Meghan McKinney

Missouri is one of 11 states that require nurse practitioners to collaborate with a physician in order to practice. Nurse practitioners want to change that.

KSMU's Meghan McKinney interviewed Fereshte about her time in Springfield and what she hopes for her future.

Hospital emergency departments are continuing to recover from COVID-19 – and they’re looking at ways to better meet the needs of those needing emergency care. KSMU’s Meghan McKinney looks at how the pandemic impacted ER wait times. And she reports on what healthcare systems are doing to address the problem of people waiting hours for care.

According to the Missouri Department of Health in 2020, drug overdoses were the leading cause of death for Missourians 18 to 44-years-old.

There is a critical need for more foster parents in Iowa, according to the nonprofit that oversees foster and adoptive services in the state.

The law signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds that removes gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act also removes the way transgender Iowans have changed their sex designations on state birth certificates. LGBTQ rights organizations say there is still time to change a sex designation on state identifying documents since the law does not take effect until July 1.

Through reporting in Iowa, Nebraska and other states, The Midwest Newsroom has found a pattern of rural school districts relying on nonprofit organizations and community members to provide support and services where federal funding fails to meet needs.

IPR's Meghan McKinney spoke with Polk County Attorney Kimberly Graham on Morning Edition about camping ordinances in Des Moines.

Archery hunting season started Oct 1, but with new restrictions in western Iowa. Most counties are seeing increasing restrictions on doe harvest, with some counties not allowing any.

A recent Los Angeles Times investigation found, since 2019, more than 70% of dogs going into California came from the Midwest — Iowa being one of the top states exporting puppies.

In 2023, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a bill requiring the Department of Health and Human Services to provide an outpatient competency restoration program for people deemed incompetent to stand trial in criminal courts.

Last November, a Waterloo Community Schools high school task force recommended all high schoolers be in one building. Eight months later, the school board approved a $165 million high merger plan. Now community members get the final say.

A report by the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform found that over half of rural U.S. hospitals don't offer labor and delivery services. In Iowa, 62% don't have the services as of July 2024.

Start your day with the essentials. Coffee. Breakfast. And the local news you need to know. Host Meghan McKinney rises bright and early to bring you the top news stories from around Iowa in under 10 minutes. Wake up, grab that coffee and get your news Here First.