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Ever wonder what the Plains Indians used for food? If you answered bison or buffalo, you are partially correct. There's no denying the importance of bison in the diet of Plains Indians but wild plants also complimented their diet. A KU professor's book explores the prairie turnips, chokecherries and other wild foods that can still be found and eaten today.
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This year marks the 60th anniversary of the deadliest aviation disaster in Kansas history. The tragedy took place in Wichita. Commentator Rex Buchanan recently visited a memorial that honors the victims.
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The Kansas Flint Hills has lost one of its strongest voices. Author Jim Hoy died Saturday, February 22, 2025. The 86-year-old professor and prolific writer died within hours of son, Josh.
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A new exhibit at the Spencer Museum of Art, called "Native Fashion," is getting high praise from someone who says he doesn't know, understand or even care about fashion. Hear why Commentator Rex Buchanan is so enthralled with this exhibit, even though he is no slave to fashion himself.
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At the end of World War II, a Kansas soldier played a key role in bringing Nazi war criminals to justice. The man from Phillipsburg had to figure out how to construct a courtroom to hold numerous defendants, lawyers, judges, translators and the media - all in one place. Commentator Katie Keckeisen tells us about this Kansas connection to the Nuremberg Trials, which began 79 years ago today.
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Kansas has more than 4,000 wind turbines. The state now gets almost half of its energy from wind power. That's good news. But maybe not as good as you think.
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Super storms are in the news. Hurricanes, a polar vortex and record-breaking heat. These weather phenomena are not only bad for humans. They are energy disasters. It's time to modernize and harden the grid.
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Public meetings are a chance for the public to weigh in on important topics. They're also a chance to listen to what others have to say.
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Fossils are both rare and... seemingly everywhere. A very small percentage of ancient plant and animal life became fossils. Yet, the authors of a new book say fossils can still be found in so many places, especially in the western U.S.
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There's something compelling about visiting historic sites, particularly places where sad and tragic events unfolded. Commentator Rex Buchanan visits two places that conjure up dark images from America's distant and not so distant past.
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Do you like food? What about reading about food? KPR Commentator Katie Keckeisen tells us about a woman from Riley County who changed the way we eat, and the way we think and write about food. Listen to the story of Clementine Paddleford, the Kansas woman who became America's first food writer.
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A new book examines the natural world inside the Kaw basin, that area of land that drains into the Kansas River. The book is called In the Country of the Kaw, by James Locklear. Commentator Rex Buchanan gives us his review.