Missouri

State lawmakers arrive in Jefferson City on Wednesday for the start of the 2026 legislative session. It runs until mid-May.

Football, winter weather, and the upcoming legislative session were topics of discussion at a Dec. 18, 2025, meeting of Northwest Missouri State University President Lance Tatum and Missouri Lieutenant Governor David Wasinger, who visited the Northwest campus before the state's 2026 legislative session, which begins on Jan. 7.

Missouri's minimum wage will rise to $15 on January 1.

Mayor Christal Watson said no decisions have been made on whether Wyandotte County will help pay for a new stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs. Some Kansas City, Kansas, residents worry local governments haven't been good stewards of their money.

As farmers reflect on the 2025 growing season, one disease stands out: southern rust. It's a fungus that grows on corn. The fungus spread not only into northern Missouri but also Iowa and even Minnesota. The disease is not new, but it's unusual for it to spread this far north, because it cannot survive harsh winters.