Deep Background

Kansas City Star reporter Maria Torres talks about work she did with columnist Vahe Gregorian and photographer/videographer Jill Toyoshiba to piece together the story of the events that led to Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura driving through a guardrail to his death in his native Dominican Republic.

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Aaron Deacon of KC Digital Drive joins the podcast to talk about what impact Google Fiber has had on Kansas City, it's internet connectivity and tech innovation.

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Bryan Lowry, the new lead political reporter for the Star, joins the Deep Background podcast to talk about Gov. Sam Brownback and the Kansas Legislature's efforts to find a way out of a budget hole. Then the conversation turns to Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens and his unconventional approach to governing.

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Dave Helling, Colleen McCain Nelson, and Melinda Hennenberger of The Kansas City Star's editorial board discuss the eventful first ten days of President Donald Trump's administration. It's time to take him literally.

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The Kansas City Council is asking voters in an April election to raise property taxes for fixing streets, sidewalks and other infrastructure improvements. Voters will also consider a small hike in the sales tax to boost economic development on the city's east side. City Hall reporter Lynn Horsley explains what's going on.

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Kansas Capitol correspondent Hunter talks about the way forward for a state with budget problems and Gov. Sam Brownback's final stretch in public office. Then Diane Stafford chats about how your workplace, job, and job security are changing in an Uber-influenced world of the gig economy. The latest "Deep Background" podcast from The Kansas City Star.

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The Consumer Electronics Show, Kansas City's own tech scene and the balance between gadgetry convenience and privacy mark the latest Deep Background podcast conversation with Leah Becerra, Jay Pilgreen and Scott Canon of The Kansas City Star.

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Kansas City Star reporters Dave Helling, Scott Canon, and Rick Montgomery move past the scorched earth of 2016 to take a look at trends and stories we'll see in the coming year.

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Dave Helling and Scott Canon talk with the Star's new editorial page editor, Colleen Nelson, about 2016 campaign coverage.  Nelson covered the Clinton campaign and the Obama White House for the Wall Street Journal.

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Kansas City Star reporters Donna McGuire and Glenn E. Rice talk about the troubled Crimes Against Children unit of the Kansas City Police Department. New detectives man the operation now, but others who worked cases of child assault and rape in recent years have come under investigation, and criticism from prosecutors, for sloppy work that's jeopardized criminal cases and left children vulnerable to attack by predators. 

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