On our First Friday arts show: a local artist has been keeping a dream journal for over 40 years. In his new exhibit , he's brought recurring objects from his dreams to life through sculpture. Then, we talk to the star of a one-woman show about fashion icon Diana Vreeland, and a band conductor on how his group keeps the Kansas City sound alive ... and how they're taking a step to address the gender imbalance in jazz. Guests: Christopher Leitch, artist, " chance diaries: dream things " Cheryl

On the first floor of Crown Center in Kansas City sits Shang Tea , a tea shop where teabags are frowned upon and traditional dried leaves applauded.

A Kansas Citian just returned from his first trip back to Puerto Rico since it was devastated by two hurricanes. We hear how recovery is going from his on-the-ground perspective. Then: when you think of Antarctica, you may picture a vast land covered with snow. But did you know that plants used to grow there? A scientist is back from an Arctic expedition with plant fossils that she collected — fossils that may tell us something about how life withstands climate change. Also: A local researcher,

Wendell Castle revolutionized the art world. The Holton, Kansas, native was known as the father of the studio furniture movement of the 1960s and 1970s. He mostly made chairs that looked like sculptures ... and the only shop class he ever had was in seventh grade. He died last week at age 85; hear his story and what he meant to the art world. Then: we've been hearing a lot about the flu this year, and yikes. Missouri is the most flu-ridden state with Kansas coming in right behind it. Yikes again

Alternative newspapers offer a unique perspective on the news, events and culture of a city. But how are they handling an era where print media struggles? Today, we look at the role alt-weeklies/monthlies play both here in Kansas City and across the nation. Then, we learn how small adjustments to neighborhood parks in Wyandotte have made a big impact on the community surrounding it. Guests: Scott Wilson , former editor, The Pitch Philip Eil, freelance journalist, author of An Elegy for Alt

In recognition of Kansas Day, today's show is all about the Sunflower State. We start things out with a poem about the town of El Dorado (and the way we pronounce it.) Then, learn about the person Johnson County was named after, Reverend Thomas Johnson. Also, the story of Tenskwatawa, a Shawnee prophet who dreamed of uniting the Native American tribes into a single government. Guests: Brent Jackson, author/poet, "El Dorado" Stephen Warren , associate professor of American Indian histories and

Hear the story behind Springfield-style cashew chicken: we talk to the chef whose father, inspired by the food of the Ozarks, invented the dish. Then, meet a local tea house owner who travels to China to select his tea leaves from a friend's farm. Plus: our Food Critics search out the best Chinese food in and around Kansas City. Guests: Wing Leong, executive chef/partner, Leong's Asian Diner Zehua Shang, owner, Shang Tea Charles Ferruzza, food writer Mary Bloch, Around the Block Bonjwing Lee,

After the 2016 presidential election, many people were surprised by Donald Trump's win. National news organizations sent reporters out to so-called "Trump country," trying to figure out what they missed. We take a look at how stories that unfold nationally play out in Midwestern states. Then: A look back at the fight for gay rights in Kansas. KCUR's C.J. Janovy shares stories of activists who both struggled and found solidarity in an inhospitable state. Guests: Ted Genoways , writer and

We start a new monthly series in which we take a close look at the news and events that are shaping the unique communities around the metro. First up: KC's Northeast neighborhood. Then: It's been just over a year since President Trump's inauguration. Since then, there's been an expectation that women across the nation would run for office. We talk with women from Kansas and Missouri who are doing just that. Guests: Paul Thompson, Managing Editor, Northeast News Hillary Shields , ran for the

Across America, gentrification is pricing people out of the communities they grew up in. Today, we look at alternatives to avoid raising the cost of living in existing neighborhoods. Then, we learn how Jamie Sanders, the lead actor in the KC Rep's latest play about a young boy with autism, forged a connection with his character through his own experience with Tourette syndrome. Guests: Peter Moskowitz , author, How to Kill A City Jamie Sanders , actor The Kansas City Repertory Theatre will