Kansas City Hiker Treks From Georgia To Maine, And State Auditor Investigating Delayed Tax Refunds

By Steve Kraske,

Published January 9, 2018 at 5:24 PM CST

The decision to pay other expenses before issuing tax refund money to Missourians is a way of balancing the budget on taxpayers backs, says State Auditor Nicole Galloway. "This matters to people, this is their money," she says.

When you think of a relaxing retirement, you don't normally consider hiking more than 2,000 miles. But you are not Deb Vacek, who took on the Appalachian Trail after leaving the professional world. Today, we meet the Kansas City adventurer. Then, we find out why Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway is crying foul over the state's delay in issuing tax refunds, and why she says "a dark money group with secret donors" is retaliating against her office's search for documents related to the case.

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Steve Kraske

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.

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Luke X. Martin

As culture editor, I oversee KCUR’s coverage of race, culture, the arts, food and sports. I work with reporters to make sure our stories reflect the fullest view of the place we call home, so listeners and readers feel primed to explore the places, projects and people who make up a vibrant Kansas City. Email me at luke@kcur.org.

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