You can bet on almost anything during the Super Bowl. Money changes hands based on the result of the coin toss, the color of Gatorade dumped on the winning coach and the length of the national anthem. In 2023, Kansans took full advantage of the chance to bet on sports. They bet $194 million in […]
State Government
Posted inState Government
Missouri Amendment 5: Voters can OK or reject a new casino at the Lake of the Ozarks on Nov. 5
Missourians, long restricted to sites along the Missouri or Mississippi rivers for casino gambling, will decide whether to add another river to that list during the Nov. 5 election. Amendment 5 will ask Missouri voters if they want to allow an additional casino on the Osage River, near the Bagnell Dam at the Lake of […]
Posted inState Government
Air conditioning is coming to some Missouri prisons. But it will take years and cost millions
Missouri lawmakers took a step toward improving conditions in some Missouri prisons last year by setting aside millions to install air conditioning in one of the state’s 17 prisons. That cooler air is still a year and a half away. That decision came as global temperatures broke summertime heat records. Prisoner rights advocates celebrated the […]
Posted inState Government
A Missouri panel of lawmakers looks at immigration — and gets pushback
It’s like clockwork each election cycle. Politicians reach for an old playbook, brandishing images from the southern border, claiming that undocumented migrants steal jobs and commit violent crimes at an alarming rate. The intent is to sow fear and misinformation about immigrants for political advantage. During Tuesday’s presidential debate, Donald Trump talked about immigration more […]
Posted inElections
Sports betting in Missouri: Everything you need to know about Amendment 2
Missourians could soon legally bet on sports from their own homes — instead of driving to Kansas or Illinois to place bets. Legalizing sports wagering will appear as Amendment 2 on the Nov. 5 general election ballot. Missourians 21 or older would be allowed to bet if it passes. Read the full amendment here. Here’s […]
Posted inState Government
Evergy is hoping its regulators OK higher electric bills for its Missouri West customers
Evergy confused and angered its Missouri customers in 2023 when it rolled out time-of-use rates that meant prices would run highest when people use the most electricity. Missourians, especially those on fixed incomes, complained of high costs and having to choose between things like groceries and their medications or powering their homes during peak hours. […]
Posted inState Government
How to make your voice heard on the proposed 2025 Evergy West rate hikes
Evergy Missouri West is proposing a 13.99% increase in its rates starting in January, amounting to over $104 million for the utility provider. While the rate increase will need to be approved by the Missouri Public Service Commission, the state’s utility regulator, the public can let the commission know how it feels about the rate […]
Posted inState Government
Missouri Democrats, tired of seeing uncontested Republicans, recruit more legislative candidates
Correction: This story has been corrected to reflect the part of the state Melissa Viloria worked in as a volunteer and the first year House candidates ran in new districts after redistricting. When Melissa Viloria was growing up in northeast Missouri, few people in power that looked like her. Viloria was born in Hawaii to […]
Posted inElections
Missouri votes yes on Amendment 4, forcing Kansas City to increase police spending
Missouri voters once again approved a ballot measure that requires Kansas City to increase its minimum police funding – but by a much narrower margin than in 2022. Amendment 4 passed with 51% of the statewide vote, compared to 63% of voters supported the measure. The measure requires Kansas City to spend at least 25% of its […]
Posted inElections
Missouri election results: Voters reject Amendment 1, property tax exemptions for child care providers
Missouri voters on Tuesday rejected a pitch to give state lawmakers the power to pass property tax exemptions for child care facilities. Amendment 1 failed, with roughly 55% of Missourians voting ‘no’ on the measure in unofficial results. The measure would have let the General Assembly pass legislation exempting child care providers from their property […]