Central Standard

How do we honor America's most recognized Civil Rights leader, and what does it say about us? Kansas City has spent the last year in conversation and controversy over naming a street after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr . We're just the latest city to try and work this out, though. To better understand it, Michelle Tyrene Johnson looked into how three different cities honor Dr. King : Dakar, Amsterdam, and Memphis. Plus, why America has made naming a street after Dr. King a litmus test for racial

A tribute to the Kansas City tax attorney who spent 40 years hosting a music show devoted to rock and roll. Bill Shapiro recently died at the age of 82. To remember him, we rebroadcasted his final episode of Cyprus Avenue, the "smart" rock and roll show he hosted on KCUR on Saturday nights. His abridged final broadcast includes snippets of some of his favorite tunes and reflections on his personal relationship with music.

Segment 1: If you haven't been paying attention to football lately, here's what you need to know. This is why Kansas City is SO excited for Super Bowl LIV. Vahe Gregorian , sports columnist, Kansas City Star Segment 2, beginning at 21:34: What does this year's Super Bowl mean to generations of Chiefs fans? Kansas City Chiefs fans have suffered and struggled over the years. This year though has already been a pretty special one, so we wanted to know: what traditions and rituals have superfans

Segment 1: Meet Kansas City's Veggie Burger Artist Zaid Consuegra at Pirate's Bone is known for the colorful veggie burgers he's painstakingly developed to be both pretty and tasty. He was recently profiled in Bon Appetit with his photo next to a headline that identified him as "The Undocumented Chef." He shares the story of his life and his burgers. Zaid Consuegra , Pirate's Bone Segment 2: A Search For The Best Vegetarian Food In Kansas City Our food critics send us to restaurants throughout

Segment 1: Research shows white-sounding names curry favor in academic settings. Xian Zhao's name means something to him. It means something to his parents. That's why he won't adopt what he calls an "anglo name." But his own research suggests he might be missing opportunities because of that. Xian Zhao , researcher, University of Toronto Segment 2, beginning at 14:47: A recent Calvin Arsenia album is a milestone in his professional and personal growth. A Kansas City harpist and vocalist

Segment 1: A Kansas native moderated the last Democratic debate in Iowa. Brianne Pfannenstiel grew up in Lawrence and got her first job in journalism at the Kansas City Star. Now that she's in a state with a huge voice in this year's election, we wanted to know: How does she feel the Midwest is represented in national discourse today? What does she think of Iowa's role specifically? And, what is it like to moderate a national debate? Brianne Pfannenstiel , chief politics reporter, Des Moines

Segment 1: Where do efforts towards improving pre-K access and quality in Kansas City stand? In early 2019, a big controversy was Mayor Sly James' push for universal pre-K through a sales tax. Kansas City voters didn't go for the plan on the ballot , but a year later, many people still want something to fill in the gap. Annie Watson , senior associate, School Readiness Consulting Segment 2, beginning at 21:22: Does homework have value? If so, to whom? It's been a cornerstone of education since

Segment 1: Meet the bar owner who doesn't think the customer is always right. Caitlin Corcoran has been a force in the Kansas City food scene for a while now, most recently as the woman behind Ça Va . Her outspoken views on how to create a safe restaurant for both customers and staff have also made a name for her nationally. Does it mean that sometimes certain customers don't like her? Yes, but she's not losing sleep over it. Caitlin Corcoran , former managing partner, Ça Va Segment 2, beginning

Segment 1: A new kind of Women's March in Kansas City aims to include more diverse voices. Since the first Women's March in 2017 after Trump's election, there has been national controversy on how diverse the march really is. This year there are two in Kansas City. Women's March Kansas City has been around for a few years, but Reale Womxn's Rally is new and its organizers say they brought in more diversity from the beginning. What does it mean though that the movement can't stay unified? Justice

Segment 1: Why do some people say Missou-ree and some say Missou-rah? And what are the political ramifications of saying one or the other? It turns out we've been having this debate for basically forever, and which way you say it has a lot to do with parts of your identity. Some people feel really strongly there's a right way to say it, while others have never thought much about it. The people that pay the most attention to it are politicians. Kristofor Husted , reporter/producer, KBIA's Show Me