Study Calls Plant 'Untapped Source Of Revenue' Kansas is the land of wheat, sorghum and ... weed? A new study that's raising eyebrows around the country suggests that the nation's top cash crop isn't corn or wheat, but marijuana. The report, published in the "Bulletin of Cannabis Reform," puts the value of the nation's marijuana crop at $35.8 billion, compared with $23.3 billion for the nation's corn crop and $7.4 billion for wheat. The study, by Virginia-based consultant Jon B. Gettman, found Kansas to be 31st among the states in marijuana production, with a crop value estimated at $64 million. [continues 456 words]
Switzerland already has program in place Prescription heroin maintenance, as well as the legalization of marijuana, would deprive organized crime of a core client base. This would render illegal drug trafficking unprofitable and spare future generations addiction. Regarding McKay Stangler's Nov. 28 editorial on the late Milton Friedman, there is a middle ground between drug prohibition and free market legalization. Switzerland's heroin maintenance program has been shown to reduce disease, death and crime among chronic users. Providing addicts with standardized doses in a clinical setting eliminates many of the problems associated with heroin use. Heroin maintenance pilot projects are underway in Canada, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands. [continues 154 words]
Recent Changes Make the Debate Relevant to Students The death of an influential economist who advocated decriminalizing drugs has prompted the need to revisit the United State's War on Drugs. The recent death of famed economist Milton Friedman has prompted an avalanche of essays about his influential monetary writings. Friedman was indeed a driving force behind many of today's fundamental economic policies, and his ideas deserve the laudatory nature of these tributes. But in the rush to sanctify Friedman's fiscal faculty, another aspect of his impressive career, of special import to students, may be overlooked. Friedman was a vocal advocate for the decriminalization of drugs, and his passing reminds us that the time to re-evaluate the War on Drugs is long overdue. [continues 317 words]
Auburn-Washburn Unified School District 437 has fired an [redacted] teacher suspected of having drug paraphernalia on school property. [redacted], who had taught at [redacted] schools for four years, was terminated by school board members Monday night for "apparent possession of drug paraphernalia on school property." [redacted] was removed from his teaching duties Oct. 25. The teacher isn't currently facing criminal charges. However, the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office investigated the case and has turned its findings over to the office of Shawnee County District Attorney Robert Hecht, said sheriff's spokeswoman Martha Lutz. Hecht said he expects to review the case next week before deciding if charges will be filed. [continues 152 words]
Laura Green is to be commended for raising awareness of the Higher Education Act's denial of student loans to youth convicted of drug offenses. Instead of empowering at-risk students with a college degree, HEA limits career opportunities and increases the likelihood that those affected will resort to crime. Speaking of crime, convicted rapists and murders are still eligible for federal student loans. Most students outgrow their youthful indiscretions involving illicit drugs. An arrest and criminal record, on the other hand, can be life-shattering. After admitting to smoking pot (but not inhaling), former President Bill Clinton opened himself up to "soft on drugs" criticism. And thousands of Americans have paid the price in the form of shattered lives. [continues 118 words]
Many of you may be surprised to learn that students with drug convictions have been blocked access to federal financial aid as a result of a little known provision of the Higher Education Act (HEA) called the Aid Elimination Penalty, or Drug Provision. To date, nearly 200,000 students have been denied or had their federal loans, grants and work-study delayed because of the HEA Aid Elimination Penalty. Until early in 2006, this penalty was applied to any drug conviction a person had received whether or not they were in school when the offense occurred. Due to the efforts of the organization Students for Sensible Drug Policy (www.ssdp.org), who worked with Congress to scale back the law, now only people who are convicted while in college and receiving financial aid can have their eligibility taken away. [continues 459 words]
Many of you may be surprised to learn students with drug convictions have been blocked access to federal financial aid as a result of a little known provision of the Higher Education Act (HEA) called the Aid Elimination Penalty, or Drug Provision. To date, nearly 200,000 students have been denied or had their federal loans, grants and work-study delayed because of the HEA Aid Elimination Penalty. Until early 2006, this penalty was applied to any drug conviction a person had received, whether or not they were in school when the offense occurred. Due to the efforts of the organization Students for Sensible Drug Policy (ssdp.org) who worked with Congress to scale back the law, now only people who are convicted while in college and receiving financial aid can have their eligibility taken away. [continues 421 words]
At De Soto High School, it's still uncertain whether drug testing of students will take effect. Earlier this month, De Soto High School principal Dave Morford and Mill Valley High School principal Joe Novak asked the board about a task force to study random drug testing of students participating in school activities. Both principals said that drugs and alcohol are a problem at the schools -- as with most schools -- and random drug testing of students could help deter negative lifestyle choices. [continues 395 words]
Emporia sixth-grade students raised nearly $16,000 to support drug prevention programs in their schools and community this month. Approximately 350 students participated in the 16th annual Walk to Be Drug Free on Oct. 6. Students from Lowther North Intermediate School and Sacred Heart School collected $15,790.44 for the walk, surpassing the goal of $14,000, according to Valerie Ringler, a literacy coach at Lowther North. Students in Vickie Dinkel and Stephanie Bosiljevac's classrooms were the top team, raising $2,705 as a group. Students in Christina Lienemann and Cindy Hadicke's classrooms walked the most laps at Welch Stadium with an average of 21.4 per student. These four classrooms will have an ice-cream party as a reward. [continues 127 words]
Active ingredient, THC, shown to prevent formation of harmful plaque in the brain THC was more effective than the two leading drugs for treating Alzheimer's, donepezil and tacrine. It almost completely reduced AChE from forming harmful plaques, whereas donepezil and tacrine did so only 22 percent and 7 percent of the time. The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, may be the most effective drug for treating the declining effects of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study done by the Scripps Research Institute. [continues 420 words]
Each Monday, The Eagle highlights a government record that is open to the public. The record: Drug statistics from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Why you'd want them: To learn more about drug trends in Kansas. Where you get the records: The KBI's Web site, www.kansas.gov/kbi/, contains statistics about methamphetamine seizures and marijuana eradication for 2005 and this year. You may see numbers for each Kansas county as well as each state across the country. For example, from Jan. 1 to Aug. 31 this year, investigators have made 128 meth seizures across the state, two in Sedgwick County. How much it will cost: The information is free online. [end]
A rumor that De Soto USD 232 would implement random student drug testing at the high school level gave the principals an idea. At Monday's board meeting, De Soto High School Principal Dave Morford and Mill Valley High School Principal Joe Novak asked the board to consider a task force or study committee to explore the idea of random drug testing for students involved in extracurricular activities. Novak said although a rumor the school would implement the plan this year was not true, it made him think about the possibility. [continues 537 words]
This week, Senators Derek Schmidt and Dwayne Umbarger, announced legislation that would required makers and sellers of methamphetamine to register on the state's offender list. Currently the list has about 4,300 names. According to the Associated Press, 95 percent are sex offenders, the other 5 percent have been convicted of other serious crimes such as murder. Currently Montana, Tennessee, Minnesota and Illinois require this type of registration. Schmidt said six others are considering this legislation. We support the southeast Kansas senators efforts, but ask why they are singling out methamphetamine crimes. When the legislature reconvenes in January, we call on them to consider registration for anyone who had been convicted of growing, manufacturing or selling any illegal drug. [continues 63 words]
Officer Randy Wiler of the Leawood Police Department, a nationally recognized expert on bullying prevention, has been chosen as the International D.A.R.E. Officer of the Year. The city recognized Wiler's accomplishments and award during its Aug. 21 meeting. "This award did not come easy," Police Chief Sid Mitchell said. D.A.R.E., which stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, has more than 50,000 officers nationwide. Wiler said he simply helped officers reach more children and the award is a surprise. [continues 290 words]
El Dorado, Kan.- Random drug testing of student athletes has become as routine as study hall and lunch at many high schools across the country. But this factory town outside Wichita is taking testing to the extreme. It is instituting random drug screening for all middle and high school students participating in - or even just attending - any extracurricular activity. That includes sports, clubs, field trips, driver's education, even school plays. Those who don't sign consent forms cannot attend games, go to school dances, join a club or so much as park their car on school property. [continues 325 words]
EL DORADO, Kan. - This factory town outside Wichita is instituting random drug screening for all middle and high school students participating in -- or even just attending -- any extracurricular activity. That includes sports, clubs, field trips, driver's education, even school plays. Those who don't sign consent forms cannot attend games, go to school dances, join a club or park a vehicle on school property. Administrators insist that the district does not have a drug problem, and say the new policy, one of the toughest in the nation, is aimed at keeping it that way. [continues 208 words]
Hidden Cameras Helped In Drug Bust Hidden, high-dollar equipment helped police crack down on drug dealing at this years Wakarusa Festival. A new article in a trade journal, Government Security News, describes the roughly $250,000 worth of hidden-camera, night-vision and thermal- imaging equipment used by police throughout the festival grounds. The equipment was courtesy of a California company that agreed to give a free demonstration of its wares for marketing purposes. The company estimated that they were able to cover 85 percent of the festival grounds with about a half dozen hidden cameras. One camera, for example, was mounted atop a light tower and used on Shakedown Street, a bustling area viewed as a problem spot for drug dealing. [continues 776 words]
Drug Testing Policy, Which Isn't Restricted To Athletes, Is Among The Toughest In U.S. EL DORADO - Students attending El Dorado High School must agree to submit to random drug testing before they can participate in any extracurricular activity, attend a ball game or even park their car in the school lot. Since the policy was instituted this school year, at least 425 students out of the 600 who attend the public high school in this small town outside Wichita have signed forms consenting to the random urine tests, which screen for alcohol, tobacco and illegal drug use, said Principal Bret McClendon. The district, which adopted the policy for middle schoolers as well as high schoolers, sees early intervention as the best way to prevent addiction. [continues 676 words]
Nearly every middle and high school student in the El Dorado school district will be tested for drug and alcohol use this year. Any student in seventh grade or higher who wants to participate in extracurricular activities must agree to undergo a mandatory drug test. That includes students who play in the band, join the math club, attend a homecoming dance, take drivers education in the summer, participate in a spelling bee or park in the school parking lot. [continues 956 words]
Group Helped Pass Marijuana Ordinance, Conducted Opinion Poll It's been one year since a new group surfaced in Lawrence with the goal of making Kansans rethink the war on drugs. In that time, the Drug Policy Forum of Kansas has succeeded in helping pass a city marijuana ordinance, conducted a statewide public opinion poll and obtained official tax status as a nonprofit. Executive director Laura A. Green said the group's e-mailed newsletter has grown from about 50 recipients to more than 600. [continues 590 words]
As the Kansan reported, students convicted of any drug offense -- including possession of just one marijuana joint -- are automatically stripped of their financial aid ("Marijuana found on move-in day;" Aug. 17). How many students do you know who could afford to stay in school after losing their aid? Probably not many. And how are they supposed to clean up and make an honest living once they're kicked out of school? It's not hard to see that this penalty causes more, not less, drug abuse. [continues 84 words]
The Drug Was Found in the Lobby of Oliver Hall As Students Moved on Sunday About a gram of marijuana was found in the lobby of Oliver Hall by an unknown person as students moved into the hall on Sunday. A KU Public Safety Officer flushed the drugs down the toilet, which a student could be kicked out of the University if found in possession of. An Oliver Hall desk manager found a small amount of marijuana Sunday in the hall lobby during the weekend move-in. [continues 326 words]
Excuse me for a moment while I vent about the mind-boggling stupidity of the autocratic, bureaucratic, right-wing, Neanderthal numbskulls who keep pushing an insane, inane, and inhumane holy war against marijuana -- which is after all, a weed. The most embarrassing thing for these holy warriors is that the weed is winning! They've been at this war since 1937, spending billions and billions of our tax dollars, militarizing our borders, and stomping on our Bill of Rights. They've used phone taps, garbage searches, jack-booted raids, and draconian prison terms to... well, to do what? To nab peaceful, mellow tokers who aren't bothering anyone, that's what. [continues 209 words]
Dear editor, As a Christian who helped pass Colorado's medical cannabis law, I was pleased to read Zachary T. Eckels' article, "Medicinal Marijuana Needs To Be Accepted," and wanted to point out re-legalizing cannabis is also biblically correct since God indicated all the seed-bearing plants are good on literally the very first page of the Bible (see Genesis 1:11-12 and 29-30). People who would cage a sick citizen for using a plant are the same people who would stick a knife in the side of Christ. [continues 69 words]
To the editor: Three recent articles in your paper really grabbed my attention. The first was about the poor soul sentenced to 11 years for possessing cocaine for the third time. The next article was about the guy who also possessed cocaine for the third time, but as he had quantity, he was sentenced to life in prison. The third article was about cigarettes and how health officials have determined that ONE BILLION people will die this century from their legal but lethal nicotine addictions. [continues 175 words]
BARTON COUNTY - After two busy days at the Reno County Sheriff's Office D.A.R.E. Camp, 96 students wound down their time Sunday at Camp Aldrich with a magic show, awards presentation, nacho lunch and a last round of activities. The students, from Reno County school districts other than Hutchinson USD 308, went through the D.A.R.E. program last school year and will be going into sixth and seventh grades next year, said Sgt. Jim Potter, a school resource officer with the sheriff's office. [continues 322 words]
KANSAS CITY -- The owner of the 7th Heaven stores in Sedalia and Kansas City has pleaded guilty to selling drug paraphernalia. Jan H. Fichman, 54, of Leawood, Kan., agreed to pay the government $440,000, which he agreed is the value of the paraphernalia sales from Jan. 1, 2000, to Feb. 10, 2005. He will make that payment in lieu of forfeiting his two stores and residence to the government. Mr. Fichman admitted to participating in a conspiracy to sell water bongs, pipes, concealment pipes, detoxifiers and car cigarette pipes at his Sedalia store. [continues 205 words]
The FDA's claim that there are no scientific studies documenting the medical benefit of cannabis is false. Dr. Eric Voth, who recently rehashed the government's long-standing political position in his letter to this paper, knows this is true because in 1999, the Institute of Medicine declared, "Nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety are all afflictions of wasting and all can be mitigated (with marijuana)." IOM report co-author Dr. John Benson told the New York Times last month that the government "loves to ignore our report. ... They would rather it never happened." [continues 100 words]
It may still seem a little early for graduation season, but Mark Lingenfelser already has seen his share of culmination ceremonies. In less than two weeks time, the Leavenworth police officer has honored graduates at three schools. Lingenfelser is an instructor for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, and he traditionally organizes a culmination ceremony for fifth-graders who complete a 12-week curriculum. He teaches the program, which consists of weekly visits, in Leavenworth schools throughout the year. He recently presided over ceremonies for students at Nettie Hartnett Elementary, Saint Paul Lutheran School and Xavier Elementary. [continues 262 words]
Inmates Hope Description Of Prison Keeps Students Out "Methamphetamine dealer" was one of the jobs students had the chance to explore Wednesday at a career fair at Eudora High School. If you pick that career path -- as Ryan Favinger and Chris Northup have -- you can expect to earn about $29.40 per month laboring in prison. You can expect to eat lots of turkey, which Northup told students is served daily. You or your family members might have to pay another inmate for protection. [continues 744 words]
Jones' Mom: Meth Ruined Our Son Diana Jones didn't want to take the witness stand. Defense attorney Carl Cornwell said he had to talk her into it. But once the mother of the man convicted Wednesday of killing Good Samaritan Jonathan U promised to tell the truth on Thursday, she told it all: How she and his father had sat Brad Joseph Jones down his senior year in high school when she suspected he had started using methamphetamine and told him it was wrong. How her son lost his chance to be a major-league baseball player because he got hooked on the drug. How he stooped to stealing purses to support his habit. How his family loved him through it all. [continues 750 words]
Leavenworth police officials want residents to know an organization that recently was selling DARE items in the city wasn't raising money for local programs. The group apparently was raising funds over the weekend for the national DARE America organization. But that money won't come back to the local DARE programs, said Leavenworth Police Chief Lee Doehring. "We don't want to have any misconception about where funds are going to," he said. DARE stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Leavenworth police teach the program in local schools. The Lansing Police Department, the Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office and the military police at Fort Leavenworth also have DARE officers. [continues 390 words]
Q: Our school gives students random drug tests. However, the school tells the students one week in advance and even provides them with the testing date. This is proving to be futile, as many of the drugs are out of the body's system within a week. As concerned high school parents, what would be the best way to get this changed? Our high school does the very same thing. This makes no sense to the parents whatsoever. When we ask about it, school officials tell us it is the fair thing to do in a public school system. "Fair for whom?" is what we are wondering. Our proposal to have this rule changed is still probably sitting on the superintendent's desk, while we are left in the dark and have yet to receive one phone call. -- S.T. in Hewitt, Texas [continues 295 words]
For more than 14 years, Jack Cole fought the war on drugs as a New Jersey state narcotics agent. Now, he's had enough. "It's not only a dismal failure, but a terribly destructive policy," he said. Cole said he quit the narcotics force in New Jersey after realizing that the war on drugs not only cost billions in taxpayer money and landed millions of Americans in jail, but also had done little to curb the country's drug problem. [continues 500 words]
"I learned a lot," Mike Wheeler observed of the half-week he and Dan Woydziak spent last week in Washington D.C. Wheeler and Woydziak are respectively districts 4 and 5 Butler County commissioners. Wheeler represents the east half of El Dorado, while Woydziak, of Rose Hill, is commission chairman. This week commissioners will get back to their regular agenda after Wheeler's and Woydziak's attendance at the National Association of Counties legislative conference in the nation's capital. More than 2,000 county officials from across the country attended the March 4-8 conference, held to help strengthen the voice of county government on Capital Hill. [continues 982 words]
Four students at two Wichita public schools were arrested on drug charges and eight others were suspended Thursday, but district officials said the incidents do not reflect a growing drug problem in local schools. A 14-year-old girl was arrested Thursday and eight other students were suspended at Wilbur Middle School on Thursday, said district spokeswoman Susan Arensman. Police said the case involves OxyContin -- a strong, addictive pain medication. OxyContin was brought to school twice this week, police said. "I don't know how long it's been going on at Wilbur," said Wichita police Capt. Terry Nelson. "We don't think it's something that just started." [continues 291 words]
WICHITA, Kan. -- The White House deputy drug czar honored four Kansans on Tuesday for their efforts in the fight against methamphetamine. "These individuals have worked aggressively on the front lines to reduce the spread of methamphetamine in Kansas," Scott Burns, deputy director of the National Drug Control Policy, said in a news release. Among those honored were Ford County Sheriff Dean Bush and Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton for their work fighting meth trafficking. Also receiving an award was Cristi Cain, director of the Kansas Methamphetamine Prevention Project for her efforts in educating law enforcement officers and the public about the problem. He also noted the work of Kyle Smith, deputy director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, for the statewide coordination of the fight against meth. "Every day, community workers such as social workers, educators, local law enforcement officers and legislatures are on the front lines preventing, treating and fighting drugs on the streets and in the neighborhoods," Burns said. [end]
First-Time Offenders to Face $200 Fine, Drug Evaluation The penalties are set to change and in some ways stiffen for people caught smoking marijuana in Lawrence. City commissioners on a 3-2 vote Tuesday night passed a new ordinance that will impose a $200 minimum fine for first-time marijuana possession and require offenders to complete a drug evaluation program. Commissioners approved the new law after the Drug Policy Forum of Kansas a Lawrence-based group that advocates for fewer penalties for marijuana offenders asked the city to create an ordinance that would allow first-time marijuana possession cases to be tried in Municipal Court rather than the states District Court system. [continues 897 words]
At least 175,000 people have been denied federal financial aid since 2000 because of their drug convictions, according to Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, a students' rights advocacy group. It all began with the Higher Education Act, which originated more than 30 years ago to provide financial aid and improve educational opportunities for low-income populations. In 1998, an amendment to the HEA, known as the Drug Provision, introduced restrictions for students with previous drug offenses. The provision dictates that a student convicted once of possession is ineligible to apply for federal aid for a year. A second possession offense, or one selling offense, means a student is ineligible for two years. [continues 340 words]
New legislation might no longer deny federal education aid from student drug offenders. Congress has rewritten the Higher Education Act Drug Provision, which states that if a student has a previous or current drug conviction, they will not receive financial aid. The revision will allow students with a previous drug offense to receive aid, although students who are convicted while in college will lose eligibility. Larry Moeder, director of admissions and student financial assistance, said prior to the new legislation, students would have to indicate whether they had a drug offense or not. Then a follow-up would be done by the U.S. Department of Education. [continues 483 words]
Some Nonviolent Inmates Havent Benefited From Recent Changes In Law More than 150 nonviolent drug users are sitting in Kansas prisons. State Rep. Bill McCreary, R-Wellington, says they would be better off in rehabilitation programs. "These people are costing us a ton of money - and when they get out, they're not going to be any better than when they went in," McCreary said. I don't think that does anybody any good." McCreary, 73, has sponsored a bill - House Bill 2231 - that would let 156 inmates ask their sentencing judges to put them in drug treatment programs rather than prison. [continues 1015 words]
With medical marijuana locked in legal battles from California to the U.S. Supreme Court, the head of a national marijuana policy group said Sunday that Kansas may be ready to start the legalization process for the embattled weed. Rob Kampia, president of the Marijuana Policy Project, a Washington, D.C.-based lobbying group, said at a forum Sunday that he was headed to Topeka today to test the climate for a possible medical marijuana legalization push. "It's tricky business," Kampia said of passing and enforcing state laws that decriminalize marijuana for medicinal uses, which has been approved in 11 states to treat pain and nausea in cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis patients. [continues 336 words]
A Leavenworth man might have brought too much "professionalism" to his job. The man had been handing out business cards, including his phone number. Just one problem: His business allegedly is dealing drugs, Police Maj. Patrick Kitchens said. "For a quick hit on time call the boss," the card read. So police called. When the man showed up, they arrested him. The man allegedly had 12 grams of crack, along with $500 in cash and a scale. The man was charged Monday, but his name and charges were not being released until his first court appearance. "It makes it really, really easy to do our jobs if criminals advertise," Kitchens said. [end]
Question No. 31 on the free application for federal financial aid can be gut-wrenching for some college students. "Have you ever been convicted of possessing or selling illegal drugs?" the question reads. A worksheet further explaining the question lets a student know a conviction counts only if it is in a state or federal court. If your answer is no, then you're on your way to qualifying for federal aid. But for students who must say yes because of that time police found a marijuana joint in their car, the answer hits hard. [continues 576 words]
DEAR REV. GRAHAM: For the first time, our family wasn't together over Christmas, and it about broke my heart. Our daughter (who's 16) wasn't with us because she's in a court-ordered drug rehab program. Why do young people get so messed up with drugs? I don't think she realized what she was getting into until it was too late. --A.M. DEAR A.M.: People get involved with drugs for many reasons -- seeking a new thrill, escaping from a problem, rebellion, boredom and so forth. The same is true with alcohol. [continues 215 words]
Douglas County Dist. Atty. Charles Branson says he's working with lawmakers to find a way to limit the sale of glass tubes commonly used for smoking crack cocaine or methamphetamine. The tubes -- sold with tiny synthetic flowers inside them and marketed under names such as Sweetheart Rose or Aroma Lavender -- are available behind the counter at local convenience stores. "The goal would be to get it off the shelves," Branson said. "Obviously, anybody can take about anything and make something illegal out of it, but when something is so blatantly sold for no other purpose ... we've got to be able to hold people accountable for that." [continues 321 words]
They haven't even finished fifth grade, but students at Muncie Elementary walked away Friday with graduation certificates. They also were handed various items in honor of their completion of 12 weeks of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. "Today's our final lesson," said Mark Lingenfelser, a Leavenworth police officer and DARE instructor. Lingenfelser, who had been visiting the school's three fifth-grade classes on a weekly basis, said each student had met the requirements of DARE. Held in Muncie's gymnasium, Friday's ceremony was attended by a number of parents and other family members of the fifth-grade students. [continues 392 words]
Kandace Bible had been convicted of possessing illegal drugs, but her family claims she died from narcotics she took by prescription. This week they filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Schneider Medical Clinic -- the second claiming malpractice since federal authorities searched the clinic's Haysville offices in September. A clinic spokeswoman Friday said owner Stephen Schneider has retained nationally known lawyer David Schippers to represent him in any criminal charges that may arise. Schippers, a former organized-crime prosecutor, served as chief counsel for Congress in the impeachment of President Clinton. Legal counsel for the malpractice suits will be assigned by the osteopath's malpractice insurance company. [continues 313 words]
An ordinance outlawing the possession of marijuana in Lawrence appeared in front of the city commission for a vote Tuesday, only to be pushed back to be considered again on Nov. 29. The ordinance, which started on Sept. 6 when the commission directed city staff to draft it, would have moved jurisdiction of possession of marijuana and paraphernalia from district court to municipal court for first-time offenders. The ordinance was pushed back because commissioners couldn't agree on a minimum fine. Commissioners Sue Hack and Mike Amyx insisted on a $300 minimum, while Mayor Dennis "Boog" Highberger and commissioner Mike Rundle wanted something smaller - in the range of zero to $100. [continues 633 words]
Inside Kansas
