Irish beef imports approved after 15-year European ban

By | January 9, 2015

Ireland will be the first European Union country allowed to send beef to U.S. dinner tables, more than 15 years after a deadly outbreak of mad cow disease in Europe led U.S. regulators to ban European beef imports. The ban on EU beef imports was lifted in March and Ireland’s beef production systems passed a…

Edward Snowden on cyber warfare

By | January 9, 2015

When Sony pulled ‘The Interview’ from theaters in December it turned the spotlight onto cyber attacks, and their power to disrupt. In an exclusive interview with Edward Snowden, for an upcoming new film about cyber warfare, journalist James Bamford talked with the former National Security Agency contractor who made headlines after leaking thousands of classified…

Primary care docs in Kansas and Missouri face medicaid cuts

By | January 8, 2015

Starting this month primary care physicians in much of the country, including Kansas and Missouri, will be paid less for seeing Medicaid patients. The expiration of a federal incentive program in the Affordable Care Act is responsible for the reduction. Nationally, the average fee reduction is expected to be nearly 43 percent, according to a recent…

From ‘Half the Sky’ to ‘A Path Appears’

By | January 8, 2015

Two years ago, PBS stations across the country broadcast “Half The Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide,” a documentary dedicated to examining gender equality. Based on the book by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, the film examines issues including sex trafficking, maternal mortality, education and economic equality for women and…

Bilingual first

By | January 7, 2015

Clara Reyes is the founder, editor and publisher of Dos Mundos, Kansas City’s bilingual newspaper. The paper will begin its 35th year of publishing later this year.

Donation is ingredient for success at NKC School District’s culinary program

By | January 7, 2015

Karla Santos and Husef Rizvanovic, a junior and senior from North Kansas City High School, lift heavy cardboard boxes full of whole chickens. They’re playing a sort of refrigerator Tetris, struggling to fit the boxes of poultry into the classroom fridges at North Kansas City High School. After rearranging twice, they still can’t get the…

Teachers: how much do you spend on classroom supplies?

By | January 7, 2015

Share your insights with Tell KC.

ACA navigation company draws criticism from KC health advocates

By | January 7, 2015

A Maryland company that has reaped millions of dollars in federal health-reform grants for work around the country is drawing fire for its performance in the Kansas City area. Critics say that Advanced Patient Advocacy (APA), a privately held company, has been slow off the mark in its role as a “navigator” organization, charged with helping consumers find coverage through the health insurance marketplace established by the Affordable Care Act.

‘Racism … it’s not meant to be seen, but you can definitely feel it.’

By | January 6, 2015

Kian Shafé came to the United States in 1955 on a student visa from Tehran, Iran. The youngest of four children, he came to study in the U.S. after political shifts interrupted his education in Iran. In the video above, Kian, his children and his grandchildren share their thoughts on racism and prejudice in America.

KC flu ‘epidemic’? It’s not as scary as it sounds

By | January 5, 2015

The phrase “flu epidemic” might raise alarm bells for some, but don’t let headlines about this season’s outbreak scare you too much. “The ‘epidemic’ designation is basically just a way we characterizes whether flu season has started or not,” says Erin Burns, a health communications specialist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s influenza division.

5 things you might not know about ‘Rich Hill’

By | January 5, 2015

PBS stations around the country will air “Rich Hill” tonight, a documentary chronicling the everyday lives of three young boys and their families in Rich Hill, Missouri. It’s an intimate story of poverty, family and the modern American Dream. Co-director and producer Tracy Droz Tragos spoke with Flatland about the film and her hopes for…

In Missouri legislature, stage may be set for more abortion restrictions

By | January 5, 2015

Missouri’s abortion regulations, among the strictest in the nation, may get even stricter. Several lawmakers have already pre-filed abortion-related legislation in both the state House of Representatives and Senate.

How your food gets the ‘Non-GMO’ label

By | January 2, 2015

Demand for products that don’t contain genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, is exploding. Many food companies are seeking certification that their products don’t have any genetically modified ingredients, and not just the brands popular in the health food aisle. Even plain Cheerios, that iconic cereal from General Mills, no longer contains GMOs. “We currently are…

Concerns remain over super chemical meant to fight super weeds

By | January 1, 2015

Farmers engaged in an epic struggle with “superweeds” – weeds that don’t die even when sprayed with herbicide – are looking for help from a new super chemical that’s about to hit the market. Currently the last line of defense against weeds not felled by other herbicides, the new chemical could be defeated if it…

Are burn pits a possible answer for the mysterious ailments reported by veterans?

By | December 31, 2014

Many veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts believe their health was affected by exposure to the burn pits and other potential environmental hazards. But there is not enough data to determine whether that exposure caused or contributed to the health problems they are struggling with now that they are home.