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Kansas City Today
Every Weekday

Kansas City Today is a daily news podcast from KCUR Studios bringing you all things Kansas City, wrapped up in 15 minutes or less. Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, it’ll be waiting in your feed every weekday. Hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin.

  • Overland Park Police Chief Frank Donchez suddenly resigned last week after nine years in the position. As it turns out, the city of Overland Park had already begun the process of firing Donchez before he resigned.
  • The FDA recently approved a safe and effective new coronavirus vaccine booster to protect against the latest variants, and it should be available around the Kansas City area soon. Residents can also get the booster at the same time as the latest flu shot, which experts say you should do before Halloween.
  • A process called civil asset forfeiture allows Kansas police to take money, cars and other property from citizens — even if they're never convicted of a crime. Police say it stops criminals, but opponents say law enforcement takes too much, without enough oversight.
  • When silent films ruled the silver screen, pipe organs were used to enhance the drama of an otherwise quite medium. Now a Lee's Summit musician is bringing back that tradition. Plus: There's more federal dollars behind the push to get locally grown food into school cafeterias.
  • Americans are becoming less and less likely to believe our fellow citizens are trying to do the right thing, and that has added to the crisis facing rural health care. Plus: Are Midwest homes prepared for more scorching summer days?
  • The number of Kansas students who are chronically missing school has nearly doubled in the past two years. Plus: Missouri Gov. Mike Parson vetoed more than a half a billion dollars in spending from the state budget, but lawmakers have a chance to override.
  • There are more than 10,000 cases of alleged child abuse and neglect in Missouri that remain open, including over 3,600 in the Kansas City region. The NPR Midwest Newsroom found that investigators in the state's Children’s Division are overloaded and dealing with a shortage of case workers.
  • After former Kansas City Police officer Eric DeValkanaere was convicted of killing unarmed Black man Cameron Lamb, there's been speculation — and protest — about his potential pardon by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson.
  • Sustainability leaders are trying to make Kansas City the greenest place in the country. With an overall goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the KC Regional Climate Action Plan covers 80% of the region's population.
  • Arrowhead Stadium will be rocking tonight with a sellout crowd for the Kansas City Chiefs’ season opener against the Detroit Lions. Some fans remember what it was like before the team became perennial Super Bowl favorites. Plus: If you were planning a party a century ago in Columbia, Missouri, Annie Fisher was the caterer you’d do almost anything to book.