News

Update 8:33 p.m. Spring Storms Move East Out Of Metro:

The spring storm system that rolled through the Kansas City area Sunday evening brought heavy rain and high winds, but had dissipated enough to spare the region from the large hail and tornado-producing conditions that racked parts of Kansas and Oklahoma.

Still, thousands of homes and businesses were without power Sunday night and there were numerous reports of downed trees.

Kansas lawmakers couldn't end their session because they can't agree on a budget ant taxes. And Missouri legislators ended theirs without a plan for fixing roads and bridges. KCUR's Steve Bell looks back at those and other top stories on this week's Saturday News Review.

In Kansas City it's expected that the weather will jump from snowy, to balmy, to sultry in a matter of weeks.

But now that we're firmly into spring, and summer is just around the corner, restaurants are opening their outdoor patios, decks, balconies, rooftops and sidewalk seating.

Many diners love the opportunity to dine al fresco, surrounded by the beauty of nature – or asphalt parking lots. Other Kansas City diners see outdoor dining as a nightmare of bugs, noise, cigarette smoke and gawking strangers.

Performer and KCK native, Janelle Monae, is known for her gender-bending clothing and futuristic soul-meets-funk music. Keeping in her style, Monae just released her latest music video, "Q.U.E.E.N.", featuring neo-soul singer, Erykah Badu.

Looking for a great film to see the weekend of May 17-19, 2013?

The Missouri General Assembly wraps up today. Will your income taxes be cut? Will sales taxes jump to pay for highways?

It's looking more like Kansas lawmakers may not work through the weekend to finish the legislative session and could instead leave and return next week. It's getting to the point where lawmakers may not be able to finish by the end of the weekend, even if agreements on taxes and the budget are reached soon.

After a budget compromise is formed, there's a delay to prepare the bill before the chambers can vote on it. Senate President Susan Wagle, a Republican from Wichita, says it would be a stretch to wrap up the session this weekend.

The last day of this year's Missouri legislative session has arrived.  Lawmakers will be pushing to get several more pieces of legislation across the finish line.

The House passed a package of tax credits on Thursday that's still awaiting action in the Senate.  The two chambers still differ on where to cap the state's most widely used incentives - for historic preservation and low-income Housing.  Ron Richard, the Senate's Republican Floor Leader, says he hopes to get some sort of economic development bill passed.

Legislation that would revive Missouri's ailing Second Injury Fund and seek to reduce the number of occupational disease lawsuits was passed Thursday by the Missouri House.  It had already passed the Missouri Senate during pre-dawn hours on Wednesday.

The recession and recovery have been hard on many.  But, among those most effected are those between 20-24, with an unemployment rate of 13.1 percent-  almost twice the national average. 

With these challenges to financial independence many young adults are returning to their parents for financial and housing assistance. 

The signature style of the vocal group Octarium is eight singers, blended into one voice. After a decade of performances, this weekend marks the group's farewell concert. Octarium anticipates continuing to perform at least once a year, over the holidays.

An ad hoc group trying to preserve the current building layout at KCI Airport is trying another tack to halt major changes at the complex.

Would you feed your family genetically modified food? Chances are, you already have.

On Thursday's Central Standard, the science behind genetically modified (GMO) and genetically engineered (GE) food. The guests: