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Wyandotte County Testing | Underfunded Care Facilities | COVID-19 Legal Action | Quarantine Puzzle Boom

Julie Denesha
/
KCUR
Drive thru test sites are available five days a week throughout Wyandotte County.

Segment 1, beginning at 4:07: The chief medical officer for Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, wants to see COVID-19 testing doubled.

About 500-750 people are being tested weekly, but the chief medical officer for Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, would like to see the number increased to 1,000-1,200 tests a week. Residents can be tested by their primary care doctor, the health department or pop-up test sites, which will soon include two Walmart locations.

Segment 2, beginning at 22:39: A long-standing lack of funding exacerbated the coronavirus crisis in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.

Elaine Godfrey, whose grandmother died of COVID-19 in a Minnesota nursing home, discussed how underfunded nursing homes and long-term care facilities increased the vulnerability of the residents. Her reporting shows the problem has existed decades before the coronavirus pandemic.

Segment 3, beginning at 40:14: The coronavirus is spurring talks throughout the legal system about the potential of future lawsuits.

The family of one Kansas City health care professional has filed for death benefits through Missouri's workers compensation law. What does the case say about legal protections and the difficulty of proving a claim in a civil lawsuit?

Segment 4, beginning at 52:14: Puzzles have been a hot commodity while more people spend time at home.

One store owner talked about what the most popular size puzzle is, and why she's had a hard time keeping them on the shelf.

When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
As culture editor, I oversee KCUR’s coverage of race, culture, the arts, food and sports. I work with reporters to make sure our stories reflect the fullest view of the place we call home, so listeners and readers feel primed to explore the places, projects and people who make up a vibrant Kansas City. Email me at luke@kcur.org.
As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. Just as important to me is an obligation to mentor the next generation of producers to ensure that the important conversations continue. Reach me at alexanderdk@kcur.org.
Whether it’s something happening right now or something that happened 100 years ago, some stories don’t fit in the short few minutes of a newscast. As a podcast producer and reporter at KCUR Studios, I help investigate questions and local curiosities in a way that brings listeners along for adventures with plot twists and thought-provoking ideas. Sometimes there isn’t an easy answer in the end – but my hope is that we all leave with a greater understanding of the city we live in. Reach me at mackenzie@kcur.org.
As a producer for Up To Date, my goal is to inform our audience by curating interesting and important conversations with reliable sources and individuals directly affected by a topic or issue. I strive for our program to be a place that hosts impactful conversations, providing our audience with greater knowledge, intrigue, compassion and entertainment. Contact me at elizabeth@kcur.org or on Twitter at @er_bentley_ruiz.