Missouri and Kansas still allow a toxic weedkiller tied to Parkinson's
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What is paraquat and why is it linked to Parkinson’s disease?
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This is Kansas City Today. I'm Nomi Nouji-Yedin. Today is Tuesday, August 18th. Coming up, in 2026, lawmakers across the Midwest tried and failed to ban paraquat, a toxic weed killer that's been tied to Parkinson's disease. Among them was a state senator who's living with Parkinson's. He plans to keep fighting.
This isn't about me. It's about anybody that is exposed to paraquat, whether it's me or not, that the health of the common good was important.
Plus, the federal government has released new rules controlling how farmers can use the controversial herbicide dicamba.
We have to have every tool in the toolbox. Weeds are not getting easier to kill.
But will the rules solve the problem of dicamba drift? But first, some headlines. A new Kansas law bans all active shooter drills in elementary schools and some drills in middle schools. Daniel Cottle has more.
A new state law aims to make drills more consistent across schools and reduce stress on students. It bans active shooter simulations through eighth grade.
How are Kansas and Missouri lawmakers responding to paraquat bans?
Those drills mimic a real police response or the presence of a shooter. John Calvert is the head school safety specialist for the state. He says the law bans shooter drills of any kind for elementary schools. They can, again, learn through tabletop. exercises, talking through, having the educator, the adult in the room, go through and say, hey, if something bad were to happen, we want to go over here. Middle and high schools can still conduct typical active shooter drills, but they have to notify parents and let them opt out.
The Western Auto Building's iconic sign will once again light up the Kansas City skyline tonight. KCUR's Julie Denesha
reports. The bright neon arrow has been restored and 3,000 bulbs have been replaced on the 70-foot-tall sign at 21st Street and Grand Boulevard. Infinity Sign Systems Director of Operations Scott Baldwin says... Our first challenge was really finding a product that would work well up there, but also still look like the old incandescent bulbs, that nice warm glow. Kansas City contributed $100,000 to restore the aging sign as part of an initiative to restore night lighting on metro landmarks.
Eight months after the Kansas City Chiefs announced their move to Kansas, progress is slowly marching forward. Kate Mays has more.
The team has not yet announced the exact location of its new stadium in Wyandotte County, but there's been a lot happening behind the scenes in Olathe, where the team's headquarters and training space will move. Kansas City construction company Burns & McDonald will oversee that $300 million project, and Populous will design the team's facilities and the surrounding mixed-use development. The team's move is set for the 2031 season. However, Chiefs President Mark Donovan said last month they haven't decided if the annual summer training camp will stay in St. Joseph.
Why did the new federal dicamba rules spark controversy among farmers?
The Chiefs said they will release design renderings of the headquarters and training facility in the coming months.
We'll be back after this.
KCUR and Interurban Art House are celebrating the Kansas farm girl who went on to become America's first female commercial tattoo artist. And the local tattoo scene today. Join us for People's History of Kansas City live Thursday, September 24th in Overland Park. More info and tickets are at kcur.org slash tattoos. Kansas City's flood of 1951 gained national attention not just for its immense devastation, but also for how communities responded in the aftermath. Worst floods in the Midwest's recorded history. Kansas City rallied. It really did. How the 51 flood reshaped the city's identity on the podcast, A People's History of Kansas City.
Exposure to a highly toxic weed killer called Paraquat is tied to the risk of developing Parkinson's disease. Both Kansas and Missouri have high rates of mortality from the illness.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is paraquat and why is it linked to Parkinson’s disease?
0:00–1:19
2
How are Kansas and Missouri lawmakers responding to paraquat bans?
1:19–3:04
3
Why did the new federal dicamba rules spark controversy among farmers?
3:04–4:50
4
What are the real‑world impacts of dicamba drift on crops and trees?
4:50–6:34
5
How do farmers balance weed control with environmental safety under the new rules?
6:34–8:05
6
What alternative tools or practices could replace paraquat and dicamba?
8:05–9:48
7
How are community members documenting and responding to herbicide damage?
9:48–11:40
8
What can listeners do to stay informed and support safer pesticide policies?
11:40–13:31
Speakers
1 identifiedMore from Kansas City Today
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