Stephen Koranda
stephenkoranda.bsky.social
Stephen Koranda
@stephenkoranda.bsky.social
Managing editor of the Kansas News Service, a multi-station, non-profit news collaborative based at KCUR. Previously the Kansas Statehouse reporter for 12 years.
A plan in the Kansas Statehouse would add larger registration fees for electric and hybrid vehicles to help pay for roads, but the law would require hybrid truck owners to pay significantly higher fees than owners of very similar hybrid SUVs. #ksleg
www.kcur.org/politics-ele...
Own a hybrid truck in Kansas? You might have to pay higher fees than hybrid SUV owners
A plan in the Kansas Statehouse would add larger registration fees for electric and hybrid vehicles to help pay for roads. The law would require hybrid truck owners to pay significantly higher fees th...
www.kcur.org
March 24, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Reposted by Stephen Koranda
Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall has blamed the turmoil that erupted at a recent town hall meeting in rural Kansas on “paid Democratic operatives.”

But the people who attended the meeting say they are just concerned Kansans who wanted their senator to hear their concerns.
Roger Marshall called them ‘paid Democratic operatives.’ They say they’re just concerned Kansans
Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall has blamed the turmoil that erupted at a recent town hall meeting in rural Kansas on “paid Democratic operatives.” But the people who attended the meeting say they ...
www.kcur.org
March 10, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall has blamed turmoil at a recent town hall meeting in rural Kansas on “paid Democratic operatives.” But the people who attended the meeting say they are just Kansans concerned about funding cuts, layoffs and more. #ksleg www.kcur.org/2025-03-07/r...
Roger Marshall called them ‘paid Democratic operatives.’ They say they’re just concerned Kansans
Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall has blamed the turmoil that erupted at a recent town hall meeting in rural Kansas on “paid Democratic operatives.” But the people who attended the meeting say they ...
www.kcur.org
March 7, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Reposted by Stephen Koranda
Up From Dust is back! This episode: The young scientist who 'brazenly trespassed' in 1978 and unwittingly started upon a 40-year journey to understand why one place was killing so many birds. Hear him tell his story: www.kcur.org/2025-03-04/c... #ecology #birds #birding
Can we save millions of migrating birds?
In 1978, a young scientist “brazenly trespassed” around a Chicago building in search of dead birds. He unwittingly began a 40-year journey that could help save countless warblers, thrushes and more. M...
www.kcur.org
March 4, 2025 at 1:51 PM
A widely shared video on social media shows only the final minutes of the meeting with Sen. Roger Marshall. It appears Kansas News Service journalist Calen Moore was the only member of the media there for the entire meeting. He has this report. #ksleg
Kansas senator's rural town hall meeting swamped by people mad at Trump administration
Republican Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall ended a rural town hall meeting early after people angry about budget cuts, funding freezes and other actions by President Trump shouted the senator down.
www.kcur.org
March 2, 2025 at 6:13 PM
After a heated back and forth with the crowd, Marshall abruptly ended the meeting and left as people shouted, booed and yelled "you're not done." #ksleg
March 1, 2025 at 10:49 PM
People mad at the Trump administration shouted down Republican Sen. Roger Marshall at a town hall meeting today in rural Kansas. Kansas News Service reporter Calen Moore was there. #ksleg
www.kcur.org/2025-03-01/k...
Kansas senator's rural town hall meeting swamped by people mad at Trump administration
Republican Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall ended a rural town hall meeting early after people angry about budget cuts, funding freezes and other actions by President Trump shouted the senator down.
www.kcur.org
March 1, 2025 at 10:43 PM
The funding freeze at USDA leaves Kansas farmers unpaid for work they already completed. Potentially millions of dollars are hanging in the balance. #ksleg
www.kcur.org/2025-02-27/f...
Funding freeze leaves Kansas farmers unpaid for work they already completed
Many Kansas farmers are in limbo and waiting for promised payments under contracts they signed with the federal government. It comes after a federal directive from the Trump administration paused paym...
www.kcur.org
February 27, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Reposted by Stephen Koranda
There are only two more days to go until the applicant deadline for @kcur.org's summer internship program! We offer news, talk show, and podcast internships. If you're interested in starting a career in public radio, we'd love for you to apply. www.kcur.org/kcurs-aviva-...
KCUR's Aviva Okeson-Haberman Internship Program
KCUR offers structured internships throughout the year — learn more here.
www.kcur.org
February 21, 2025 at 6:06 PM
In one email, KDHE Secretary Janet Stanek appeared to accidentally click reply all when sending an email critical of the Wyandotte County health director, which created further conflict in the TB response. #kselg
February 12, 2025 at 4:20 PM
The Wyandotte County health director is out, and emails obtained by the Kansas News Service show there was conflict between the county and state as the Kansas City TB outbreak was growing into one of the largest in U.S. history. #ksleg www.kcur.org/news/2025-02...
After tuberculosis outbreak, Wyandotte County parts ways with health director
Emails show behind-the-scenes conflict as the Kansas City-area tuberculosis outbreak grew to one of the largest in U.S. history. The county's health director is no longer with the agency as of Tuesday...
www.kcur.org
February 12, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Reposted by Stephen Koranda
Kansas is facing a crisis when it comes to defending accused criminals who cannot afford their own attorneys. A shrinking number of rural attorneys is making it harder. If the problem is not addressed there is a risk that courts will throw out criminal cases. #ksleg
A shortage of public defense attorneys in Kansas could result in courts throwing out criminal cases
Kansas is facing a crisis when it comes to defending accused criminals who cannot afford their own attorneys. A shrinking number of rural attorneys is making it harder. If the problem is not addressed...
www.kcur.org
February 11, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Reposted by Stephen Koranda
KCUR leaders are pleased to announce that the University of Missouri-Kansas City plans to transition ownership of KCUR and Classical KC to a community-led nonprofit organization.

Read more:
In a ‘bold move,’ KCUR and Classical KC begin the process of transitioning from UMKC
KCUR has been an independent service of the University of Missouri-Kansas City for decades. The University of Missouri Board of Curators expressed support for a UMKC plan to transfer the station’s own...
loom.ly
February 10, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Reposted by Stephen Koranda
Three-peat, denied.

The Eagles dominated the Chiefs, 40-22, to win their second-ever Super Bowl and prevent Kansas City from making history.
Eagles embarrass Chiefs in Super Bowl 59, killing Kansas City's three-peat hopes
The 40-22 loss denies Kansas City the chance to make history as the only team to win back-to-back-to-back Super Bowls. This game was never close, with Philadelphia keeping the Chiefs scoreless for nea...
www.kcur.org
February 10, 2025 at 3:22 AM
The Ogallala aquifer that sustains western Kansas is drying up, and some farmers want to take water from the Missouri River and route it west as a solution. The aqueduct would start north of Kansas City. But critics of the idea say it isn’t practical. #ksleg www.kcur.org/2025-01-28/c...
Could an aqueduct bring water to western Kansas, or is it a pipedream?
The Ogallala aquifer that sustains parts of western Kansas has been declining rapidly, and some farmers want to take water from the Missouri River and route it west as a solution. The aqueduct would s...
www.kcur.org
January 29, 2025 at 2:21 AM
Reposted by Stephen Koranda
After a tense win in the AFC Championship against the Bills, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs will return to the Super Bowl for the third year in a row — with a historic "three-peat" on the line.

And they'll face a familiar foe: The Philadelphia Eagles.
Kansas City Chiefs are back in the Super Bowl, with historic ‘three-peat’ on the line
After a tense win in the AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs will return to the Super Bowl for the third year in a row — and they'll face a familiar foe.
www.kcur.org
January 27, 2025 at 3:41 AM
Reposted by Stephen Koranda
CHIEFS WIN!
January 27, 2025 at 2:52 AM
Reposted by Stephen Koranda
A monumental sculpture of a massive tush — a big butt, a voluptuous derriere — appeared on the south lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art over the weekend.

The 8-foot-tall snow carving has caused quite a lot of scuttlebutt around town.
A giant butt appeared on the Nelson-Atkins' snowy lawn. This cheeky artist is behind it
The huge new snow sculpture can be seen on the south lawn of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, not far from the museum’s iconic “Shuttlecocks.” It’s the latest cold collaboration from former Kansas Cit...
loom.ly
January 14, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Reposted by Stephen Koranda
From more than 650 submissions received in the span of just a week, the City of Lawrence has chosen the winner of the 2024 snowplow naming contest: Taylor Drift.
lawrenceks.news/3VOeNk2 #lfk #lawrenceks
Following contest, City of Lawrence selects name for snowplow: Taylor Drift
From more than 650 submissions received in the span of just a week, the City of Lawrence has chosen the winner of the 2024 snowplow naming contest: Taylor Drift.
lawrenceks.news
December 20, 2024 at 8:19 PM
The state of Kansas is moving to close a birthing center in Topeka because of alleged health violations. Closing it would eliminate one of the few non-hospital birthing options in eastern Kansas. #ksleg www.kcur.org/health/2024-...
Kansas officials might close a Topeka birth center, cutting options for pregnant women
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is moving to take away Immanuel Birth Co.’s license because they allegedly violated state health regulations. That would eliminate one of the few non-ho...
www.kcur.org
December 19, 2024 at 2:59 PM
Here are three things the #ksleg might consider to make housing more affordable. www.kcur.org/housing-deve...
Housing prices in Kansas have exploded. Here are three ideas to make homes affordable
Home and rental prices have skyrocketed in recent years because of a housing shortage. That’s leading to a rise in homelessness and could be hurting the economy.
www.kcur.org
December 17, 2024 at 4:01 PM
Reposted by Stephen Koranda
Western Kansas farmers are wrestling with how to save their water source — and their future | #ksleg By Calen Moore www.hppr.org/hppr-news/20...
Western Kansas farmers are wrestling with how to save their water source — and their future
State lawmakers want farmers in western Kansas to take action by 2026 to halt declines in the Ogallala aquifer. But the region’s whole agriculture system is built to produce irrigated grain at a high ...
www.hppr.org
December 11, 2024 at 4:26 PM
Half of Kansans say they haven't heard of the Ogallala aquifer. You should know about it because the effects of depleting it would ripple all across Kansas. #ksleg www.hppr.org/hppr-news/20...
Half of Kansans say they haven’t heard of the Ogallala aquifer. Here’s why you should care
The Ogallala aquifer is a critical source of water in western Kansas, and it’s running dry. It plays a major role in the daily lives of Kansans, even for people who don’t live on top of it.
www.hppr.org
December 11, 2024 at 2:40 PM
Reposted by Stephen Koranda
Students in Lawrence Public Schools will be mostly prohibited access to their cell phones during school hours based on a new policy the school board approved tonight, though the policy includes a number of exceptions.
lawrenceks.news/3DhtDJj
Lawrence school board votes to ban cell phones during school with exceptions
Students in Lawrence Public Schools will be mostly prohibited access to their cell phones during school hours based on a new policy the school board approved Monday, though the policy includes a numbe...
lawrenceks.news
December 10, 2024 at 2:03 AM
Reposted by Stephen Koranda
Hey Kansas City Bluesky! It's us, your friendly neighborhood public radio station.

We're going to start playing around here on Bluesky with the rest of y'all, but there are some KCUR imposters out there (boo!).

Stick with us, though, we're the real deal.
December 4, 2024 at 4:58 PM