The show for Sunday, August 5, and Monday, August 6:
Recently Retired KC Fire Chief Smokey Dyer Voices His True Opinions And Reflects On His Career
Last week, Kansas City’s Fire Chief Smokey Dyer retired after twelve years at the helm. The son of a firefighter, Smokey’s career in firefighting spans over forty years, and includes a stint as Lee’s Summit’s fire chief. He leaves behind a reputation for transforming the Kansas City Fire Department, and for greatly improving relationships with the Firefighters Union and city government. But budget woes at city hall and an attractive early retirement package made it the perfect time for Smokey to exit. We sat down with him after his last day on the job.
Missouri Right To Pray, Or Wrong To Confuse? Voters To Decide
When Missouri voters go to the polls on Tuesday they’ll be asked to decide on an amendment to the state constitution. Supporters say the Missouri Right to Pray amendment will protect residents’ right to practice their religion. Those against it say it’s not only redundant, but sneaky.
Three Main Candidates Race To The Right In MO GOP Senate Primary
Entering the final sprint of the primary season, a clear frontrunner between the three main G-O-P candidates for the U-S Senate race in Missouri has yet to emerge. But with no major differences in their respective platforms, St. Louis Public Radio’s Tim Lloyd reports the Republican primary is more about personality and background than policy.
Kansas GOP Campaigns To Exile Moderates
Moderate Republicans have come under attack in primaries around the country this year, but the split within the GOP in Kansas is perhaps older and sharper than, anywhere else. Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, a Republican, has targeted a group of Republican state senators for removal. It’s a savage fight fueled by money from the Koch Brothers and labor unions, pitting Republican against Republican in one of the reddest of red states.
Ballot Measures Would Fund Sewers, Parks, Streets
Also on Tuesday, Kansas City, Missouri voters will get the chance to decide on two measures which would give the city more money for maintenance and upgrades. One’s a request to issue bonds for sewer upgrades. The other’s a little more complex. It’s a sales tax planned as one move in a complex strategy to fund parks and streets. To explain how these are supposed to work, Alex Smith spoke with Lynn Horsley, who covers city hall for the Star.
Ranchers Battle Suffocating Drought
Out on the plains, drought is parching everything from corn to cattle. And when the prairie grass burns up, so does a business model that depends on it… ranching.
My Farm Roots
Harvest Public Media started a series called My Farm Roots. These are Americans’ stories and memories of rural life. Harvest Public Media’s Peggy Lowe shares the story of a young farmer working to rebuild a family farm that's several generations old.
