YORKVILLE Marijuana is not on the verge of becoming one of Kendall County's cash crops. But the mere fact that it's now legal of medicinal use has officials here looking at how to handle a potential request for medical marijuana cultivation and dispensaries. The Yorkville Plan Commission, at its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the conference room at City Hall, 800 Game Farm Road, will consider making such a request a special use for either type of facility in the city. [continues 424 words]
AURORA - Most people have pretty strong opinions when it comes to the question of whether marijuana should be legalized. Aurora University criminal justice instructor Ken Jones, a former commander with the Cook County Sheriff's Department, discussed the pros and cons of the issue with the Aurora Citizen's Police Academy alumni group this past week. "There are both sides to this issue, and we've been debating it for years," he said. Jones presented several arguments for the legalization effort. Prohibition does not stop usage - when it came to alcohol, Prohibition did not even slow it down, he said. [continues 319 words]
SANDWICH - A random drug testing program for students in grades six to 12 is being considered by the Sandwich School District. The plan being evaluated is modeled after a Plano schools program in which all of the students are involved, according to school officials. A committee has been formed to examine the feasibility of a drug testing policy. Bob Miller and Vicki Scharenberg are the School Board representatives on the committee. "The committee will soon begin to meet and discuss various factors of recommending to the Board of Education the implementation of a random drug screening policy beginning with the 2012-2013 school year," Superintendent Rick Schmitt said. [continues 52 words]
OK, all you cannabis-smoking, weed-loving readers out there: Here's your chance to tell me I'm way too square. The fact that more Americans than not now believe we should legalize marijuana - 50 percent to 46 percent, according to a recent Gallup poll - seems to indicate we'll one day be able to bop into the closest Jewel and pick up our evening's mood-altering joint along with our mood-altering bottle of Jack Daniels. Legalization makes dollars and sense, say bunches of people: Think of all the jail cells that will be freed up, or the tax revenue that will pour in. Not to mention Betty and Bernie Baby Boomer can smoke their mary jane in the comfort of the family room without worrying about those nosy square neighbors calling the cops. [continues 483 words]
