Best KCUR Studios Podcasts (2025)

1
Kansas City's stadium saga heads to high-stakes special session 12:32

2h ago12:32

12:32

The Missouri General Assembly is beginning a special session today, with the primary mission of passing an incentive package for the two Kansas City teams. But after years of drama over new stadiums, and a looming deadline on the Kansas side, the stakes are high. Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with KCUR's government and politics reporter Savannah Hawley-Bat…

1
Ivanhoe residents work toward change 15:00

3d ago15:00

15:00

The Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council has faced several challenges in recent years, but the community it serves is coming together to find trust and hope for the future in each other. Learn how Ivanhoe is inspiring the next generation. Plus: how dairy workers and owners are navigating the second Trump presidency. Despite its long history of delivering r…

1
Abortion access halted again in Missouri 11:40

4d ago11:40

11:40

The Missouri Supreme Court ordered a Jackson County judge to lift her rulings that allowed abortions to resume in the state. Why did the court decide to put the ban back into effect for now? The state Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered Judge Jerri Zhang to lift rulings that had allowed abortions to resume in the state — despite voters approving a con…

1
ICE detains Kansas City, Kansas, crime victim 11:02

5d ago11:02

11:02

President Donald Trump has said his mass deportation campaign prioritizes immigrants who have committed violent crimes. But the family of a crime victim in Kansas City, Kansas, said authorities detained him, even though he was about to receive immigration protections. The Trump administration has said it's focusing its deportation programs on immig…

1
Missouri House Speaker Jon Patterson 15:00

6d ago15:00

15:00

Missouri House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Republican representing Lee's Summit, says that next year's vote on whether to ban abortion again might not be the end of efforts around how the state regulates the procedure. Just before the end of the legislative session, Missouri Republican lawmakers sent a new proposal to voters that would reinstate a ban…

1
The lesbian publishing company that started in Kansas City 15:00

10d ago15:00

15:00

In the 1970s, a Kansas City woman helped create Naiad Press, the largest lesbian publishing company in the world. Her goal was to tell more positive stories about queer love. Plus: Hundreds of people attend the weekly bingo night at the American Legion in Olathe, and they come to win. Barbara Grier was bold, controversial, and unstoppable in her mi…

1
Kansas City music stores get down to brass taxes 14:33

11d ago14:33

14:33

Buying a new band or orchestra instrument could get a lot more expensive. Kansas City music store owners have been hit hard by President Trump's on-again, off-again tariffs with Europe and China, and the path forward remains unclear. Plus: A prominent Kansas abortion clinic has a new leader with plans to expand access. Since taking office in Januar…

1
Freedom arrives for one Missouri inmate 10:04

12d ago10:04

10:04

Nearly 20,000 people are released from Missouri prisons each year. Going home is an adjustment — and a relief. Hear from one man who returned home after 37 years. Plus: Get caught up on news from around the metro. Paige Spears was given more than a life sentence for an armed robbery where no one was physically injured. But in March, he walked free …

1
Farming morels in Missouri 14:05

13d ago14:05

14:05

Midwesterners typically head to the woods to find morels because the mushrooms have a lifecycle that’s hard to replicate at farms, but that could change. Plus: Why it’s so hard for the farming industry in Kansas to switch crops. Springtime in the Midwest means mushroom hunters head to the woods. They’re typically looking for morels. But as Harvest …

1
Mario Vasquez takes the reins in Kansas City 15:00

14d ago15:00

15:00

The Kansas City Council has found its next city manager. Get to know Mario Vasquez, the first Latino to permanently hold one of most powerful positions in the city. Plus: Stay up to date with the latest political headlines from around the region. Kansas City Council voted 11-2 earlier this month to hire Mario Vasquez as the city manager. The vote c…

1
Missouri Republicans defy voters on abortion and sick leave 12:40

17d ago12:40

12:40

Abortion is heading back to the ballot, after Missouri Republican lawmakers fell back on a little-used rule to shut down a Democratic filibuster and push through a ballot amendment to ban abortion again. They used the same maneuver to repeal a paid sick leave law — just months after Missouri voters approved both. Steve Kraske spoke with Jason Rosen…

1
Kansas colleges could lose years of progress on diversity efforts 10:42

18d ago10:42

10:42

The concept of diversity, equity and inclusion has been thrust into the political spotlight as President Donald Trump targets programs on college campuses that try to support historically underrepresented groups. But Kansas experts say that DEI is being misrepresented. DEI efforts at universities are aimed at supporting people from identity groups …

1
The personal toll of Trump's transgender military ban 14:20

19d ago14:20

14:20

For the last few months, transgender service members have had to wrestle with the reality that they’ve been deemed unqualified to serve in the U.S. military. Hear more from an officer stationed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, who is directly affected. Also, The Natural Resources Conservation Service turns 90 this year. But the agency, which sprung out…

1
Repairing what Highway 71 destroyed 13:11

20d ago13:11

13:11

Bruce R. Watkins Drive took three decades to build, and resulted in the destruction of 2,000 homes and the displacement of thousands of Black residents. Kansas City officials and longtime residents hope a new federal grant can reconnect the neighborhoods torn apart by Highway 71, but mending old wounds won’t be easy. From the podcast A People's His…

1
Josh Hawley's own brand of populism 15:00

21d ago15:00

15:00

Sen. Josh Hawley spent his first time in office building up his reputation as an arch-conservative — and in the Jan. 6 insurrection linked himself to President Trump and the MAGA movement. But in several ways, the Missouri senator is also positioning himself as a champion of the working class. Robert Draper, domestic politics reporter for the New Y…

1
He visited his grandpa's grave in Mexico. The U.S. blocked his return 12:15

24d ago12:15

12:15

A Roeland Park man legally protected under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals was not allowed to reenter the United States after visiting a family grave in Mexico. He's now back on U.S. soil, after he sued the Trump administration. Hear what Evenezer Cortez Martinez has to say about his experience. Cortez Martinez and his attorney Rekha Sharma-…

1
Virtual teachers are filling more classes in Kansas City, Kansas 11:34

25d ago11:34

11:34

As the ongoing teacher shortage persists, school districts like Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools are using virtual teachers to get by. The number of students learning from remote, on-screen instructors has more than doubled, despite the move being intended as a stopgap. Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools first implemented virtual instruction thre…

1
Federal government cuts are hitting Kansas City's HUD office 11:13

26d ago11:13

11:13

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development office in Kansas City is dealing with federal government cuts. How will vital community resources be impacted? Kansas City's HUD office provides a variety of critical services to the community, including fair housing investigations, disaster relief and tenant support. But due to recent federal go…

1
What federal cuts to public media mean for Kansas City 13:45

27d ago13:45

13:45

President Trump signed an executive order that aims to end federal funding for NPR and PBS. What does this mean for your local public media outlets? Hear KCUR’s general manager describe what this means for our station. Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to cease direct and i…

1
A preview of Missouri lawmakers' final weeks in session 15:00

28d ago15:00

15:00

Missouri lawmakers are still wrestling with abortion rights, paid sick leave, tax cuts and the state budget. What's ahead for the General Assembly in the last two weeks of this legislative session? KCUR's Brian Ellison spoke with Rudi Keller, deputy editor of the Missouri Independent, to get up to speed on what to watch the next two weeks. Contact …

1
A 'Star Wars' museum that's not far, far away 11:13

1M ago11:13

11:13

After Duncan Jenkins saw "Star Wars" for the first time, he embarked on a lifelong obsession. The Kansas City man has now amassed nearly 200,000 pieces of memorabilia — the second most complete collection in the world — stored in a museum next to his house. As die-hard Star Wars fans celebrate "May the Fourth" this weekend, and Kansas City’s Nation…

1
Many Kansas City kids could lose free school meals 10:36

1M ago10:36

10:36

Free school lunch is a life-changing resource for kids in Kansas City. But for many families, potential federal budget cuts threaten to take the vital service away. It’s a feat for Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools to offer free lunch to more than 20,000 students every day. But school nutrition teams across the metro worry that job could get hard…

1
Why some Midwesterners are renting backyard chickens 10:35

1M ago10:35

10:35

Backyard chickens are really popular this year, in part due to the high cost of eggs. Some people are even renting chickens. In recent years, more and more people have welcomed chickens to their backyards. But for those who aren’t ready to fully commit, renting chickens is an option. Chicken rental businesses will provide everything you need, such …

1
Is KCPD making progress on cases of missing Black people? 14:30

1M ago14:30

14:30

Black people are reported missing in higher numbers than white people relative to their population, according to recent data. Some families believe the newly reinstated Missing Persons Unit of the Kansas City Police Department isn’t doing enough to address that. Plus: How the University of Missouri is handling reports of immigration enforcement aut…

1
Missouri international students push back 15:00

1M ago15:00

15:00

Five international college students in Missouri filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Department of Homeland Security's termination of their visas. And although the Trump Administration backed off the terminations on Friday, the students’ battle — and their uncertainty about their future legal status in the U.S. — continues. Brian Ellison spoke w…

1
Spring has come to the Missouri state tree nursery 11:20

1M ago11:20

11:20

Every year, 2 million seedlings from the George O. White State Forest tree nursery make their way to front yards and fields all over the region. We'll hear from the staff growing and cultivating trees at the 100-acre site in Licking, Missouri. KBIA’s Jana Rose Schleis brings us an audio postcard from the Ozarks. Contact the show at [email protected]. F…

1
Kansas City teens speak up about their mental health 14:14

1M ago14:14

14:14

Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, students around Kansas City still struggle with their mental health. A group of students at Guadalupe Centers High School share what they learned when they interviewed each other. The COVID-19 pandemic shuttered schools for months, upending students’ education and lives. A group of students at Guadalupe…

1
A fight brews over an ICE detention center in Kansas 14:41

1M ago14:41

14:41

A private prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, could reopen to hold detainees for federal immigration authorities. Plus: Farmers fear the trade war could cause another farm crisis. A private prison in Leavenworth, Kansas, that closed amid allegations of mismanagement could reopen to hold detainees for federal immigration authorities. As Zane Irwin of the…

1
Jackson County needs a budget 14:30

1M ago14:30

14:30

In a 5-4 vote last year, Jackson County legislators approved a budget that was later vetoed by County Executive Frank White. Now more than three months into 2025, Jackson County has yet to pass a spending plan. Hear why the gridlock has led to a lawsuit and why some county services aren't being funded. Steve Kraske spoke with government reporters J…

1
How federal health funding cuts will hurt Kansas City 14:35

1M ago14:35

14:35

The Trump administration canceled more than $12 billion in public health grants last month. Local public health departments are worried about what that will mean for Kansas Citians. The cuts included millions of dollars for Kansas and Missouri, with effects that trickle down to virtually every local community. Here in the Kansas City area, impacts …

1
Guns, Gambling And The Gas Tax: Previewing The 2020 Missouri Legislative Session 24:16

5+ y 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…

1
The 2019 Missouri Legislative Session Recap: GOP Wins Big On Abortion, Economic Development 36:07

6y 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

1
Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway Discusses The State Budget, Putnam County Hospitals 13:30

6y 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…

1
Missouri Rep. Robert Sauls On Changing Criminal Justice Laws 25:09

6y 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…

1
Freshman State Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove On The Budget, LGBTQ Issues 23:28

6y ago23:28

23:28

Missouri state Rep. Ashley Bland Manlove is the granddaughter and niece of state lawmakers, but she’s already making her own mark two months into her first term.By KCUR Studios

1
Will Sports Betting Be Missouri's Answer To Shrinking Revenue? 31:07

6+ y ago31:07

31:07

Missouri's budget director announced this week that revenues are down 7 percent compared to last year. While that may change as more people file their taxes, lawmakers are looking for new ways to bring in money while faced with tax cuts they instituted on top of growing expenses for health care, infrastructure and education.…

1
Missouri Sen. Dan Hegeman On The 2019 State Budget, Transportation Funding 28:12

6+ y ago28:12

28:12

Missouri Republicans have a firm grip on the state legislature, but among the party’s leadership roles, only one is filled by someone near Kansas City.By KCUR Studios

1
Statehouse Blend Missouri: Rep. DaRon McGee On The 2019 Legislative Session 20:40

6+ y ago20:40

20:40

The Missouri General Assembly convenes this week and Republicans are still in charge, with supermajorities largely unaffected by the 2018 election. They’re united with Gov. Mike Parson, who's a decidedly less controversial leader than predecessor Eric Greitens, who resigned in June.By KCUR Studios

1
An End to Gerrymandering? Missouri's 2018 Ballot Questions 32:48

6+ y ago32:48

32:48

Midterm elections are just around the corner, but much of Missouri's ballot is covered with pot — and redistricting, ethics rules, a gas tax and a minimum wage increase. Ballot questions join the U.S. Senate race as the big-ticket items on November 6 in Missouri. Host Brian Ellison talks with KCUR's Samuel King , Clean Missouri campaign director Se…

1
'Dark Money' Pours Into Missouri 27:28

6+ y ago27:28

27:28

The influence of money in today's politics is undeniable, in Missouri and everywhere else. We explore campaign contributions, PACs, "dark money" groups and more, not only in big races like the U.S. Senate race between Claire McCaskill and Josh Hawley, but also in tight local races like the fight for the Missouri Senate seat in Platte and Buchanan C…

1
A Wild Political Year Races Toward November 24:27

7y ago24:27

24:27

The final slog to the November elections is underway, and Missouri's already wild political year holds the possibility of getting wilder yet. As Democrat Jason Kander pivots from the state and national stage to a Kansas City mayoral run, we get his assessment of the state of Missouri politics. We recap the primary election's top story, the overwhel…

1
Trailer: My Fellow Kansans 2:00

7y ago2:00

2:00

From its bloody free-state beginnings to present-day, red-state conservatism, we ask: How did Kansas get here? My Fellow Kansans explores one of the most pivotal chapters in the state’s history — its hard turn to the right over the past three decades. A turn driven by abortion and other culture-war wedge issues, and by politicians skilled in exploi…

1
Session Scorecard: GOP Agenda Wins 24:24

7y ago24:24

24:24

As the 2018 legislative session careened to an end, we took stock of what legislation passed, what didn't pass, and what was allowed to quietly pass away. It turns out that with all eyes on the accusations against Gov. Eric Greitens, his fellow Republicans were fairly successful at advancing a legislative agenda. Host Brian Ellison calls on KCUR ed…

1
Battle For A Senate Seat In A Swing District 24:30

7y ago24:30

24:30

Missouri Reps. Lauren Arthur and Kevin Corlew are fighting over an exceedingly rare prize in Missouri politics: an open Senate seat in a district that doesn't have a clear partisan leaning. Whether voters choose the Democratic Arthur or the Republican Corlew in a June 5 special election could speak volumes about the mood of the electorate at a turb…

1
The Second Greitens Report 23:14

7y ago23:14

23:14

Another week, another raft of bad news for Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens. A new report details his use of a charity donor list for campaign fund-raising and the possibility he lied about it to the state ethics commission. We get up to speed with Bryan Lowry of the Kansas City Star. And even as legislators call a special session to consider impeachmen…

1
That's A Wrap 13:55

7y ago13:55

13:55

Kansas lawmakers have ended their 2018 legislative session. School spending, guns, and taxes were at the center of big debates this year. This week we discuss what passed, and what didn't.By KCUR Studios

1
Down To The Wire 21:47

7y ago21:47

21:47

It's the end of the line for Kansas lawmakers. The curtain comes down on the 2018 legislative session Friday — maybe before. We'll talk about the fate of the big tax-cut bill we discussed last week and the school funding plan. Plus, what is the "Truth Caucus" and what are their plans for 2018? Subscribe to Statehouse Blend Kansas, and stay up to da…

1
How A Governor’s Scandals May Shift The U.S. Senate 21:03

7y ago21:03

21:03

Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley seems headed for the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill this fall. But Hawley's path has been made rougher by his complicated relationship with Gov. Eric Greitens—fellow Republican, fellow first-time-officeholder—and subject of his investigations. In this episode, host Br…

1
Can We Afford New Tax Cuts? 15:43

7y ago15:43

15:43

All the commotion around a school funding plan may have overshadowed the fact that Kansas lawmakers are also working on a controversial tax cut bill. Some say it simply returns a federal windfall to Kansas taxpayers. Others argue it’s unaffordable at a time when the state is still recovering from former Governor Sam Brownback’s 2012 tax cuts. Subsc…

1
The Search For Common Ground On Guns 22:47

7y ago22:47

22:47

As students rally nationwide for more gun regulation, Missouri legislators are considering — and advancing — several bills to make firearms more legal, for more people, in more places. What underlies the enduring, and seemingly intractable, divide on gun laws in Missouri? Host Brian Ellison welcomed Rep. T.J. Berry, a Kearney Republican, and Rep. J…

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