The show for April 22, 2012 was a special membership drive edition of the show; we brought you some of our favorite stories from the past six months. Click "Listen" to hear the entire show; see below for individual stories.
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
New census data shows a growing number of children around the country are living with their grandparents. And, at least in Kansas City, almost half of these households are below the poverty line. A unique new housing development in Kansas City aims to make life a little easier for these families.
Helping The Homeless One Ride At A Time
Until 1 a.m. every day, Kar Woo, a slender man with dark shoulder length hair that’s greying around his ears, drives around this brightly painted mini-van, with the Gandhi quote, “Be the Change,” printed in big red letters on the side. He drives it between hospitals, domestic violence shelters, schools, bridges, treatment centers, and even jails, helping people who are homeless.
New Housing Helps Homeless Women
A new transitional living program opened for women this fall, built almost entirely on small contributions and the work of volunteers. The Freedom House on 31st and Charlotte in midtown will provide a home for four homeless women who are trying to get their lives back together.
Made In Olathe: Custom Brass Instruments
In the seven years since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, a local man has played a role in bringing the brass band sound back to the streets. For KC Currents’ Odd Jobs segment, we pay a visit to Mike Corrigan, a master craftsman in Olathe, who is custom-making trumpets and trombones for some of the top jazz musicians in the country.
KC Baha’is Fight Iranian Persecution
Every 19 days, members of Kansas City’s Baha’i religious community gather for a potluck and a traditional service they call a feast. It’s a remarkable diverse mix of races, ages and backgrounds celebrating a 150-year-old gospel of global unity. But the optimistic spirit of many of Kansas City’s Baha’is has been tested. Many have fled for their lives in order to practice their religion.
In most recent update of our occasional series What IS That?, Susan Wilson discovers the story behind an odd structure by Longview Lake.
Charlie Pryor And The Brush Creek Follies
After discovering some artifacts from the career of her musical grandfather, Charlie Pryor, Rebecca Pryor turned to UMKC’s Marr Sound Archives to learn more. The Archives had been collecting old recordings of local musicians for years, and Archives head Chuck Haddix was able to give Pryor recordings of Charlie from the ‘40s and ‘50s.
