Latest health rankings include wide variation in local counties
Jim McLean — KHI News Service The Kansas side of the metropolitan area continues to be a tale of two cities, so to speak, in terms of population health. In this year’s state-by-state county health rankings, released Wednesday, Wyandotte County continued to rank near the bottom (96th out of the 98 ranked) while neighboring Johnson…
St. Aubyn named as CEO of Research Psychiatric Center
HCA Midwest Health System has named a new administrator to head up psychiatric services at Research Medical Center in Kansas City, Mo. The health system announced Tuesday that Lisa J. St. Aubyn will take over as chief executive officer of Research Psychiatric Center, which is a campus of the medical center. She succeeds Richard Failla,…
Kansas City groups pursuing mental health crisis center
By Kansas City, Mo., would be home to a regional facility aimed largely at diverting substance abusers from jail and hospital emergency rooms under a plan that has garnered support from law enforcement officials, political leaders and health care providers. The vision actually represents dual efforts that began independently, but which might coalesce as a…
Cracking the code: metro students learn to program
Computer science is a growing field. In fact, according to Code.org, it is growing so fast that the number of jobs available outnumbers the total number of computer science students in the country.
Mayor James fields questions from high school students at annual address
After his State of the City address, Kansas City, Mo., Mayor Sly James answered questions from a constituency that he wants to hear more from: students. “It’s because the progress we make as a city not only impacts the residents of today, but for generations to come,” said Mayor James towards the beginning of his…
Profile: Mike Demarais of Handprint
Mike Demarais is an entrepreneur in the Kansas City Startup Village. His company, Handprint, aims to make 3-D printing more consumer friendly through software. Demarais recently relocated his company from Boston to Kansas City.
KC Public Library to launch mobile digital lab next month
Beginning in April, children and teenagers living in the inner-city will have access to a slew of digital tools, including cameras, laptops and a 3-D printer, as well as a group adult mentors eager to share what they know. Andrea Ellis is the Digital Youth Engagement Manager for the Kansas City Public Library and is…
1 Million Cups with ImpeDx Diagnostics and notes to self
Kansas City is one of many cities that host weekly 1 Million Cups events Wednesday mornings. Despite the cold weather, people filed inside the Kauffman Foundation to see ImpeDx Diagnostics and notes to self present.
Medicaid expansion advocates rally at Statehouse
By Jim McLean KHI News Service TOPEKA — Medicaid expansion is nowhere to be found on Gov. Sam Brownback’s list of priorities and those of Republican legislative leaders as they work through a legislative session now dominated by school finance issues. But that didn’t stop nearly 200 expansion supporters from crowding into a wing of the Statehouse…
Missouri politicians hopeful of Medicaid expansion compromise
Mike Sherry – The Hale Center for Journalism Missouri policy makers might be inching toward middle ground that would expand Medicaid eligibility while reforming the safety-net program to encourage recipients to work, two key participants in the talks said Monday. The comments came from Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, and state Rep. Noel Torpey,…
KCK mayor pushes plan for ‘healthy campus’ downtown
By The southern vista from Big Eleven Lake — situated along one of the busiest streets in Kansas City, Kan. — features the crescent roof of a self-service car wash and the clutter of an auto body shop wedged onto a tiny corner lot. On Tuesday, the litter along the lake’s muddy bank included an…
Founder of Stowers Institute, Jim Stowers, dies
Jim Stowers, founder American Century Investments and the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, died Monday at the age of 90, according to a release issued jointly by the two institutions. Dave Chao, President and CEO of the Stowers Institute, released a statement regarding the death of his institute’s founder. “The Stowers Institute has been incredibly…
Educator Profile: Hannah Lofthus, Kauffman School CEO
Growing up, Hannah Lofthus changed schools every year depending on if she was living with her mother or father, who both are educators. “I’ve went everywhere from the city district school to suburban schools to rural schools,” said Lofthus, who, for the past three years, has served as the principal at the Ewing Marion Kauffman School…
UMKC wins $7 million HIV grant
Mike Sherry – The Hale Center for Journalism The University of Missouri-Kansas City said Monday that its School of Nursing and Health Studies has received its largest grant ever, a $7 million federal award to establish a national HIV-prevention resource center. The five-year grant comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The center…
Profile: Nate Olson of the Kauffman Foundation
Nate Olson works for the Kauffman Foundation and is the co-creator of 1 Million Cups, where he manages the growth and direction of the program. 1 Million Cups is the quickly expanding morning meet up for entrepreneurs in cities across the nation.