Kansas City is getting more than $79 million from the federal government for public safety ahead of the World Cup, leaders announced yesterday.

Why it matters: Organizers and public officials want to be ready for anything ahead of the city's massive fan influx this summer, although leaders say there are no specific threats at this time.

Driving the news: Congress is giving KC $59 million from its FIFA World Cup Grant Program, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II (D-Missouri) said yesterday at a news conference at CPKC Stadium.

• A large portion of that money will go toward paying for additional officers across law enforcement agencies during the event, including overtime, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said at the event.

What they're saying: It's a 24-hour day operation for 39 days, Graves said, adding that residents should expect "a lot more public safety presence, but also a fun, exciting environment."

Between the lines: The grant is part of President Trump's 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act, with funding authorized from the Department of Homeland Security through FEMA.

• ICE has said its Homeland Security Investigations directorate will be a key part of World Cup safety plans.

The intrigue: Law enforcement is getting an additional $14 million through the federal Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program, designed to "protect the public from hostile drones," according to the grant's website.

By the numbers: Money from previous congressional funding packages includes more than $2 million to the KC Area Transportation Authority for customer support and safety technology, plus about $2 million to the Mid-America Regional Council for license plate readers.

• And KCPD received more than $2 million for additional police vehicles and aviation technology support.

The bottom line: "These are investments that stay within our community," even after the World Cup, Mayor Quinton Lucas said, "making sure we have the resources to host the next big event."

Go deeper: KC's World Cup Fan Fest: Dates and themes

A judge will decide today whether Missouri's 2025 congressional map, which splits Kansas City into three districts, violates the state constitution.

Why it matters: The map will shape Missouri's 2026 midterm elections and could affect the partisan balance of the state's congressional delegation.

Zoom in: The case, Healey v. Missouri, challenges House Bill 1, which Gov. Mike Kehoe signed during a special session to redraw Missouri's congressional districts and divide KC.

• The lawsuit says Missouri can redraw congressional districts only after a new U.S. census is certified, a once-a-decade process. Plaintiffs argue lawmakers acted outside that timeline in 2025.
• They are asking the court to block the map from being used in future elections.

Between the lines: The Missouri Constitution requires congressional districts to be compact and contiguous. Courts have said districts must form "closely united territory."

• Plaintiffs say the new map is not as compact as required and argue Missouri's 4th, 5th and 6th congressional districts now stretch more than 200 miles, dividing long-established KC neighborhoods.

The other side: Republican state leaders have defended the Legislature's authority to redraw the map during a special session.

• A Cole County judge ruled earlier this month that Gov. Mike Kehoe had constitutional authority to call the special session.
• That decision did not address whether the congressional map violates the compactness requirement.

What's next: Congressional candidate filings begin Feb. 24, increasing pressure for a clear answer on which district lines will be used.

• Jenkins said courts have the authority to adjust filing timelines if necessary.

What we're watching: Separately, a political organization called People Not Politicians submitted roughly 300,000 signatures seeking a veto referendum that would let voters decide in November 2026 whether to repeal the map.

• The secretary of state must verify those signatures before the measure can qualify for the ballot, and separate lawsuits are challenging aspects of that process.

Learn more

⚽️ Algeria will make base camp at Rock Chalk Park at KU in Lawrence, per KC2026, bringing the metro total number of teams to four. (News release)

📊 KC TechBridge rolled out a new dashboard tracking local tech hiring, showing most openings are for mid-career roles across the region's $12.4 billion industry. (KC Chamber)

🏀 The WNBA is coming back to KC for the first time since 2005. The Minnesota Lynx will play Nigeria's national team in a preseason game on April 27 at T-Mobile Center. (KSHB)

Residents in Kansas and Missouri could stand to exercise a little more, according to new Apple Watch data.

Why it matters: When you exercise more, your resting heart rate tends to be lower, which is associated with better cardiovascular health and can lower your risk of heart disease.

Zoom in: Kansans had the sixth-lowest average daily exercise (27.8 minutes) with an average resting heart rate of 64.2 bpm.

• Missourians fared a little better with daily exercise (29.7 minutes) but had about the same average resting heart rate. Must be the barbecue.

Zoom out: People in D.C., New York, Massachusetts and Vermont recorded the most exercise and the lowest resting heart rates.

• Meanwhile, states where heart disease rates are particularly high — including Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma — tracked some of the least exercise and highest resting heart rates.

Yes, but: The highest state averages are still within a normal resting heart rate range.

💭 Travis' thought bubble: My Garmin watch (sorry, Apple) says my average resting heart rate is 48 bpm, although it factors in sleep.

• No wonder I don't hear my alarms sometimes; I'm practically comatose.

Bottom line: Your resting heart rate is one of the simplest signals of heart health — and the more you move, the better your numbers tend to be.