Kansas City Today

A veto override marked a low point last week for Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who objected to a new congressional map pushed through by Kansas Republicans. The override spurred a lawsuit Monday from the ACLU of Kansas.

But Kelly saw some success, too, with the passage of a major financial incentive package that seeks to draw a large but unnamed company for a multi-billion-dollar production plant.

Kelly spoke with Steve Kraske on KCUR’s Up to Date on Friday about this legislative year and how her time in office is going.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love with Trevor Grandin and edited by Gabe Rosenberg & Lisa Rodriguez.

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

An intra-party conflict among Missouri Senate Republicans has exploded into angry recriminations both on and off the Senate floor, including an epic 36-hour session that dragged on from Monday evening to after midnight Wednesday morning.

The conflict is roiling a party that has super-majority control of both legislative chambers, as well as the governor’s mansion. Across the divide from the Senate leadership is a group of eight GOP colleagues called the "Conservative Caucus," who are demanding that Missouri pass a 7-1 Republican-dominated map.

"We have to play hardball too in Missouri," says state Sen. Denny Hoskins of Warrensburg.

KCUR's Brian Ellison spoke with Hoskins about redistricting and the turmoil among Republicans affecting this year’s legislative session.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love with Trevor Grandin and edited by Gabe Rosenberg & Lisa Rodriguez.

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

For years now, Missouri lawmakers have attempted to make it illegal for people convicted of domestic abuse to own or access firearms — with no success. This year, Missouri state Sen. Lauren Arthur, a Democrat from Kansas City, is sponsoring a bill aimed at dealing with that issue. Arthur and Annie Struby of the Rose Brooks Center spoke with KCUR’s Steve Kraske on Up to Date.

Across vast stretches of the country, the first responders to a fire are all volunteers. But the number of calls for help has tripled in recent decades, while the ranks of volunteers look decidedly thinner — and then the pandemic hit. As KCUR’s Frank Morris reports, the staffing struggles are especially hurting rural Kansas, where wildfires raged in mid-December.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love with Trevor Grandin and edited by Gabe Rosenberg & Lisa Rodriguez.

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

While a wave of COVID-related absences has forced several local school districts to temporarily close their doors, Kansas City Public Schools has managed to stay open. Now, teachers are asking for "all hands on deck" as they consolidate classes and skip planning periods to keep kids in the classroom. KCUR’s Jodi Fortino has more from teachers grappling with another semester marked by the pandemic.

For one homeowner in Iowa, an unfamiliar property law allowed someone to claim the title to her house without her knowledge. It's called a "quiet title action," and there are similar laws across the Midwest. As Iowa Public Radio’s Kassidy Arena reports for the Midwest Newsroom, these laws disproportionately affect homeowners who don't speak English fluently.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love with Trevor Grandin and edited by Gabe Rosenberg & Lisa Rodriguez.

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

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has laid out his plans for the future of the state's education, infrastructure, and COVID response. In an interview on KCUR's Up To Date, Parson talked about recent fights with far-right lawmakers over his nomination of a health department director, and recent efforts by the state Attorney General to sue school districts with mask mandates.

Parson also spoke about his view on the "Second Amendment Preservation Act," which is now being weighed by the Missouri Supreme Court, as well as the Kevin Strickland case.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love with Trevor Grandin and edited by Gabe Rosenberg & Lisa Rodriguez.

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