Celia Llopis-Jepsen
@celialj.bsky.social
Host of the NPR Network podcast Up From Dust, about ecology & environment in the Midwest & Great Plains. Based at KCUR in Kansas City. https://t.co/lgdus2FRqA
Pinned
New episode of Up From Dust! An adventure on the Kansas River with people who love it and are making it a better place: www.kcur.org/2025-07-02/k...
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
In a list of the most important technologies that have shaped the American West, barbed wire would be near the top. It's great for the livestock industry, but can harm wildlife.
Barbed wire fences dot the West. There’s a growing movement to take them down -- for wildlife
Every two and a half miles of barbed wire is responsible for killing one deer, elk or pronghorn a year, one study estimated.
n.pr
November 5, 2025 at 4:13 PM
In a list of the most important technologies that have shaped the American West, barbed wire would be near the top. It's great for the livestock industry, but can harm wildlife.
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
My colleague @dmehro.bsky.social and I have been working on this for a year -- a hacked list of the Kansas City, Kansas, Police officers who are on the department's misconduct list. www.kcur.org/news/2025-11...
Hack exposes Kansas City, Kansas, Police's secret officer misconduct list
A major breach of the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department reveals for the first time, a list of alleged officer misconduct including dishonesty, sexual harassment, excessive force, and false arrest...
www.kcur.org
November 3, 2025 at 3:46 PM
My colleague @dmehro.bsky.social and I have been working on this for a year -- a hacked list of the Kansas City, Kansas, Police officers who are on the department's misconduct list. www.kcur.org/news/2025-11...
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
As the federal government shutdown drags on, tens of millions of people are at risk of losing food and nutrition aid as a result - including in Missouri and Kansas.
KCUR and NPR want to hear from you about the potential loss or delay of these food benefits.
KCUR and NPR want to hear from you about the potential loss or delay of these food benefits.
Are you worried about your SNAP benefits in Missouri or Kansas? NPR wants to hear your story
As the federal government shutdown drags on, tens of millions of people are at risk of losing food and nutrition aid as a result. KCUR and NPR want to hear from you about the potential loss or delay of these food benefits.
www.kcur.org
October 29, 2025 at 10:02 PM
As the federal government shutdown drags on, tens of millions of people are at risk of losing food and nutrition aid as a result - including in Missouri and Kansas.
KCUR and NPR want to hear from you about the potential loss or delay of these food benefits.
KCUR and NPR want to hear from you about the potential loss or delay of these food benefits.
A nuclear startup wants to put a reactor 1 mile underground in #Kansas. #ksleg
Deep Fission says it can help tech companies meet the "explosive demand" for more energy to power #ArtificialIntelligence. www.kcur.org/news/2025-10... #datacenters #AI
Deep Fission says it can help tech companies meet the "explosive demand" for more energy to power #ArtificialIntelligence. www.kcur.org/news/2025-10... #datacenters #AI
A nuclear startup wants to put a reactor 1 mile underground in Kansas
Deep Fission is a fledgling startup that says it can help tech companies meet the "explosive demand" for more energy to power artificial intelligence.
www.kcur.org
October 13, 2025 at 3:21 PM
A nuclear startup wants to put a reactor 1 mile underground in #Kansas. #ksleg
Deep Fission says it can help tech companies meet the "explosive demand" for more energy to power #ArtificialIntelligence. www.kcur.org/news/2025-10... #datacenters #AI
Deep Fission says it can help tech companies meet the "explosive demand" for more energy to power #ArtificialIntelligence. www.kcur.org/news/2025-10... #datacenters #AI
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
TerraPower began construction last month on its first power plant of this kind in southwest Wyoming as a $4 billion demonstration project cofunded by the U.S. Department of Energy. Now it is interested in building one in Kansas.
Kansas could get its second nuclear power plant — this time with a new, advanced design
A company cofounded by Bill Gates will explore building a reactor in Kansas. It would generate power without emissions, but environmental groups have concerns.
www.kcur.org
September 26, 2025 at 4:31 PM
TerraPower began construction last month on its first power plant of this kind in southwest Wyoming as a $4 billion demonstration project cofunded by the U.S. Department of Energy. Now it is interested in building one in Kansas.
Kansas could get a second nuclear power plant. This one would be advanced nuclear power -- built by a company cofounded by Bill Gates. Deets here. Plus the reasons why KS clean energy advocates have some concerns: www.kcur.org/environment-... #cleanenergy
Kansas could get its second nuclear power plant — this time with a new, advanced design
A company cofounded by Bill Gates will explore building a reactor in Kansas. It would generate power without emissions, but environmental groups have concerns.
www.kcur.org
September 26, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Kansas could get a second nuclear power plant. This one would be advanced nuclear power -- built by a company cofounded by Bill Gates. Deets here. Plus the reasons why KS clean energy advocates have some concerns: www.kcur.org/environment-... #cleanenergy
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
For the first time, NPR's Student Podcast Challenge has a returning champion: a California fifth grader who explored a dark chapter in U.S. history during World War II.
NPR's middle school champion: A moving podcast about Japanese incarceration
For the first time, NPR's Student Podcast Challenge has a returning champion: a California fifth grader who explored a dark chapter in U.S. history during World War II.
n.pr
September 24, 2025 at 1:54 PM
For the first time, NPR's Student Podcast Challenge has a returning champion: a California fifth grader who explored a dark chapter in U.S. history during World War II.
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
Happy autumn equinox! ✨🍁🦇🍄🟫🍃🦔 Here’s a little autumn critter parade to wish you an invigorating and beautiful fresh season ahead 🧡🦝🍂🎃
I painted this a little while back using gouache paints, which I don’t use very often, hoping to experiment with them more soon! 🎨
I painted this a little while back using gouache paints, which I don’t use very often, hoping to experiment with them more soon! 🎨
September 23, 2025 at 5:38 AM
Happy autumn equinox! ✨🍁🦇🍄🟫🍃🦔 Here’s a little autumn critter parade to wish you an invigorating and beautiful fresh season ahead 🧡🦝🍂🎃
I painted this a little while back using gouache paints, which I don’t use very often, hoping to experiment with them more soon! 🎨
I painted this a little while back using gouache paints, which I don’t use very often, hoping to experiment with them more soon! 🎨
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
Despite video evidence of an attack clearly showing Philip March fighting for control with a man in the driver's seat of his car, Hazelwood's police and prosecuting attorney focused their attention on March. (@stlpublicradio.bsky.social)
A Missouri man was attacked and carjacked at a QuikTrip. Why is the city prosecuting the victim?
Surveillance footage shows Philip March being pummeled and robbed of his car keys in 2022. Hazelwood is prosecuting him for property damage.
www.kcur.org
September 23, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Despite video evidence of an attack clearly showing Philip March fighting for control with a man in the driver's seat of his car, Hazelwood's police and prosecuting attorney focused their attention on March. (@stlpublicradio.bsky.social)
The US Army Corps of Engineers is doing a test run of an underwater dredging method right now in Kansas. This method hasn't been used on a lake before, so it's unclear whether it will work: www.kcur.org/news/2025-09...
Mud swallowed half of this Kansas lake. Engineers think they can fight back
In dry years, Tuttle Creek Lake and other reservoirs keep the Kansas River flowing strong enough to provide drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people. But these manmade lakes are disappearing...
www.kcur.org
September 19, 2025 at 2:25 PM
The US Army Corps of Engineers is doing a test run of an underwater dredging method right now in Kansas. This method hasn't been used on a lake before, so it's unclear whether it will work: www.kcur.org/news/2025-09...
Industrial waste processing & recycling plant could get a vote tonight in KCK without the expected public meetings. Neighbors in the low-income, predominantly Hispanic neighborhood are worried about the facility.
www.kcur.org/news/2025-09...
www.kcur.org/news/2025-09...
Industrial waste plant could get a vote in Wyandotte County without expected public meetings
Last month, Kansas City, Kansas, planning commissioners delayed their vote on a permit for 30 days and told the company that it must do more to meet with the public. Members of the community are conce...
www.kcur.org
September 8, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Industrial waste processing & recycling plant could get a vote tonight in KCK without the expected public meetings. Neighbors in the low-income, predominantly Hispanic neighborhood are worried about the facility.
www.kcur.org/news/2025-09...
www.kcur.org/news/2025-09...
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
Lead exposure is a common issue in southeast Kansas and nearby parts of Missouri and Oklahoma. Health experts say there are few accessible resources for high-risk communities. https://loom.ly/0qlxmW0
July 15, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Lead exposure is a common issue in southeast Kansas and nearby parts of Missouri and Oklahoma. Health experts say there are few accessible resources for high-risk communities. https://loom.ly/0qlxmW0
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
The Senate voted by a razor-thin margin late Tuesday to advance debate on a package of funding cuts requested by President Trump that would claw back $1.1 billion previously allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. (@npr.org) https://loom.ly/XzCPOQs
Senate set to debate cuts to NPR, PBS and foreign aid
The Senate voted by a razor-thin margin late Tuesday to advance debate on a package of funding cuts requested by President Trump that would claw back $1.1 billion previously allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
www.kcur.org
July 16, 2025 at 2:05 PM
The Senate voted by a razor-thin margin late Tuesday to advance debate on a package of funding cuts requested by President Trump that would claw back $1.1 billion previously allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. (@npr.org) https://loom.ly/XzCPOQs
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
208 counties in the U.S. are now considered news deserts without a single source of local news. More than half of the nation’s 3,000+ counties have little to no local news left.
Public radio is countering this, providing local, quality content. Tell Congress to protect it. protectmypublicmedia.org
Public radio is countering this, providing local, quality content. Tell Congress to protect it. protectmypublicmedia.org
July 15, 2025 at 2:41 PM
208 counties in the U.S. are now considered news deserts without a single source of local news. More than half of the nation’s 3,000+ counties have little to no local news left.
Public radio is countering this, providing local, quality content. Tell Congress to protect it. protectmypublicmedia.org
Public radio is countering this, providing local, quality content. Tell Congress to protect it. protectmypublicmedia.org
New episode of Up From Dust! An adventure on the Kansas River with people who love it and are making it a better place: www.kcur.org/2025-07-02/k...
July 2, 2025 at 2:07 PM
New episode of Up From Dust! An adventure on the Kansas River with people who love it and are making it a better place: www.kcur.org/2025-07-02/k...
How to pick the right fixtures and bulbs for wildlife-friendly outdoor lighting at home | www.kcur.org/news/2025-07...
How to pick the right fixtures and bulbs for wildlife-friendly outdoor lighting at home
Well-designed lighting lets people see at night while reducing the negative impacts of artificial light on pollinators and birds. It's also better for human sleep.
www.kcur.org
July 1, 2025 at 2:06 PM
How to pick the right fixtures and bulbs for wildlife-friendly outdoor lighting at home | www.kcur.org/news/2025-07...
"The House just passed a bill to take back $1.1 billion in public media broadcasting funding that has already been approved by Congress." www.kcur.org/inside-kcur/...
U.S. House voted to revoke public media funding, an unprecedented threat for KCUR and NPR
A narrow majority of the House voted to rescind existing funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, sending the proposal to the U.S. Senate. If approved, this bill represents an existential...
www.kcur.org
June 13, 2025 at 2:17 AM
"The House just passed a bill to take back $1.1 billion in public media broadcasting funding that has already been approved by Congress." www.kcur.org/inside-kcur/...
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
This might be the absolute greatest reply we have ever received.
Thank you, Cookie Monster 📕🍪💙
Thank you, Cookie Monster 📕🍪💙
June 5, 2025 at 1:19 PM
This might be the absolute greatest reply we have ever received.
Thank you, Cookie Monster 📕🍪💙
Thank you, Cookie Monster 📕🍪💙
President Trump is asking lawmakers to claw back the $1.1 billion in federal subsidies for public broadcasting that Congress approved earlier this year. www.kcur.org/politics-ele...
Trump asks Congress to wipe out funding for public broadcasting
President Trump is asking lawmakers to claw back the $1.1 billion in federal subsidies for public broadcasting that Congress approved earlier this year. Such a funding cut would directly impact local ...
www.kcur.org
June 4, 2025 at 1:59 PM
President Trump is asking lawmakers to claw back the $1.1 billion in federal subsidies for public broadcasting that Congress approved earlier this year. www.kcur.org/politics-ele...
New ep of Up From Dust! Light pollution feels out of our control, right? Come visit the 12th urban night sky spot in the world. And hear how we actually can rein in light pollution -- with payoffs for ourselves, for wildlife and more: www.kcur.org/2025-06-03/s... #darkskies
Say no to skyglow: Smarter lighting can help save the stars
We have inadvertently filled our world with poorly designed outdoor lighting. The price? We’re losing our starry skies, hurting our health, killing pollinators, wasting billions of dollars and releasi...
www.kcur.org
June 4, 2025 at 1:06 PM
New ep of Up From Dust! Light pollution feels out of our control, right? Come visit the 12th urban night sky spot in the world. And hear how we actually can rein in light pollution -- with payoffs for ourselves, for wildlife and more: www.kcur.org/2025-06-03/s... #darkskies
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
The first prairie I planted in Kansas is only a decade old. Truly a blip in time.
May 29, 2025 at 11:38 PM
The first prairie I planted in Kansas is only a decade old. Truly a blip in time.
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
Scientists found that since 2003 the quantity of groundwater depleted in the Colorado River Basin is comparable to the total capacity of Lake Mead. Much of the depletion is occurring in Arizona, where the bulk of the water is pumped to irrigate farmland in the desert. www.latimes.com/environment/...
Groundwater is rapidly declining in the Colorado River Basin, satellite data show
As the Colorado River’s reservoirs have declined, even larger amounts of groundwater have been drained from aquifers. Using satellite data, scientists have estimated the vast water losses.
www.latimes.com
May 27, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Scientists found that since 2003 the quantity of groundwater depleted in the Colorado River Basin is comparable to the total capacity of Lake Mead. Much of the depletion is occurring in Arizona, where the bulk of the water is pumped to irrigate farmland in the desert. www.latimes.com/environment/...
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
NEWS: NPR and three Colorado public radio stations sue Trump White House over effort to ban federal funding for NPR & PBS
The lawsuit calls Trump's executive order "textbook retaliation" for protected free speech - threatening public radio
My story:
www.npr.org/2025/05/27/n...
The lawsuit calls Trump's executive order "textbook retaliation" for protected free speech - threatening public radio
My story:
www.npr.org/2025/05/27/n...
NPR and Colorado public radio stations sue Trump White House
NPR and three Colorado public radio stations are suing the Trump administration over the president's executive order seeking to ban the use of federal money for NPR and PBS.
www.npr.org
May 27, 2025 at 12:16 PM
NEWS: NPR and three Colorado public radio stations sue Trump White House over effort to ban federal funding for NPR & PBS
The lawsuit calls Trump's executive order "textbook retaliation" for protected free speech - threatening public radio
My story:
www.npr.org/2025/05/27/n...
The lawsuit calls Trump's executive order "textbook retaliation" for protected free speech - threatening public radio
My story:
www.npr.org/2025/05/27/n...
Reposted by Celia Llopis-Jepsen
So excited and honored to win an Edward R. Murrow Award today for my work covering southern Utah with @kuer.org 📻🥹🎉
Big thanks to my editors and to all the folks who trusted me to share their stories in my reporting this past year.
Full list of winning entries: www.rtdna.org/2025-regiona...
Big thanks to my editors and to all the folks who trusted me to share their stories in my reporting this past year.
Full list of winning entries: www.rtdna.org/2025-regiona...
May 14, 2025 at 4:19 PM
So excited and honored to win an Edward R. Murrow Award today for my work covering southern Utah with @kuer.org 📻🥹🎉
Big thanks to my editors and to all the folks who trusted me to share their stories in my reporting this past year.
Full list of winning entries: www.rtdna.org/2025-regiona...
Big thanks to my editors and to all the folks who trusted me to share their stories in my reporting this past year.
Full list of winning entries: www.rtdna.org/2025-regiona...
Humans are killing helpful insects in hundreds of ways − simple steps can reduce the harm | theconversation.com/humans-are-k...
Humans are killing helpful insects in hundreds of ways − simple steps can reduce the harm
Insects are often under pressure from several threats at once, from pesticides to habitat loss to pollution.
theconversation.com
May 9, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Humans are killing helpful insects in hundreds of ways − simple steps can reduce the harm | theconversation.com/humans-are-k...