The Beacon
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Nonprofit news you can trust in greater Kansas City, Kansas and Missouri. www.thebeaconnews.org
Polls are closing and votes are being tallied! Check out live results for your local and statewide races and ballot questions here: buff.ly/eejEMAz
Missouri and Kansas election results: Aug. 4. 2026
Find live results for Missouri Amendments 1, 2, 4 and 5 and Kansas results on making Supreme Court justices electable.
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Here's how to make the most of Missouri's back-to-school sales tax holiday, even if you don't have children.
Why you don’t have to be a student to enjoy Missouri’s back-to-school tax holiday
Sales tax on certain clothing, school supplies and computers is waived Aug. 7-9.
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Missouri Amendment 5 ads have wildly different messages. Some claim taxpayers would keep more of their money. Others warn of consequences for taxpayers and state funding. The Beacon analyzed the ads and spoke with each side to make sense of the claims.
Breaking down the claims in Amendment 5 ads
The Beacon analyzed Amendment 5 ads to examine the claims and what the amendment actually does.
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Kansans will decide Aug. 4 whether to keep the state’s current process for selecting Supreme Court justices or to make the positions elected.
Kansas voters to decide whether to make Supreme Court justices electable
Kansans will decide Aug. 4 whether to keep the state’s current process for selecting Supreme Court justices or to make the positions elected.
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As cyclospora cases climb in Missouri and Kansas, public health investigators are tracing illnesses through a vast produce supply chain. Some advocates argue regional food systems could make future outbreaks easier to contain.
Vast produce supply chain complicates tracking cyclospora in Kansas and Missouri
As cyclospora cases climb in Missouri and Kansas, public health investigators are tracing illnesses through a vast produce supply chain, while some advocates argue regional food systems could make…
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Do you want to serve your community, improve government transparency and get paid while doing it? The Kansas City Documenters program trains and pays residents to attend and take notes on local government meetings. The next training session is coming up — learn more here: buff.ly/Mof4pRy
Kansas City housing advocates won big in 2022 when the city asked voters to approve $50 million for the city’s Housing Trust Fund. Now City Hall wants permission to add more money to that pot to get more affordable housing built. Here's what to know:
FAQ: A ballot question to fund nearly 5,000 affordable housing units
What is the Housing Trust Fund? Will a “yes” vote increase my taxes? What kind of housing would the $100 million help fund?
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Kansas City-area schools raise the alarm about an "impending fiscal crisis" if Missouri eliminates its state income tax.
Supporters say Amendment 5 won’t harm education funding. Schools aren’t so sure.
The amendment’s sponsor says it won’t affect schools in the short term and could help in the long term. But critics say it leaves too many unanswered questions.
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Question 3 asks Kansas City voters to extend a one-eighth-cent sales tax that helps fund projects in the city's urban core.
Kansas City Question 3: CCED sales tax explained
A guide to Kansas City Question 3: the boundaries, the cost, the projects built so far and the arguments around renewing the CCED sales tax.
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With DaRon McGee not running for reelection, three candidates are competing to represent the 4th District in the Jackson County Legislature. Learn more about the Democratic primary candidates' backgrounds and priorities here:
Who will represent south Kansas City and Grandview in the Jackson County Legislature?
Current 4th District Legislator DaRon McGee is not seeking reelection, leaving an open seat in the county legislature. Two Democrats and one Republican are campaigning to replace him
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Four candidates are vying to represent the 3rd District in the Jackson County Legislature. Here are their stances on property taxes, data centers, Truman Sports Complex and more:
Two Democrats and two Republicans compete for a seat on Jackson County Legislature
The August election candidates for Jackson County's 3rd District include Dennis Rowland, Phyllis Hernandez, Tony Miller and Scott Qualls
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Whoever wins the Aug. 4 Democratic primary to represent the 2nd District in the Jackson County Legislature will run unopposed in the general election to represent eastern Kansas City and northern Raytown. Learn more about who's running here:
Jackson County’s 2nd District candidates talk property taxes, stadiums and data centers
Whoever wins in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary will run unopposed in the general election to represent eastern Kansas City and northern Raytown.
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Property taxes, public transit, the future of Truman Sports Complex and more — candidates for Jackson County's 1st and 2nd at-large districts share their vision for the future of the county.
These five candidates want to represent all of Jackson County in the legislature
Incumbents Jalen Anderson and Donna Peyton are fending off primary challenges in the 1st and 2nd at-large districts, respectively. The candidates weigh in on property taxes, public transit and the…
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Kansas City voters will decide on two big-dollar water system questions in the Aug. 4 primary election. Here’s everything you need to know.
FAQ: Kansas City’s two $750 million water and sewer bond questions explained
The ballot language, the history, the projects and the money. Here’s everything you need to know about Kansas City’s Aug. 4 water and sewer bond questions.
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Two Republicans competing to serve on the Kansas State Board of Education share their top three priorities for improving education in the state.
Meet the Republican primary candidates for the Kansas State Board of Education
The winner of this election will face Democrat Amy Diediker for a spot on the board this November.
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Nearly 86,500 fewer Missourians are enrolled in the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Experts point to rising costs as a key factor.
Missouri ACA marketplace enrollees drop almost 25% as higher costs take hold
Missouri saw one of the nation’s steepest drops in ACA marketplace enrollment, with experts pointing to rising costs as a key factor. While the drop in Kansas was not as large, more than 20% of those…
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As new Medicaid work requirements loom, community groups in Kansas City are working to help people maintain their coverage.
‘We want to reach everyone’: Kansas City church and health leaders promise to fight for Medicaid
New work requirements and twice-yearly eligibility checks are expected to cause millions of adults to lose Medicaid coverage.
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Promised a World Cup surge, Urban Restaurant added staff and translated its menu. But the surge didn't come. “But at the end of the day,” co-owner Justin Clark said, “I don’t know what else the city could have done, because they probably didn’t know either — or did they know?” buff.ly/8Jcg1mb
The same six Kansas City hospitals and community health clinics keep receiving health levy contracts year after year. In November, the health department started to look at whether that should change.
$31.5 million for uninsured Kansas Citians goes to the same six providers
The city may change how the health levy tax dollars designated for indigent care are allocated. Health leaders want a new bidding process.
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Kansas City’s limited public transit made it difficult for World Cup visitors to explore Troost, said Armando Vasquez, co-owner of Anchor Island Coffee. “When you look at how the city is built, you know, everyone gets confused, and they just have to stay where they are,” he said. buff.ly/8Jcg1mb
Troost Avenue businesses miss out on World Cup bump
But owners didn't expect a surge of customers anyway.
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Ruby Jean’s Juicery founder Chris Goode approached Kansas City's World Cup promises with “healthy skepticism.” His takeaway: the city should have set realistic expectations so small businesses didn’t prepare for crowds that never came. buff.ly/8Jcg1mb
Troost Avenue businesses miss out on World Cup bump
But owners didn't expect a surge of customers anyway.
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Who's running for Jackson County executive, and what are their top issues? Read our guide here:
Get to know the six Democrats running for Jackson County executive
All six Democrats running for Jackson County executive listed property taxes as the top issue. But their other two top priorities varied.
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A new $100M housing fund hopes to create or preserve thousands of homes across the Kansas City area.
$100 million fund could spell more Kansas City affordable housing
A $100 million fund aims to help fix Kansas City’s affordable housing shortage with low-cost money for developers. Similar funds show promise and limits.
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Missouri and Kansas have only a few more months to lower their SNAP payment error rates or face millions in new costs for food assistance benefits.
Missouri and Kansas error rates still too high to avoid paying more for SNAP
As states scramble to reduce payment error rates, enrollment in the food assistance program continues to decline.
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🗳️ What's on Missouri's August primary ballot? Here's our guide with everything you need to know before you vote:
Taxes, assessors and initiative petitions: Your guide to the August Missouri primary
Sales and income taxes, county assessors and initiative petition changes dominate the state ballot this year.
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Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools is launching four major construction projects, a visible result of the $180 million bond voters approved in November 2024.
KCK steps up work on school buildings promised with $180 million bond package
Work on an addition to Sumner Academy of Arts and Science began this spring, and construction of three new KCK schools is scheduled to start later this summer.
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Across Kansas City, it’s easy to find vacant office buildings collecting dust. Those buildings present a challenge to city planners trying to revitalize KC's urban core, but they could also be a solution for the city's housing shortage.
Converting office buildings could help solve KC housing shortage - Beacon: Kansas City
A new tax credit could fill financial gaps and help convert old office buildings to address the Kansas City housing shortage.
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After a unionizing effort among KU Health System pharmacy technicians narrowly lost, state officials said missing ballots must be added to the count.
Healthcare union fight: Ballots delayed in the mail must be counted
After a unionizing effort among KU Health System pharmacy technicians narrowly lost, state officials said missing ballots must be added to the count.
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The Kansas City, Kansas, school board narrowly voted to notify the public that it plans to collect more property tax money next year, but that decision isn't set in stone.
Make cuts or more taxes? KCK school board considers its options
A divided board voted 4-3 to “exceed revenue neutral,” meaning it may collect more taxes to cover growing costs. But the decision isn’t final until August.
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Do World Cup extended bar hours pay off for workers? Is it safe for visitors and locals? One of our reporters spent nearly 10 hours in a downtown bar to find out. buff.ly/PxW8gFk
Barfly on the wall: An inside look at a World Cup match night in a 5 a.m. bar in Kansas City
Argentina vs. Algeria filled the screens, but here’s what we saw from the table of a downtown bar on a match night and what extended alcohol service hours actually looked like.
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