Steve Kraske

Segment 1: Will Missouri lawmakers move to impeach Governor Eric Greitens?

This evening, the Missouri legislature will convene for a historic special session to determine whether to bring forth articles of impeachment against Gov. Eric Greitens. But how complicated is the process, and how will it unfold in the coming weeks? We sat down with two political watchers to ask what could be next for the governor.

Segment 1: Keeping kids engaged, fed and healthy during summer months.

Most students are overjoyed when summer break rolls around. But what about the families who rely on school for access to meals, health care and mentorship? Today, we learned about what local school districts are doing to minimize the downsides of students being away from the classroom during the summer months.

Segment 1: How tax increment financing helps blighted neighborhoods.

Last week, we heard arguments opposed to tax increment financing, a tax abatement measure used to incentivize urban developement. Today, we learned about the benefits of TIF districts, and why supporters say they're a crucial tool to revitalizing our neighborhoods.

Segment 1: How national headlines impact local farmers.

Even if agriculture may not seem like a big part of your life, farmers are responsible for much of our food, our clothes and even our medicine. Today, we sat down with three reporters from Harvest Public Media to learn how farmers across the Midwest are responding to drought, tariffs and the newest version of the farm bill.

Segment 1: As the legislative season ends in Kansas, Democrats look ahead to midterm elections.

While state lawmakers shift their focus from drafting laws to campaigning, we checked in with two Democratic Party leaders to get a sense for how they'll gauge success at the ballots this August and November. We also reviewed some of the higher-profile bills that made it out of the legislature and onto the desk of Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer.

Segment 1: A review of the Kansas veto session.

Kansas lawmakers concluded their veto session on Friday, ending the 2018 legislative session with significant votes on adoption law and gun rights. To help us understand what these laws could mean for the state, we spoke with Kansas News Service reporters covering events at the Capitol.

Segment 1: Douglas County voters are deciding on a contentious tax increase for jail and mental health services.

Segment 1: Why a consent decree between Kansas City and the EPA is impacting how much you pay for sewer services.

Segment 1: A merger with T-Mobile could change Sprint's long-standing relationship to the metro.

Segment 1: County lawmaker says citizens think a charter change "should have been done before."

Segment 1: What science does (and doesn't) know about medical marijuana.

Missouri and Kansas are edging closer to legalizing medical marijuana under limited circumstances, but what do we really know about its health effects? While state lawmakers debate possible harms or benefits of cannabis and its derivatives, we spoke with a scientist who helped write a major study about the good, bad and unknown health effects of marijuana.

Segment 1: The policies and techniques that are best at keeping drunk drivers off the road.

Last month, the Missouri House of Representatives voted for the second year in a row to cut the state funding for sobriety checkpoints to $1. The plan to catch drunk drivers and keep them off the street? Saturation patrols. Today, we talked about the effectiveness of these options. 

Segment 1: Schools in the Shawnee Mission district have been accused of stifling expression during student demonstration.

During last Friday's national school walkout, parents and students at several Shawnee Mission schools reported that administrators attempted to curate and censor student speech. These complaints have spurred an investigation by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas. Today, we asked what happened during the demonstrations, and how the school district is responding.

Segment 1: Examination of the secrecy shrouding Kansas government ignites momentum for openness, but it's dwindling. 

Kansas is considered to be one of the "darkest" state governments in the nation. We asked why this problem persists and how lawmakers have responded to calls for more transparency in Topeka. 

Segment 1: As rates increase among children in Kansas City, lead poisoning remains a persistent concern.

It's been decades since companies stopped adding lead to things like paint or gasoline, but the dangers posed by lead poisoning are still affecting thousands of lives throughout the metro area. We learned why it's so hard to get rid of lead contamination in old homes and businesses, and what you can do to minimize your risk.

Segment 1: The processes threatening, and protecting, Missouri's governor.

Tensions are high in Jefferson City as lawmakers continue calls for Eric Greitens' resignation but, as the governor faces possibly career-ending felony charges, ensuring fairness is paramount. Today, a veteran journalist discusses the systems in place to guarantee justice for the governor, and for the state of Missouri.

Segment 1: Students in Kansas City and across the country stage a school walkout, 19 years after a mass shooting at Columbine High School.

Segment 1: How Jackson County leaders are handling political and personal controversies, and rising crime rates.

Segment 1: Streetcar authority chief says, "we're trying everything we can" to fund a lengthening of streetcar corridor.

Segment 1: How Kansas City is protecting its digital data from hackers.

In light of recent cyberattacks in Atlanta and Baltimore, data security is becoming a larger focus of municipal governments across the country. Today, we looked at Kansas City's own data security, and some of the measures the city has taken to protect against ransomware and other harmful technologies.

Segment 1: Adidas and KU have been implicated in an FBI investigation of collegiate basketball.

With such a variety of themes and characters on display this month at area cinemas, there's no telling what you might see. From talking dogs to road-tripping senior citizens, Up To Date's indie, foreign, and documentary Film Critics caught us up on what's showing now, including "Finding Your Feet," "Beirut," "1945," "The Leisure Seeker," "Isle of Dogs," and "Leaning Into the Wind."

An explicit report was released yesterday by a Missouri House committee with testimony from the woman who was involved in an extramarital affair with Governor Eric Greitens. The report details alleged sexual abuse perpetrated by Greitens during their relationship. In its wake, more state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling for his resignation.

After House Speaker Paul Ryan announced today that he will not seek re-election in the fall, many are wondering who will next fill the role. NPR's Mara Liasson suggests the move signals a lack of confidence among Republicans who hope to maintain control of the lower chamber of Congress. Today, the veteran national political correspondent provided context for Ryan's decision, and helped untangle other complicated stories developing in the White House and on Capitol Hill.

The Kansas Court of Appeals is sort of like the middle sibling of the justice system. They don't enjoy the same level of prestige as the state Supreme Court, and they're not as familiar to everyday folks as municipal or district courts. Today, we asked three appeals court judges about their place in Kansas' justice system, and discussed how single-issue advocacy groups and judicial selection rules affect public perception of this often overlooked court.

On April 9, 1968, five days after the killing of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., civil unrest in response to long-standing racial tension broke out in Kansas City. But what really happened 50 years ago? Last week, KCUR hosted the panel "Reaction or Riot?: Understanding 1968 in Kansas City" for community members to share their own experiences and recollections. Today, we revisited that conversation about the ways our city has — and hasn't — changed in the last half century.

Segment 1: How do university students ensure their priorities have a voice in state government?

Students in Kansas and Missouri have concerns that go beyond their next exams and life after graduation. They point to soaring tuition rates, concealed weapons on campus, sexual harassment and assault, and state support for higher education. To communicate their concerns, student lobbyists work the hallways in both state Capitols. Today, we met the students who do this important work.

Segment 1: Why global warming may be our military’s biggest threat.

While climate change may harm food production and lead to more intense wildfires, it also poses a hazard to our military. How can our armed forces respond? Today, we asked former Secretary of State Colin Powell's chief of staff, who was director of the Marine Corps War College, to shed light on how our nation's military leadership is changing its approach to environmental issues.

Segment 1: How hyper-connectivity and technology have democratized power.

Our world has changed a lot in the 21st century. New technologies like Twitter and KickStarter have enabled worldwide social movements. But how does this new power work?  One activist described the ways public influence is shifting, and what it might mean for our future.

Segment 1: New mayor and CEO of Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, says he's tapped into family's "longstanding commitment to the community."