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December 2009: A week of commentaries from MU writers

12/04/09 The word "feminist" means different things to different people. As part of a weeklong commentary series, writer Julie O'Brien says the word is not as complicated as we think, and more of us should just embrace it.

12/03/09 You may have heard of the term "metro-sexual", but have you heard of "bro-mance" sweeping through the nation's campuses? As part of a weeklong commentary series featuring MU writing students, Alex Luft examines how his newfound relationships with male college friends might not be romance exactly, but somehow seem stronger than friendship.

12/02/09 Pieces of jewelry have long been used as symbols of our relationship status. As part of a weeklong commentary series, writer Lindsay Toler finds that a ring can gain even more meaning once it's lost, and recovered.

12/01/09 With the popularity of social networking sites like Facebook, it's much easier to keep in touch with friends and family far away. But sometimes it can feel more like voyeurism and less like meaningul contact. As a part of a weeklong commentary series, writer Katie Bascuas contemplates Facebook and the "creep factor."

Recent features in streaming audio:

07/02/09 To promote the movie Anvil:The Story Of Anvil, the Ragtag Theatre planned an air guitar competition before the movie. There was just one problem: no one signed up. KBIA’s Austin Kim has more on the man who powered the Ragtag through this ordeal.

07/02/09 Columbia Raiders' fans say they were full of excitement at Cosmo Park on Saturday. The youth football team played in the Missouri Show Me State Games hoping to pull off a win against the number one team. KBIA's Lisa Hoscheidt was there and sends this audio postcard.

07/01/09 An annual event has a new twist this year. The Stephens Summer Dance Concert displays some of the city's best performers. This year, donations were collected to send the dancers to a conference that could propel them to stardom after Stephens.

07/01/09 The Auxvasse art fair held in memory of Ashley Garrett took place last weekend at the Auxvasse city park. Ashley Garrett was an art teacher who loved to see young kids express themselves through art. She was taken from those that loved her in a car accident but her memory will live on many ways including this art fair. This memorial event is in its third year and with the support it has, it promises to be a long-standing staple in the city of Auxvasse. KBIA's James Burlison was there to capture the sounds.

06/24/09 The Ragtag Cinema celebrated a big birthday recently. KBIA's Cassandra Clemens was there for the 11th anniversary and brings us this audio postcard.

Sights and Sounds of springtime in mid-Missouri

05/26/09 Columbia is a rich mix of sub-cultures, each with its own traditions. The Cherry Street Artisan is the latest in a long line of homes to Columbia’s Latin dance community. Every Wednesday is Latin dance night at the Cherry Street Artisan, when chairs and tables are pushed back to clear the dance floor. Somos is a recently-formed Latin band whose sounds fill the air. KBIA’s Becca Habegger put herself in the middle of the scene to bring you this audio postcard.

05/26/09 The University of Missouri has many attractions that bring students from all over the world. One that is growing and steadily attracting attention is the Rec Center. What is it that makes it so special? KBIA's Aric Henderson brings us this audio postcard to show it may be a simple game of basketball.

05/24/09 The Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound Program gives people an opportunity to walk shelter dogs and get exercise at the same time. Despite the rain on a recent Saturday, many still came to walk the dogs at the Central Missouri Humane Society. The walks are held every Saturday and will continue through August 2 for the summer session. KBIA’s Michelle Flandreau was there and brings us this audio postcard. Walk a Hound, Lose a Pound takes place most Saturdays through the beginning of August. Participants can choose among three times slots for each session, or choose to stay all morning.

Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? 05/13/09 Stephens College performed the musical Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? several times last week at their Warehouse Theatre. The Chicago production of the show was the longest in the city's history at 4-and-a-half-years. The musical is based off the John R. Powers bestseller about Catholic School life in the 1950s from a satirical perspective. KBIA’s Bobby Meeder was at one of the shows and made this audio postcard.

05/11/09 The annual "Rock Against Rape" fundraiser was held April 30th at the Cherry Street Artisan. The event helped raise money and awareness for victims of rape and sexual abuse. All proceeds benefitted the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center and the L.E.A.D. institute. KBIA's Trey Conklin was there and has this audio postcard.

John Estes 05/10/09 Orr Street Studios is considered home to many artists in Columbia. On Tuesday nights, the studio hosts an informal gathering for writers and poets to discuss their work in a salon-style setting. Recently, doctoral student and instructor at the University of Missouri John Estes (right) was a featured speaker. Estes was just chosen by C.K. Williams for the Poetry Society of America’s Chapbook Fellowship, as well as a nomination for a Pushcart Prize by If Poetry Journal. Many of his fans and students were drawn to the scene to hear readings from his award winning poetry books. KBIA’s Rachel Duitch was at Orr Street Studios as Estes shared his work, and brought back this audio post card.

05/08/09 Step Up, The American Association for Rwandan Women, is an organization helping women survivors of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. On Saturday the group hosted a Dance of Hope fundraiser that included a dinner, silent auction, and Rwandan ballet to raise money for continual psychologicl care and various projects to assist the genocide survivors. KBIA’s Josh Frydman has this Audio Postcard from the PeachTree Banquet Center in Columbia.

05/07/09 According to the International Labor Organization, at least 2.5 million people have been forced into labor since 2005. Recently, Columbia student organization Stop Traffic and the Central Missouri Stop Human Trafficking Coalition joined together to bring light to this global issue. KBIA's John Henry was there as people voiced their concerns and displayed art in protest.

05/06/09 After 8 months of practice Dance Arts of Columbia is ready for their 30 year anniversary performance. KBIA's Cassandra Clemens was there for their final weeks of preparation and brings us this audio postcard.

04/27/09 Comedy Wars is the University of Missouri’s Student Improv Comedy team. The group’s weekly shows provide a relief for stressed out students, but last week, the show offered healing for the friends and family of Andrew Hoien. Hoien suffered from Marfan’s Syndrome and passed away in March. His friends organized a fundraiser for Marfan’s Syndrome during Andrew’s favorite time of the week- Comedy Wars. KBIA's Erin Stevenson was there and has this audio postcard.

04/27/09 People from across Missouri gathered this past weekend in downtown Columbia to celebrate Earth Day and raise awareness about environmental issues. The streets were crowded with people and pets as they visited various informational booths and vendors while enjoying the sounds from local bands. KBIA’s Britt Nielsen was there during the festivities.

04/27/09 The biggest step show in Columbia returned to the University of Missouri campus. The "Mo Money Step Show Showdown" took place in Jesse Auditorium last Saturday. Greek Sororities and Fraternities from all across the Midwest came to compete for bragging rights and a cash price. KBIA’s Ashley Moore was there and filed this Audio Postcard.

04/21/09 Despite the drizzly weather, local Columbia organizations, musicians, and families made the trek out to Flat Branch Park for the fourth annual FestaPalooza earlier this month. The festival honors child abuse prevention and alcohol awareness month. KBIA’s Aly Myles has more on this event run by multiple non-profit organizations.

04/20/09 The University of Missouri’s Asian American Association hosted a weeklong series of event known as AAA Week. The week is dedicated to spreading Asian American awareness across the MU campus in various forms including food exhibitions and workshops. The weeks highlight was a variety talent show, where various students showcased their skills for eager audiences. KBIA’s Maurice Scarborough was there and files this audio postcard of the night’s festivities.

04/16/09 Dozens of parents and children gathered this past weekend for some family fun at two Easter events. The Columbia Parks and Recreation sponsored a Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt on Friday night as well as an Egg Hunt Eggstravaganza on Saturday. KBIA’s Laura Xiao takes us to the weekend Easter egg hunts.

January 2009: Another seasonal series of commentaries.

1/5/09 Everyone knows it's best to avoid talking about politics ... especially with family. But, as part of a week-long series of commentaries on KBIA, Gretchen Pressley (left) has this essay on how an old political disagreement has led to a new family connection.

Chad Painter 1/6/09 Childhood dreams die hard ... especially when it comes to the question: What do you want to be when you grow up? As part of a week-long commentary series, Chad Painter (right) examines one childhood dream that he's OK with giving up ... sort of.

1/8/09 Americans living on either coast really don't know much about the Midwest, especially when it comes to interpersonal relations. As part of a week-long series of commentaries, Sara Shahriari (left) explains how she's begun to translate her own coastal indifference into Midwestern friendliness.

1/9/09 Appearances can be deceiving...but they still matter sometimes. Commentator Aarik Danielsen has this essay on why it's high-time people with beards get better treatment in society.

8/27/08 The University of Missouri is in tight financial straits and looking at places to make cuts. The Missourian is a traget because for the consecutive year its deficit is expected to exceed one million dollars. Sara Wittmeyer explores what could be at stake for a traditional newspaper at the world's first school of journalism.

Click here to particpate in an online discussion about this story and to learn about the complications the KBIA newsroom faced in covering this story.

8/25/08 Shoplifting is a growing national problem with billions of dollars worth of merchandise being stolen each year. A team of KBIA reporters looked at the problem from four angles. Part I examines what retailers are doign to protect themselves and how shoplifting affects consumers.

7/16/08 Missouri has become a model nationally for its method of dealing with troubled youth. The state developed a reputation for transforming traditional correctional facilities into something that more resembles a campus. The Fulton Treatment Center is one Missouri facility that takes a non-traditional approach, in a campus style environment, to housing and schooling kids who have broken the law. The Center is run by the state's Division of Youth Services, or DYS. KBIA's Robby Berlin recently visited Fulton Treatment Center, and got a tour from some of the youth who live there. Click here for the story.

6/18/08 Community volunteers are working alongside Missouri National Guard soldiers in several river towns located along the Mississippi. Workers are struggling to keep ahead of the water, which is expected to crest in Missouri this week. KBIA's Janet Saidi visited one historic river town along the Mississippi to see how volunteers and guard troops are faring as they race the rising water.

5/22/08: More than 1,000 Missouri National Guard reservists leave for Kosovo tomorrow. KBIA's Sara Wittmeyer went to Camp Atterbury in Indiana as they trained for the peacekeeping mission. Click here for the audio feature and bonus images and video.

5/13-16/08: A four-part series about Columbia's stormwater infrastructure. Click here for more.

May 2008: Another seasonal series of commentaries.

5/17/08

This week, college students throughout central Missouri are graduating, saying their goodbyes to the college years. But as commentator Lauren Woolridge finds, one key aspect of everyone's college life is here to stay: Facebook.

5/16/08

Food is about much more than eating. It's a cultural phenomenon. Jill Hilbrenner (right) explores how her newfound food choices clash ... with her Midwestern roots.

5/15/08

Sometimes an entire world can be discovered right on your doorstep. Kate Schulman tells how she's been reaching for the stars ... literally ... from her home on the campus of MU.

5/14/08

Inspiration can come in many forms, some of them surprising. Brian Heffernan has an essay exploring the message behind ... monster trucks.

5/13/08

Our parents have a huge effect on our lives ... and sometimes, growing up, it's our friends' parents who have as much or more of an impact. Emily Sussman explores memories of one such mother ... whose eccentric lifestyle taught some surprising lessons.

5/12/08

Americans like their historical landmarks ... and people from St. Louis are no different. That city has one of the best-known monuments in the country. Mike McHugh takes a critical look at that legendary landmark known as the "Gateway to the West."

Elizabeth Brixey

5/11/08

This year, Mother's Day has arrived in the middle of a tight political contest that features a female politician aiming for the White House. Elizabeth Brixey (right) tells us how political campaigns have inspired her own reflections ... about her mother.

5/10/08 The Columbia area is home to about one dozen community gardens. They provide not only food, but fellowship for a diverse range of neighborhoods and communities. KBIA's Laura Parkinson reports on how a community garden can be about much more than digging in the dirt.

3/11/08 Monday Night Big Band is made up of a group of Columbia jazz musicians who get together each week and jam. But recently their music has taken on new meaning, as the group has begun a series of benefit concerts...KBIA's Chris Leeker has more on this weekly jam session that turns into a benefit concert, starting with a performance tonight.

3/6/08

Filmmakers from around the

country were walking the streets of Columbia last week during the True/False Film Festival. One of those filmmakers was Alex Gibney (pictured at right), who arrived in Columbia days after winning a Best-Documentary Oscar for his film, "Taxi to the Dark Side."

In the film, Gibney explores the story of a taxi driver at the Bagram Air Force base in Afghanistan, using that story as a window into the detention and interrogation practices under the Bush administration. Gibney also explores the testimonies of military interrogators themselves. KBIA's Sean Powers met up with Gibney while he was in town. Here's their conversation.

Click below to watch the first part of Sean Powers' four-part video interview with film-maker Alex Gibney. (length: 10:01)

Click here for part two of the interview. (length: 9:05)
Part three. (6:55)
Part four. (4:48)

3/1/08

This year's True/False film festival showcases dozens of documentaries, shown to hundreds of film-goers, over four days at venues throughout downtown Columbia.

The festival also relies on hundreds of volunteers each year to pull the whole thing off. KBIA's Laura Parkinson caught up with some of this year's crew while they talked film...and moved furniture.

2/29/08

This month there have been lectures, performances, meetings, and celebrations commemorating black history month. A team of KBIA reporters have collaborated to bring you this feature report...Christina Jacobson begins our coverage...

2/25/08

Columbia residents want to do something about the recent spike in violent crime. It was the subject of a community action meeting in December. And more recently a public forum over the weekend. The goal of the most recent meeting was to invite teens to engage in the conversation and offer suggestions about how to make Columbia a better community. KBIA's Meredith Miller attended the two-day summit and has this report.

2/11/08

It's not a typical wrestling or gymnastics event, but the two sports combined for Mizzou's second annual "Beauty and the Beast" meet. KBIA's Ken Boehlke was there and files this report.

2/7/08

Students at Rock Bridge High School are learning firsthand how they can positively change the world. They're participating in conference calls with world leaders and activists like former Secretary of State Colin Powell and Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. KBIA's Catherine Wolf visited the school to find out how something as simple as a conference call can inspire a new generation of activists.

2/4/08

Columbia City Council tonight will consider a plan to allow the construction of an auto dealership at the Crosscreek Development (pictured, right). That’s the area east of Highway 63 at Stadium Boulevard.

The city's planning and zoning commission has rejected the idea, but council seems divided on the issue. KBIA's Sara Wittmeyer has more...

2/2/08

The words of abolitionist playwright William Wells Brown are being brought to life tonight in the State Historical Society of Missouri's production of "William Wells Brown's Leap for Freedom: The Life and Writings of William Wells Brown." The play takes place at Boonville's historic Thespian Hall.

KBIA’s Catherine Wolf talked with two of the plays' organizers to learn more about Wells Browns life as a slave and his anti-slavery advocacy afterward.

Listen to Cheryl Black read a speech abolitionist playwright William Wells Brown made when speaking against slavery in the 1800s. Black is a professor of theater at MU.

Environmental Protection Agency workers are removing lead waste from former mining sites in Washington County. For a decade, the EPA has managed major clean-up projects in six counties throughout the southeast Missouri region known as the "Lead Belt."

EPA workers have removed contaminated mine waste from yards, school grounds, playgrounds, churches and day care centers. Washington County is the latest area to be taken on by the EPA.

1/29/08 In the first of this two-part series from Missouri's lead belt, KBIA's Catherine Wolf talks with EPA officials, health workers aynd residents in the lead belt, about the area's mining history and the legacy it has left behind.

1/30/08 In the second of this two-part series from Missouri's lead belt, KBIA's Janet Saidi goes to the EPA with questions about cleaning up mine waste in Missouri, and talks with one Missouri family that's still searching for answers.

Photo: The Losh Family outside their home in Iron County. Son Joey suffers long-term negative health effects from lead poisoning.

View a slideshow of the people and areas affected by the former mining sites in Washington County by clicking one of the following links:
small screen | large screen


1/23/08 Boonville is the oldest town in central Missouri, and many of the city's residences serve as a reminder of the area’s heritage. More than 400 homes are on the national register of historic places. And now officials are proposing changes that would place restrictions on some homeowners who don’t live in areas protected by the historic preservation society. KBIA’s Sara Wittmeyer has more...
Top: Julie Thacher's restored home is in beautiful condition, but she says it has taken a lot of work. Because she lives in a designated historic district, there are strict guidelines that dictate how repairs and restorations must be made.
Above: This two-story on High Street is one of many colorful historic homes in the area.	Above: This East Lake Victorian style house was the setting for the film, Saving Grace. The home was one of the first on High Street to be painted in bright colors.	Above: This house is located within the proposed historic overlay district. Some say its size and design jar with other houses in the area.

1/15/08 The Parents-as-Teachers program has grown from four pilot sites in Saint Louis to more than three-thousand now around the world. Governor Matt Blunt continues to put more money into Missouri's childhood education program. If his latest increase is approved, Parents-as-Teachers will have a budget of more than 36-million dollars in 2009. KBIA's Sara Wittmeyer tagged along with a parent coach to see how the dollars are used to improve early childhood education.

1/11/08 A new group in Columbia is working to promote marriage as a way to better the community. The Columbia Marriage Coalition held its inaugural meeting this week. KBIA's Sara Wittmeyer reports.

1/6/08 One local Columbia pastor has become part of a nationwide movement that aims to bring Evangelical churches out of the suburbs and into urban communities and culture. But mixing traditional church with a downtown lifestyle isn't so popular with some religious organizations...the Missouri Baptist Convention, for one. KBIA's Jennifer Galt went to church, and files this report.

1/4/08 Jefferson City is re-examining its casino ban. About 50 capital city residents attended a public forum last night at City Hall. Those in attendance were predominately against gaming, but others say it’s still something voters should have the opportunity to decide. KBIA’s Sara Wittmeyer has more.

To hear audio features that aired prior to 2008, visit our archives:
2007
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2005