Best KCUR Studios Podcasts (2024)

1
'Missouri's Woodstock,' 50 years ago today 14:47

1h ago14:47

14:47

Thousands of people took over the small town of Sedalia, Missouri, on this day in 1974 for the Ozark Music Festival, a party full of nudity, drugs and rock 'n' roll music. Half a century later, people still talk about the lore from that hot wild weekend. Plus: One very fluffy prison resident is changing the men around him in a Missouri correction f…

1
Kansas City roads don't have to be this terrible 11:13

2h ago11:13

11:13

Kansas City is one of the deadliest major cities for pedestrians. And a quarter of the traffic deaths over the last few years happened on just a few streets, which have become wider and faster than necessary over the decades. How did Kansas City get this way, and how is the city now working to make its streets less dangerous? The Beacon reporter Jo…

1
A fight over staffing at Kansas nursing homes 13:30

1h ago13:30

13:30

New rules from the Biden administration will force most Kansas nursing homes to hire more staff, and owners aren’t happy. Plus: The USDA's new program SUN Bucks doles out $40 per month over the summer for each eligible child. However, 13 states turned down the funding. By 2027, a majority of Kansas nursing homes will need to hire more staff to comp…

1
The end of Kansas City's free expungement clinic 14:04

2h ago14:04

14:04

Law students at UMKC's Expungement Clinic helped nearly 60 people clear their criminal records, giving them better opportunities for jobs and housing. But the clinic's funding has run out. Plus: Foster group homes are meant for youth with significant behavioral and mental health issues, but Missouri doesn't have enough beds for girls. As many as 2 …

1
Who will fill Greg Razer's seat? 14:41

1h ago14:41

14:41

Missouri State Senator Greg Razer isn't seeking another term, which leaves his Kansas City seat up for grabs. We’ll meet the two Democrats vying to represent the 7th District. The August 6 primary election will likely be highly consequential for the heavily Democratic area. Missouri state Rep. Patty Lewis and Pat Contreras will compete to face Repu…

1
A new life for old instruments in Kansas City 12:56

1d ago12:56

12:56

Got an old instrument collecting dust in your basement? One Kansas City fundraiser enlists regional artists to turn them into reclaimed works of art. Plus: Business owners in rural areas are struggling to find younger buyers. When old instruments no longer make beautiful music, one Kansas City fundraiser is putting the call out to local artists to …

1
It's a new era for the Country Club Plaza 14:09

2d ago14:09

14:09

Kansas City's Country Club Plaza is under new ownership, more than a year after its previous owners defaulted on loan payments. The new Dallas-based management group has some big and expensive plans to revitalize the struggling shopping district. In this conversation from KCUR's Up To Date, Brian Ellison spoke with HP Village President Ray Washburn…

1
What's keeping young voters away from the polls 14:25

3d ago14:25

14:25

A growing number of young potential voters are increasingly frustrated by the politicians they have to choose from. One Kansas City resident says the age of candidates is a big reason why. Plus: Two years after Kansas lawmakers reshaped the state’s four congressional districts, there’s a scramble for an open seat in the 2nd District. Polls show Pre…

1
Why Kansas City Public Schools stopped giving out zeros 15:00

4d ago15:00

15:00

A new policy at Kansas City Public Schools has changed the minimum grade from zero to 40%. Hear how it’s intended to help struggling students catch up. During the last school year, Kansas City Public Schools launched a new grading policy intended to help struggling students catch up if they’ve fallen behind. Now, the lowest possible grade a student…

1
A monumental Kansas ruling on abortion rights 11:02

5d ago11:02

11:02

The Kansas Supreme Court on Friday reaffirmed that abortion rights are protected by the state constitution, and that lawmakers seeking to restrict abortion must meet a high “strict scrutiny” test. It was a decision that cemented Kansas' role as a key abortion access point for patients across the broader region. In two 5-1 opinions, the court built …

1
Going for gold at the Paris Olympics and Paralympics 13:48

8d ago13:48

13:48

Half of Team USA’s shotgun trap shooters are from the Kansas City area. So what is it about Missouri and Kansas that makes for such good Olympic shooters? Plus: A Missouri professor is the first woman to join the American wheelchair rugby team at the Paralympic Games. Four trap shooters, total, will go to the Paris Summer Olympics for Team USA: two…

1
Kansas isn't doing much to help unhoused residents 14:31

14d ago14:31

14:31

A bill in the Kansas Legislature would have provided millions of dollars to build homeless shelters across the state — except lawmakers let it die in committee. Plus: Could manufactured housing like mobile homes help solve the affordability crisis? For the last two years, Kansas lawmakers have considered ways to address growing homelessness in the …

1
Two perspectives on voting from Kansas Citians 15:00

17d ago15:00

15:00

In one corner of Wyandotte County, only about 3% of voters participated in the last election — and it's not because they don't care. Plus: We'll hear from a newly-naturalized American citizen in Kansas City who's excited about their first chance to vote this year. National elections are dominating the news, but the Kansas City area has state and lo…

1
Taking aim at opioid overdoses in Kansas 10:00

12d ago10:00

10:00

The Kansas Department of Corrections is using opioid settlement funds to pay for a program to reduce opioid overdose deaths. Opioids like fentanyl are a major driver of rapidly rising overdose deaths in Kansas. Also, headlines from across the metro. One of the many ways the state of Kansas and community organizations are spending funds from nationa…

1
Meet the regulars of Clinton's Soda Fountain 14:50

15d ago14:50

14:50

Clinton’s Soda Fountain in Independence, Missouri, is beloved by regulars and tourists alike for its homestyle ice cream and its connection to former President Harry Truman. Plus: Looking back on when a group of Kansas counties tried to secede and form their own state called West Kansas. We’re bringing you an occasional series about Kansas City’s n…

1
The cost of surviving Kansas City's mass shooting 10:00

16d ago10:00

10:00

Some of the 24 people injured during Kansas City's Super Bowl parade in February have had to resort to credit cards to stay afloat financially, while they wait for promised donations to be delivered. The latest in KCUR’s series “The Injured” looks at the high cost of surviving a mass shooting. Four months after the shooting at the Kansas City Chief…

1
Helping unhoused Kansas Citians in 100-degree heat 12:17

17d ago12:17

12:17

Kansas City’s extreme temperatures have many community members sheltering inside in the air conditioning. But how is the city's unhoused population coping with the heat? Plus: Get the top headlines from around Kansas and Missouri. The National Weather Service recently recorded highs in the triple digits, with a heat index reaching 110 degrees. Whil…

1
Michael Stern says goodbye to the Kansas City Symphony 13:02

18d ago13:02

13:02

After 19 seasons, outgoing Kansas City Symphony music director Michael Stern conducted his final concert over the weekend. Plus: One local opera company is bringing the show to residents of local retirement communities. Michael Stern has stepped down as music director of the Kansas City Symphony after 19 seasons, with Matthias Pintscher taking over…

1
Behind the race for Missouri Secretary of State 14:57

20d ago14:57

14:57

The primary race for Missouri Secretary of State race is packed, with eight candidates seeking the Republican nomination. We take a look at the crowded contest to become the person in charge of Missouri’s elections. The role of secretary of state has become increasingly more visible, especially in an era when a former president — and the current Mi…

1
Kansas makes big moves to poach the Chiefs and Royals 12:19

23d ago12:19

12:19

Kansas lawmakers took an ambitious step towards luring the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals to move across state lines. A bill passed in special session this week would open hundreds of millions of dollars to help build new stadiums for both teams. So what happens now? On KCUR's Up To Date, reporter Zane Irwin of the Kansas News Service explains to St…

1
Kansas Democrats aim to break the GOP supermajority 12:29

24d ago12:29

12:29

In Kansas, issues like abortion restrictions and transgender rights might hinge on whether Republicans can keep their powerful majorities in the Statehouse. Democrats have set their sights on breaking the supermajority. Plus: Problems with Boeing are causing anxiety in Wichita, where aviation is a big industry. For almost a decade, Kansas Republica…

1
The heroic adventures of Alvin Brooks 14:11

25d ago14:11

14:11

Alvin Brooks’ life has become the stuff of legend around Kansas City. Now, a new film by Academy Award-winner Kevin Wilmott details it for the big screen. Brooks is the civil servant of Kansas City. A former police officer, then police commissioner, educator, civil rights leader and the founder of Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, Brooks has dedicated hi…

1
Becoming one with the butterflies 12:52

26d ago12:52

12:52

It’s National Pollinator Week, and butterfly farmers in Kansas and around the U.S. are raising awareness about how habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change are killing off our pollinators. Plus: The Missouri Department of Conservation's new director reflects on how conservation work has evolved over time. For the past 25 years, pollinator spe…

1
Could Missouri execute an innocent man? 12:52

27d ago12:52

12:52

A Missouri man could be executed this fall for a crime he says he didn’t commit. How flawed is the evidence tying him to this crime, and what have been the efforts to exonerate him? Earlier this month, the Missouri Supreme Court set a September 24 execution date for Marcellus Williams, a man convicted of killing Saint Louis Post-Dispatch reporter F…

1
Uncovering Black history in Weston 15:00

30d ago15:00

15:00

The Black Ancestors Awareness Campaign of Weston, a small nonprofit dedicated to documenting the untold stories of Weston's Black forebears, held its first Juneteenth Heritage Jubilee in 2021. Since then, the small river town just north of Kansas City has become a destination for regional Black history. The 4th Annual Juneteenth Heritage Jubilee wi…

1
Protecting Missouri kids from drug abuse 13:34

1M ago13:34

13:34

Missouri child welfare advocates and lawmakers are alarmed over the sparse use of a drug rehabilitation program that could help keep kids safe. Plus: How women surgeons at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita are trying to change the status quo. A recent report showed that child abuse investigators missed warning signs that parent…

1
Missouri is still fighting for nuclear vets to get compensation 12:44

1M ago12:44

12:44

The Radiation Exposure Compensation Act has expired, but Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley and other Congress members are still fighting to expand it. Plus: Precision agriculture is supposed to help growers be more efficient with what and how they farm, but it's still years away from fulfilling its promise. An effort to get federal funding for sick Missour…

1
Marking Kansas City's Womontown 15:00

1M ago15:00

15:00

In the 1990s, a group of queer Kansas City women were fed up with harassment and housing discrimination. So, they transformed 12 city blocks in the Longfellow neighborhood into a radical enclave by and for women called Womontown. On June 13, the city and the Gay and Lesbian Archive of Mid-America will unveil a historical marker plaque highlighting …

1
Is Missouri's abortion ban driving away potential OB-GYNs? 10:42

1M ago10:42

10:42

Fewer medical school graduates are seeking training to become OB-GYNs in Missouri following the state’s abortion ban. How could this impact maternal health care in a state where there’s already a shortage? Last month, the Association of American Medical Colleges released a report showing states that passed abortion bans saw a decrease in applicatio…

1
Kansas City's Greeting Committee 14:47

1M ago14:47

14:47

Indie-pop band The Greeting Committee was formed by four Overland Park high schoolers in 2014. A decade later, the group has toured all over the United States, surpassed 100 million global streams and been lauded for its coming-of-age indie rock. Steve Kraske, host of KCUR's Up To Date, spoke with lead singer Addie Sartino and bassist Pierce Turcot…

1
Annie Fisher’s beaten biscuit empire 24:49

11M ago24:49

24:49

(Crysta Henthorne, KCUR 89.3 / Images courtesy of Stuart Spivack and Missouri State Historical Society) This episode of A People's History of Kansas City is a collaboration with Gravy podcast, from the Southern Foodways Alliance. It was reported, produced, and mixed by Mackenzie Martin, with editing by Sara Camp Milam, Olivia Terenzio, Suzanne Hoga…

1
What even is Ozark cuisine? 34:28

1+ y ago34:28

34:28

Hungry For MO is a production of KCUR Studios, with support from the Missouri Humanities Council. It’s hosted by Natasha Bailey and Jenny Vergara. This episode was written and produced by Suzanne Hogan with editing from Gabe Rosenberg and Mackenzie Martin. Sound design and mix by Suzanne Hogan with help from Paris Norvell. Music this episode from B…

1
The salad days of Wish-Bone dressing 32:12

1+ y ago32:12

32:12

Read more about the Wishbone restaurant and the rise of Wish-Bone Italian dressing, from KCUR's Mackenzie Martin and Jenny Vergara. Hungry For MO is a production of KCUR Studios, with support from the Missouri Humanities Council. It’s hosted by Natasha Bailey and Jenny Vergara. This episode was written and produced by Mackenzie Martin with editing …

1
Black walnut magic 27:12

1+ y ago27:12

27:12

Read more about the black walnut and how it shaped Missouri cuisine from KCUR's Natasha Bailey and Suzanne Hogan. Hungry For MO is a production of KCUR Studios, with support from the Missouri Humanities Council. It’s hosted by Natasha Bailey and Jenny Vergara. This episode was written and produced by Suzanne Hogan with editing from Gabe Rosenberg a…

1
No apologies for St. Louis pizza 29:48

1+ y ago29:48

29:48

Read more about how St. Louis pizza is the style everyone loves to hate from KCUR's Jenny Vergara and Mackenzie Martin. Hungry For MO is a production of KCUR Studios, with support from the Missouri Humanities Council. It’s hosted by Natasha Bailey and Jenny Vergara. This episode was written and produced by Mackenzie Martin with editing from Gabe Ro…

1
A toast to the birthplace of sliced bread 29:08

1+ y ago29:08

29:08

Prior to 1928, if you wanted sliced bread, you had to cut it yourself. Until two entrepreneurs in Chillicothe, Missouri, changed history.(David White KCUR 89.3 / Images Courtesy of Catherine Stortz Ripley / The Rohwedder Family Collection / Sliced Bread Innovation Center) New episodes of Hungry For MO start on November 30. Until then, we recommend …

1
Myth-busting the St. Louis World's Fair 28:54

3y ago28:54

28:54

Ice tea, cotton candy, ice cream and hamburgers were all popularized at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis.(Crysta Henthorne / KCUR 89.3) Read more about how the World's Fair of 1904 offered the best and worst of America from KCUR's Suzanne Hogan.By Natasha Bailey, Jenny Vergara, Suzanne Hogan

1
Crock-Pots for the people 33:21

3y ago33:21

33:21

(Crysta Henthorne / KCUR 89.3) Read more about the Kansas City women who taught America how to use the Crock-Pot from KCUR's Mackenzie Martin.By Jenny Vergara, Natasha Bailey, Mackenzie Martin

1
George Washington Carver’s quiet revolution 30:45

3y ago30:45

30:45

(Crysta Henthorne / KCUR 89.3) Read more about George Washington Carver's revolutionary contributions to the world, stretching from civil rights to agriculture, from KCUR's Suzanne Hogan.By Natasha Bailey, Jenny Vergara, Suzanne Hogan

1
Chinese food, Missouri-style 30:41

3y ago30:41

30:41

Springfield cashew chicken and the St. Paul sandwich are both dishes created by immigrants in Missouri – and now help define the state's cuisine.(Crysta Henthorne / KCUR 89.3) Read more about how Missouri's immigrants created the St. Paul sandwich 80 years ago or how David Leong turned Springfield cashew chicken into a uniquely Missouri phenomenon …

1
How Missouri saved wine 22:52

3y ago22:52

22:52

(Crysta Henthorne / 89.3 KCUR) Learn more about how two Missourians stepped up to save the global wine industry from KCUR's Suzanne Hogan.By Natasha Bailey, Jenny Vergara, Suzanne Hogan

1
Who gets to define Missouri barbecue? 29:35

3y ago29:35

29:35

(Crysta Henthorne / KCUR 89.3) Learn more about how Missouri's barbecue has evolved over the last 200 years — and recent efforts to redefine it — from KCUR's Mackenzie Martin. KCUR's Jenny Vergara also has a list of the best barbecue in the state of Missouri.By Jenny Vergara, Natasha Bailey, Mackenzie Martin

1
Trailer: Hungry For MO 3:46

3y ago3:46

3:46

To celebrate Missouri’s 200th birthday, hosts Natasha Bailey and Jenny Vergara are uncovering the stories behind the iconic foods of the state of Missouri. New episodes every week for six weeks starting on August 10.By Jenny Vergara, Natasha Bailey, Mackenzie Martin, Suzanne Hogan

1
Guns, Gambling And The Gas Tax: Previewing The 2020 Missouri Legislative Session 24:16

4+ y ago24:16

24:16

The 2020 session of the Missouri General Assembly, which convenes Wednesday, promises the usual array of legislative wrangling and partisan bickering — all with an election looming in November. In this episode of Statehouse Blend Missouri, we bring you a preview, which first aired on KCUR's Up to Date on Jan. 6. Host Steve Kraske spoke with Brian H…

1
The 2019 Missouri Legislative Session Recap: GOP Wins Big On Abortion, Economic Development 36:07

5y ago36:07

36:07

In this very special episode of KCUR’s Statehouse Blend Missouri podcast, we joined forces with St. Louis Public Radio’s Politically Speaking podcast to round up the 2019 session of the Missouri General Assembly.By KCUR Studios

1
Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway Discusses The State Budget, Putnam County Hospitals 13:30

5+ y ago13:30

13:30

Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway ’s been busy, looking into Clay County’s finances, the attorney general’s office and raising questions about the state’s tax revenues and budget issues. She sat down with KCUR's Samuel King on April 15 (Tax Day) to discuss all of these things, as well as what it’s like to be the only Democrat holding a statewide off…

1
Missouri Rep. Robert Sauls On Changing Criminal Justice Laws 25:09

5+ y ago25:09

25:09

Before getting into the Missouri House, Democrat Robert Sauls was a prosecutor, a public defender and a military lawyer. Perhaps it's no surprise, then, that he has focused on criminal justice reform in his first term, cosponsoring bills that seek to change sentencing laws and create special veterans treatment courts. Sauls spoke with Statehouse Bl…

1
Freshman State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove On The Budget, LGBTQ Issues 23:28

5+ y ago23:28

23:28

Missouri state Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove is the granddaughter and niece of state lawmakers, but she’s already making her own mark two months into her first term.By KCUR Studios

1
Will Sports Betting Be Missouri's Answer To Shrinking Revenue? 31:07

5+ y ago31:07

31:07

Missouri's budget director announced this week that revenues are down 7 percent compared to last year. While that may change as more people file their taxes, lawmakers are looking for new ways to bring in money while faced with tax cuts they instituted on top of growing expenses for health care, infrastructure and education.…

1
Missouri Sen. Dan Hegeman On The 2019 State Budget, Transportation Funding 28:12

5+ y ago28:12

28:12

Missouri Republicans have a firm grip on the state legislature, but among the party’s leadership roles, only one is filled by someone near Kansas City.By KCUR Studios

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