farmer

Without stable policy, low-carbon fuels struggle to find footing

The federal government’s complex set of rules meant to spur a renewable fuels industry has fallen behind one of its main goals: cut greenhouse emissions from gasoline. Nearly a decade after the rules were drafted, low-carbon fuels have yet to arrive. The Environmental Protection Agency says it will propose tweaks to the nation’s ethanol policy…

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Kansas Insurance Department Predicts Jump In 2016 Premiums

The Kansas Insurance Department on Tuesday said that premiums for some individual and small-group health plans are likely to increase by as much as 38 percent for 2016.

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Bike shop owner Allen Voss

Extensive Missouri Bike Trail Plan Creates Both Hope and Lawsuits

Just outside St. Louis, Missouri, on a high, windy bluff overlooking the Missouri River, a trio of grey-haired cyclists pump up tires and make adjustments to their bikes while their friend Henry Lazarski paces the parking lot, eager to get rolling.

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Mike Burke on the set of Ruckus

Is a $300 million downtown convention hotel worth it?

In 2018, Kansas City will formally open an 800-room, $300 million convention center hotel downtown. However, this project does not fall solely upon the private sector, such as the Hyatt corporation which will run the hotel. Kansas City has given the project tax breaks and other potential benefits including exclusive catering rights. Civic leaders such as Mike…

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Caleb Schraeder, Bespoke

BetaBlox Demo Day pitch: Caleb Schraeder & Bespoke Woodworks

Caleb Schraeder pitched his startup Bespoke Woodworks, which produces museum quality conceptual furniture, at this year’s BetaBlox Demo Day event.   Watch the BetaBlox Demo Day videos each Wednesday online at FlatlandKC.org and on KCPT Thursdays at 7:25 p.m., following Ruckus.   “The Philosopher Woodworker | Caleb Schraeder” Video & (8) Stills Attribution Registered Copyright…

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From the NewsHour: The Legacy of Head Start

Fifty years ago today, President Lyndon Johnson announced the creation of Head Start, the government program designed to support low-income children and families. In its latest American Graduate report, the NewsHour’s April Brown produced this story abut how the program has impacted the lives of millions of children.

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Why ‘Going Local’ is a challenge for chefs and farmers

It’s no longer enough for a restaurant to offer roasted chicken or braised beef shank on their menu. They need to be able to tell customers exactly where that chicken came from and how the cow was raised. If they can remember the pedigree of the produce? All the better. But serving locally-sourced food is a challenge for chefs, and the farmer-foodie connections aren’t always easy to come by.

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Fighting Junk-Food Marketing, in KCK

For customers stepping inside Abarrotes Delicias, the noise, traffic and heat of the surrounding Kansas City, Kansas, neighborhood seem to disappear. The small store offers everything from tacos to snacks to money transfers – or just an air-conditioned place to hang out and watch TV on a lazy afternoon. Owner Graciela Martinez says she tries to provide a welcoming personal touch when serving her customers, who comprise a diverse sample of nearby residents.

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Kansas Legislature Makes No Move To Shield ACA Subsidies

Some state legislatures are moving to shield residents’ federal health insurance subsidies in advance of a U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding the Affordable Care Act. The Kansas Legislature is not among them. As Kansas lawmakers work toward a tax plan to end the 2015 session, they have not had any briefings on the King v….

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A gluten-free pantry, for those who really need it

Whatever someone’s route to gluten-free living might be, they soon find out it’s a bigger change than just giving up baked goods. “It’s expensive,” says Karen Miller, a retired dietitian who helped out at the Wednesday open house of the ReNewed Health Allergy Friendly and Gluten Free Food Pantry in Overland Park, Kansas.

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