Wichita's Early Edition

Wichita musician Craig Owens releases a new album, The River, this Friday with. the Bodo Ensemble. Jedd Beaudoin talks with Owens. And we have news from Wichita and around the state.

The dancers in Ballet Wichita's "Alice in Wonderland" summer tour range from older professionals to young children. And this show requires more than just classic dance technique. We take a look at the dancers who are bringing Alice, the Mad Hatter and the March Hare to stages across Kansas. And news from Wichita and around the state.

Just outside of Pittsburg, Kansas, is an unlikely destination for fried chicken lovers. Nearly right next to each other are two iconic restaurants known for their fried chicken and their charm. We’ll hear about Chicken Annie’s and Chicken Mary’s. And we have news from Wichita and around the state.

Midwest prairies are turning into woodland. Ranchers are trying to stop this change, but it’s an uphill battle. Now some ranchers are testing out totally new approaches to the problem. We'll hear more, and we have news from Wichita and around the state.

Ballet Wichita is taking its production of "Alice in Wonderland" to stages across Kansas, and KMUW has a backstage pass. Today, Suzanne Perez tours the costuming department. And we have news from Wichita and around the state.

Wichita concluded Pride Month with events that brought people of all ages together in celebration. At the same time, the LGBTQ community faces political challenges. We'll hear more on Wichita Pride and political tensions, and we have news from Wichita and around the state.

Rural hospitals in Kansas will use federal money to help them transform and expand access to healthcare. Some are using the dollars to create new services, like mobile maternal health clinics. We'll hear more about what hospitals are doing with the money, and we have news from Wichita and around the state.

The discovery of an ancient Kansas settlement named Etzanoa is challenging long-held views that all Indigenous people on the Great Plains were nomadic. We’ll hear how a new center allows the public to visit the site and learn the Wichita Tribe’s story, and we have news from Wichita and around the state.

A new historical walk honors some of the immigrants who helped settle Wichita’s North End. We talk to some of the people behind the Woodland Park Historical Walk, and we have news from Wichita and around the state.

This summer, Ballet Wichita brings a new production of "Alice in Wonderland" to stages across Kansas. KMUW's Beth Golay explores the origination of Lewis Carroll's story, and how it inspired Ballet Wichita's adaptation. We'll hear that, and we have news from Wichita and around the state.

Singer-songwriter Edwin McCain's "I'll Be" became a hit after being featured in the TV show Dawson's Creek. It also saved his career. We'll hear more, and we have news from Wichita and around the state.

Colorado bands Toxic Authority and Radiofry are currently on their second tour together. Trentin Martinez, who is playing with both bands on this tour, says that the close friendships between the two groups has made the sometimes difficult task of touring easier. We'll hear more, and we have news from Wichita and around the state.

Summertime is a busy season for Wichita's restored B-29 bomber, known as "Doc." For World War II veterans, the experience of seeing "Doc" can be an emotional experience. We'll hear about the restored bomber, and we have news from Wichita and around the state.

A Kansas native played an important role in the 2022 World Cup title match. History may repeat itself. We have that story and we have news from Wichita and around the state.

Kansas voters head to the polls in August to decide if they want to elect justices to the state’s highest court. Former members of the Kansas Supreme Court — like Carol Beier — worry direct elections will lead to political donations that impact the court’s decision-making process on major issues like abortion and education funding. But supporters of the change say it would mean voters get a bigger...

Ballet Wichita presents "Alice in Wonderland" at a variety of venues in Kansas this summer. Choreographer and Ballet Wichita company director Katie Andrusak says that it was important to spotlight the individual talents of the company's dancers for the show. We'll hear that, and we have news from Wichita and around the state.

Hundreds of people flocked to a greenhouse in Winfield Monday to witness the colorful and pungent bloom of a rare corpse flower. We'll hear more on that extraordinary botanical event, and we have news from Wichita and around the state.

We'll remember the legacy of Symphony in the Flint Hills, and we have news from Wichita and around the state.

Musician Skinny Hightower created the song "Summer Anthem" in just one day. We'll hear about his process, and we have news from Wichita and around the state.

Charlie Wilks is a local musician who provided soundscapes to accompany the Wichita Art Museum's "See, Hear, Feel America" exhibit, in partnership with Envision Arts Center. Torin Andersen reports on Charlie Wilks' process, and we have news from Wichita and around the state.