Up To Date

With the World Cup underway in Kansas City, Oliver Wright — who makes videos on TikTok as @SideQuestDad — has become a local celebrity talking about soccer and living in the Midwest as a Brit. In particular, he's been teaching visitors how to beat the oppressive summer heat.

If they heed the warnings, people in Kansas City have taken shelter more than usual this season — the 1,438 severe weather warnings issued so far is the most on record. But staffing cuts to the National Weather Service have resulted in less warning time for some storm systems.

De Soto Mayor Rick Walker says revenue from a planned $3 billion data center campus is an opportunity to grow the city. But one resident is concerned that leaders are moving too fast and not weighing the negative impacts on the community and environment.

John Dale, the longtime public address announcer for Sporting Kansas City, the Kansas City Mavericks and countless local sporting events, is now bringing his voice to World Cup matches at the stadium in Monterrey, Mexico.

First-term Kansas state Sen. Patrick Schmidt said the issues facing residents are greater than what can be addressed at the state level. Calling himself the “door-knockingest candidate in the race,” Schmidt is competing in the crowded Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.

Eleven candidates are running as Democrats in the August 4 primary for U.S. Senate in Kansas. Christy Davis, a candidate from Cottonwood Falls, said that number shows Sen. Roger Marshall's failure to represent Kansans. Davis is touting her experience as the only candidate who served in a federal leadership role.

A new report from Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick says Missouri is facing a budget cliff. Gov. Mike Kehoe says he thinks the state's budget needs to shrink as a result, and suggests some nonprofits or local municipalities could fund some programs instead.

A new report from Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick paints a troubling picture of Missouri's financial future. He joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss the budget cliff the state faces and how he wants his fellow elected officials to respond.

The Kansas City Star's Pete Grathoff waited more than an hour in traffic to witness the first World Cup match in Kansas City, where Argentina's Lionel Messi scored three goals against Algeria. Grathoff joined KCUR's Up To Date to share his recap.

Youth soccer programs seem almost ubiquitous in modern America. But not that long ago, there weren't many options for young athletes who wanted to play the sport. Bill Finn, who co-founded Brookside Soccer Club with two other local dads in 1977, joined KCUR's Up To Date on Tuesday to talk about how it all got started.

NPR CEO Katherine Maher joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss recent buyouts and layoffs, and the opportunity for public media to evolve into a broader community resource in the coming years.

The Crossroads Arts District is the metro's biggest hub for creativity, and its restaurant scene is just the same, with innovative dishes available on seemingly every corner. Here's where to find the best eats this neighborhood has to offer.

Two Kansas state senators and Overland Park's mayor are facing off in the Aug. 4 primary election for Kansas governor. They joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss how they'd address issues affecting Kansans.

The Rev. Adam Hamilton thinks that faith can play a role in turning the political tide towards Democrats during the midterm elections. The Leawood pastor spoke with KCUR's Up To Date about the issues important to him in his run for a Kansas U.S. Senate seat, and about bridging the divide in Washington.

For more than 35 years, Cliff Middleton has been fighting to free his father from a Missouri prison for a crime they say he didn't commit. In 1991, Ken Middleton was convicted of murdering his wife in their Blue Springs home, but the Georgetown University Law Center program “Making an Exoneree” reinvestigated and noted glaring discrepancies with his case.

The Overland Park Farmers Market reopened this past weekend after a major $34 million renovation. Overland Park parks and recreation director Bryan Toben joined KCUR's Up To Date to explain what went into the project and what the visitors can expect.

The streetcar's 3.5-mile Main Street extension opened in October 2025, and another extension to CPKC Stadium opened last month. A team is now studying extending the north-south line farther, to North Kansas City. The Kansas City Streetcar Authority will host two open houses this month for residents to learn more.

For Kelly Hunt, writing music starts with a visual process. She's part of the 780 Songwriters Circle, a quarterly event in Lawrence that brings together artists to explore the creative process. The next event is June 10 at the Lawrence Public Library.

Looking for a chaotic murder mystery or a meditative summer beach read with LGBTQ+ characters? Three Kansas City book experts share a range of selections in honor of Pride Month.

An ordinance proposed by Mayor Quinton Lucas and 6th District City Council member Johnathan Duncan would restrict practitioners from receiving payment for practices that increase the risk of suicide and depression. It's intended to avoid challenges stemming from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling and a lawsuit from the Missouri Attorney General.

Kansas' Ogallala Aquifer has been losing water for decades. And while dedicating funding to a strategic water plan was a priority of Kelly's during the 2026 legislative session, no measure passed. But she's optimistic the state will continue to make progress after she leaves office in January.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids says she's hearing from Kansas residents who are struggling to make ends meet. In an interview with KCUR's Up To Date, Davids said President Trump went to war in Iran "without a clear strategy," and it's adding to the high cost of living.

Parkville and North Kansas City are among the fastest-growing communities in the Kansas City metro, with populations increasing by more than 20% since the last Census. KCUR's Up To Date spoke with their mayors about what's fueling this surge and how it's impacting their cities.

The deadline to file as a candidate for governor of Kansas was Monday, June 1. A last-minute filing shook up the Democratic field, while there's a clear frontrunner among the seven Republicans in the running.

Henner, best known for her role in the 1970s sitcom “Taxi”, has a highly superior autobiographical memory, which allows her to remember vast portions of her life in vivid detail. She's in Kansas City to star in “Cactus Flower” at the New Theatre & Restaurant, and will perform her “Memory Girl” cabaret June 8.

The critically acclaimed new album “Little Wide Open” is the work of Overland Park musician Kevin Morby. He's on tour, traveling across the country and overseas, but stopped to join KCUR's Up To Date for another episode of our KC Soundcheck series ahead of his performance at the Uptown Theater.

Jason-Flor Sisante has always been enamored by outer space. Now, as a member of the United States Navy's aerospace medicine program, he hopes to take his talents as a medical professional into the cosmos.

Voters will see two controversial questions on Missouri's statewide ballot in August, when turnout is expected to be lower. Amendment 4 would make it much harder for citizens to change the constitution, while Amendment 5 seeks to expand sales taxes.

Research from the University of Kansas found that cynicism toward news outlets can make people more likely to believe misinformation. In contrast, a healthy level of skepticism toward media institutions can help people determine when information is trustworthy.

The pandemic changed how many Americans think about work. Now, a new 30-year entrepreneurship study from the Kansas City-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation suggests those shifts may still be reshaping the economy.

Kansas City's Blue River Biosolids Facility is using an innovative wastewater treatment process to convert sewage into energy and fertilizer while cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Kansas City recently lost a beloved face in local news. Cynthia Newsome, a long-serving anchor and reporter for KSHB 41, passed away on Tuesday following a yearslong battle with cancer. One journalist she mentored, KSHB reporter Rae Daniel, spoke with KCUR's Up To Date about Newsome's impact on our city.

Digital fraud is costing Americans billions. After Patrick Coughlin's mother was the target of an urgent and emotional fake kidnapping scam, the cybersecurity expert with his brother built a free website to help others identify the red flags of fraud.

People are being fleeced out of millions of dollars through cryptocurrency scams. Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has filed a suit against one crypto ATM company that she says is knowingly enabling scams on their kiosks.

Crispin Rea, Kansas City's 4th District at-large council member, recently announced he will be running for mayor in 2027. He joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss his priorities, including improving public safety, increasing economic opportunities and "getting the basics right."

Nate Bukaty, who calls games for Major League Soccer on Apple TV and previously served as a television announcer for Sporting KC, is out with a new book titled "Perfect Pitch: How Kansas City Became the Heart of American Soccer and Landed the World Cup." He'll speak at a Rainy Day Books event with co-author Rustin Dodd on May 28.

Nearly 10% of Kansas City bus riders will lose access to key routes starting Sept. 6, as KCATA cuts seven weekday lines and two weekend routes. Officials say funding challenges have pushed the system into a “death spiral” of declining service.

As soccer fever comes to Kansas City, KCUR is hosting an event called "KC for the W" at CPKC Stadium on May 18 to celebrate the women who lead the way in telling sports stories in our region and beyond. Kansas City native Becky Sullivan, a sports reporter for NPR, will feature on a speaking panel.

Television writer and director Michael Schur and sportswriter Joe Posnanski will be in Kansas City on May 21 for a Rainy Day Books event promoting their new book, "Big Fan: Two Friends, 81,589 miles, and the Wild, Wonderful Sports We Love."

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 to let states decide how to manage abortion access. But Yvette Lindgren, a professor of law at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, says state bans aren't resulting in fewer abortions.

Historian H.W. Brands has written more than 30 books about American history, highlighting prominent figures ranging from the era of the Revolutionary War to the presidency of Ronald Reagan. He'll be in Kansas City for an event on Thursday to discuss his new book on George Washington.

Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell regrets not interviewing and documenting her mother's life. The former Kansas City Star journalist is helping others not make the same mistake. She talked with KCUR's Up To Date about preserving family histories and legacies.