Best KCUR Studios Podcasts (2025)

1
Meet the summer regulars at one Kansas City pool 14:36

20h ago14:36

14:36

The Springs Aquatic Center in Kansas City is a popular place for kids to cool off or take a dive. Hear from the families spending their summer poolside. Plus: This year's All-Star game displayed an automated system to help umpires call balls and strikes. Could this system be used by the Kansas City Royals in future seasons? We bring you an occasion…

1
What led to the Family Dollar store collapse? 14:07

2d ago14:07

14:07

A Family Dollar store in Kansas City collapsed last weekend, killing a 68-year-old man and critically injuring a 50-year-old woman. Two days before the collapse, a city building inspector was dispatched to the property. Multiple people raised concerns about the structural integrity of the Broadway Boulevard store before it partially collapsed Sunda…

1
GOP redistricting could target Kansas City's U.S. House seat 13:53

1d ago13:53

13:53

Missouri is one of many states facing pressure from President Donald Trump to redistrict before the 2026 midterm elections. The 5th Congressional District, which encompasses Kansas City, could be targeted. The state of Missouri is divided into eight congressional districts, six of which are held by Republicans and two by Democrats. Missouri lawmake…

1
How Black teens feel about a new law protecting natural hair 14:07

3d ago14:07

14:07

Missouri recently became the 28th state to pass the CROWN Act, banning discrimination against Black students' hair. We'll head to a Kansas City salon to hear how local teens are reacting. Plus: Farmers worry that Trump's on-and-off tariffs could hurt America's reputation with one of their biggest buyers, China. Hair salons and their Black clients a…

1
Why is a national Christian group targeting a Missouri school board? 15:00

5d ago15:00

15:00

Two members of the St. Joseph, Missouri, school board say they’ve been harassed because of their progressive political beliefs. They say they're being targeted by a multimillion-dollar national organization dedicated to promoting Christianity in public schools. Over the past couple of years, volunteer school board members in St. Joseph, Missouri sa…

1
The Kansas senator who helped pass the ADA 13:10

8d ago13:10

13:10

The late Kansas Sen. Bob Dole was a champion for disability rights. One of his biggest accomplishments was getting the Americans with Disabilities Act passed, 35 years ago this week. We'll look back on the role Kansas played in this landmark civil rights law. The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law 35 years ago this Saturday. It’s t…

1
Traveling hours to see a doctor in Kansas 14:45

9d ago14:45

14:45

In western Kansas, rural hospitals have been closing or are perpetually understaffed, leaving residents to drive anywhere from an hour to multiple hours for doctors appointments. Plus: Scientists are working on a new framework that factors climate trends into how we think about drought. Western Kansas is the place for a quiet, rural lifestyle. But …

1
How public media funding cuts are hurting rural stations 14:09

10d ago14:09

14:09

Public radio and television stations in rural areas may be hit the hardest after Congress clawed back $1 billion for public broadcasting. High Plains Public Radio, which broadcasts in western Kansas, lost 15% of its operating costs, according to executive director Quentin Hope. And in southern Missouri, general manager Rachel Knight says Ozarks Pub…

1
Will the US privatize the Postal Service? 14:42

11d ago14:42

14:42

Talks of overhauling the U.S. Postal Service have picked up since President Donald Trump began his second term. With service cutbacks already underway and privatization on the table, rural residents are bracing for more disruptions. Plus: There are more than 40 species of fireflies in Missouri, but for the past few years, people have been concerned…

1
What the federal funding clawback means for KCUR 15:00

12d ago15:00

15:00

Congress has approved a plan to claw back funding from U.S. foreign aid programs and public broadcasting organizations like NPR and PBS. What does this mean for KCUR? The station's general manager and interim content director discuss how this could impact our work. Steve Kraske was joined on Up To Date by Sarah Morris, KCUR's general manager and a …

1
AI-aided art will greet Kansas City streetcar riders 14:40

15d ago14:40

14:40

Some artists shy away from using AI. Kansas City photographer and digital artist David Morris embraces it. Hear how a local creative harnesses AI to bring his vision to life, and where you can see it! Plus: A Kansas City bookselling icon is retiring after years of tracking down Black books and vinyl. Now, a new generation is stepping up to preserve…

1
Can Kansas City's transportation death spiral be fixed? 15:00

17d ago15:00

15:00

In recent years, most Kansas City suburbs have cut transportation funding, which means fewer and slower buses. Local officials are racing to fix that. Plus: High school graduation rates in Kansas are higher than ever. But some people worry that the growth of credit recovery programs could be lowering standards for students. Many suburbs in the Kans…

1
Multibillion-dollar Panasonic plant opens in Kansas 12:19

18d ago12:19

12:19

Panasonic's highly anticipated $4 billion electric vehicle battery plant opened in De Soto, Kansas, this week. But problems with Tesla, tariffs and tax breaks have investors worried. Leaders of the plant believe it's just a bump in the road. The Kansas News Service's Zane Irwin covered the grand opening of the Panasonic plant, which aims to employ …

1
Trump's budget may shutter this Missouri environmental lab 12:48

19d ago12:48

12:48

Scientists in a Columbia, Missouri, lab have studied how toxic chemicals affect animals and ecosystems since the 1960s. But President Trump's proposed budget would likely mean lights out. Plus: Hydroelectric power is a mainstay of the United States electrical grid, but federal hurdles could take plants offline. The White House wants to cut the budg…

1
How Missouri governors 'quietly dismantled' an ethics watchdog 13:08

20d ago13:08

13:08

A new report has raised concerns that Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe and his predecessor have failed to fill vacancies at the Missouri Ethics Commission. As a result, the state watchdog has been unable to investigate dozens of complaints of ethical misconduct. KCUR's Up To Date host Steve Kraske spoke with Kansas City Star reporter Kacen Bayless about th…

1
Amateur archaeologists are digging into Kansas history 14:27

23d ago14:27

14:27

Crews of volunteers are digging into the ruins of a 168-year-old mansion in Lecompton, Kansas, that belonged to a territorial governor. The work is done through the Kansas Historical Society's annual archaeological field school. Plus: Children’s author Derrick Barnes from Kansas City is known for books that are all about making Black kids feel seen…

1
Why Jackson County is having a recall vote on Frank White Jr. 12:16

24d ago12:16

12:16

Jackson County’s top elected official is facing a recall election. County Executive Frank White Jr. says it’s a political vendetta, while lawmakers say it’s actually about property taxes. But will it actually happen next month? The Jackson County Legislature this week approved a special election to recall White. Lawmakers set the election date for …

1
An Overland Park teen fights to protect cancer funding 13:51

25d ago13:51

13:51

The Trump administration proposed slashing billions of dollars from federal health agencies, but a high school student from Overland Park has been pushing lawmakers to preserve cancer research funding. Plus, we remember a beloved Kansas City singer who died after a long battle with cancer. Matthew Chen, a senior at Blue Valley North High School, kn…

1
Missouri activists step up to comfort ICE detainees 12:19

26d ago12:19

12:19

President Trump's mass deportation efforts have led to the arrests of tens of thousands of immigrants, some of whom end up at the Phelps County Jail in Rolla, Missouri. Now some local activists are trying to provide comfort and assistance to detainees stuck in an unfamiliar place. A group known as Abide in Love is providing ICE detainees in Missour…

1
Missouri's governor cut funding to Kansas City institutions 14:50

27d ago14:50

14:50

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed the state budget into law last week, approving more than $50 billion in spending. But he also stripped more than half a billion dollars out that had been approved by lawmakers, including for dozens of programs and projects in Kansas City. KCUR's Brian Ellison spoke with Up To Date host Steve Kraske about Kehoe's deci…

1
The immigrants who brought soccer to Kansas City 11:05

1M ago11:05

11:05

Kansas City will be the smallest city in North America to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But it may not have embraced the sport at all, if not for the efforts of immigrants who fought for the beautiful game — before there were even soccer fields to play on. In less than a year, Kansas City will welcome the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and hundreds of thousa…

1
Kayakers vs. river pollution 27:52

1M ago27:52

27:52

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) For decades, the world’s longest prairie river was treated as a convenient dumping ground by cities and industries. Government regulation dramatically improved water quality here and around the country. Today the Kansas River is a place to scope out beavers and bald eagles. But decades-old garbage and other pollutio…

1
Preserving Missouri's night sky 11:15

1M ago11:15

11:15

People across Missouri and Kansas are losing their starry views to light pollution. But the right lighting decisions can help preserve night skies and benefit animal and human health. Missouri's Thousand Hills State Park is the 12th place in the world to earn a special title: urban night sky place. "The point of this certification is not to just ge…

1
Kansas City's IRS workers struggle after cuts 14:00

1M ago14:00

14:00

Many federal workers in Kansas City have seen their jobs and departments cut and their work devalued under the Trump administration. We're bringing you another conversation about the Department of Government Efficiency's impacts in town, this time with a local union representative for the U.S. Department of the Treasury. KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin spok…

1
Kansas City Chiefs and Royals play hard-to-get 12:00

1M ago12:00

12:00

The Kansas City Chiefs asked the state of Kansas to extend its offer for a stadium funding incentives package, catching Missouri lawmakers off guard after they passed a funding measure of their own. But neither the Chiefs nor the Royals have made any location commitments yet. Steve Kraske spoke to Kansas City Star government and politics reporter K…

1
Trans kids grapple with bans on their medical care 14:21

1M ago14:21

14:21

Next year, transgender teens in Kansas will no longer be able to access puberty blockers and hormone treatments for gender-affirming care. One family in Wichita is worried about navigating the changes. Plus, aircraft manufacturing is a big part of the Kansas economy, but new tariffs by the Trump administration have some companies scrambling. In Kan…

1
Giving Kansas City kids a career boost 11:00

1M ago11:00

11:00

An organization that provides teenagers with internship opportunities has grown to be one of the metro's largest summer employers of youth. But are there enough positions to go around for students with the same dream career? Take a deep dive into ProX. For teens in Kansas City, there aren't too many places where they can get on-the-job experience f…

1
Investigating the cost of KCPD car crashes 10:40

1M ago10:40

10:40

The Kansas City Police Department pays out settlements for crashes for which it takes responsibility. A 10-month KCUR investigation uncovered how often Kansas City police wreck their vehicles — and the cost to taxpayers. A KCUR investigation revealed that the vast majority of Kansas City Police Department legal settlements involve car wrecks. The b…

1
A Kansas City nurse's Middle East experience 13:40

1M ago13:40

13:40

As missile attacks intensified between Israel and Iran last week, a Kansas City-area nurse was providing aid in Jordan. She describes her experience in the country situated between two warring nations. The United States has executed airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, intervening in the war over the weekend in support of Israel. Roxanne…

1
Sen. Josh Hawley has concerns about the 'Big Beautiful Bill' 15:00

1M ago15:00

15:00

The U.S. Senate version of President Trump's so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” could ultimately have major budgetary consequences for Missouri, because of a provision capping a critical tax that helps pay for Medicaid. Republican Sen. Josh Hawley says he's concerned about the effect on rural hospitals. St. Louis Public Radio's politics correspondent J…

1
Gay rights activism at Kansas colleges 15:00

1M ago15:00

15:00

The Lawrence Gay Liberation Front has, under various names, challenged misconceptions about LGBTQ+ students at the University of Kansas for 45 years. Now, a book tells those students' stories. Plus: A Kansas museum dedicated to "The Wizard of Oz" is showcasing a movie prop that's never been seen by the public. Gay rights activism at the University …

1
Say no to skyglow: Smarter lighting can help save the stars 28:58

2M ago28:58

28:58

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) We have inadvertently filled our world with poorly designed outdoor lighting. The price? We’re losing our starry skies, hurting our health, killing pollinators, wasting billions of dollars and releasing millions of tons of avoidable carbon dioxide. Now people in a Missouri college town and a state park are proving t…

1
Less lawn, more wildlife! Here’s how to ditch turf for native plants 24:20

3M ago24:20

24:20

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) So you’ve been thinking about getting rid of your lawn, or at least having less. You’ll attract birds and bees and you won’t have to mow as much. Nice! But where to start? Master gardener Paula Diaz gives us the scoop on how to kill grass, where to look for the right native plant species to replace it, and how to st…

1
Those soil health products may be a waste of money 26:16

4M ago26:16

26:16

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) Symbiotic fungi are all the rage right now. Farmers want them in their fields, gardeners want them in veggie patches and flowerbeds. The excitement has given rise to a billion-dollar mycorrhizae market, but many products don’t deliver on their promises. Come visit the world’s biggest collection of these fungi to lea…

1
Can we save millions of migrating birds? 25:31

5M ago25:31

25:31

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) In 1978, a young scientist “brazenly trespassed” around a Chicago building in search of dead birds. He unwittingly began a 40-year journey that could help save countless warblers, thrushes and more. Most of America’s 10 riskiest cities for migrating birds lie in the middle of the country. We’ll find out why — and ho…

1
The case of the disappearing lake 41:16

10M ago41:16

41:16

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) During times of drought, when the rains fail, man-made lakes come to the rescue of our cities and towns. Except the reservoirs we’ve come to depend on for drinking water are filling up with mud instead. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has an idea to tackle the problem, and they’ll try it for the first time ever — i…

1
What's better for the environment: Tea or coffee? 32:51

11M ago32:51

32:51

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) Have you ever wondered about the eco-story behind your daily brew? Join us as we spill the beans on the environmental impact of tea & coffee, from cultivation to consumption. (This episode comes to us from the podcast Living Planet.)By Celia Llopis-Jepsen

1
Dry times on the High Plains 44:38

12M ago44:38

44:38

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) Ancient waters that lie deep beneath the dry High Plains helped to turn western Kansas into an agricultural powerhouse. But the Ogallala Aquifer’s wells have begun to run dry after decades of tapping it for our corn, wheat and cows. In the rain shadow of the Rocky Mountains, we’ll learn how farmers are adjusting as …

1
Healing the ground we broke 37:26

1y ago37:26

37:26

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) After Europeans colonized America, their descendants plowed their way across the continent, seeking prosperity through farming. But breaking up the soil – that had built up over many thousands of years – made it wash away. So some farmers are retiring their tilling equipment. Amble through Kansas prairies and cornfi…

1
For the love of dung beetles 34:21

1y ago34:21

34:21

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) It’s easy to advocate for saving pandas and elephants, but bugs are a harder sell. Look closer, though, and you’ll find tiny superheroes propping up entire ecosystems as pollinators, decomposers, predators and prey. We’ll wander the prairie with bison ranchers, in search of the dung beetles that work quiet miracles …

1
The Green Glacier 42:49

1+ y ago42:49

42:49

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) A vast ocean of grass and wildflowers once covered one-third of North America. But that diverse prairie biome is collapsing, partly due to greenhouse gases and to our obsession with trees. Humans have unleashed an aggressive canopy that’s swallowing the Great Plains. For ranchers, saving the environment means being …

1
When good plants turn bad 34:19

1+ y ago34:19

34:19

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) Humans opened a Pandora’s box by moving plants, animals and fungi around the planet where they didn’t live before. Some of those species become so successful in their new surroundings that they crowd out others. Come along on a hunt for rogue Bradford pears, meet the teens turning cityscapes into butterfly havens an…

1
Introducing: Up From Dust 1:50

1+ y ago1:50

1:50

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) Trees are swallowing prairies. Bees are starving for food. Farmland is washing away in the rain. Humans broke the environment — but we can heal it, too. Up From Dust is a new podcast about the price of trying to shape the world around our needs, as seen from America’s breadbasket: Kansas. Hosts Celia Llopis-Jepsen a…

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

5+ 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

6y 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

6+ 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

6+ 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

6+ 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

6+ 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

6+ 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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