News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
Going Bare Down There Can Boost The Risk Of STDs
Next time you get a Brazilian wax or do a little manscaping you may be getting more than you bargained for. Banishing hair downstairs may increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections.
Take 5 For Your Health
Dancing To Defeat Diabetes: Kansas City Doctor Aims To Reduce Disease’s Toll Most Tuesday mornings, the Palestine Senior Activity Center in Kansas City is a pretty quiet place. But recently, high schoolers, community workers and seniors crowded the parking lot. Lots of curious neighbors peeked from porches and through the gates to see what the…
By Planting Corn, A Native American Man Hopes To Return To Indigenous Foods
Long before European settlers plowed the Plains, corn was an important part of the diet of Native American tribes like the Omaha, Ponca and Cherokee. Today, members of some tribes are hoping to revive their food and farming traditions by planting the kinds of indigenous crops their ancestors once grew. Taylor Keen is hoping to…
Uber Now Tracks Passengers’ Locations Even After They’re Dropped Off
Its latest update prompts users to allow Uber access to their location, even when the app isn’t in use. Uber says the move will improve service and safety, but it raises worries for privacy advocates.
6 Potential Brain Benefits Of Bilingual Education
Kids are showing reading gains in dual-language classrooms. There may be underlying brain advantages at work.
The Weekend Starts Today
The Holiday season is fully upon us. Sure, it’s a season of consumerist excess. Whatever. Quit your Grinching. Whether you’re Christian, Muslim, Jewish, atheist, pagan, or none of the above, everyone loves pretty lights and presents. This week, we have a few ways to give yourself the gift of fun by getting out to enjoy…
Take 5 For Your Health
Douglas County, Kansas, Officials Say Jail Plan Will Help Inmates With Mental Health Issues The “special management” unit on the third floor of the Douglas County Jail is where county officials place inmates with medical needs, including mental illness. It’s next to the jail’s maximum security unit, separated by a single wall. Both units have…
5 Ways Drones Bring Food to Your Table
Unmanned machines may improve agricultural practices as the use of drones continues to evolve from hobby to military use and now to agriculture. Farmers have begun to use drones to inspect crops, detect diseases, and deliver chemicals. This technology is expected to increase crop yields and save growers time and money. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle…
Down Economy Has Many Midwest Farmers Looking For Agronomists’ Advice
As another harvest season wraps up, Midwest farmers are once again facing low commodity prices amid enormous supplies. And when they recover from the long days bringing in the grain, they will eventually sit down with their books and try to figure out how best to farm again next year. Many will turn to an…
Commentary |Walls That Unite
One morning in June 2007, I stopped by the construction site of a Habitat for Humanity house in the 3700 block of Flora Avenue and noticed that work had come to a temporary halt. As I explained soon after that in a Kansas City Star column, someone at the site had noticed that something didn’t…