Deep Background

Kansas City-area schools are learning along with the rest of the world how to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Will coronavirus mean a lost year or more for schoolchildren? And what are we learning to take with us to the next pandemic? Start reporters Mara Rose Williams and Sarah Ritter join host Dave Helling to talk about real-world educational outcomes.

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Star reporters Judy L. Thomas and Laura Bauer have published an ongoing investigation into allegations of abuse at Christian military-style boarding schools in Missouri. What role can the state play in making sure children are safe — and are rural sheriffs part of the problem?

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The realignment that Democrats had high hopes for didn't materialize this election year. President Donald Trump lost some support, but Missouri still elected Mike Parson as governor by a strong margin, and Barbara Bollier's bid to become the first Democrat Kansas sends to the U.S. Senate in a century failed. Colleen McCain Nelson, The Star's opinion page editor, and political reporter Jonathan Shorman join Dave Helling and Derek Donovan to discuss the parties' future on today's Deep Background podcast.

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The world of disinformation — false allegations and made-up facts intended to confuse voters — hasn’t gotten any better since the social media wars of the 2016 election. On today’s podcast, we talk with Star Editorial Page Editor Colleen McCain Nelson and editorial board member Melinda Henneberger, who will host Fact or Fiction: How to Spot Election Disinformation, a free live event Oct. 29 at 12:30 p.m. Visit the link to RSVP.

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On today’s Deep Background podcast, reporters Jonathan Shorman and Bryan Lowry join host Dave Helling to talk about the hotly-contested races voters will decide on Nov. 3. Will a blue wave carry Barbara Bollier to the U.S. Senate? And how strong is incumbent Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, who inherited his office?

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On today's Deep Background podcast, Kansas City Star reporter Kevin Hardy joins Dave Helling and Derek Donovan to talk about how Kansas City is faring as residents and businesses work through the coronavirus pandemic. Will the area's recovery be easier than many people had feared? They also discuss home sales in Johnson County, Kansas, which are showing no signs of slowing down.

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Aaron Coleman, a 20-year-old Wyandotte County candidate who won the primary for the Kansas House, is sticking in the race, despite calls for him to drop out after revenge porn and other abuses in his past have surfaced. Star reporter Steve Vockrodt joins Dave Helling and Derek Donovan on today’s Deep Background to talk about that race, and also to discuss the future of tax abatements and other incentives for developers in Kansas City. What does the future hold in the coronavirus pandemic and beyond?

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There are many pressing political questions as Election Day draws near. In just six weeks, Kansans will send strongly conservative Republican Roger Marshall or moderate former Republican Barbara Bollier to fill retiring Pat Roberts’ seat. And how does the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg play into the larger picture? McClatchy reporter Bryan Lowry joins Dave Helling and Derek Donovan of The Star Editorial Board on today’s Deep Background podcast.

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The schools are back in session, and distance learning is still with us. The Star's Mara Rose Williams and Kevin Hardy have been reporting on the difficulties many families are encountering as they try to help kids learn from home. We now know not everybody has good computers and high-speed internet access. It's not just a rural issue, and it's serious wherever students don't have the tools to get the education they need.

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When the Kansas City Chiefs open Arrowhead Stadium to a seriously limited crowd Thursday, all eyes will be on the reigning Super Bowl champs. What will players do for the national anthem, and will the fans abide by new team rules regarding Native American imagery. And then, of course, there's the specter of COVID-19. Star sportswriter Blair Kerkhoff joins Dave Helling and Derek Donovan of the editorial board for a spirited discussion of Kansas City's big night.

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