Central Standard

Campaign season's in full swing. But in many districts across Missouri and Kansas this year, there are no vicious ads, no hot controversies — because there's only one candidate. What's it like to run unopposed, and what effect does that have on our communities? Guests: Greg Vonnahme, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, UMKCT.J. Berry, Missouri Representative, District 38Louis Ruiz, Kansas Representative, District 31, Assistant Minority Leader

In a new unique three-venue exhibition, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art brings photography of the late, Cuban-born Jesse A. Fernández to Kansas City. The curator of the exhibition joins us to talk about the work and the life of the artist. Guest: Jane Aspinwall, associate curator of photography, Nelson-Atkins

UMKC alumna Jeanne Drewes spent years traveling to Cuba, partnering with Ediciones Vigía, an independent publishing company and collective of book artists in Matanzas, Cuba. Over that time, she amassed a sizeable collection of Cuban books, some of which she recently donated to the LaBudde Special Collections. Ahead of her Sept. 27 talk, "Unbound: The Artistry of Cuban Bookmaking," Jeanne shares her experiences in Cuba, and the stories behind her interest in Cuban literature and culture. Guest:

In a dimly lit room in Madrid in the late 1700s, a theologian reads aloud to his friend the priest. It's not such a surprising scene, except that just outside, peasants and artisans have pressed their ears up against the door, enraptured by what turned out to be the 18th Century version of . . . pornography. One KU history professor joins us to share how she discovered this literature, and what it tells us about what ordinary people read during the time. Guest: Marta Vicente, Ph.D., associate

Out in Kansas City, Kansas, just off I-70, across from an automotive plant, there's a little blue shack. Above the nondescript, but distinctive building, a sign reads "Jarocho Mariscos y Algo Mas." Yes, on Kansas Avenue, in the landlocked heart of the United States, you’ll find the smells and tastes of the Gulf of Mexico. And soon, you'll find the same out in South Kansas City. When Jarocho owner Carlos Falcon first moved to Kansas City 20 years ago, he was surprised to find very few seafood

Story of a Song is a monthly segment on KCUR's Central Standard in which local musicians tell the story behind a song they have written or are performing. The Band: Bummer The Song: "Bad News" The Songwriters: Matt Perrin and Mike Gustafson The Story: Bummer is a noise rock band. They're loud, the bass is hammering, the drums explode and the vocals scream at you. But their songs are reflections on relationships, animal cruelty and, in the case of “Bad News,” sexual assault at college. "You just

Mitch Schieber got into the shrimp farming business by chance. He does remodeling for a living, but he had been looking at different careers. Then, a couple of years ago, his daughter, who was in fifth grade, was doing a science experiment with brine shrimp. He started wondering if he could raise real shrimp. “And I’m thinking like in a garbage can in the garage, just for a hobby and just for bragging rights, a ‘hey, look what I’m doing’ sort of thing,” Schieber told guest host Brian Ellison on

It’s a misconception that we can’t get access to fresh seafood here in the landlocked Midwest. Locally, we can get catfish, trout and now shrimp grown in Oak Grove, Missouri. And fish wholesalers bring seafood from far-away oceans to KC. “Somewhere between what we’re able to get locally and what we’re able to bring in, we have a nice selection of seafood in Kansas City,” Food Critic Jenny Vergara told guest host Brian Ellison on KCUR’s Central Standard. Vergara, along with Food Critics Mary

A visit to a KCK restaurant that doesn't see geography as a barrier to serving fresh seafood, then we hear about an Oak Grove farm that's raising shrimp. Plus, KCUR's Food Critics search out the best seafood in and around KC. Guests: Carlos Falcon, chef/owner, Jarocho Pescados y MariscosMitch Schieber, KC ShrimpCharles Ferruzza, The Independent and Shawnee Mission PostMary Bloch, Around the BlockJenny Vergara, Feast Magazine

A look at what's going on at this week's TechWeek conference in KC. Plus, an encore interview with the CEO of KC-based EyeVerify, which just sold for a lot of money (reportedly $100 million) to Alibaba. Guests: Bobby Burch, Editor, Startland NewsToby Rush, CEO and founder of EyeVerify