News
More American farmers are filing for bankruptcy. Here’s why
2+ hour, 16+ min ago (811+ words) Farm bankruptcies across the country are climbing. In 2025, farmers filed 315 bankruptcy cases, which is higher than the previous four years, according to an American Farm Bureau Federation report. These are Chapter 12 bankruptcies, which are designed for "family farmers" according to…...
Midwestern scientists join global effort to study extreme drought in grasslands
3+ mon, 22+ hour ago (1008+ words) Both the length and intensity of drought can work together to have cumulative, negative effects on grasslands, according to a new global study published in Science. An international group of scientists ran the same drought study across six continents, including…...
Families of transgender Kansas teens want to overturn ban on gender affirming care for minors
3+ mon, 3+ week ago (900+ words) LAWRENCE, Kansas " In a small Douglas County courtroom on Wednesday, a woman wearing a black blazer and a colorful bead bracelet took the witness stand. She introduced herself as Lisa Loe, a pseudonym meant to protect the privacy of her…...
Walmart opened its own beef plant in Kansas, tightening grip on the nation's supply chain
4+ mon, 3+ week ago (1669+ words) To Mike Schultz, Kansas ranchers are stuck in velvet handcuffs. Walmart, the nation's largest grocery retailer and private employer, recently expanded into the U.S. beef industry with its own processing plant in Olathe, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City. The opening…...
Missouri requests to ban junk food purchases from SNAP benefits
5+ mon, 1+ week ago (222+ words) The state of Missouri filed a request with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service Monday to refocus Missouri's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, according to a news release from the governor's office. In an executive order Sunday, Gov. Mike…...
'Whites-only' community wants to expand to Springfield, Missouri. Locals say they're not welcome
7+ mon, 1+ week ago (629+ words) The possibility of a "whites-only" organization from Arkansas expanding into Missouri has inspired bipartisan outrage from state lawmakers and local officials who decry the group as racist and antisemitic. The private membership association, called Return to the Land, owns 160 acres…...
To keep Medicaid, a Kansas City mom caring for disabled adult son must prove that she works
8+ mon, 5+ day ago (1153+ words) Four years before Kimberly Gallagher enrolled in Medicaid herself, the public health insurance program's rules prompted her to make an excruciating choice " to give up guardianship of her son so she could work as his caregiver. Now, another proposed twist…...
Midwest states east of 'tornado alley' are bearing the brunt of severe storm season. Here's why
8+ mon, 1+ week ago (1056+ words) The U.S. has had a busy and destructive tornado season so far, especially in the middle of the country. "We have had quite an active season altogether, when we're looking at the United States as a whole," said Jana Houser, an…...
How Medicaid work requirements would affect people in Midwest states
10+ mon, 2+ week ago (1455+ words) Nearly 1 million Midwesterners could lose access to Medicaid if Congress passes a law requiring states to implement a work requirement for coverage, a new analysis found. The work rule may be included in a series of cost-cutting measures in the…...
Kansas Republicans want to ban candy and soda from SNAP, but it might not help people eat healthier
9+ mon, 2+ day ago (904+ words) Adult obesity worldwide has more than doubled and obesity in kids has quadrupled since 1990. The surge in obesity came as candy, gum and other sugary treats reached record sales in 2024 " surpassing $54 billion, according to the National Confectioners Association. That number…...