Central Standard

John F. Kennedy had a dream of sending a white man, a black man and an Asian to the moon. Ed Dwight, a KCK native, came close to being the black man on that mission. Inspired by the upcoming film, Hidden Figures, we hear his story. Plus, a chat with a molecular biologist and our film critics. Guests: Ed Dwight , KCK native and first African-American to train as an astronaut for NASA Joanna Slusky, Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Biosciences at KU Russ Simmons, resident film critic

A portrait isn't just about capturing someone's literal likeness. It's about capturing the inner essence. So how is it done? And how is it done well ? We host a roundtable discussion with Kansas City artists – from painter to doll-maker – to explore the ins and outs of portraiture in various mediums. Guests: Aimee Marcereau DeGalan , senior curator of European arts, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art E. Spencer Schubert , bronze sculpture artist Taylor Triano ​, fiber artist of Lil Bits Dolls Paul

Why do you get one Tater Tot in your order of fries at Winstead’s ? According to Kathy Fern, the general manager at the Winstead’s near the Plaza, that’s not a mistake. About five years ago, they started adding the lone tot as a promotional thing, but then it stuck. It’s something they strive to do with each order, she said, though that renegade tot doesn’t always appear. “We started noticing that people were really excited when they got that extra Tater Tot,” she said. And after seeing that

She's an acclaimed singer-songwriter who has been compared to Nina Simone and Roberta Flack. Rufus Wainwright has called her "one of the greatest living singers at the moment." From her home base in Paris, she tours the world . . . yet one of her favorite spots is still the Midtown porch of her 8th grade teacher. In this encore presentation of Central Standard , meet Kansas City native Krystle Warren. Guest: Krystle Warren , musician

Can you imagine what it would be like to regain your sense of hearing . . . after years of silence? In this encore presentation of Central Standard , one man's story, as well as questions within the deaf community, about whether deafness is something that requires correction. Plus, why Missourians need to start thinking about black bears . Guests: Rob Jefferson , regained his sense of hearing with a cochlear implant Bridgette Polson , mother of a deaf child Katie Locus , English teacher at the

When you picture a break-dancer, or "b-boy," you may envision a skinny kid who drops to the ground and pops back up like it's no big deal. But the hip-hop culture that gave rise to break-dancing isn't getting any younger. Now, the original hip-hop generation is bringing kids to the club for events featuring crayons . In this encore presentation of Central Standard , we ask, how is the culture of hip-hop growing up with them? Plus, profiles of three icons in Kansas City's hip-hop scene. Guests:

In this encore presentation of Central Standard , local artist and pastor Dylan Mortimer discusses his art, his faith and his battle with cystic fibrosis, which he faced head on in his exhibit last January called "Cure." Guest: Dylan Mortimer , artist and pastor

Out in Sugar Creek, Missouri, on top of a snowy hill, there are three houses with a long history. Every year around this time, that history comes to life, with the help of Stan and Barbara Salva. Stan was born and raised in Sugar Creek, and he spent a long stint as the town's mayor. Barbara has lived there since they married 50 years ago, but she's absorbed the history of the place "like a sponge." Nearly 100 years ago, four sisters lived in four houses on top of that same hill. They were

Why is comfort food so … well … comforting? “Carbohydrates,” said KCUR Food Critic Charles Ferruzza. “I think comfort food is heavy, filling, fattening food that you know you probably shouldn’t be eating,” he told host Gina Kaufmann on Central Standard . “But if you’re sick or depressed or cold, it really hits the spot.” For Food Critic Carmen Gramajo, though, it’s also the memories associated with those dishes. “In my case, coming from Guatemala, I am searching for that special dish that is

It's an especially good time of year for comfort food. It's cold out, and it's the holidays, when traditional, hearty, no-frills dishes show up on our tables. KCUR's Food Critics search out the best comforting dishes (outside of grandma's house) in and around KC. Plus, one reporter's memories of Winstead's (and why you get one tater tot in your order of fries there), and a visit to Sugar Creek, where a former mayor and his wife throw an annual holiday party — a tradition that came with their