Alex Smith

For most of the past couple of decade, the town of Grandview, Missouri had been praying for a miracle. The population was aging, retail space sat empty, and the town desperately needed new employers.

Christmas 2012 has come and gone, and for a lot of people, it’s been another round of traditions and family reunions. But for a convent of nuns outside of St. Joseph, this year was a little different.

Made In Olathe: Custom Brass Instruments
Mike Corrigan calls himself the Horn Doctor. He knows the physics, chemistry and geometry behind making music, from the unique properties of brass, copper and silver to the angle of a bend on a horn bell.

In 2001, when the Lost Boys of Sudan came to the United States, most of the young refugees brought painful memories of war as well as a deep desire to help their home country.

8-Year-Old’s Mission To Help South Sudan
In 2001, when the Lost Boys of Sudan came to the United States, most of the young refugees brought painful memories of war as well as a deep desire to help their home country. Now, over a decade later, many of them have families and children of their own. A former Lost Boy living in Kansas City recently found out that his devotion to Sudan doesn’t end with him. John Akuei was as surprised as anyone when his son decided he wanted to collect school supplies for children in South Sudan.

Local Handmade Marbles Inspire Memories From A Simpler Playtime
As the winter holidays approach, toys are on the minds of children and parents alike. So this week we take you to a unique place—The Moon Marble Company in Bonner Springs Kansas, where toys and of course, marbles draw crowds from all over.

The news is filled with stories about the success and struggles of the Kansas City, Missouri School District, but the metro area contains dozens of districts, each with its own story to tell.

The Kansas City, Missouri school district gets all the press, but school districts all over the metro area deal with big challenges. This year has been one of the toughest ever for Missouri’s very first school district, Hickman Mills.

Local Artifacts
From The Atomic Era
Once upon a time, youth in the 50s and 60s lived in fear. They practiced going to “fallout” shelters to escape the atomic bomb. Independence resident Michael Scheibach has studied this period of American history extensively. In addition to combing through school newspapers, Sheibach’s collection of photographs, posters and other artifacts from Kansas City high schools tells the story of an America trying its best to prepare for the possibility of annihilation.

Local Artist's Drawings Help Solve Crimes
You’ve probably seen crime shows like CSI and America’s Most Wanted, where artists work with victims to create a drawing that helps identify a criminal. This job is performed by a forensic illustrator.  If you’ve seen one of these drawings on the news in Kansas City, then you’ve seen the work of artist and author Lee Hammond, who lives in Overland Park.

 Audio File11-18-12 KC Currents Full Show Click on individual stories belowEdit | Remove

Navajo Code Talker Chester Nez
For the past several years, the numbers of nontraditional college students have been increasing. But last Monday, as part of a Veterans Day observance, the University of Kansas awarded a degree to one of its least traditional graduates ever: a 91-year-old former Navajo Code Talker.