PBS NewsHour Weekend; PBS NewsHour Weekend : KQED : February 14, 2015 5:30pm-6:01pm PST

Captioning sponsored by WNET

>> Stewart: ON THIS EDITION FOR SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14: A NEW TERROR ATTACK IN EUROPE-- THREE POLICEMEN ARE SHOT. IN OUR SIGNATURE SEGMENT, COLORADO'S LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA HAS ANGERED SOME OF IT'S NEIGHBORS. NOW THEY'RE SUING TO KEEP IT OUT.

>> NEBRASKA DIDN'T ASK TO LEGALIZE IT. IT'S STILL ILLEGAL HERE. WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. WE HAVE TO ENFORCE THE LAW.

>> Stewart: AND THE CHANGING FACE OF NETWORK COMEDY. NEXT ON PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND.

>> PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY: CORPORATE FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY MUTUAL OF AMERICA-- DESIGNING CUSTOMIZED INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP RETIREMENT PRODUCTS. THAT'S WHY WE ARE YOUR RETIREMENT COMPANY. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY: AND BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU. FROM THE TISCH WNET STUDIOS IN LINCOLN CENTER IN NEW YORK, ALISON STEWART. THIS IS PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND.

>> Stewart: GOOD EVENING. I'M ALISON STEWART. HARI SREENIVASAN WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEKEND. THERE HAS BEEN ANOTHER TERROR ATTACK IN EUROPE. POLICE IN COPENHAGEN, DENMARK, SAY A GUNMAN FIRED DOZENS OF BULLETS INTO A CAFE KILLING ONE PERSON AND INJURING THREE POLICEMEN. AT THE TIME, AN EVENT TITLED“ ARTS, BLASPHEMY AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION” WAS BEING STAGED THERE. THE EVENT FEATURED A WELL-KNOWN SWEDISH ARTIST AND CARTOONIST WHO HAD BEEN THREATENED DURING HIS CAREER FOR HIS DEPICTIONS OF THE PROPHET MOHAMMAD. THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO DENMARK WAS THERE BUT WAS UNINJURED. ALL THIS, A MONTH AFTER THE TERROR ATTACK IN PARIS AT THE SATIRICAL MAGAZINE CHARLIE HEBDO LEFT 12 PEOPLE DEAD. POLICE RELEASED THIS PHOTO OF THE SUSPECT, A MAN IN HIS LATE THE UNITED STATES IS REPORTEDLY STEPPING UP ARMS SHIPMENTS TO JORDAN TO HELP IN THE WAR AGAINST ISIS. JORDAN HAS BEEN CONDUCTING AIR STRIKES AGAINST THE ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS SINCE A JORDANIAN PILOT WAS BURNED ALIVE. ITS MUNITIONS ARE SAID TO BE STRETCHED THIN. THERE WAS HEAVY FIGHTING IN EASTERN UKRAINE TODAY HOURS BEFORE THE LATEST CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT AND PRO-RUSSIAN REBELS WENT INTO EFFECT. THE UNITED STATES AND UKRAINE BOTH ACCUSE RUSSIA OF DEPLOYING ARTILLERY AND SHELLING UKRAINIAN POSITIONS IN THE HOURS LEADING UP TO THE CEASE-FIRE. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT PETRO POROSHENKO SAID TODAY HE STILL WANTS A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF THE CONFLICT, BUT HE THREATENED TO IMPOSE MARTIAL LAW IN THE AREA. AND HE ADDED THIS:

>> ( translated ): TODAY, WE ARE AT A VERY IMPORTANT CROSSROADS. EITHER THE ENEMY STOPS SHOOTING AND EMBARKS ON DE-ESCALATION AND THEN POLITICAL RESOLUTION, OR THE ENEMY ESCALATES THE CONFLICT FOR US AND FOR EUROPE AND THE WHOLE WORLD. AT THE VATICAN TODAY IN A CEREMONY AT SAINT PETER'S BASILICA, POPE FRANCIS NAMED 20 NEW CARDINALS, ONLY TWO FROM EUROPE AND NONE FROM THE UNITED STATES. MOST OF THOSE CHOSEN ARE FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. THE POPE'S SELECTIONS ARE SEEN AS PART OF HIS ONGOING EFFORTS TO CHANGE THE BALANCE OF POWER IN THE CHURCH LEADERSHIP. CLOSER TO HOME, AUTHORITIES IN NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA, HAVE CHARGED TWO PEOPLE WITH CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT MURDER AFTER UNCOVERING A PLOT TO STAGE A MASS SHOOTING IN HALIFAX TODAY. OFFICIALS THERE SAY THE PLANNED ATTACK WAS NOT “CULTURALLY BASED” AND SAID “THERE IS NOTHING IN THE INVESTIGATION TO CLASSIFY IT AS A POSSIBLE TERRORIST ATTACK.” THEY DID NOT SAY WHAT DID MOTIVATE THE PLAN. ONE OF THOSE ARRESTED WAS A 23- YEAR-OLD ILLINOIS WOMAN. POLICE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, ARE INVESTIGATING ARSON AS A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF A FIRE AT AN ISLAMIC CENTER THERE YESTERDAY. THE FIRE, WHICH BEGAN BEFORE MORNING PRAYERS, BURNED FOR AN HOUR AND DESTROYED ONE OF THREE BUILDINGS ON THE COMPLEX. THE TEXAS STATE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION SAY TEXAS HAS THE EIGHTH LARGEST MUSLIM POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES, ABOUT 420,000 PEOPLE. THE FAMILY OF AN UNARMED MAN SHOT DEAD EARLIER THIS WEEK BY POLICE IN WASHINGTON STATE HAS FILED A $25 MILLION WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY OF PASCO. THIS, AS THE COUNTY CORONER ORDERED AN INQUEST INTO THE SHOOTING, WHICH WAS CAPTURED ON VIDEO BY A MOTORIST. THE POLICE SAY THE MAN WHO WAS KILLED HAD BEEN THROWING ROCKS AT THEM AND REFUSED TO STOP WHEN THEY TRIED TO ARREST HIM. THE INCIDENT LED TO PROTESTS IN THE CITY ABOUT 215 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SEATTLE. AND THE UNITED STATES COULD BE IN FOR WHAT NASA IS DESCRIBING AS THE WORST DROUGHT IN A THOUSAND YEARS, WHAT IT CALLS A“ MEGA-DROUGHT.” THE NASA STUDY WARNS THAT IF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS CONTINUE TO INCREASE, IT'S LIKELY THE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL PLAINS WILL SEE A DROUGHT STARTING AS EARLY AS 2050 AND THAT COULD LAST DECADES. A DROUGHT THAT, IT WARNS, WILL PRODUCE WATER SHORTAGES FAR WORSE THAN THE CURRENT DROUGHT.

>> Stewart: AMERICAN AND AFGHAN COMMANDOS HAVE SHARPLY INTENSIFIED RAIDS AGAINST AL QAEDA AFTER KILLING AN AL QAEDA LEADER LAST FALL AND SEIZING HIS COMPUTER. IT CONTAINED VALUABLE INFORMATION ABOUT AL QAEDA'S OPERATIONS IN BOTH AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN. FOR MORE ABOUT ALL OF THIS, WE ARE JOINED NOW BY MATTHEW ROSENBERG OF THE "NEW YORK TIMES." HE CO-AUTHORED THE STORY DETAILING ALL OF THIS. SO WHAT WAS ON THIS LAPTOP? WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION AND WHAT IMPACT HAS IT HAD ON U.S. MILITARY INVOLVEMENT ON THE GROUND?

>> WE'RE TOLD IT WAS QUITE AN EXTENSIVE KIND OF ACCOUNTING OF AL QAEDA OPERATIONS. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE PRETTY TIGHT LIPPED ABOUT THESE KIND OF THINGS. UN, THERE WAS A LOT OF DATA ON THERE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN OPERATIONAL. IT COULD HAVE BEEN PHONE NUMBERS. AL QAEDA KEEPS AMAZING RECORDS OF WHAT IT DOES. A LOT OF THESE MILITANT ORGANIZATIONS DO, AND EVEN THINGS LIKE A PHONE LIST CAN PROVIDE HUGE INTELLIGENCE IF YOU'RE TRYING TO TRACK PEOPLE DOWN. I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THRURP OTHER FACTORS AT PLAY. A NEW AFGHAN PRESIDENT WAS MORE OPEN TO WORKING WITH THE U.S. AND THE AFGHAN ARMY HAD A REALLY ROUGH TIME LAST YEAR AND THE AMERICANS REALLY WANT TO KEEP HELPING THEM. ONE OF THE BIGGER THINGS THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO TO HELP IS GO AFTER THE MID-LEVEL MANAGERS OF THE INSURGENCY.

>> Stewart: SOMETHING, MATTHEW, FIND SO FASCINATING ABOUT THIS STORY, ALMOST THE GEE WHIZ OF IT, IS THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN SO USEFUL GIVEN ALL THE MILITARY MIGHT AND ALL THE POWER WE HAVE AND ALL THE INTELLIGENCE, THAT ONE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT HAS PROVEN TO BE SO VALUABLE. >>UN ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THEY'VE ALWAYS HAD IN FIGHTING THE TALIBAN-- AND AL QAEDA TO A DEGREE-- IS GETTING PEOPLE INSIDE. THE TALIBAN'S LEADERSHIP IS A GROUP OF VILLAGERS WHO ALL GREW UP TOGETHER. GETTING PEOPLE ON THE INSIDE TO GET INFORMATION, VERY DIFFICULT. AL QAEDA, THE SAME THING. THEY'RE IN DISTANT AREAS. THEY ARE VERY CLOSE ABOUT WHO THEY LET INTO THE INNER CIRCLE. SO SOMETHING LIKE A COMPUTER CAN PROVIDE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INSIGHT INTO WHAT'S GOING ON, EVEN IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF RECORD OF WHO BOUGHT WHAT, WHEN, AND WHERE-- PRINTER CARTRIDGES, TELEFEENS WHO KNOWS.

>> Stewart: ONE OF THEAV BEGAN OFFICIALS QUOTED IN THE STORY YOU AUTHORED SAID THIS IS A SECRET WAR, THESE RAIDS.

>> THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TWO WARS GOG IN AFGHANISTAN, THE BIG ARMY, THE EMBEDS JOURNALISTS LIKE ME OTHER ANDS WONT, AND THERE'S THE SECRET WAR THAT WENT AFTER THE LEADERS, THE FINANCES. YOU KNOW, WE NEVER GOT A CLOSE LOOK AT THAT. AND THE BIG WAR IS OVER. I MEAN THOSE DAYS OF BIG U.S. TROOPS OCCUPYING BASES AROUNDLET COUNTRY, THAT'S DONE. BUT THAT SECRET WAR THAT CLANDESTINE WAR IS STILL VERY MUCH GOING. AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES WE'RE IF WE'VE GOT THE PRESIDENT DECLARING THE WAR OVER-- I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS HE SAID IN THE STATE OF THE UNION BUT THERE ARE AMERICANS INVOLVED IN WAR.

>> Lehrer: IS THAT WHY BOTH SIDES HAVE KEPT THIS RELATIVELY QUIET?

>> I THINK THAT'S QUIET. THERE IS SOME NECESSITY FOR OPERATIONAL SECRECY, AND WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT. AND I THINK THERE'S THE ISSUE OF POLITICAL FALLOUT AT HOME. IN THE U.S., YOU KNOW ON A RANGE OF ISSUES-- THIS, ON DATA RELEASED BY THE MILITARY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN AFGHANISTAN-- THERE IS LESS AND LESS AVAILABLE AND THE IMPRESSION WE HAVE IS EVERYBODY WANTS TO KIND OF FORGET ABOUT IT. ON THE AFGHAN SIDE THE IMAGE OF AMERICANS STILL RAIDING AFGHAN HOMES AT NIGHT EVEN THEY'RE DOING IT WITH AFGHAN TROOPS IS NOT A GOOD IMAGE ANYBODY WANTS TO SEE AND ANY LEADER WANTS OUT IN PUBLIC.

>> Stewart: MATTHEW ROSENBERG FROM THE "NEW YORK TIMES," THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR REPORTING.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Stewart: AND NOW TO OUR SIGNATURE SEGMENT, OUR ORIGINAL IN-DEPTH REPORTS FROM AROUND THE NATION AND AROUND THE WORLD. YOU NO DOUBT HAVE HEARD A GREAT DEAL ABOUT COLORADO'S LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA AND HOW SALES THERE ARE PRODUCING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TAX REVENUES. WHAT YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT IS THE IMPACT COLORADO'S DECISION HAS HAD ON NEIGHBORING STATES. HERE'S A HINT: AUTHORITIES IN THOSE OTHER STATES ARE NOT VERY HAPPY. IN FACT, SO UNHAPPY THAT SOME OF THEM HAVE FILED A LAWSUIT. I RECENTLY TRAVELED TO WESTERN NEBRASKA, NEAR THE COLORADO STATE LINE, TO SEE HOW THE STORY IS PLAYING OUT THERE.

>> Reporter: ADAM HAYWARD IS THE SHERIFF OF DEUEL COUNTY, NEBRASKA, WHICH IS RIGHT BY THE STATE LINE WITH COLORADO. SHERIFF HAYWARD SAYS HIS WORK HASN'T BEEN THE SAME SINCE COLORADO LEGALIZED RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

>> KEEP IT OVER THERE. IT'S STILL ILLEGAL HERE. WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. WE HAVE TO ENFORCE THE LAW.

>> Reporter: THE SHERIFF SAYS HE'S ARRESTED ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE CARRYING MARIJUANA BACK FROM COLORADO ALONG INTERSTATE 76: TEENAGERS MAKING WEEKEND RUNS TO DENVER, AND ONCE A 67 YEAR OLD GRANDMOTHER. WITH EACH ARREST THE SHERIFF COLLECTS MORE AND MORE MARIJUANA. IT IS CATALOGED AND THEN STORED IN THE DEUEL COUNTY JAIL CELL.

>> NOW WE KEEP OUR EVIDENCE HERE.

>> Reporter: WHICH YOU CAN SMELL.

>> ALL THESE TRASH BAGS, THESE TOTES THIS, THESE WERE ALL OUT OF ONE STOP WE HAD.

>> Reporter: THAT'S ONE STOP?

>> THERE WERE 75 POUNDS THAT THIS GENTLEMAN HAD.

>> Reporter: WHAT?

>> AND THEY HAD, LIKE I SAID ALL THESE BAGS, ALL THESE TOTES WERE FILLED. THESE ARE ESSENTIALLY LIKE A ONE POUND PACKAGE AND THERE'S 75 OF THESE PACKAGES, AND THIS WAS OUT OF ONE TRAFFIC STOP.

>> Reporter: WOW, WHAT DID HE GET PULLED OVER FOR?

>> SPEEDING.

>> Reporter: THE SHERIFF SAYS THAT BATCH OF POT CAME FROM A MARIJUANA GROWING FACILITY IN COLORADO. HE'S ALSO RECOVERED LOTS OF EDIBLE PRODUCTS IN CARS HE PULLS OVER ON I-76. THE NUMBER OF MARIJUANA CASES IS SOARING. IN 2011 WHEN COLORADO ONLY SOLD MEDICAL CANNABIS, THE SHERIFF STOPPED SOMEONE COMING BACK FROM COLORADO WITH POT LESS THAN ONCE A WEEK. LAST YEAR WHEN RECREATIONAL CANNABIS BECAME LEGAL, THE SHERIFF'S COUNTY HAD MORE THAN ONE MARIJUANA CASE A WEEK. LAST MONTH, THERE WERE AT LEAST FIVE CASES A WEEK.

>> WE JUST GO OUT AND STOP CARS FOR NORMAL TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. AND IT SEEMS TO BE THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING OVER TO GET THIS YOU JUST CAN'T HELP BUT RUN INTO IT JUST BY STOPPING A FEW CARS.

>> Reporter: WHAT HASN'T CHANGED IS THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS WORKING IN DEUEL COUNTY: THREE FULL TIME AND TWO PART TIME OFFICERS. THE SHERIFF SAYS HIS COUNTY IS BEING STRETCHED THIN.

>> WELL, WE'RE A SMALL DEPARTMENT. WE USUALLY HAVE ONE PERSON ON AT A TIME. SO IF THEY RUN ACROSS SOMETHING THEN THEY'RE HAVING TO CALL SOMEBODY OUT. WELL, THEN YOU'RE PAYING OVERTIME, AND WHERE WE'VE HAD MORE ARRESTS AND MORE PEOPLE IN JAIL, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES MORE TIME IN THE COURT. YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING TO TRANSPORT PRISONERS BACK AND FORTH, HAVE MORE PEOPLE IN THE COURTROOM FOR SECURITY. SO IT TIES UP OUR TIME DEALING WITH THESE VERSUS, YOU KNOW, WE COULD BE DOING OTHER THINGS PATROLLING IN TOWN.

>> Reporter: IT TAKES UP TIME AND MONEY. AFTER AN ARREST, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE PERSON IS FROM NEBRASKA, COLORADO OR ELSEWHERE THE COUNTY PICKS UP THE BILL FOR HOUSING AND MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR THOSE IN CUSTODY, AS WELL AS THE COST OF HIRING A PUBLIC DEFENDER. SHERIFF HAYWARD SAYS HIS ANNUAL JAIL BUDGET HAS ALMOST TRIPLED-- UP NEARLY $100,000 SINCE 2011.

>> WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING JUMP UP $100,000, THAT'S A PRETTY BIG INCREASE FOR 2,000 PEOPLE TO COVER.

>> Reporter: HOW ARE YOU CLOSING THAT GAP FINANCIALLY?

>> BASICALLY OUT HERE, I MEAN, ALL THE TAX REVENUE IS GENERATED FROM PROPERTY TAXES. SO IF THE COUNTY NEEDS MORE MONEY THEY HAVE TO RAISE THE PROPERTY TAXES, AND, YOU KNOW, IT GOES BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS.

>> Reporter: NEBRASKA LAW ENDS HERE AT THE COLORADO BORDER. SO WHILE SHERIFF HAYWARD IS DOING HIS JOB JUST OVER THERE IN THE CORNHUSKER STATE, OVER HERE THE OWNER OF THE FIRST DISPENSARY BY COLORADO'S NORTH BORDER IS DOING HIS.

>> I'M CURRENTLY EMPLOYING NINE PEOPLE FULL TIME.

>> Reporter: MIKE KOLLARTIS OWNS A MARIJUANA DISPENSARY IN SEDGWICK, COLORADO, A TOWN ABOUT SEVEN MILES FROM THE BORDER. HIS STORE, SEDGWICK ALTERNATIVE RELIEF, WHICH SELLS BOTH MEDICAL AND RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA, IS NEWLY RENOVATED. IT STANDS OUT ALONG THIS MAIN STREET THAT HAS SEEN BETTER DAYS. IT HAS BECOME THE MAIN DRAW TO THIS QUIET TOWN OF 150 PEOPLE.

>> THEY'RE PRETTY HAPPY ABOUT THE RENOVATIONS I'VE DONE, THE EMPLOYMENT I'VE BROUGHT, THE DOLLARS, THE TAX REVENUE DOLLARS ARE OUTSTANDING.

>> OH, MY GOODNESS. IT'S BEEN GOOD.

>> Reporter: LUPE PENA CASIAS OWNS A RESTAURANT AND INN ACROSS THE STREET. SHE SAYS THE TOWN HAS SEEN A HUGE FINANCIAL BOOST BECAUSE EACH TIME THERE'S A MARIJUANA SALE AT THE STORE, THE TOWN OF SEDGWICK GETS A FIVE DOLLAR TRANSACTION FEE. AND AS LONG AS THE DISPENSARY IS OPEN, THE CUSTOMERS KEEP COMING.

>> IT'S BUSY, BUSY, BUSY OVER THERE AND BUSY, BUSY, BUSY HERE.

>> Reporter: EMPLOYEES AT THE STORE ARE TRAINED TO LOOK OUT FOR CUSTOMERS WHO MIGHT BREAK THE LAW. THE DISPENSARY ALSO DISPLAYS SIGNS DETAILING THE MARIJUANA LAWS OF COLORADO AND NEIGHBORING STATES. YET THERE IS STILL AN INFLUX OF POT COMING INTO NEBRASKA AND OKLAHOMA. SO THE ATTORNEYS GENERAL OF BOTH STATES FILED A LAWSUIT IN THE U.S. SUPREME COURT IN DECEMBER, ALLEGING THAT THEY, “HAVE SUFFERED DIRECT AND SIGNIFICANT HARM ARISING FROM THE INCREASED PRESENCE OF COLORADO-SOURCED MARIJUANA.” NEBRASKA AND OKLAHOMA ALSO CONTEND THAT COLORADO'S MARIJUANA LAW “DIRECTLY CONFLICTS WITH FEDERAL LAW AND UNDERMINES THE AREA OF DRUG CONTROL AND ENFORCEMENT.” AND SO BOTH STATES ARE ASKING THE SUPREME COURT TO DECLARE COLORADO'S MARIJUANA LAW UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND IN DOING SO, UNDO COLORADO'S MARIJUANA REGULATORY SYSTEM. BILL KELLY IS A REPORTER WITH NEBRASKA'S PUBLIC RADIO STATION NET WHO'S BEEN COVERING THE ISSUE. WE VIDEO CHATTED WITH HIM BECAUSE HE'S BASED IN THE STATE'S CAPITOL LINCOLN, OVER 300 MILES AWAY FROM WHERE WE WERE REPORTING AT THE NEBRASKA/COLORADO BORDER. MEDICAL MARIJUANA, OBVIOUSLY, HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME IN COLORADO, AND EVERYONE SAW THAT RECREATIONAL WAS COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE. WHY DIDN'T NEBRASKA LEGISLATORS GET MORE INVOLVED IN DEALING WITH THIS POROUS BORDER ISSUE EARLIER?

>> I'M NOT CERTAIN NEBRASKA POLICY MAKERS WERE REALLY PREPARED FOR WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. YOU WERE STARTING TO SEE MORE POSSESSION CASES, YOU WERE STARTING TO SEE MORE DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE CASES. BUT THERE WAS, I THINK, A LITTLE BIT OF THE DEER-IN-THE- HEADLIGHTS FEELING THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE IS.

>> Reporter: SOME NEBRASKAN LAWMAKERS BELIEVE THAT THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE IS TO CHANGE THE STATE'S MARIJUANA LAWS. BUT THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT WHAT TO DO: ONE WOULD BE TO LEGALIZE MEDICAL CANNABIS WHILE ANOTHER WOULD INCREASE THE FINES FOR EDIBLE MARIJUANA PRODUCTS. THE PENALTIES IN NEBRASKA DEPEND ON HOW MUCH POT IS IN YOUR POSSESSION. A FIRST TIME OFFENSE, UNDER AN OUNCE, IS A $300 FINE. MORE THAN AN OUNCE BUT LESS THAN A POUND IS A MISDEMEANOR WITH POSSIBLE JAIL TIME AND A FINE. BUT MORE THAN A POUND IS A FELONY WITH A MAXIMUM FIVE YEARS IN PRISON AND OR A $10,000 FINE. WHILE NEBRASKA DELIBERATES WHETHER TO ALLOW MARIJUANA OR KEEP IT OUT OF THE STATE, SOME RESIDENTS LIKE JEREMY CRARY FIND THEMSELVES CAUGHT BETWEEN THE LAWS OF NEBRASKA AND COLORADO. NINE YEARS AGO CRARY ACCIDENTLY SHOT HIMSELF IN THE HEAD WHILE PLAYING WITH A GUN. AFTER PAINFUL SURGERIES AND PHYSICAL THERAPY, HE SPENT YEARS ON MORE THAN A DOZEN MEDICATIONS AND RECEIVED REGULAR SHOTS OF BOTOX FOR SEVERE MUSCLE SPASMS, BUT RECENTLY HE STARTED TAKING MEDICAL CANNABIS INSTEAD. HE SAYS IT'S THE MOST EFFECTIVE IN RELIEVING HIS PAIN AND SPASMS.

>> I JUST QUIT TAKING ALL MY PAIN PILLS THEY PRESCRIBED ME AND STUFF.

>> Reporter: CRARY HAS MADE SEVERAL TRIPS ACROSS THE BORDER TO MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES. HE SAYS THE STRAINS OF MARIJUANA HE CAN LEGALLY PURCHASE IN COLORADO ARE BETTER FOR HIS PAIN THAN WHAT HE CAN GET ILLEGALLY IN HIS AREA. WHAT'S IT LIKE FOR YOU TO KNOWINGLY BREAK THE LAW WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING BACK FROM COLORADO WITH SOME WEED IN YOUR CAR HEADING HOME?

>> I MEAN, IT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE A CRIMINAL. I HATE IT. I NEVER KNOW WHETHER THE NEXT COP'S GONNA BE SO I'M ALWAYS LOOKING AROUND.

>> Reporter: WE SPOKE TO A SHERIFF OF DEUEL COUNTY WHICH IS ONE OF THOSE COUNTIES YOU HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH TO GET BACK THIS WAY. ARE YOU CONCERNED AT ALL ABOUT BEING PART OF THAT GROUP THAT'S BREAKING THE LAW OR THAT'S CAUSING HIM AND TAXPAYERS IN THAT TOWN A PROBLEM?

>> NO, NOT REALLY.

>> Reporter: WHY NOT?

>> I'M NOT LOOKING TO JUST GET HIGH. I'M NOT TRYING TO BRING IT BACK AND SELL IT. I'M JUST TRYING TO RELIEVE MYSELF OF HAVING TO USE PHARMACEUTICALS TO HAVE A DECENT LIFE.

>> Reporter: IF PEOPLE ARE MAKING THE EFFORT TO ACTUALLY GO BUY THIS LEGALLY IN COLORADO AS OPPOSED TO BREAKING TWO LAWS IN NEBRASKA, “I'M GONNA BUY IT ILLEGALLY AND THEN I'M GONNA USE IT ILLEGALLY.” SHOULDN'T THERE BE SOME SORT OF ELASTICITY TO THE PUNISHMENT?

>> NO, I MEAN, IT'S LEGAL OVER THERE. THAT'S FINE. IF YOU WANT TO BUY IT OVER THERE, USE IT OVER THERE. DON'T COME BACK HERE WITH IT BECAUSE IT'S ILLEGAL.

>> Reporter: THE SHERIFF SAYS HE'S SEEING MORE D.U.I.D.s- DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS. HE'S a]):RáING LOCAL SCHOOLS WITH CONFISCATED MARIJUANA EDIBLES TO SHOW TEACHERS STUDENTS MIGHT POSSESS. AND HE EXPECTS HE'LL SPEND MORE TIME ON INTERSTATE 76 UNTIL THIS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE IS RESOLVED.

>> Stewart: SEE THE ITEMS NEBRASKA POLICE CONFISCATED DURING TRAFFIC STOPS ON THEIR SIDE OF THE COLORADO BORDER. VISIT www.pbs.org/newshour.

>> Stewart: AS THE FACE OF AMERICA IS CHANGING AND THE NATION IS BECOMING MORE RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE, SO TOO IS THE FACE OF NETWORK PRIME- TIME TELEVISION. RECENTLY, ABC PREMIERED “"FRESH OFF THE BOAT,” THE FIRST NETWORK SITCOM IN 20 YEARS CENTERED AROUND AN ASIAN-AMERICAN FAMILY. THE NEWSHOUR'S MORI ROTHMAN REPORTS.

>> Reporter: LIKE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, JEFF YANG WATCHED THE RECENT PREMIERE OF "FRESH OFF THE BOAT." YANG IS A COLUMNIST FOR THE "WALL STREET JOURNAL" ONLINE AND HAS WRITTEN ABOUT ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES AND AMERICA'S CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS FOR DECADES.

>> ASIAN-AMERICANS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY EDUCATED. WHICH MEANS THAT THERE'S A-- A GROWING MIDDLE-CLASS AND UPPER- MIDDLE CLASS, WHITE-COLLAR POPULATION OF ASIAN-AMERICANS AFFLUENT WITH DISPOSABLE INCOME. THE KIND OF DEMOGRAPHIC THAT MARKETERS HISTORICALLY HAVE BEEN SEEKING TO REACH.

>> Reporter: ACCORDING TO THE 2010 CENSUS WHICH DEFINES ASIANS AS PEOPLE ORIGINATING FROM DOZENS OF COUNTRIES INCLUDING CHINA, INDIA AND THE PHILIPPINES, ASIAN AMERICANS ACCOUNT FOR A SMALL SEGMENT OF THE U.S.- JUST OVER 17 MILLION PEOPLE. BUT A NIELSEN REPORT ON THE ASIAN AMERICAN CONSUMER SAYS ASIANS ARE THE FASTEST GROWING GROUP IN THE U.S., HAVING GROWN 58% FROM 2000 TO 2013. THAT'S WHY YANG BELIEVES TV LINEUPS ARE DIVERSIFYING. NETWORKS MADE A SPLASH LAST YEAR BY ANNOUNCING TEN NEW SHOWS THIS SEASON WITH NON-WHITE CHARACTERS OR NON-WHITE SHOW CREATORS. BUT YANG IS PAYING SPECIAL ATTENTION TO ONE SHOW, AND NOT JUST BECAUSE HE STUDIES DEMOGRAPHICS, HE'S WATCHING FOR HIS SON.

>> I CAN'T EVEN CLAIM TO BE A DISPASSIONATE OBSERVER HERE. AND NOR WOULD I WANT TO. YOU KNOW, MY SON, OF COURSE IS THE LEAD KID. HE PLAYS 11-YEAR-OLD EDDIE HUANG IN "FRESH OFF THE BOAT".

>> THAT'S ME, YOUR BOY EDDIE HUANG, CHECK IT, 11 YEARS OLD.

>> I COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED THAT IT WOULD BE MY OFFSPRING, THE NEXT GENERATION, WHO WOULD BE AT THE VERY CENTER OF A MOMENT THAT I'VE KIND OF LOOKED FORWARD TO F-- FOR ALL OF MY ADULT LIFE.

>> Reporter: IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, THE DEBUT OF "FRESH OFF THE BOAT" ON ABC MARKED THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS YOU COULD TURN ON YOUR TV AND WATCH A NETWORK SHOW CENTERED AROUND AN ASIAN AMERICAN FAMILY.

>> IF YOU TRY TO SUSPEND OUR SON BECAUSE OF THIS WE WILL SUE EVERYONE IN THIS SCHOOL.

>> SO FAST IT WILL MAKE YOUR HEAD SPIN. HEY, IT'S THE AMERICAN WAY RIGHT?

>> Reporter: THE SHOW IS BASED ON THE MEMOIR OF EDDIE HUANG A CELEBRITY CHEF, RESTAURATEUR, AND HOST OF THE WEB SERIES "HUANG'S WORLD" ON vice.com. THE SITCOM FOCUSES ON EDDIE'S ROUGH CHILDHOOD AND HIS PARENT'S STRUGGLES AS IMMIGRANTS TRYING TO ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM BY STARTING A WESTERN THEMED RESTAURANT. EVEN SEEING ONE ASIAN AMERICAN ON TV USED TO BE A RARE OCCURRENCE, UNTIL THE ARRIVAL OF ACTORS LIKE GEORGE TAKEI IN STAR TREK AND BRUCE LEE IN THE GREEN HORNET. BUT SUCCESS IN THE SITCOM WORLD HAS BEEN SLOW.

>> DO YOU KNOW WHY I ENCOURAGE YOUR BROTHER TO BECOME A CARDIOLOGIST?

>> NO.

>> BECAUSE I ALWAYS KNEW THAT ONE DAY YOU GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK, WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?

>> Reporter: IN 1994, "ALL AMERICAN GIRL" STARRING KOREAN- AMERICAN COMEDIAN MARGARET CHO BECAME THE FIRST NETWORK SITCOM CENTERED AROUND AN ASIAN- AMERICAN FAMILY. BUT IT WAS CANCELED AFTER 21 EPISODES DUE TO POOR REVIEWS AND SINKING RATINGS.

>> YOU KNOW AND I KNOW THAT THERE'RE A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO INTO THE SUCCESS OF A TELEVISION SHOW, MANY REASONS WHY YOU MIGHT IMAGINE THAT A SHOW MIGHT NOT WORK. BUT WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING AS SINGULAR AS AN ASIAN-AMERICAN SITCOM ON TELEVISION, WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK, IT'S VERY EASY TO BLAME THE FACT THAT AMERICANS DON'T WANT TO SEE AN ASIAN.

>> Reporter: "FRESH OFF THE BOAT" DEBUTED TO AN AUDIENCE OF NEARLY EIGHT MILLION, WHEN IT FOLLOWED ABC'S HIGHLY RATED SITCOM, MODERN FAMILY ON A WEDNESDAY NI: THIS WEEK, AIRING DURING ITS REGULARLY SCHEDULED TUESDAY NIGHT TIME SLOT, "FRESH OFF THE BOAT" HAD TWO MILLION FEWER VIEWERS, BUT STILL BEAT COMPETITION LIKE NBC'S LONG RUNNING SITCOM "PARKS AND RECREATION."

>> ON THE ONE HAND THAT SEEMS LIKE, WOW, THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE MOMENT OF PROGRESS. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT UNDERSCORES WAYS IN WHICH OUR MASS, POPULAR CULTURE IS STILL A LAGGING INDICATOR, NOT A LEADING INDICATOR. IT-- IT FOLLOWS A LITTLE BIT BEHIND WHAT'S ACTUALLY CHANGING ON THE GROUND, IN OUR LIVES, IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND IN OUR FAMILIES.

>> THIS IS PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND, SATURDAY.

>> Stewart: AND NOW TO "VIEWERS LIKE YOU." TONIGHT, YOUR RESPONSE TO LAST WEEK'S SIGNATURE SEGMENT FROM MAIN STREET, COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI, WHERE A NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL COMPANIES HAVE OPENED UP SHOP AND STARTED HIRING. MOST OF YOUR COMMENTS WERE SKEPTICAL. JEANSC SAID: "THE KEY TO YOKOHAMA TIRE'S CHOICE TO LOCATE HERE IS NON-UNION JOBS. THE 'GOLDEN TRIANGLE' IS PART OF THE 'THIRD WORLD' PART OF THE U.S.A. THE MANUFACTURERS LOCATING HERE ARE, FOR THE MOST PART, MAINLY TRYING TO BUY THE LABOR AS CHEAPLY AS POSSIBLE AND MAKE SURE IT'S MORE EXPLOITABLE BY BEING NON-UNION." CURTIS ADDED: "A $15 PER HOUR WAGE IS ABOUT $30,000 A YEAR. AT $30,000 A YEAR, A WORKER WILL NEVER QUALIFY TO PURCHASE A HOME, SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO COLLEGE OR SAVE FOR A DECENT RETIREMENT. THIS IS THE REALITY OF BLUE COLLAR LABOR IN THE U.S." AND THIS FROM BILL RYAN: "THE MODERN MANUFACTURERS DEMAND A BETTER EDUCATED WORK FORCE. IF YOU DON'T ADDRESS THAT FIRST, BUSINESS WILL GO ELSEWHERE." TINA BEELEL COMMENTED: "A FRIEND WHO USED TO LIVE THERE SAID AN AUTO PLANT DID WELL FOR THE ECONOMY IN HIS AREA. I WOULD ASSUME IT DEPENDS WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS IS BEING BUILT. ANOTHER WALMART? NO." IN OUR STORY, MISSISSIPPI GOVERNOR PHIL BRYANT TALKED ABOUT THE NEW JOBS IN HIS STATE.

>> THESE ARE MANUFACTURING JOBS. AND SO, HOPEFULLY, THEY ARE THOSE TYPE THAT WILL BE TRANSFERRED FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT.

>> Stewart: WHICH BROUGHT THIS COMMENT FROM ANLA: "ONE AND A HALF GENERATIONS PERHAPS. THEN, LIKE THE NORTHERN STATES, ANOTHER STATE OR COUNTRY WILL UNDERCUT THE COST-- TAX BREAKS, ETC.-- AND THEY WILL MOVE. MANUFACTURING JOBS WORK ONLY WHERE EMPLOYEES ARE WILLING TO WORK FOR DESPERATION WAGES, LIKE IN MISSISSIPPI." AS ALWAYS, WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS AT www.pbs.org/newshour, ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, OR TWEET US AT NEWSHOUR.

>> Stewart: MORE NEWS BEFORE WE LEAVE YOU TONIGHT. AUTHORITIES IN NEW ZEALAND ARE TRYING TO SAVE ABOUT 60 WHALES STRANDED ON A BEACH. ANOTHER 140 THAT CAME ASHORE DIED. AND ON VALENTINE'S DAY THIS-- A NEW YAPP THAT WILL HELP YOU CREATE A FAKE BOYFRIEND OR GIRLFRIEND WHO WILL TEXT YOU, POST ON YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE, EVEN WRITE YOU A LETTER. SUBSCRIBERS GET TO INVENT THEIR LOOK AND PERSONALITIES AND, YES, TENS OF THOUSANDS HAVE SIGNED UP. WELCOME TO 2015. I'M ALISON STEWART, HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. Captioning sponsored by WNET Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org

>> PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY: CORPORATE FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY MUTUAL OF AMERICA-- DESIGNING CUSTOMIZED INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP RETIREMENT PRODUCTS. THAT'S WHY WE ARE YOUR RETIREMENT COMPANY. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY: AND BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU. Narrator: THE PIONEERS OF SCIENCE-FICTION TELEVISION DIDN'T JUST INVENT A GENRE THEY TAUGHT US SOMETHING ABOUT OURSELVES -- AND THEY GAVE US A GREAT RIDE. HOW WONDERFUL, MY GOD -- THREE YEARS, 40 YEARS AGO, THEY STILL TALK ABOUT THE CHARACTER, MY GOD! SO I CHANGED THE READING AND I SAID, "FASCINATING." AND THAT, I THINK, WAS WHERE WE REALLY FOUND THE SPARK OF THE CHARACTER. Woman: HAVE THESE PLASTIC ROCKS LAND -- THAT WAS FUN TO ME! THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, I WAS A KID. I, HONESTLY, I NEVER HAD A BAD DAY GOING TO WORK ON THAT SHOW. Woman: HE WANTED TO SPEAK FROM A VOICE OF MEN AND WOMEN AS EQUALS. I THOUGHT WE HAD SOME EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD STUFF ON, AND IN THE FEW YEARS THAT HAVE PASSED SINCE "TWILIGHT ZONE" WAS ON THERE HAS APPEARED ANOTHER WHOLE NEW GENERATION ANOTHER BODY OF MARVELOUS SCIENCE-FICTION. Narrator: THEY ARE... THE PIONEERS OF TELEVISION.