KCUR (Kansas City's best news source)
@kcur.org
We're Kansas City’s home for local news and podcasts. 🚎 ☀️ Nonprofit and independent
🌈 Subscribe to our daily newsletter: linktr.ee/kcur
🌈 Subscribe to our daily newsletter: linktr.ee/kcur
Pinned
KCUR and Classical KC just lost federal funding. Here's what to know and how to help.
Ending federal funding for public media will have an immediate and drastic effect on KCUR and Classical KC. Here are the latest updates, plus what you can do to help.
www.kcur.org
Congress has eliminated all federal funding for public media. And now Kansas City’s public broadcasters need YOU. https://loom.ly/pvwG3Dc
Testing is officially underway on the 0.7-mile extension, which will connect the streetcar to Berkley Riverfront and CPKC Stadium.
Kansas City Streetcar's Riverfront extension is on track to open next spring
Testing is officially underway on the 0.7-mile extension, which will connect the streetcar to Berkley Riverfront and CPKC Stadium, home of the KC Current.
www.kcur.org
December 26, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Testing is officially underway on the 0.7-mile extension, which will connect the streetcar to Berkley Riverfront and CPKC Stadium.
Rescheduling won't allow interstate commerce, federal legalization or an instant federal regulatory takeover. But it will give Missouri marijuana companies some tax relief. (@missouriindependent.com)
What Trump’s marijuana rescheduling order means for Missouri cannabis
Rescheduling won't allow interstate commerce, federal legalization or an instant federal regulatory takeover. But it will give Missouri marijuana companies some tax relief.
www.kcur.org
December 26, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Rescheduling won't allow interstate commerce, federal legalization or an instant federal regulatory takeover. But it will give Missouri marijuana companies some tax relief. (@missouriindependent.com)
Bonner Springs is giving more than $200 million of tax incentives for Mattel Adventure Park. City officials say it will boost local tax revenues. But a public finance expert says the deal will mostly cost the state. (Kansas News Service)
Kansas is paying millions for a Barbie and Hot Wheels theme park. It's another STAR bond
Bonner Springs is giving more than $200 million of tax incentives for Mattel Adventure Park. City officials say it will boost the local tax revenues. But a public finance expert says the deal will mostly cost the state.
www.kcur.org
December 26, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Bonner Springs is giving more than $200 million of tax incentives for Mattel Adventure Park. City officials say it will boost local tax revenues. But a public finance expert says the deal will mostly cost the state. (Kansas News Service)
Linda Lighton’s ceramic sculptures speak to some of the thorniest social issues of our time, like sex, feminism and gun control. A new retrospective at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art in Overland Park explores her work.
A Kansas City artist crafts fashion — and guns — out of ceramic. Her provocative career gets a new look
Linda Lighton’s ceramic sculptures speak to some of the thorniest social issues of our time, like sex, feminism and gun control. A new retrospective at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art in Overland Park explores her work.
www.kcur.org
December 26, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Linda Lighton’s ceramic sculptures speak to some of the thorniest social issues of our time, like sex, feminism and gun control. A new retrospective at the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art in Overland Park explores her work.
State parks across Missouri will ring in this New Year on the trail, hosting 35 guided tours at parks in every part of the state. (@kbianews.bsky.social)
Missouri's state parks invite everyone to take a hike on New Year's Day
Parks across the state will participate in the First Day Hikes program.
www.kcur.org
December 26, 2025 at 3:30 PM
State parks across Missouri will ring in this New Year on the trail, hosting 35 guided tours at parks in every part of the state. (@kbianews.bsky.social)
In this current season, you’ll find everything from Broadway musicals to dinner theater and experimental community theater. Finish this year with holiday classics like “A Christmas Carol” or give yourself a night out to look forward to in 2026.
Want to explore Kansas City's theater scene? Don't miss these plays, musicals and more in 2026
After the holiday programs are over, Kansas City theaters will be bringing in national Broadway shows, putting on original dramatic works, and showcasing an array of kids programs and experimental new shows. We put together a guide to the must-see theater around the metro.
www.kcur.org
December 26, 2025 at 2:00 AM
In this current season, you’ll find everything from Broadway musicals to dinner theater and experimental community theater. Finish this year with holiday classics like “A Christmas Carol” or give yourself a night out to look forward to in 2026.
Need a swanky spot to take someone for a New Years Eve dinner? Check these influential fine dining establishments in Kansas City.
Food recs: The best fine dining in Kansas City
Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply want to treat yourself to the best money can buy, the metro is brimming with top-tier restaurants that specialize in gourmet fare with impeccable service. Here’s your guide to the city’s most inviting and influential fine dining establishments.
www.kcur.org
December 26, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Need a swanky spot to take someone for a New Years Eve dinner? Check these influential fine dining establishments in Kansas City.
Jessica Dunkel’s sourdough doughnuts have inspired a cult following. That’s why she’s opening a brick-and-mortar storefront on W. 135th St. in Overland Park. There’s no grand opening date set, but the shop should be ready to open within a few weeks.
Popular Kansas donut shop opening in Overland Park after years of sold-out pop-ups
Slow Rise's sourdough doughnuts nearly always sell out at the Lawrence and Overland Park farmers markets. Owner Jessica Dunkel says she hopes to open her Overland Park brick-and-mortar location within a month.
www.kcur.org
December 26, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Jessica Dunkel’s sourdough doughnuts have inspired a cult following. That’s why she’s opening a brick-and-mortar storefront on W. 135th St. in Overland Park. There’s no grand opening date set, but the shop should be ready to open within a few weeks.
Kansas City saw the opening of its first Museum of BBQ this year — but the city’s barbecue scene is far from a museum. It’s constantly growing, evolving and changing, much like the cuisine itself.
These are Kansas City's newest barbecue restaurants and food trucks you have to try
Kansas City already knows it's a barbecue destination, but the number of restaurants and food trucks keeps growing every year. Next time you're craving burnt ends, ribs or something even more creative, try these spots that opened in the past year and a half.
www.kcur.org
December 25, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Kansas City saw the opening of its first Museum of BBQ this year — but the city’s barbecue scene is far from a museum. It’s constantly growing, evolving and changing, much like the cuisine itself.
Need something to watch over the holiday break? KCUR’s Up To Date invited a Kansas City film critic, screen writer, and independent filmmaker to share their favorite films and TV series to watch right now.
Looking for a new movie or show? Kansas City critics share 2025 favorites and holiday watches
Whether you’re gathering with family during the holidays, or catching up on the best of the year before award season, Up To Date invited Kansas City film critics to share some great movies and television series worth catching.
www.kcur.org
December 25, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Need something to watch over the holiday break? KCUR’s Up To Date invited a Kansas City film critic, screen writer, and independent filmmaker to share their favorite films and TV series to watch right now.
Today, thousands of Crock-Pots are being used to cook family meals across the Kansas City Metro. The device was actually first unveiled by a Kansas City company in 1971, and it was two Kansas City women who taught America how to use it.
50 years ago, Kansas City introduced the Crock-Pot. These women taught America to use it
No Midwestern cookout is complete without a delicious chili or dip simmering in a Crock-Pot. But when the device was first unveiled by a Kansas City company in 1971, it promised something more: freedom.
www.kcur.org
December 25, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Today, thousands of Crock-Pots are being used to cook family meals across the Kansas City Metro. The device was actually first unveiled by a Kansas City company in 1971, and it was two Kansas City women who taught America how to use it.
Erin Jeanne McDowell teaches home bakers in-person and online how to turn out a perfect cake, crimp a pie crust and create the flakiest dough. But creating recipes that anyone can follow takes a particular set of skills, meaning McDowell has to wear a lot of hats.
Inside the Kansas City kitchen of a cookbook author who teaches the world to make a perfect pie
New York Times bestselling author Erin Jeanne McDowell has been baking tasty treats for holiday tables since she was a teenager in her grandmother’s Kansas kitchen. Now, she teaches thousands of amateur cooks how to master the art of baking.
www.kcur.org
December 25, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Erin Jeanne McDowell teaches home bakers in-person and online how to turn out a perfect cake, crimp a pie crust and create the flakiest dough. But creating recipes that anyone can follow takes a particular set of skills, meaning McDowell has to wear a lot of hats.
Every holiday season for nearly a century, thousands of tiny lights sparkle across Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza. But even lifelong residents of the metro may not know about the 2 a.m. test run for their lighting ceremony that draws its own small crowd of onlookers.
Kansas City's Plaza Lights get tested in the dead of night, for a secret audience of night owls
The Country Club Plaza holiday lighting ceremony is a beloved Thanksgiving tradition in Kansas City. But even many lifelong residents don’t know that the lights actually turn on a day earlier, in a 2 a.m. test run that draws its own small crowd of onlookers.
www.kcur.org
December 25, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Every holiday season for nearly a century, thousands of tiny lights sparkle across Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza. But even lifelong residents of the metro may not know about the 2 a.m. test run for their lighting ceremony that draws its own small crowd of onlookers.
Nearly every state has a handful of rural out-of-the-way towns that drape their downtowns with lights, put on parades and festivals and heat up the hot chocolate in a bid for holiday visitors. These outside dollars are critical for such towns’ economies.
From 'Grinchmas' to chestnut roasts, these rural towns make the holidays central to their economy
Winter holiday festivals have become a regular way to grow revenue for America’s smallest towns. And with more people shopping online, those events are key to pulling people away from their screens and into stores.
www.kcur.org
December 25, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Nearly every state has a handful of rural out-of-the-way towns that drape their downtowns with lights, put on parades and festivals and heat up the hot chocolate in a bid for holiday visitors. These outside dollars are critical for such towns’ economies.
Last year's "Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story" meant to capitalize on the romance between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Now, Hallmark has moved entirely beyond Kansas City with "Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story," set in Buffalo. (from NPR)
2025 holiday movie guide: After last year's 'Chiefs Love Story,' Hallmark debuts new Bills film
We're taking stock of this year's notable holiday movies, with titles including such gems as Oy to the World!, Christmas at the Catnip Cafe, A Merry Little Ex-Mas, and A Pickleball Christmas.
www.kcur.org
December 25, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Last year's "Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story" meant to capitalize on the romance between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Now, Hallmark has moved entirely beyond Kansas City with "Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story," set in Buffalo. (from NPR)
“The team has made great progress ahead of schedule," says KC Streetcar Authority Executive Director Tom Gerend. "But we want to make sure that we do the work that’s necessary to open it right.”
The Streetcar’s Riverfront extension is now in the testing phase.
The Streetcar’s Riverfront extension is now in the testing phase.
Kansas City Streetcar's Riverfront extension is on track to open next spring
Testing is officially underway on the 0.7-mile extension, which will connect the streetcar to Berkley Riverfront and CPKC Stadium, home of the KC Current.
www.kcur.org
December 25, 2025 at 4:06 PM
“The team has made great progress ahead of schedule," says KC Streetcar Authority Executive Director Tom Gerend. "But we want to make sure that we do the work that’s necessary to open it right.”
The Streetcar’s Riverfront extension is now in the testing phase.
The Streetcar’s Riverfront extension is now in the testing phase.
Ava-Rochelle Woodard's instinct to help sparked a Kansas City project to gift people experiencing homelessness bags filled with practical, everyday essentials. It's grown into a grassroots effort centered on action and community care. (from Startland News)
Kansas City 6-year-old starts grassroots effort to hand out 'blessing bags' to residents in need
The bags contain a variety of essential, everyday items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, first-aid kits and water, as well as cold-weather items such as gloves and socks during the winter.
www.kcur.org
December 25, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Ava-Rochelle Woodard's instinct to help sparked a Kansas City project to gift people experiencing homelessness bags filled with practical, everyday essentials. It's grown into a grassroots effort centered on action and community care. (from Startland News)
Gary Neal Johnson is retiring from his nearly 25-year run as Ebenezer Scrooge in the Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Carol.” He joined KCUR’s Up To Date for an installment of our series “5 Questions,” and to discuss hanging up his hat.
5 Questions: Gary Neal Johnson from the KC Rep's ‘A Christmas Carol’
Gary Neal Johnson is retiring from his nearly 25-year run as Ebenezer Scrooge in the Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Carol.” He Joined KCUR’s Up To Date for an installment of our series “5 Questions,” and to discuss hanging up his hat after acting in the play for 40 years.
www.kcur.org
December 24, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Gary Neal Johnson is retiring from his nearly 25-year run as Ebenezer Scrooge in the Kansas City Repertory Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Carol.” He joined KCUR’s Up To Date for an installment of our series “5 Questions,” and to discuss hanging up his hat.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway says no legitimate company will ever ask for payment via gift cards. (KSMU - Ozarks Public Radio)
Missouri's attorney general is warning about gift card scams. Here's what to watch out for
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway says no legitimate company will ever ask for payment via gift cards.
www.kcur.org
December 24, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway says no legitimate company will ever ask for payment via gift cards. (KSMU - Ozarks Public Radio)
American agriculture relies on foreign workers, and that workforce is already stretched thin. With Trump’s immigration crackdown set to expand next year, some farmers fear that workers will be even harder to find, and they want Trump to do something about it.
Deportations are set to explode — a huge worry for farmers already facing a labor shortage
American agriculture relies on foreign workers, and that workforce is already stretched thin. With Trump’s immigration crackdown set to expand next year, some farmers fear that workers will be even harder to find, and they want Trump to do something about it.
www.kcur.org
December 24, 2025 at 4:03 PM
American agriculture relies on foreign workers, and that workforce is already stretched thin. With Trump’s immigration crackdown set to expand next year, some farmers fear that workers will be even harder to find, and they want Trump to do something about it.
A restaurant in Westport and two Crossroads cocktail bars had to navigate death, loss and grief in 2025. KCUR spoke with their family, coworkers, and friends to remember their commitment to the Kansas City hospitality scene, and to memorialize what was lost.
For these Kansas City bars and restaurants, the house feels emptier after losing beloved staff
A restaurant in Westport and two Crossroads cocktail bars had to navigate death, loss and grief in 2025. KCUR spoke with their family, coworkers, and friends to remember their commitment to the Kansas City hospitality scene, and to memorialize what was lost.
www.kcur.org
December 24, 2025 at 3:15 PM
A restaurant in Westport and two Crossroads cocktail bars had to navigate death, loss and grief in 2025. KCUR spoke with their family, coworkers, and friends to remember their commitment to the Kansas City hospitality scene, and to memorialize what was lost.
Following confirmation of the Kansas City Chiefs' impending move to Wyandotte County, residents on both sides of the state line said they have mixed feelings about the future.
Some Kansas City residents are upset by the Chiefs' planned move. For others, 'it'll still be home'
Following confirmation of the Kansas City Chiefs' impending move to Wyandotte County, residents on both sides of the state line said they have mixed feelings about the future.
www.kcur.org
December 24, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Following confirmation of the Kansas City Chiefs' impending move to Wyandotte County, residents on both sides of the state line said they have mixed feelings about the future.
A 46-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, man serving a life sentence for a 2000 murder is seeking his release, saying he suffered a “manifest injustice” because he was set up by disgraced Police Detective Roger Golubski.
Another imprisoned Kansas City, Kansas, man says Roger Golubski set him up and he should be freed
Ahmon Mann, 46, says Roger Golubski, a disgraced Kansas City, Kansas, Police detective, was the “main architect of the state’s one-witness case” in a 2000 murder. Mann is seeking release from a Kansas prison, saying his conviction was a “manifest injustice” created by Golubski and his then-partner.
www.kcur.org
December 23, 2025 at 8:07 PM
A 46-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, man serving a life sentence for a 2000 murder is seeking his release, saying he suffered a “manifest injustice” because he was set up by disgraced Police Detective Roger Golubski.
The Port Authority of Kansas City backed off Monday from a vote on a sweeping tax incentive package for developers of the Country Club Plaza. The decision punts the vote into next year after dozens of parents, teachers and neighborhood leaders lined up to oppose it. (The Beacon)
Port KC punts Country Club Plaza tax break vote after pushback from schools and libraries
Officials from Kansas City Public Schools and the Kansas City Public Library joined a chorus of public comments that prompted the delay.
www.kcur.org
December 23, 2025 at 7:32 PM
The Port Authority of Kansas City backed off Monday from a vote on a sweeping tax incentive package for developers of the Country Club Plaza. The decision punts the vote into next year after dozens of parents, teachers and neighborhood leaders lined up to oppose it. (The Beacon)
Missouri is trying to illegally enact a gerrymandered congressional map in violation of a century of constitutional precedent, a lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges. (@missouriindependent.com)
Lawsuit alleges Missouri officials are ignoring constitution to enact gerrymandered map
In 1914, the Missouri Supreme Court held that once citizens submit signatures, the challenged law is automatically suspended until voters decide its fate.
www.kcur.org
December 23, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Missouri is trying to illegally enact a gerrymandered congressional map in violation of a century of constitutional precedent, a lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges. (@missouriindependent.com)