Kansas City Today
Kansas City Today is a daily news podcast from KCUR Studios bringing you all things Kansas City, wrapped up in 15 minutes or less. Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, it’ll be waiting in your feed every weekday. Hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin.
Breaking down the election for Kansas governor this November
With less than two weeks until Election Day, Republican Ty Masterson leads Democrat Cindy Holscher in the race for Kansas governor. Plus: How the deportation of a parent can affect children's mental and physical health.
Kansas Democratic state Sen. Cindy Holscher is working to boost her name recognition as she campaigns against Republican Senate President Ty Masterson. Both candidates have made education a priority, but face different challenges heading into November. Kansas Statehouse reporter Zach Boblitt explains.
Immigration enforcement doesn't just affect those who are deported. The Midwest Newsroom's Steph Conquest-Ware reports on one family...
Dorothy gets ruby pointe shoes for the Kansas City Ballet
In the Kansas City Ballet’s production of “The Wizard of Oz,” running through Oct. 25, Dorothy Gale’s ruby-red pointe shoes sparkle with hundreds of tiny rhinestones. Plus: Horse racing is back in Kansas for the first time in 16 years, with gambling revenue helping attract competitors from surrounding states.
Creating a little magic takes a lot of work. KCUR’s Julie Denesha went behind the scenes with the Kansas City Ballet to see the craftsmanship that goes into one of the most recognizable accessories from "The Wizard of Oz."
The reopening of Eureka Downs could signal a n...
What's behind the Jackson County anti-crime sales tax vote
Jackson County voters on Nov. 3 will decide whether to renew the county’s 1/4-cent anti-crime sales tax, known as COMBAT. The tax generates between $25-30 million per year to support the county's crime and drug prevention efforts.
If passed, the tax will be renewed for 10 years to fund courts, the county prosecutor’s office, law enforcement agencies and nonprofit organizations. KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with Up To Date's Halle Jackson about what a vote for this renewal means.
Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.
Where Marshall and Hamilton stand on Kansas issues
The U.S. Senate race in Kansas has attracted national attention. But where do Republican incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall and Democratic nominee Adam Hamilton stand on affordability, healthcare, the war in Iran and other issues that matter to Kansan? Plus: Missouri produces the third-most beef cattle in the country but the spike in diesel prices has been hitting farmers hard.
It’s a tighter race than usual for the U.S. Senate in Kansas, with both major parties pouring in lots of resources and a flurry of political advertising — President Donald Trump is even planning a tr...
Kansas City used flawed math for its Royals stadium financing
The Kansas City Council passed a financing package that moved the Royals’ stadium development forward in a big way. The deal will tap 30 years of tax growth to repay the costs of construction, to the tune of $1.4 billion. Economists say it's deeply flawed.
KCUR reporter Celisa Calacal outlined how Kansas City plans to finance the new Royals ballpark, and what the experts say, on Up To Date with Steve Kraske.
Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.
Kansas City Today is hosted by No...
Are Kansas City's roads any safer for kids?
Since a 9-year-old girl was struck and killed by a car while riding her bike to school in Kansas City one year ago, city leaders, local organizations, and families have been trying to improve traffic infrastructure and car culture to make streets safer.
Since Hazen Workman-Duffy's death last October, signs banning right turns on red have been installed in dozens of school zones. KCUR’s Celisa Calacal sat down with education reporter Jodi Fortino to talk about the changes to traffic safety.
Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook fo...
Breaking down the Jackson County elections this November
The makeup of the Jackson County Legislature will change dramatically after the November election, with seven of nine seats getting new representatives. There are also no returning faces in the race for Jackson County executive, after years of scandal and controversy over property taxes.
Jackson County voters will elect a nearly entirely new legislature this November, and a brand new county executive. Steve Kraske spoke with The Beacon's local government reporter Josh Merchant about the candidates running for office, their priorities and the biggest issues facing Jackson County.
Contact the show at [email protected]...
Cookiegate: Roger Marshall's campaign pays off bakery bill
A Kansas bakery's Facebook post about an unpaid bill from 2020 went viral — because the delinquent customer was Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall. After the $678 bill ended up making national news, the Marshall campaign settled its debt, with interest.
The owner of a south-central Kansas bakery did not expect a Facebook post she made last week to go viral and end up featured on the New York Times homepage. Holly Thomas, the owner of Holly’s Sweet Treats on Main Street in Hutchinson, said the campaign for Marshall failed to pay her for cookies and baked goods made for...
Kansas, the battleground state
Early voting begins in much of Kansas this week — where a critical U.S. Senate seat and most state offices are on the ballot. The big races for governor, secretary of state and attorney general are all closer than expected.
KCUR’s Brian Ellison spoke with Grace Hills and Zach Boblitt, who are on the campaign trail for the Kansas News Service, to get up to speed. Learn more about your ballot, and how to register to vote, with KCUR's 2026 election guide.
Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for...
Most Kansas City medical bill lawsuits come from 2 hospitals
Two Kansas City area hospitals have been suing patients over unpaid medical bills. We’ll hear why medical debt is becoming a bigger part of many people’s lives.
Nomin Ujiyideen spoke with healthcare reporter Suzanne King, of the nonprofit news outlet The Beacon. King recently publish two stories about local hospitals suing patients over medical debt, and the impact this can have on patients' lives.
Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.
Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is prod...
Why Midwest electricity bills are rising
Midwestern ratepayers have seen utility bills rise in recent years, as growing demand puts pressure on an aging electric grid. Also, as large data centers pop up around the country, a Missouri scientist is raising concerns about an often-overlooked form of pollution: noise.
Utilities across the Midwest have requested billions of dollars in rate hikes as households and large companies use more energy. But new demand, including from data centers, could also bring investment that helps modernize the electric grid and offset costs for customers. The Midwest Newsroom’s Holly Edgell reports on what’s driving higher bill...
Western Kansas left to recover after ICE raids hit beef industry
A few weeks ago, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents began descending on western Kansas. More than 100 people were detained, leaving communities and the massive local beef industry to deal with the aftermath.
Southwest Kansas has a large immigrant population. After residents in several towns noticed unfamiliar vehicles driving around, reports of ICE arrests began to emerge. On KCUR's Up To Date, Steve Kraske spoke with High Plains Public Radio reporter Calen Moore about how families and communities are dealing with the effects.
Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook...
How Amendment 6 could change direct democracy in Missouri
A proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution this November would make it harder for state lawmakers to change or overturn laws passed by voters through the initiative petition process.
Missourians will vote on Nov. 3 on Amendment 6, which would strengthen protections for the state’s initiative petition process and require a higher threshold for lawmakers change voter-approved measures. On KCUR's Up To Date, Steve Kraske spoke with Jack Cardetti, a spokesperson for the Yes on 6 campaign, and state Sen. Joe Nicola, a Republican from Grain Valley who opposes the amendment.
Contact the show at [email protected]...
Behind the Kansas constitutional amendment vote this November
A proposed amendment to the Kansas constitution would specify that only U.S. citizens may vote in elections. But the problem, according to opponents, is that non-citizens are already prohibited from voting.
Kansans will vote on Nov. 3 whether to rephrase the constitution’s requirements for participating in elections to clarify "only" a person who is a citizen of the United States is eligible to vote. Steve Kraske spoke with state Rep. Pat Proctor, a Republican from Leavenworth County who's running for Secretary of State, and Davis Hammet, president of Loud Light Civic Action, who testified against the am...
8,000 games for Royals broadcaster Denny Matthews
The Kansas City Royals celebrated Denny Matthews’ 8,000th game behind the mic during last week’s matchup against the Cleveland Guardians. An inductee into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Matthews has been "the voice of the Royals" since the team first began 57 years ago.
Nearly 20 years and thousands of games later, Matthews is continuing on to his 59th season. Steve Kraske spoke with Matthews about his time inside the broadcast booth of Kauffman Stadium.
Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.
Kansas City...
What Soakie's meant to Kansas City's Black queer community
For years, Soakie's in downtown Kansas City was one of the only Black gay bars in the United States. The bar closed in 2004, as development began on the Power & Light District, but a new historical marker remembers its impact.
Soakie's started out as an Italian sandwich shop, but became home to many in Kansas City's Black LGBTQ+ community. The bar eventually closed when development began to ramp up in the area. Steve Kraske spoke with Nasir Montalvo, founder of Black/queer Kansas City, and drag icon and former Soakie's employee Craig Lovingood AKA Tisha Taylor about their...
A Missouri resident sues over Medicaid work requirements
A Kansas City Medicaid enrollee is among several plaintiffs suing over policy changes that would require medically frail people to prove their condition significantly impairs their ability to work. Plus: Massive restrictions on federal food benefits are being felt especially hard in rural areas, where food insecurity is on par with urban centers.
Some Missourians who rely on Medicaid are complaining that the Trump administration could force them to go back to work, even though they have medical conditions that should keep them from doing so. Steve Kraske spoke with Missouri Independent reporter Steph Quinn about a...
'Free births' on the rise in Missouri and Kansas
Home births have been increasing in Missouri and Kansas. And "free birth," when a person gives birth without the help of a medical professional, has been popularized in recent years by influencers. Hear why experts are concerned, but women who have done it say the practice is misunderstood.
Experts say that free births carry a lot of risks, but as Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga of the Midwest Newsroom reports, free birthers say they’re misunderstood.
Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.
Kansas City Today is...
Missourians will vote again on abortion in November
If approved by voters on Nov. 3, Missouri Amendment 3 would repeal abortion rights guaranteed in the state Constitution. It also would ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth — something that's already prohibited by state law.
KCUR's Steve Kraske spoke with Anna Spoerre, reproductive health reporter for The Missouri Independent, on Up To Date about Amendment 3.
Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.
Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Em...
What the Flock?
Flock Safety cameras have sparked bipartisan uproar with many worried that the cameras, which scan license plates, infringe on privacy. Misuse of the cameras and their data has been documented across Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. Also, more farmers are fixing up their decades-old equipment rather than buying new.
Flock Safety cameras have become one of the most discussed and controversial technologies over the past few months. As St. Louis Public Radio’s Chad Davis reports for the Midwest Newsroom, the automatic license plate readers have gotten pushback from both parties across the Midwest.
Farming is...
How one Kansas City woman escaped an abusive relationship
Violent crime is going down in Kansas City, but cases of domestic violence are rising. Domestic violence often happens behind closed doors, and in some cases abuse begins subtly and progressively gets more intense. We'll hear from a survivor about what it took for her to leave the relationship, and how she found help.
Abuse survivor Carrah Jones and Billie Orr, managing attorney of Legal Aid of Western Missouri, spoke to KCUR's Steve Kraske about the steps to get out of a volatile domestic situation and what resources are available to help.
If you...
The latest in the legal back-and-forth over Missouri redistricting
A federal appeals court has again sided with Missouri Republicans, ruling the state must use the GOP-leaning congressional map passed by lawmakers last year. Plus: how new limits on federal student loans are impacting future physicians in Kansas.
KCUR's Steve Kraske spoke with senior news analyst Brian Ellison about the latest redistricting ruling and the Missouri Democratic Party's next move on Up To Date.
Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.
Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byro...
For one rural Kansas town, pros of data center investment might outweigh cons
Communities are killing data center proposals faster than ever. But in a struggling small town, the idea of investment measured in billions of dollars can dwarf anything city leaders had ever hoped to attract previously. Hear the appeal data centers may have to places the information age has so far left behind.
If there’s one thing liberal Democrats, MAGA Republicans, and most Americans in between might agree on, it’s data centers. Cities and counties across the country are blocking them over water and power usage, noise pollution and AI concerns. But as KCUR’s Frank Morris...
Kansas City school districts have tough budget choices to make
Public school funding continues to fall across the U.S., with Missouri facing its own tight budget. Schools are facing tough decisions like collecting more in taxes, reducing staff members and programs, closing buildings — or all of the above.
Lower tax revenue, rising inflation and the end of COVID-19 funding are a few reasons that public schools are seeing smaller budgets, leading many districts to close school buildings or collect more taxes. Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with KCUR education reporter Jodi Fortino, who explains how these changes could affect the student experience in Kansas and Missouri.
Co...
Layoffs at the Kansas City Star will hurt local communities
McClatchy, one of the biggest newspaper companies in the country, laid off dozens of journalists last week, including several in Kansas City. These decisions not only affect the news you see, but also the way that local government functions.
Joy Jenkins, a professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, says that a recent Northwestern University study found that three-quarters of newsroom jobs have disappeared since 2005. Jenkins tells KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin why that doesn’t bode well for the communities that these newsrooms cover.
Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Ins...
Kansans turn to 'loan closets' for expensive medical equipment
As medical costs rise, Kansans are turning to organizations called Medical Loan Closets that lend out donated items like wheelchairs and walkers for little or no cost. These medical loan closets are helping people maintain their independence, especially for aging residents.
Some Kansans are finding that even with insurance, medical equipment can be hard to afford. Organizations called Medical Loan Closets can help. Think of a lending library, but instead of books, there are wheelchairs, walkers and much more. Roger Nomer of the Kansas News Service reports.
Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow...
Missouri's 5th District race is vastly different now
The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the state must use its 2022 congressional map for the upcoming November elections — rather than the redrawn map used during the primary. That means a much different race for candidates in the 5th Congressional District, Democrat Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II and his Republican Rick Brattin.
Both candidates shared their views on the court drama over redistricting, and what it means for the midterms, with Steve Kraske on KCUR's Up To Date.
Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.
Kansas...
What it's really like to be a transgender student in Kansas
Federal officials are targeting four Kansas schools for their policies surrounding transgender students. But what is it like to be a transgender student in those districts? We'll hear from one student who spent formative years of her life at Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools.
The federal government targeted four Kansas school districts over their transgender policies, saying the schools violated federal law. Now, it’s escalated with a lawsuit against one district, Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools. Grace Hills of the Kansas News Service reports on what it was like for a transgender student who attended one of...
The race for Kansas' top law enforcement job
Republican Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach wants voters to judge him by his record but Democratic challenger Chris Mann is making that record a target. We’ll have a look at the race for Kansas attorney general. Plus: a recap of last week's rollercoaster over congressional maps in Missouri.
There’s a rematch this year in the race for Kansas attorney general. Sitting Republican Kris Kobach is taking on Democratic challenger Chris Mann in what’s expected to be a tight contest. As Kansas Statehouse Reporter Zach Boblitt explains, the race could hinge on whether Kansans support Kobach...
The monarch highway loses speed
A decade ago, a federal task force laid out a plan to help monarch butterflies along their journey by returning roadsides to native habitat, particularly Interstate-35 in Missouri and Kansas. Plus: some Midwest farms are growing something you might find in your own backyard. Hear about the push to popularize the serviceberry.
One of the world’s great migrations has begun. The eastern monarch butterfly is flying south, through the central U.S., to overwinter in Mexico. A decade ago, a federal task force laid out a plan to help monarchs along their journey by returning roadsides to...
High prices are squeezing farmers and people on fixed incomes
Harvests for Kansas and Missouri's major crops are starting just as the fuel farmers need to reap is shooting up in price. Plus, older Americans on fixed incomes are hit especially hard when food costs spike.
Diesel prices have spiked just in time for corn and soybean harvests. Farmers need the fuel to bring in the crops, and many were already hurting, but KCUR's Frank Morris reports there are factors offsetting this latest setback.
And inflation in food prices can hit even harder for people in their 60s and older as they also juggle fixed...
Inside the New York Times investigation of Roger Marshall
A New York Times report found that Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, of Kansas, sued hundreds of his patients over medical debt when he was practicing medicine in the western part of the state.
Before serving in politics, Roger Marshall spent decades as a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist in western Kansas. During that time, he sued more than 700 of his patients for medical debt, a new report from The New York Times found. More than 80 were arrested, and some had their wages garnished.
Sarah Kliff, investigative healthcare reporter for The New York Times, broke the story...
