Screenshot of map of ranked cities.

Despite high national ranking, accessibility issues remain for community members with disabilities

Overland Park was ranked as one of the most disability-friendly cities in the U.S. last month. Tell KC asked people with special-needs from around KC if this rating reflects their experience. Kansas City, Missouri, was ranked 51st out the 150 cities. Questioning OP’s ranking “I can’t believe OP was voted the highest. Their paratransit program…

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Photo of 6 panelists on stage with Cerner Health Conference logo on large screen

Health exec notes low-tech success at Cerner high-tech confab

Cerner Corp., the high-tech company based in North Kansas City, Mo., may be at the forefront of the electronic health records industry, but at its annual health conference Monday, a behavioral health executive said innovations in health care don’t necessarily have to be as advanced as the solutions developed by Cerner. Speaking on a panel…

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Photo of voting booth with handicap symbol and "Voter Instructions and Regulations" book

ADA access still an issue at KC polling places

Laura Ziegler | KCUR Lindsey Foat | The Hale Center for Journalism When Susie Haake goes to vote tomorrow, she anticipates waiting outside a closed door. “I have to wait for a volunteer to see me and open the door for me,” said Haake who cannot open the door herself. She uses a power wheelchair due…

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Kansas City Week in Review: Election Guide

Have you been too busy to focus on the election because you’ve been fixated on the Royals? Don’t despair. All is not lost. KCPT’s Nick Haines provides you with a pithy and insightful rundown of the key issues and races on both sides of state line. Joining the KCWIR team to research your Kansas and…

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Photo of crowd holding Brownback and Davis/Docking signs at debate

Health care compact gains attention as campaign issue

A once-obscure effort by a group of states to get out from under federal health care regulations has become an issue in the final days of the Kansas governor’s race. On Wednesday, Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Jill Docking teamed with Republican Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger at a Wichita news conference to criticize Republican Gov. Sam…

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Image of yarn maker handling wool during yarn-making process

In the Midwest, yarn goes local

Northwestern Colorado has a rich heritage of raising sheep – either for their meat or for wool. But for decades the sheep herd has been slipping in numbers, both nationally and in Colorado, often outcompeted by countries like New Zealand and Australia. Where there’s been a resurgence, though, has been in local, niche markets. Some…

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runners and walkers starting race

Concussion awareness event matches last year’s effort

An Overland Park, Kan., nonprofit raised $12,000 over the weekend to fund research into post-concussion syndrome among young athletes, according to the former Blue Valley High School basketball player who founded the nonprofit. Kylee Bliss established the nonprofit, HeadsUp Foundation for PCS, last year, and the organization held its second annual 10K trail run and…

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Still one heck of a season — Royals fans dance loss away at watch party

Fans watching game 7 of the World Series at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum on Wednesday night were disappointed by the Royals loss, but still very supportive of the home team. The Hale Center for Journalism’s Todd Feeback captured reactions from the crowd as they watched the San Francisco Giants defeat the Royals 3-2.

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kansas state house

Could this election swing control of Kansas House to center?

Rep. Jim Ward is a Wichita Democrat whose party loyalty has rarely been questioned, but even he says his party is likely to pick up only a few House seats in next week’s election.

But he said a few Democratic victories coupled with a few more by Republican moderates might be enough to swing the chamber currently controlled by conservative Republicans more toward the middle.

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Kansas biz community: Is Gov. Brownback’s tax plan working for you?

Share your insights and experiences with KCPT and KCUR.

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Image of green farm field with arm of off-camera person holding large beet. in the foreground.

However Colorado votes, GMO labeling debate far from over

Voters in Colorado Tuesday will decide whether or not they want the state to require labels on foods containing genetically modified ingredients, or GMOs. The 2014 ballot measure highlights a much larger national conversation about the safety and prevalence of genetically modified foods.

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Candidates

Candidates battling for insurance post differ on big issues

The top-of-the-ticket races may be commanding the most attention in this year’s Kansas election, but significant issues also are in play in some of the down-ballot contests. The insurance commissioner’s race is one example. Like the higher-profile races, it features candidates with very different perspectives on key issues. But unlike those races, the contestants remain…

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royals celebration

Royals take it to the limit

The Kansas City Royals have stretched the World Series to the limit, forcing a seventh game by erupting Tuesday night for seven runs in the second inning of a 10-0 rout of the San Francisco Giants.

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Image of Mark Farrar

‘All you fear is here’: Get terrified at Haunt

Pulsing rock music pounds in your ears. Something brushes your shoulder, and you flinch. A bloody, demented-looking teen in a bathrobe creeps in front of you, making unblinking eye contact. Lights flash, momentarily skewing your vision. A pigtailed girl next to you sobs openly. The hooded Underlord raises from the roof of a building, his voice…

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Solving the puzzling mental illness of Bhutanese refugees

Making the rounds at a public housing complex in Kansas City, Kan., community health worker Rinzin Wangmo is greeted by cheery voices and faces. As she enters a home, the heavy aroma of chopped onions stings her nose, and she hurries up a short flight of stairs to escape the burn. After gently knocking on…

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