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Nearly 200 rural hospitals have closed in the past two decades — the result of financial strain and staff shortages — but my hospital has been able to keep its doors open through sheer perseverance. Now, however, Congress is considering cuts to Medicaid that could wreak havoc on rural America’s fragile health care system. I worry about our future. (Kevin Stansbury, 5/2)

The fifth anniversary of President Trump’s March 2020 declaration of a national Covid-19 emergency has prompted a surge of retrospective assessments. Government agencies, expert panels, think tanks, and media outlets  all contributed to a sprawling postmortem. The goal was to draw lessons from the pandemic’s devastating toll in hopes of better preparing for future crises. (Steven Phillips, 5/2)

Kennedy has spent recent weeks seemingly trying to sound mainstream when it comes to vaccines. “The most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine,” he wrote in a social media post in early April following measles-related deaths. But the Dr. Phil appearance was the mask slipping and the dog whistles blowing, because “do your own research” in modern America apparently only ever means “hey, maybe we should have injected ourselves with Lysol during covid.” (Monica Hesse, 5/2)

Advocates for autistic people have long objected to Kennedy’s calling autism an “epidemic” or saying it “destroys families.” The outcry grew louder when he said children on the spectrum would never hold jobs, pay taxes, play baseball, write poetry or go on dates. (Donald G. McNeil Jr, 5/1)

Critics of the soda industry have long highlighted an unsavory pattern: Americans have spent billions of funds from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, aka SNAP, better known as food stamps, on sugar-sweetened beverages. Sugar-sweetened beverages are actually the No. 1 item Americans buy with SNAP funds. Amplifying the pattern, some stores place window stickers on the soda coolers to remind consumers that they accept SNAP funds. (Murray Carpenter, 5/2)

Chicago lost a legend last week. I lost a brother. Bears great Steve “Mongo” McMichael wasn’t just a teammate during our Super Bowl run. He was a once-in-a-generation personality — fearless, funny and fiercely loyal. Whether it was on the field, in the wrestling ring or in a quiet moment with his family, Mongo brought everything he had to the table. When he was diagnosed with ALS — one of the cruelest, most unforgiving diseases out there — none of us were surprised to see him fight it with the same intensity he brought to every quarterback he ever chased down. But that didn’t make it any easier to watch. (Jim McMahon, 5/1)

A part-time faculty member teaches class with strep throat. Another part-time faculty member teaches classes remotely from his hospital bed. Still another part-time faculty member resumes teaching on campus two weeks after giving birth. These are just a few examples of the real-life consequences when part-time instructors in the Connecticut State Colleges and University system don’t get sick days. Is that fair? We say no. (Kevin Kean, 5/2)