Kansas Department of Health and Environment

Alligator snapping turtles are the biggest freshwater turtle in North America, sporting jagged, pointy shells, and a hooked beak. But these prehistoric-looking creatures haven't been seen in Kansas since 1991.

A summer COVID surge is starting to recede in Kansas and Missouri, but the next wave of infections is likely only weeks away. People covered by Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance can get the updated vaccine for free or for a small fee.

Nearly 50 cases of tuberculosis have been confirmed in Wyandotte County — more than the total number of cases in the state of Kansas last year. Still, experts say overall public risk is low.

Health officials have confirmed almost 50 cases of tuberculosis in Wyandotte County, more than in all of Kansas last year. But the public risk remains low.

After pandemic-era federal protections for Medicaid ended, Kansas started reviewing who was eligible for state health coverage. About 47% of the residents who lost insurance during that time were ages 18 or younger.

Previous rules required spills of any size to be reported to the state, while the new rules set minimum quantities to alert regulators.

By some estimates, Kansas is short more than 84,000 childcare slots in order to meet current demand. And even when they find an opening, families can pay more than their mortgage to keep their kid enrolled. State legislators say fixing the issue is a priority.

A Union Pacific rail yard contaminated about three miles of groundwater underneath neighborhoods in northeast Wichita with trichloroethylene, a carcinogenic degreasing agent. A lawsuit filed in October alleges residents suffered property damages and lost home values.

Kansans unnecessarily lost Medicaid eligibility because of confusion over signatures, slow mail delivery and a lack of clear communication from the state. Some 12,000 adults or children eligible for the health coverage program were stripped of benefits due to processing issues.

The Kansas Medicaid disenrollment rate is one of the highest in the country. Almost two-thirds of Kansans have lost coverage due to procedural issues.

The workers are on site in Washington County to survey and clean the Keystone pipeline oil spill that moved about three miles downstream in Mill Creek.

COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the metro, and hospital systems are showing strain as workers are out with the virus and inpatient cases increase.