Deep Background

Players on the University of Missouri-Kansas City's softball team and their parents accused an assistant coach of sexual harassment: entering the locker room as they dressed, kissing players, telling an offensive joke. The university responded by talking to the coach and buying him a new microwave. Reporter Mará Rose Williams joins podcast hosts Dave Helling and Leah Becerra to give some updates to this quickly evolving story. For further reading: UMKC softball players say coach sexually harassed them. School bought him a microwave - https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article224102915.html UMKC softball coach accused of sexual harassment agrees to take leave of absence - https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article226144280.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Star obtained three years of the Kansas City Chiefs’ state and federal tax returns documents from a public database. Reporters Mike Hendricks and Steve Vockrodt are here to talk about what those returns showed us about pro football teams' finances. And Clay County Commissioners released a statement claiming Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway’s subpoena for records had been withdrawn. That's not entirely true. Editorial Board member Toriano Porter drops by to discuss what's going on. Dave Helling and Leah Becerra co-host. For further reading: Kansas City Chiefs’ tax returns provide rare look inside the business of pro football - https://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl/kansas-city-chiefs/article225279155.html Clay County resists scrutiny by Missouri State Auditor, both issue warring statements - https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article225537160.html Missouri auditor subpoenas Clay County, says local leaders are trying to evade audit - https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-governme

KC City Hall reporter Allison Kite joins Deep Background this week to give an update on the mayoral race ahead of the April 2 primary. Dave Helling and Leah Becerra co-host. For further reading: List of Kansas City candidates for council, mayor preview a very different City Hall - https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article224515035.html Buzz notes: Mayoral candidates want more accessible KC but disagree on how to get there - https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article225218155.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reporter Judy Thomas joins co-hosts Dave Helling and Leah Becerra to talk about "First Amendment auditors." These are citizens — often armed with cellphones, cameras and sometimes handguns — who scrutinize police stations and other public buildings by performing audits. Is it legal? Is it dangerous? Then, Star reporter Andy Marso discusses the lack of information about a death at the VA Hospital in Kansas City. For further reading: They roam public buildings, making videos. Terrorism experts say they may be dangerous - https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article224221620.html Veteran died after a confrontation at Kansas City VA hospital. Senators demand answers - https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/health-care/article222800675.html VA gives ‘totally insufficient’ response to Missouri senator query about vet’s death - https://www.kansascity.com/news/business/health-care/article224916270.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Kansas City Chiefs prepare for a home game that will determine if they go to the Super Bowl this year. Why do we care so much? And what does a successful sports franchise do for a city? Reporter Steve Vockrodt joins Dave Helling and guest co-host Aaron Randle to talk about the game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Newly-inaugurated Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly spoke with the Star's Editorial Board one week before taking the oath. What followed was an interesting and candid look at her many challenges as the state's 48th governor. We also spoke with House Speaker Ron Ryckman about his agenda for the 2019 session. Dave Helling hosts this bonus episode of Deep Background. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Kansas Statehouse reporter for both The Star and The Wichita Eagle Jonathan Shorman met up with Deep Background host Dave Helling in Topeka. On his trip to Kansas' capital, Dave also spoke with Gov.-elect Laura Kelly and House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. Look for those interviews on a bonus episode of the podcast later this week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy New Year! This week we sit down with reporter Mark Davis to talk about the economic outlook for 2019 in light of the trade war with China, the Fed’s plan with interest rates and Wall Street’s uneven December. Is a recession around the corner? Hear what economists are predicting for the new year. Also, political reporter Hunter Woodall stops by to give us a Missouri legislature preview. Dave Helling and Leah Becerra co-host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republican Congressman Kevin Yoder sits down with Deep Background host Dave Helling. They talk about Yoder's time as Kansas' 3rd district representative, his campaign and what he'll do next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Missouri GOP is demanding that the attorney leading the Secretary of State’s probe into Attorney General Josh Hawley recuse herself because of donations to Democratic candidates. Reporter Steve Vockrodt shares the latest. And Kansas City Public Schools will not support Mayor Sly James’ proposed 3/8-cent sales tax to support pre-kindergarten programs. Reporter Mará Rose Williams tells us what she's learned. Dave Helling and Leah Becerra co-host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reporter Steve Vockrodt provides an update on the scandal surrounding former Kansas City Chiefs player Kareem Hunt. And Hunter Woodall visits to talk about a bill that was filed by an incoming Republican Missouri senator to revive right-to-work after voters said "no" to it. Dave Helling and Leah Becerra co-host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of Kansas City's streets are still icy three days after the fall blizzard that hit the area. Reporter Robert Cronkleton explains why this snow storm is still an issue for the city and what you can do to get your street cleared. Also, reporter Hunter Woodall is headed to Jefferson City to cover Missouri politics. Dave Helling and Leah Becerra co-host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

University of Missouri-Kansas City professor Ashim Mitra has been suspended with pay, pending an investigation, in response to The Star's report that found he exploited foreign graduate students at the School of Pharmacy. Reporters Mará Rose Williams and Mike Hendricks join Deep Background to discuss their investigation. Dave Helling and Leah Becerra co-host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Missouri, voters approved medical marijuana last week when they passed Amendment 2. But Missourians can't start smoking just yet. This week, Reporters Tony Rizzo and Andy Marso discuss the state's next steps and whether or not Kansans will be able to partake. Dave Helling and Leah Becerra co-host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kansas and Missouri voters went to the polls on Tuesday. Now, we have our midterm election results in everything from the Kansas governor’s race to Missouri's race over a U.S. Senate seat. Reporters Bryan Lowry, Allison Kite and Lindsay Wise join our hosts to analyze the results. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A serial killer in Kansas City, never caught for a murder, attacked women over a period of five decades. Reporters Ian Cummings, Glenn E. Rice and Tony Rizzo discuss their six-part series on Robert Gross. Dave Helling hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With one week before the November election, we talk to Jason Hancock and Hunter Woodall about the issues and races that voters will be deciding in Missouri and Kansas. Dave Helling and Leah Becerra co-host this bonus episode of Deep Background. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, our podcast hosts chat with reporters about how Kansas City Public School District is looking to take a giant leap into the charter school business. Also, we talk about the implications of last week’s acquittal of two Schlitterbahn maintenance workers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's election season, so this week The Star's editorial page editor Colleen McCain Nelson joins the podcast to explain how the editorial board chooses which candidates it will endorse. Also, reporter Lynn Horsley talks about what races Johnson County will be voting on during the November election. Dave Helling and Leah Becerra co-host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could a ‘blue wave’ be coming to red Kansas? Reporter Eric Adler drops by to discuss his recent story ahead of the midterm election. And, normally, Kansas might have to take legal control of one or two nursing homes. This year, the state has taken more than 21. Reporter Andy Marso explains the implications of this. Dave Helling and Leah Becerra co-host. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices