Kansas City Today

In 2022, Joplin Police sniper Keaton Siebanaler mistakenly shot and killed 2-year old Clesslynn Crawford during a hostage standoff. For almost four years, the city of Joplin fiercely guarded the identity of "Sniper 1." But KCUR and The Midwest Newsroom fought in court to name Siebanaler — who was just hired by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Siebenaler has never faced discipline or charges over the killing of Crawford. And last week, Siebenaler graduated from the Missouri State Highway Patrol academy. He will now patrol Vernon and Barton counties, about an hour south of Kansas City, as a state trooper. Metro reporter Sam Zeff discusses details of KCUR and the Midwest Newsroom's investigation into Siebanaler's identity with Steve Kraske on Up To Date.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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

Despite efforts from the Columbia community, Owen Ramsingh, the Columbia man detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement last year, has been deported to the Netherlands. Ramsingh is now adjusting to his new home.

Owen Ramsingh, a green card holder who lived in Columbia, Missouri, until he was picked up at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, was sent back to his country of origin earlier this year. KBIA’s Addison Zanger went to the city of Utrecht to see how Ramsingh is adjusting to his new home.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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

Kansas City officials announced a $600 million funding plan to help pay for a downtown ballpark for the Royals. Mayor Quinton Lucas spoke about the proposal, and answers criticisms about a lack of public vote, with KCUR's Up To Date.

Lucas talked about why he thinks Washington Square Park will help "activate" downtown Kansas City, and defended the city's funding for a Royals stadium, with KCUR's Up To Date. This conversation was recorded live at the Rochester Brewing and Roasting Company in the Crossroads.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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

Johnson County's Negro Creek runs through southern Overland Park and Leawood, and went mostly unknown and unmapped. But when social justice protests emerged in 2020, people took notice and petitioned to change the name. After years of research and public discussions, the creek will keep its name, but get new signage explaining its history.

In a live conversation at Rochester Brewing & Roasting in the Crossroads, Johnson County Commissioner Becky Fast and Jay Holbert, past president of NAACP, tell KCUR's Steve Kraske why Negro Creek kept its name and the efforts to uncover the identity of the man escaping slavery that inspired it.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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

Kansas lawmakers wrapped up most of their annual work at the end of March, including passing a number of bills related to schools. Legislators return to the capital this week to vote on an override of the governor's vetoes.

Gov. Laura Kelly has vetoed two education bills passed the the Legislature, including bills that block in-state tuition for students without full legal status. Kelly also rejected a plan to expand tax credits for attending private schools. KMUW education reporter Daniel Caudill, who has tracked some of that legislation, sat down with KMUW News Director Suzanne Perez ahead of the Legislature’s veto session.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Peggy Lowe. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Gabe Rosenberg and Emily Younker.

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

Voters around Kansas City went to the polls yesterday, and we'll break down the elections. Plus: A community health center in southeast Kansas is working on solving rural health workforce shortages by introducing elementary schoolers to... frog dissections.

In rural Kansas, it can be hard to fill jobs in health care — especially for positions like primary care or specialty doctors. A community health center is working to address this issue by exposing kids to careers in medicine and building a potential workforce for the future. Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga of the Kansas News Service reports.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Madeline Fox. It is produced by Jacob Smollen and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg.

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

Voters around Kansas City are headed to the polls to decide the fate of a critical earnings tax, local school board races and more. Plus: The Missouri House is considering bills regulating AI-generated intimate depictions of minors, and requiring adult content websites to verify the age of users. But critics have raised free speech concerns.

Missouri lawmakers are debating several bills that could change the way people use the internet. As KBIA’s Bella Zielinski reports, it’s a tricky balance for the Republican-controlled legislature, as the bills introduce more protections for minors but could also allow for more government regulation of internet spaces.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Frank Morris. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox, Gabe Rosenberg and Emily Younker.

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

A judge ruled that the Republican-leaning “Missouri First” congressional map will be in effect for the November election. Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has filed a lawsuit to stop a referendum effort, claiming that voters don't have the power to overturn the map.

Catherine Hanaway became the fourth Missouri Attorney General in six years when she was sworn into office just over six months ago. She joined KCUR's Steve Kraske on Up To Date to discuss Missouri's battle over redistricting maps, as well as topics ranging from illegal gambling to the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Madeline Fox. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Emily Younker.

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

Missouri’s 2026 election cycle got a jolt last week when longtime U.S. Rep. Sam Graves announced his retirement. His departure could tell us a lot about where the GOP stands going into the midterm elections — and could make the 6th Congressional District race a lot more competitive.

The Republican from Tarkio, 62, first won his seat in 2000 in a district that stretches across all of Missouri's northern third. The recently redrawn Missouri congressional map adds even more of Kansas City into the seat. St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum reports on what this means for the 2026 elections.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Jodi Fortino. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Emily Younker.

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

Kansas City recently passed a $2.6 billion spending plan that keeps expenses relatively flat. But, some departments like police are still seeing growth, despite some opposition. We'll break down the city's spending and why you should care about it.

Kansas City has passed its budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins May 1. It includes more money for police and transit, but overall spending will remain mostly flat because of a projected budget deficit. KCUR’s local government reporter, Savannah Hawley-Bates, spoke to news editor Emily Younker about this.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Peggy Lowe. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Emily Younker.

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