Kansas City Today

A new and improved COVID-19 vaccine booster is now being administered in Missouri. The hope is that it will protect against the original strain of COVID-19 as well as its dominant variants.

Whether and when you should get the shot will depend on a host of factors. KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with health reporter Noah Taborda to try and answer your questions.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Trevor Grandin, and KCUR Studios and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

Despite Missourians' displeasure with the state's abortion ban, it doesn't seem to be affecting their voting habits. A St. Louis University and YouGov poll found that 75% of Missouri voters believe that there should be exceptions for rape and incest, yet Attorney General Eric Schmitt, who enacted the ban, maintains a significant lead in the race for U.S. Senate. St. Louis Public Radio's Jason Rosenbaum outlines these discrepancies.

The 988 hotline was created to assist those who are in mental health crises. After the hotline's introduction, Missouri saw a 30% increase in callers to crisis help centers. Despite its success, some advocates question if the hotline will continue to be funded in the long term. St. Louis Public Radio's Sarah Fentem reports.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Trevor Grandin, and KCUR Studios and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

U.S. roads are more dangerous now than they’ve been in a generation. Traffic fatalities are running at a 20 year high in the U.S., despite the fact that cars are safer than they've ever been. KCUR’s Frank Morris reports that Kansas City is not safe from this grim spike in deaths.

Kansas will speed up its work to seal thousands of abandoned oil and gas wells that can pollute our groundwater and the atmosphere. Kansas News Service reporters Celia Llopis-Jepsen and Blaise Mesa explain.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Trevor Grandin, and KCUR Studios and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

Kiwi Farms, a website notoriously known for harassing, threatening and stalking people, has been kicked off its platforms.

On KCUR's Up To Date, Steve Kraske spoke with Debi Jackson, a Kansas City woman whose family was the victim of doxxing and harassment from Kiwi Farms after their trans child Avery became one of the first transgender people to appear on the the cover of National Geographic.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Trevor Grandin, and KCUR Studios and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

Rep. Sharice Davids has served Kansas' 3rd congressional district since being elected in 2018, but since then, the layout of her district has changed. With the addition of rural areas and the ousting of half of Wyandotte County, Davids is now representing — and running for re-election in — more conservative territory.

Davids acknowledges that she has some learning to do, but she's confident that her track record will win her another term in the U.S. House. KCUR's Brian Ellison spoke with Davids about lowering consumer costs and expanding abortion access after the recent Roe v. Wade decision and Kansas abortion amendment defeat.

You can also hear Ellison's interview with Davids' Republican opponent, Amanda Adkins.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Trevor Grandin and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

Kansas' 3rd district has undergone a tumultuous transformation. With the introduction of more rural, conservative counties and the removal of half of Wyandotte County, this district is about to become even more competitive. Republican Amanda Adkins hopes that means this is her year.

Having run against Democratic incumbent Rep. Sharice Davids before in 2020, Adkins is hoping to employ this newfound advantage come November. But despite running in a district that now leans in her favor, Adkins must reconcile her anti-abortion views with a constituency that overwhelmingly voted in favor of abortion rights in August.

KCUR's Brian Ellison spoke with Amanda Adkins about the economy, her recent trip to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas, and what she hopes to do in Congress if she wins.

Tune in Thursday for Ellison's interview with Adkins' Democratic opponent, Sharice Davids.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Trevor Grandin and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

New voting laws went into effect in Missouri on Aug. 28. One rule now requires voters to produce a form of government-issued photo identification or be required to fill out a provisional ballot. Supporters say they'll help preserve election integrity, but opponents say the risk of voter fraud is overstated, and that this law is really designed to discourage some people from voting. It's already facing lawsuits from voting rights groups.

Up To Date's Steve Kraske spoke with Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, a major advocate for the new policies, about how this new law will impact voters come November.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Trevor Grandin and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

Centuries ago, the last lead mine in southeast Missouri closed its doors, leaving behind toxic waste and generational trauma. In its place, the possibility of a new mining operation looms large. The Midwest Newsroom’s Niara Savage reports on the fears some residents have about silica mines in their community.

Detasseling, the process of removing the tops of corn to prevent self-pollination, was once seen as a teenage rite of passage for many Midwest communities. Now, it seems that seed companies are actively avoiding hiring locals in favor of migrant workers, who are more vulnerable to exploitation. Nebraska Public Media’s Will Bauer reports for the Midwest Newsroom about this shift in the workforce.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Trevor Grandin and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

Local musician Camry Ivory wondered what it would be like to paint a picture and compose a song at the same time. With that in mind, she created the Coloratura: a device that plays a note with every brushstroke, allowing artists to create paintings and music simultaneously. KCUR's Julie Denesha reports.

The number of caddie programs is dwindling in Kansas City. Coupled with a lack of diversity, it looks like the profession is quickly fading. KCUR's Greg Echlin reports on one caddie's mission to reignite interest while paving the way for a more diverse community.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Trevor Grandin and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

Shereka Barnes left teaching more than 10 years ago. As the teacher shortage made its way to Park Hill, her friends and colleagues begged her to come back. Instead of returning to the classroom, Barnes opted to make an impact a different way — on the school board. KCUR's Jodi Fortino reports.

Abortion-rights advocates say that grass-roots organizations are incredibly important to abortion access, especially now that Missouri's ban has taken effect. St. Louis Public Radio's Farrah Anderson reports on how sex workers are coming together to is help each other access out-of-state procedures.

Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Trevor Grandin and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate