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Kansas City finally gets federal funding for World Cup security

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The federal government promised Kansas City $59 million in security funding for the World Cup, but a partial shutdown put that money in limbo — with just months before the games kicked off. Plus: Mosses are the underdogs of the plant world. Now a group of scientists is coming together to protect them.

Kansas City’s first World Cup game kicks off in three months, and organizers are working in high gear to make sure the city is ready to host the biggest event in its history. But cities across the country were getting nervous as the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security delayed the distribution of millions in funding. KCUR's Halle Jackson spoke with Up To Date host Steve Kraske about what happened to the money.

More than 1,600 plants and animals are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. But out of all of those, only one is a moss. Harvest Public Media’s Kate Grumke reports on a new effort to protect these tiny plants that are important, but often overlooked.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg, Madeline Fox and Emily Younker.

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As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
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.
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