Former Kansas governors Kathleen Sebelius and Mike Hayden express their concern about the shifting balance of power in the Kansas Statehouse. It's the 2025 Dole Forum from KU's Dole Institute of Politics, moderated by Katie Bernard of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

We celebrate Kansas Day with a couple of poems submitted by Peg Nichols of Olathe and Diane Sorensen of Wichita.

We visit with artist Phyllis Garibay Coon Pease, the creator of "Rebel Women," the new mural at the Kansas Capitol honoring the Kansas women who fought for the right to vote. Also, we hear from travel writer and explorer Roxie Yonkey, author of "Historic Kansas Roadsides." Finally, a couple of Kansas-themed poems to celebrate Kansas Day.

Kansas lawmakers kick off their 2025 session this week. We preview the session with KPR Statehouse Bureau Chief Daniel Caudill, and look back at the November elections that got us here with highlights from the Dole Institute of Politics Post-Election Conference.

Kansas Poet Laureate Traci Brimhall joins us to talk about poetry and to challenge listeners to write their own "Dear Kansas" letter-poem in celebration of Kansas Day.

Climate change, economic collapse, coming of age... set in the year 2024. The KPR Presents Book Club discusses Octavia Butler's groundbreaking Parable of the Sower.

Join the Ghosts of KPR Staff Past and Present as they read Charles Dickens' classic holiday tale, A Christmas Carol.

Kansas Notable author Nghiem Tran talks about his haunting novella, We're Safe When We're Alone. Plus, we remember poet Nikki Giovanni who passed away December 9, 2024.

It's a preview of the world premiere of SugarPlum, a new Nutcracker-inspired musical created by David Gomez and Julie Danielson. SugarPlum is playing at Music Theatre Kansas City from December 13-22.

A book for all you KU fans! Rebecca Ozier Schulte is the author of "The Jayhawk: The Story of the University of Kansas' Beloved Mascot." Her conversation with KPR's Kaye McIntyre is part of our 2024 Kansas Notable Book series.