Central Standard

Medical tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry. It's where countries or cities become known for a certain kind of medical procedure and attract patients as visitors. And with these visitors comes money. Are local health institutions trying to push Kansas City as THE place to be if you need a liver transplant? And is this practice ethically problematic? Guests: Sasha Issenberg , author, Outpatients: The Astonishing New World of Medical Tourism Tarris Rosell , Rosemary Flanigan Chair, Center

It's okay not to be okay. That's the essential message of a new book for young adult readers by Kansas City author Adib Khorram. Darius The Great is Not Okay follows a boy with an Iranian mom and teutonic, white-guy dad through the cruelty and tenderness of adolescence. Darius lives in Portland. He struggles with depression. He's bullied at school, and he's unsure of his place at home. He doesn't speak Farsi, like his mom and sister, and he's convinced he's a disappointment to his dad. His only

Segment 1: Swope Park is over twice the size of Central Park. Are we using it as well as we could? Swope Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the country. It's a massive 1,805 acres in size and Kansas City, Missouri Parks and recreation refers to it as the "crown jewel" of the parks system. We explore the role of Swope Park in our community and learn how a history of segregation continues to influence it to this day. Dan Cameron , artistic director and curator, Open Spaces Daniel Serda

Segment 1: Are we taking the wrong approach to education research? Results-oriented education research often overlooks the side effects that accompany common teaching practices. We learn how the approach medical research makes can help educators avoid damaging policies from the start. Yong Zhao , author, What Works May Hurt: Side Effects in Education Segment 2, beginning at 15:14: Does civility in politics have limits? From refusing service in restaurants to name-calling at the highest level in

The 'dark side' of suburbia has been a running theme in American literature for at least a couple of decades. The theme has many forms: existential boringness, the soul-sucking blandness of conformity or an evil secret lurking behind a too-pleasant veneer. On this episode, the Bibliofiles dive into a discussion about how suburbs are represented in literature and recommend their favorite new and noteworthy releases. Kaite Stover , Director of readers' Services, Kansas City Public Library Our

Segment 1: How soccer came to Kansas City. Despite the local furvor over this year's World Cup, soccer wasn't always popular in Kansas City. We find out how immigrant families helped popularize the sport back in the 1950's and learn how our city's professional scene has changed over the years. Chris Medina , Executive Director of the Guadalupe Centers Rick Benben , Head Coach of the UMKC Men's Soccer Team Peter Sloan , member of the Brookside Soccer Club since the early 1980's Segment 2,

Segment 1: Tomato season is upon us. Here's everything you need to know. James Whorley blogs about growing and eating tomatoes in Kansas City. He also organizes the annual "totally tomato weekend." Hear his growing tips and favorite recipes as he makes the case that all local menus should revolve around tomatoes right now. James Whorley , KC Tomato Times & Totally Tomato Weekend Segment 2, beginning at 13:28: The food critics lead a search for the best tacos in Kansas City. Beginning with a

Segment 1: History of deaf discrimination in the United States. Members of the hearing-impaired community oft face unique challenges when living in America. We discuss the history of persecution against people with deafness in the United States as well as milestones alongside the path to equal rights. Also, meet the local instructor who teaches deaf refugees their first language: American Sign Language. For a full transcript of this segment, click here . Rev. Debbie J. Buchholz , pastor, Deaf

Phillip Jackson — better known by his stage name, Eems — grew up in what he reluctantly calls "the hood." "I mean, single-parent household, went to Kansas City, Missouri, public schools, and just living in, I don't want to call it the hood, but, the hood," he said on Central Standard on July 6. Now, he's a touring musician with fans all over the country, a new EP and a unique sound that defies genre: a mix of hip-hop, R&B and lots of ukulele. That's right: ukulele.

At one point in history, Atchison, Kansas was positioned to be one of the main connecting points for the railways between Missouri and Kansas. The town played an important role in the Civil War, and had many significant residents. But what's going on there today? KCUR's Central Standard revisits a road trip to Atchison. Come along with us. Guests: Marge and Mike Begley , owners, Paolucci's Molly Jamvold​, server, Paolucci's Bill Grippin, life-time Atchisonian Chris Taylor, executive director,