Steve Kraske
Executive Producer and Host, Up to DateWhen 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.
I got a call out of the blue one day from then-news director Frank Morris who asked if he would be interested in hosting a show. I didn't think I had the time, but thought it over and decided to give it a shot. Now, more than 20 years later, I'm glad I did.
-
Debate is growing among Catholics in Kansas City and beyond after President Donald Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV over the Iran war, and shared an AI-generated image of himself as Jesus. -
The USDA has canceled a grant program that supported small and emerging farmers, cutting nearly $300 million nationwide. Kansas City-area organizations like Cultivate KC and MyCo Planet say the loss is disrupting projects already in progress. -
Sarah Saldaña, who served as the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during the final two years of Barack Obama’s presidency, is in Kansas City for an American Public Square event on Wednesday. She joined KCUR’s Up To Date to discuss the agency's tactics under the Trump administration. -
Rapper Jamel Thompson, better known as The Royal Chief, got his start in Atlanta learning about the industry and even ghostwriting for Kanye West. He came back home to Kansas City in 2017, and now works to advance the music industry here -
The UMKC Conservatory and KCUR's sister station Classical KC have deepened their partnership by adding "The UMKC Conservatory Hour" to the station's local content offerings. -
Kansans hoping for a break on their property taxes will have to wait. The legislative session adjourned with Republicans unable to compromise on property tax reform. Sherman Smith, editor-in-chief of the Kansas Reflector, joined KCUR’s Up To Date to provide an overview of the session. -
Starting in Seattle, Washington, Dr. Friedrike Benning biked over 2,000 miles before her first day as a fellow at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research. Along the way, she discovered how her work as a researcher reflected her journey as a cyclist. -
Rick Atkinson, a renowned historian and former Kansas City Times reporter, is coming to Kansas City this month for an event at Unity Temple on the Plaza. His new book, "The Fate of the Day," is his latest on the American Revolutionary War. -
Karell Martinez, a cafe owner in Kansas City, Kansas, is collecting aid to send to his home country of Cuba. The country is near economic collapse following U.S. actions in Venezuela and a temporary oil embargo. Martinez said Cubans want the U.S. help to free the people from an oppressive regime. -
Nick Goellner and Leslie Newsam Goellner opened their Japanese-style pub in July 2025, with an aim of introducing Midwest diners to new aspects of Japanese cuisine. Anjin is up for “Best New Restaurant” at the “Oscars of the food world” this June.
