Up To Date

Every city has tons of good pizza places, and Kansas City is no exception. New spots like Northeast Pizza, in the Pendleton Heights neighborhood, and stalwarts like Minsky's make certain that, wherever you're based in the metro, you're never far from a perfectly greasy, cheesy pizza pie.

Whether you're searching for a Halloween haunt, an Oscar contender or a new series to binge, Kansas City film critics Austin Vashaw, Abby Olcese and Patrick Moore have you covered. They joined KCUR's Up To Date to bring you their latest movie and streaming recommendations.

Judy Henderson spent 35 years in prison for a murder conviction, despite maintaining that she was innocent. Freed by the Missouri governor, Henderson's new autobiography “When the Light Finds Us,” documents the cruelty of the state's prisons and what it took her to keep going.

Musician Kelley Gant is heading to Los Angeles to perform at the Masters of Musical Whistling competition. She stopped by KCUR's Up To Date to whistle a Charlie Parker tune and tell us how she got into the art form.

Frank White Jr. has been recalled. On Thursday, DaRon McGee, chair of the Jackson County Legislature, will appoint a temporary replacement for county executive, who can serve up to 30 days. Then, the full Legislature will select a replacement for the rest of White's term — with little chance for public feedback.

Not everyone has fond memories of the Presidential Fitness Test. It could be a fun gym class challenge for students who were athletic and competitive, but for everyone else it offered a source of anxiety and occasionally embarrassment. The twice-yearly assessment was retired by former President Obama, but in July, President Trump signed an executive order to revive it.

Kansas City is one of just three U.S. cities on Chappell Roan's current tour, and local fans say it's a reminder to everyone that the Midwest has its own vibrant queer communities. Much of the city's LGBTQ+ arts scene has been on display this week ahead of the concerts.

The musician Waxahatchee and comedian Caleb Hearon, who are friends and Kansas City residents, call affordable housing the issue of our time. This week, they're headlining a benefit show for KC Tenants at the Uptown Theater, and they joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss their careers on stage and their activism in the community.

Dr. Tomi Pastinen, director of Genomic Answers for Kids, led the first clinical study of five-base long read sequencing, recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics. This new method shows doctors more of the genome and can diagnose rare diseases with a single test.

Missouri's health department found that the vast majority of maternal deaths were preventable, and resulted from a lack of care in the months after birth. Cardiologist Dr. Anna Grodzinsky navigated her own high-risk pregnancies, and she explains what our medical system is missing.

Republican leaders in the Kansas Legislature want to follow the lead of states like Texas and Missouri by gerrymandering the state's congressional maps to favor Republicans. U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Democrat who represents the state's 3rd district, says the idea of splitting up Johnson County is "ludicrous."

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15. Consul Soileh Padilla Mayer, who leads the Mexican Consulate in Kansas City, is spending this month making sure that Latino residents are being treated fairly around the metro, especially as the Trump administration ramps up deportation efforts.

Jackson County residents will decide Tuesday, Sept. 30, on whether to recall County Executive Frank White Jr. Proponents and opponents shared their perspectives ahead of the vote, and explain what will happen if White gets recalled.

Forever chemicals, or PFAS, are found in substances from cosmetics to nonstick pans — and end up in our bloodstreams, unable to break down. UMKC engineering professor Dr. Megan Hart studies how to get rid of these substances, and shares the everyday changes she has made for her health.

The Warwick on Main Street suffered a multi-alarm fire in February 2024 that burned across three floors and forced the cast and crew to relocate their show last-minute. Now, the building has been restored, and the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre is back with its first performances since.

When Overland Park-raised journalist Dave Jorgenson was hired at The Washington Post, reaching a younger audience was his mission. So he created the newspaper's TikTok, dressed up in costumes, and delivered the headlines in a different way. He spoke with KCUR's Up To Date about how he got his start, and his new company Local News International.

A new three-part investigative series from The Kansas City Star highlights the rise of the drug 7-OH — a highly concentrated opioid-like substance derived from kratom — and the role of a Kansas City company in its growing popularity.

Scott Poore, founder of On A Mission KC, helps overlooked pets find a home and provides resources for rural animal shelters. It recently earned him the Spirit of Service award from the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor, which came with a check for $20,000 to continue his work.

Kevin Willmott is best known for his Oscar-winning movie “BlacKkKlansman.” But his breakout film “CSA: Confederate States of America” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival nearly two decades ago — and marked a turning point in his career. Willmott credits festival founder Robert Redford, who died this week, with helping thousands of filmmakers like him.

President Donald Trump's travel ban and delays in visa applications have blocked some international students from coming to the U.S. to study this fall. International students contribute more than $40 billion to the U.S. economy and could equate to a billion dollar loss to schools and the local communities they serve.

NPR fans will recognize Bill Kurtis from the weekend game show “Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me!” But his nearly six-decade career in journalism launched in Topeka, Kansas, when he warned viewers about an incoming tornado.

Lawrence, Kansas, is known for Jayhawk basketball and its Bleeding Kansas history, but its food scene is worth digging into, too. Here's where to find the best restaurants and bars on Mass Street and beyond.

Kansas City Area Transportation Authority CEO Frank White III believes that funding for the agency is "more complicated than it ought to be." His vision for the KCATA is to "try to go regional" with its funding structure, in order to better serve the entire metro.

Millions of Americans could do little more than take in the news of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. More than 1,000 miles away from New York City, Kansas City reporters helped inform readers of victims from the region, and how the fallout affected our local Muslim population.

Millions of people with federal student loans are facing changes to their payment options. And some new borrowers will deal with caps that won't cover the entire cost of their education. It's the result of a complete overhaul of federal student loan policies under President Trump's “Big Beautiful Bill.”

When Missourians voted to legalize recreational marijuana in 2022, they also approved the creation of a social-equity focused microbusiness program. Two years in, Missouri's marijuana micro-industry is finally becoming operational — and the first micro-dispensary opened in Platte City in June.

"Moments of Truth: An Exploration of Journalism's Past, Present and Future," a traveling exhibit curated by the Poynter Institute's MediaWise project, will be at the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City through Sep. 12.

Lauren Lovelle has been performing country music since she was four, singing with her dad's honky-tonk band in venues near Wichita. Now, the Kansas City songwriter has a band of her own, the Midnight Spliffs, and just released her debut EP, "Other Dreams."

Mayor Quinton Lucas joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss the Republican push to gerrymander Missouri's congressional map, and how it could push him to run for the U.S. House. He also discussed the potential of President Trump sending the National Guard to Kansas City.

Jackson County voters will cast ballots on Sept. 30 in a special recall election targeting County Executive Frank White Jr. On Up To Date, the county executive defended his efforts to work with legislators but said some of his colleagues are determined to keep him from accomplishing things.

Being the spouse of a professional athlete might seem like all glitz and glam. But one wife is sharing the realities of having a husband in the NFL and how it affects their family.

Dr. Natasha Burgert, a pediatrician at Pediatric Associates in south Overland Park, has authored a new book as a part of the iconic "For Dummies" book series titled "Managing Childhood Anxiety For Dummies."

Missouri lawmakers convened in Jefferson City Wednesday to begin the process of redistricting. Republicans — at the urging of President Trump — want to guarantee more representation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Under the proposed map, many Kansas Citians would change districts.

Alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy to red meat and other mammal products as a result of bites from the lone star tick, is on the rise in Missouri and Kansas. Public health experts say more research, and funding, is needed to better address the issue.

It's hard to imagine what might go into planning the wedding of America's biggest super star and a Kansas City Chiefs player — but we have some ideas. A premier Kansas City event planner said a wedding of that magnitude would shut down the city, if it happens here.

Families from around Kansas City will descend upon Crown Center for three days of food, music and culture at the Irish Fest this weekend. Among the attendees will be Ireland's ambassador to the United States, who says the festival's "reputation goes before you."

Missouri lawmakers may redraw Kansas City's congressional district to dilute Democratic voting power, in order for Republicans to win another seat in the 2026 midterms. Democrats intend to fight, but ultimately, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver said that President Trump's disregard for democracy will endanger the country.

Few election cycles in living memory have been quite as chaotic as the 2024 presidential election. A new book from journalists Amie Parnes and Jonathan Allen looks at what happened behind the scenes in Washington as the campaign unfolded. The authors are in Kansas City for an American Public Square event on Wednesday.

Kansas City is known worldwide for the jazz legends that called this city home. But local musicians say the city should do more to uplift its present-day musicians and the music industry.

The city flag of Overland Park has long been considered among the worst in the nation. A new flag set to be adopted next month, with its tree motif and green and white color palette, is much more effective, according to the North American Vexillological Association.

President Trump recently announced his intent to "lead a movement" to end mail-in ballots and the use of voting machines in states' elections. Both are used extensively in Missouri and Kansas, and election officials weigh in about what those changes would mean.

Residents who enroll in North Kansas City's Citizen Academy get a 10-week course on local government systems, and how the various departments function and affect their lives. The mayor said the program has increased participation in local boards and commissions.