Alex Smith

The show for March 4, 2012.  Click "Listen" to hear the entire show; see below for individual stories.

The show for February 26, 2012.  Click "Listen" to hear the entire show; see below for individual stories.

In the last year, a movement to limit or outlaw Shariah, or Islamic Law, has been gaining momentum in the U.S.

DJs pride themselves on the rare grooves they can dig up and play for audiences. But there’s another kind of audio lover who searches for artifacts of eras gone by, whether it’s radio broadcasts, commercials or speeches.

The show for February 5, 2012.  Click "Listen" to hear the entire show, see below for individual stories.

The show for January 22, 2012.  Click "Listen" to hear the entire show, see below for individual stories.

The show for January 22, 2012.  Click "Listen" to hear the entire show, see below for individual stories.

In the early evening of December 29th, Louie “Scooter” Martin was working the final hours of his last shift before retiring. For most people, that would mean eating a big, sugary cake and hearing some words of tribute from the boss. But Martin spent his final working hours racing through midtown traffic toward one of the biggest fires in Westport history (at Westport Presbyterian Church). It was a fitting end to the career of one of the long-serving firefighters in Kansas City history. This week, Alex Smith visited Louie “Scooter” Martin at his home in Liberty.

The show for January 15, 2012. 

Click above for the entire show.  See below for individual stories.

Debunking the End of the World

2011 brought new buildings and faces, an end to some long-standing institutions, and the passing of community leaders.  KC Currents listens back to some of the voices of 2011.

Every 19 days, members of Kansas City’s Baha’i religious community gather for a potluck and a traditional service they call a feast. It’s a remarkable diverse mix of races, ages and backgrounds celebrating a 150-year-old gospel of global unity. But the optimistic spirit of many of Kansas City’s Baha’is has been tested. Many have fled for their lives in order to practice their religion.

To Rebecca Pryor, her grandfather Charlie was a kind of Pied Piper. Everywhere he went, he made music that thrilled listeners.

Charlie Pryor was a percussionist, specializing in drum set, xylophone and a homemade musical washboard supped up with cowbells and horns. When she was little, Charlie took Rebecca with him to play at churches, and he played at her school's assemblies.