Aaron Randle of the Kansas City Star joins Dave Helling to talk about Aaron's recent front page story about social engagement among minorities in Kansas City. It's a candid and fascinating conversation about the issues surrounding younger residents in the area, and a don't-miss podcast.
The Tonganoxie/Tyson Foods dispute, and luring Amazon to the KC region: Two important stories, with host Dave Helling and Kansas City Star reporters discussing the details.
Kansas City Star reporters Mara Rose Williams and Katy Bergen talk to editorial board member Dave Helling about the start of the new school year, and the challenges facing school districts and students on both sides of the state line.
Those g0#d@*! passwords, the ones with so many special characters that the IT guys make you change every six weeks. The guy who came up with them now says we need not bother.
Another expert, Rice University computer science professor Dan Wallach, suggests maybe rethinking about how you handle passwords, period. Think about signing in to more sites from Google and Facebook so you have fewer to remember and you’re trusting larger companies with cybersecurity resources to protect you. Or buy a $15 USB dongle to store them for you.
Kansas City Star reporters Lynn Horsley and Steve Vockrodt join the Star's Dave Helling of the editorial board to discuss the results of Tuesday's election, and what they mean for the city -- and its plans for a new airport terminal.
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback steps onto a previously obscure part of the international stage, leaving a notable legacy of political wins and losses in his state.
In the latest “Deep Background” podcast, the Star’s Bryan Lowry and Dave Helling mull Brownback’s time in the Statehouse, where he oversaw sweeping tax cuts and the budget troubles that followed. His economic policies were essentially reversed this year by a legislature that changed dramatically with the fall of Brownback’s political fortunes.
Kansas City now has two finalists for chief of police -- Maj. Rick Smith, and Chief Keith Humphrey of Norman, Okla. The Star's Glenn Rice and Dave Helling of the editorial board discuss the two candidates, and what the community is looking for in a new chief of police.
Commercial renewal driven partly by a new breed of center city-ish residents could remake Kansas City’s West Bottoms area.
Reporter Diane Stafford joined the latest episode of The Star’s “Deep Background” podcast to discuss residential development trends.
The podcast also looked at the lives of two men who changed the face of the Kansas City area, James B. Nutter Sr. and Neal Patterson.
The podcast is free to download and comes ad-free. Consider subscribing and reviewing the show.
The Kansas City Star's Sam Mellinger talks about Kansas City's airport, and Dave Helling talks about Kansas City's baseball team in this Deep Background episode, "Trading Places."
A baby boomer, a Generation X-er and a Millennial walk into a podcast — and kick around whether everything in their lives really demands a new app or dongle.
This week’s edition of “Deep Background” tackles the notion when digital age innovations are worth the trouble. A smartphone, sure. A smart refrigerator, not so much. A learning thermostat? Maybe.
Star digital editors Leah Becerra and Jay Pilgreen sat in to share their thoughts on this week’s episode.
Give it a download and a listen, free and free of ads, and think about subscribing.
The Kansas City Star's Scott Canon, Kelsey Ryan, and Dave Helling discuss a recent database-drive story about salaries at Kansas City's City Hall. Why it matters to them -- and to you.
Glenn Rice of the Kansas City Star and Dave Helling of the Star's editorial board discuss changes and challenges for the Kansas City Police Department, including the search for a new chief, the unsettled Board of Police Commissioners, the high crime rate, and proposed body cameras. All on Deep Background.
Higher education reporter Mara Williams talks regional college campuses and their turmoil, in higher education broadly and the particular stories developing at the universities of Missouri, Kansas and Kansas State.
The Kansas City Star's Mark Davis and Dave Helling talk about the latest developments at Sprint, one of Kansas City's most important employers.
Obamacare. Ryancare. Trumpcare. Maybe McConnellcare to come.
The baffling world of modern American medicine, and the many obstacles that stand between patient and doctor, explain part of the reason the country struggles to find a political consensus on government’s role in delivering health insurance.
Star health reporter Andy Marso has a wealth of knowledge about innovations in health care and the complicated system of health insurance that determines who gets coverage and how.
He joined the Star’s “Deep Background” podcast to talk about some issues in the field, from political efforts to rework the Affordable Care act to phone apps that could cure a fever.
Lynn Horsley, Steve Vockrodt, and Dave Helling of the Kansas City Star discuss the growing push for an airport vote in November. How will politicians, the business community -- and most importantly, the public -- respond? It's all on Deep Background.
Militia, sovereign citizens, Freemen movements came before. Now the alt-right ascends, says Star reporter Judy L. Thomas in a podcast.
Details of a death of a detainee at the Jackson County Jail have raised new questions about management of the facility -- and whether taxpayers will soon need to consider expanding jail space. The Star's Mike Hendricks and Dave Helling of the Star's editorial board discuss the newest revelations, and plans to address the jail's problems, in the Deep Background podcast.
Worries about how technology changes our lives are creeping into our culture. Books, TVs and movies continue to reflect society’s love with, and nervousness about, how technology is changing the world. Three Star reporters discuss art’s themes on technology.
TextEditorFood and beverage writer Sarah Gish talks about IPAs, stouts and sours in summing up the vibrant Kansas City beer scene.
The Kansas City Star's Melinda Hennenberger recently traveled to central Africa, and discusses the ongoing humanitarian and political crisis that is costing hundreds of thousands of lives. Dave Helling of the Star is part of the discussion.
Dave Helling, Blair Kerkhoff, and Steve Vockrodt of The Kansas City Star discuss the Big 12 men's basketball tournament in downtown Kansas City -- why it's here, why it might stay here, and who might win.
TextEditorStar reporter Mike Hendricks talks about his work documenting the high risk firefighters face from cancer and the uphill battle they and their beneficiaries must overcome to prove their jobs made them sick.
TextEditorKansas City Star reporter Maria Torres talks about work she did with columnist Vahe Gregorian and photographer/videographer Jill Toyoshiba to piece together the story of the events that led to Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura driving through a guardrail to his death in his native Dominican Republic.
Aaron Deacon of KC Digital Drive joins the podcast to talk about what impact Google Fiber has had on Kansas City, it's internet connectivity and tech innovation.