News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
Chemical Giant Bayer Agrees To Buy Monsanto For $66 Billion
The deal will create the world’s largest supplier of seeds and agricultural chemicals, if it survives scrutiny by regulators. It’s part of a wave of agribusiness consolidations.
Take 5 For Your Health
Planned Parenthood Adds Locations In Arkansas And Oklahoma Planned Parenthood Great Plains says it has joined forces with three Planned Parenthood facilities in Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma, giving it a total of 12 health centers in four states. Formerly known as Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, the organization earlier this year expanded into central…
Pot And Pregnancy: No Harm Seen At Birth, But Many Questions Remain
Between 2 percent and 5 percent of women say they use marijuana while pregnant, according to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. And while harm to the fetus is certainly plausible since the drug crosses the placenta, the evidence has been spotty. Now a review and analysis of 31 previously published studies has…
Common Grounds | Teens Weigh In on Voting
For many first time voters, 2016 is an exciting, but head-scathingly confusing election year. Daniel Serres, 18, just graduated from Van Horn High School in Independence, Missouri and is voting in his first election. He’s received notice through the mail that he needs to sign up for selective service to the military, and Gillette marked…
The Choco Taco: Investigating The Mystery Behind A Classic American Treat
Food writer Jason Cohen took a deep dive into the history of the Choco Taco and how it is inspiring high-end chefs and ice cream vendors across the country.
Sept. 11 Marked Turning Point For Muslims In Increasingly Diverse America
Muslim Americans are more engaged in public life, and interfaith outreach efforts expanded notably after Sept. 11. But terrorism concerns continue to drive anti-Islam and anti-foreigner sentiment.
Take 5 For Your Health
Kansas Motorcycle Racer Endures Crash And Recovery Before Returning To Sport For anyone who knows Elyse McKinnon, it’s hard to imagine her not tearing down a race track on a motorcycle. But life without racing is just what the 30-year-old had to consider after a tragic crash in the summer of 2015 left her with…
FDA Fees On Industry Haven’t Fixed Delays In Generic Drug Approvals
Four years after user fees were imposed to speed up the review of generic drug applications by the Food and Drug Administration, more than 4,000 generics remain in limbo.
First U.S.-Cuba Commercial Flight In More Than 50 Years Takes Off
The first commercial flight from the U.S. to Cuba in more than half a century has taken off today, marking another milestone in the thawing relationship between the two countries. The inaugural trip is a JetBlue flight from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Santa Clara in central Cuba. And as NPR’s Scott Horsley tells our Newscast…
Take 5 For Your Health
Third Round Of Cuts Could Hit Kansas Children’s Cabinet Programs A Saline County, Kansas mom has a message for state officials wrestling with a difficult budget: Leave an autism diagnosis program alone. Allison, who wanted to be identified only by her first name to protect her family’s privacy, said a telemedicine program — funded in…