Kansas City Today

Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins rejected a citizen referendum that would have given voters the chance to overturn the new Republican-drawn congressional map. Hoskins said the measure was unconstitutional, but the group People Not Politicians said he's being "obstructionist."

A petition championed by the group People Not Politicians appears to have gathered more than enough signatures to put the map up to a statewide vote. But Hoskins says the referendum itself is unconstitutional, so the signature count is moot. Brian Ellison spoke to both People Not Politicians Executive Director Richard von Glahn and Hoskins on KCUR's Up to Date.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Seth Jahraus 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 residents overwhelmingly voted against proposals to eliminate the income tax and change how citizens can change the Missouri constitution. Meanwhile, Kansans elected Reverend Adam Hamilton as the Democratic opponent to U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall and Democrat Cindy Holscher and Republican Ty Masterson will face each other in the race for Kansas governor.

KCUR's Brian Ellison breaks it all down with news director Madeline Fox.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Byron Love, Seth Jahraus and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Luke X. Martin.

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

Today, Missourians will decide the fate of a proposed constitutional amendment that gives lawmakers the ability to expand sales and use taxes in order to eliminate the state income tax.

While proponents of the measure believe it would create growth for Missouri, opponents say it will increase the cost of living in the state. Sarah Kellogg reports for St. Louis Public Radio.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Seth Jahraus 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 want to make it harder to amend the state’s constitution, but even backers of Amendment 4 acknowledge it’s getting a rough reception. Plus: Missouri’s 6th Congressional District has an open race for the first time since 2000.

Missourians will decide Tuesday whether to make it harder for some constitutional amendments to be enacted. Backers say that the current process drowns out rural voices — but opponents counter that it gives too much power to the state legislature. St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum reports.

Like the 4th and 5th Congressional Districts, the boundaries of Missouri's 6th District are different for this week’s primary. Now, it includes more of the Northland. KCUR news director Madeline Fox sat down with elections reporter Grace Hills to talk about the 6th District primary.

Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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

Missouri’s Republican supermajority redrew the state’s congressional boundaries last year to make the 4th and 5th districts a tougher battle for Democrats. We'll talk through the races before Tuesday's primary, the first election under the newly gerrymandered map.

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, and Kansas City's 5th Congressional District, have been front and center in the battle over Missouri redistricting. Republicans opened up old segregation wounds in their new maps by dividing Kansas City along Troost Avenue to make Cleaver’s district harder for Democrats to win. KCUR news director Madeline Fox sat down with race and culture reporter Celisa Calacal to talk about the Aug. 4 primary.

Redistricting also put Republican Rep. Mark Alford, who’s held the 4th Congressional District since 2023, in the hot seat. KCUR news director Madeline Fox sat down with Missouri government reporter Savannah Hawley-Bates to talk about the race.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Laura Ziegler. It is produced by Byron Love 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.

People living in homeless encampments say Missouri and Kansas cities have been more aggressive about enforcement since a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision. Plus: Latino communities in Wichita are on edge after immigration agents asked a bus full of people to present proof of citizenship.

Two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court decided cities, counties and states could pass camping bans, forbidding unhoused people from sleeping outdoors in public spaces. Several cities in the Midwest have done so. The Midwest Newsroom’s Nicole Grundmeier has more.

A bus carrying people to Mexico made a stop in north Wichita. For the first time, ICE agents asked the drivers and passengers to show citizenship documents or work permits. KMUW’s Meg Britton-Mehlisch and Jennifer Anima report.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Noah Taborda. It is produced by Seth Jahraus 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.

As Gov. Laura Kelly finishes out her last term in office, seven Republicans and three Democrats are making their case to replace her. Find out about the candidates before the Aug. 4 primary. Plus: The cyclospora outbreak has some people scrutinizing where their produce comes from.

Advance voting has begun in Kansas for the Aug. 4 primary, which will whittle the candidates for Kansas governor down to one Republican and one Democrat. KCUR news director Madeline Fox sat down with elections reporter Grace Hills to talk about the race.

Cyclospora causes an illness called cyclosporiasis, which can make people have extreme diarrhea and other symptoms. The disease has some Kansans looking to local growers for their produce. Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga reports for the Kansas News Service.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Jodi Fortino. It is produced by Seth Jahraus 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 World Cup has come and gone in Kansas City. What could its success as a host city mean for future events?

Pam Kramer, the CEO of KC2026, discusses what went right and what she would do differently were the city to host another mega-event on KCUR's Up To Date with Steve Kraske.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Celisa Calacal. It is produced by Seth Jahraus 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.

In the Aug. 4 election, Kansas Citians will decide whether to extend a sales tax aimed at re-developing neighborhoods east of Troost, and vote on $1.7 billion in bonds for water and sewers. What's at stake in the votes?

Kansas City Star Dylan Lysen gives Steve Kraske a breakdown of the measures on KCUR's daily talk show, Up To Date.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love 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.

Maud Wagner, one of the country’s first known female commercial tattoo artists, was born in Emporia, Kansas. She joined a sideshow act with her sister until a fateful meeting pushed her to pursue carnival stardom, inked from head to toe.

Memorabilia from Wagner's career makes up a large body of this country’s early tattoo artifacts. From A People's History of Kansas City, KCUR’s Julie Denesha reports.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love 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.