Debate over Marijuana legalization or decriminalization had gone on for many years, but with recent changes in many states across the country, in many places the debate has moved from theoretical to logistical. Legalization of marijuana for recreational use in Colorado and Washington state has gone into effect, and many are watching to see how it plays out. For proponents, opponents, and legislators, the process could serve as a litmus test for similar laws in other states.

Here in Missouri, measures in the legislature have already been introduced this year that would affect the state’s policies on marijuana. Today on Intersection, we’ll talk about some of those measures, and some of the political and practical factors at play.

Video is not available for this week's intersection, but you can listen to the show here:

Panelists:

Democratic State Representative Chris Kelly represents Columbia and much of Boone County in the House.

Chairman of the Boone County Libertarian Party John Schultz.
 
Director of State Policy at the Marijuana Policy Project Karen O'Keefe (joining by Skype)


 

Over the last week, an alleged rape case in Maryville Missouri has attracted national attention, and fostered many public discussions about the way the public and judicial system handles the aftermath of such allegations. In Maryville, charges against two high school boys had been dropped, but after the uproar prompted by articles by KCUR and the Kansas City Star, a special prosecutor will be appointed to handle the case. But some in the Maryville community have also been a focus of the discussion, as the then-14 year old victim and her family say they eventually moved away from the community because of bullying and threats after the alleged rape occurred in January 2012. 

This week on Intersection, we'll discuss the issues cases like these bring up. 

Panelists

Zachary Wilson is the Development Director of the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.

Mary Beck is the Director of the MU Domestic Violence Clinic. She’s also a Clinical Professor of Law at the University of Missouri.

Samantha Sunne is former reporter for the Columbia Missourian (joining the program by Skype).

Starting Tuesday, Missourians will be able to sign up for individual health insurance through an online marketplace as part of the Affordable Care Act, which many refer to as Obamacare. By visiting these online health-care exchanges, folks can choose from a variety of options in four different classes. Enrollment continues through March of next year.

For some people, sifting through the different plans can be a bit overwhelming. Today on Intersection, we’ll break down the different options and find out how the Affordable Care Act affects you.

Panelists:
Stephene Moore, Region 7 Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Thomas McAuliffe, Policy Analyst, Missouri Foundation for Health

Jeremy Milarsky, Navigator Program Manager, Primaris

Jean Leonatti, CEO, Central Missouri Area Agency on Aging (joining by phone)

Across the country, about 17% of young people under 20 are considered obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Here in Missouri, some analysts estimate that nearly a third of children between 10-17 are obese or overweight. And those numbers are on the rise. One report estimates that obesity rates could top 60% by 2030 if the trend continues.

So what’s contributing to this upward trend? This week on Intersection, we'll take a closer look at childhood obesity.

Panelists:
Steve Ball, Associate Professor, MU Dept. of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology
Kayla Otteson, Dietician, Adolescent Diabetic Obesity Program, MU Children’s Hospital
Dr. Aneesh Tosh, Director, Adolescent Diabetic Obesity Program, MU Children’s Hospital
Laina Fullum, Director, Nutrition Services for Columbia Public Schools (joining by phone)

As Missouri’s legislature prepares to take on the issue of Medicaid expansion, we explore the potential benefits and drawbacks, and learn how it could impact people across the state.

Panelists:
Karen Edison, dermatologist and director of the University of Missouri Center for Health Policy
Rep. Keith Frederick, R-Rolla, chair of the Missouri House of Representatives Health Care Policy Committee and an orthopedic surgeon

Among the many proposals outlined in Gov. Jay Nixon's State of the State address last week, his proposed budget includes a $17 million increase in funding for early childhood education programs. We look into what the early-childhood needs are, what kind of impact state-funded programs might have, and how far the additional funding would go.

Scheduled panelists:
Steve Calloway, president, Minority Men’s Network
Jack Jensen, executive director, First Chance for Children
Mernell King, early childhood programs director, Central Missouri Community Action (CMCA)

Immediately following Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon's annual State of the State address, we brought together panelists inside the Missouri Capitol in Jefferson City to provide a first round of analysis. Together we go through the governor's main points and discuss the specific proposals, which include a significant expansion of Medicaid in Missouri, increased funding for education at all levels, consolidation within the Department of Natural Resources, and the elimination of some of the state's 61 different tax credit programs.

Panelists:
Phill Brooks, director of Missouri Digital News and statehouse correspondent for KMOX
Rep. Chris Kelly, D-Columbia, 45th District
Rep. Caleb Jones, R-California, 50th District

How much do you know about the food you eat? With all the competing information out there, what sources can you really trust? And how much do you really want to know? Intersection teams up with Harvest Public Media to talk about the obstacles that get in the way of discovering the truth about our food, in particular looking at the beef industry.

Panelists:
Peggy Lowe, Harvest Network analyst, Harvest Public Media
Ray Massey, extension professor, MU Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics
Mike McGraw, projects reporter, The Kansas City Star

As the year comes to a close, we recap some of the stories that made headlines over the past 12 months, and take a look ahead into what 2013 might bring.

Panelists:
Scott Swafford, senior city editor, Columbia Missourian
Lora Wegman, city editor, Columbia Daily Tribune
David Lieb, correspondent, The Associated Press
 (joining by phone)

A two-part program hosted by KBIA's Rehman Tungekar:
FIRST HALF OF PROGRAM: The tragedy in Connecticut has brought renewed focus on school safety, both locally, and across the nation. We learn how a training program that deals with responding to an armed intruder is being used in Columbia Public Schools.
SECOND HALF OF PROGRAM: According to a recent poll, the number of Missourians opposing the Affordable Care Act has dropped in the last two years. Despite this, many folks still might not know what’s in the nearly 1,000-page law. We talk about the federal health care law and find out how it affects everyday Missourians.

Panelists:
Michelle Baumstark, spokesperson, Columbia Public Schools
Greg Crane, coordinator of ALiCE training for schools and campuses (joining by phone)

Thomas McAuliffe, policy analyst for the Missouri Foundation for Health
Andrew Quint, medical director, Family Health Center in Columbia
Mary Timmel, outreach manager at Small Business Majority (joining by phone)