Up To Date

Doug Frost is one of only three people in the world to hold both the titles of master sommelier and master of wine. He joined KCUR’s Up to Date to share a selection of wines with connections to teams staying or playing in Kansas City during the World Cup.

Charlotte O’Hara is running for governor of Kansas in the Republican primary. Her platform is focused on eliminating property taxes, dramatically reforming education, and ending the use of large tax incentives for sports teams and major corporations.

If they heed the warnings, people in Kansas City have taken shelter more than usual this season — the 1,438 severe weather warnings issued so far is the most on record. But staffing cuts to the National Weather Service have resulted in less warning time for some storm systems.

With the World Cup underway in Kansas City, Oliver Wright — who makes videos on TikTok as @SideQuestDad — has become a local celebrity talking about soccer and living in the Midwest as a Brit. In particular, he’s been teaching visitors how to beat the oppressive summer heat.

De Soto Mayor Rick Walker says revenue from a planned $3 billion data center campus is an opportunity to grow the city. But one resident is concerned that leaders are moving too fast and not weighing the negative impacts on the community and environment.

John Dale, the longtime public address announcer for Sporting Kansas City, the Kansas City Mavericks and countless local sporting events, is now bringing his voice to World Cup matches at the stadium in Monterrey, Mexico.

What to know about Interim Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota's federal indictment

First-term Kansas state Sen. Patrick Schmidt said the issues facing residents are greater than what can be addressed at the state level. Calling himself the “door-knockingest candidate in the race,” Schmidt is competing in the crowded Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.

Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe

A new report from Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick paints a troubling picture of Missouri's financial future. He joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss the budget cliff the state is facing and how he wants his fellow elected officials to respond.

World Cup recap

Eleven candidates are running as Democrats in the August 4 primary for U.S. Senate in Kansas. Christy Davis, a candidate from Cottonwood Falls, Kan., said the number of hopefuls is indicative of Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall’s failure to represent Kansans. Davis said she’s the only candidate who served in a federal leadership role and with “experience cleaning up the messes of Donald J. Trum...

Youth soccer programs seem almost ubiquitous in modern America. But not that long ago, there weren’t many options at all for young athletes who wanted to play the sport. Bill Finn, who co-founded Brookside Soccer Club with two other local dads in 1977, joined KCUR’s Up To Date on Tuesday to talk about how it all got started.

NPR CEO Katherine Maher joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss recent buyouts at NPR and an opportunity for public media to evolve into a broader community resource in the coming years.

The Crossroads Arts District is the metro’s biggest hub for creativity, and its restaurant scene is just the same, with innovative dishes available on seemingly every corner. Here’s where to find the best eats this neighborhood has to offer.

Two Kansas state senators and Overland Park’s mayor are facing off in the Aug. 4 primary election for Kansas governor. The gubernatorial candidates joined KCUR’s Up To Date live from the Overland Park Farmers Market to discuss how they’d address issues affecting Kansans if elected governor. 

Rev. Adam Hamiliton thinks that faith can play a role in turning the political tide towards Democrats during the midterm elections. The Leawood pastor spoke with KCUR’s Up To Date about the issues important to him in his run for a Kansas U.S. Senate seat, and about bridging the divide in Washington.

Last weekend, the Overland Park Farmers Market reopened after a major $33.92 million renovation project. The Parks & Recreation director of Overland Park, Bryan Toben, joined KCUR's Up To Date to explain what went into the project and what the visitors can expect.

For more than 35 years, Cliff Middleton has been fighting to free his father from a Missouri prison for a crime they say he didn’t commit. In 1991, Ken Middleton was convicted of murdering his wife in their Blue Springs home, but the Georgetown University Law Center program “Making an Exoneree” reinvestigated and noted glaring discrepancies with his case.

The streetcar’s 3.5-mile Main Street extension opened in October 2025, and another extension to CPKC Stadium opened last month. A team is now studying extending the north-south line farther, to North Kansas City. The Kansas City Streetcar Authority will host two open houses this month for residents to learn more.

For Kelly Hunt, writing music starts with a visual process. For some other artists, just fiddling around with an instrument leads to a chord progression that sets the music writing process in motion. The 780 Songwriters Circle, a quarterly event in Lawrence, brings together artists to share what goes into creating a song and album, and when they know a track isn’t coming together. 

An ordinance proposed by Mayor Quinton Lucas and 6th District City Council member Johnathan Duncan would restrict practitioners from receiving payment for practices that increase the risk of suicide and depression. It’s intended to avoid challenges stemming from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling and a lawsuit from the Missouri Attorney General.

Kansas’ Ogallala Aquifer has been losing water for decades. And while dedicating funding to a strategic water plan was a priority of Kelly’s during the 2026 legislative session, no measure passed. But she’s optimistic the state will continue to make progress after she leaves office in January.

Looking for a chaotic murder mystery or a meditative summer beach read with LGBTQ+ characters? Three Kansas City book experts share a range of selections in honor of Pride Month.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids says she’s hearing from Kansas residents who are struggling to make ends meet. Speaking on KCUR’s Up To Date, Davids said the Trump administration’s war with Iran is contributing to the high cost of living.