Up To Date

More than 900 people who believe they were wrongfully convicted are on a waitlist for the Midwest Innocence Project, which provides pro bono legal representation in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Arkansas. The organization is celebrating 25 years of service in 2026.

Prairie Village-based Flint Development sold a Texas warehouse to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for use as an immigration detention facility. Local activist group The People for Prairie Village is protesting and calling for the company to cut ties — or leave town.

Now under new management, Powell Gardens Colonial Farms plans to gradually shift its growing practices. The goal is to improve environmental health while preserving the fruit-picking and family-oriented experience that Kansas Citians expect.

Interim Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss why he changed his mind about filing to run for a full term in office. He also discusses the task force he assembled to assess the future of the Truman Sports Complex site, and his approach to addressing property tax concerns.

Kansas City Council still has a lot of questions and financial details to work out before the new Royals stadium is a done deal. A ballpark at Crown Center brings the team back into the heart of the city — but some community advocates are criticizing the team's continued lack of transparency.

Many women struggling to get pregnant also experience depression and anxiety – often without support. After their own personal experiences, two local mental health providers founded The Village Fertility Co. to support the psychological and emotional wellbeing of women experiencing infertility.

In the 1950s, approximately 78,000 people lived in Kansas City’s midtown neighborhoods, which span roughly Crown Center to the Plaza and State Line Road to Troost Avenue. Two urban design experts will discuss what’s changing and what it means for residents Wednesday as a part of KC Design Week.

Quindaro in present-day Kansas City, Kansas, was founded before the Civil War as a diverse community that helped people escaping slavery. Now, Reps. Sharice Davids, Emanuel Cleaver II and Derek Schmidt are trying to pass a law that would give national protections to the ruins.

Passing a proposed constitutional amendment to eliminate the income tax is a priority for Republicans in Jefferson City. The resolution still needs final approval from the Missouri House, but critics say that raising sales taxes will disproportionately hurt lower-income and elderly Missourians.

In his latest book, “On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer,” Steves writes about his own transformational travels and what can be gained from getting out of your comfort zone. He’ll be speaking at the Unity Temple on the Plaza on April 23.

Historian Douglas Brinkley will be in Kansas City on the 23rd for the Truman Library Institute's annual "Wild About Harry" event. "We owe a lot to Truman," Brinkley told KCUR's Up To Date.

Women make up 39% of restaurant owners and 20% of chefs nationwide, according to the National Restaurant Association. In Kansas City, these women restaurateurs are shaping the culinary landscape.

Debate is growing among Catholics in Kansas City and beyond after President Donald Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war, and shared an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus.

The USDA has canceled a grant program that supported small and emerging farmers, cutting nearly $300 million nationwide. Kansas City-area organizations like Cultivate KC and MyCo Planet say the loss is disrupting projects already in progress.

Sarah Saldaña, who served as the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the final two years of Barack Obama’s presidency, is in Kansas City for an American Public Square event on Wednesday. She joined KCUR’s Up To Date to discuss the agency's tactics under the Trump administration.

Rapper Jamel Thompson, better known as The Royal Chief, got his start in Atlanta learning about the industry and even ghostwriting for Kanye West. He came back home to Kansas City in 2017, and now works to advance the music industry here

The UMKC Conservatory and KCUR's sister station Classical KC have deepened their partnership by adding "The UMKC Conservatory Hour" to the station's local content offerings.

Kansans hoping for a break on their property taxes will have to wait. The legislative session adjourned with Republicans unable to compromise on property tax reform. Sherman Smith, editor-in-chief of the Kansas Reflector, joined KCUR’s Up To Date to provide an overview of the session.

Starting in Seattle, Washington, Dr. Friedrike Benning biked over 2,000 miles before her first day as a fellow at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. Along the way, she discovered how her work as a researcher reflected her journey as a cyclist.

Rick Atkinson, a renowned historian and former Kansas City Times reporter, is coming to Kansas City this month for an event at Unity Temple on the Plaza. His new book, "The Fate of the Day," is his latest on the American Revolutionary War.

Karell Martinez, a cafe owner in Kansas City, Kansas, is collecting aid to send to his home country of Cuba. The country is near economic collapse following U.S. actions in Venezuela and a temporary oil embargo. Martinez said Cubans want the U.S. help to free the people from an oppressive regime.

Nick Goellner and Leslie Newsam Goellner opened their Japanese-style pub in July 2025, with an aim of introducing Midwest diners to new aspects of Japanese cuisine. Anjin is up for “Best New Restaurant” at the “Oscars of the food world” this June.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said the latest plan to pay for a downtown Royals stadium is different from the proposal rejected by voters two years ago. However, criticism is already mounting over the fact that the $600 million financing proposal won't not be subject to a public vote.

The annual "buyback" program spearheaded by the Missouri Invasive Plant Council offers residents a free native tree in exchange for removing invasive Callery pear. It's part of a larger effort to encourage more sustainable, pollinator-friendly landscaping choices and educate people about what's in their backyards.

Kevin King, a former union leader, was elected as mayor of Independence on Tuesday over a city council member who supported an AI data center deal. King has never held political office before, and says he wants residents to be engaged and feel heard in city government.