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Segment 1: County lawmaker says citizens think a charter change " should have been done before ." With all the controversy swirling around Jackson County government these days, it’s hardly a surprise that a proposal has emerged to remake it in a substantial way. Today, we asked three lawmakers whether they think changing the county charter would do anything to fix what ails Missouri's second-largest county. Greg Grounds , Jackson County 5th District legislator Crystal Williams , Jackson County

Segment 1: What science does (and doesn't) know about medical marijuana. Missouri and Kansas are edging closer to legalizing medical marijuana under limited circumstances, but what do we really know about its health effects? While state lawmakers debate possible harms or benefits of cannabis and its derivatives, we spoke with a scientist who helped write a major study about the good, bad and unknown health effects of marijuana . Sean Hennessy , University of Pennsylvania professor of

The underground economy of amateur college sports — where agents, boosters, and other deal-makers pay to play — has long been an open secret, to coaches, student-athletes and even fans. But now that someone — specifically, the Justice Department — is making a federal case of it, could a real cleanup be on the way? Commentator Victor Wishna explains in this month’s edition of “A Fan’s Notes.” Over their decades of dominance, the Kansas Jayhawks have raised dozens of triumphant banners to the

Segment 1: The policies and techniques that are best at keeping drunk drivers off the road. Last month, the Missouri House of Representatives voted for the second year in a row to cut the state funding for sobriety checkpoints to $1. The plan to catch drunk drivers and keep them off the street? Saturation patrols. Today, we talked about the effectiveness of these options. Missouri state Rep. Brandon Ellington , D-Kansas City Colleen Sheehey-Church, Mothers Against Drunk Driving national

Segment 1: Schools in the Shawnee Mission district have been accused of stifling expression during student demonstration. During last Friday's national school walkout, parents and students at several Shawnee Mission schools reported that administrators attempted to curate and censor student speech. These complaints have spurred an investigation by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas. Today, we asked what happened during the demonstrations, and how the school district is responding.

Segment 1: Examination of the secrecy shrouding Kansas government ignites momentum for openness, but it's dwindling. Kansas is considered to be one of the "darkest" state governments in the nation. We asked why this problem persists and how lawmakers have responded to calls for more transparency in Topeka. Laura Bauer , Kansas City Star reporter on the Pulitzer-finalist team for the investigative series, " Why so Secret, Kansas? " Max Kautsch , Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government board

Segment 1: As rates increase among children in Kansas City, lead poisoning remains a persistent concern. It's been decades since companies stopped adding lead to things like paint or gasoline, but the dangers posed by lead poisoning are still affecting thousands of lives throughout the metro area. We learned why it's so hard to get rid of lead contamination in old homes and businesses, and what you can do to minimize your risk. Christina VanCleave, Wyandotte County Health Department program

Segment 1: The processes threatening, and protecting, Missouri's governor. Tensions are high in Jefferson City as lawmakers continue calls for Eric Greitens' resignation but, as the governor faces possibly career-ending felony charges, ensuring fairness is paramount. Today, a veteran journalist discusses the systems in place to guarantee justice for the governor, and for the state of Missouri. Bob Priddy , former Missourinet news director Segment 2 beginning at 25:54: Archivists work to preserve

Segment 1: Students in Kansas City and across the country stage a school walkout, 19 years after a mass shooting at Columbine High School. National organizers of today's walkouts say their political goal is neither liberal nor conservative, but simply to push for commonsense gun laws they say would help make schools safer. They'll also be registering voters and writing legislators. We spoke with local high-schoolers to get a sense for what area walkouts are like, and what's motivating their

Segment 1: How Jackson County leaders are handling political and personal controversies, and rising crime rates. There's a lot going on in Jackson County government lately: a crumbling jail , a financial and operations audit , a recently-resigned sheriff , and an executive mired in personal financial difficulties . Adding to these troubles are homicide numbers in Kansas City that are worse than last year. Today, we got an update on the most pressing issues for the county and how local leaders