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Kansas City Today

Russians in Kansas City on edge

By Laura Ziegler,
Byron J. Love
Published April 29, 2022 at 4:00 AM CDT
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Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, Russians living in Kansas City have been walking a fine line. Many fear backlash from the Kremlin if they speak out against war, but not speaking out could mean harassment here. Plus, 50 years into show business, musician Lonnie McFadden opened his own Kansas City nightclub to call home.

Since Russia launched their invasion of Ukraine in late February, many Americans have taken public stands against Russia. Stores have removed Russian vodka from their shelves, diners have stopped patronizing Russian restaurants, and venues have canceled concerts by Russian performers. As KCUR’s Eleanor Nash reports, the shift has some Russians in the Kansas City area living on edge.

Kansas City trumpeter and tap dancer Lonnie McFadden has headlined in nightclubs around the world but he never had a club of his own. With help from staff at the Ambassador Hotel, he opened Lonnie's Reno Club in the middle of the pandemic. KCUR's Julie Denesha checks in on how it's going.

Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR onTwitter andFacebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love, Trevor Grandin, and KCUR Studios and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate

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Kansas City Today UkraineRussiaKansas City Missouri (KCMO)jazzArts & Culture
Laura Ziegler
As Kansas City grows and diversifies, journalists need to listen to the people, to your challenges and successes..As engagement and solutions editor, I’ll make sure we’re framing stories based on what we hear from you, and we’ll partner with communities so our stories help us understand and connect to one another. Email me at lauraz@kcur.org.
See stories by Laura Ziegler
Byron J. Love
As an on-demand producer, I am focused on using my skills and experiences across multiple digital applications, platforms and media fields to create community focused audio, video and on-demand products for KCUR Studios. The media that I produce aims to inform, entertain and connect with the Kansas City metro area as we continue to learn from each other. Email me at byronlove@kcur.org.
See stories by Byron J. Love
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