Kansas City Today

Recently, the state of Missouri executed 45-year-old Johnny Johnson, who was convicted of the 2002 killing of 6-year-old Casey Williamson. But Johnson's attorneys say the man, who has schizophrenia, was not mentally competent enough to understand the connection between his execution and the crime he committed.

KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with Mark Joseph Stern, a senior reporter covering courts for Slate, about the case, the U.S. Supreme Court's recent actions around execution, and what it tell us about our legal system.

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 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.

When Kansas lawmakers legalized sports betting, they seemingly gave lobbyists for casinos everything they wanted. That includes tax exemptions on promotional bets that are aimed at getting bettors hooked.

And now that sports betting in Kansas is easier than ever, increased access to mobile betting apps poses a heightened danger of addiction. Researchers and addiction counselors say the state may not be doing enough to combat addiction. Dylan Lysen reports for the Kansas News Service.

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 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.

The Bagnell Dam was constructed in 1931, creating what many people know today as the Lake of the Ozarks. It's a summer staple for tourists who want to beat the heat on this "ocean in the Midwest." But, as KCUR's Suzanne Hogan reports for the KCUR Studios podcast A People's History of Kansas City, the origin story for this man-made body of water involves corruption, jail time, communities torn apart and displaced families.

When artist Philo Northrup works on his car, he’s not just changing oil or inflating his tires — he’s using found objects to tell a story. And when you see his car in your rearview mirror with painted flames and outrageous accessories, what you're seeing is more than just a vehicle — it's a movable sculpture. KCUR's Julie Denesha has his story.

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 Trevor Grandin, 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.

Across the Kansas City metro, health departments are making strategic efforts to rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for future emergencies. But they are fighting uphill battles against lackluster funding, a mass exodus of employees and public perception.

Two of the largest health systems in Missouri, BJC HealthCare and St. Luke's Health System, earlier this year announced plans for a $10 billion merger. As St. Louis Public Radio's Sarah Fentem reports, experts say that won't necessarily benefit patients when it comes to prices and quality of care.

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 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.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas was sworn yesterday for his second term in office. On Up To Date, KCUR's Steve Kraske spoke with Lucas about why he didn't make headway on preventing gun violence during his first term, and what changes he hopes to make going forward.

The MR340, the longest non-stop river race in the world, kicked off yesterday in Kansas City. Hundreds of paddlers will race down the Missouri River to St. Charles, a 340 mile journey. KCUR’s Carlos Moreno brings us this audio postcard from River Hawk Boat Shop in Lee’s Summit, which knows a thing or two about winning.

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 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

Last week, heat indexes in the metro reached more than 110 degrees — leaving many wondering when the bestial weather would come to an end and how much worse things could get in years to come.

KCUR's Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with Associate UMKC Professor Fengpeng Sun, a a climate science who studies sustainability, urban climates and the future of climate change. He explained why cities turn into urban heat islands that are hotter than surrounding suburban and rural areas. Plus, he offered ideas for how cities can cool off by installing reflective roofing and pavement.

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 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

Tuesday is Election Day. Voters across Kansas — including in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties — have been casting early voting ballots now for several weeks but tomorrow, in-person polls will be open across both counties will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters will be narrowing the fields in a wide variety of City Council and County commission races, not to mention public school, college and utility boards in the metro.

KCUR's Brian Ellison spoke with Kyle Palmer of the Shawnee Mission Post and Josh Merchant of the Kansas City Beacon about what to expect.

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

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 Paris Norvell, Byron Love and KCUR Studios and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

Homicide rates tend to rise when temperatures do, and Kansas City is having a particularly violent year. Summer reinforces the need to keep children away from guns and violence. With most students out of the classroom and many searching for things to do, Club KC is hoping to occupy kids and keep them out of trouble. KCUR's Celisa Calacal has the story.

In the days before air conditioning, many relied on electric fans to cool off. KCUR's Julie Denesha has the story of one local collector who's taking the time to restore fans that once cooled down travelers at Kansas City's Union Station.

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

Kansas City Today is hosted by Byron Love. It is produced by Paris Norvell, Trevor Grandin, 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

Josh Henges, Kansas City's homelessness prevention coordinator, estimates there are several thousand unhoused individuals living in the city, although an accurate number is difficult to obtain.

This fall, he expects to have an estimate of how much money has been generated from the city's recreational marijuana tax — which voters approved during the April election — to support Kansas City's unhoused population. Of that 3% sales tax, 1% will go directly to homelessness prevention efforts.

On KCUR's Up To Date, host Steve Kraske spoke to Henges about what the city expects to do with that funding and how else Kansas City is addressing homelessness.

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 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

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s efforts to inflate the cost of an abortion-rights initiative petition were unanimously rejected by the state Supreme Court last Thursday, just two days after judges heard arguments in the case.

The quick verdict, which was written by Judge Paul Wilson, was scathing in its assessment of Bailey’s refusal to sign off on the work of Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick, concluding that nothing in state law “gives the attorney general authority to question the auditor’s assessment of the fiscal impact of a proposed petition.”

Up to Date's Steve Kraske spoke with Jason Hancock, editor-in-chief of the Missouri Independent, to get a breakdown on the case and what this means for the future.

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 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