Brian Ellison
Host/ContributorAs a host and contributor 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 Twitter @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 the substitute host of KCUR's Up to Date, an occasional newscaster, and anchor election night coverage. From 2015 to 2019, I hosted the award-winning KCUR political podcast Statehouse Blend Missouri. I've been part of teams recognized awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Religion News Association. My reporting has included appearances on NPR's Here and Now and national election coverage and KCPT's Kansas City Week in Review. I continue to preach, teach and organize as executive director of a national non-profit organization. My partner Troy and I live in Kansas City with our dog daughter Willoughby, who is lovable, if a bit much.
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The U.S. Senate version of President Trump's so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” could ultimately have major budgetary consequences for Missouri, because of a provision capping a critical tax that helps pay for Medicaid. Republican Sen. Josh Hawley says he's concerned about the effect on rural hospitals. -
Chicken can sometimes get a bad rap but, fried, pan-seared, or smoked, it’s a versatile meat that sops up flavor like a sponge. Here’s where to find the tastiest broilers, fryers, and roasters in the metro, including crispy Korean fried chicken and succulent wings. -
Some Kansas Citians on social media have criticized the way that the KCPD and Mayor Quinton Lucas responded to a march of masked white nationalists last weekend. In a wide-ranging conversation, Lucas defended his comments, as well as discussed the Royals' search for a new stadium, his recent trip to Qatar and fixing public transit. -
In December, then-Missouri Gov. Mike Parson commuted the life sentence of Patty Prewitt, who had already spent 38 years behind bars for a crime she maintains she did not commit. Now, she's out with a new book, "Trying to Catch Lightning in a Jar: Letters from Prison." -
Avid public radio listeners know Tom Papa as a regular panelist and guest host on NPR's "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" and for his role on the program "Live From Here." He'll be in Kansas City for a stand-up comedy set this Saturday. -
Missouri lawmakers have banned the sale or transport of six invasive plant species, including Callery pear trees. The ban will go into effect Jan. 1, 2029 — to give sellers time to replace their inventories. -
The Kansas City Council has found its next city manager. Get to know Mario Vasquez, the first Latino to permanently hold one of most powerful positions in the city. Plus: Stay up to date with the latest political headlines from around the region.
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Sen. Josh Hawley spent his first time in office building up his reputation as an arch-conservative — and in the Jan. 6 insurrection linked himself to President Trump and the MAGA movement. But in several ways, the Missouri senator is also positioning himself as a champion of the working class.
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Maybe you’re working late, or maybe you caught a concert or show downtown — sometimes, you just need a good meal after the dinner hour. Here’s where to eat out in Kansas City after 10 p.m. -
Missouri lawmakers are still wrestling with abortion rights, paid sick leave, tax cuts and the state budget. What's ahead for the General Assembly in the last two weeks of this legislative session?
