Five Ideas: What are your thoughts on these items in the news this week?

This Bud’s for InBev

The Missourian presents: Real Companies of Genius. Today, we salute you, InBev. Missouri residents are talking about you, but since Monday, little of it is good.

InBev’s $52 billion purchase of Anheuser-Busch will shift ownership of the nation’s largest brewer overseas. InBev has said it plans to use St. Louis as its North American headquarters, and it will not be closing any of Anheuser-Busch’s 12 American breweries. But few are sure how the merger will affect Missouri, especially the 6,000 employed by Anheuser-Busch. The Busch name is virtually everywhere in St. Louis and in other Missouri locations, too. Much is at stake including college buildings, theme parks and the stadium where the Cardinals play.

So crack open an ice cold Bud Light, InBev — although many Missourians might not be joining in.

How will the InBev acquisition affect what kind of beer you drink?

Taser talk

About 75 people gathered at an open opinion forum Tuesday to voice their thoughts about the Columbia Police Department’s plans to more than double its Taser armament. Interim Police Chief Tom Dresner said law enforcement needed ways to exercise force that reduced danger for both the officer and the suspect. Dresner said he thinks Tasers can serve that purpose.

Some residents told stories about friends, neighbors or family members who they said were unjustly Tasered. The Police Department’s guidelines forbid officers from Tasing anyone who is too young, old or pregnant. But some medical conditions aren’t visible, and Tasers can be dangerous, even lethal, if used on pregnant women, people with heart conditions or people predisposed to seizures or strokes.

Should Tasers be used as a part of Columbia’s law enforcement efforts? If so, to what extent?

In hot water

Columbia’s water supply was in the news twice this week.

Levels of trihalomethanes in Columbia’s drinking water in May again violated the Environmental Protection Agency’s standards. Chlorine is added to drinking water to kill potentially harmful bacteria, but trihalomethanes — which have been linked to cancer — form when chlorine interacts with organic material in the water. The latest results are the highest level of trihalomethanes found in the city’s drinking water in the past 10 years.

After a 16-inch water main broke late Tuesday, a boil order was issued for residents in the Thornbrook and Millcreek Manor subdivisions. The break caused low water pressure, which could have allowed bacteria to enter the water line. No bacteria were found in either of two separate water tests, so the boil order was lifted on Friday.

How comfortable are you with the safeguards in place to make sure Columbia’s water is safe to drink?

Beyond book learning

For MU’s education students, hands-on learning happens during student teaching. In the School of Journalism, students learn in labs like KOMU, KBIA or the Missourian.

Now students in the Hotel and Restaurant Management program in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources have the chance to practice their skills in a real-world setting. The Gathering Place, a bed and breakfast at 606 S. College Ave., will reopen after being closed for two years.

Students will learn as they work in areas like marketing, advertising, budget, operations, room upkeep, guest relations and menu and meal preparation. Unlike a large corporate hotel, students will have full access to the operational aspects at The Gathering Place. The program will also strengthen MU by giving members and guests a place to get together.

What other programs at Columbia’s universities might benefit from a hands-on, real world component?

Summer in Boone County

The third annual Missouri 340 River race began Tuesday morning in Kansas City. Participants had up to 100 hours to paddle the Missouri River to St. Charles, stopping at nine checkpoints as they made their way across Missouri. Cooper’s Landing, south of Columbia, was the fifth checkpoint.

Another annual summer festivity begins this week: the Boone County Fair. The week-long fair officially starts at 4 p.m. Monday, though some events were taking place this weekend. Last year, attendance was estimated at 99,800; officials hope attendance reaches 100,000 this year. This is the first year car racing will be held at the fair.

What does summer in mid-Missouri mean to you, your friends and family?