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Homeless Camp Proposal | Artist Wes Benson

Segment 1, beginning at 4:49: The Downtown Council is proposing a temporary camp to help Kansas City's homeless.

The homeless population in Kansas City could be approaching Great Depression levels because shelters can't take in as many people during the pandemic. The Downtown Council has stepped into the breach by supporting a series of organizations that help the homeless and proposing a temporary homeless camp near the Paseo.

Segment 2, beginning at 28:54: How a Kansas City artist found his path to surviving addiction.

After a long battle, Kansas City artist Wes Benson conquered his addiction to opioids. Today, he runs a secular AA group called “Freethinkers,” aimed at helping people empower themselves to recover from addiction. He also sponsors several addicts and cautions them not to backslide during a pandemic, when it’s especially easy to do so.

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.
Chris Young