This article was produced with ProPublica as part of its Local Reporting Network initiative. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published. This story is available in plain language. One weekday morning in July, Kerstie Bramlet was at her workstation inside the Warren County Sheltered Workshop near […]
Missouri Allows Some Disabled Workers to Earn Less Than $1 an Hour. The State Says It’s Fine If That Never Changes.
Posted inHealth
Rural lifeline or potential monopoly? MU Health Care plan would allow expansion even if competition shrinks
Proposed legislation would give MU Health Care broad freedom to expand across 25 mid-Missouri counties. Experts warn it may not be needed for rural hospital acquisitions and could harm competition.
Posted inMeeting Notes
MARC tapped to administer $59.5M in World Cup security funding
The Mid-America Regional Council will handle the work through a $400,000 contract with the local organizing committee for the games.
Posted inBehind the Beacon
Kansas City, what World Cup stories should we cover?
We’re ramping up our reporting around the World Cup in Kansas City
Posted inLabor
Kansas City’s tipped workers could pay the price for World Cup culture clash
KC restaurants are split on adding automatic tips during the World Cup. For tipped workers the stakes are real — and the safety net is thin.
Posted inLocal Government
The Royals ‘think big.’ Proposed stadium at Crown Center would be the fourth-most expensive major league ballpark
The Royals have pitched a $1.9 billion stadium. That’s twice as expensive as Atlanta’s Truist Park and quadruple the cost of Denver’s Coors Field.
Posted inHealth
Children’s Mercy Hospital unveils plans to add $1 billion tower
The announcement of the new facility near Gillham Road comes as the pediatric hospital expands into new communities and reports growing patient numbers and revenue.
Posted inMeeting Notes
KCK seeking public input on improvements to Welborn Park
A community survey is open through May 17.
Posted inKansas
Kelly vetoes Kansas property tax relief plan as lawmakers’ efforts falter again
Lawmakers have promised for years to fix sky-high property tax bills. But the 2026 session ended with lawmakers in both parties saying more needed to be done to help.
Posted inHealth
‘The dirt is contaminated.’ Across Kansas City’s urban neighborhoods lead lurks in the soil
On both sides of the state line, city leaders are working to clean up lead contamination of vacant lots to improve public health and encourage economic development.
Posted inMissouri
‘I’m looking at possibly losing our house.’ Some low-income workers fear Missouri income tax elimination’s impacts
With many low-income workers already living on razor-thin margins, increases to the sales tax could mean deciding whether to eat or pay rent.