Lucy Valeski

The drought sweeping through the Midwest has forced many farmers to make tough operational decisions against their wishes. For Macey Hurst, a cattle farmer outside of Jefferson City, that meant cutting a third of her herd because of dry pastures and a lack of hay. These difficult decisions that often are out of farmers’ control can lead to mental health concerns.On the day Hurst brought her cattle to the market, she ended up taking the afternoon off of work to prioritize her mental health. “We h...

Missouri’s Evergy, Ameren and Liberty residential customers may soon see their utility bills change based on when they use electricity instead of only how much they use it.All three of Missouri’s investor-owned utility companies should have a majority of their customers on a time-of-use rate structure by the end of 2025. The push for time-of-use rates comes as advocates hope to put less pressure on the power grid and give consumers more choices.Power grid capacity has become a growing concern as...

I interviewed a Kansas City business leader about using AI for small businesses