Central Standard

Most people are familiar with Dead Man Walking, the book and movie that's based on Sister Helen Prejean's interaction with a death row inmate. Well, there's also an opera that's inspired by her story. We talk to some people from the Lyric Opera about their upcoming performance of this contemporary American work ... and the community outreach they've planned around it. Then, an artist working as a janitor near the U.S.-Mexico border took photographs of the personal items that migrants left behind

It's no secret that Lawrence is a spot of blue in a pretty conservative state. That's true of a lot of university towns ... but should it be? A look at whether the University of Kansas is separated from the communities it's meant to serve, and how it could connect to the rest of the state. Guests: Clarence Lang, Professor and Chair, Department of African and African-American Studies at KU Stephonn Alcorn, student body president at KU Ike Uri, KU senior from Concordia, Kansas

The Kansas City chapters of the NAACP and the SCLC are under new leadership. We sit down with the new presidents of these two organizations to hear their vision for the future of KC. A recent New York Times article said: "Calling Peter Voulkos a ceramist is a bit like calling Jimi Hendrix a guitarist." We learn more about KC's rock star of clay. Guests: Rev. Rodney E. Williams, President, NAACP of Kansas City Rev. Vernon Howard, President, SCLC of Greater Kansas City Sherry Leedy, Director,

How are Russians living in our community reacting to the allegations that Russia hacked the 2016 U.S. presidential election? We explore the nuanced conflict and pride that Russians living in Kansas City feel about their homeland. Guests: Rita Reznikov ​, Ukrainian-American, owner, European Delights Michelle Smirnova ​, sociologist, University of Missouri-Kansas City Vitaly Chernetsky , professor and director, Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies, Kansas University Dasha

A week and a half into the Trump administration, we'll find out whether political cartoonists still think of this president as a gift to satire. Plus, we check in with Lawrence musician Matt Pryor, whose band The Get Up Kids had a big following in the 1990s. Guests: Glenn McCoy , conservative political cartoonist Lee Judge , political cartoonist, Kansas City Star Matt Pryor , local musician

Many Kansas Citians are familiar with hummus by now. Available at Costco and other area grocery stores, this chickpea puree has become as ubiquitous as guacamole. But what are some other Middle Eastern dishes that are on local menus? “When we think of Middle Eastern food, at least in the Midwest, it’s sort of an umbrella term, meaning it’s kind of a mix of different culinary things that always seem to have either baba ganoush or hummus or pita bread,” Food Critic Charles Ferruzza told host Gina

A visit to Nazareth Sweets , which is in a part of Lenexa that's becoming a "Middle Eastern strip," and a culinary instructor talks about a beloved Syrian dish that she grew up eating. Then, the Food Critics search out the best Middle Eastern food in and around KC. Guests: Christine Rossi, teaches Middle Eastern cooking classes at The Culinary Center of Kansas City Christine Boutros, grew up eating Egyptian food Charles Ferruzza, The Independent and Shawnee Mission Post Mary Bloch, Around the

How do you get information from the government, especially after the recent lockdown on communication from federal agencies? Two veteran investigative reporters explain how they deal with governmental transparency and secrecy. Plus, a chat with local musician Kenn Jankowski about his new group, Jaenki. Guests: Karen Dillon , freelance investigative reporter Mike McGraw, investigative reporter, Flatland Kenn Jankowski, musician, Jaenki and The Republic Tigers

Echinacea. That's a word you've probably heard a lot, especially during cold and flu season. A chat with a KU botanist about this native Midwestern plant, which has been harvested and used medicinally in the Great Plains for a long, long time. Then, we're off to see the wizard ... ever since the Wizard of Oz books came out in the early 20th century, there have been Land of Oz toys to entertain kids for generations. Inspired by " Over the Rainbow ," a new exhibit at the Toy and Miniature Museum,

Based on a true story, the new film 'The Founder' tells the tale of how struggling salesman Ray Kroc found the McDonald's brothers and their California burger shop. We meet a few Kansas Citians whose own personal stories cross paths with growth of the family burger joint turned billion-dollar chain. Plus, one long-time McDonald's worker shares his story, and his fight for higher wages. Guests: Nabil Haddad , owner Winstead's , formerly janitor turned franchise owner, McDonald's Bob Bernstein ,

In the wake of President Donald Trump's inauguration, local artists weigh in on how they address politics with their work. In our latest Story of a Song, we hear how one Kansas City musician chose to address the current political climate with his song 'Revolution.' Plus, how a special poetry contest came from Poland to Kansas. Guests: Mark Uhlig , executive producer, Poetry Unites Kansas Ewa Zadrzyńska, director, Poetry Unites Kansas Dave Loewenstein , Kansas City muralist and painter Michael J.

When he was 4 years old, Ed Dwight built an airplane out of orange crates from Safeway in the backyard of his house in Kansas City, Kansas. But while growing up in a segregated Kansas City in the 1930s and 1940s, he never dreamed that he could be an airplane pilot. And he certainly didn't think he'd be the first African-American to train as an astronaut for NASA. But then, a local newspaper changed the course of his life. He was a paperboy for the The Kansas City Call and the The Kansas City

Before you pack away your Chiefs gear: A look back at the history of the team and how they helped shape KC. Plus, Question Quest discovers why people keep leaving little bird figurines around a statue in Brookside. Guests: Monroe Dodd, KCUR's resident historian Joel Thorman, Editor, Arrowhead Pride

She recently made history as the first transgender person to be featured on the cover of National Geographic . A chat with Avery Jackson and her mom. At the National September 11 Memorial & Museum , there's a giant wall with the portraits of all the people who were killed in the World Trade Center terrorist attacks. Until recently, though, seven people weren't included. Hear how the photos of five of them were located in a cave in Lee's Summit. Guests: Avery Jackson, nine-year-old

According to national statistics, when rent goes up, so does the number of evictions. What does this look like locally? From 2000 to 2015, Kansas City saw an average of 27 evictions per day. As part of an ongoing conversation about Kansas City's changing rental market, we discuss the causes and consequences of eviction. Guests: Kaily Ross , Kansas City mother, formerly evicted tenant Tara Raghuveer ​, deputy director of the National Partnership for New Americans , researcher Brent Schondelmeyer