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Unemployment Surge | Video Doorbells & Crime | Coronavirus Vaccine Race

Ring
Kansas City residents are eligible for a Ring doorbell on a first-come, first-served basis if they reside in certain neighborhoods, own a mobile device, and have working Wi-Fi with high-speed internet.

Jobless claims in Kansas and Missouri continue to soar and federal unemployment benefits are expiring, some residents of Kansas City's most dangerous neighborhoods could be eligible for a free Ring doorbell, and what we know about a possible COVID-19 vaccine.

Segment 1, beginning at 3:53: Unemployment claims in Kansas and Missouri are "off the charts," said Frank Lenk.

Unemployment in the Kansas City Metro is at 7.8%, down from 11.2% when the pandemic first started, but local unemployment offices are still stressed. In addition, unemployed Kansas Citians are hurting more now that a $600-weekly unemployment supplement from the federal government has ended.

Segment 2, beginning at 27:18: Can video doorbells deter crime?

The AdHoc Group Against Crime is partnering with Ring to provide 750 video doorbells on a first-come, first-served basis to residents in the neighborhoods most impacted by crime in Kansas City. The program was kick-started by Congressman Emanuel Cleaver with the goal of deterring crime.

Segment 3, beginning at 35:10: What we know about the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.

As the number of coronavirus cases rises in Kansas and Missouri, potential COVID-19 vaccines are entering clinical trials all over the country. In Kansas City, University of Kansas Medical Center and Children's Mercy Hospital are preparing to recruit volunteers for their own trial. How confident are doctors in the prototypes, and how soon would the final vaccine be available?

For more information about AdHoc Group Against Crime's partnership with Ring, the Kansas City Neighborhood Safety Program, and how to get a free video doorbell, visit AdHocGroupKC.com/ring.

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.
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.
Chris Young is an Assistant Producer for KCUR’s Up To Date. Contact him at chrisy@kcur.org.
Grace Cole is an intern for KCUR's Up To Date.