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Kansas Legislative Review | Social Distancing & Public Spaces | Penguins At The Museum

A Kona Grill bartender's back reflected in the mirrored back of the bar. Various liquor bottles lined up in front of mirror
Chris Haxel
/
KCUR 89.3
At Kona Grill on May 15, workers prepped the bar and dining room for customers.

Segment 1, beginning at 4:20: The biggest story lines to come out of the state lawmaking session in Topeka

Kansas lawmakers and Gov. Laura Kelly are at loggerheads over just how much power the governor has during an emergency. We learned the implications of a past-midnight move by the Legislature to strip her of those powers, and what other work took place under this session in the Kansas Capitol.

Segment 2, beginning at 31:25: Making public spaces social distance-friendly

Social distancing is key to stopping the spread of the new coronavirus, but giving big-city residents enough space to stay safely apart can be tough. The Kansas City Council is letting restaurants create makeshift patios, but what other ideas are there to transform the way we use public spaces?

Segment 3, beginning at 50:55: When penguins run the museum

You've likely seen last week's viral video of three Humboldt penguins from the Kansas City Zoo admiring Monet's "Water Lilies," Caravaggio's "Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness," and other works at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. We hear the backstory that led to the feathered field trip.

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.
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.
Whether it’s something happening right now or something that happened 100 years ago, some stories don’t fit in the short few minutes of a newscast. As a podcast producer and reporter at KCUR Studios, I help investigate questions and local curiosities in a way that brings listeners along for adventures with plot twists and thought-provoking ideas. Sometimes there isn’t an easy answer in the end – but my hope is that we all leave with a greater understanding of the city we live in. Reach me at mackenzie@kcur.org.