KCUR

Corn and soybean growers have seen several years of low commodity prices and increased costs for supplies like fertilizer and fuel. That has many farmers worried about whether they'll turn a profit this year and drawn some comparisons to a dark time in American agriculture.

As the world's biggest soccer tournament transformed Lawrence, Kansas, into an international destination, a collaboration with the University of Kansas' journalism program helped KCUR capture stories that unfolded far beyond the pitch.

A new law passed by Republicans in the Kansas Legislature repeals a three-day grace period for mail-in ballots that were postmarked by Election Day. Civic groups sued, calling it a "deliberate and unconstitutional assault on Kansans' fundamental right to vote."

The World Cup's arrival in the Midwest has driven an interest in soccer that cuts across generations. In Lawrence, Kansas, the local parks and recreation department is channeling that enthusiasm into weekly games of walking soccer, a slowed-down version of the sport that's more accessible to older adults.

Algeria's stay in Lawrence put the University of Kansas on the map for an international audience. KU is working to leverage that awareness to increase enrollment.

As the Trump administration continues to bolster deportation efforts, local advocacy groups have reported a rise in immigrant arrests between June 15 and July 3, while Kansas City hosted World Cup matches. The increased ICE presence across the Kansas City metro area has kept residents on edge.

Pesticide pollution is a problem especially in the middle of the country. And sometimes there's enough of it to possibly hurt aquatic plants and animals.

The majority of tornadoes this year have blasted through states in the Midwest and Southeast, including Illinois, Missouri, Indiana and Iowa. Tornado activity has been increasing east of the Great Plains in recent decades.

On Aug. 4, voters in Kansas and Missouri will decide multiple, consequential ballot issues, vote in primaries for U.S. House and Senate seats, plus decide local and county-level races on both sides of the state line.

Even before Kansas City was made an official host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Lawrence city officials, the University of Kansas and other groups prepared to be a welcoming base camp.