Kansas City Today

More than half the renters living at a Raytown apartment complex recently ended a four-month rent strike against their landlord. Members of the Bowen Tower Apartments union share why the strike took place and what deal they managed to agree on.

Steve Kraske spoke with Joe Mount and Tina McDonald, two of the tenant union leaders and longtime residents of Bowen Tower Apartments, on KCUR's 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 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 has one of the highest rates of Parkinson’s disease diagnoses. Groups there are helping people slow the progression of the disease through activities including exercise and art classes. Plus: Nipple tattoos are an option for the many American women who survive breast cancer and end their treatment looking for a way to reconnect with themselves and their bodies.

Parkinson’s is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease that causes issues like tremors, balance problems and stiff muscles. At the Parkinson's Exercise and Wellness Center in Overland Park, gymgoers take on exercises and physical therapies to improve their brain health, sleep and motor skills. Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga of the Kansas News Service reports on what the gym and other Kansas nonprofits are doing to help people living with the disease.

One in 8 American women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime — often leading to long and arduous treatments that change the way their body looks. Breast reconstruction has become more of a focus in the past few years, and with it comes an increasingly popular concept: nipple and areola tattoos. KBIA’s Rebecca Smith reports on the post-treatment option that’s helping some women regain confidence in their bodies and themselves.

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.

A KCUR investigation uncovered a criminal probe launched against a resident by Lenexa police because of a newspaper opinion piece critical of the department.

Metro reporter Sam Zeff discusses details of his investigation with KCUR's Carlos Moreno.

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.

In 2023, a Kansas City police officer shot and killed two people and injured a third, but he won’t face criminal charges. And that’s not the only legal settlement involving Blayne Newton. Hear about Newton’s conduct and how it has fanned the flames of tension in the community.

KCUR investigative reporter Peggy Lowe spoke with Steve Kraske about Newton’s conduct 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 Brian Ellison 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.

A beloved Mexican restaurant in Kansas City is closing for good. We'll hear from the sisters who run the eatery and are taking stock of their decades of work at La Fonda El Taquito.

La Fonda El Taquito is a crown jewel of Kansas City’s Westside neighborhood, offering Mexican food from family recipes for more than 40 years. But the beloved restaurant is closing this weekend and its last few weeks have been nonstop. KCUR’s Celisa Calacal takes us there.

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.

Finding affordable, quality childcare that fits their schedule feels like an impossible task for many parents. Kansas City parents navigating the workforce while raising young children say the region needs more options.

High costs, limited hours and long waitlists are just some of the challenges Kansas City parents face when securing early education care for their children. KCUR’s Jodi Fortino reports on the difficulties two mothers face raising young children and finding solutions to their child care crises.

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.

A trial that could determine the future of abortion access in Missouri has wrapped up, and the decision is now in the hands of a judge. Planned Parenthood is suing to get several laws targeting abortion providers off the books, but the state got its chance this past week to defend the regulations.

State attorneys say that such regulation protects women, rather than inhibits their access to abortion. Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with Noah Taborda, KCUR's health reporter, about recent developments in the case and what it might mean for abortion access in Missouri.

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.

For many of Kansas City’s unhoused people, seeking medical treatment is not only hard, but it can also be demeaning. One nurse practitioner made it her mission to change that, and she was recently honored for her work.

The Kauffman Foundation recently gave its first "Uncommon Leader" award to Dr. Rachel Melson from Swope Health Services. Melson has been delivering health care to homeless individuals for more than a decade. As KCUR's Brandon Azim reports, the committee cited the way she focuses on restoring dignity.

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.

A new proposal in Missouri's legislature could make Jackson County the first county in the state to be split in 150 years. It's spurred by a Republican lawmaker from eastern Jackson County, but elected leaders are skeptical that it will gain traction.

Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with The Beacon's local government reporter Josh Merchant about what's behind this "Jackxit" proposal.

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.

This week, KCUR's Up To Date marked its final broadcast from 4825 Troost Avenue, as the station is required to move out of our longtime home. Although the offices have long been in disrepair, they have held a lot of good memories, too. Steve Kraske and KCUR staff reflected on the last 40 years of history in the building.

Longtime KCUR announcer Jenny Whitty, KCUR Program Director Ron Jones, and NPR national correspondent Frank Morris join Up To Date to share memories of their time at Troost.

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.