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Jackson County Prosecutor On Violence And Blight, And Economics Of Income Inequality

Luke X. Martin
/
KCUR 89.3
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker spoke on Thursday with Steve Kraske at KCUR studios. "Blight equals crime," she says, "it's a direct link."

Jean Peters Baker's work doesn't end when she steps out of the Jackson County Courthouse. In fact, the county's top prosecutor recently hosted a cleanup event on the 2300 block of Denver Avenue in Kansas City to reduce blight and fight crime. She speaks about that, and about the work of Mayor Sly James' Citizens Task Force on Violence. Then, the only business school professor ever named a MacArthur Fellow tells us why he thinks fixing income inequality in America requires increasing the number of college graduates.

Economist Kevin Murphy discusses and offers solutions to the rise in income inequality at the Kansas City Public Library's Plaza Branch on Thursday, April 20, at 6:30 p.m. To RSVP, visit KCLibrary.org.

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
As culture editor, I oversee KCUR’s coverage of race, culture, the arts, food and sports. I work with reporters to make sure our stories reflect the fullest view of the place we call home, so listeners and readers feel primed to explore the places, projects and people who make up a vibrant Kansas City. Email me at luke@kcur.org.