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What's next for the Kansas City Chiefs after the team’s worst season since 2012? We’ll hear what could be in store for Mahomes, Kelce, and more in this excerpt from SportsBeat KC, a Kansas City sports podcast from The Star and KCUR Studios.

The Kansas City Star's Chiefs beat writer Pete Sweeney talks about the big off-season questions with SportsBeat KC host Blair Kerkhoff. Subscribe to SportsBeat KC wherever you get podcasts.

Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.

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Missouri lawmakers arrived this week in Jefferson City for the start of the 2026 legislative session, which runs until mid-May. Gov. Mike Kehoe is pushing to eliminate the state income tax, but a smaller budget will likely force spending cuts.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Gabe Rosenberg and Emily Younker.

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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.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Gabe Rosenberg and Emily Younker.

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A new exhibit at the Nerman Museum in Overland Park packs a punch with ceramic lipsticks, guns, and colorful pastel flowers. Over her five-decade career, Kansas City clay artist Linda Lighton created sculptures that speak to some of the thorniest issues of our time.

KCUR's Julie Denesha looks into the retrospective "Linda Lighton: Love & War," which runs through May 3, 2026.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Jacob Smollen, and...

Missouri lawmakers have passed historically expensive budgets in recent years, but next year will likely be different, according to Missouri state Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, a Democrat from Kansas City. The state's revenue has flatlined when adjusted for inflation, and a surplus of federal money is no more. Nurrenbern said that math means Missouri won't be able to fund all the services it has in prior years.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. This episode was produced...

Native freshwater mussels do important work filtering the water in Midwest rivers. These animals are in trouble, but Kansas has a plan to help them. Plus: We'll hear from farmers around the central U.S. about what made this such a tough year, and what may come in 2026.

Native fish and mussels are signs that a river is healthy. But some of them are vanishing from Midwest waterways. Now Kansas has a plan to help 21 species, including a rare mussel called the Neosho mucket. From the Kansas News Service podcast Up From Dust, Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports.

The Kansas City Chiefs' planned move across the state line marked an unusually bipartisan success for Kansas elected leaders. In most other ways, state politics in 2025 were marked by Republican wins and Democratic frustrations.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Frank Morris. This episode was produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Lisa Rodriguez.

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The year 2025 marked the start of a new governor's term in Missouri, and the deepening of Republican control of the General Assembly. As the year ended, the blame and sorrow over the state losing the Kansas City Chiefs were just beginning.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Frank Morris. This episode was produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Lisa Rodriguez.

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As 2025 nears its end, we’re catching up on the biggest stories we reported this year.

KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin kept up with federal workers as they weathered mass layoffs and the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. She spoke with KCUR’s Brian Ellison about how that impacted their jobs and mental health.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Jodi Fortino. This episode was produced by Suzanne Hogan and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Youn...

A Kansas City cookbook author gives us a glimpse of her warm kitchen this winter season. Plus, while many people go online or to the mall to shop for presents, some rural towns go all out to try and attract holiday shoppers.

New York Times bestselling cookbook author Erin Jeanne McDowell has been baking tasty treats for holiday tables since she was a teenager. KCUR’s Julie Denesha reports on what McDowell’s cooking up this season.

Some rural towns are known for their holiday festivities. Tourist dollars are a big part of their local econ...

A major tax incentives package approved Monday by Kansas lawmakers will help the Kansas City Chiefs move from Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri and build a new $3 billion domed stadium in Wyandotte County, Kansas. Dylan Lysen and Zane Irwin of the Kansas News Service talk about what this move will mean for both states.

Classical KC contributor Andrea Hoag remembers being toted from one wintertime performance to the next by her musician parents. She shares some memories from those years.

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Kansas will end all access to hormone treatments and other gender-affirming care for transgender minors in January. To keep getting care for their children, some families are opting to leave the state entirely.

On Jan. 1, 2026, young people in Kansas will be completely banned from receiving gender affirming medical treatments. As Zane Irwin of the Kansas News Service reports, transgender people and their families have already started fleeing for states where they can access care — uprooting their lives in the process.

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From 2013-2023, Black student enrollment declined almost 34% at the University of Missouri — and Black students there have much to say about why. 

Overall enrollment at Mizzou fell just about 10% from 2013-2023, according to data collected from the National Center for Education Statistics. For both current and former Black and African-American students who describe a history and culture of racism, the 34% decline in Black student enrollment is unsurprising — and is evidence validating their own experiences on campus. KBIA's Lilley Halloran reports.

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THURSDAY 12/18/2025: Meet the women pinball players at the 403 Club in Strawberry Hill

Next year, Kansas City’s only drinking water treatment plant will celebrate its 100th birthday. It’s a milestone worth applauding, for sure, but it’s also a reminder that the city has only one place where it makes clean water.

KCUR's Noah Taborda explains why that's a vulnerability and what the city plan to do about it.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. This episode was produced by Suzanne Hogan and KCUR Studios, and ed...

In Missouri and Kansas, the Secretary of State is the top election official, a partisan position chosen by voters. But to the frustration of some, Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has used his authority to push certain Republican priorities, especially when it comes to ballot issues on redistricting and abortion.

To find out how unusual this is, and how it fits into broader trends across the country, KCUR's Brian Ellison spoke with Jonathan Shorman of the States Newsroom, a non-partisan, independent, nonprofit news organization that covers state policy and government.

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This week, petitioners challenging Missouri's gerrymandered new congressional map submitted 305,000 signatures seeking to halt the law and put it up for a statewide vote. That's more than twice as many as needed. But a whole tangle of legal challenges lay ahead.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. This episode was produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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Residents of an apartment complex in Gardner, Kansas, were kicked out of their homes earlier this year when the city condemned the property for unsafe living conditions, but one change in a law could help. Plus: A Missouri researcher says "radical empathy" can help combat today's conspiracy theories, which may help when you go home for the holidays.

When the city of Gardner in eastern Kansas ordered Aspen Place apartments closed for unsafe living conditions last May, residents only had 48 hours to leave their homes. As Dylan Lysen of the Kansas News Service reports, applying the Kansas...

For the past four years, a federal program has given Missouri farmers and hungry families a boost by putting locally grown, fresh food on their tables. But the recently canceled Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement won't provide that help this year.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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California startup Deep Fission says it plans to install a nuclear reactor underground at an industrial park in southeast Kansas. Plus, a look at how Lamar Hunt helped U.S. soccer go pro as the United States prepares for the 2026 World Cup.

Parsons, Kansas, will be the site of a California startup’s first ever 1-mile-deep nuclear reactor — with support from county commissioners, both Republican Kansas U.S. senators and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration. The Kansas News Service's Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports Deep Fission will hold a ceremonial groundbreaking on Tuesday at Great Plains Industrial Park. Compan...

The number of women over 40 having babies is increasing nationwide, even as the overall birth rate declines. Plus, a nonprofit food distributor created its own mini free market to tackle hunger across the country. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of moms in their 40s having babies exceeded the number of teenagers giving birth for the first time. This is not the case in Kansas, where teenage birth rates still exceed the national average. But as birth rates in other age categories decline, the Kansas News Service's Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga reports the state i...

This week, victims of disgraced Kansas City, Kansas, Police Detective Roger Golubski and other social justice advocates marked one year since Golubski died by suicide on Dec. 2, 2024. That was the day his federal trial was to begin on charges that he violated the civil rights of several women through rape and kidnapping.

In the year since disgraced Kansas City, Kansas, Police Detective Roger Golubski killed himself on Dec. 2, 2024, his victims and others in the community say nothing has changed. KCUR's Up To Date host Steve Kraske spoke with investigative reporter Peggy Lowe about fears in Wyandotte County...

The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, passed a revised version of its public camping ban — which includes lesser penalties for first time offenses than the initial proposal. Kansas City, Kansas Police called the measure “dignified,” but opponents worry it will criminalize homelessness.

People sleeping outdoors in Kansas City, Kansas, will soon face new legal consequences under an ordinance passed by the Board of Commissioners of the Unified Government. KCUR's Up To Date host Steve Kraske spoke with news intern Kowthar Shire about the new ban and opponents' concerns that it will criminalize homelessness.

C...

Every year just before the holidays, Scouting America troops across the country collect food items for local pantries, right off our front porches. It’s an effort started 40 years ago from here in Missouri.

Scouting for Food became a national Scouting America program in 1988, expanding across the country as thousands of scouts collectively gathered hundreds of thousands of pounds of shelf-stable goods for food insecure residents in their local communities. Lacretia Wimbley of St. Louis Public Radio brings us this report.

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More than 650,000 people could attend the World Cup in Kansas City next summer, and all of them will need a place to stay. That's why the Kansas City Council is changing its rules around short-term rentals to make it easier for residents to host visitors.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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For years, the Missouri Department of Corrections was not actually keeping track of the people who died in state prisons — with partial counts, missing names and flat-out wrong information being standard procedure. That is, until a Marshall Project reporter started asking questions. 

The Marshall Project engagement reporter Ivy Scott sat down with KCUR’s Nomin Ujiyediin to talk about the effort to get the true numbers, and why they matter.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian...

Since purchasing the Country Club Plaza over a year ago, the Gillion Property group has increased its security and made cosmetic repairs. Now, the company is planning major construction that contrasts with the Plaza’s story-book-like atmosphere, and asking a Kansas City agency for $1.4 billion in tax breaks.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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In rural Medicine Lodge, Kansas, Sarrah and Kyle Miller were sued last month by their local medical clinic for $230 in unpaid medical expenses. Their story is part of a new pattern. Kansas hospitals have filed thousands of lawsuits against their rural patients in recent years, including many for less than $500. 

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Emily Younker.

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Kansas City officials are waging a war against graffiti, scrubbing surfaces clean only to see them tagged again the next day. Businesses and hotels are fighting back to send the message that downtown is a welcoming, thriving and safe place.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Jacob Smollen, and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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A longtime resident of Columbia, Missouri, remains imprisoned in Texas more than a month after he was detained by federal officers. Owen Ramsingh is a green card holder who immigrated to the U.S. as a child, but he’s now facing deportation due to a drug conviction from when he was a teen.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. This episode was produced by Mackenzie Martin and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fo...

Now that the government shutdown is over, tens of thousands of furloughed civil servants are back to work in Kansas City. But that doesn’t mean all is well. KCUR spoke with a Social Security employee who answers the 1-800 line about her experiences working without pay.

If you’re a current or federal worker and want to talk about your experiences, email nomin@kcur.org.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is prod...

FRIDAY 11/14/2025: Independence hair museum finds a second life for its unusual art

The tickborne illness alpha-gal syndrome affects what you can eat. For those who contract it, mealtime becomes a minefield. Plus: American agriculture depends on foreign workers, but President Donald Trump’s immigration clampdown is shrinking a farm workforce that many say was already too small.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Emily Younker.

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The longest government shutdown in U.S. history appears to be near an end. But weeks without paychecks and cuts to SNAP benefits put many Kansas Citians in desperate situations — and turning to local support systems like food pantries, mental health services and utility assistance programs.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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A Kansas City historian is preserving the stories of Mexican Americans who served during Vietnam. The new oral history project is titled "In Their Own Words: Mexican American Vietnam Era Veterans."

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

As the government shutdown drags on, what’s the experience like for federal workers — not just the thousands who have been furloughed, but those left behind to carry on the work without pay? KCUR spoke with an IRS customer service agent about her experiences working through the shutdown, and her worries for the future.

Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and...

A Kansas City therapist started a walking group in a disadvantaged neighborhood that aims to make sure everyone can keep up. We'll take a Friday stroll with the “Marlborough Unstoppables." Plus, a 1962 plane crash heading to Kansas City killed eight crew members and 37 passengers — in what turned out to be the country's first jet bombing.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Jacob Smollen, and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rose...

A major breach of the KCKPD has revealed a list of alleged officer misconduct for the first time, including allegations sexual harassment, excessive force, false arrests and more. Even still, some accusations of misconduct by known corrupt cops, such as disgraced former detective Roger Golubski, did not make the list.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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 is produced by Byron Love, Jacob Smollen, and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Missouri Republicans are facing the sobering reality that the new congressional map they passed in September isn’t a done deal. A voter-led referendum could derail the GOP’s plans for more favorable congressional lines.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

The Independence board of education first approved a four-day school week in December 2022 to help recruit and retain teachers amid a chronic shortage across the state. Whether the district can keep its shortened week, though, will be decided by voters on Nov. 4.

A Missouri law passed last year requires certain school districts to ask voters to approve a four-day week. So, beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, Independence will need that approval to keep its shorter schedule. Just one other school district in the state has put the issue before voters, and Crystal City residents overwhelmingly supported...

Kansas City has been in the national news a lot lately, including one surprising place: stories about the New York City mayoral race. Many national news outlets, most of them conservative-leaning, have zeroed in on candidate Zohran Mamdani’s proposals for free bus fare and government-run grocery stores, and they’re using Kansas City as a negative example of both.

New York City’s 2025 election has captured nationwide attention. That’s mostly thanks to candidate Zohran Mamdani, a state assemblymember and democratic socialist who leads his opponents by double digits in virtually every poll. KCUR's Savannah Hawley-Bates explains...

Students at Ruskin High School in south Kansas City have the newest Teacher of the Year in Missouri — and they’re not surprised. Hear from them about why their teacher came out on top. Plus: The number of people experiencing homelessness in Kansas fell this year, but President Donald Trump recently ended federal funding for programs that provide permanent housing with no strings attached.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Celisa Calacal. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and...

A Kansas City car salesman has opened a business hosting legal car sideshows. He hopes the space will make city streets safer, after years of complaints from businesses and residents about crowds and violence.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

A Kansas college cross-country runner collapsed from exertional heat stroke during a blistering hot practice in August. Former athletes and trainers say this doesn't surprise them. 

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen, and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

The federal government is going on four weeks of being shut down. Beyond the 30,000 federal workers around Kansas City who are working without pay, the shutdown also has trickle-down consequences for local mental health departments.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Jacob Smollen, and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Madeline Fox.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.<...

The traffic cones have all but left Main Street as the Streetcar Extension opens after more than three years of construction, but now drivers will face a new obstacle: transit-only lanes. Plus: Raising giant pumpkins is a labor of love for some Midwest growers, and the pumpkins keep getting bigger and bigger. 

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Jacob Smollen, and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Madeline F...

Companies are racing to roll out nuclear reactor designs that would be faster to build and could meet rising demand for energy from tech firms running AI data centers. Two nuclear companies are proposing to build reactors in Kansas. Plus: Data centers are fundamentally changing the landscape for electric utilities in Missouri and beyond.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker...

Thousands of volunteers in Missouri are trying to get enough signatures to force a statewide vote on a congressional map, which state lawmakers recently gerrymandered to favor Republicans. But state officials aren't making it easy for them. Plus: U.S. farmers are experimenting with short corn. It's corn, but shorter.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Troost Avenue was a racial dividing line for decades. Missouri’s recent redistricting efforts now use the street to split Kansas City into separate congressional districts. Plus: The Trump administration is promising billions in bailout money for farmers affected by tariffs and facing a tough economy this year.

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The Missouri attorney general’s office is demanding Planned Parenthood hand over patient medical records and other documents for a pending court trial. We speak to a reporter to find out more about the case.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Four Kansas school districts say they haven’t received any complaints about their gender identity policies. But the federal government is investigating them anyway — and it has threatened to withhold federal funding from them.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker, Madeline Fox and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Kansas' 2026 Teacher of the Year is Rachel Marlow, a music teacher at an Olathe elementary school. Her students say she's deserving of the award because she goes above and beyond in her classes.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker, Madeline Fox and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Many Kansas students are getting excited about girls’ flag football, which was launched in the state with help and funding from the Kansas City Chiefs. Learn about the sport and its rising popularity.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker, Madeline Fox and Gabe Rosenberg.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

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Voters in both Kansas and Missouri have chosen to protect reproductive rights in their state constitutions. So why are abortion rights advocates challenging both states in court? We’ll have the latest on pending legal battles and the state of the abortion debate in the region.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Museums usually keep art behind glass or tucked in storage, but one Lawrence museum lets people get closer. We'll take a trip to “Open Fridays” at the Spencer Museum.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Frank White Jr. has been unseated as Jackson County Executive after losing a special recall election on Tuesday. However, he's fighting the election in court, while county legislators move forward with picking his replacement — a process that could include little public input.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Federal dollars will help bring internet connection to rural communities across the U.S. But new guidance from the Trump administration is asking states to consider the lowest-cost options. What's the status of efforts to fund broadband infrastructure?

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Mountain lions in Kansas? Yep! While wildlife officials say there's no evidence of a "resident population," a number of the big cats have been seen passing through the state, and sightings have been on the rise.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants states to provide personal information about SNAP applicants dating back to 2020. But Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is refusing, despite the threat of millions in funding being withheld — and a lawsuit from Attorney General Kris Kobach.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Sports betting is expected to start in Missouri on Dec. 1. But some are concerned about the consequences of making gambling so easy to access. Plus: Beef is as expensive as it’s ever been, thanks to the high cost of cattle. When will prices come down?

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Copper wire thefts are on the rise in Missouri, and Kansas City is getting it hard. It turns out that the value of the metal is skyrocketing in no small part due to the Trump administration's 50% tariff on copper imports.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Madeline Fox.

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Former detainees are speaking out about what they say are poor conditions at an immigration detention center in eastern Kansas.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Madeline Fox.

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The Trump administration's clampdown on student visas means that colleges and universities have gotten a lot fewer students from abroad this year. That could spell trouble for higher education and the U.S. as a whole. Plus: A University of Kansas wrote the literal book on "Swifty-nomics," about the economic impact of women's work — and Taylor Swift herself.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe...

Election Day is just over a week away in the recall of Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. Hear the backstory and what it means if you vote yes or no.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Kansas City, Kansas, artist Harold Smith’s new series of paintings puts a personal spin on iconic works from art history — adding in his friends and neighbors. You can see these "Around the Way Folk, Saints in Uncommon Places" on display now at the Mulvane Art Museum in Topeka.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Emily Younker and Madeline Fox.

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President Donald Trump says that cashless bail is leading to a rise in crime, and wants to see it ended nationwide. But a study from the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas found the opposite, and argues that cash bail for nonviolent crimes is hurting low-income residents.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Emily Younker and Madeline Fox.

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Critical questions remain about how a 50-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, man died in the Wyandotte County Jail more than two months ago. Charles Adair’s death has been ruled a homicide, but new details reveal striking similarities to the death of George Floyd in 2020.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Emily Younker and Madeline Fox.

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Kansas has lost about 50 newspapers in the past 20 years. And as the owners of many small, family-owned papers get older, it’s uncertain who will keep the presses running when they retire. Plus: Missouri Republicans shattered norms when they pushed through redistricting and amendment changes in a special session — and it could have long-term consequences.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Emily Younker...

Missouri's legislature passed not one but two measures on Friday taking aim at voting rights. In addition to the gerrymandered congressional map, Republicans also pushed through a plan to heavily restrict citizen-led constitutional amendments.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Troost Avenue in Kansas City was a historic dividing line during the era of racial segregation. Now, as Missouri Republicans look to pass a gerrymandered new congressional map, this avenue would once again split Kansas City.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Emily Younker and Madeline Fox.

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Indigenous maternal mortality rates have been rising in Kansas for at least two decades. A group of Kansas women is training to bridge modern medicine and cultural practices in birth.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Emily Younker and Madeline Fox.

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Kansas Republicans already redrew Rep. Sharice Davids' district in 2022. But the state's sole Democratic Congress member held onto her seat anyways. So while Missouri Republicans push through their own gerrymander, some Kansas leaders want to try again.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Emily Younker and Madeline Fox.

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Andrew Bailey officially left the Missouri attorney general's office yesterday to take on a new position at the FBI. In just a few years, Bailey defined himself through loyalty to President Trump, and his opposition to abortion and racial diversity. Both his admirers and detractors believe he could make a major national impact.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Madeline Fox.

Missouri lawmakers are considering a new map of congressional districts and initiative petition reform during a special legislative session. A reporter from St. Louis Public Radio provides an inside look at last week's committee meetings, debate and testimonies.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Dozens of rare and historic Civil War battle flags stored at the Kansas Museum of History in Topeka are falling apart and in desperate need of restoration. Learn more about the museum’s preservation efforts. Plus: The Kansas Jayhawks and Missouri Tigers will face off on the football field this weekend for the first time since 2011.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and M...

When consumers get their utility bills every month, it’s not always clear why energy costs as much as it does — and there are usually no other options. Why? The upfront investment and barriers to entry create natural energy industry monopolies. Plus: Learn why local fruits and veggies are often more expensive than produce shipped thousands of miles.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Y...

More than 30% of formerly incarcerated Missourians return to prison within three years. It can be hard for these individuals to find a path to reentry, but one group seems to have landed on a solution that’s beginning to keep offenders out of prison for good.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, who has represented much of Kansas City since 2005, may be the target of the country's next redistricting effort. If Missouri joins Texas in redrawing congressional lines to benefit Republicans, Cleaver warns that lawmakers will "need to dig three graves."

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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In the early 1900s, three Wyandot Nation sisters barricaded themselves in a tribal burial ground in downtown Kansas City, Kansas to save it from destruction. Learn more about the new art installation that tells the story of the Conley sisters. Also, paid sick leave ended in Missouri, months after it went into effect. A workers' group wants to put the benefit before voters again as a constitutional amendment, which Republican lawmakers have vowed to fight. What workers have to say about losing their sick leave

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A Black transgender woman sued the Missouri Department of Corrections claiming officers kept her isolated for six years based on a policy that singles out people with HIV. Missouri is now changing its policy as a result of that settlement.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Madeline Fox. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Frequent Kansas City visitor Taylor Swift is entering her engagement era to Chiefs tight end and fellow podcaster Travis Kelce. Plus: We'll hear about how the four-day school week is working in Missouri and other Midwest states, while some Kansas families are going back to the one-room schoolhouse.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Madeline Fox. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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State fairs offer tradition, blue ribbons and fried classics like funnel cakes. And many fairgoers have traditions of their own. Harvest Public Media takes an audio tour of four state fairs around the Midwest. Also, Kansas is known for its massive wheat production, but it has fallen behind because of a lack of new hybrids. Seed companies and universities are making changes that could impact the farmers, and economy, of Kansas.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Gabe Ros...

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey surprised many when he announced he would be stepping down from the role to become the co-deputy director of the FBI. It satisfied Bailey's ambition to join the Trump administration, but the role he'll play isn't clear yet.

Steve Kraske spoke with Justice reporter Jake Rosen of CBS News about Bailey's appointment on KCUR's Up To Date.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Byron Love and...

Betty Bremser has been running Foo's Fabulous Frozen Custard for nearly 30 years, turning the Brookside locale into a dessert destination and the start of many local teens' careers. But Bremser is hanging up her scoop at the end of the month.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Kansas City and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority finalized a contract last week after months of fraught negotiations, avoiding a possible shutdown of bus service. But the contract brings back fares for most riders.

A new contract between the city and the transit agency puts an end to months of conflict since the last contract expired at the end of April. It means bus service will continue in Kansas City, with the addition of $2 fares for most riders. KCUR’s Savannah Hawley-Bates explains what’s in the contract — and what's not.

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More than 3,000 refugees in Kansas City have gotten help acclimating to their new homes since 2014 thanks to Della Lamb Community Services. Many of these new arrivals face unique health challenges, so a local crew of medical students from Kansas City University is volunteering their help.

KCUR's Noah Taborda reports on how medical students and a refugee resettlement agency are giving refugees clarity in an otherwise obscure system.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Laura Ziegler. It is...

Voters in Prairie Village, Kansas, will be faced with an unusual question on their ballots in about three months: Shall the city abandon the mayor-council form of government? We'll hear about how a fight over zoning and housing wound up in a legal battle over the city's structure itself.

Even if voters agree to "abandon" the current structure this November, though, there's no plan for replacing it with a different model. On KCUR's Up to Date, host Brian Ellison sat down with Johnson County Post reporter Juliana Garcia to discuss the issue.

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Missouri Republican lawmakers say it's likely they'll have a special session to redraw the state’s congressional lines and eliminate Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's seat. But could the effort backfire? Plus, we'll hear from Missouri state Rep. Michael Johnson of the Legislative Black Caucus about their plans to fight redistricting.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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Kansas City has seen a lot of storms this year, but the metro has avoided a devastating tornado. Some locals say there’s a reason for that: the Tonganoxie Split. But is there any scientific evidence backing up this long-standing legend?

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Gabe Rosenberg. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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A private prison company has fought for months to open an immigration detention center in Leavenworth, Kansas. Even though a court has temporarily barred it from holding detainees, CoreCivic has hired dozens of detention officers and is advertising more positions.

Seemingly undeterred by legal setbacks, private prison company CoreCivic is on a hiring spree. It’s been two months since a Kansas court temporarily blocked the company from reopening the former private prison. The city of Leavenworth sought the order because CoreCivic has not obtained a special use permit — a requirement the company rejects. Kansas News Service edit...

Missouri voters last November approved a measure that raised the minimum wage and allowed employees to earn paid sick leave. But state lawmakers have ensured that in less than a month, the sick leave requirement is going away.

Missouri voters approved Proposition A, which included mandatory earned paid sick leave. Months later, the Republican-led Legislature repealed the paid sick leave policy, citing hardship for businesses. That takes effect later this month. St. Louis Public Radio’s Sarah Kellogg reports on how workers and businesses are preparing for the change — and how a proposed constitutional amendment could bring the...

There’s a community of collectors, artists and kids keeping the marble culture alive in Bonner Springs, Kansas. Plus: A lucky pig in eastern Kansas managed to cheat death after jumping off a truck transporting it to a feedlot.

Kids and adults have played with marbles for generations, and marble-like games date back to ancient civilizations. Although marbles may seem a bit old-fashioned compared to today’s selection of digital and online games, the Moon Marble Co. in Kansas has been cranking out colorful orbs of small sizes since 1997 — and inviting the public to see the process. KMUW's...

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly only has one more year in office, and candidates are already lining up to replace her. We’ll learn about the crowded race to succeed the Democratic governor.

Zane Irwin of the Kansas News Service spoke with Steve Kraske about who's who in Kansas race for governor on KCUR's daily talk show Up To Date.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and e...

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 globe. The University of Kansas and the city of Lawrence are pitching the Rock Chalk Park sports complex as a training ground for a...

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 bill that lowers taxes and places new restrictions on Medicaid and SNAP. Federal food assistance helps feed almost 190,000 Kansans every year, and 40 million people nationwide. There are new limits on who is...

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?

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Gabe Rosenberg. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox...

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 medical gender-affirming care, such as hormone therapy, surgeries and puberty blockers. The ban impacts minors, as well as incarcerated adults and those using Medicaid. Advocates say non-medical forms of gender affirmation, such as haircuts, clot...

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.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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