Frank Morris

Freight railroads could stop rolling at midnight Friday if negotiators don't stop a looming strike over working conditions. Congress could end a strike quickly, but a brief shutdown hurts the economy.

White residents took the boulder to Lawrenceville, Kansas, nearly 100 years ago. The Kaw say it is a reminder of everything that has been taken from them and what some see as invasion and genocide.

Labor issues are making staples of school dining hard to find, triggering the worst supply chain headaches these institutions have faced in years. "It's like a ginormous hurricane," one official says.

A new universal mask mandate goes into effect Monday in Kansas City, where COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising. The last mask mandate there sparked a mayoral recall effort.

Hundreds of small universities across the country may need to be shuttered due to COVID-19, and that means many tiny college towns across the country are also at risk.

Missouri is the first state to sue China for spreading the coronavirus. But China is protected by the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. Missouri claims there are exceptions.

While most states have blanket lockdowns, some are a patchwork, with cities and counties mandating their own rules.

The coronavirus will likely take longer to reach remote rural communities but may be more devastating. Though there may not be public transit or big crowds, rural areas are vulnerable in other ways.

Meth is back "with a vengeance," police say. Now made mostly by superlabs in Mexico, it is stronger, cheaper and more prevalent, cutting across demographic barriers and sparking serious crime.

Despite a reputation for being suspicious of government and outsiders, some rural residents now say state funds are needed to help fix the big economic and drug problems faced by small towns.