News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
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,…
Nick’s Picks | DNC in Chicago, KC Symphony Takes Europe, KCPS Seeks New Funds
Trump VP pick in KC The road to the White House finally cuts through Kansas City this week. Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance will be in Johnson County on Thursday. He is headlining a fundraising reception at a private home in Mission Hills. Currently, Vance has no plans to meet with the public while he’s…
A New Way to Pay for Long-Term Care Insurance
Here’s a potential solution for folks who want to buy long-term care insurance but don’t have the cash to cover premiums.
College Students Grapple with Housing Troubles as Costs Soar
Sydney Johnson did everything right. Still, water poured from her ceiling. The now-graduated University of Missouri student spent winter break taking classes and staying at her off-campus apartment. A few weeks earlier, property management sent instructions for how to avoid pipe bursts during cold months, which Johnson followed. But her upstairs neighbors were not so…