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.
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The Open Doors Foundation planned to open a hostel to house World Cup visitors, and use the profits to help convert the location into a low-barrier homeless shelter. A series of zoning citations and complaints from neighbors prevented the project from remaining open through the World Cup.
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Kansas City jazz legend Bobby Watson wants to ensure the city’s jazz history and traditions don’t fade with age. The saxophonists and composer’s latest album, “Continuum” is a testimonial about passing knowledge to younger artists. -
Election Day in Kansas and Missouri is on Nov. 3, and early voting has already begun. If you’re trying to figure out how to start the process of understanding your ballot, one Kansas political scientist says “Google’s your friend." (And so is KCUR!) -
Ghosts, ghouls and… personal liability lawsuits? Halloween can turn overlooked hazards into serious injuries and complicated legal questions. Trip-and-falls, dangerous decorations, pedestrian crashes, defective costumes and even golf carts can create unforeseen disasters. -
One of the best sports teams in the country is flying under the radar in Kansas City. The Roos men’s soccer team at the University of Missouri-Kansas City has achieved its best national ranking in program history, and the season is far from over. -
Christal Watson, mayor and CEO of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, is asking voters to pass two key sales tax items on the November ballot. One is a quarter-cent tax for healthcare services and addressing homelessness, and the other is a 3/8th-cent tax to fund parks, community centers and trails. -
With Kansas and Missouri elections just three weeks away, KCUR’s series “What’s the deal, KC?” is answering common questions from voters about the candidates and issues on their ballot. We’ll explain how to find your Congressional district, where to learn about judges up for retention, and what an abortion ban amendment has to do with transgender healthcare. Text your questions to 816-601-4777. -
Some kids with mobility challenges are missing out on playing with peers and siblings. Thanks to a partnership between Variety KC and The Barstow School’s robotics team, seven Kansas City toddlers received modified ride-on cars to give them more independence and a new chance to play with others. -
Englewood Theater in Independence, Missouri, sat vacant for nearly 20 years before a nonprofit purchased the building in 2025. The group is in the initial stages of a large-scale revitalization project, slated to start in early 2027, that they hope will make the theater operational once again. -
Sheila Bair, a Kansas native who served as the chair of the FDIC from 2006-2011, is in Kansas City this week to accept the Truman Medal for Economic Policy from the Truman Library Institute. Bair said she is worried about the weakening of banking reforms, and sees a lot of risky lending happening right now.
