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The federal government is going on four weeks of being shut down. Beyond the 30,000 federal workers around Kansas City who are working without pay, the shutdown also has trickle-down consequences for local mental health departments. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron L...

The traffic cones have all but left Main Street as the Streetcar Extension opens after more than three years of construction, but now drivers will face a new obstacle: transit-only lanes. Plus: Raising giant pumpkins is a labor of love for some Midwest growers, and the pumpkins keep getting bigger and bigger.  Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest...

Companies are racing to roll out nuclear reactor designs that would be faster to build and could meet rising demand for energy from tech firms running AI data centers. Two nuclear companies are proposing to build reactors in Kansas. Plus: Data centers are fundamentally changing the landscape for electric utilities in Missouri and beyond. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram...

Thousands of volunteers in Missouri are trying to get enough signatures to force a statewide vote on a congressional map, which state lawmakers recently gerrymandered to favor Republicans. But state officials aren't making it easy for them. Plus: U.S. farmers are experimenting with short corn. It's corn, but shorter. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the...

TAKE THE INFO FROM THE DESCRIPTION OF YOUR PODCAST DESCRIPTION AND PLACE HERE, ALONG WITH SHOW CREDITS, CONTACT INFO, AND SUPPORT INFO. SEE BELOW: EX: Troost Avenue was a racial dividing line for decades. Missouri’s recent redistricting efforts now use the street to split Kansas City into separate congressional districts. Plus: The Trump administration is promising billions in bailout money for fa...

The Missouri attorney general’s office is demanding Planned Parenthood hand over patient medical records and other documents for a pending court trial. We speak to a reporter to find out more about the case. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios,...

Four Kansas school districts say they haven’t received any complaints about their gender identity policies. But the federal government is investigating them anyway — and it has threatened to withhold federal funding from them. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love...

Kansas' 2026 Teacher of the Year is Rachel Marlow, a music teacher at an Olathe elementary school. Her students say she's deserving of the award because she goes above and beyond in her classes. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios...

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Many Kansas students are getting excited about girls’ flag football, which was launched in the state with help and funding from the Kansas City Chiefs. Learn about the sport and its rising popularity. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Jacob Smollen and KCUR S...

Voters in both Kansas and Missouri have chosen to protect reproductive rights in their state constitutions. So why are abortion rights advocates challenging both states in court? We’ll have the latest on pending legal battles and the state of the abortion debate in the region. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is host...

Museums usually keep art behind glass or tucked in storage, but one Lawrence museum lets people get closer. We'll take a trip to “Open Fridays” at the Spencer Museum. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Gabe Rose...

Frank White Jr. has been unseated as Jackson County Executive after losing a special recall election on Tuesday. However, he's fighting the election in court, while county legislators move forward with picking his replacement — a process that could include little public input. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is host...

Federal dollars will help bring internet connection to rural communities across the U.S. But new guidance from the Trump administration is asking states to consider the lowest-cost options. What's the status of efforts to fund broadband infrastructure? Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It...

Mountain lions in Kansas? Yep! While wildlife officials say there's no evidence of a "resident population," a number of the big cats have been seen passing through the state, and sightings have been on the rise. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studio...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants states to provide personal information about SNAP applicants dating back to 2020. But Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is refusing, despite the threat of millions in funding being withheld — and a lawsuit from Attorney General Kris Kobach. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by...

Sports betting is expected to start in Missouri on Dec. 1. But some are concerned about the consequences of making gambling so easy to access. Plus: Beef is as expensive as it’s ever been, thanks to the high cost of cattle. When will prices come down? Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It...

Copper wire thefts are on the rise in Missouri, and Kansas City is getting it hard. It turns out that the value of the metal is skyrocketing in no small part due to the Trump administration's 50% tariff on copper imports. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and...

Former detainees are speaking out about what they say are poor conditions at an immigration detention center in eastern Kansas. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Madeline Fox. You can support Kansas City Today b...

The Trump administration's clampdown on student visas means that colleges and universities have gotten a lot fewer students from abroad this year. That could spell trouble for higher education and the U.S. as a whole. Plus: A University of Kansas wrote the literal book on "Swifty-nomics," about the economic impact of women's work — and Taylor Swift herself. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follo...

Election Day is just over a week away in the recall of Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. Hear the backstory and what it means if you vote yes or no. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Brian Ellison. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Ros...

Kansas City, Kansas, artist Harold Smith’s new series of paintings puts a personal spin on iconic works from art history — adding in his friends and neighbors. You can see these "Around the Way Folk, Saints in Uncommon Places" on display now at the Mulvane Art Museum in Topeka. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hos...

President Donald Trump says that cashless bail is leading to a rise in crime, and wants to see it ended nationwide. But a study from the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas found the opposite, and argues that cash bail for nonviolent crimes is hurting low-income residents. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hos...

Critical questions remain about how a 50-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, man died in the Wyandotte County Jail more than two months ago. Charles Adair’s death has been ruled a homicide, but new details reveal striking similarities to the death of George Floyd in 2020. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on  Instagram  and  Facebook for the latest news. Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin...

Kansas has lost about 50 newspapers in the past 20 years. And as the owners of many small, family-owned papers get older, it’s uncertain who will keep the presses running when they retire. Plus: Missouri Republicans shattered norms when they pushed through redistricting and amendment changes in a special session — and it could have long-term consequences. Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow...