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Kan. Legislature, The Wires, Music Writer Tim Finn

Susan Wilson

Kansas Legislature At Midpoint of 2013 Session

This week, both the Missouri and Kansas Legislatures were near the mid-points of their 2013 sessions.  As Kansas lawmakers returned from their mid-session break, Steve Bell checked in with Lawrence Journal World Statehouse Reporter Scott Rothschild.

Legalize It: Kentucky Farmers Look To Hemp

Kentucky is trying to bring back hemp, the close relative of marijuana that is used in a seemingly endless number of products like textiles, car parts, lotions and paper. But like its cousin, it’s illegal to grow hemp in the United States. Some Kentucky politicians and farmers, though, see hemp as an alternative crop for struggling small tobacco producers and are working to change its legal status.

The Wires Debut 'Alternative Strings" Album

Credit Benjamin Parks, Courtesy of the Wires

The violin and cello duo is releasing a first album of original compositions, self-titled The Wires.  Sascha Groschang and Laurel Morgan Parks call it “an alternative exploration in string sound.”

Live Music For A Living

This week’s odd job is more of a rocking job. Tim Finn has been covering music for the Kansas City Star for more than 16 years. He’s met countless bands and performers. He’s also seen the local music scene grow and prosper. Finn reveals his favorite artists to see live, as well an experience with a hard rock group that changed his way of thinking about music and its fans.

De Barker: KC's Queen Of The Line Dance And The Two-Step

When it comes to line dancing, most people think of Country and Western dances like the Boot Scootin’ Boogie. In African American communities all over the country, “soul” line dancing is everywhere—at wedding and retirement receptions, nightclubs and parties. Here in KC, the Kansas City Two Step, a couples dance, is also wildly popular. We have our own line and step-dancing guru. De Barker is a software engineer by day, and, in the evening, teaches line dancing and two- step at the Southeast Community Center.

What Is That?: K-7 Grave Marker

A listener emailed asking us to find out the story behind an old gravesite on K-7 highway.  Turns out, the story reveals a key period of Kansas' pre-Civil War history.

Sylvia Maria Gross is storytelling editor at KCUR 89.3. Reach her on Twitter @pubradiosly.
A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Susan admits that her “first love” was radio, being an avid listener since childhood. However, she spent much of her career in mental health, healthcare administration, and sports psychology (Susan holds a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and an MBA from the Bloch School of Business at UMKC.) In the meantime, Wilson satisfied her journalistic cravings by doing public speaking, providing “expert” interviews for local television, and being a guest commentator/contributor to KPRS’s morning drive time show and the teen talk show “Generation Rap.”
As a health care reporter, I aim to empower my audience to take steps to improve health care and make informed decisions as consumers and voters. I tell human stories augmented with research and data to explain how our health care system works and sometimes fails us. Email me at alexs@kcur.org.
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