News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
How Kansas Welfare Restrictions Could Lead to More Kids in Foster Care
Less than three weeks after signing a bill that’s expected to drop 700 youngsters from the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, Gov. Sam Brownback on Tuesday urged more Kansas families to open their homes to abused and neglected children.
How Johnson County Is ‘Stepping Up’ for Inmates and Mental Health
Johnson County was one of four communities nationwide introduced Tuesday as initial participants in a broad effort aimed at reducing the number of mentally ill individuals in local jails. Dubbed “Stepping Up,” the initiative is a combined effort of the National Association of Counties, the Council of State Governments Justice Center and the American Psychiatric Foundation.
The Fight Against Cervical Cancer is Winnable. So Why Is Kansas Losing?
If all it took were a few shots to virtually eliminate the chances of contracting one type of cancer, you’d think at-risk people would be lining up for treatment in droves. There is, in fact, a three-dose regimen that experts say essentially prevents cervical cancer, which is newly diagnosed in more than 12,000 American women…
Making exercise fun through drumming
For senior citizens, a good way to get some exercise is through group fitness classes like Drums Alive at the Matt Ross Community Center in Overland Park, Kansas. Debbie Shearer teaches the class. She said introducing exercise into senior citizens’ routines is “part of staying alive.” “If you don’t use it, you are going to…
A tale of two counties, with two different health outcomes
When it comes to standard measures of health, Kansas is a laggard. Whether we’re talking about obesity rates, incidence of diabetes, acute or chronic diseases, or childhood mortality, the Sunflower State typically ranks in the bottom half of state health rankings – and in recent years it’s been sinking even lower.
KC Checkup: Four Questions for Danette Wilson
Danette K. Wilson took over as president and chief executive officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City in January, taking the reins from David Gentile, who stepped down for health reasons.
A new plan for climate change, from the USDA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a new plan that offers incentives to farmers who volunteer to take steps that would help cut agriculture’s contribution to climate change. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, speaking to an audience at Michigan State University, said the proposal will give farmers, ranchers, and foresters the technical support and financial incentive to implement more conservation measures on their land and in their operations.
Why Kansas rural hospitals struggle to survive
There are a lot of small, rural hospitals in Kansas. Without them, many Kansans would have to travel long distances for care. What’s more, in many small towns, the hospital is one of the largest employers — making it vital to the local economy.
Little has changed at Elohim City, including the beliefs of the residents
Since it became notorious 20 years ago with suspicions about links to the Oklahoma City bombing, this village seems frozen in time. True, some signs of modernization have crept in. The old, dimly lit chapel has been replaced with a 7,200-square-foot worship area, residents are now equipped with cellphones and Wi-Fi — although the service…
Protest, disparity focus of annual KC civil rights summit
Since the death of Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, last August, race relations in America have been a constant topic of conversation — on front porches, at bus stops, in bars and on cable news. And it was a big part of the agenda today at the 7th Annual Civil Rights and Fair Housing Summit,…