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KPR Commentators Rex Buchanen, Cheryl Unruh Tom Averill, John Richard Schrock, Duane Goossen and many others share their imaginative stories, lessons learned and thoughtful perspectives on what it is like to live in Kansas and all over the world.
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As dozens of Kansas City area restaurants take part in Black Restaurant Week, Commentator Rex Buchanan puts down his fork just long enough to talk about Black-owned barbeque joints and a new book that tells their story.
Kansas environmentalist Wes Jackson, who ran The Land Institute, is out with a new book titled, Hogs Are Up. Commentator Rex Buchanan, one of Jackson's former students and a longtime friend, offers this review.
Efforts are underway in Kansas City to restore the house of legendary Negro League and Major League Baseball pitcher Satchel Paige. City officials hope to find a contractor to redevelop the home and have issued a request for proposals. Commentator Rex Buchanan recently paid a visit to final resting place of Satchel Paige and, to the resting place of another Kansas City icon, Charlie "Bird" Parker.
Early on during the pandemic, people were told to hunker down indoors and limit any unnecessary travel. But, as restrictions eased, people sought more opportunities to get outside, including Commentator Rex Buchanan. His way of curing "cabin fever" was taking a solo bike ride down a remote and beautiful trail in eastern Kansas. Travel along as we head down the Flint Hills Nature Trail.
On average, more than 2 million acres of rangeland are burned each year in the Flint Hills of Kansas and Oklahoma. But there's a lot more to the Flint Hills than just torching and scorching the earth. Commentator Rex Buchanan has this review of Jim Hoy's new book, My Flint Hills, published by University Press of Kansas.
By late February, many Kansans have grown tired of winter, the bitter cold and all that comes with it. Of course, not everyone agrees with that sentiment. KPR News Director J. Schafer is one of them.
Higher education officials will soon decide the fate of University Press of Kansas. Public universities in the state have been hit hard by the pandemic, forcing them to make numerous budget cuts, which could include the academic publisher. Others are hoping to save University Press of Kansas, including Guest Commentator Tai Edwards.
The pandemic is taking a heavy toll on healthcare workers, especially those who work long hours caring for COVID-19 patients. As Kansas hospitals become overwhelmed with an influx of coronavirus patients, one respiratory therapist in Lawrence pleads for the public's help.
The North American bird population has been declining for years, perhaps by as much as 30% since the 1970s. But even in the depths of a Kansas winter, there may be signs of hope. Commentator Rex Buchanan saw one such sign during a recent trip out west.
Some of the most iconic depictions of Kansas have been created by NON-Kansans. Think the "Wizard of Oz" or... "In Cold Blood." That's why it's refreshing to read about the state as seen through the eyes of actual residents. Commentator Rex Buchanan tells us about two Kansas-related books he read this year, written by fellow Kansans.
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge was established to provide and protect a vital habitat for migratory waterfowl. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has expressed concern for decades that the refuge has not been getting the water to which it is legally entitled. In 2016, state water authorities agreed. As officials search for a solution, Commentator Rex Buchanan encourages anyone interested in wildlife, particularly birds, to visit Quivira and experience the majesty of Mother Nature.
On Monday, the nation observed Veterans Day. Parades and ceremonies were held all across the country to honor the men and women who have served in the U.S. military. Relatively few Americans have served in uniform. But most Americans say they appreciate the service of those who have. That raises a question: what's the best way to honor and thank our veterans? Guest Commentator Tai Edwards has a suggestion.
A new exhibit about knowledge, at the Spencer Museum of Art, is generating some buzz. Not just among the art community, but among those who study geology. Part of the exhibit features a tall stack of books -- a spire -- in the shape of a well-known Kansas rock formation. Among geologists, such a formation is called a hoodoo. Commentator Rex Buchanan assures us this is a real word.
Have you seen the Netflix series Last Chance U? It chronicles community college football, including a disastrous season for the Pirates at Independence Community College in southeast Kansas. It's the TV series that many Kansans can't stop talking about, including Commentator Rex Buchanan.
A prominent building at the University of Kansas is named after a man from Osage County who spent most of his childhood unable to read and write. Commentator John Richard Schrock brings us the remarkable story of Lewis Lindsay Dyche, the namesake of KU's Museum of Natural History.
In 1955, an African-American teenager from Chicago, Emmett Till, visited a tiny town in Mississippi. Witnesses claim he spoke to, or perhaps whistled at, a white woman. Whatever happened, locals perceived the incident as disrespectful. Till was abducted and killed. His open-casket funeral back in Chicago sparked nationwide outrage. A KU professor has written a new book about the way we remember the incident. It's called Remembering Emmett Till. Commentator Rex Buchanan has this review.
Are phrases like "the Great Plains" and "the Midwest" interchangeable? Guest Commentator Julene Bair, who grew up in western Kansas, says no! She also tells us why that matters when it comes to growing crops.
We thought science had eliminated them, but now... some preventable diseases are making a comeback. So why have some highly-contagious diseases returned? Commentator John Richard Schrock thinks the success of vaccines has helped lead to less vaccination.
Kansas has made some notable contributions to the world of classical music, both on stage and behind the scenes. And Commentator Rex Buchanan thinks it's high time more people took notice. In this piece written for KPR, he highlights a Kansas woman and music educator who helped shape the sound of classical music.
Commentator William Jennings Bryan Oleander visits the baseball museum in Near Here, Kansas, and ruminates on the sport that many still consider America's pastime.
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