Frank Morris

By Frank Morris

Kansas City – Corps Battles Levy Leaks North of St. Joe.
Death Toll in Joplin rises to 141.
Disasters Worsen Missouri Budget Shortfall.
Hundreds Protest Confinement of Alleged WikiLeaks Collaborator.
KC's First Ozone Day Arrives.
Horse Herpes Threatens Pony Express Ride.

Kansas City, Mo. – Enormous amounts of water are pouring into reservoirs up stream on the Missouri River basin, in Montana and the Dakotas.

"Second highest monthly total from 1898 to 2011," says Col. "Bob" Ruch, Commander of the Army Corps of Engineers Omaha District. "Exceeded only in 1952.", he says.

By Frank Morris

Kansas City, Mo. – Sly James Raises More Than Mike Burke in Kansas City's Mayoral Race Both Candidates Make the Other Sick, Literally.

Kansas House Puts off Voting on Yet Another Round of Spending Cuts

Missouri Senate Takes Up Right to Work Bill

Missouri State Representatives Propose Legislation to Stop the Spread of Sharia Law in the Show Me State

Kansas City, Mo. – America entered the war with a promise: As the famous WWI song said, "We won't be back till it's over, over there." Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired General Richard Myers said that was remarkably optimistic. "They went over thinking they could change the world, change the course of that war, and in fact they did!", said Myers speaking at the Liberty Memorial.

Kansas City, Mo. – Tuesday's primary elections in Kansas City yielded some serious surprises: a pink-haired Libertarian is still in the running for a seat on the City Council; a Kansas City mayor has been denied a second term for the first time in almost a century; and the woman who, until recently, was the highest-ranking politician in Johnson County, Kansas showed up at the victory party of one of the winning mayoral candidates.

Kansas City, Mo. – Former Mayor Charles Wheeler says he decided to back Mike Burke for mayor after two other former mayors, Kay Barnes and Richard Berkley, got behind Burke.

"I think the other two mayors are more important than I am in breaking Burke out, but with the three of us behind him, he has much to be proud of," said Wheeler.

All three former mayors praised Burke as someone who can work with a wide variety of people, without ever tripping over his own ego.

KANSAS CITY, MO – Seven candidates are vying to be the next mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. The primary on February 22, 2011 will narrow the field down to two. As part of KCUR's municipal election coverage, we're sitting down with each of the seven candidates in a place of their choosing.

Councilwoman Deb Hermann met up with KCUR's Frank Morris at a local Italian restaurant, a place she says is an example of a great, small business.

Kansas City, Mo. – The enormous winter storm continued pummeling the Midwest, closing roads and forcing thousands of flight cancellations as it lumbered eastward. By evening most of Kansas City was shut down. But a number of businesses, like this little hardware store in Midtown, welcomed a steady stream of customers staggering in out of the blizzard.

Kansas City, MO –

During the past decade, the U.S. Army has faced what it regards as a serious internal threat: young recruits entering in terrible shape.

In a radical shift, the Army is overhauling the way it trains, cares for and feeds new soldiers.

So, as fad workouts increasingly borrow Army terms like "boot camp," actual basic training is starting to look a bit like a new-age fitness camp but with harsh words, severe haircuts and fire arms.

Kansas City, MO –

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The number of women serving in the military has mushroomed in recent decades to more than 200,000 active duty, not counting National Guard and reservists. This growing population faces many of the same problems as men but also health and mental issues that are unique to female veterans.

Kansas City, MO – One of the few bright spots for Democrats last night was the Jackson County Executive race, where Mike Sanders handily beat Republican challenger Robert Stringfield.

Sanders says he's not worried about what the congressional sea change may mean for county government.

Kansas City, MO – Council and mayoral elections are in March, and a vote on maintain the earnings tax will follow about 2 weeks after. That means the newly elected mayor and council will be campaigning for the tax right away While it's not clear who will be taking the message to the voters, Councilman Ed Ford says it is pretty clear what they'll be saying.