Up To Date
KCUR
What Kansas City cares about. Up To Date brings people together for daily conversations about what’s happening in our region and how it affects our lives. Featuring interviews with artists, lawmakers, experts and everyday residents, plus original...
Location:
Kansas City, MO
Networks:
KCUR
Description:
What Kansas City cares about. Up To Date brings people together for daily conversations about what’s happening in our region and how it affects our lives. Featuring interviews with artists, lawmakers, experts and everyday residents, plus original reporting from the KCUR newsroom, Up To Date keeps our city connected. Email the show at uptodate@kcur.org
Twitter:
@KCURUpToDate
Language:
English
Contact:
4825 Troost Ave, Ste 202 Kansas City, MO 64110 816-235-2888
Email:
uptodate@kcur.org
Episodes
Kansas City Catholics respond to Trump’s escalating criticism of Pope Leo
4/16/2026
Debate is growing among Catholics in Kansas City and beyond after President Donald Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war, and shared an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus.
Duration:00:15:30
USDA cuts funding for Kansas City urban farmers in the middle of project: 'Heartbreaking'
4/16/2026
The USDA has canceled a grant program that supported small and emerging farmers, cutting nearly $300 million nationwide. Kansas City-area organizations like Cultivate KC and MyCo Planet say the loss is disrupting projects already in progress.
Duration:00:12:35
Former Obama ICE director: Trump's aggressive immigration tactics are a 'nightmare'
4/15/2026
Sarah Saldaña, who served as the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the final two years of Barack Obama’s presidency, is in Kansas City for an American Public Square event on Wednesday. She joined KCUR’s Up To Date to discuss the agency's tactics under the Trump administration.
Duration:00:19:22
KC Soundcheck: The Royal Chief
4/14/2026
Rapper Jamel Thompson, better known as The Royal Chief, got his start in Atlanta learning about the industry and even ghostwriting for Kanye West. He came back home to Kansas City in 2017, and now works to advance the music industry here
Duration:00:22:40
Classical KC welcomes 'The UMKC Conservatory Hour' to its programming lineup
4/14/2026
The UMKC Conservatory and KCUR's sister station Classical KC have deepened their partnership by adding "The UMKC Conservatory Hour" to the station's local content offerings.
Duration:00:12:38
The Kansas Legislature adjourned, without giving residents any relief from property taxes
4/13/2026
Kansans hoping for a break on their property taxes will have to wait. The legislative session adjourned with Republicans unable to compromise on property tax reform. Sherman Smith, editor-in-chief of the Kansas Reflector, joined KCUR’s Up To Date to provide an overview of the session.
Duration:00:12:29
A Stowers researcher biked over 2,000 miles to Kansas City. Here’s what she learned on the way
4/13/2026
Starting in Seattle, Washington, Dr. Friedrike Benning biked over 2,000 miles before her first day as a fellow at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. Along the way, she discovered how her work as a researcher reflected her journey as a cyclist.
Duration:00:14:08
Historian Rick Atkinson says the Revolutionary War was also a fight against 'future tyrannies'
4/12/2026
Rick Atkinson, a renowned historian and former Kansas City Times reporter, is coming to Kansas City this month for an event at Unity Temple on the Plaza. His new book, "The Fate of the Day," is his latest on the American Revolutionary War.
Duration:00:24:48
A Cuban cafe owner in Kansas City sends aid to island as Trump suggests U.S. takeover
4/11/2026
Karell Martinez, a cafe owner in Kansas City, Kansas, is collecting aid to send to his native country of Cuba. The country is near economic collapse following U.S. actions in Venezuela and a temporary oil embargo on Cuba. Martinez said Cubans want the U.S. help to free the people from an oppressive regime.
Duration:00:10:34
Anjin, a James Beard Award finalist, wants to foster more ‘adventurous’ Kansas City eaters
4/11/2026
Nick Goellner and Leslie Newsam Goellner opened their Japanese-style pub in July 2025, with an aim of introducing Midwest diners to new aspects of Japanese cuisine. Anjin is up for “Best New Restaurant” at the “Oscars of the food world” this June.
Duration:00:18:08
Mayor Quinton Lucas defends new Royals ballpark plan: 'It completes downtown Kansas City'
4/10/2026
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said the latest plan to pay for a downtown Royals stadium is different from the proposal rejected by voters two years ago. However, criticism is already mounting over the fact that the $600 million financing proposal won't not be subject to a public vote.
Duration:00:45:35
Missouri will gives you a free native tree if you cut down your invasive Callery pear
4/10/2026
The annual "buyback" program spearheaded by the Missouri Invasive Plant Council offers residents a free native tree in exchange for removing invasive Callery pear. It's part of a larger effort to encourage more sustainable, pollinator-friendly landscaping choices and educate people about what's in their backyards.
Duration:00:11:08
New Independence mayor wants more transparency after data center fight: 'I'm here to listen'
4/9/2026
Kevin King, a former union leader, was elected as mayor of Independence on Tuesday over a city council member who supported an AI data center deal. King has never held political office before, and says he wants residents to be engaged and feel heard in city government.
Duration:00:21:58
Kansas City election results: Earnings tax wins, data center supporters lose
4/8/2026
Kansas City’s 1% earning tax has won renewal once again, garnering overwhelming support from voters in Tuesday’s municipal elections. Meanwhile, data center supporters lost big in Independence, Missouri. KCUR reporters join Up To Date to discuss the tax and other key issues on ballots across the metro.
Duration:00:17:34
Are people talking less? Kansas City researcher finds we've lost 338 spoken words per day
4/8/2026
A new study from the University of Missouri-Kansas City reveals that people are actually speaking fewer words each day — and the loss is even greater among people under 25 years old. But engaging in small, everyday conversations can help strengthen connections and improve communication skills over time.
Duration:00:11:31
Why the Kansas City Symphony is building a new venue in South Plaza: 'A natural evolution'
4/7/2026
At a vacant lot at 49th and Main Street, the Kansas City Symphony plans to build a venue that will seat 4,600 people. The symphony's president and CEO Danny Beckley joined KCUR's Up To Date to explain why the organization is pursuing this venue now.
Duration:00:20:00
Kansas City’s Southwest Boulevard gets new sidewalks and bike lanes to make the road safer
4/7/2026
Residents hope the Westside and Crossroads neighborhoods will be safer and more walkable once the road diet is complete. But some businesses are still struggling in the meantime, and others say there still won’t be enough parking in the area.
Duration:00:25:02
Johnson County's Negro Creek gets new markers explaining how it got named
4/6/2026
New signage is bringing long-forgotten history to light at a Johnson County creek, and reframes a name that residents have debated for years. Instead of changing name of Negro Creek, local leaders chose to tell its story publicly.
Duration:00:14:10
Book recs: Kansas City librarians and booksellers share what to read this spring
4/4/2026
A sweeping historical epic, an eerily relevant political dystopia and an adult fantasy book from a beloved children’s author are just a few of the recommendations from KCUR’s book experts this spring.
Duration:00:36:54
Travelers to Kansas City's World Cup games may get hit by Trump’s new $15,000 entry bonds
4/3/2026
President Trump instituted a new entry fee and travel restrictions that could hurt turnout for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. For Kansas City’s games, both players and tourists from Tunisia and Algeria will be charged up to $15,000 to enter the country.
Duration:00:10:10