Location:
Kansas City, MO
Networks:
KCUR
Description:
What Kansas City cares about. Up To Date brings people together for daily conversations about what’s happening in our region and how it affects our lives. Featuring interviews with artists, lawmakers, experts and everyday residents, plus original reporting from the KCUR newsroom, Up To Date keeps our city connected. Email the show at uptodate@kcur.org
Twitter:
@KCURUpToDate
Language:
English
Contact:
4825 Troost Ave, Ste 202 Kansas City, MO 64110 816-235-2888
Email:
uptodate@kcur.org
Prolific presidential historian H.W. Brands turns his focus to George Washington
5/12/2026
Historian H.W. Brands has written more than 30 books about American history, highlighting prominent figures ranging from the era of the Revolutionary War to the presidency of Ronald Reagan. He’ll be in Kansas City for an event on Thursday to discuss his new book on George Washington.
Duration:00:23:14
Memories fade, so one Kansas City, Kansas, native is helping others document their life stories
5/12/2026
Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell regrets not interviewing and documenting her mother’s life. The former Kansas City Star journalist is helping others not make the same mistake. She talked with KCUR’s Up To Date about preserving family histories and legacies.
Duration:00:20:24
Kansas City’s Heart Forest is being restored in time to welcome World Cup visitors
5/11/2026
After 30 years of growth, Foundation for Regeneration is restoring the symbolic Heart Forest near Kansas City International Airport, adding an outline, trails and areas for guests to sit and reflect.
Duration:00:14:50
For Kansas City trumpeter Alber, making music is a beautiful ‘curse’
5/10/2026
Alberto Racanati grew up in Italy but moved to Kansas City more than 10 years ago to study trumpet at the UMKC Conservatory. Now, he makes genre-blending music solo as Alber and with his band I Maledetti. They'll perform at Manor Fest this May.
Duration:00:21:23
Food recs: Kansas City’s best steaks and steakhouses
5/9/2026
Cattle don’t roam the West Bottoms anymore, but Kansas City is still full of both old-school and modern restaurants serving up hearty steaks. Here’s where to find the best filet, wagyu, Kansas City strip and more.
Duration:00:44:45
Kauffman Foundation leader who shaped Kansas City civic programs is retiring after 28 years
5/8/2026
Gloria Jackson-Leathers launched the Kansas City Civic Engagement Initiative, which provided after-school programs and funded many museums, helped created the Maker Faire at Union Station and led the development of the KC STEM Alliance.
Duration:00:14:30
Lawrence, Kansas, uncertain how many World Cup visitors will show up after all
5/7/2026
Lawrence will serve as the base camp for Team Algeria during next month’s World Cup. With the Trump administration restricting travel for Algerians, and reports that Kansas City hotel bookings lag far behind tourism projections, organizers are planning for a variety of outcomes.
Duration:00:23:39
Kansas City Manager Mario Vasquez feels ‘pretty good’ about World Cup readiness
5/7/2026
Kansas City Manager Mario Vasquez will celebrate one year in office this week as city hall makes its final preparations for the 2026 World Cup. He joined KCUR’s Up To Date to discuss next month’s tournament and tourism concerns, along with his perspective on the Royals’ plans to build a Crown Center ballpark.
Duration:00:31:12
Kansas City artist made her Parade of Hearts sculpture into a little free library: ‘A labor of love’
5/6/2026
The hollow heart-shaped design for this year’s Parade of Hearts was the perfect template for an art piece doubling as a community space. Artist Abby Gust Hutter created the sculpture “Read it Forward,” which she turned into a little free library outside of Rainy Day Books in Fairway.
Duration:00:11:56
Mission Gateway sits empty 20 years later. What is the Mission mayor's plan for it?
5/6/2026
The Mission Gateway site at the intersection of Shawnee Mission Parkway and Johnson Drive has sat largely vacant for two decades. While it's unclear how long it might take for the private property get redeveloped, Mission Mayor Sollie Flora says the city's government is making "making it a focus."
Duration:00:11:34
To keep Missouri and Kansas kids out of foster care, nonprofit wants more attention on basic needs
5/5/2026
There are more than 20,000 foster care cases in Missouri and Kansas, but many were removed from homes due to a lack of resources rather than neglect or abuse. Cornerstones of Care CEO Merideth Rose said that separating children from their families should be the last resort — and shouldn't be the state's default.
Duration:00:18:20
Olathe resident becomes oldest hiker to reach to Mount Everest’s base camp
5/4/2026
Along with his son, Olathe resident Dave McClung became the oldest man to hike to Mount Everest’s base camp, trekking 42 miles over the course of eight days. “I always wanted to be famous, but I didn't know I'd be famous for being old," McClung told KCUR's Up To Date.
Duration:00:15:30
Kansas City singer-songwriter Sara Swenson releases first album in 12 years
5/2/2026
"Taller," the fifth studio album from the Platte City, Missouri, native, is loaded with songs celebrating motherhood and belonging, and features guest appearances from across Kansas City's music scene. “There's a lot of meaning on this album to me,” she said.
Duration:00:21:10
Rural Johnson County residents face new data center proposal weeks after stopping first
5/1/2026
Residents of Gardner, Kansas, are confronting a new data center proposal from Beale Infrastructure just weeks after a similar proposal was withdrawn. Members of the community are concerned about the impact on their environment, utilities, and noise levels.
Duration:00:08:40
Missouri lawmakers still needs to approve a state budget. Where do things stand?
4/30/2026
The deadline for the Missouri General Assembly to approve its budget is quickly approaching. KCUR's Brian Ellison joined Up To Date to break down the latest on the budget and other agenda items for the 2026 legislative session.
Duration:00:11:29
Olathe native named official referee for 2026 World Cup matches. As a teen, he almost quit
4/30/2026
Early in his career, while officiating youth soccer matches in Olathe, Kyle Atkins wanted to quit, but his dad didn’t let him walk away so easily. This summer, you’ll be able to see him on the pitch as an assistant referee during the 2026 FIFA World Cup — after he and his crew get motivated with music and dancing in the locker room.
Duration:00:16:32
Kansas U.S. Senate race for Roger Marshall’s seat may be heating up
4/29/2026
Sen. Roger Marshall faces no Republican competition in the primary, but four Democrats have filed to run, and another big-name candidate may be announced soon. Plus, political experts run down the Kansas governor’s race and other ballot measures coming to voters later this year.
Duration:00:20:00
A Kansas City woman shares the toll of caretaking for a family member with Parkinson's
4/29/2026
Parkinson’s disease presents physical and mental challenges for people who are diagnosed, but it ends up being a family affair, with one doctor describing the condition as a public health epidemic. A Kansas City woman told KCUR's Up To Date about her experiences taking care of her father.
Duration:00:13:00
Kansas City’s historic storms left businesses flooded, while owners wait for the city to respond
4/28/2026
Relentless rainfall has flooded Kansas City neighborhoods east of I-435 near the 23rd Street exit, as meteorologists note a historically high amount of storms and warnings this year. Several businesses have had to close indefinitely, as they wait for the city to respond and drain the water.
Duration:00:31:00
Midwest Innocence Project marks 25 years of freeing the wrongfully convicted: 'Growing momentum'
4/28/2026
More than 900 people who believe they were wrongfully convicted are on a waitlist for the Midwest Innocence Project, which provides pro bono legal representation in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Arkansas. The organization is celebrating 25 years of service in 2026.
Duration:00:21:42