Kansas City Today

The World Cup is just over a week away. But for hosts like Kansas City, there are still a lot of unknowns. Is Kansas City ready for the World Cup?Kansas City has been preparing rigorously over the past four years for the World Cup. From a new airport to a revamped transportation service, the city has put in work getting itself presentable for the big event.Yet, Kansas City's campaign to host the major tournament started decades ago. From KCUR’s podcast “A People’s History of Kansas City,” Suzanne Hogan tells the story of how the city has been fighting to solidify itself as an international soccer hub for years.Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Fifteen people say they were physically assaulted by staff, and some sexually abused by other residents, at Change Academy at Lake of the Ozarks, a youth residential treatment center in Missouri that takes in children from across the country.A residential treatment center in Missouri has said it aims to become to childhood trauma what St. Jude is to childhood cancer. But some former residents say they left the facility more traumatized than when they arrived, and describe a chaotic and sometimes violent environment. The Midwest Newsroom’s Luke Nozicka reports.Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Seth Jahraus, and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Industries and cities used to pollute rivers so heavily that at least one caught fire a dozen times. But like the Spring River in Kansas, some waterways are now bouncing back. Plus: Residents in a small Kansas town are upset about a smelly landfill. For around a century, heavy metals from one of the world's top lead and zinc mining regions pummeled the Spring River, which flows from the Missouri Ozarks into Kansas. But half a century ago, a series of landmark federal laws started reining in water pollution. As a result, some rivers across the country are bouncing back to life. Harvest Public Media’s Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports.Residents in a southeast Kansas community are complaining about an unusual issue: rotten egg odors from their local landfill. They’re raising concerns about potential health impacts and quality of life. Kansas News Service editor Stephen Koranda spoke with Rachel Schnelle about the situation in Galena.Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

World Cup officials have said 650,000 soccer fans will visit Kansas City over the course of the monthlong tournament. But how will we know how many actually show up? Hear what we're seeing in the weeks before the FIFA World Cup.Steve Kraske spoke with reporter and Up To Date producer Halle Jackson about how many soccer fans Kansas City should expect between now and mid-July, and how organizers and experts are gauging the numbers. Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Kansas City metro bus riders now have to pay fares after six years of free rides.KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with government and politics reporter Savannah Hawley-Bates about the new rates and which residents will qualify for free or reduced fares.Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

For immigrants looking to stay in the U.S legally, asylum is often their last hope, but judges are denying more claims. Plus: A Missouri man living in the U.S. for 25 years will be deported to Mexico after authorities pulled him over for not having a front license plate.Millions of immigrants apply for asylum in the U.S. every year, protecting them from deportation. But judges in Kansas City’s immigration court deny the majority of asylum claims they consider. Reporting for The Midwest Newsroom, KCUR’s Celisa Calacal explains how those long odds affect one asylum-seeking family.A 29-year-old Florissant man who came to the U.S. when he was 4 is now being deported to Mexico. Immigration agents detained Victor López Delara after a traffic stop earlier this year. St. Louis Public Radio’s Chad Davis spoke with López Delara by phone from the Ste. Genevieve County Jail and sat down with Abby Llorico to discuss the interview.Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

More than 45,000 habeas corpus cases have flooded federal courts across the country with petitioners alleging their detention was illegal. In Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska, these filings have been overwhelmingly successful, according to an analysis by the Marshall Project and the Midwest Newsroom.Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with reporters Katie Moore and Luke Nozicka of The Midwest Newsroom and The Marshall Project about how habeus corpus works, and how these legal filings have forced the government to release or grant bond hearings for detainees who could not be deported.Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Jackson County legislative Chairman Manny Abarca, now a candidate for county executive, was banned from Paseo Academy for what school officials deemed “unsafe” behavior in the building. We’ll hear details of the letter to Abarca from Kansas City Public Schools’ legal counsel. KCUR reporter Sam Zeff shared details about Chairman Abarca's legal woes with Steve Kraske on KCUR's Up To Date. Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway calls crypto currency ATMs “getaway cars for fraud.” She discusses how her office is cracking down on the scams, and how to identify the red flags — plus talks about ongoing lawsuits over redistricting.Hear that conversation with Steve Kraske from KCUR's Up To Date. Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Kansas City hosts its FIFA World Cup games starting next month, and one Olathe teacher is making sure her students know what's happening — and who's coming to town. We'll hear how local students are becoming experts on the different countries who will play in Kansas City this summer.Kids around the Kansas City area are gearing up for a summer break like no other thanks to the FIFA World Cup coming to town next month. KCUR’s Jodi Fortino reports on how one local elementary teacher is making sure students know what to expect from the world’s biggest soccer tournament, and the different cultures that make it happen.Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

With the costs of groceries rising and food assistance falling, community gardens can help keep healthy produce on a family's table. Hear how food banks and other groups around Kansas are growing their own.As grocery prices rise, some community organizations are growing their own produce and creating community gardens to help fight food insecurity. Organizers say fresh vegetables are only some of the benefits. Roger Nomer of the Kansas News Service reports.Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

School districts across the Kansas City metro are navigating financial challenges as they cope with fewer students and state funding shortfalls. Plus: Researchers believe that Gen Z may be reaching for a cigarette more often than members of older generations.Declining enrollment, decreased state funding and property tax caps are causing financial woes for school districts around the Kansas City area. KCUR’s Emily Younker sat down with education reporter Jodi Fortino to talk about how district leaders are making difficult decisions to balance their budgets and continue serving students.The Truth Initiative's research institute believes the glamorization of nicotine use in pop culture contributes to young adults’ interest in cigarette products. One recent study from the group found that young people with high exposure to tobacco imagery in shows on streaming sites were more likely start smoking cigarettes and e-cigarettes. KBIA's Rebecca Smith examines why Gen Z may be reaching for a cigarette more often than members of older generations.Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

After the World Cup, Kansas Citians relying on public transportation will find it even harder to catch a ride to work. Inadequate regional funding is forcing the KCATA to slash routes in September.During the World Cup, there will be a major expansion of Kansas City's public transportation services. But once that excitement ends, the KCATA plans to cut more than one-fourth of its weekday bus routes, some weekend routes, and change the hours on many others. Steve Kraske invited KCUR reporter Savannah Hawley-Bates to explain the changes and underlying problems.Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled last week that the congressional maps lawmakers drew in 2025 to give Republicans a boost in this year’s midterm elections will stay in effect. What could this mean for the political future of Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II?The state's top court recently ruled that those new congressional maps are constitutional. KCUR's Steve Kraske spoke with both Jason Rosenbaum, reporter for St. Louis Public Radio, and Cleaver, whose district was split under the new map,on the daily talk show Up To Date. Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Kansas City is bustling today, but it wasn’t always destined to be that way. Hear how Irish immigrants literally carved the city's first streets. In the 19th century, towering limestone bluffs dominated Kansas City’s geography. That is, until a charismatic Catholic priest recruited hundreds of Irish immigrants to haul it away. From the podcast “A People’s History of Kansas City,” Jacob Smollen reports on the laborers who carved this city’s streets.Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Two nonprofits are building a network of donors and supplying breast milk to Kansas hospitals to support new moms who aren't able to produce their own. Plus: Some farmers are changing the model of community-supported agriculture to appeal to today’s consumer preferences.Breast milk is incredibly beneficial for babies, but in some cases, moms are not able to breastfeed because of health issues or a premature birth. Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga of the Kansas News Service reports on a growing partnership that is bringing more donated milk to babies in Kansas.Community-supported agriculture, or CSA, first gained popularity in the '90s. It’s a way for people to support their local farmers by paying ahead of time for produce that’s delivered throughout the summer. But today’s food system caters to both convenience and choice. As Harvest Public Media’s Hope Kirwan reports, that’s put pressure on CSA farmers to offer people more buying options. Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

The Kansas City Council recently removed a 75-year-old rule that required businesses to provide a certain number of parking spots. Some residents and visitors say the change will exacerbate an already frustrating parking situation.Supporters of the ordinance believe lifting the minimums will open the door for small-business growth and affordable housing. KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with reporter Brandon Azim about the mixed reaction to the change and its potential impacts.Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

An Olathe native will officiate some of the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. We’ll learn what it took to land a spot on the referee crew and how he’s preparing for the massive event.Kyle Atkins shared how he's getting ready for the tournament with Steve Kraske on KCUR's daily talk show, Up To Date. Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

After passing a $51 billion budget, Missouri lawmakers return to Jefferson City for the final week of this year's session. Hear what's in and what's out of this year's funding package, and which big issues remain on the agenda in this final week.KCUR's Brian Ellison sat down with Rudi Keller of the Missouri Independent to talk about the final week of legislative session.Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

During the first weekend in May, Latinos from across Kansas City celebrated 100 years of a beloved Cinco de Mayo fiesta at the Guadalupe Centers. What began as an annual celebration of Mexican immigrants and their cultural roots has grown into a weekend-long block party filled with music, food and the chance for longtime supporters to reconnect.We’re bringing you an occasional series about Kansas City’s neighborhood spots, and the people who bring them to life. Reporter Celisa Calacal introduces us to the families of Mexican immigrants who have been attending the same Cinco de Mayo fiesta for decades. The Guadalupe Centers has hosted the party for 100 years now, and it’s grown into a weekend-long block party filled with music, food and the chance to reconnect.Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Tornado warning sirens have been a frequent sound in the Kansas City area so far this year. This month is likely to be much of the same, according to Zachary Leasor, a state climatologist with the University of Missouri. Nomin Ujiyedin spoke with Leasor about the state's recent bouts of severe weather. He explained that rising temperatures — potentially caused by climate change — have extended the area's tornado and severe weather season.Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

It’s getting more difficult to find an attorney in rural Kansas as people retire, so the state is offering incentives to attract a new generation of lawyers. Still, filling the civic leadership roles left by veteran lawyers will not be easy.The shortage of attorneys in many rural areas has left people without the legal help they need. But a new Kansas law will give incentives to lawyers who practice or plan to practice in rural areas of the state. As Kansas News Service reporter Zach Boblitt explains, they have big shoes to fill.Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Residents of a rural Johnson County community are confronting a new data center proposal from San Francisco-based Beale Infrastructure, just weeks after they blocked a similar proposal.KCUR's Steve Kraske spoke with Taylor O’Connor, reporter at The Kansas City Star, about what she learned from residents in the area. Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Pastor Adam Hamilton, of Leawood, went on a tour of Kansas the last couple of months to explore running for the U.S. Senate. Now, he's officially in — as a Democrat. We'll discuss how Hamilton's entrance has injected energy and controversy into the race to unseat Republican Sen. Roger Marshall.So why is this preacher with no elected experience getting so much attention? KCUR's Brian Ellison talked with Kansas Reflector reporter Anna Kaminski about Hamilton and his impact on the race.Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

When a Kansas City opera held auditions of older dogs for a new production, canine owners around the metro answered the call. Meet the working dogs trying out for a critical role in “Of Mice and Men." Plus: We'll take a tour of the Kansas Statehouse and a new mural depicting 13 women’s civil rights advocates.A recent casting call for a Kansas City opera sought an actor with a gentle temperament willing to sit, roll over, and stay quiet while they are on stage. KCUR’s Julie Denesha met the dogs who auditioned for a role in the Lyric Opera's “Of Mice and Men."The Kansas Statehouse isn’t just where debates are held and laws are made. It’s also a living museum, filled with quirky artifacts and quiet tributes to the people who built the state. Kansas Public Radio's Courtney Lane recently took a free tour.Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Newly appointed University of Missouri-Kansas City Police Chief Daniel Graves faces opposition from some members of the university's student body. In 2021, Graves wrote a letter advocating for former Kansas City Police Detective Eric DeValkenaere, who was convicted of killing 26-year-old Cameron Lamb.Students plan to protest the decision to hire Graves, who is also the husband of Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves. Cassandra Flores, a reporter for Roo News — UMKC's student news outlet — spoke with Steve Kraske about students' concerns on Up To Date.Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

In rural southwest Kansas, high-flying fighters are working to spread lucha libre, traditional Mexican wrestling. The sport carries cultural history and uses wrestling to address modern challenges in the world. Plus: From Starbucks lattes to new dietary guidelines that prioritize it, protein is everywhere. But what do nutritionists have to say about it?Homegrown athletes are popularizing lucha libre across the Great Plains, and it’s more than just entertainment. Traditions, preserved and shared through wrestling, are woven into the sport, down to the masks and conflict. Calen Moore of the Kansas News Service reports.Protein is having its moment in the spotlight. Companies are adding more protein-enhanced products to their lineups as demand grows. The new federal dietary guidelines unveiled earlier this year also put the nutrient front and center. Harvest Public Media’s Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval reports on whether Americans actually need more of it.Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

When Congress ended pandemic-era free lunches for public schools in 2022, student meal debt skyrocketed in Kansas. One Wichita-area 6th grader launched her own fundraiser to tackle students’ lunch tabs at her school district. Plus: "Cow goggles" are allowing farmers to see through bovine eyes, and potentially improve animal welfare.During the pandemic, public schools in Kansas provided free meals to every student, regardless of their family’s ability to pay. But when that federal program ended in 2022, school meal debt in Kansas skyrocketed beyond pre-pandemic levels. Experts who track this data say that debt in Kansas reached about $23.5 million after those free meals ended, about six times what districts reported in 2019. In the Valley Center School District near Wichita, one 6th grader is organizing an effort to pay off other students’ lunch tabs. Daniel Caudill reports for the Kansas News Service.Animal agriculture is under scrutiny by consumers. People who eat meat are thinking more about the environmental impacts and the welfare of cattle and other livestock, from farm to processing plant. As Harvest Public Media's Hope Kirwan reports, one Midwest university is hoping a new augmented reality tool will give people working with livestock a better understanding of a cow's perspective.Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Interim Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota spoke with KCUR's Up To Date on Friday about why he jumped into this year's election for a full term, despite repeatedly promising not to. Then, hours later, LeVota announced he would drop out.Six months ago, Phil LeVota was appointed Jackson County Executive on an interim basis after the recall of Frank White Jr. LeVota promised he wouldn’t seek a full term for the office, but then last month he filed for election after all.LeVota joined Steve Kraske on KCUR's Up To Date to talk about his reasoning behind running, the new task force that he assembled to address the future of the stadium complex after the Royals and Chiefs leave, and what's happening with property tax assessments.Just hours after this interview was recorded, LeVota announced he would end his reelection bid.Contact the show at [email protected]. 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 Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

The Kansas City Royals finally picked a spot for their new ballpark: Crown Center. While the financials have yet to be figured out, one architecture expert says that the initial design and location look good — with one exception.Up To Date's Steve Krake spoke with author, architecture critic and lecturer Paul Goldberger about the first renderings of the proposed ballpark and why baseball is generally moving closer to the heart of cities.Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.Kansas City Today is hosted by Madeline Fox. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.