KC Currents

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – At the end of the month, Kansas City's animal shelter will temporarily go back to be managed by the city, after two years of operation by a private contractor. In 2009, veterinarian Dr. Wayne Steckelberg won the contract to run the shelter, which was renamed Half Way Home Pet Adoptions.

As recently as last year, the privatization of the shelter was considered a success. But complaints from volunteers and a staff member led the city to reconsider.

Kansas City native Glenn North is well known locally for creating regular outlets for poetry and spoken word.

By Susan B. Wilson

Kansas City, Ks. – One mayor threw himself into Lake Superior. One city changed its name to Google for a month. But all to no avail. Google has announced its first coveted high-speed fiber-optic network will be built in a city that didn't do any flashy publicity stunts, but beat out 11 hundred competitors. But what does this high-tech marriage mean for Google, and for KCK?

Mission Hills, Kan. – Mission Hills is doing unusually well in tough times, but it has always been an unusual place. There are only three business - all country clubs - in the whole city. It has no police department. Law enforcement, snow plowing and just about every other city service is contracted from outside the city. Clinging to the Kansas side of the State Line, Mission Hills is just a sliver of two square miles, home to just 3,500 people.

Kansas City Kansas native Nedra Bonds makes quilts that reflect social and political themes, using vibrant color, rich texture and contemporary three-dimensional elements.

By Susan B. Wilson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Nedra Bonds says that she uses images, patterns and color to capture ideas that are hard to express in words. And she teaches others to do it too.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Sly James and Mike Burke appear to be neck and neck going in to Tuesday's election. For some added perspective, KCUR's Susan B. Wilson sat down with three reporters who have distinct takes on local politics - KC Hispanic News editor and publisher Joe Arce, the Call reporter Eric Wesson and David Martin, of the Pitch.

Kansas City, Mo. – Pundits are saying the election of Kansas City's mayoral race could be the most important in a generation. But we have what's called a "weak" mayor system here, so almost as important are the 12 city council members. KCUR's Sylvia Maria Gross takes a look at the six at-large races, in which all Kansas Citians vote.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jim Nunnelly is stepping down as the coordinator of the Generation Rap radio show, which airs every Saturday morning on Hot 103 Jamz--that's the urban contemporary station KPRS.

The show started in 1987, and soon after, Nunnelly took on the role of "Granddad." And for the last 12 years, he's supervised while a changing cast of high school students have taken on more and more responsibility for the show.

By Alex Smith and Michael Crane

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Federal law prohibits unions from requiring workers to belong. But in most states, workers in union shops can be required to pay some fees, because the union is obligated to represent them in collective bargaining. In the 1950s, states began passing "right-to-work" legislation (the term is controversial), which means workers didn't have to pay dues or fees to the union. Twenty-two states now have these laws, including Kansas. Many are in the Deep South and the West.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Recently, the Kansas City community came together to honor minister and long-time civil rights activist Reverend Nelson "Fuzzy" Thompson. Since 1967, the Kansas City, Kan., native has been active in major human rights struggles for civil rights in the U.S. and abroad-- in South Africa, Nicaragua and Iran.

LAWRENCE, Ks. – Until recently, there were eight known species of Southeast Asian butterfly lizards. But a KU biology student has added another to the count, and he discovered the new species on the menu of a Vietnamese restaurant.