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Seg. 1: Progess In Fits & Starts At Kansas Child Welfare Agency. Seg. 2: How Stan Kessler Stays Hip.

Gina Meier-Hummel was appointed to lead Kansas' Department of Children and Families in November 2017.
Luke X. Martin
/
KCUR 89.3
Gina Meier-Hummel was appointed to lead Kansas' Department of Children and Families in November 2017.

Segment 1: Kansas' child welfare system was broken and neglected. A new leader is trying to change that.

Eleven months after new leadership was installed, Kansas' Department for Children and Families still has a laundry list of problems, including overloaded caseworkers, a child allegedly raped while in state custody — even one instance of a pit bull attacking a child in a foster home. A lengthy report released in July showed the department failed to meet 16 different national standards. We got an update on the changes that have been made so far, and what's left to be done.


Segment 2, beginning at 26:24: If you're a fan of Kansas City jazz, you're a fan of Stan Kessler.

For more than 40 years, Stan Kessler has made a living doing what he loves — pleasing jazz listeners in Kansas City and beyond. Today, the prolific performer sat down with Steve Kraske for the first time to tell tales of decades in the biz, to hear cuts off his latest album and to get his thoughts on the next generation of Kansas City jazz artists.

Copyright 2021 KCUR 89.3. To see more, visit KCUR 89.3.

Steve Kraske is an associate teaching professor of journalism at UMKC, a political columnist for The Kansas City Star and has hosted "Up to Date" since 2002. He worked as the full-time political correspondent for The Star from 1994-2013 covering national, state and local campaigns. He also has covered the statehouses in Topeka and Jefferson City.
Luke X. Martin is an assistant producer for KCUR's Up To Date.
Emily Reid