Kansas regulators give Evergy a smaller electrical rate hike than it asked for

Takeaways:  Kansas regulators dialed back electric rate hikes that Evergy wanted to impose on its customers. Electric rates will now go up slightly for former Westar customers in the central part of Kansas and tick down for customers who used to get their kilowatts from Kansas City Power & Light. Evergy says, on average, its…

Suburbs braced to use the legislature to block a south Kansas City landfill

Takeaways: Subdivisions, restaurants and retail shops pop up around Lee’s Summit and Raymore amid rising property values as single-family homes spread across what was farmland just a few years ago. But residents say a proposed 430-acre landfill could threaten that growth. And they’ve rallied together to block it — raising money and deploying lobbyists to…

Missouri Republicans go after ‘woke’ investing to prevent state funds from being used in the fight against climate change

Some Missouri officeholders want to make sure that state funds aren’t used to promote “woke political agendas.” An effort is underway to ban state involvement with banks that prioritize climate action or other socially driven investments.  Conservative legislators have joined peers in other Republican-run states in a movement against environmental, social and governance investing. Known…

The growing green jobs industry could mean more jobs for Kansas Citians

Before securing a position as a manager at KC Can Compost, a nonprofit dedicated to reshaping Kansas City’s approach to environmental and social causes, Chris Shelar was unhoused off and on for eight years.  Now 60, Shelar lived in outdoor spaces and panhandled for change to get by. Eventually, he found steady work as a…