Central Standard

He’s an internationally-known food writer and photographer, an attorney and a former Congressional aide to Sam Brownback. She’s the communications director at Planned Parenthood Great Plains, and her career has also included time as a competitive figure skater and as a local TV news anchor. And they also happen to be siblings. Bonjwing Lee, author of The Ulterior Epicure blog, and his sister, Bonyen Lee-Gilmore, grew up in the Northland. Their parents came to the United States from Taiwan for

Before LaCroix Sparking Water became a trendy drink, it was a favorite of Midwestern moms. That’s according to Vox.com reporter Libby Nelson, author of "Why LaCroix Sparkling Water Is Suddenly Everywhere." In her article, she traces how the bubbly drink — which she remembers from her Kansas City childhood as “the pastel cases of tasteless soda that my Girl Scout leader packed into her minivan” — went from a Midwestern staple to a status symbol. “It was this question that had been in the back of

Are conversations about race actually changing things? Many people of color say that talking with white people about race and racism isn't getting anywhere. Guest: Randal Jelks, Professor of American Studies and African and African-American Studies at KU

For decades, the trend in playground design in the United States has gone towards making them safer and more accessible. But a new trend is all about risk, exploration and building. From the old-school giant metal slides to fully-enclosed spaces, we take a look at playground design and how it shapes us. Guests: Daniel Serda, inSITE PlanningTonya Blythe, Co-Founder and Owner, Kansas City Moms Blog

A Netflix documentary that debuted on Sept. 25 has reopened attention to a 2013 alleged rape case in Maryville that left one young woman's life changed and a community divided. We check in with the mother of the victim, and a reporter from St. Joseph who followed the case at the time. Plus, we hear from a student behind a social movement sparked by a recent report of sexual assault at Shawnee Mission East High School. Guests: Melinda Coleman, mother of victim, Daisy ColemanAlan Van Zandt,

Students in the Hickman Mills School District face a lot of challenges, including poverty and a provisionally accredited district, as well as a high rate of mobility: 75 percent of students typically change classrooms, schools or districts within the course of one year. Throughout this school year, on Central Standard, we will check in periodically with children and teachers at Ingels Elementary School, with the help of KCUR's contributing reporter Barb Shelly. Guest: Barb Shelly, Kansas City

The food of Kansas City has a life story to tell. Author Andrea Broomfield tells it. The origins of Kansas City chili, tamales and tailgating, an affinity for dining al fresco and cinnamon rolls, and what local beer has to do with our sports teams and stadiums. Every food tradition can be explained through the lens of history. Guest: Andrea Broomfield, author, Kansas City: A Food Biography

They're a Northland brother and sister who have traveled the world — he as a food writer and photographer, she in a career that's included time as an Olympic figure skater and a local TV news anchor. We chat with Bonjwing and Bonyen Lee in a family Portrait Session show. Guests: Bonjwing Lee, The Ulterior EpicureBonyen Lee-Gilmore, Director of Communications and Marketing, Planned Parenthood Great Plains

What goes into making a beat? Usually, producers toil in the background, but a local promoter is bringing beatmaking to center stage. Guests: Stacy D. Smith, aka ReachJoe Stanziola, aka Second Hand King

An interview with the outgoing managing editor of The Pitch, who's leaving town to write about the craft beer industry at Brewbound. We hear his take on KC's beer scene, which he covered for The Pitch, plus his assessment of the state of journalism here. Guest: Justin Kendall

Campaign season's in full swing. But in many districts across Missouri and Kansas this year, there are no vicious ads, no hot controversies — because there's only one candidate. What's it like to run unopposed, and what effect does that have on our communities? Guests: Greg Vonnahme, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, UMKCT.J. Berry, Missouri Representative, District 38Louis Ruiz, Kansas Representative, District 31, Assistant Minority Leader

In a new unique three-venue exhibition, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art brings photography of the late, Cuban-born Jesse A. Fernández to Kansas City. The curator of the exhibition joins us to talk about the work and the life of the artist. Guest: Jane Aspinwall, associate curator of photography, Nelson-Atkins

UMKC alumna Jeanne Drewes spent years traveling to Cuba, partnering with Ediciones Vigía, an independent publishing company and collective of book artists in Matanzas, Cuba. Over that time, she amassed a sizeable collection of Cuban books, some of which she recently donated to the LaBudde Special Collections. Ahead of her Sept. 27 talk, "Unbound: The Artistry of Cuban Bookmaking," Jeanne shares her experiences in Cuba, and the stories behind her interest in Cuban literature and culture. Guest:

In a dimly lit room in Madrid in the late 1700s, a theologian reads aloud to his friend the priest. It's not such a surprising scene, except that just outside, peasants and artisans have pressed their ears up against the door, enraptured by what turned out to be the 18th Century version of . . . pornography. One KU history professor joins us to share how she discovered this literature, and what it tells us about what ordinary people read during the time. Guest: Marta Vicente, Ph.D., associate

Out in Kansas City, Kansas, just off I-70, across from an automotive plant, there's a little blue shack. Above the nondescript, but distinctive building, a sign reads "Jarocho Mariscos y Algo Mas." Yes, on Kansas Avenue, in the landlocked heart of the United States, you’ll find the smells and tastes of the Gulf of Mexico. And soon, you'll find the same out in South Kansas City. When Jarocho owner Carlos Falcon first moved to Kansas City 20 years ago, he was surprised to find very few seafood