Laura Ziegler

Special Correspondent

Laura Ziegler began her career at KCUR as a reporter more than 20 years ago. She became the news director in the mid 1980's and  in 1988,  went to National Public Radio in Washington, D.C. as a producer for Weekend Edition Saturday with Scott Simon.

In 1993, she came back to Kansas City as the Midwest correspondent for National Public Radio. Among the stories she covered - the floods of 1993, the ongoing farm crisis and rural affairs, and presidential campaigns.

After the birth of her 3rd child, Laura returned to KCUR as producer of Under the Clock, a weekly talk show broadcast live from Union Station. It was hosted by former Kansas City mayor Emanuel Cleaver. When he was elected 5th district Congressman in 2002, Laura returned to KCUR as a part-time reporter and producer.

Laura has won numerous awards for her work, including three regional Edward R. Murrow awards.

In 1992, Laura was awarded a Jefferson Fellowship in Journalism with the East West Center at the University of Hawaii which took her to China, Japan, Burma, Bangladesh and Thailand.  In 1990, she was part of a reporting trip to the then -Soviet Union with the American Center for International Leadership.

Laura graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Anthropology from Vassar College.

She, her husband, and their three children - Julia, Ellie, and Benjamin, live with Laura's father in the house in which she was born.

Pages

Drought
10:09 pm
Mon July 23, 2012

Watering During Drought: Be Conservative, Urges Water One

As the scorching hot weather continues this week, cities in the metro are urging  water consumers to space out their watering and not to soak the ground. 

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Tracking NBAF
8:59 am
Sat July 21, 2012

NBAF May Get Boost As Government Report Says 'Sell Plum Island'

A government report encourages sale of Plum Island Animal Disease Center, the only place in the U.S. where research on Foot and Mouth Disease is currently being done.

It could be good news for supporters of the NBAF,  the top-level biosecurity lab proposed for Manhattan, Kan.

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Business
2:26 am
Mon July 16, 2012

Bucking Bulls Draw Crowds, And Dollars

Credit Laura Ziegler / KCUR
Bulls are judged with a "dummy" weight for four seconds to see how hard they will jump and twist to buck a rider. Bulls that do well can sell for up to $50,000.

Originally published on Mon July 16, 2012 4:04 pm

The bucking bull has long been the embodiment of the American rodeo, and it takes just four seconds for a strong young bull to reap its owner as much as $50,000 in prize money.

Four seconds is how long each 1- or 2-year-old bull will wear a weight strapped to its back as the massive animal is judged on how high it kicks and how much it twists.

In the past 10 years, bucking bulls have become a major industry. The price of the best bloodlines can soar to $250,000, and competitions take place everywhere from Madison Square Garden to Wyoming.

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Agriculture
5:49 pm
Fri July 13, 2012

Less May Mean More For Federal Animal Disease Lab

The National Academies of Sciences issued a set of 10 conclusions today on the future of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas

The report says while there is a critical need for a so-called BSL4 lab to research the most dangerous emerging diseases that affect particularly livestock, it said the current NBAF proposal would be better... smaller.

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Tracking NBAF, DHS, NBAF,
12:00 pm
Fri July 13, 2012

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back For K-State Animal Lab?

Credit Laura Ziegler / KCUR
Critics say rural America could be devastated by an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease, which the NBAF would research.

The National Academies of Science issued a set of 10 conclusions today on the future of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas.

The report says while there is a critical need for a so-called BSL4 lab that will research the most dangerous emerging diseases to affect particularly livestock, it said the current NBAF proposal might be too big and too costly.

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Tracking NBAF
9:02 am
Thu July 12, 2012

Another New Report To Shed Light On NBAF's Future

Credit Harvest Public Media
The proposed NBAF lab at in Manhattan, Kan., would study ways to guard the nation's food supply against diseases like bird flu and Mad Cow disease.

The future of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan is under the microscope this week for the second time in just over a month.

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People
1:49 am
Fri July 6, 2012

Relentless Heat, Hard Choices: Family Struggles As Utility Bills Rise

Credit Courtesy of Landes family
The Landes family; Logan,Mason, Grandma Billie, and Cheryl.

The living room of Cheryl Landes' small apartment has the cozy feel of your grandmother’s living room.

No surprise.  She’s often watching four grandkids, as well as her own 13-year-old son.

This afternoon, two of them are playing with their hand-held electronic games. They can play alone, or together. They laugh as their small computers make music.

Cheryl’s 90-year-old mother, Billie,  lives here too. She quietly sinks into a club chair. She has chronic lung disease, and dementia.

Both Cheryl and her grandson have asthma.

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Profile
12:06 am
Thu June 21, 2012

God, Politics And Sam Brownback's Kansas

Credit Laura Ziegler
Senior Sam Brownback was a leader in his Parker, Kansas high school

Governor Sam Brownback is reconfiguring the size and scope of state government in Kansas with the help of an overwhelmingly conservative Republican legislature.

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Tracking NBAF
12:08 pm
Fri June 15, 2012

Report Slams NBAF Risk Assessment

Credit National Research Council
The National Research Council's report on the NBAF risk assessment.

"Not trustworthy."

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Tracking NBAF
12:57 pm
Wed June 13, 2012

Update On Risks At Animal Disease Lab Out Tomorrow

In a highly anticipated announcement, the National Academies of Science said that it will release a congressionally mandated report on risk associated with the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) this Friday. 

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Kansas Redistricting
3:25 pm
Mon June 11, 2012

Last-Minute Filing Scramble In Kansas Draws To A Close

Credit redistricting.ks.gov
The new map for Kansas' Congressional districts.

The Kansas Secretary of State officially brought a chaotic filing period to an end today at noon.

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Tracking NBAF
1:57 pm
Fri June 8, 2012

Redrawn District Adds To Animal Lab Concerns

Credit Eric Durban / Harvest Public Media
The site designated to become the home of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, or NBAF, is on the campus of Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan.

The beleaguered National Bio and Agro-Defense facility could face yet more challenges as a result of new congressional parameters released today by a three-judge panel.

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Audits
9:20 am
Fri June 8, 2012

Kansas Bioscience Authority Cleared Of Criminal Charges

Tom Thornton, former President and CEO of KBA, will not face criminal charges related to inappropriate spending of taxpayer dollars, according to the Johnson County District Attorney.

The Kansas Bioscience Authority and its former President and CEO Tom Thornton will not face any criminal charges over inappropriate use of state tax dollars.

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Tracking NBAF
12:01 pm
Tue May 29, 2012

NBAF Steering Committee Holds First Meeting In Topeka

The first meeting of a steering committee appointed by Gov. Sam Brownback last summer is taking place this morning in Topeka.

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Tracking NBAF
12:17 pm
Thu May 17, 2012

NBAF Closes In On Federal Funding

Credit nbafinkansas.org
A rendering of the proposed NBAF facility in Manhattan, Kan.

The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) got one step closer to Congressional funding yesterday.

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