Alex Smith
Stories by Alex Smith
States Ponder Rules of Engagement as They Reopen Amid Pandemic
Kansas, Missouri and surrounding states are taking various routes to reopen amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
Death Linked To Bourbon Virus Raises Questions About Tick-Borne Diseases
Tammy Wilson loved the outdoors and was happy to spend her days working at Meramec State Park in the central part of Missouri. Her family often stopped by to see her, most recently at the end of May “My mom had two seed ticks on her hip – I believe it was her right hip,”…
Rural Health Care Group In Leawood Says Senate Plan Will Hit Rural Hospitals Hard
The health care plan unveiled last month by the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate met with fierce opposition from hospital, doctor and patient advocacy groups. Among them was the National Rural Health Association, which is based in Leawood, Kansas, and represents doctors, nurses and hospitals in rural areas nationwide. It says the Senate plan would spell trouble…
New Rule May Worsen Backlog For Social Security Disability Claimants
By the time Stephenie Hashmi of Lenexa, Kansas, was in her mid-20s, she had achieved a lifelong dream: She was the charge nurse at one of Kansas City’s largest intensive care units. But even as she cared for patients, she realized something was off with her own health. “I remember just feeling tired and feeling…
Researcher Explores Cancer Treatments Inspired By Traditional Indian Medicine
Inside a yoga studio in midtown Kansas City, Ayurvedic medicine practitioner Sarah Kucera does a consultation for a client. In some ways, the consultation isn’t that different from a regular doctor’s checkup. Kucera asks about the patient’s health history, diet and exercise regimen while typing notes on a laptop. But there are differences. The Ayurvedic…
Residents In Kansas Town Say Water Rules Must Give — Or Feds Need To Pitch In
Pretty Prairie, Kansas, population 680, had a moment in the spotlight during the confirmation hearings for new Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt. Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran mentioned Pretty Prairie as an example of a community that’s struggling because of EPA regulations that Pruitt could ease. But residents of the tiny south central Kansas town…
Missouri Researchers Join Hunt For One Of Medicine’s Elusive Quarries: Artificial Blood
Medical researchers have made a lot of progress developing artificial versions of organs like the heart, lungs and kidneys, but one thing has stumped them: artificial blood. Blood is especially hard to recreate because it does so many things, from carrying oxygen to helping the immune system to heating and cooling the body. Now, some…
Hoping To Hire Locally, Growing Kansas City STEM Companies Try Luring Students Into Science
In the next few years, many tech businesses in Kansas City expect to do a lot of hiring, with starting salaries that most recent college graduates can only dream of. But will these jobs go to native Kansas Citians or to people recruited from other places? Some business and civic leaders are trying to tip…
Missouri Lawmakers Debate Whether Pregnancy Resource Centers Must Provide Science-Backed Information
You don’t have to drive far in Missouri to see billboards offering help to pregnant women. They’re part of the state’s Alternatives to Abortion program, which has seen a big increase in public funding in recent years. This year’s legislative debate on the program focuses on a new question: What kind of information should these…
In The Face Of More Missouri Abortion Restrictions, One Woman Tells Her Story
Anti-abortion groups in Missouri helped boost many Republican candidates to victory in November, and they’re now eagerly waiting to see how those lawmakers advance their cause. Missouri legislators have filed dozens of restrictive abortion bills, including two that would outlaw abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy rather than the current 21-weeks and six days….