My 80-year-old Blue Springs friend is close to homelessness. She isn’t the only one | Opinion
Nowhere to turn
I have an 80-year-old friend in Blue Springs who is on the brink of being homeless. She needs a ground-floor accommodation because of her health.
Nowhere in Blue Springs can any government-subsidized housing for a person like her be found, and she can’t be the only one.
With inflation, our senior citizens — many in their 70s and beyond — are going to become homeless.
Some have families willing to help, but many do not. Those who do have relatives and want to maintain some sort of independence, like my friend, cannot find it.
Blue Springs is doing a lot of building, but not enough of those new housing units satisfy a need like this.
A lot of this new construction is taking advantage of government incentives, so why the disparity?
If you’re reading this, you might find yourself in the same position some day. And you should be angry your tax dollars are not meeting this need.
- Teresa MacMartin, Springfield
Healthy outlook
The future of primary care depends on making the road to becoming a physician equitable and affordable. Last month’s Supreme Court decisions turned back the clock for equitable representation in medicine. However, there are solutions to strengthen representation and leadership opportunities throughout U.S. medical institutions.
As Kansas City prepares to welcome thousands of future and practicing family physicians for the American Academy of Family Physicians’ 49th National Conference of Medical Students and Residents, it’s a timely reminder that medical schools need every tool available to attract a diverse student population that will become the next generation of primary care doctors. We must recruit state and national policymakers to help us achieve this goal.
Policymakers can help by expanding federal programs that address physician shortages in underserved and rural areas. This includes funding for the National Health Service Corps and Teaching Health Centers, as well as expanding Medicare Graduate Medical Education slots, which can ensure physicians practice, and stay, in areas that need them the most. Additionally, Congress can help ensure a diverse physician workforce by enacting policies that provide student debt relief for physicians in high-need roles.
I’m looking forward to seeing the best of family medicine convene at our conference with one major goal in mind: fostering a bright future for family medicine that reflects our country.
- Karen Mitchell, Vice President of Medical Education, American Academy of Family Physicians, Leawood
What Kansas needs
A June 30 letter to the editor (6A) about Sen. Roger Marshall’s priorities, as opposed to his constituents’ needs, rang so true. It seems Marshall doesn’t realize what his purpose is.
We need to remember at election time what a poor example he is to represent Kansas. We need to get out the vote and elect people who really care about important matters in our state.
- Judy Allen, Olathe
Athletes’ images
Missouri’s new amendment that will allow high school athletes to cash in on endorsement deals — the name, image and likeness or NIL law — raises numerous questions that in turn raise a number of red flags. (July 18, 6A, “Missouri’s new NIL law allows some high schoolers to cash in”) In theory, this policy will “close down the borders and keep Missouri’s best athletes in the state of Missouri,” in the words of state Rep. Kurtis Gregory. But the policy could backfire.
If all U.S. states adopt this approach, resulting in their athletes staying home, then how will Missouri recruit enough Division I players to be competitive in the SEC? We know where most high-quality players come from, and it is not our state.
For Kansas, it would be even worse, dividing up a few Division I athletes among three Division I schools.
What will be the source of this NIL money? If the players accept it and do not stay in state, must they pay it back? Are they allowed to negotiate with other states before high school graduation?
Will there be issues within a high school program if some athletes are paid and others are not? Might a true superstar make more money than his or her coach?
There are many questions but few answers.
- Terry C. Rodenberg, Greenwood
Stolen idea?
Thinking of opening a small business in Kansas City? You might want to think again.
With permits, permission and even praise, Urbavore Urban Farm opened a free residential community composting program on the East Side and became wildly successful.
Fast forward a few years, and it seems Kansas City is stealing the farm’s business model and systematically shutting it down by exploring its own compost dropoff program. The city offers four sites where residents can deposit bags of scraps, two in the Crossroads area and two near Swope Park. (July 12, 6A, “KC launches compost dropoff pilot program”)
I’m confident there is enough organic waste in the city that both programs could thrive had officials planned its composting facility on the west or southwest part of town, where folks remain underserved.
Without a response from city leaders, onlookers have no choice but to assume foul play. Maybe it’s not illegal, but it’s definitely shameful.
If the city can do it to a small business you don’t care about, it can do it to one you do care about. Small businesses beware.
- Helen E. Hokanson, Kansas City, Kansas
