Spanning several genres including cultural criticism, political commentary and memoir, "Bone of the Bone: Essays on America by a Daughter of the Working Class" compiles Smarsh's strongest work from the last decade, and solidifies her as one of the country's leading voices on socio-economic class.By Steve Kraske, Claudia Brancart

In this episode, Danielle Smarsh, PhD, of The Pennsylvania State University, explains how horse owners and barn managers can prepare to feed horses during the colder months. She discusses how a horse's energy needs change with the seasons, how to adjust a horse's forage intake during winter, and ways to ensure your horse is drinking enough water as…

Missouri will become the latest state to vote on legalizing sports betting this November. Researchers from the University of Kansas fear sports betting could have a negative impact on Missouri families' finances, and increase gambling addiction.By Steve Kraske, Josh Marvine

The Northland lunch spot is owned by Chris and Heather Jones, who offer their twists on Cajun and Creole cuisine. While the restaurant struggled to get through COVID, the couple say they've seen more customers come looking for food that reminds them of "being at home."By Brian Ellison, Claudia Brancart

Kansas City Public Schools has racked up $650 million in deferred maintenance. In April, the district is hoping voters will approve a more than $400 million bond to address the issue, something that hasn't happened since 1967.By Steve Kraske, Elizabeth Ruiz, Halle Jackson

In this episode, Jorge Colón, DVM, MBA, discusses everything barn managers need to know about developing and using a budget to be prepared for routine and emergency expenses. He describes getting started with using a budget, saving for emergency expenses, financial considerations to make before starting an equine business or making large purchases.…

Don’t let Kansas City’s ‘cowtown’ reputation deter you from diving into an array of pescatarian options. Whether you’re in the mood for something raw or prefer your fish beer-battered and fried, Kansas City’s seafood options are as diverse as they are flavorful.By Brian Ellison, Claudia Brancart

Under Missouri's new rules that require plain packaging for marijuana products, items must be individually approved by the state. Licensees were up against a Sept. 1 deadline, and not all got the green light, meaning some manufacturers are sitting on products they can't sell.By Steve Kraske, Halle Jackson

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled this week that Amendment 3, which would enshrine the right to abortion in Missouri's constitution, will appear on the state's November ballot after all. Abortion rights advocates say they felt "tremendous relief" after the decision.By Steve Kraske, Josh Marvine, Zach Wilson

Flash polling suggests Vice President Kamala Harris won Tuesday night's presidential debate against former President Donald Trump. But one political science expert from Kansas City questions if drawing Trump off-track was effective for convincing voters, given that "the bar is on the floor" for him.By Steve Kraske, Elizabeth Ruiz, Zach Wilson

The Kansas City-based band released their debut EP, "saturn return," this year. Led by Makayla Scott, the group says they want to make music that feels honest and authentic.By Steve Kraske, Halle Jackson

The City Union Mission downtown turns a century old this month. The CEO and executive director told KCUR's Up To Date how the city's oldest homeless shelter has adapted to meet the modern day needs of unhoused people.By Steve Kraske, Elizabeth Ruiz

The Moth's monthly storytelling open mic events, known as StorySLAMs, are coming to Kansas City, starting with a Sept. 12 date at Knuckleheads. The theme for this edition is "firsts."By Steve Kraske, Halle Jackson, Zach Wilson

Learning how to navigate important and often confusing student loan decisions can be difficult. KCUR's Up To Date spoke with two financial advisors to learn helpful tips that can make it more manageable.By Steve Kraske, Zach Wilson

Plastics labeled with resin codes between 1 and 7 used to all be eligible for recycling. Now, there's no market for some types of plastic, and nearly a quarter of what gets sent to sorting facilities can't be recycled.By Steve Kraske, Halle Jackson

Sending birds through the mail is a longstanding practice in the United States, but reports of deliveries that come too late for hatchlings to survive are getting more common. It's part of a larger trend of complaints about delays within the U.S. Postal Service.By Steve Kraske, Claudia Brancart, Halle Jackson

Chester Owens, a civil rights activist who rubbed elbows with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is remembered for his work to desegregate Kansas City, Kansas, and to preserve Black history. He died last month at 91.By Steve Kraske, Elizabeth Ruiz

Several Kansas City communities are calling on police to do more about crime, amid an ongoing spike in car thefts. Graves says more severe consequences are necessary, and having more space to house city detainees could help.By Steve Kraske, Halle Jackson

Summer break has come to an end, and students and staff have made their way back into classrooms across the Kansas City metro. Superintendents from both sides of the state line joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss how they're addressing mental health challenges and cellphones in schools.By Steve Kraske, Elizabeth Ruiz

Two community organizers want to create a sense of belonging for the metro's Japanese community with its first Natsu Matsuri, this Saturday at the 12th Street Post.By Steve Kraske, Sireen Abayazid

Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker says her office charges about 80% of the cases it receives from the Kansas City Police Department, including property crimes. But she told KCUR's Up To Date it will take more than prosecution to solve the greater issue of crime in Kansas City.By Steve Kraske, Claudia Brancart

The Kansas City organization DistrKCt IS teaches audio engineering, music production and content creation to students around the metro. It’s run by Jo Blaq, a multi-platinum producer from Wyandotte County.By Steve Kraske, Sireen Abayazid

The Jackson County Legislature narrowly voted against placing a stadium tax measure on the November ballot, another attempt to keep the Chiefs from leaving Kansas City. The quarter-cent sales tax would have lasted for 20 years, but left out the Royals.By Steve Kraske, Zach Wilson

During his career, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof has reported from the Tiananmen Square protests in China, the Darfur genocide in Sudan and the Yemeni Civil War. The two-time Pulitzer Prize winner joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss his new book, "Chasing Hope."By Steve Kraske, Zach Wilson

Kansas City Manager Brian Platt says construction on the KC Streetcar southern extension is in its final stages, and the route remains on track to open next year. Meanwhile, talks of potential east-west extensions are still in the works.By Steve Kraske, Halle Jackson

For nearly 25 years, Marcellus Williams has maintained his innocence in the murder of a St. Louis woman named Felicia Gayle. A plea deal that would have saved him from execution in less than a month and changed his sentence to life in prison was recently pulled by a judge.By Steve Kraske, Sireen Abayazid

More than 5,000 stolen auto reports have been made this year, with over 900 submitted in July. Capt. Rob Schreiber of the Kansas City Police Department told Up To Date about half of all reports are for Kias and Hyundais, which are easy to steal.By Steve Kraske, Claudia Brancart

After a week of festivities in Chicago, the Democratic National Convention came to a close last night as Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic nomination for president. We spoke with a Missouri delegate and a rhetoric professor to recap the event.By Steve Kraske, Zach Wilson

Fifteen-year-old Halley Vincent has owned Seven Stories, a bookstore in Shawnee, for almost two years. But after the building was sold to a new owner, Vincent is now trying to raise money to move.By Steve Kraske, Halle Jackson

As the season draws to a close, see what movies and shows Abby Olcese of The Pitch, film and TV critic Lonita Cook and Willy Evans of the Underground Film Festival recommend.By Steve Kraske, Sireen Abayazid

The Center For Recorded Music, a nonprofit based in the Kansas City area, has its own dedicated listening space for the first time in Leawood. Its founder joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss plans to use the organization's equipment and collection to educate people about music.By Steve Kraske, Zach Wilson

Kansas City Council members are working on details to fund the construction of a new jail. Next spring, voters could be asked whether to renew the public safety sales tax in order to build an estimated 250-bed rehabilitation and detention center.By Steve Kraske, Elizabeth Ruiz

A proposition to increase Missouri's minimum wage will be on the state's general election ballot in November. The initiative would also create mandated paid sick leave.By Brian Ellison, Sireen Abayazid

Jeff Jacobsen spent decades as a photojournalist and as a photographer for University of Kansas athletics. Since he retired in 2020, he's been working on a project to capture images of sports in all 105 counties in Kansas — and he's almost done.By Brian Ellison, Halle Jackson

Mayor Quinton Lucas told KCUR’s Up To Date that he’d like to find alternative ways to pay for the baseball team’s future stadium. “Why should every person in Jackson County pay a sales tax to support something that they may never use?” he asked.By Brian Ellison, Claudia Brancart

Missouri voters will decide in November whether to enshrine abortion rights into the state's constitution. Planned Parenthood Great Plains CEO Emily Wales expects a "tough fight," but says that people are eager to restore reproductive rights in the state.By Brian Ellison, Zach Wilson

In this episode, Rachel McCart, founder of Equine Legal Solutions discusses common liability problems that can arise on horse farms and how horse owners can reduce their risk of liability. McCart explains the purpose of waivers, when to use them, and how to create a strong waiver; types of insurance that farm owners might need; and common misconcep…

In his new book "No Democracy Lasts Forever: How the Constitution Threatens the United States," legal scholar Erwin Chemerinsky contends that it's high time to hold a new constitutional convention.By Steve Kraske, Zach Wilson

The number of unhoused people in Johnson County has grown significantly over the last decade. Johnson County Commission chair Mike Kelly says that a proposed Homeless Service Center — built in a former La Quinta Inn — could be a key, if other cities sign off on funding.By Brian Ellison, Halle Jackson

Dozens of cultures come together this weekend at Swope Park for a celebration filled with music, dance and lots of food.By Brian Ellison, Sireen Abayazid

A year after the police raid on the Marion County Record newsroom in Kansas, a survey found that even journalists were unclear about protections afforded to them under state and federal law.By Steve Kraske, Elizabeth Ruiz

The Kansas City Royals tied the worst record in team history last year, with 56 wins and 106 losses. Just one season later, they're on pace to make the playoffs.By Steve Kraske, Zach Wilson

KC Tenants announced this week that it is a founding local of the Tenant Union Federation, a national union of unions that aims to organize for renter protections at the federal level.By Zach Wilson, Halle Jackson

Local nonprofit Great Jobs KC offers college scholarships to high school students and adults from the Kansas City area. Over two-thirds of the scholarships go to students of color.By Lisa Rodriguez, Sireen Abayazid

Missouri and Kansas voters went to the polls Tuesday for a number of primary elections. Among the winners was U.S. Senate Democratic nominee Lucas Kunce, who faces an uphill battle to unseat Republican incumbent Josh Hawley in November. He joined KCUR's Up To Date to talk about the race.By Brian Ellison, Zach Wilson, Halle Jackson, Zach Perez, Claudia Brancart

Vincent Orsolini's genre-blending, collaborative sound is highlighted in a new EP, "It's About Time," released last month.By Brian Ellison, Halle Jackson

Raytown South alum Quincy Hall breezed past competitors in the men's 400-meter semifinals today. Tomorrow, he goes for gold in the finals. NPR sports correspondent Becky Sullivan joined Up To Date from Paris to share the latest on the Summer Games.By Brian Ellison, Claudia Brancart

The former police chief of Marion, Kansas, will face criminal charges for his role in a raid of the Marion County Record. The raid made national headlines last year and drew attention from state investigators and First Amendment advocates.By Brian Ellison, Sireen Abayazid

Known for his award-winning young adult books, Khorram’s latest book is a foray into the romance genre. In “I’ll Have What He’s Having," the main characters are awkward, a little unlucky-in-love, and entirely food and wine obsessed.By Brian Ellison, Claudia Brancart

Competitive primaries are driving the onslaught of negative political ads — particularly among Missouri Republicans. University of Missouri-Kansas City political scientist Dr. Beth Vonnahme analyzes the rhetoric this campaign season.By Brian Ellison, Elizabeth Ruiz