Government Stories

Report: Kansas lawmakers tasking AI chatbots in the Statehouse (with no checks on responsible use)

Editor’s note: The following story was published by the Kansas News Service and KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. The Kansas News Service interviewed lawmakers on both sides of the aisle about their use of…

Bracket bash winner nets $50K in pitch doubleheader; three KC startups score spots among final four

Kansas came in clutch Tuesday — doubling the grand prize pool for this week’s Gamechangers and Champions pitch competition just before tipoff. Its jersey-clad winner scored $50,000 and a top seed among investors gathered for the state’s bracket bash for emerging entrepreneurs. “When you’re in a startup business, money never hurts, non-dilutive money even more…

Great Jobs KC secures $680K federal grant to launch 100 women into nontraditional careers

A federal initiative designed to break down modern barriers in high-demand, high-wage industries also honors the historic legacy of women in the workforce, said Karolyn Dreiling, announcing a $680,000 grant to help Great Jobs KC boost apprenticeships. “This grant is a game-changer for women in our community who are ready to break into industries where…

KCMO launching ‘Full Tilt Film Festival’ to showcase intersection of sports, film, culture

Six weeks after World Cup visitors wave goodbye, Kansas City is set to welcome sports and entertainment industry executives, celebrities, professional athletes and fans for a new signature event celebrating the art and business of sports storytelling, Mayor Quinton Lucas announced Tuesday.  The Full Tilt Film Festival — slated for Aug. 28-29 across various venues…

Bracket bash races to halfcourt, cutting pitch competitors down to 16 Kansas startups

The competition for $25,000 in startup capital is intensifying for more than a dozen Kansas entrepreneurs as a high-profile pitch event announced Wednesday that it had narrowed the field from 32 finalists to 16. Selected companies — half of which hail from the Kansas City region — advance to the next round of the 2026…