Features

My Fellow Missourians: Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Major General John A. Logan

by Mark Hughes Lawmakers have headed back to their districts, but the 2016 session of the Missouri General Assembly is not yet over. Not quite. There are still several days and a bit of work to be done before most of the bills passed this year can become law. Since at least the Missouri Constitution

by Phill Brooks Earlier this year, I wrote how it seemed that the legislature was taking a less chaotic approach for 2016. In my defense, there were indications of a more orderly process. But golly, did the final weeks prove me wrong. The biggest indication was the degree to which the lawmakers approved legislative behemoths

by Tom Uhlenbrock Missouri State Parks Historic photos help tell the story of the first 100 years of Missouri State Parks. One of the most impressive shows the stone castle at Ha Ha Tonka State Park before it was destroyed by fire. Storm clouds overhead in the dramatic black-and-white photo portend the castle’s future. Gov.

by Robert Giblin Since the U.S. marked the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, the environmental impacts of agriculture have been pushed to the forefront of consumer attention, and momentum is increasing. So is the dramatic, measurable progress that U.S. agriculture is making on reducing environmental impacts. Lots of things sound green, often ignoring

by MDN Staff Elderly and disabled Medicaid recipients would be allowed to possess more assets under a measure sent to the governor in the legislature’s final week. Currently, a Medicaid recipient is allowed to possess no more than $1,000 in assets. A person is disqualified from the health-coverage program if that limit is exceeded. Under

by MDN Staff More types of infections would have to be reported to hospitals and included in the information posted on the Health Department’s website under a measure given final approval by the Senate Tuesday, April 26. The bill’s sponsor – Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph – said making the infection rate information public would

How to pick a Medicare Advantage plan Dear Savvy Senior I’m approaching 65 and am interested in a Medicare Advantage plan to cover my health care and medications. What tips can you provide to help me pick a plan? Medicare Shopper Dear Shopper, Medicare Advantage plans have become increasingly popular among retirees over the past

Are you worried you might one day outlive your retirement savings? Running out of money is a common concern, and the sad reality is it does happen to some people. The Administration on Aging predicts the number of Americans age 65 and older will reach 98 million in less than 50 years, so it’s possible

by Molly Peterson Developing and evaluating motion-capture technology to help older adults “age in place” has been the focus of researchers at the University of Missouri for more than a decade. Previous research has utilized video game technology and various web-cameras to detect health changes in Tiger Place residents. Now, two new studies demonstrate how