Best KCUR Studios Podcasts (2025)

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How Kansas City got swept into the NYC mayoral race 11:17

Play Pause

3d ago11:17

11:17

Kansas City has been in the national news a lot lately, including one surprising place: stories about the New York City mayoral race. Many national news outlets, most of them conservative-leaning, have zeroed in on candidate Zohran Mamdani’s proposals for free bus fare and government-run grocery stores, and they’re using Kansas City as a negative e…

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And the award for Missouri Teacher of the Year goes to... 15:00

4d ago15:00

15:00

Students at Ruskin High School in south Kansas City have the newest Teacher of the Year in Missouri — and they’re not surprised. Hear from them about why their teacher came out on top. Plus: The number of people experiencing homelessness in Kansas fell this year, but President Donald Trump recently ended federal funding for programs that provide pe…

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Kansas City's Throttle Dome offers a legal space for car sideshows 11:00

5d ago11:00

11:00

A Kansas City car salesman has opened a business hosting legal car sideshows. He hopes the space will make city streets safer, after years of complaints from businesses and residents about crowds and violence. Screeching tires, drifting and loud smoking engines are the stuff of spinning car sideshows. But this time they’re not coming from downtown …

1
Why a Kansas college runner collapsed in extreme heat 13:52

6d ago13:52

13:52

A Kansas college cross-country runner collapsed from exertional heat stroke during a blistering hot practice in August. Former athletes and trainers say this doesn't surprise them. Delia Montes was one of two cross-country athletes at Dodge City Community College who were treated for heat-related conditions last summer after practicing on the hotte…

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Shutdown consequences reach into Johnson County 13:54

7d ago13:54

13:54

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. The Johnson County Mental Health Center provides counseling, substance use treatment, psychiatric medication and othe…

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Ding ding! Make way for the streetcar 14:27

10d ago14:27

14:27

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. The KC Streetcar’s Main Street Extensio…

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Could Kansas get new nuclear reactors? 14:05

11d ago14:05

14:05

Companies are racing to roll out nuclear reactor designs that would be faster to build and could meet rising demand for energy from AI data centers. Two nuclear companies have proposals for new reactors in Kansas. Plus: Data centers are fundamentally changing the landscape for electric utilities in Missouri and beyond. Two companies have revealed p…

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Missouri voters want to overturn gerrymandered map 13:56

12d ago13:56

13:56

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! Missouri lawmakers recently ger…

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Missouri state-funded vouchers are going to religious schools 13:12

13d ago13:12

13:12

Missouri legislators recently approved the use of millions in state funding for MOScholars, a K-12 school scholarship program that had previously been supported by tax-deductible donations. But an investigation found that nearly all of those state-funded vouchers were used for religious schools. The majority of the six educational assistance organi…

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Kansas Young Republicans ensnared by racist chat leak 13:04

14d ago13:04

13:04

Republican leaders are responding to an investigative report that exposed racist messages shared by Young Republican organizations in Kansas and around the country — while Gov. Laura Kelly says the Kansas GOP is setting a poor example. Plus: Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is laying out her agenda, particularly on crime and abortion. Po…

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How an anti-fascist mural ended up in Kansas City 13:07

17d ago13:07

13:07

The University of Missouri–Kansas City recently restored one of the last remaining murals of a nearly forgotten Spanish painter. Hear the story of Luis Quintanilla and how he ended up in Kansas City. In a corner of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, there’s a forgotten piece of art history: one of the last surviving murals of a Spanish artist …

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Missouri students adapt to school days without cellphones 10:51

18d ago10:51

10:51

Missouri schools now have a bell-to-bell cellphone ban in place. How are students and teachers adapting? Missouri has joined more than 30 states in banning or limiting the use of cellphones in schools. All schools in the state now must have a policy to restrict students from using cellphones and other personal electronic devices to communicate with…

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Medicaid cuts are a time bomb for Kansas hospitals 11:25

19d ago11:25

11:25

Kansas has more rural hospitals at risk of closure than any other state. Changes at the federal level are further complicating the situation, leaving hospital officials planning for the future. Under President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," Medicaid reimbursement rates will start decreasing in 2028 — threatening the already-fragile ecosystem …

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Redistricting splits Kansas City along a historic racial divide 14:30

20d ago14:30

14:30

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 farmers affected by tariffs and facing a tough economy this year. Last month’s redistricting battle in …

1
Why is Missouri demanding abortion patient records? 13:38

21d ago13:38

13:38

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. Reproductive health reporter Anna Spoerre of the Missouri Independent talks to Steve Kraske on KCUR's Up To Date about the state's request for…

1
Why are four Kansas school districts being investigated? 10:04

24d ago10:04

10:04

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. KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with education reporter Jodi Fortino and the Kansas News Service's Zane Irwin about the invest…

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And the award for Kansas Teacher of the Year goes to ... 10:47

25d ago10:47

10:47

Kansas' 2026 Teacher of the Year is Rachel Marlow, a music teacher at an Olathe elementary school. Her students say she deserves the award because she goes above and beyond in her classes. Students at Central Elementary School in Olathe know what makes a great teacher: patience, a sense of humor and the know-how to make learning fun. KCUR's Jodi Fo…

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It's corn! We can tell you all about it 15:00

26d ago15:00

15:00

Western Kansas has inserted itself into the corn belt, and even though there's better crop options for the climate, huge industries and government subsidies make it hard for farmers to switch. Plus: The average American eats more than 40 quarts of popcorn a year, but the snack isn't grown on that many farms. Over the decades, western Kansas has ins…

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Girls' flag football is taking the field in Kansas 10:45

27d ago10:45

10:45

By Nomin Ujiyediin, Byron J. Love, Jacob Smollen

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Abortion is on the docket in Missouri and Kansas courts 15:00

28d ago15:00

15:00

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. Abortion rights and restrictions have moved into the court systems in bo…

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Prairie islands are popping up in a sea of corn and soybeans 28:42

28d ago28:42

28:42

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) The Midwest has a reputation for vast fields of corn and soybeans that stretch to the horizon. But on some farms, strips of wildflowers and little bluestem now interrupt the crops, tiny glimpses of the prairie that once dominated the region. They’re an effort to hold back the fertilizer runoff that pollutes drinking…

1
How to explore a Lawrence museum's hidden treasures 11:14

1M ago11:14

11:14

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. Every Friday, visitors to the Spencer Museum of Art in Lawrence can request to see tens of thousands of works of art that are not currently on view. KCUR’s Julie Denesha took a trip t…

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Voters recalled Frank White Jr. Now things could get messy 13:33

1M ago13:33

13:33

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. Steve Kraske asked Jackson County Legislature Chair DaRon McGee about th…

1
What will it take to get rural Missouri and Kansas online? 11:00

1M ago11:00

11:00

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? Lots of rural communities still aren’t connected to the internet, despite decades of efforts to r…

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Kansans are spotting more mountain lions 10:30

1M ago10:30

10:30

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. When you think of Kansas, you probably don’t think of mountains — or mountain lions. But in recent years, the number of sightings of mount…

1
Kansas is in a battle over SNAP recipient data 14:24

1M ago14:24

14:24

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 losing millions in federal funding and a lawsuit from state Attorney General Kris Kobach. Matthew Kelly, Kansas Statehouse reporter for the Kansas City Star, speaks…

1
Is Missouri ready for legal sports betting? 13:50

1M ago13:50

13:50

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? Missouri voters legalized sports betting by an extremely narrow margin last year, but it won’t be …

1
Why Missouri has become a hotspot for copper thefts 13:07

1M ago13:07

13:07

Copper wire thefts are on the rise in Missouri, and Kansas City is getting hit hard. It turns out the skyrocketing value of the metal is due in no small part to the Trump administration's 50% tariff on copper imports. KCUR's Sam Zeff tells Up To Date host Steve Kraske only Texas and California have had more copper wire thefts than Missouri. Contact…

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Inside an ICE facility in Kansas 9:00

1M ago9:00

9:00

Former detainees are speaking out about what they say are poor conditions at an immigration detention center in eastern Kansas. Many immigrants who are detained in Kansas and Missouri go through the Chase County jail in eastern Kansas. Now, some former detainees say the facility was overcrowded and lacked medical care. As Zane Irwin of the Kansas N…

1
Fewer international students means a big problem for colleges 15:00

1M ago15:00

15:00

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 professor wrote the literal book on "Swiftynomics," about the economic impact of women's work — and Tay…

1
What to know about the recall election for Frank White Jr. 15:00

1M ago15:00

15:00

Election Day is just over a week away, and absentee voting is already underway, in the recall of Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. We'll explain the backstory of this unusual special election, and what it means if you vote yes or no. KCUR's Brian Ellison sat down with Josh Merchant, who covers local government for the Beacon, to talk about t…

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Why a prairie scientist spent years photographing a single square meter of land 29:34

2M ago29:34

29:34

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) Have you ever wondered how much life a tiny patch of land can hold? Nebraska scientist Chris Helzer photographed one square meter of prairie from every angle for two years, getting to know the creatures that call it home. By blending art and science, he hopes to open people's eyes to this underappreciated ecosystem …

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A sticky solution for microplastics 19:21

3M ago19:21

19:21

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) Microplastics are everywhere. They’re in the air we breathe, the clothes we wear, even the food we eat. Scientists are still trying to understand what these tiny particles are doing to the environment and our bodies. But an accidental discovery at the University of Michigan in 2019 – involving baby diapers and rubbe…

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Kayakers vs. river pollution 27:52

4M ago27:52

27:52

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) For decades, the world’s longest prairie river was treated as a convenient dumping ground by cities and industries. Government regulation dramatically improved water quality here and around the country. Today the Kansas River is a place to scope out beavers and bald eagles. But decades-old garbage and other pollutio…

1
Say no to skyglow: Smarter lighting can help save the stars 28:58

5M ago28:58

28:58

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) We have inadvertently filled our world with poorly designed outdoor lighting. The price? We’re losing our starry skies, hurting our health, killing pollinators, wasting billions of dollars and releasing millions of tons of avoidable carbon dioxide. Now people in a Missouri college town and a state park are proving t…

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Less lawn, more wildlife! Here’s how to ditch turf for native plants 24:20

6M ago24:20

24:20

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) So you’ve been thinking about getting rid of your lawn, or at least having less. You’ll attract birds and bees and you won’t have to mow as much. Nice! But where to start? Master gardener Paula Diaz gives us the scoop on how to kill grass, where to look for the right native plant species to replace it, and how to st…

1
Those soil health products may be a waste of money 26:16

7M ago26:16

26:16

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) Symbiotic fungi are all the rage right now. Farmers want them in their fields, gardeners want them in veggie patches and flowerbeds. The excitement has given rise to a billion-dollar mycorrhizae market, but many products don’t deliver on their promises. Come visit the world’s biggest collection of these fungi to lea…

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Can we save millions of migrating birds? 25:31

8M ago25:31

25:31

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) In 1978, a young scientist “brazenly trespassed” around a Chicago building in search of dead birds. He unwittingly began a 40-year journey that could help save countless warblers, thrushes and more. Most of America’s 10 riskiest cities for migrating birds lie in the middle of the country. We’ll find out why — and ho…

1
The case of the disappearing lake 41:16

1y ago41:16

41:16

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) During times of drought, when the rains fail, man-made lakes come to the rescue of our cities and towns. Except the reservoirs we’ve come to depend on for drinking water are filling up with mud instead. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has an idea to tackle the problem, and they’ll try it for the first time ever — i…

1
What's better for the environment: Tea or coffee? 32:51

1y ago32:51

32:51

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) Have you ever wondered about the eco-story behind your daily brew? Join us as we spill the beans on the environmental impact of tea & coffee, from cultivation to consumption. (This episode comes to us from the podcast Living Planet.)By Celia Llopis-Jepsen

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Dry times on the High Plains 44:38

1y ago44:38

44:38

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) Ancient waters that lie deep beneath the dry High Plains helped to turn western Kansas into an agricultural powerhouse. But the Ogallala Aquifer’s wells have begun to run dry after decades of tapping it for our corn, wheat and cows. In the rain shadow of the Rocky Mountains, we’ll learn how farmers are adjusting as …

1
Healing the ground we broke 37:26

1+ y ago37:26

37:26

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) After Europeans colonized America, their descendants plowed their way across the continent, seeking prosperity through farming. But breaking up the soil – that had built up over many thousands of years – made it wash away. So some farmers are retiring their tilling equipment. Amble through Kansas prairies and cornfi…

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For the love of dung beetles 34:21

1+ y ago34:21

34:21

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) It’s easy to advocate for saving pandas and elephants, but bugs are a harder sell. Look closer, though, and you’ll find tiny superheroes propping up entire ecosystems as pollinators, decomposers, predators and prey. We’ll wander the prairie with bison ranchers, in search of the dung beetles that work quiet miracles …

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The Green Glacier 42:49

1+ y ago42:49

42:49

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) A vast ocean of grass and wildflowers once covered one-third of North America. But that diverse prairie biome is collapsing, partly due to greenhouse gases and to our obsession with trees. Humans have unleashed an aggressive canopy that’s swallowing the Great Plains. For ranchers, saving the environment means being …

1
When good plants turn bad 34:19

1+ y ago34:19

34:19

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) Humans opened a Pandora’s box by moving plants, animals and fungi around the planet where they didn’t live before. Some of those species become so successful in their new surroundings that they crowd out others. Come along on a hunt for rogue Bradford pears, meet the teens turning cityscapes into butterfly havens an…

1
Introducing: Up From Dust 1:50

1+ y ago1:50

1:50

(Jessica Cornelison / KCUR 89.3) Trees are swallowing prairies. Bees are starving for food. Farmland is washing away in the rain. Humans broke the environment — but we can heal it, too. Up From Dust is a new podcast about the price of trying to shape the world around our needs, as seen from America’s breadbasket: Kansas. Hosts Celia Llopis-Jepsen a…

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Guns, Gambling And The Gas Tax: Previewing The 2020 Missouri Legislative Session 24:16

6y ago24:16

24:16

The 2020 session of the Missouri General Assembly, which convenes Wednesday, promises the usual array of legislative wrangling and partisan bickering — all with an election looming in November. In this episode of Statehouse Blend Missouri, we bring you a preview, which first aired on KCUR's Up to Date on Jan. 6. Host Steve Kraske spoke with Brian H…

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The 2019 Missouri Legislative Session Recap: GOP Wins Big On Abortion, Economic Development 36:07

6+ y ago36:07

36:07

In this very special episode of KCUR’s Statehouse Blend Missouri podcast, we joined forces with St. Louis Public Radio’s Politically Speaking podcast to round up the 2019 session of the Missouri General Assembly.By KCUR Studios

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Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway Discusses The State Budget, Putnam County Hospitals 13:30

6+ y ago13:30

13:30

Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway ’s been busy, looking into Clay County’s finances, the attorney general’s office and raising questions about the state’s tax revenues and budget issues. She sat down with KCUR's Samuel King on April 15 (Tax Day) to discuss all of these things, as well as what it’s like to be the only Democrat holding a statewide off…

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Missouri Rep. Robert Sauls On Changing Criminal Justice Laws 25:09

6+ y ago25:09

25:09

Before getting into the Missouri House, Democrat Robert Sauls was a prosecutor, a public defender and a military lawyer. Perhaps it's no surprise, then, that he has focused on criminal justice reform in his first term, cosponsoring bills that seek to change sentencing laws and create special veterans treatment courts. Sauls spoke with Statehouse Bl…