Kansas City Today

A new Kansas Health Institute analysis shows that suicide rates climbed in rural and frontier counties by roughly 55% and 60% respectively from 2000-2019, significantly outpacing the increases in mid-sized cities and urban areas. David Condos of the Kansas New Service discusses the growing trend stressing rural communities across Kansas and the nation.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Helpline any time by calling 1-800-273-8255 or texting “HOME” to 741741.

If you would like to talk with someone in Kansas about what you or a loved one are going through, here are some regional resources that can help:

• Kansas Ag Stress helpline: 800-447-1985
• High Plains Mental Health Center in Hays: 785-628-2871
• Compass Behavioral Health in Garden City: 620-276-7689
• Southwest Guidance Center in Liberal: 620-624-8171
• Iroquois Center for Human Development in Greensburg: 620-723-2272

Also on today's podcast: Through the summer, Missouri was an early hotspot for the delta variant of COVID-19, leading to more unvaccinated young people getting severely ill. Unfortunately, as more young people got sick, more pregnant people did too. From KBIA, Rebecca Smith reports that many OBGYNs across the state are now worried about severe COVID complications during pregnancy and birth.

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 and edited by Gabe Rosenberg.

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

At the beginning of the pandemic, health care workers were applauded as frontline heroes against COVID-19. Now, they’re coping with burnout and increasing workloads as unvaccinated patients fill up local hospitals. KCUR’s Jodi Fortino talked with one Kansas City respiratory therapist who says the job is taking an emotional toll.

Health care workers in Johnson County have also been feeling burned out. Kyle Palmer, editor of the Shawnee Mission Post, discusses what some health centers are doing to keep their staff.

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 and edited by Maria Carter and Lisa Rodriguez.

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

A political action committee is seeking to recall Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and several city council members. As the Kansas City Beacon's Emily Wolf reports, the PAC is almost solely focused on supporting the police.

Also, after being canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns, the Plaza Art Fair returns. The 90th annual event is a celebration that covers nine blocks of the historic shopping center. KCUR’s Julie Denesha followed three local artists who have spent months working in their studios to prepare.

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 and edited by Maria Carter and Lisa Rodriguez.

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

After criticism from LGBTQ advocates, Chick-Fil-A got cut from the proposed list of restaurants at the new Kansas City Airport. But the proposed vendor still faces opposition from Kansas City staples Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que and J. Rieger & Co. Distillery. Reporter Emily Wolf has been following this story for the Kansas City Beacon.

Two refugee resettlement agencies in Kansas City are expecting an influx of refugees this fall, including as many as 1,200 from Afghanistan. KCUR’s Laura Ziegler reports on a new Kansas City Public School that includes programs to help students with basic English and other tools to ease their transition.

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 and edited by Maria Carter and Lisa Rodriguez.

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

An invasive grass called Old World bluestem is crowding out native plant species and remaking Kansas grasslands and pastures. As it spreads across the state, the time and money required to eliminate it goes up. For Kansas News Service, reporter David Condos talked to some of the landowners and researchers trying to prevent Old World bluestem from changing the Kansas prairie forever.

Recent FBI data showed that hate crimes in 2020 increased significantly across the United States, and Kansas and Missouri were no exception. However, unreliable data collection and severe underreporting mean the real figures are likely even higher. KCUR reporter Luke X. Martin breaks down what the data means on Up To Date with Steve Kraske.

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 and edited by Maria Carter and Lisa Rodriguez.

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