News & Issues

Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.

Bike shop owner Allen Voss

Extensive Missouri Bike Trail Plan Creates Both Hope and Lawsuits

Just outside St. Louis, Missouri, on a high, windy bluff overlooking the Missouri River, a trio of grey-haired cyclists pump up tires and make adjustments to their bikes while their friend Henry Lazarski paces the parking lot, eager to get rolling.

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Mike Burke on the set of Ruckus

Is a $300 million downtown convention hotel worth it?

In 2018, Kansas City will formally open an 800-room, $300 million convention center hotel downtown. However, this project does not fall solely upon the private sector, such as the Hyatt corporation which will run the hotel. Kansas City has given the project tax breaks and other potential benefits including exclusive catering rights. Civic leaders such as Mike…

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From the NewsHour: The Legacy of Head Start

Fifty years ago today, President Lyndon Johnson announced the creation of Head Start, the government program designed to support low-income children and families. In its latest American Graduate report, the NewsHour’s April Brown produced this story abut how the program has impacted the lives of millions of children.

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Fighting Junk-Food Marketing, in KCK

For customers stepping inside Abarrotes Delicias, the noise, traffic and heat of the surrounding Kansas City, Kansas, neighborhood seem to disappear. The small store offers everything from tacos to snacks to money transfers – or just an air-conditioned place to hang out and watch TV on a lazy afternoon. Owner Graciela Martinez says she tries to provide a welcoming personal touch when serving her customers, who comprise a diverse sample of nearby residents.

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Kansas Legislature Makes No Move To Shield ACA Subsidies

Some state legislatures are moving to shield residents’ federal health insurance subsidies in advance of a U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding the Affordable Care Act. The Kansas Legislature is not among them. As Kansas lawmakers work toward a tax plan to end the 2015 session, they have not had any briefings on the King v….

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