KCUR (Kansas City's best news source)

Missouri Proposition A will determine whether a map designed to give Republicans another U.S. House seat takes effect in 2028. While the campaign to defeat the map has drawn millions of dollars in donations, there's no organized effort to pass it. (@missouriindependent.com)

A study found a Wisconsin program that pays producers for measured reductions in phosphorus runoff was more cost-effective than a popular federal conservation program.

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.

A state study found no need for more marijuana licenses, but researchers lacked the ownership data needed to fully assess competition. (@missouriindependent.com)

A new surgery center in Independence will focus on Medicaid patients. It’s emblematic of progress improving oral health access in the state. (@thebeacon.bsky.social)

Amendment 3 on Missouri's November ballot doesn't just reverse the 2024 abortion rights amendment passed by voters. It also would place within the state constitution a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. (@stlpublicradio.bsky.social)

Vice President JD Vance touted Sen. Roger Marshall's close work with the Trump administration and touched on basic economic issues such as fuel prices. Marshall is in a tight race with Democrat Adam Hamilton.

In the Nov. 3 election, Missouri voters can weigh in on Amendments 3, 6, 7 and 8, and Proposition A. The measures include an abortion ban, a referendum on a redrawn congressional map and protections to voter-proposed ballot measures.

While Republican Sen. Roger Marshall has blamed Hamilton for one-fourth of churches leaving the denomination, church members and experts say the answer is more complex.

Some physicians, attorneys and patients who experienced Missouri’s previous ban say the exceptions could prove difficult to implement in practice, leaving doctors uncertain about when they can intervene. (@missouriindependent.com)

In the lawsuit, filed Oct. 9, Wyandotte County’s local government said the state unconstitutionally stripped the county of local powers in its deal to bring the Chiefs over the state line.

The former Price Chopper at Blue Ridge Cutoff near Raytown has opened a no-frills grocery store. The company claims it's offering quality products at lower prices by cutting advertising and other expenses. (@startlandnews.com)

Vice President JD Vance tried to appeal to undecided voters during a Kansas rally, focusing on issues including gas prices. There was also all the normal kudos for Sen. Roger Marshall and attacks on Democrat Adam Hamilton.

Pastor Adam Hamilton, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Kansas, spoke to KCUR's Up To Date about his focus on “leading from the middle” and his frustration with the Trump administration’s foreign policy.

The investigation will examine how appeals are assigned to two boards and whether the system treats property tax owners fairly. Earlier this year, Scott Fitzpatrick's office released an audit of Jackson County's process, leading to a proposed $250 million settlement. (@stlpublicradio.bsky.social)

The Phelps County Jail in Rolla has transferred out most of its detainees held solely on federal immigration detainers. Some detainees were sent to the for-profit prison in Leavenworth, Kansas. (@stlpublicradio.bsky.social)

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.

As farmers face financial uncertainty, the Trump administration has moved to end protections on gray wolves that sometimes prey on livestock. But experts question if it’s the right move for the species.

Missouri's bear hunting season started Oct. 17. Even though the bear population is coming back in Missouri, habitat destruction and overhunting have threatened their numbers.

New federal rules take effect in two months, requiring many Medicaid recipients to prove they work, volunteer or otherwise partake in "community engagement" activities. MO HealthNet recipients will also need to verify their eligibility twice a year instead of once. (@stlpublicradio.bsky.social)

Workers describe soaring caseloads, long drives and rushed abuse investigations as internal records show thousands of cases falling behind. (@missouriindependent.com)

JuneteenthKC has been giving out free Halloween Costumes for about the last decade. On Friday, Oct. 23, more than 100 kids stood in line to pick one out.

With less than two weeks left, what’s usually a sleepy, safe-for-Republicans Senate race in Kansas has taken center stage as the two candidates are neck-and-neck in polls.

On Monday, the nonprofit Historic KC released its Most Endangered Places List for the first time in five years, highlighting decaying buildings around the metro worth restoring.

After dying suddenly under mysterious circumstances, Kansas City philanthropist Thomas Swope became the focus of one of the most publicized murder trials of the early 20th century. It’s long been suspected that Swope’s nephew-in-law murdered him.

November's theme is…HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Five-minute stories about embracing every aspect of the holiday season. From the chaos of family gatherings, an unexpected reunion, or a kick under the table to keep the peace.

All Kansas voters will weigh in during the Nov. 3 election on whether to retain judges on the state supreme and appellate courts. In recent years, state supreme courts have been key to advancing or suspending the Trump administration’s agenda.

The new space in Power & Light is expected to feature a full Made in KC Cafe, Made in KC Neighborhood Shop and Rainy Day Books store. (@startlandnews.com)

A family-owned Kansas City grocery chain is launching a no-frills discount store amid rising food costs. (@startlandnews.com)

A body-horror novel about parasitic vampires, a beautifully designed scientific book about eerie plants and an exploration of family history narrated by the ghosts of ancestors are among Kansas City librarians’ and booksellers’ picks this Halloween season.

In 2024, Missouri became the first state to overturn an abortion ban at the ballot box. But medical providers fear those conditions could return after the Nov. 3 election. (@missouriindependent.com)

The Anti Defamation League posted on social media following Trump’s comment, but didn't mention the president by name. The ADL’s relationship with Trump is complex. He has faced multiple allegations of antisemitism, but has also been a fierce supporter of Israel.

It was hard to choose which exhibitions to include in our roundup of the best exhibits around Kansas City this time. You may even notice some spaces have two exhibitions running simultaneously, so be sure to check both of them out!

Longtime state hospital employee George Glore, created the museum because he felt there was an unfair stigma, and even a sideshow aspect, in the way society treated people who sought mental health care, especially in the 1950s when he first began.

What questions do you have about the elections? Submit them in advance on the registration form or text KCUR at 816-601-4777. This event is free to the public and there are no assigned seats.

All voters in the state will decide whether to retain a judge on the Missouri Supreme Court. Kansas City-area voters will choose if 13 circuit and associate circuit court judges will stay on the bench.

Whether you’re seeking tricks with your Halloween treats or pursuing a deeper connection with the supernatural, Kansas City is home to its own raft of magicians and occult practitioners to learn from, or simply admire.

A nonpartisan civic engagement organization bought up all of the medical debt available in Kansas through Undue Medical Debt, a nonprofit that raises donations to buy medical debt in bulk for pennies on the dollar and forgive it. That totaled more than $42 million owed. (@thebeacon.bsky.social)

Democrats are targeting Senate District 8, which includes cities in eastern Jackson County, in their effort to break the supermajority. Outgoing Republican Speaker of the House Jon Patterson and Democratic Rep. Keri Ingle are running to succeed outgoing Republican Sen. Mike Cierpiot.

The State of Kansas and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, announced Friday evening that they had resolved a dispute over some of the terms in the Chiefs' deal to move to Kansas, setting the table for the UG to drop its lawsuit against the state.

During a two-hour walk with Mayor Quinton Lucas, Historic Northeast neighborhood residents highlighted their home's best qualities and pointed out the problems in need of city solutions — not just to Lucas, but to their neighbors, too.

Kansas City Rabbi Doug Alpert was detained for several hours by Israeli forces this week while helping Palestinian farmers harvest olives in the West Bank. He joined KCUR’s Up To Date to discuss what happened.

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.

The Trump Administration is narrowing longstanding interpretations of what it means to harm plants and animals protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Nationwide, the report found PFAS at 83% of 1,602 testing locations across 40 states and the District of Columbia. (@kbianews.bsky.social)

Officials are pursuing the change after learning that the city’s public safety sales tax would not cover an all-new jail and other key projects as planned. (@thebeacon.bsky.social)

People who don’t typically vote in midterm elections were the target audience during the Wednesday night debate between Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall and Democrat Adam Hamilton.

In the Nov. 3 election, Missouri voters will decide whether 15 judges, including a supreme court justice and appellate court justice, will keep their seats. Here's what to know about the retention process and the judges up for a vote around Kansas City.

Two state supreme court justices and five appellate court judges are up for a vote in November’s election on whether they should keep their seats. Nearly all were appointed by a Democratic governor.

Kansas and Missouri elections are less than two weeks away, and KCUR’s series “What’s the Deal, KC?” is answering common questions from voters about the candidates on their ballots. Text your questions to 816-601-4777.