Emily Woodring

A bird's eye view of the Country Club Plaza on a clear day.

The Future of the Country Club Plaza

By Cody Boston, Emily Woodring | November 16, 2023

The Kansas City PBS documentary “Nichols’ Folly: A Century of the Country Club Plaza” explores the complicated history behind the nation’s first planned suburban shopping center. This month, “Flatland in Focus” examines the future of the Country Club Plaza and what changes are in store as new ownership is poised to begin the next chapter for…

The Country Club Plaza with the fountain at Mill Creek Park in the foreground.

Nichols’ Folly: A Century of the Country Club Plaza

By Brian Burnes, Emily Woodring | November 9, 2023

The Country Club Plaza, as it marks its centennial, is at a crossroads. J.C. Nichols' iconic district is seen both as private property and public trust.

A vendor of infused baked goods at KC Cannafest.

Happy 4/20 in Kansas City

By Cami Koons, Emily Woodring | April 20, 2023

KC Cannafest occupied the Crossroads last week as attendees prepared to celebrate the first 4/20 day since Missouri voters approved recreational marijuana.

Close up of a hand holding a lighter up to the end of a joint.

Missouri’s Rapid Transition to Recreational Marijuana Pays Off

By Cami Koons, Emily Woodring | February 9, 2023

Recreational marijuana sales totaled $8.5 million in Missouri during the first three days ending on Sunday. That was more than twice as much as medical marijuana sales during the same period.

Turning Ugly Food Waste into Delightful Meals

By Emily Woodring | July 22, 2022

Kanbe’s Markets, which diverts food otherwise headed to landfills, has teamed up with restaurants to see what their chefs could come up with using “ugly food."

A bourbon once made by Ben Holladay, one of the region’s most successful early business magnates, is being resurrected in Weston, Missouri.

Pre-Civil War Era Missouri Bourbon is Being Resurrected in Weston

By Emily Woodring | May 20, 2022

Holladay Distillery is releasing a bottled-in-bond bourbon, Ben Holladay Missouri Straight Bourbon, for the first time in over 35 years.

woman with blonde hair and plant in the background.

Perfectly Imperfect: Will Kansas Finally See Medical Marijuana Legalization?

By Cami Koons, Emily Woodring | April 20, 2022

After a decade of failed attempts, the Kansas Legislature is as close as it's ever been to approving medical marijuana. Here's how it happened.

‘Womyn’s Land’: A Rural Version of ‘Womontown’

By Sandy Woodson, Emily Woodring | March 16, 2022

Like Womontown, Womyn's Land was created as a place for lesbians who wanted to withdraw from an oppressive "mainstream world" to feel safe and empowered.