Jan 30 How Missouri Republicans want to change the process for voters to amend the constitution By Gabrielle Hays Some Republican lawmakers argue the states's ballot measure process makes the constitution vulnerable and open to out-of-state money and special interests. Critics argue the move is a "denial of democracy."… Continue reading
Jan 17 Transgender health restrictions up for debate in South Carolina as Missouri sees similar bills By James Pollard, Summer Ballentine, Associated Press The measures' consideration in the two GOP strongholds highlights the continued interest among conservative lawmakers in targeting issues impacting LGBTQ+ residents after last year's wave of high-profile bills. Continue reading
Jan 17 Watch 5:21 School leaders work to keep students in class amid rise in chronic absenteeism By Geoff Bennett, Gabrielle Hays, Dorothy Hastings Chronic absenteeism is a problem for school districts and students and the situation has grown significantly worse since the pandemic. Nearly 30 percent of students were chronically absent during the 2021-2022 school year, missing at least 10 percent of school… Continue watching
Jan 17 Chronic absenteeism is up across the country. School leaders are trying to address why By Gabrielle Hays Federal guidelines say districts should aim to have 90 percent of students in attendance 90 percent of the time. In Missouri, about 76 percent of students meet this standard, according to state data from the 2022-23 school year. Continue reading
Jan 08 A strong winter storm expected to bear down on a large swath of the U.S. midsection By Associated Press The National Weather Service says the storm has the potential to bring 8 to 12 inches of snow Monday and Tuesday to a broad area. Continue reading
Dec 28 Gypsy Rose Blanchard released on parole years after persuading boyfriend to kill her abusive mother By Heather Hollingsworth, Associated Press A spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Corrections says the now-32-year-old Missouri woman was released early Thursday from the Chillicothe Correctional Center. Continue reading
Dec 18 Watch 5:34 School districts turn to 4-day week to cope with staffing and budget shortfalls By Gabrielle Hays, Casey Kuhn Across the country, more school districts are making the change to a four-day school week. NewsHour Communities Correspondent Gabrielle Hays traveled to one of those districts in Missouri to see how teachers and parents are adjusting. Continue watching
Dec 15 Decades after historic Black hospital closes, former nurses fight to keep the memory alive By Gabrielle Hays Historian Cicely Hunter said the mere number of Black health professionals who came out of the institution was significant — the hospital educated Missouri residents, but also Black residents from elsewhere in the U.S. Continue reading
Dec 08 Missouri lawmakers propose allowing homicide charges for women who have abortions By David A. Lieb, Geoff Mulvihill, Associated Press It's a step no state has taken since the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade last year caused rapid shifts in the nation's abortion landscape. Continue reading
Dec 07 In the nation’s smallest national park, a big push to preserve history By Gabrielle Hays Along with building updates, new exhibits will be open to the public about the courthouse’s history — including 300 freedom suits filed there, the most famous of which, from Dred and Harriet Scott, made it to the Supreme Court. Continue reading