Kansas City's new downtown parking policy during events is catching some drivers by surprise. Plus: Why did a master bootmaker from Italy choose small-town Kansas to continue his craft?

If you're planning to be in downtown Kansas City during an event, you might want to rethink where you park. A new policy approved by the city council earlier this summer establishes a $30 flat rate to park in an event parking zone downtown and in the River Market. KCUR's Celisa Calacal is covering the story, and she spoke with Up To Date's Steve Kraske about Kansas City's new downtown parking fee and what it means for downtown drivers.

Some people take the whole "road-less traveled" thing to the extreme. For master bootmaker Sam Vasta the global journey began in Italy. Then, as a kid, he moved to Rochester, New York. At college in upstate New York, Vasta met his wife and moved to her native Poland in 2001. Then, to Ireland and back to Italy for an apprenticeship as a shoemaker. In 2009, an earthquake destroyed his home and shop and three years ago, the family landed in Eureka, Kansas — population 2295. Tom Shine from KMUW in Wichita has this portrait of the Italian bootmaker who came to small-town Kansas to continue his craft.

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Kansas City Today is hosted today by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by David McKeel and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeleine Fox and Lisa Rodriguez.

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