***This episode of Bowl After Bowl was originally published March 24, 2015. The title and notes have been republished as originally written***

United we stand, divided we fall. All are welcome in our movement, for there is strength in diversity. Mid-Missouri NORML hosted its second general membership meeting featuring a presentation from Show-Me Cannabis Research Director Aaron Malin about the shadiness of Missouri’s drug task forces (http://show-mecannabis.com/2015/02/report/). Unable to make our meetings? Join a committee and donate your skills when possible. For more info, tune in or shoot an email to info@midmonorml.org.

***This episode of Bowl After Bowl was originally published March 13, 2015. The title and notes have been republished as originally written***

Episode 024 is dedicated to the memory of our friend Big Rob. In this episode we talk about Mid-MO NORML’s recent scotch tasting fundraiser at the Grand Cru. We also give you a legislative update on pending cannabis-related bills at the capitol and discuss recent developments in Columbia’s First Ward city council race.

***This episode of Bowl After Bowl was originally published February 22, 2015. The title and notes have been republished as originally written***

In today’s episode, we sit down with Josh Chittum, president of Mid-Missouri NORML and assistant director of the “We Always Swing” Jazz Series.  We discuss our experience tabling with Show-Me Cannabis at Reagan Lincoln Days in Kansas City over the weekend and provide a brief update on Missouri’s cannabis legislation. Representative Shamed Dogan has written House Bill 978 to free Jeff Mizanskey, since Governor Nixon continues to ignore his constituents by refusing to grant Jeff clemency.  As for local events, Josh recaps Mid-Missouri NORML’s first monthly membership meeting and previews his Twin Peaks party.

***This episode of Bowl After Bowl was originally published February 10, 2015. The title and notes have been republished as originally written***

Yesterday, Show-Me Cannabis filed four lawsuits against Missouri drug task forces in violation of the Sunshine Law. We arrived in Jefferson City, Missouri this morning after driving back from the High Times’ SoCal Cannabis Cup in San Bernardino, California — just in time to take the group photo for Show-Me Cannabis’ Lobby Day. Nearly 100 activists gathered together today to create change. We spoke with our representative, Kip Kendrick, about legalization in Missouri. Hear what he had to say along with highlights from Amber Langston’s second Women of Cannabis event and the Cannabis Cup.

***This episode of Bowl After Bowl was originally published January 23, 2015. The title and notes have been republished as originally written***

We knew 2015 would be busy, but we had no clue just how busy it would be! Every day there are events related to cannabis legalization. On top of that, Laurien landed a job at GrassRoots Smoke Shop (https://grassrootssmokeshop.com). If you’ve never been in there before, you need to check it out. Today’s episode has good news and bad news. The bad news: Murphy got hit by a car. The good news: Murphy is headed toward a full recovery and Spencer won tickets to High Times Magazine’s SoCal Cannabis Cup in San Bernardino, California!

 ***This episode of Bowl After Bowl was originally published January 8, 2015. The title and notes have been republished as originally written***

Happy New Year Bowlers! Our New Year’s resolution is to further the fight for cannabis freedom in 2015.

One significant victory has already been achieved this year. The community worked together and made #RecallChadwick a success by gathering more than 300 valid signatures. To avoid a recall, Councilwoman Virginia Chadwick resigned last Monday. She painted a picture of herself as a good civil servant and proclaimed “real leaders” in the community had comforted her and told her that “the recall was ridiculous.” When the floor was briefly opened for public comment, only one Columbia resident spoke, saying, “Don’t let the door hit ya.” However, the council members lavished Chadwick with praise for “representing her ward” and her leadership on Tobacco 21.

Spencer drafted a petition to repeal Tobacco 21 but only had 20 days to acquire more than 3,200 signatures. That time period included the holidays, when most Columbia residents were out of town.

But the fight is just beginning.

Missouri Liberty Alliance (http://missourilibertyalliance.org/), a political action committee, was founded to raise money to support political change. Community members dedicating time for freedom fighting deserve compensation. Donations to MLA can be made through PayPal.

Another hot city issue is the continued illegal operation of Uber within the city limits of Columbia. This flat-out disregard for the law has apparently angered the city council. Of course, the same city council let Opus skirt many city laws and legal processes when they secured permission to construct a student housing complex. Laura Nauser, who is supposedly the most libertarian member of the city council, was the first out of the gates last Monday night to call for court action against Uber.

At Bowl After Bowl we have a different definition than Ginny Chadwick of what makes a “real leader.” One example that comes to mind is Show-Me Cannabis (http://show-mecannabis.com/) Deputy Director Amber Langston. She will be hosting an event in Kansas City tonight that we will be attending. Recently, Langston was covered by the Kansas City Star. Here is a video of her speaking at the Joplin, Mo. Cannabis Revival 2011:

Click here to read the feature on Amber published by the KC Star. (http://www.kansascity.com/living/article5448900.html)

The article mentions Jeff Mizanskey (http://justice4jeff.com), a Sedalia man who has served more than 20 years of a life sentence without parole for non-violent cannabis offenses. Show-Me Cannabis is leading the effort to free Mizanskey. No one should be in prison for a plant.

Governor Jay Nixon pardoned nine non-violent “offenders” (http://governor.mo.gov/news/archive/gov-nixon-grants-pardons-nine-non-violent-offenders) after the holidays, but it’s worth noting these “offenders” had already finished serving their sentences. Pardons carry no merit unless someone really values what Governor Nixon thinks. These nine people still have criminal records because a pardon is not an expungement.

Across the Missouri-Kansas border in Wichita, the group Kansas For Change has submitted 4,500 signatures for the Marijuana Reform Initiative, which would decriminalize possession of 32 grams and less of marijuana for people 21 and older. The group’s first attempt to decriminalize possession of cannabis failed when they fell 46 signatures short last summer.