Up To Date

The festival returns for its sixth year of free movie programming, which will include films across a range of genres from experimental to animation.

Sweeping Promises will embark on an American tour on Sep. 9 to share their third album, “You Say I Romanticize.” The Kansas-based duo has been gaining national attention, while also producing other local bands at their "artistic commune."

Gillon Property Group, which owns the Plaza, says the empty lot is a “physical and psychological” problem and will be one of the first major redevelopment targets now that Port KC approved a major incentive package. The space was meant to host a Nordstrom, but the project was scrapped in 2022 after multiple delays.

Rohlfing, a U.S. Army veteran, is running against Democrat Stacy Lake in November to become the next Jackson County executive. He says he would focus on providing “world class customer service” if elected.

An 11-year-old boy was allegedly physically and sexually assaulted in April at Eisenhower Middle School in Kansas City, Kansas. In August, the district’s school board received notice of a pending $5 million lawsuit for failing to prevent the attack.

At the end of July, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves announced that she is retiring from her role leading the department after four years. She joined KCUR’s Up To Date to look back at her tenure as the city’s top cop and to discuss the department’s future.

The Trump Administration has proposed eliminating a majority of its regulations for the federal early education program Head Start. The government says the changes would put rulemaking in the hands of the states and could result in higher enrollment. Kansas and Missouri Head Start leaders say many of the impacts are still unknown.

Located just north of the Missouri River, North Kansas City has grown by over 20% since 2020. Mayor Jesse Smith says it’s time to make updates while maintaining the community’s “small town feel.”

The public agency voted to issue nearly $1.5 billion in bonds and tax breaks to Gillon Property Group early this week. Jon Stephens, the president and CEO of Port KC, says the deal is critical to the revitalization of the historic Plaza. 

On his new album “Dear City,” Jeff Shafer’s socially-conscious hip hop celebrates what makes Kansas City great, but also reflects on what changes are needed to make the city even better.

As students across the Kansas City metro dust off their books and head back to school, our literary experts recommend titles perfect for reading deeply, just like you’re in English class yourself.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss the city council's funding package for a new Royals ballpark, what he'd like to see in the city's next police chief, the future of the Country Club Plaza and more.

Lake, an attorney who won the Democratic primary for Jackson County executive, is running against Republican Alan Rohlfing in November. The county has struggled under a dysfunctional legislature, and the interim executive was recently indicted on federal bribery charges.

The grant will cover a range of habitats in the county, including woodlands and wetlands, and emphasizes implementation of ‘green infrastructure.’ 

Two new grants received by the University of Kansas — worth $50,000 and $7,500 — will help train the next generation of Indigenous journalists.

After the Kansas City Council approved $600 million in funding for a new downtown ballpark on Thursday, Councilmember Crispin Rea joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss what he thinks the deal means for the city.

What does Kansas City want in a new police chief? Here’s what community leaders say

The public radio music station first went on air 25 years ago Wednesday. The Kansas City broadcaster has become a champion for local artists and music discovery, and serves as the home for Current matches on the radio.

The panels are hosted by experts who have covered everything from the Red Scare to the history of Santa Claus. The series is a collaboration between Casual Animal Brewing Company and several other local partners, including Linda Hall Library and UMKC. 

In “Opinionated: Kansas Journalists Who Proved Why Commentary Matters Then and Now,” Clay Wirestone, opinion editor of the Kansas Reflector, tells the stories of the writers who came before him, and contemplates the importance of the form today.

The GOP has dominated U.S. Senate elections in Kansas since the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt. But, Washburn University political scientist Bob Beatty says Democrat Adam Hamilton could make this November’s election against incumbent Republican Roger Marshall unusually competitive.

The 6th district councilmember told KCUR's Up To Date on Thursday that his constituents want the city to negotiate a stadium deal that is more beneficial to residents. He said they also want more transparency from Kansas City's leaders.

Strawberry Hill in Kansas City, Kansas, has perhaps the most concentrated collection of dive bars in the metro. But no matter what neighborhood you’re in, Kansas City has a place for drinkers and diners looking for a low-key hang with decent food and cheap drinks.

Independence's superintendent said the district still needs to hire two elementary teachers, while Kansas City Public Schools has around 13 vacancies in "core content areas." Improving literacy and math comprehension remain top priorities.

Some immigrants in Kansas City are changing their work hours and shifting other parts of their daily routine to avoid encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The 2025 surge of immigration enforcement resulted in nearly 8,000 jobs lost in Kansas City.