Brian Ellison
Host/Senior News AnalystAs a host and senior news analyst at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on socials @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.
Having studied for careers in both journalism and the ministry, I've served as a Presbyterian minister in Kansas City since 1999 and part-time in KCUR's newsroom and talk show studios since 2008. I'm a frequent substitute host of KCUR's Up to Date and Kansas City Today podcast, an occasional newscaster, and election night anchor. My work includes appearing regularly on Kansas City PBS's Week in Review and KMBC's Heart of the Matter. I continue to preach, teach and organize as executive director of a national non-profit organization.
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Affordability is looming over the coming midterm elections, with new research revealing that almost a quarter of Midwestern households report having trouble paying their bills, mortgage, or rent. Plus: Missourians said “no” in August to a proposed amendment that would have made it harder to change the state constitution. Now, a different amendment could make it lawmakers to reverse voter-approved initiatives. -
Midterm elections are just over a week away, and a lot is at stake for both Republicans and Democrats in Missouri. Several key measures and races appearing on the ballot could have big impacts on the future of the state's political ecosystem.
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Early voting begins in much of Kansas this week — where a critical U.S. Senate seat and most state offices are on the ballot. The big races for governor, secretary of state and attorney general are all closer than expected.
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As fall arrives and the days get cooler, nothing satisfies quite like a cheesy dish that warms the belly and comforts the soul. From gooey grilled cheese sandwiches to tangy, whipped goat cheese dips — even famous barbecue sides — there’s a cheesy dish for every taste in Kansas City. -
A proposed amendment to the Kansas constitution would specify that only U.S. citizens may vote in elections. But the problem, according to opponents, is that non-citizens are already prohibited from voting.
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If approved by voters on Nov. 3, Missouri Amendment 3 would repeal abortion rights guaranteed in the state Constitution. It also would ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth — something that's already prohibited by state law.
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Kansas City is home to immigrants from more than 30 countries in Africa. As the world’s second-largest land mass, Africa doesn’t contain just one type of food, and you can find dishes from across the continent in the metro. -
Republican Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach wants voters to judge him by his record but Democratic challenger Chris Mann is making that record a target. We’ll have a look at the race for Kansas attorney general. Plus: a recap of last week's rollercoaster over congressional maps in Missouri.
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The August primary elections were big for Johnson County Democrats, with primary wins for U.S. Senate candidate Adam Hamilton and Kansas governor candidate Cindy Holscher. What should voters expect in November, and what does it say about the future of the party and the state?
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Strawberry Hill in Kansas City, Kansas, has perhaps the most concentrated collection of dive bars in the metro. But no matter what neighborhood you’re in, Kansas City has a place for drinkers and diners looking for a low-key hang with decent food and cheap drinks.
