Kansas City Today

The Lawrence Gay Liberation Front has, under various names, challenged misconceptions about LGBTQ+ students at the University of Kansas for 45 years. Now, a book tells those students' stories. Plus: A Kansas museum dedicated to "The Wizard of Oz" is showcasing a movie prop that's never been seen by the public.

Gay rights activism at the University of Kansas was led in the 1970s by the Lawrence Gay Liberation Front, but it took 10 years and a lawsuit for the student group to gain official recognition. Now that history has been pieced together by Katherine Rose-Mockry, retired director of KU’s Emily Taylor Center for Women and Gender Equity. She spoke with Kansas City Public Library’s Anne Kniggendorf about the group’s long push to change campus culture.

Fans of "The Wizard of Oz" have flocked for years to the Oz Museum in Wamego, Kansas, about 100 miles west of Kansas City. If it's been a while since you visited, now's a great time to go. Kansas Public Radio's J. Schafer reports an important prop from the 1939 movie that's never been seen in public is on temporary display.

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 Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas convened a reparations commission in May 2023 with the goal of recommending how the city could repair harms from racism. Two years later, much of that work has yet to begin.

Terri Barnes, chair of the Mayor's Commission on Reparations, and Dr. Linwood Tauheed, the economics subcommittee head, spoke with KCUR's Up To Date host Steve Kraske about why the group is optimistic about moving forward, despite facing challenges at the start.

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 Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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

Native Americans in the U.S. lost much of their land by the 20th century, as portions of their reservations were sold. But in the Midwest, more tribes are reclaiming their ancestral territory as the “Land Back” movement gains momentum.

Over the past decade, Native tribes have been trying to regain ancestral lands through the growing “Land Back” movement. In one of the latest cases, the state of Illinois returned land, illegally sold nearly 200 years ago to white settlers, to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Harvest Public Media contributor Peter Medlin reports on the “Land Back” movement in the Midwest and the ways tribes can reclaim their land.

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 Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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

The U.S. House voted to take back $1.1 billion from public broadcasting stations like NPR and KCUR. Now, the rescission package heads to the U.S. Senate. KCUR's CEO and news director explain what's happening and what it means for this station — plus how we approach our journalism.

KCUR General Manager Sarah Morris and KCUR Interim Director of Content-Journalism Lisa Rodriguez joined Steve Kraske on Up To Date to share how defunding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would affect journalism across the country.

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 Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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

Many federal workers in Kansas City are seeing their jobs and departments cut and their work devalued under the Trump administration. We're bringing you another conversation about DOGE's impacts in town — this time with a local union representative for the U.S. Department of Labor.

KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with Jeff Suchman, a worker's comp claims examiner for federal firefighters and the president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1748 — which represents Labor Department employees in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska.

Suchman said that working at the department recently has been chaotic, with management telling employees that they’re “low-productivity workers” and many union members feeling uncertain about their futures.

If you’re a current or former federal employee and you want to talk to KCUR about your work, email us at [email protected].

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 Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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

“No Kings” protesters will take to the streets around the country this Saturday to push back against the policies of the Trump administration. Several protests are planned around Kansas City, including at the Country Club Plaza.

KCUR's Steve Kraske spoke with Beverly Harvey, founder and group leader of Indivisible KC and an organizer with the "No Kings" rally, about recent protests and criticisms of the Trump administration. The protest takes place Saturday at Country Club Plaza, while others are planned for Overland Park, Lee's Summit and more.

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 Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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

Federal lawmakers are considering billions of dollars in Medicaid cuts, a proposal that has divided Republicans. Some Kansans who rely on the program are afraid they’ll lose coverage or benefits.

The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" would include $715 billion in cuts to Medicaid spending over the next decade, as part of an effort to lower spending and taxes. Bek Shackelford-Nwanganga of the Kansas News Service reports on what that could mean for health care providers and the hundreds of thousands of Kansans who rely on Medicaid.

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 Madeline Fox, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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

Immigrant detainees at the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, have reported denied medical care, prolonged detention and unequal treatment. It's drawing serious scrutiny to the conditions in ICE custody, and the ACLU is calling for changes.

Kansas City Star reporter Matthew Kelly explains what's happening on KCUR 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 Lisa Rodriguez, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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

A Kansas City gardener had a light bulb moment: If she chose native plants for her yard, it would be better for wildlife. Now it’s home to birds, frogs, bees, and many butterflies. Plus: Farmers have been taking on more debt, while their incomes have been shrinking over the last few years.

Wildlife-friendly gardening is gaining traction across the Midwest. The KCUR Studios podcast Up From Dust talked to a master gardener about why she switched to this approach and her tips for getting started. Celia Llopis-Jepsen of the Kansas News Service reports.

Farmers have been taking on more debt lately following years of really low levels of borrowing. At the end of last year, the volume of farm loans not related to real estate was up 25% compared to a year earlier. That trend continued in the first quarter of this year. Is the increased use of debt a sign of financial downturn in the agriculture sector? Harvest Public Media contributor Will Bauer explores that question.

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 Lisa Rodriguez, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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

Reports of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity at Kansas City immigration courts are causing some people to miss routine hearings out of fear, leading to orders for their deportation. Attorneys and advocates are trying to help.

An increasing number of immigrants in Kansas City are afraid to show up for court hearings because of ICE officials' presence, and advocates are concerned that could lead to more deportations. Local immigration attorney Angela Ferguson and KCUR reporter Peggy Lowe break down what’s happening and what those appearing in immigration court should know.

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 Lisa Rodriguez, Emily Younker and Gabe Rosenberg.

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