of risks, but as Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga of the Midwest Newsroom...

If approved by voters on Nov. 3, Missouri Amendment 3 would repeal abortion rights guaranteed in the state Constitution. It also would ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth — something that's already prohibited by state law. KCUR's Steve Kraske spoke with Anna Spoerre, reproductive health reporter for The Missouri Independent, on Up To Date about Amendment 3 .  Contact the show at news@k...

Flock Safety cameras have sparked bipartisan uproar with many worried that the cameras, which scan license plates, infringe on privacy. Misuse of the cameras and their data has been documented across Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. Also, more farmers are fixing up their decades-old equipment rather than buying new. Flock Safety cameras have become one of the most discussed and controversial t...

Violent crime is going down in Kansas City, but cases of domestic violence are rising. Domestic violence often happens behind closed doors, and in some cases abuse begins subtly and progressively gets more intense. We'll hear from a survivor about what it took for her to leave the relationship, and how she found help. Abuse survivor Carrah Jones and Billie Orr, managing attorney of Legal Aid of We...