Intersection on KBIA - archive

Talent clusters and the economy of the future

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:42:36 -0800

A emerging theory suggests that clusters of creative talent might be the determining factor between regions whose economies flourish and those that fall behind. We explore how these ideas, brought to the fore by Richard Florida's book "The Rise of the Creative Class," are playing out across the country. We'll also find out how mid-Missouri fares as a creative place.

Panelists:
Kelsey Meyer, vice president for Digital Talent Agents. She’s also involved with the League of Innovators, a group that works to connect mid-Missouri entrepreneurs.
Chris Stevens, manager of the City of Columbia’s Office of Cultural Affairs
Steven Pedigo, director of research for Creative Class Group, a consulting firm that advises communities on how to attract creative workers. (Joining the program by phone)

Job creation in Missouri

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:56:17 -0800

Gov. Jay Nixon has been promoting his Missouri Works Plan as a driver of job creation in the state. But will it succeed? We discuss the latest government efforts to create jobs in Missouri and consider the prospects of the various proposals as they move forward through the legislature.

Panelists:
Rep. Stephen Webber, Democrat, 23rd District
Rep. Anne Zerr, Republican, 18th District
Daniel Mehan, President/CEO, Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry (joining by phone)

What do you think could be done to create more jobs in the state? Add your comments by clicking here.

Celebrity, recruiting and star college athletes

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:34:47 -0800

The University of Missouri football team recently landed the nation’s top high school recruit. But before he even announced his official intent to attend the school, crowds inside the Mizzou Arena were already chanting his initials. We look at the buzz and behind-the-scenes efforts surrounding Mizzou's star football catch and explore the growing celebrification of college athletes.

Studio panelists:
Greg Bowers, sports editor Columbia Missourian; and associate professor at the Missouri School of Journalism
Ben Frederickson, former intern and freelance reporter, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Karen Mitchell, assistant professor at the Missouri School of Journalism
Joining us by phone:
Bruce Feldman, CBS sports columnist/commentator and author of "Swing Your Sword" and "Meat Market: Inside the Smash-Mouth World of College Football Recruiting"
Dave Ridpath, assistant professor of sport administration, Ohio University

Proposed higher education funding cuts

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:10:20 -0800

Colleges and universities in Missouri could lose about an eighth of their state funding if the governor’s proposed budget for 2013 goes through. We discuss how the proposed cuts might affect the cost and quality of higher education across the state and, in particular, at MU.

Panelists:
Brady Deaton, chancellor, University of Missouri-Columbia
Paul Wagner, deputy commissioner, Missouri Department of Higher Education

Columbia Regional Airport expansion

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:20:56 -0800

Plans for a new terminal at Columbia Regional Airport are already under way. The question now is how to pay for it. Today we discuss the latest proposal for funding an airport expansion, as well as the connection between the airport and economic growth in mid-Missouri.

Panelists:
Michael Kelly, general manager of the Stoney Creek Inn & Conference Center in Columbia and board member of the Missouri Hotel & Lodging Association
Mike Matthes, Columbia city manager

For more details about options for an expanded airport terminal, click here to download the full PDF file sumbitted to the City Council from the City's website.

On the scene: State of the State address

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:50:49 -0800

A special remote edition of Intersection, recorded live on Jan. 17 at the Missouri State Capitol immediately after Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon's State of the State address and the response from state Republicans. Panelists offer initial reactions and insight into what the governor said and explain what the proposals might mean for residents of the state over the coming year.

Panelists:
Rep. Chris Kelly, D-Columbia
Sen. Rob Mayer, R-Dexter
Phill Brooks, director of the State Government Reporting Program at the Missouri School of Journalism
Paul Wagner, deputy commissioner, Missouri Department of Higher Education

To read a transcript of Nixon's remarks, click here.
To watch video of the Republican response, click here.

New Columbia school boundaries

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:56:29 -0800

A plan for new boundaries for the Columbia Public Schools is being presented this week to the board of education. Our panelists explain how those changes could affect students, parents, and the city at large.

Panelists:
Chris Belcher, superintendent of Columbia Public Schools
Jan Mees, member of the Columbia School Board
Darin Preis, co-chair of the committee in charge of redrawing Columbia’s school boundaries

Religion and the brain

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:34:53 -0800

A growing body of research is looking into the connections between spirituality and the functioning of the human brain. Our panelists take us on a journey into the deep recesses of the religious mind in hopes of answering some key questions: Is there a part of the brain that’s responsible for making people religious? Or is it the other way around, with spirituality affecting the way the brain operates?

Panelists:
John Baker, executive director of the Community Foundation of Central Missouri and former pastor at First Baptist Church in Columbia
Daniel Cohen, teaching assistant professor in the MU Department of Religious Studies
Brick Johnstone, professor of health psychology in the MU School of Health Professions
Andrew Newberg, neuroscientist and author of the book "Principles of Neurotheology" (joining the program by phone)

The Mamtek deal and its aftermath

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:58:16 -0800

A new Mamtek artificial sweetener factory in Moberly promised a win-win all around: Jobs for mid-Missouri residents, profits for the company, and a bump in tax revenues well into the future. But with construction halted, the city's credit rating severely damaged, and a state legislative inquiry still under way, many questions remain. We examine what happened, how problems like this might be avoided in the future, and how to attract jobs without putting taxpayers unduly at risk.

Panelists:
Benjamin Herrold, city editor, The Moberly Monitor Index
Rudi Keller, reporter, Columbia Daily Tribune
Tina Hoffman, marketing and communications director, Iowa Economic Development Authority (joining the program by phone)

CORRECTION: During this Intersection discussion, Columbia Daily Tribune reporter Rudi Keller is incorrectly credited with being the first to break the Mamtek story in the spring. The Tribune and other news organizations have been reporting on Mamtek since the deal was announced in mid-2010. Keller's articles about troubles with the Mamtek deal began appearing in September 2011.

"Twilight," sexuality and the Gothic tradition

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:00:01 -0800

With the fourth installment of the "Twilight" film series currently in theaters, we take another critical look at the teen vampire phenomenon. Does this latest film deliberately promote a socially conservative agenda, as some critics argue? Or, are the story line and fan frenzy simply the lifeblood of a Gothic literary tradition that will not die after hundreds of years?

Panelists:
Elizabeth Behm-Morawitz, assistant professor of communication at the University of Missouri and one of three co-editors of the book “Bitten by Twilight: Youth Culture, Media and the Vampire Franchise.”
Elizabeth Chang, associate professor of English at the University of Missouri