Matthew Long-Middleton

The Farm Bill: How Will Actual Farms Be Affected?

Matthew Long-Middleton and Claire McInerny — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:43:38 +0000

In Part 1 of the the simulcast covering the Farm Bill, KCUR and Iowa Public Radio discussed the largest part of the Farm Bill going through Congress: the SNAP program and cuts to its funding. But with a piece of legislation called the Farm Bill, there has to be provisions in it that affect the farms and farmers across our country, and indeed the Farm Bill does just that.

What You Should Know About The Food Stamp Debate

Brian Ellison, Matthew Long-Middleton and Payne Roberts — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:23:39 +0000

The U.S. House is set to take up the farm bill this week, after the Senate passed its version of the bill in early June. Both bills include about $500 billion in spending over five years. Few pieces of legislation can produce such sharp divisions, even by Washington standards—but few could have such immediate, significant impact on so many Americans.

Food Critics: Dining Entertainment

Matthew Long-Middleton — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 23:21:16 +0000

Food is a social activity, and where there are people entertainment follows. On the Friday, June 14 the Central Standard food critics explore the best places to dine while catching a song, a game of trivia and more.

Here is a list of some of the restaurants talked about on the show:

The New Places

The Red Door Grill - 11851 Roe Ave, Camelot Court Shopping Center, Leawood, KS 66211

Standees - 3935 West 69th Terrace, Prairie Village, KS 66208

Why Storm Chasers Do What They Do

Brian Ellison and Matthew Long-Middleton — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 23:07:28 +0000

Last month, as we all know, a series of tornadoes devastated areas around Oklahoma City, with dozens killed and hundreds injured over several days of storms.

Among the casualties were three men who were well known in the meteorological community and, indeed, to television audiences: Storm chasers Tim Samaras, his son Paul Samaras and Carl Young were doing interviews and sending back footage the day of the EF-3 El Reno storm that changed direction on them and killed them.

In light of these tragic events we wonder, just what is a storm chaser anyway?

The State Of Feral Hogs In Missouri

Brian Ellison and Matthew Long-Middleton — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:20:55 +0000

They spread disease and pollute the land. They devour birds and baby fauns. They have sharp teeth, weigh 300 pounds, and are now in 38 states across the US. It sounds like the stuff of nightmares, but the wild pig is real and they cause damage to farms and rural communities throughout America.

Cash Money Crew: Sandwich Generation

Bill Anderson, Matthew Long-Middleton and Claire McInerny — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 23:51:44 +0000

The Sandwich Generation--it’s made up of people who are generally between the ages of 45 and 65. On one side of the sandwich is that college grad who came back home to live. On the other side are one’s aging parents. The strains are not just in time and energy, but are most acutely financial. Alex Petrovic, of Petrovic Financial Services; Sandi Weaver, of Financial Security Advisors and Corey Rasmussen of the Rasmussen Law Firm discuss the financial and legal issues that surround the care of an aging parent.

The Problem Of Evil

Brian Ellison and Matthew Long-Middleton — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 23:24:00 +0000

It’s a question as old as humanity itself—why, in a world full of good options, do people still do bad things? Why do people who haven’t done anything wrong end up suffering, while those who use others for their own gain end up succeeding? And for heaven’s sake, how do we explain a Hitler? Or a Stalin? Or Idi Amin? How do we explain evil?

Program Helps Vets Get STEM Education

Brian Ellison and Matthew Long-Middleton — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 23:22:40 +0000

They've mastered advanced battlefield operations planning. They’ve navigated years of overseas intricacies and family complexities. But now, can they master trigonometry?

The Veteran in STEM program seeks to support veterans in acquiring the education they need to pursue jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math fields. While the process of retooling your education to focus on math or science might seem daunting to anybody, only half of STEM jobs require a bachelors degree or higher level of education, the other half typically require associate degrees or specific trade training. Dean Kevin Truman of the School of Computing and Engineering and Alexis Petri, Co-Principal Investigator and Project Director of the KC BANCS program guide us through the unique supports and programing they've put together to help veterans advance their education and careers.

Guerrilla Warfare During The Civil War

Matthew Long-Middleton and Ross Stinemetz — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:38:43 +0000

When the Confederate Army was pushed from Missouri, a slave state that hadn't ceded from the Union, in late 1861 ordinary people transformed themselves into guerilla fighters for the confederate cause. A mayor's son and town teacher were among those who found themselves part of one of the most violent band of guerilla fighters lead by "Bloody" Bill Anderson. After the war they became notable bank and train robbers.

City Fountains At Risk

Brian Ellison and Matthew Long-Middleton — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 23:30:00 +0000

Just as many fountains as Rome? Perhaps. Whether Kansas City meets or falls short of these accolades the fountains, which began as a practical tool for keeping horses hydrated, have turned into a unique symbol of regional identity and pride. But, these fountains are at risk. With decreasing city parks budgets maintaining these iconic fountains has been difficult. Currently, over half are in need of maintenance and a fourth are in critical condition. Mark McHenry, director of the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department gives delivers the story of our city fountains and what's being done to help keep them running.

Solar Power Viability In The City

Brian Ellison and Matthew Long-Middleton — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 23:42:04 +0000

If you're reading this right now you're consuming energy and that energy has to come from somewhere. Typically, "we’re killing people in foreign lands in order to extract 200-million-year-old sunlight. Then we burn it... in order to boil water to create steam to drive a turbine to generate electricity. We frack our own backyards and pollute our rivers, or we blow up our mountaintops just miles from our nation’s capital for an hour of electricity, when we could just take what’s falling free from the sky.” Those words from Danny Kennedy, the founder of Sunergy, are the heart of any call for more investment in solar energy. It’s a hot topic and in Kansas City, Missouri were 80 government buildings will soon be leasing solar panels and getting cheaper energy as a result. In light of that we take a look at our regions solar options with Chuck Caisleym, vice president of Marketing & Public affairs at KCP&L and Susan Brown, VP of Public Affairs at Brightergy.

Are You Ready For Tick Season?

Suzanne Hogan, Matthew Long-Middleton and Claire McInerny — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:22:48 +0000

Summer is the season for camping, walks and bike rides in wooded areas, but this also means it's the season of ticks. From April to September is tick season, and this is when the insects are most prevalent looking for a blood host.

Not only are ticks a pain to try and remove if they get on your skin, but getting bit by one can cause serious illnesses like Lyme disease. Recently, another tick-related disease was discovered by Scott Folk, a doctor at Heartland Adult Infectious Diseases.

5 Things You May Not Know About Caffeine

Suzanne Hogan, Matthew Long-Middleton and Claire McInerny — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 20:14:20 +0000

Every morning, as coffee pots begin brewing, kettles begin to boil and soda cans are cracked open, people all over the world are trying to get their caffeine fix. Caffeine is the world's most popular psychoactive drug, or simply put, the most popular product that changes how your mind works.

The Challenges Of Saving For College

Brian Ellison, Matthew Long-Middleton and Claire McInerny — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 21:09:03 +0000

As the school year draws to a close and a new crop of students heads off to college this fall, the age-old challenge of paying for it is on the minds of many. But this year another group is taking up that challenge: Congress, and the President.

What Are The Best Burgers In Kansas City?

Matthew Long-Middleton and Ross Stinemetz — Fri, 31 May 2013 19:48:07 +0000

It's springtime. The time when a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of grilling, barbecuing, and eating delicious, fat, juicy hamburgers.

From the big honkin' beef burger with the works to the basic meat + bread and even to the veggie burger, there are lots of options for Kansas Citians.

But how do you decide which ones are the best?