Up To Date

If passed on Nov. 3, Amendment 8 would make county sheriffs a constitutionally-required position, with a few exceptions in the St. Louis area. It would also limit the circumstances under which a sheriff can be removed from office.

A new historic marker pays tribute to the former site of Soakie's, the Black queer bar that once operated out of the basement of an Italian sandwich shop. The nightclub regularly hosted drag performances, and served as a home to the local LGBTQ+ community.

If passed on Nov. 3, the amendment would establish the “Show-Me Prosperity Fund,” a public endowment similar to a sovereign wealth fund. However, it would not allocate any money into that fund. Supporters hope that the investment could one day be used to replace state taxes entirely, but economists worry that it could put state services at risk.

Higher fuel costs touch every branch of the economy, but food distributors are especially vulnerable to price increases. A farmer and food bank leader discuss how more expensive gas is affecting their operations.

The Kansas City Royals celebrated Denny Matthews' 8,000th game behind the mic during last week's matchup against the Cleveland Guardians. An inductee into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Matthews has been "the voice of the Royals" since the team first began 57 years ago.

The Rabbit hOle museum in North Kansas City is hosting The Lucky Rabbit Literature Festival this weekend, bringing together seven of the most prominent authors and artists working in the children's book industry. Matthew Burgess and Cátia Chien join Up To Date to discuss their award-winning children's book, “Fireworks.”

Journalist Chuck Todd will be in Kansas City this weekend to accept a leadership award from the Poynter Institute, a journalism nonprofit. He joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss the midterm elections, including the competitive U.S. Senate race in Kansas and Missouri's congressional redistricting "chaos."

Missouri lawmakers redrew the state's congressional lines in 2025, in an attempt to oust Kansas City Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II and add a Republican seat to the U.S. House. But after a successful petition campaign, the new map was blocked from taking effect for this election, and voters in November will decide whether to approve or reject it.

What should you do when you find a tick on yourself? Don't freak out — we have you covered. From the KCUR Studios and Harvest Public Media podcast Up From Dust, a team of scientists help answer that question, plus how to avoid it in the first place.

Kansas City is home to immigrants from more than 30 countries in Africa. As the world's second-largest land mass, Africa doesn't contain just one type of food, and you can find dishes from across the continent in the metro.

Cases of domestic violence are rising in Missouri. Legal Aid of Western Missouri worked on more than 3,000 cases of domestic violence last year. One woman tells KCUR how she found a way out of a 17-year relationship that grew abusive.

If passed, Amendment 3 would repeal the abortion rights amendment enshrined in the Missouri Constitution in 2024. It would also add a constitutional ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth in the state.

The Moth first brought its monthly storytelling open-mic nights known as StorySLAMs to Kansas City in 2024. Two years later, the crowds don't seem to be slowing down.

Jeremy Hobson, the host of the public radio program "The Middle" is in Kansas City this week to moderate an American Public Square panel called "Turning Down the Heat: Rebuilding Trust in an Age of Outrage."

Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd died last week. In April, Zahnd said the job, which he held for nearly 24 years, brought him joy and also “considerable pain.” Up To Date spoke with two former prosecutors about the toll the job had on their mental health.

A recent KCUR analysis reveals that data gathered by Kansas City-area Flock cameras has been searched hundreds of thousands of times by out-of-state police departments. Across the city, residents are concerned by how that data is being used.

A proposed amendment would change the Kansas Constitution to say only U.S. citizens can vote, rather than “every” U.S. citizen. Proponents say the rephrase is necessary to clarify the rules, while opponents say the change could make voting more confusing.

KCUR general manager Sarah Morris and director of content and journalism Lisa Rodriguez joined Up To Date to discuss the station's move to a new building after being forced out of its long-time studios, and how KCUR is adjusting to life without federal funding.

At East High School in Kansas City, students help care for row farms, flowering plants and herds of goats, chickens, turkeys and more. It's the only program of its kind in a Missouri public school, with one in five students participating.

Events like Lawrence Art in the Park, which will take place this weekend, and the Plaza Art Fair are central to the business of many Kansas and Missouri artists. They're not just a huge sales opportunity, they're also a chance for artist to talk with the public about their work.

Looking for your new "Obsession"? With so much TV, and so many films in theaters and on streaming platforms, it can be hard to know what's most worth watching. Up To Date's film experts shared their top titles so far this year.

The Kansas State Fair offered the first chance to see U.S. Senate candidates Roger Marshall and Adam Hamilton and gubernatorial candidates Ty Masterson and Cindy Holscher square off. The raucous crowd at times shouted down candidates as they spoke.

The legal back-and-forth over Missouri's congressional maps is unprecedented in American politics. Current 5th District U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II and his Republican opponent, state Sen. Rick Brattin, share their thoughts on what transpired in the courts — and what it may mean for November.

University of Kansas professor Chris Koliba argues that the American social contract is fraying. He joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss how we got to this point and what the country can do about it.

Early next year, Jeff Maher of Overland Park will run seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. He joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss how he is preparing for the races and why he decided to take on this challenge.

Charles Adair was in the midst of a mental health emergency when he turned himself into law enforcement for old traffic warrants. If sheriff's deputies at the Wyandotte County, Kansas, jail had followed protocol for a mental health crisis, it might have prevented Adair's death — which was ruled a homicide due to being restrained with a knee on his back.

The Caribbean country of Haiti is in the midst of a severe political and humanitarian crisis as it struggles to address widespread gang violence. Ahead of the 14th annual KC Haiti Symposium on Saturday, KCUR's Up To Date spoke with two journalists who cover Haiti and a Kansas City doctor who runs a surgicenter in the country.

The Kansas City Renaissance Festival began as a fundraiser for the Kansas City Art Institute in 1977, making this year its 50th season. The festival opened September 5 and will run every weekend through October 12, rain or shine.

Dr. Sasha Hamdani's new book, "Too Sensitive," aims to provide a science-backed, empathetic framework for understanding why some people experience high emotional sensitivity. The Kansas City psychiatrist joined KCUR's Up To Date on Tuesday.

More than 700 patients were sued by a doctor in western Kansas for medical debt. The doctor is now Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, who for decades was a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist.

The festival returns for its sixth year of free movie programming, which will include films across a range of genres from experimental to animation.

Sweeping Promises will embark on an American tour on Sep. 9 to share their third album, “You Say I Romanticize.” The Kansas-based duo has been gaining national attention, while also producing other local bands at their "artistic commune."

Gillon Property Group, which owns the Plaza, says the empty lot is a “physical and psychological” problem and will be one of the first major redevelopment targets now that Port KC approved a major incentive package. The space was meant to host a Nordstrom, but the project was scrapped in 2022 after multiple delays.

In a stunning unanimous ruling, the Missouri Supreme Court blocked the state's newly redrawn congressional maps from going into effect for the 2026 midterms, and ordered a referendum on the map to be placed on the November ballot. But Attorney General Catherine Hanaway says she will appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Rohlfing, a U.S. Army veteran, is running against Democrat Stacy Lake in November to become the next Jackson County executive. He says he would focus on providing “world class customer service” if elected.

An 11-year-old boy was allegedly physically and sexually assaulted in April at Eisenhower Middle School in Kansas City, Kansas. In August, the district's school board received notice of a pending $5 million lawsuit for failing to prevent the attack.

At the end of July, Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves announced that she is retiring from her role leading the department after four years. She joined KCUR's Up To Date to look back at her time as the first woman to serve permanently as KCPD chief, and to discuss the department's future.

The Trump administration has proposed eliminating a majority of its regulations for the federal early education program Head Start. The government says the changes would put rulemaking in the hands of the states and could result in higher enrollment, but local Head Start leaders worry about causing "inconsistency."

Located just north of the Missouri River, North Kansas City has grown by more than 20% since 2020. Mayor Jesse Smith says it's time to make updates while maintaining the community's “small-town feel.”

On his new album “Dear City,” Jeff Shafer's socially-conscious hip hop celebrates what makes Kansas City great, but also reflects on what changes are needed to make the city even better.

The public agency voted to issue nearly $1.5 billion in bonds and tax breaks to Gillon Property Group early this week. Jon Stephens, the president and CEO of Port KC, says the deal is critical to the revitalization of the historic Plaza neighborhood.

As students across the Kansas City metro dust off their books and head back to school, our literary experts recommend titles perfect for reading deeply, just like you're in English class yourself.