Good Tuesday Morning, thanks for joining me for Up First in the Four States, from KRPS. I’m Fred Fletcher-Fierro. Let’s first take a look at local weather,

Sunny, nice and breezy today throughout Southeast Kansas, winds up to 23 miles per hour, highs in the upper ‘70s. Mainly clear tonight, just a slim chance of rain overnight, lows in the upper ‘50s. Mostly sunny skies Wednesday and Thursday, highs tomorrow in the mid ‘70s, before highs fall back into the mid ‘60s on Thursday.

Kansas is defending its decision to black out parts of a $100,000 report that examines the state’s prescription drug spending.

The Missouri Department of Social Services is warning of a scam on social media.

The U-S Department of Agriculture will be sending hemp farmers a survey for the very first time this week.

Due to an abnormally low flu season last year, scientists and doctors are uncertain about how severe this flu season is going to be.

Security at Kansas City International is on pace this year to tie the record for numbers of guns seized at the airport.

The final Third Thursday of the year will take place later this week in downtown Joplin.

Missouri’s first-ever regulated black bear hunt began on Monday, after decades of efforts to rebuild the population.

A new online newspaper is starting up in Springfield, MO and it will be housed on the Missouri State University campus.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says an inmate in the Crawford County Jail is charged with murder after beating another inmate, who later died.

And now for our feature of the day,

Schools across Kansas are struggling to find substitute teachers in the midst of a lingering pandemic and national labor shortage. .

If you want to talk to me directly I’m on Twitter @morningsonkrps.

Thanks for joining me for the up first in the Four States podcast. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.