Best KCUR Studios Podcasts (2024)

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

4h 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

1d 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

2d 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

3d 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

6d 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

7d 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

8d 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

9d 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

10d 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

13d 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
What do Missouri schools need? 12:43

14d ago12:43

12:43

Margie Vandeven has spent seven years at the helm of Missouri public schools, but she’ll step down at the end of June. The outgoing commissioner shares her thoughts about key issues facing Missouri schools. Also, headlines from across the metro. After seven years at the helm of Missouri’s public schools, Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven is…

1
Can Kansas lawmakers agree on a tax cut plan? 13:27

15d ago13:27

13:27

Kansas lawmakers will soon return for a special session to try to reach a tax-cutting agreement with Gov. Laura Kelly. Plus: Solar power is the fastest growing source of electricity in the U.S., but some new solar installations are taking land once used to grow food. Researchers are looking for ways to do both. Kansas lawmakers return to Topeka on …

1
Kansas foster teens now get to choose their own families 13:47

16d ago13:47

13:47

Hundreds of foster children in Kansas face aging out of the state’s care at 18 without a family or a safety net, leading to issues like homelessness. A new Kansas law aims to help by letting teen foster children choose a relative or a close friend to serve as their permanent custodian. Dylan Lysen with the Kansas News Service has more. Thirteen sta…

1
Growing calls for divestment at the University of Missouri 12:02

17d ago12:02

12:02

College students across the country have been protesting Israel’s war in Gaza for months. Now, students in the University of Missouri System are demanding that its endowment stop investing in Israeli companies and weapons manufacturers. Host Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with Alex Cox, a rising senior at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and …

1
A Kansas City man traveled to all 50 states with his daughters 14:00

20d ago14:00

14:00

A Kansas City man traveled with his daughters to all 50 states, a journey of bonding and self-discovery. Plus: Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly says if lawmakers can’t come up with a tax-cut plan the state can afford, she’ll keep calling more special sessions. Chelan David's “Beautiful States of Mind: A Father and Daughters’ Pilgrimage to all 50 States” is …

1
Can John Rizzo restore trust between the Chiefs, Royals and Jackson County? 13:10

21d ago13:10

13:10

Missouri State Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo is leaving office to become the next executive director of the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority. After this spring's failed stadium tax vote, what will this new role have in store for him? For the past several years, Rizzo has been the top Democrat in a Missouri Senate dominated by Republicans…

1
The game has changed for college athletes 14:23

22d ago14:23

14:23

A $2.8 billion settlement involving the NCAA sent shockwaves through the college sports world last week and paved the way for schools around the country to pay student-athletes directly for the first time. It'll be a big change for the University of Missouri, the University of Kansas, Kansas State University and other local powerhouses. It's been c…

1
Kansas abortions are legal, but still heavily contested 13:51

23d ago13:51

13:51

Two years ago, Kansas voters defeated an effort to end abortion in the state, leaving intact constitutional provisions that the state Supreme Court says guarantee that right. Since then, battles between anti-abortion and abortion-rights advocates in the state have only intensified, playing out each year in the Legislature and in the courts. KCUR's …

1
Good luck taking public transit to a Kansas City Current game 14:42

27d ago14:42

14:42

The Kansas City Current's new riverfront stadium was built with a small, expensive parking lot for a reason: to encourage fans to use other types of transit. But as KCUR’s Savannah Hawley-Bates reports, the city’s public transportation infrastructure hasn’t caught up. Exciting and eccentric entertainment hits the streets of Lawrence this weekend at…

1
Missouri interns find millions for school districts 13:55

28d ago13:55

13:55

Three interns in the Missouri Legislature recently helped Missouri school districts gain access to federal funding to help students experiencing homelessness. Why were schools missing out on funding, and how did the interns find it? This year, three interns at the Missouri Legislature who worked for Representatives Deb Lavender, Peter Merideth and …

1
Immigrants could help save rural Kansas towns 13:21

29d ago13:21

13:21

Western Kansas is projected to see large population declines in the coming years, but immigration may be the key to stemming the losses. The communities that have embraced their diversity have seen their population stabilize and the local culture shift. Plus: To stay open, rural nursing homes across the Midwest are prioritizing nurses. Immigration …

1
Why is it so hard to find Black sperm donors? 13:48

1M ago13:48

13:48

Black women hoping to conceive using donor sperm often have to choose a donor from a different race or put their fertility journey on hold because of a shortage of Black sperm donors. One woman tells us her story. Plus: Parts of Missouri, Kansas and other Midwest states are still in drought, despite recent rains. For people trying to conceive using…

1
A chaotic end to the Missouri legislature's 2024 session 15:00

1M ago15:00

15:00

A gridlocked Missouri Senate was unsuccessful in passing a measure to change how voters can amend the state constitution. But the legislature did pass measures relating to public safety and ranked-choice voting. After a record-setting 50-hour filibuster by Democrats, a divided Republican majority failed to pass its top priority, an effort to make i…

1
The women behind Brown v. Board of Education 14:45

1M ago14:45

14:45

The 1954 landmark Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education marks its 70th anniversary today. While lead plaintiff Oliver Brown is the most well-known figure in the desegregation case, there were 12 Black women alongside him. Plus: A small Kansas college is trying something unique to recruit Black baseball players. Lead plaintiff Oliver B…

1
A school boycott in Johnson County set the stage for Brown v. Board 12:24

1M ago12:24

12:24

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 70 years ago that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional in its landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision. But the case may have played out differently if it hadn’t been for a tenacious group of women in Johnson County, Kansas, who led their own integration lawsuit five years earlier. From the KCU…

1
The Missouri Catholics who support reproductive rights 11:46

1M ago11:46

11:46

Abortion is almost entirely illegal in Missouri, which has been one of the big battleground states for reproductive rights. All four of Missouri's Catholic bishops have given a significant amount of money to keep it illegal. However, a recent study shows many parishioners don’t agree with their church’s leadership on the issue. NPR's Katia Riddle c…

1
Living with bullets from the Chiefs parade shooting 11:52

1M ago11:52

11:52

It's been three months since the mass shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade that left one person dead. As part of a series called "The Injured," KCUR checked in with some of the gunshot survivors who are still living with bullets inside them. KCUR’s Peggy Lowe reports that medical guidelines aren’t exactly clear about what to do with…

1
What exactly did the Kansas Legislature do, and not do, this session? 14:11

1M ago14:11

14:11

It’s been almost two weeks since the Kansas Legislature adjourned, after a tumultuous session where the GOP-led House and Senate frequently clashed with Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly over everything from abortion rights and gender-affirming health care to how the state raises money and spends it. KCUR's Brian Ellison sat down with the Kansas News Ser…

1
Meet the regulars of the Chartreuse Saloon 13:00

1M ago13:00

13:00

For the past three years, a bar in Kansas City’s Crossroads has attracted pool sharks and eager amateurs alike. Meet the cast of regulars at Chartreuse Saloon. Plus: A world-renowned ceramic artist educated in Kansas City has returned to teach the next generation. We’re bringing you an occasional series about Kansas City’s neighborhood hangouts, an…

1
Johnson County cities crack down on Airbnb 12:29

1M ago12:29

12:29

Prairie Village is considering a 30-day minimum stay rule for short-term rentals, which would essentially ban most Airbnb and Vrbo properties. It's the latest city in Johnson County to take up the issue. Fairway, Shawnee, and Merriam have all considered the issue in recent months, especially as local governments look towards the potential influx of…

1
Trees are making climate change worse on the Great Plains 10:51

1M ago10:51

10:51

It’s Environment 101: Trees help save the planet. But not everywhere. New research clarifies that deploying trees against global warming backfires in parts of the U.S. and Canada, including much of the Great Plains. “Trees are great in the right place,” said Susan Cook-Patton, a senior forest restoration scientist at The Nature Conservancy. “But th…

1
Abortion rights and sports betting may head to Missouri voters 13:20

1M ago13:20

13:20

Between efforts to get abortion rights enshrined in the constitution, legalize sports gambling, and raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, Missouri has multiple citizen-led ballot measures in the works for this year's elections. Advocates of each campaign submitted signatures last week to get on either the August or November ballot in Missouri. Up …

1
Missouri voters will weigh in again on KCPD funding 10:21

2M ago10:21

10:21

Missouri voters must weigh in again on a constitutional amendment requiring Kansas City to increase its minimum funding of the police department, after the Missouri Supreme Court ruled last week that the language on the original measure was so inaccurate it misled voters. In November 2022, Missouri voters passed a constitutional amendment requiring…

1
A Cinco de Mayo tradition on the basketball court 14:01

2M ago14:01

14:01

For seven decades, Kansas City’s Latino men’s basketball tournament has connected the region’s Hispanic diaspora. Meet coaches and players who use sport to keep kids out of trouble, create community and broaden horizons. Also, Schwan’s, often associated with yellow trucks, ice cream treats and customer service, recently changed its name and stopped…

1
Will an abortion rights vote hurt Missouri Republicans? 14:00

2M ago14:00

14:00

Missouri Republicans could play a key role in legalizing abortion later this year. Even though many GOP voters don't agree with their party on abortion rights, they may still support other candidates on the ballot. Plus: Adopted from an orphanage in Russia, Anna McCune is pouring her heart into making sure Kansas City's kids don’t experience what s…

1
A Kansas family races to have another child through IVF 14:25

2M ago14:25

14:25

In vitro fertilization remains legal across the U.S. despite an Alabama court ruling that temporarily halted treatment in the state. But for many IVF patients in Kansas, the disruption has cast doubt on their own access to fertility care. Rose Conlon of the Kansas News Service brings us one family’s story. Clarisa Evans is a midwife and new gardene…

1
A new play features Kansas City actors with autism 10:45

2M ago10:45

10:45

For young Kansas City actors with autism, a new play creates space to "connect with others." Vanessa Severo’s “Rubik" tells the story of neurodivergent teens on the cusp of a new phase of life. When Vanessa Severo first set out to write a play for performers with autism, she reached out to friends and family who were neurodivergent. KCUR's Julie De…

1
Kansas City's free bus fares aren't free 15:00

2M ago15:00

15:00

Kansas City Council unanimously approved $71 million to fund the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, which ensures bus and paratransit rides will remain free until the contract expires next April. In the meantime, City Manager Brian Platt has been instructed to examine the costs and benefits of "zero-fare" compared to "functional free fare."…

1
Building an experimental music scene in Kansas City 14:26

2M ago14:26

14:26

A pair of noisy upstarts are out-hustling the establishment to create a space for themselves in Kansas City's jazz scene. Plus: A Platte City man with Down syndrome has built a life with a job he loves and a place of his own to call home. Kansas City’s historic jazz scene hasn’t always made room for the most “out-there” of improvisors. Now, a pair …

1
Rising on the riverfront 12:48

2M ago12:48

12:48

On Monday, Port KC and the Kansas City Current revealed renderings showing planned development around CPKC Stadium. The three-phase project will take 10 years and cost $800 million. So what is planned for the new development? Housing, shopping, dining, and more will line the Berkley Riverfront north of downtown. Up To Date host Steve Kraske sat dow…

1
Helping students find a home within themselves 14:51

2M ago14:51

14:51

After a sudden family tragedy, English Language Arts teacher Alana Washington started a mentorship program at the Kauffman School that gives students a space to express themselves and their spirituality. Rita Hanch of NPR’s Next Generation Radio reports. And for more than six decades, one Kansas City community orchestra has given amateur musicians …

1
Reining in the rogue pear trees 13:25

2M ago13:25

13:25

Many Midwest ranchers, park workers and homeowners work nonstop to control disruptive plants from faraway places. In an excerpt from the podcast Up From Dust, Celia Llopis-Jepsen of the Kansas News Service reports on policy changes meant to help. Biochar is a hot topic in sustainable agriculture — it looks like charcoal, but actually sequesters car…

1
Have their political views changed in 2 years? 13:33

2M ago13:33

13:33

Mark Salas and Theresa Sahhar share a dream of retiring to a simple farm life, but each has very different worries about what the world will look like when they get there. Both are alumni of KCUR’s 2022 election initiative, called Your Voice, which invited people with differing political views to share their thoughts on politics. As we approach the…

1
Be kind, rewind: How Missouri became the cassette capital 11:00

2M ago11:00

11:00

Cassette tapes have made a comeback in recent years, and one company in Missouri is at the center of this growing trend. Audio cassettes are experiencing a revival. And one family-owned company in Springfield, Missouri, has become the unlikely capital of this resurgence. From the Podcast A People’s History of Kansas City — Suzanne Hogan tells how t…

1
Small-town newspapers fight to stay afloat and in print 13:12

2M ago13:12

13:12

The U.S. lost newspapers at a rate of about 2.5 per week last year, many of them in rural areas. But some newspapers are trying new business models and doubling down on local news. Plus: A southwest Kansas printing press keeps local news alive in small towns across four states. Over the last two decades, the number of newspapers in the U.S. has dro…

1
Notorious Kansas prosecutor accused of ethical breaches is surrendering her law license 9:26

2M ago9:26

9:26

Terra Morehead, who retired as a federal prosecutor last August, has agreed to turn over her law license as part of an agreement with a Kansas disciplinary board. As a Wyandotte County prosecutor in the 1990s, Morehead helped frame an innocent man, Lamonte McIntyre, who spent 23 years in prison. Acting on a case built by disgraced former Kansas Cit…

1
This Kansas teacher says that schools need more protection 14:34

2M ago14:34

14:34

Just a few days after this school year started, Dave Clark, then athletic director at Wichita West High School, was standing in a hallway when a fight broke out. In his effort to stop the fight, Clark was knocked unconscious. Suzanne Perez with the Kansas News Service has the story on how the injuries he endured would end up costing him his job. It…

1
When will Troost become 'Truth'? 10:07

2M ago10:07

10:07

Troost Avenue, which runs north-south through Kansas City, is known as a historical border for redlining and racial segregation. It was named after 19th century doctor and slaveholder Benoit Troost. For the past few years, community members have petitioned to change the name of the street to Truth Avenue. That plan seemed likely to pass earlier thi…

1
Kansas City created the original Oreo 10:48

2M ago10:48

10:48

Before Oreos, there was the Hydrox, the original sandwich cookie, created by Kansas City’s own Jacob Loose. After disappearing for years, Hydrox are back on the shelf — but only if you know where to look. Mackenzie Martin, from the KCUR podcast A People's History of Kansas City, sets the record straight. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KC…

1
Why VineBrook Homes is selling off its properties 13:06

2M ago13:06

13:06

VineBrook, which owns thousands of homes in Kansas City and across the Midwest, is selling many of its properties to pay off debts. But after years of unresolved maintenance issues, the tenants are still angry. Plus: A Kansas grandmother was unable to adopt her child from the state’s foster care system, even though she was with that child at birth.…

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