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Segment 1: Going " Beyond the Ballot " to find what drives Missouri voters to the ballots. How can we inspire high-schoolers to become more passionate about politics ? What are groups of faith in the Ozarks wanting from their politicians ? And which way will a moderate county like Clay swing this election cycle ? A new collaborative of journalists across Missouri take a run at these questions and more. Today, we talked with three of them about their findings. Jennifer Moore , KSMU news director

It’s always a good day when Up To Date 's indie, foreign and documentary film critics are in the house to run down the best movies showing in town! Today, they shared their thoughts and reviews of "The Children Act," "Blaze," "Fahrenheit 11/9," "Love, Gilda," "Lizzie," "The Wife," "Pick of the Litter," "The Bookshop," and "Operation Finale." Bob Butler, film critic and creator of ButlerCinemaScene.com Cynthia Haines, film professor and critic Steve Walker , film critic and freelance arts

The NFL season is only three weeks old, but the Kansas City Chiefs are the hottest team in the league, and the most hyped, thanks to the skyrocketing stardom of quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Commentator Victor Wishna goes along for the ride, in this month’s edition of 'A Fan’s Notes.' Dan Rice was the most famous circus clown in America when he ran for president back in 1868. He campaigned from town to town in a horse-drawn coach with a live brass orchestra. The buoyant oom-pah-pah music drew

Segment 1: Government agencies suing pharmaceutical companies look to legal lessons learned from previous settlement against Big Tobacco. A class-action lawsuit against tobacco companies in the late 1990s netted hundreds of billions of dollars, compensating states for costs associated with treating tobacco-related illness. Now, a comparable strategy could help defray the money cities, counties, and states are shelling out to deal with the opioid crisis. Today, an attorney involved in both cases

Segment 1: Second accusation of sexual misconduct against U.S. Supreme Court nominee increases some people's doubts about confirmation. As Dr. Christine Blasey Ford prepares to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about her claim of sexual assault by U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, another woman has come forward accusing President Trump's candidate of the same thing. While those on Capitol Hill wrestle with how to proceed, we looked at the ethical questions involved and

"A Blade So Black" , a new young adult novel, is a modern twist on the children's classic, "Alice in Wonderland." This Alice faces the challenges of growing up a black teen in urban Atlanta while also fighting the "nightmares" in Wonderland. Author L. L. McKinney spoke with us about the novel and how she wrote the female protagonist so her niece could read books with characters that look like her. L. L. McKinney , author of "A Blade So Black" L.L. McKinney will discuss her book "A Blade So Black

Segment 1: Missourians will vote on the first gas-tax increase in 24 years. On the ballot this November will be a proposal to raise the gas tax by a dime over the next four years. It's hard to deny this tax has been a long time coming; the last increase was in 1994. Critics of the bill, who are relatively few and far between, say the tax will hurt the poor, but defenders are quick to point out Missouri has the second lowest gas tax in the country. Today, we spoke with one of the proposal's

Segment 1: Will redevelopment on a single block of Troost be the bellweather for how the city revitalizes other neighborhoods? Clemons Real Estate has now taken the lead in redeveloping several properties on and around the 3100 block of Troost , but can they do it without pricing out the people who live nearby? It's a tough question with no clear answer, but one our panel agrees is paramount to consider. They discussed possible solutions to the gentrification problem, and suggested ways in which

Segment 1: After recent controversies Missouri's institutions of higher learning working to get back on track. The University of Missouri System gained new leadership since the 2015 student protests at the Columbia campus. Head Curator David Steelman says that change has led to the current upswing in enrollment there. Today he discussed the challenges still to be met in attracting a diverse student body and faculty, an increased focus on university research and the growing issue of budget cuts

Segment 1: The Independent candidate discusses his race for Kansas governor. The fierce gubernatorial race between Republican Kris Kobach, Democrat Laura Kelly and Independent Greg Orman is heating up. Orman joined us in-studio to talk about his proposals for education, the economy and gun control. He also explained why he decided to run as an Independent in a two-party system, and if low polling numbers will lead him to drop out. Greg Orman , entrepreneur and Independent Party candidate for