Kansas City Today

Eric DeValkenaere was found guilty of second-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action by a Jackson County judge in November 2021 for killing Cameron Lamb, a 26-year-old Black man, in his driveway. In March 2022, DeValkenaere was sentenced to six years in prison.

DeValkenaere is the only Kansas City police officer convicted of killing a Black man while on duty. Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with KCUR reporter Peggy Lowe about why the court made its decision, and what happens next.

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, Anna Schmidt 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

Data shows that from 2018 to 2020, the average assessed value for owner-occupied homes on the Westside increased by 128%. No other neighborhood in Kansas City has seen an increase like that.

KCUR’s Madeline Fox sat down with KCUR local government reporter Celisa Calacal to talk about how a tax break program for these homeowners on the Westside is going one year in.

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, Anna Schmidt 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

A records request from the Kansas News Service found evidence that falsified reports are hurting some inmate's chances at parole in another example of a prison disciplinary system that can be stacked against incarcerated people.

Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with Blaise Mesa of the Kansas News Service about the consequences for one incarcerated man, who has spent years unsuccessfully fighting his write-up.

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 and Lisa Rodriguez.

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

Halloween is around the corner and the Kansas City Ballet is getting ready with a spooky debut. The North American premiere of "Jekyll and Hyde" tells the story of the titular characters through dance. KCUR's Julie Denesha spoke with the creatives bringing this gothic classic to life.

Fourteen-year-old Overland park native Eddison Chen is racking up awards all over the world for his piano prowess. Classical KC's Brooke Knoll spoke with Chen and his mother about his introduction to piano, having perfect pitch and much more. (Eddison Chen performance audio courtesy of The Cliburn.)

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 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

Homicide numbers in the Kansas City area are the highest they’ve been in recent years. But officials say there's a glimmer of hope in the Santa Fe neighborhood. An anti-crime organization called KC 360 says it’s been able to reduce homicides in the neighborhood by more than 70%.

Up To Date host Steve Kraske spoke with the organization's leaders, Rev. Darren Faulkner, police Maj. Kari Thompson, Santa Fe Neighborhood Association President Marquita Taylor, and Empowerment Network CEO Willie Barney, to find out how they did it, and what’s next in KC 360’s efforts.

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, Anna Schmidt, 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

Proponents of abortion rights in Missouri are energized to repeal one of the strictest abortion bans in the nation. But they’ve run into two obstacles: Disagreement over what the proposal should actually do and legal efforts that could run out the clock. St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum reports.

Taxpayers across Kansas voiced concerns at public hearings this fall in the wake of another year of large property tax increases. Lawmakers in Topeka are taking notice, which could lead to more changes to tax laws, including a potential constitutional amendment. Kansas News Service reporters Dylan Lysen and Joe Bluebaugh discsus.

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, Anna Schmidt 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

Women’s professional soccer is drawing record attendance and spawning expansion teams next year. But despite the growing popularity, no U.S. team plays in a stadium of its own. KCUR’s Frank Morris reports a new stadium going up on the Missouri River in Kansas City will change that, and maybe even launch a new era in woman’s sports.

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 and Lisa Rodriguez.

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

Since the COVID-19 school closures, student behavior that disrupts classrooms has reportedly grown worse, teachers report. To find out why and how the state plans to help correct it KCUR's Up To Date spoke with Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's school counseling and student wellness coordinator Chrissy Bashore and Jen Foster, who's on the social-emotional learning standards work group at the University of Missouri's eMINTS National Center.

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 Paris Norvell, Byron Love, 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

Prairies around the world are disappearing at a startling pace, including those in Kansas. Local photographer Philip Heying's new photo exhibition seeks to draw attention to these shrinking ecosystems by showcasing their beauty and power.

The Kansas City Public Library's Anne Kniggendorf spoke with Heying ahead of his appearance at this week's Heartland Book Festival.

Pablo Sanhueza and the Kansas City Latin Jazz Orchestra use rhythms and sounds from Chile to West Africa to connect distant cultures in Kansas City. KCUR’s Lawrence Brooks IV reports on the orchestra as it marks its 20th year of making music.

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 Trevor Grandin, Byron Love and KCUR Studios and edited by Madeline Fox.

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

Big wildfires have become more common and more intense in Kansas. That trend is likely to continue, but the risk of wildfire depends on where you live. A new online tool shows Kansans the danger in their neighborhood or area. Celia Llopis-Jepsen of the Kansas News Service talks with host Nomin Ujiyediin.

When crop prices or harvests drop enough, the government sends money to qualifying farmers to get them through tight years. It’s a Farm Bill program called Title One. As lawmakers negotiate a new Farm Bill this year, farmers are pushing for more Title One money. Harvest Public Media’s Elizabeth Rembert takes us back to how the program began and where it is today.

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 Paris Norvell, Byron Love and KCUR Studios and edited by Madeline Fox.

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