News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
Muslim Like Me | A ‘Country That Lets You Dream and Think’
According to the Pew Research Center, Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, and Muslims currently make up just less than 1 percent of the total U.S. population. Pew projects the numbers of Muslims in America to grow to 2.1 percent of the population by the year 2050. What these findings suggest is that Islam,…
Take 5 For Your Health
Missouri Law Restricting Insurance Navigators Is Pre-Empted By ACA, Judge Rules A federal judge says that Obamacare navigators may dispense advice to those looking for insurance under the federal health reform law. U.S. District Judge Ortrie Smith on Wednesday struck down provisions of a Missouri law that bars insurance navigators from giving advice about health…
Fountain City Frequency | Making History in Missouri Politics
Fountain City Frequency’s Matt Hodapp sat down with Kansas City Councilmember Jolie Justus to talk about her historical tenure as the first openly-gay member of the Missouri State Senate, where she served from 2007-2015. Here, and in the accompanying podcast, Justus gives the back story on her experience serving in the Missouri Legislature. Two years before…
Muslim Like Me | Powered by Love, Acceptance, and Coffee
According to the Pew Research Center, Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, and Muslims currently make up just less than 1 percent of the total U.S. population. Pew projects the numbers of Muslims in America to grow to 2.1 percent of the population by the year 2050. What these findings suggest is that…
Searching for the ‘Smart’ in New Kiosks
Kansas City officials finally debuted the first tangible development in becoming a “smart city.” As the Big 12 tournament took center stage recently at the Sprint Center, bringing thousands into the Power & Light District, two interactive touch-screen kiosks were installed on the 1300th block of Grand Ave. As part of Kansas City’s Smart City Initiative, these two…
Kansas City Health-Funding Battle Headed to City Council
A simmering dispute over spending from a multimillion dollar health fund is scheduled to come to a head next Thursday as the Kansas City Council considers the city budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget would reallocate the $31 million in health levy funding that supports indigent care at six hospitals and clinics, including…
Commentary | Putting a ‘solid rocket booster’ on my journalism
KCPT Reporter Mike McGraw looks back on the experience of putting his journalism on the stage with StoryWorks KC.
Take 5 For Your Health
Missouri, Kansas Health Centers Get Grants To Combat Opioid Abuse With overdose deaths from painkillers, or opioids, on the rise, the federal government is giving $3.8 million to health centers in Missouri and Kansas to combat the epidemic. The grants are among $94 million the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is awarding to…
Fountain City Frequency |Getting Real About A Complex Diagnosis
Kevin Bryce is a filmmaker from Kansas City, Missouri. His 2012 documentary “We Are Superman” (produced by Re:Dream‘s Christopher Cook) explored the after-effects of hyper-segregation on Troost, and a movement trying to transform it from a dividing line into a gathering place. Bryce’s newest documentary “All These Flowers” investigates bipolar disorder through the stories of six people who been…
Combating Cancer with a Vaccine
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common of all sexually transmitted infections, with more than 100 different types. It causes almost all cases of cervical cancer, and to a lesser extent is to blame for several other cancers, including mouth and throat. A three-dose vaccine significantly reduces the chances of contracting an HPV-related cancer, especially…