Here's a subject you probably didn't expect a pastor to weigh-in on: marijuana decriminalization. Recently I have been privy to a string of conversations where people express their concerns about recreational marijuana use becoming legal. There are many people who see this as a symptom of moral decline, believing that those who choose to use marijuana recreationally are morally suspect and therefore they oppose commercial recreational marijuana facilities opening in our town. Like "dry counties" through the South hearkening back to the prohibition of alcohol in the 20's, we will hang on to our anti-marijuana outlook for a little while longer. [continues 426 words]
People in law enforcement have better things to do than chase petty offenders with small amounts of marijuana. So says retired police detective and lobbyist Howard "Cowboy" Wooldridge, who spent some time Friday on a downtown Fort Morgan street corner on horseback with a sign urging support of Amendment 64, which would legalize and regulate small amounts of marijuana in Colorado. "We (law enforcement) need to focus our attention on pedophiles and other serious threats and not waste our time on the green plants," he declares. [continues 283 words]
There seems to be little visible public support for allowing medical marijuana dispensaries in Fort Morgan. When the Fort Morgan City Council held a public hearing last week to give city residents an opportunity to express their views on the issue, only one person showed up to speak. Not exactly a groundswell. But the man who did offer his input was a disabled veteran who suffers from arthritis, glaucoma and the effects of a traumatic brain injury. And he is an example of the sort of legitimate user of medicinal marijuana that makes the whole matter a more thorny one than it might otherwise be. [continues 369 words]
Only One Speaker At Public Hearing After listening to comments from only one person during a public hearing Tuesday night, the Fort Morgan City Council voted unanimously to prepare an ordinance that would ban medical marijuana dispensaries in the city by a vote of the council. The council had considered the possibility of putting the issue on the November ballot for a public vote, but several council members said they had received input from constituents who said they would prefer to see the city ban marijuana dispensaries on its own. [continues 919 words]
A public hearing on how the city should handle the issue of medical marijuana dispensaries will highlight Tuesday's regular meeting of the Fort Morgan City Council. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 110 Main St., and anyone wishing to offer comment to the council on this issue will be welcome to do so. Those who want to speak may have to wait a while, however, as the public hearing is listed as the fifth agenda item for the regular meeting. [continues 471 words]
Public Session Set For Next Tuesday Fort Morgan residents will have a chance to express their views on the issue of medicinal marijuana operations in the city at a public hearing before the Fort Morgan City Council next week. After a relatively brief discussion at a special meeting Tuesday, the council voted to hold the public hearing at its meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 3, at 7 p.m. at City Hall. The council may vote after that hearing on a course of action, which would likely be one of three options outlined Tuesday by City Attorney Jeffrey Wells. [continues 941 words]
Town Board Votes Instead Of Sending Issue To Election Log Lane Village's Board of Trustees voted Wednesday not to allow medical marijuana centers within its boundaries. Carl McGuire, attorney for the town, had recommended sending the issue to a vote of the people. It could be placed on the ballot for the general election in November, he said, saving the town the expense of a special election. Putting the issue on the November ballot would put off any initiative or referendum for a year or two, McGuire indicated. [continues 582 words]
The Board of Morgan County Commissioners extended its moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries and growing areas until July 2011 on a 2-1 vote Tuesday. This moratorium was extended to give the county some time to adapt to new laws recently passed by the Colorado legislature, said Planning Administrator Barbara Gorrell during a hearing on the issue after Tuesday's regular board meeting. The state did create legislation similar to liquor laws for dispensing medical marijuana, she said. Although Gov. Bill Ritter had not yet signed that bill, he is expected to. [continues 1272 words]
Some Morgan County residents use marijuana medicinally and some people have asked about the process of getting a permit to grow marijuana in the unincorporated part of the county. A couple of parties have expressed interest in growing marijuana for use in medical marijuana dispensaries, said Morgan County Planning Administrator Barbara Gorrell. One of them has land in the county, but she is not sure about the other person, she said. The subject came up during a joint work session of the Morgan County Planning Commission and the Board of Morgan County Commissioners on Monday night. [continues 1054 words]
Log Lane Village Police Chief Larry Mueller has announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for sheriff of Morgan County. "I don't see and I don't think the citizens see a significant improvement in the war on drugs in Morgan County," Mueller said of the last 11 years with Democrats in office. New ideas -- and all of the players -- need to be brought to the table, he added. "It's not just a law enforcement issue," Mueller said. "It's a citizens' issue, a governmental issue, a people issue." [continues 337 words]
Methamphetamine is a scourge in Northeastern Colorado. The region is number one in the state per capita in meth abuse, second in the state in drug abuse, according to Marcus Flores, coordinator for a project to get a detox and treatment facility in the area. And Colorado is second in the country in drug and alcohol abuse and 49th in funding, he says. Meth is no respecter of gender, race, economic status or age. Today The Times presents a special section, "Chasing the Dragon," regarding meth use in the Morgan County area and its impacts on users, their families and the community. [continues 323 words]
Morgan County public schools -- and all school districts in Colorado - -- stand to lose 20 percent of their federal grant money for programs for safe and drug-free schools in the 2006-07 school year. The proposed cut statewide is about $91 million, said Janelle Krueger, principal consultant on prevention initiatives for the Colorado Department of Education. The congressional conference committee reached an agreement on the budget of $350 million. With a mandated one percent recision, Krueger said, the funding level would be $346.5 million. President Bush's budget had called for no funding, which would eliminate the program. [continues 199 words]
Call it a victory for the First Amendment. Call it a victory for bookstores and libraries. But most importantly, call it a victory for the people and the assurance of their freedom to read what they want without concern that Big Brother or Big Government is watching over their shoulders. The victory came in the Colorado Supreme Court's ruling Monday that the Tattered Cover Book Store in Denver does not have to turn over sales records to a police agency to aid in a drug investigation. [continues 393 words]
