2105: “Bridges over Water, Land and Time”

Amelia Earhart Bridge: Spanning the river banks of the mighty Missouri River at Atchison, the Amelia Earhart Bridge, originally called the Mo-Kan Bridge, connects Kansas and Missouri as it has since it was built in 1937. Scheduled for demolition, we look at the reasons why it is being demolished and how KDOT is documenting its history.
Eisenhower Ridge: A group of buildings in Leavenworth, Kansas, formed a community to support soldiers returning from as far back in time as the Civil War. In recent years, a number of the buildings were scheduled to be demolished, but local residents, took on a project to save those buildings. The Pioneer Group, which is currently developing the site, now refers to the complex as “Eisenhower Ridge.”
Plains People - Jessica Vaughn: While Jessica’s husband has been stationed in Iraq with his army unit, she and their children have been living on post at Fort Riley. It’s a challenging situation that requires some coping skills to keep the family together. We meet Jessica and see how she keeps her family and her husband in contact, while awaiting his return to Kansas.

2106: “State of the Arts”

Crossroads Arts District: Over the past several years, a large part of downtown Kansas City, Missouri has undergone a major transformation as arts galleries have cropped up in old warehouses and industrial buildings. Many of these galleries and shops remain open later on the first Friday of each month as live entertainment pervades this area, known as the Crossroads Arts District.
Nelson-Atkins Museum: The Nelson-Atkins Museum is one of the nations’ premier art museums and a familiar landmark in Kansas City. A recent construction project to expand and enhance the museum has generated both national and international interest. Architect Steven Holl, whose idea was to fuse the landscape and the architecture together, designed an addition that pays respect to the original gallery building.
Plains People - Jon Rappleye: Some well-known artists have emerged from Kansas through the years, and many communities have served as incubators for artists to develop their skills. In this segment we meet a man who temporarily leaves his New York workspace to become an artist-in-residence at the Salina Art Center, not only to teach, but also to learn how this Kansas community supports the arts.