Like all parents, Nadine Remington wants to know her nine-year-old son is safe while on school property. But, the increasing problem of drug use on school property after hours is heightening fears for her and other parents. Earlier this week, Remington was told by her son who is in Grade 4 at Queen's Park School that people were living in a shed on the school's property and that he had seen a needle and matches nearby. After a similar experience of the boy finding drug paraphernalia at KVR Middle School while at camp this summer, she took his claims seriously and headed out to the school to see it herself. Remington and her husband didn't find anyone in the shed, but there was evidence suggesting someone was living in it recently and a needle on the ground at the door. [continues 618 words]
Decision Makes Medical Marijuana Grow Operation a Permitted Use There was little buzz around the horseshoe at Woodstock city council Thursday night as councillors heard the details of a zone change that would allow a medical marijuana growing facility to operate at the former Thomas Built bus factory site. Councillors asked no questions of proponent of Nik Van Haeren, president of Ontario Marijuana Growers (OMG), nor did they ask questions to Ron Versteegen, the city planner. Van Haeren's request was simple - to rezone the property on Tecumseh Street from Transitional Industrial Zone (M4) to Special Transitional Industrial Zone (M4-special) to add a pharmaceutical and drug product industry to the permitted use. [continues 307 words]
A former Oxford County police officer and the present owner of a Dundas Street drug paraphernalia store is facing drug-related charges stemming from an OPP check of a building in Burford. Cherly MacLellan, 56, owner of Hemp Country in Woodstock, was charged with producing a schedule II substance other than marijuana after police responded to an alarm at the Burford building on Rutherford Street at about 2:50 a.m. Wednesday. The Brant County OPP entered the building to check for possible suspects and noticed what police described as "suspicious drug activity." [continues 168 words]
Jim Bender admits he made the wrong choice dealing drugs out of his downtown business but says he felt forced to do something to make extra money after his family was denied funding for respite care for his severely autistic son. "I feel terrible," Bender said wiping away tears during an interview at the Sentinel-Review office Wednesday, the morning after his arrest. "I can't believe I did this to him. I don't know what he's going to do now. I can't believe I did this to him." [continues 1041 words]
