On Wednesday’s St. Louis on the Air, we did a year-in-review of the top health, science and environment stories of 2017. Joining host Don Marsh for the discussion was St. Louis Public Radio’s reporters Eli Chen and Durrie Bouscaren.
One of Chen’s top stories in her science and environment beat was the flooding along the Meramec River in late April. She said the issue sparked interesting conversations about why the flooding keeps happening.
“Why have these communities been flooded out twice in the last 18 months? Part of it is climate change but another part could be man-made structures,” Chen said. She spoke to survivors of the floods who have had their home ruined twice about how they’ve had to deal with the damage.
One of Bouscaren’s top stories in her health beat had to do with Republican attempts to overturn major parts of the Affordable Care Act. She looked through the House and Senate proposals to tease out what the local implications would be.
She spoke to David Mueller, father of four-year old Marjorie who was born with a rare type of cystic fibrosis. The father expressed his concern that his daughter wouldn’t be able to get health insurance in the future.
“What ended up happening was this really dramatic moment. The Senate proposal failed after John McCain, in the middle of the night, put his thumb down and said he was not voting for it,” Bouscaren said.
Both reporters stressed the importance of using personal stories of those affected to help people understand the issues better.
“When you’re telling an environmental or science story, it can come off as very technical and kind of above your head,” Chen said. “I think the best way to communicate some of these stories to the general public is to get somebody who’s really deeply affected by these issues”
Some of the Bouscaren’s top stories:
- Republicans have a plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act. How does that affect your family?
- Fentanyl-related deaths surge across St. Louis region
- Medication denied: St. Louis inmates claim medical neglect in local jails
- For those who are injured, the price of gun violence is life-long system
- Greitens’ budget proposes cuts to 20,000 seniors and people with disabilities
Some of the Chen’s top stories:
- As Meramec rises again, environmentalists say levees make flooding worse-
- Eli’s work with Story Collider
- Missouri Department of Agriculture places restrictions on Monsanto and DuPont's dicamba products
- Monsanto and growers groups sue California over adding warning labels to glyphosate herbicides
- EPA plans to conduct further testing for radioactive waste at West Lake Landfill
Listen to their full discussion and analysis here:
St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. St. Louis on the Air host Don Marsh and producers Mary Edwards, Alex Heuer and Lara Hamdan give you the information you need to make informed decisions and stay in touch with our diverse and vibrant St. Louis region.
