A message to the smug people who said Grant Wistrom's medical marijuana license efforts aren't news

I wasn't surprised by the reaction to my post on the Turner Resports blog about former Webb City High School and St. Louis Rams football standout Grant Wistrom's attempt to get a medical marijuana license in Springfield.

There were some who smugly proclaimed, "This is not news."

Others insisted it was nobody's business except Grant Wistrom's.

The naysayers did not keep it from being the most visited post on any of my blogs this week, the first time a post on the sports blog accomplished that feat.

I find it hard to understand how people can say the Wistrom story is not news.








Consider these elements of the story:

1. We have someone who is local celebrity and has received national sports stardom who is starting a new venture.

2. The ability to legally get medical marijuana licenses in Missouri is new and is being covered by the news all over the state.

3. The one I found most interesting. Wistrom talked about the use of marijuana to deal with pain and used his background as a professional football player who had to deal with pain every day. ,

So we have a celebrity, a timely topic and a compelling human interest story.

It's news, plain and simple.

I am certain that reasoning won't do anything to change the minds of those who don't think it is news because they aren't interested in it.

As for the other argument, that's it's nobody's business except Grant Wistrom's, it is going to be tough for him to make his business a success if nobody takes any interest in it.

Judging by the readership on this post, that will not be a problem.

This week's most visited Turner Report, Inside Joplin and Inside Joplin Obituaries posts and links to each of them after featured below.








The Turner Report

1. Federal grand jury indicts felon who shot Jasper County deputy io 2017 on meth trafficking, weapons charges

2. Former Pineville First Baptist Church youth minister pleads guilty to sexual exploitation of children

3. Federal grand jury indicts Joplin man on weapons charge

4. Barbara McNeely killer: I'm so very, very sorry for what I did

5. Is it absolutely necessary to make every post a battleground for Trump lovers and Trump haters?

6. Burnett: Governor called $60,000 special session to give sales tax break to one couple

7. Federal court document: Joplin man indicted for meth trafficking had stolen weapons, 4,000 rounds of ammunition

8. Missouri Southern begins presidential search process

9. Federal judge revokes Neosho man's probation on bank fraud, forgery charges

10. Carthage R-9 survey: Patrons want to build performing arts center, expand tech programs

Inside Joplin

1. JPD Range Line stop nets 3.3 pounds of meth marijuana, arrest for drug trafficking, DWI

2. Joplin woman arrested, meth confiscated during SWAT search warrant execution

3. Granby pedestrian struck by motorcycle, killed

4. Joplin Police ask for help locating missing person

5. Galena man sought on drug trafficking

6. Jasper woman injured in head-on collision north of Carthage

7. Three teens injured in accident near Racine

8. Jasper County Dissolution of Marriage Petitions

9. Joplin Police Department Weekend Arrests

10. Jasper County Sheriff's Office Arrests

Inside Joplin Obituaries

1. K. T. Ashburn

2. Brad Chaligoj

3. Jonathan Orozco

4. Jeremy Choens

5. Stephanie Brown

6. Kenneth Arehart

7. Barbara Musgrave

8. Joel Lamson

9. Terry Schulte

10. Carey Cardwell