As jail costs pile up, one county is taking a new approach to community service

Apr 11, 2019
The opioid epidemic is filling jails. Wise County, Virginia, is looking for alternatives.
Mitzi Bowen, 44, of Wise, Virginia, cleans up after a resident moved out of the Commonwealth Apartments on Dec. 7, 2018. Bowen said she became addicted to opioids after her dentist prescribed Lortabs for tooth pain. "One day I woke up and I couldn't feel good without the pills," she said.
Julia Rendleman/Marketplace

Opioids made it impossible to run his family business, so he became an undercover cop

Apr 3, 2019
Bucky Culbertson's career has followed the booms and busts of Wise County, up to his current job fighting the opioid epidemic.
Bucky Culbertson in his office, January 2019.
Ben Hethcoat/Marketplace

From cringeworthy to scary: a history of anti-drug PSAs

Mar 26, 2019
We remember anti-drug PSAs for reasons their makers didn't intend.
Illustration by Rose Conlon, images courtesy of Partnership for a Drug-Free America, National Crime Prevention Council and Truth.

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New to Make Me Smart? Here's where to start

Jan 17, 2019
Make Me Smart is back with our first new episode of 2024! We’re the Marketplace podcast where Kai Ryssdal and Kimberly Adams talk all things business, economy and culture with expert guests and, of course, all of you. Our motto is “None of us is as smart as all of us,” and we’d love you […]
Kimberly Adams and Kai Ryssdal on stage at Make Me Smart's live show in Seattle on June 9, 2023.
Juan Pablo Chiquiza, KUOW

We did the numbers on our filter bubbles

Nov 20, 2018
Kai and Molly hand over their Twitter data to see what they're not seeing.
Diptendu Dutta/AFP/Getty Images

Kai and Molly answer the Make Me Smart question

Oct 15, 2018
What's something you thought you knew that you later found out you were wrong about?
William England/London Stereoscopic Company/Getty Images