News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
On the Ballot | Missouri Abortion Rights
Introduction Amendment 3 presents Missouri voters with the decision to overturn the state’s abortion ban and enshrine the right to an abortion in the state constitution. Its inclusion in Missouri’s November ballot is a direct result of a citizen-led campaign that gathered more than 380,000 signatures. If passed, Amendment 3 would overturn Missouri’s abortion ban,…
KC Live Theater Provides Alternative to What People Miss in Shrinking Congregations
When the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre presents “Freud’s Last Session” the weekend of Nov. 22, the audience will hear a debate about God’s existence by actors playing Sigmund Freud, founder of psychoanalysis, and C.S. Lewis, one of the 20th Century’s most important Christian writers. But the goal won’t be to convince anyone of any religious, spiritual,…
On the Ballot | Missouri’s Minimum Wage
Introduction Proposition A will appear on Missouri’s November ballot, asking voters to decide on raising the state’s minimum wage and implementing paid sick leave. If approved, the minimum wage would increase to $13.75 in 2025 and $15 in 2026, with annual adjustments based on inflation. The law would also require businesses to provide paid sick…
On the Ballot: Navigating Missouri’s Ballot Initiative
Introduction This short video takes a deep dive into the process behind Missouri’s ballot initiative petitions, a key tool for citizen-driven democracy. The episode features Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and grassroots organizer Justice Gatson, who walk viewers through the complex journey from drafting a ballot measure to gathering the necessary signatures and ensuring…
Services for Those Impacted by Violent Crime
[Transcript: Damon Daniel, President and CEO of the AdHoc Group Against Crime] Hello, my name is Damon Daniel, president and CEO of the AdHoc Group Against Crime. For some, AdHoc is the emergency room for social services, and for others, it’s the trust and bridge between the community and the criminal justice system. We work…
Nick’s Picks: Top Headlines for Sept. 9
ABORTION AMENDMENT COULD BE AXED FROM THE MO BALLOT A public vote on abortion in Missouri is now in danger of being kicked off the November ballot. A judge ruled Friday that the proposed amendment, which was placed on the ballot after 380,000 Missourians signed a petition, violates state law because it fails to mention…
‘Buy Nothing’ Helps Neighbors Share More Than Free Stuff
‘Buy Nothing’ is about more than getting rid of stuff – it’s also about building community and saving the environment. You can find just about anything in a Buy Nothing Project group – from brown bananas to fine china. Perhaps one of the strangest gifts? “Somebody either had or needed chinchilla droppings for their…
Sheep, Native Plants and Fire Tested as Methods for Managing Invasive Honeysuckle Next to the Blue River
Editor’s Note: Additional information was added into this article to identify the species of bush honeysuckle that impacts Missouri. For information on identifying invasive honeysuckle or other invasive plants, visit the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Website. Something is suffocating Missouri’s forest floors. It’s leafy, it’s dense, it’s pervasive, and it can grow so thick that…
Missouri Business Tests New Net to Catch Invasive Carp Leaping Out of Platte River
A little ripple tears through the muddy water. It’s small. It’s so small, in fact, that coupled with the regular movements of the river, you wouldn’t even notice it – unless you knew what to look for. Within seconds, a silver carp flies out of the water and launches itself several feet into the air….
Kansas City Exceeds Need for Electricians as Green Energy Grows
Naomi Alexander spent two years studying accounting at Missouri Southern State University before deciding it was not the right path for her. When her father, a lifelong sprinkler fitter, suggested she consider a trade career, he “lit a fire” in her, she said. After doing some research, Alexander enrolled in the Missouri Apprentice Ready Program,…