National News

DALLAS – GasBuddy, the fuel savings platform empowering drivers to choose their road to savings, Wednesday released its 2026 Summer Travel Survey results and forecast, revealing that American road trip culture is showing resilience even as gas prices surge to levels not seen in years. GasBuddy forecasts the national average will reach $4.48 per gallon […]

LENEXA, KAN.  – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $13,488,000 in new Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) grant funding to address PFAS and emerging contaminants in Missouri communities that need it most. This new funding is part of a comprehensive, lifecycle-based strategy to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that underscores EPA’s commitment

LENEXA, KAN.  – This week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of approximately $80 million through the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant program to help communities address stormwater and sewer infrastructure needs. These grants will strengthen systems that safely capture and manage stormwater to help prevent contaminants, including untreated sewage, from polluting nearby waterways. The agency will

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As warmer weather arrives, the risk of children falling from open windows increases significantly. In recognition of National Window Safety Week 2026, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reminding American parents and caregivers of simple, effective steps to protect children from preventable falls from windows.   Each year, thousands of young

CLARKSDALE, Miss. – The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) is making $4 million available to support workforce development throughout the lower Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions.   Funded through the Delta Workforce Grant Program (DWP), DRA will make targeted investments toward projects and initiatives aimed at bolstering the local and regional workforce of

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced today that its new Federal Safety Standard for Water Beads is now in effect. Water beads manufactured after March 12, 2026, must meet the new federal performance, labeling and testing requirements designed to reduce the risk of serious injury or death. Specifically, the new standard establishes: A maximum

KANSAS CITY – The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Midwest Region advanced 0.6 percent in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported.   The all items less food and energy index increased 0.4 percent, led by rising prices for shelter. The index for energy and the index for

KANSAS CITY – The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Midwest Region advanced 0.6 percent in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported.   The all items less food and energy index increased 0.4 percent, led by rising prices for shelter. The index for energy and the index for

Commentary from the Desk of Regional Administrator Jim Macy LENEXA, Kansas – When an environmental emergency strikes or there’s a question about possible chemical contamination, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can deploy state-of-the art science, technology and trained emergency responders to our communities across the four-state region.  That’s exactly what we did at a recent emergency response