Deep Background

Katy Bergen and Hunter Woodall of The Kansas City Star join Dave Helling to talk about how the Kansas Supreme Court ruled Monday that the state’s new school finance system is unconstitutional. This week's episode also includes some discussion on the Kansas governor's race, including a clip with Tyler Ruzich, who is one of the teenage candidates in the running.

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Aaron Randle of the Kansas City Star joins Dave Helling to talk about Aaron's recent front page story about social engagement among minorities in Kansas City.  It's a candid and fascinating conversation about the issues surrounding younger residents in the area, and a don't-miss podcast.

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The Tonganoxie-Tyson Foods dispute, and luring Amazon to the KC region: Two important stories, with host Dave Helling and Kansas City Star reporters discussing the details.

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The Kansas City Star's Steve Vockrodt and Dave Helling of the Editorial Board discuss the recommendation of Edgemoor Infrastructure to design and build a new airport terminal. A look back, and a look ahead.

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Lindsay Wise of the McClatchy DC Bureau, Brian Lowry of the Kansas City Star, and Dave Helling of the Star's editorial board discuss the many issues Congress must confront in September — with little time to do it.  A lively discussion.

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Those g0#d@*! passwords, the ones with so many special characters that the IT guys make you change every six weeks. The guy who came up with them now says we need not bother. Another expert, Rice University computer science professor Dan Wallach, suggests maybe rethinking about how you handle passwords, period. Think about signing in to more sites from Google and Facebook so you have fewer to remember and you’re trusting larger companies with cybersecurity resources to protect you. Or buy a $15 USB dongle to store them for you.

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Kansas City Star reporters Lynn Horsley and Steve Vockrodt join the Star's Dave Helling of the editorial board to discuss the results of Tuesday's election, and what they mean for the city — and its plans for a new airport terminal.  

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Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback steps onto a previously obscure part of the international stage, leaving a notable legacy of political wins and losses in his state. In the latest “Deep Background” podcast, the Star’s Bryan Lowry and Dave Helling mull Brownback’s time in the Statehouse, where he oversaw sweeping tax cuts and the budget troubles that followed. His economic policies were essentially reversed this year by a legislature that changed dramatically with the fall of Brownback’s political fortunes.  

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Kansas City now has two finalists for chief of police — Maj. Rick Smith, and Chief Keith Humphrey of Norman, Okla.  The Star's Glenn Rice and Dave Helling of the editorial board discuss the two candidates, and what the community is looking for in a new chief of police.

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Commercial renewal driven partly by a new breed of center city-ish residents could remake Kansas City’s West Bottoms area. Reporter Diane Stafford joined the latest episode of The Star’s “Deep Background” podcast to discuss residential development trends. The podcast also looked at the lives of two men who changed the face of the Kansas City area, James B. Nutter Sr. and Neal Patterson. The podcast is free to download and comes ad-free. Consider subscribing and reviewing the show.  

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