Mold Remediation in Kansas City, MO

Early voting is well underway in Missouri and Kansas, with some voting lines stretching for blocks. Hours of waiting, much of it outdoors, can leave voters hungry, thirsty and frustrated.

To counteract this fatigue, some organizations turn to the practice known as line warming. The term doesn’t just refer to literally warming up voters with hot beverages, hats and scarves as they wait in the cold: It was popularized in 2020 to refer to any acts intended to make voters more comfortable as they wait in long lines.

Whole nonprofits have popped up in recent years around the concept — one, called Pizza to the Polls, deploys food trucks and pizza deliveries to long lines that anyone can report through the organization’s website. Pizza to the Polls served up slices in Blue Springs on Monday as early voting lines stretched for hours.

But some find line warming a controversial practice that veers too close to election interference. A Georgia law made headlines in 2022 for banning any type of “money or gifts, including, but not limited to, food and drink, to an elector” waiting in line to vote. Critics pointed out that an act as small as giving a voter a bottle of water in sweltering heat would violate the ban.

While that law has been partially overturned, other states also restrict the practice. Florida, Arkansas and Montana also have line warming bans in place, and a longstanding ban in New York dating back to 1906 was struck down in federal court just this past summer.

Neither Missouri nor Kansas explicitly allow or prohibit non-partisan line warming activities. However, there are some restrictions to keep in mind if you’re planning to bring water, pizza, snacks or other items to the polls.

In Missouri, it’s a class three election offense to offer “any money or valuable consideration … in order to induce any voter to vote or refrain from voting.”

Kansas defines election bribery as offering voters “any benefit” to someone in order to get them to go to the polls, stay home from the polls, or vote for or against any candidate or issue.

Since voters waiting in line have already decided to vote, giving them food or water can be seen as an action that doesn’t directly affect that decision. But volunteers should ensure that the free items aren’t given out transactionally or on the condition that voters cast a ballot.

Kansas also bans electioneering within 250 feet of a polling place — although that practice is defined as “knowingly attempting to persuade or influence eligible voters to vote for or against a particular candidate, party or question.” When done in a nonpartisan way, passing out food and water likely won’t meet this definition.

In order to steer clear of accusations of voter coercion, it’s important for line warmers to ensure they distribute supplies to everyone equally, and avoid making statements or wearing merchandise indicating a political position.

That’s why groups like Pizza to the Polls explicitly distribute food without any preconditions.

“The food is free for anyone there — people in line, their kids, poll volunteers and staff, and anyone else hungry for a slice,” the group writes on its website.

It’s also a good idea to keep line warming supplies generic and low-cost. Expensive food or items that wouldn’t normally be given away for free could be seen as bribes, opening volunteers to scrutiny.

According to the American Bar Association, “there can be legitimate concerns that a candidate or partisan organization providing a voter with an item of more than nominal value, given to the voter in the moments before voting, could unduly influence the voter’s decision.”

Therefore, the best way to avoid accusations of “vote buying” or other fraud is to hand out low-cost drinks and snacks without any preconditions or partisan messaging.

Do you have more questions about voting in the upcoming election on Tuesday, Nov. 5? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.

This story was originally published November 5, 2024, 4:00 AM.

The Kansas City Star

Natalie Wallington is a reporter on The Star’s service journalism team with a focus on government, labor, sustainability and local utilities. Her coverage of the region’s recycling system won a Feature Writing award from the Kansas Press Association in 2024.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pop superstar Taylor Swift returned to Arrowhead Stadium on Monday night to see the Kansas City Chiefs and her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after wrapping up the U.S. leg of her record-setting Eras Tour.

It wound up being a good night for both of them.

Swift was able to celebrate Kelce’s big night, which included 14 catches for 100 yards in a driving rain, along with a victory for the Chiefs. They trailed by a touchdown in the fourth quarter, scored twice to take the lead, then headed to overtime, where they won the coin toss and drove for a touchdown that gave them a 30-24 win.

Kelce, who had fumbled earlier in the game, had two of his catches on the decisive drive in overtime. His total receptions was a career-best for a regular-season game, matching a 14-catch performance in a 2023 playoff win over Jacksonville, while his 16 targets from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was just one shy of his career high.

“He does a great job of finding space,” Mahomes said, “and I think with having DeAndre (Hopkins) out there, it takes pressure off where not all the attention is on him the entire time. And whenever he gets going, man, he’s hard to stop.”

Swift is finally getting a chance to stop herself after playing the last of three shows at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Sunday to conclude the U.S. portion of her tour. The rest of her tour heads to Canada with the first of six shows at Rogers Centre in Toronto on Nov. 14 and three shows in December at BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Swift began her high-profile romance with Kelce last season, when he invited the “Anti-Hero” singer to watch him in a September matchup with the Bears. Since then, the two have spent plenty of time together, often with cameras following every move.

Swift’s arrival in a black outfit and Chiefs coat Monday night came on the eve of the presidential election, in which the 14-time Grammy winner has thrown her support behind Vice President Kamala Harris. That generated a stir when Harris’ rival, Donald Trump, began to reference Swift’s friend and Mahomes’ wife, Brittany, as a supporter of his campaign.

Patrick Mahomes has declined to endorse anyone in the election, instead urging people to register to vote.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid watched as the Buccaneers drove down the field in the final minute of regulation, and Baker Mayfield threw a touchdown pass that put Tampa Bay within a 2-point conversion of ending Kansas City’s perfect start to the season.

Bucs coach Todd Bowles admitted to giving “very minor” thought to going for 2 before kicking the extra point that sent the game to overtime.

“I’m glad he didn’t,” Reid said with a smile.

That’s because the Chiefs won the ensuing coin toss, and Patrick Mahomes capped a big day — 291 yards passing and three touchdowns on a gimpy ankle — by going 5 for 5 on the only drive of overtime. Kareem Hunt finished it off, along with his 106-yard rushing performance, by plunging into the end zone from 2 yards out to give Kansas City a 30-24 victory on Monday night.

“Everybody had a piece of this,” Reid said.

DeAndre Hopkins had eight catches for 86 yards and two TDs. Travis Kelce had 14 catches for 100 yards with Taylor Swift watching from a suite. And a defense missing a couple of key players to injuries held Mayfield to 200 yards passing and two touchdowns, and shut down a Tampa Bay running game that managed just 95 yards.

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The result was familiar: The Chiefs won their 14th straight dating to last season, the longest streak since Carolina started 14-0 in 2014, and they became just the sixth Super Bowl champ to start 8-0 the following season. They also have won their last eight games when trailing in the second half, including the postseason.

The Buccaneers had their chance when Mayfield hit Ryan Miller in the end zone with 27 seconds to go. But rather than go for the win, Bowles decided to kick the extra point — and Bucs ended up losing for the fourth time in five games.

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“We’ve got guys who are not going to quit fighting to the end,” Tampa Bay wide receiver Sterling Shepard said. “I’m really proud of the group and the way everybody fought. We’ve just got to clean up some little stuff. And that’s what this league is all about.”

It was a memorable first half for two players who’d been waiting to play in Arrowhead Stadium.

The Bucs’ Rachaad White grew up about 10 minutes away in a tough part of Kansas City, but his family could never afford a ticket for him to see a game. He wound up taking a circuitous path through Division II Nebraska-Kearney and a California junior college to Arizona State, where he eventually became of a third-round pick of Tampa Bay in the 2022 draft.

Two year later, White finally got into Arrowhead — and the end zone. He punctuated his 7-yard scoring run in the second quarter, which gave the Bucs a 7-3 lead, by nearly tossing the football all the way into the second deck.

“I can’t even count right now,” White said, when asked how many friends and family were watching from those stands.

Then it was Hopkins’ turn in his first home game since arriving in Kansas City from a trade with the Titans.

The three-time All-Pro, who already had caught four passes at that point, reeled in a third-down heave from Mahomes amid triple coverage for a 35-yard gain that put the Chiefs inside the Tampa Bay 5. Three plays later, Mahomes found him in the back of the end zone, and Hopkins celebrated his first TD with the Chiefs with a dance from “Remember the Titans.”

“That’s one of my favorite movies,” he said. “I knew if I got in the end zone I was going to remember the Titans.”

Tampa Bay tried to seize control with consecutive scoring drives to start the second half. The first ended with a TD pass to Cade Otton, the latest tight end to shred the Chiefs, and Chase McLaughlin’s 47-yard field goal gave the Bucs a 17-10 lead.

The Chiefs answered in the fourth quarter, though. Mahomes marched them through the driving rain 70 yards for the tying touchdown pass, which he delivered to Samaje Perine while landing awkwardly and tweaking his left ankle, and then threw a laser to Hopkins on third-and-goal from the Buccaneers 5 to give Kansas City the lead.

Mahomes said later the ankle injury scared him more than hurt him. He was checked in the sideline tent but was quickly back to throwing balls in an effort to stay loose, and he never gave Reid an opportunity to pull him from the game.

“You feel the pain and that scares you,” Mahomes said, “because I’ve dealt with ankles before. But I just kind of laid there and as time went on the pain subsided. I just kind of got to it, and got moving again and felt comfortable going out there.”

Tampa Bay promptly went three-and-out after Kansas City took the lead, but its defense got the ball right back, and this time Mayfield calmly led his team down the field. His capped the drive with a touchdown toss to Miller — his first career TD catch — with 27 seconds to go, and Tampa Bay elected to play for overtime.

It wound up being a decision the Buccaneers would regret.

Injuries

Buccaneers: LB Yaya Diaby (chest) briefly left the game. CB Josh Hayes (calf) dealt with cramps in the second half.

Chiefs: WR Mecole Hardman (shoulder) and DE George Karlaftis (hip) were hurt but returned to the game.

Up next

Tampa Bay hosts San Francisco on Sunday.

Kansas City hosts Denver on Sunday.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs have kicked off from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in a Monday Night Football showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

—

UPDATE, 10:25 p.m. | The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Buccaneers 30-24 in overtime at GEHA Field at Arrowhead.

UPDATE, 10:15 p.m. | The Kansas City Chiefs and Buccaneers are heading to overtime after being knotted up 24-24.

Update, 9:50 p.m. | The Chiefs scored in the fourth quarter to take a 24-17 lead over the Buccaneers.

UPDATE, 9:25 p.m. | The Chiefs scored in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 17.

UPDATE, 9:10 p.m. | The Buccaneers extended their lead over the Chiefs and lead 17-10 in the third quarter.

UPDATE, 8:50 p.m. | The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took a 14-10 lead over the Chiefs in the third quarter.

BUCS ON ???? pic.twitter.com/w6KB256dig

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) November 5, 2024

UPDATE, 8:30 p.m. | The Kansas City Chiefs lead the Buccaneers at halftime at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

UPDATE, 8:10 p.m. | The newest member of the Kansas City Chiefs wider receiver corp, DeAndre Hopkins, helped the team take a 10-7 lead over the Buccaneers.

D HOP WELCOME PARTY‼️ pic.twitter.com/fk8N4ZeMRX

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 5, 2024

UPDATE, 8:00 p.m. | Kansas City native Rachaad White scored in the second quarter to give a the Buccaneers a 7-3 lead over the Chiefs.

Kansas City's very own ???? https://t.co/cSLSB0ive2 pic.twitter.com/jamdnfYR0g

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) November 5, 2024

UPDATE, 7:45 p.m. | The Chiefs lead the Buccaneers 3-0 after one quarter.

End of 1 in KC. pic.twitter.com/hbCSYvgEGv

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 5, 2024

UPDATE, 7:15 p.m. | The Chiefs have kicked off and look to remain undefeated in a Monday Night Football showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

UPDATE, 5:57 p.m. | Taylor Swift arrived in style for Monday night's game.

UPDATE, 5:52 p.m. | The Chiefs released their inactives report ahead of kickoff.

Our inactives for MNF ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/q89TR9M5LX

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 4, 2024

UPDATE, 5:20 p.m. | KSHB 41 News reporter Rachel Henderson drew the Chiefs tailgating assignment today. She reports fans are pushing through the wet weather.

UPDATE, 5 p.m. | Recently acquired receiver DeAndre Hopkins looks to expand his role in his second game with the Chiefs.

How many TDsyds for DeAndre Hopkins? #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/Iz6Gt1Q7Yg

— McKenzie Nelson (@McKenzieMNelson) November 4, 2024

UPDATE, 4:40 p.m. | Mahomes.

Patrick Mahomes ????#ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/8QUDypqz0Q

— McKenzie Nelson (@McKenzieMNelson) November 4, 2024

UPDATE, 4:30 p.m. | A majority of the players have now arrived. KSHB 41's McKenzie Nelson caught a few of them as they walked down the tunnel into GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Andy Reid is here #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/IXQB0v7I83

— McKenzie Nelson (@McKenzieMNelson) November 4, 2024

Creed Humphrey with an updated piece of duck tape #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/uruDKEM9gw

— McKenzie Nelson (@McKenzieMNelson) November 4, 2024

How many TDs for Justin Watson and Noah Gray tonight? #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/idxkHAbmwL

— McKenzie Nelson (@McKenzieMNelson) November 4, 2024

Harrison Butker clocking in ⏰ #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/8f08dIKXcL

— McKenzie Nelson (@McKenzieMNelson) November 4, 2024

UPDATE, 3:56 p.m. | KSHB 41 Sports Director Mick Shaffer has drawn player arrival duty this afternoon. So far, he's seen Chiefs defensive lineman Derrick Nnadi and guard Joe Thuney.

I’m on interior lineman duty. Joe Thuney and Derrick Nnadi checking in. pic.twitter.com/oVsVRAvyg9

— Mick Shaffer (@mickshaffer) November 4, 2024

EARLIER | Tonight’s game marks the second time this season the Chiefs (7-0) have hosted a Monday Night Football game.

In the first game, the Chiefs defeated the New Orleans Saints (who fired their coach early Monday) 26-13 in Week 5.

The Chiefs could face a stiffer test tonight against the Bucs (4-4), who are looking to keep pace with the Atlanta Falcons in the AFC South.

Here’s a look at key times for tonight’s game:

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department stations are being remodeled to include gender-neutral bathrooms and sleeping spaces.

KCFD Station 34 is now closed for firefighters as contractors are working towards making those improvements quickly. Station 44 will also have completed renovations this year.

Each fire station is receiving upgrades to its sleeping quarters and bathrooms as part of a 2021 City of Kansas City, Missouri initiative to include all-gender bathrooms in city-owned facilities.

Buildings will also be getting a cosmetic facelift with new paint and flooring. Overall, the projects are taking 6-9 months to complete.

Read More: Remodeling ongoing at several Kansas City fire stations in efforts to follow city regulation

“Over the years, times have changed. We have to update and change with them, said Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. “In the early days, open bunkers, open locker rooms, things like that were just kind of the norm.”

Firefighters put their lives on the line every day as they come into work at all hours of the day, grab their gear, get on the firetrucks, and chase toward danger to help community members. Some firefighters though have felt uncomfortable when having to the restroom or lie down to go to sleep.

Hopkins said the changes are about necessarily complaints they’ve heard.

“This was, and still is, a male-dominated field. However we’re making great strides in that as that starts to change, we have to adapt and make sure our facilities are up to date as well.”

Firefighters are being moved to other KCFD stations or nearby partners like Claycomo.

Hopkins said they put in a lot of thought to ensure their firefighters were able to continue their mission to serve people in their districts.

“We could have moved [station 34] to station 6 off [NE Parvin Road], but then this is part of their district. The response times wouldn’t be as good so ultimately at the end of the day it’s about the citizens and residents of Kansas City and we want to make sure we can respond as quickly as possible.”

Hopkins said it is inconvenient for their staff for now, but there will be a chance to improve recruitment efforts when all projects are completed.

“They’re here for 24 hours and spend a third of their life here so we want it to be a nice facility for them and then also on the recruitment aspect that if someone wants to come work for Kansas City, we don’t want an old station to be a deterrent.”

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