Bartle Warming Center Closing | COVID-19 Variants Update

By Steve Kraske,

Reginald David, Danie Alexander, Zach Wilson

Published March 2, 2021 at 5:29 PM CST

A woman sits with her belongings a City Market Park (Dec. 18, 2020) — When the temporary downtown Scott Eike Warming Center at Bartle Hall closes March 13, hundreds of Kansas City homeless will be left with no escape from cold nighttime temperatures.

As Kansas City prepares to close the temporary shelter at Bartle Hall a better plan for the homeless remains elusive, and some COVID-19 variants have found their way to Missouri and Kansas City.

Segment 1, beginning at 00:39: Why finding a better response to the plight of the homeless is so difficult.
The temporary warming center at Bartle Hall has been providing overnight shelter to Kansas City's homeless population during the recent arctic blast. Now that it is closing, the city is still no closer to a long-term solution for sheltering its homeless.

Mindy Boyd, donations clerk at Bartle Hall
Eric Berger, executive director of Shelter KC

Segment 2, beginning at 29:03: The spread of coronavirus variants appear to be happening faster than vaccines are being distributed.

Variations of COVID-19 are popping up all over the world and traces of several have been found in Missouri and Kansas City. We examine what is causing these mutations, whether current COVID-19 vaccines are effective against them and just how worried we should be.

Gene Olinger, virologist and principal science advisor for MRI Global
Alex Smith, KCUR health reporter

Tags

Up To Date Up to Date homelessness Housing poverty Bartle Hall Kansas City Missouri (KCMO)Coronavirus infectious disease vaccines Health

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.

See stories by Steve Kraske

Reginald David

As an assistant producer on Up To Date, my goal is to amplify voices of people who serve as pioneers in their respective fields while shedding light on issues that affect underserved communities. I produce daily conversations to uplift and inspire the people of the Kansas City area to make the world a better place. You can reach me at reginalddavid@kcur.org.

See stories by Reginald David

Danie Alexander

As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. Just as important to me is an obligation to mentor the next generation of producers to ensure that the important conversations continue. Reach me at alexanderdk@kcur.org.

See stories by Danie Alexander

Zach Wilson

As Up To Date’s senior producer, I want to pique the curiosity of Kansas Citians and help them understand the world around them. Each day, I construct conversations with our city’s most innovative visionaries and creatives, while striving to hold elected officials accountable and amplifying the voices of everyday Kansas Citians. Email me at zach@kcur.org.

See stories by Zach Wilson