Category: CNN Regional

By Jenna Wells

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    MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — While the government spending bill ended the longest shut down in history, part of the legislation also federally bans the majority of hemp-derived THC products, starting next year.

In Wisconsin, that means most CBD, and Delta 8 or Delta 9 THC products sold in the state would be illegal, and that is leaving business owners concerned about their future.

“People are looking for an alternative to alcohol, people are having a hard time sleeping, people want an alternative to narcotics for pain, and they just want to feel good, and that’s not a crime,” said Erin Kelly, the owner of Kelly’s Greens in Wauwatosa.

Since 2020, Kelly’s Greens has produced and sold hemp plant-derived CBD and THC products, like edibles, tinctures, and beverages.

The sale of those products was legalized federally in the 2018 Farm bill. Since then, it became a thriving industry.

Just in Wisconsin, the hemp industry has been supported by thousands of stores and 300 thousand jobs.

“There are farmers who invested in fields, there are manufacturers who invested in facilities, there are stores that have opened up,” said John Kashou, owner of Kind Oasis on Milwaukee’s east side.

The new federal ban puts those businesses in jeopardy.

“A lot of people are going to lose their jobs. A lot of businesses are going to shut down. A lot of farmers are going to be devastated,” Kashou said.

Business owners fear the consequences of the ban will also extend to consumers.

“Are they going to turn to the black market? Are going to try to seek products similar to this elsewhere that may not have the same safety assurances that we display on our product?” Kashou said.

The federal ban puts THC legislation in the hands of individual states.

Kashou and Kelly are calling on Wisconsin lawmakers to save the hemp industry before the ban takes effect next year.

“We want these products to be sold right here in Wisconsin. We want responsible regulations, not prohibition,” Kelly said.

Kelly said some of those regulations could include age restrictions and reasonable taxation. Ideally, she said regulations would be set with input from those in the cannabis industry.

Right now, Wisconsin has very few regulations on the books regarding hemp sales, so individual companies set their own. Many established businesses, including Kelly’s Greens and Kind Oasis, choose not to sell to individuals under 21 years of age.

Kelly said having state regulations would essentially exempt Wisconsin from the federal ban.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Matt Flener

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    PULASKI COUNTY, Missouri (KMBC) — Greg Lee wants to see and free his mom.

Lee believes his mother, Shirley Butler, has remained trapped in Missouri’s public guardianship system for more than six years.

Courts have ruled multiple times against his attempts to end his mother’s guardianship.

But he won’t stop fighting to visit her more often and eventually remove her from the care of a county elected official.

“It’s a story that needs to be told,” Lee said. “When I hear the word ‘guardian,’ it makes me cringe.”

Public guardians, meanwhile, at the state level, believe their work is vital to Missouri and often delve into extremely complex family situations with very few resources.

Lee’s story about his mother is part of a new KMBC 9 investigation called “Paper Prisons,” highlighting the difficulties of wards of the state and their families under Missouri’s system of public guardianship.

KMBC is investigating ways to systemically improve the care of those under guardianship by highlighting stories of people struggling to navigate a tangled system of legal paperwork, medical records and court orders. KMBC is also seeking answers, perspective and context from those in charge of keeping wards of the state in their care for their recommendations on how to improve the system. Missouri had more 11,000 wards according to a 2020 report. That same report mentioned several opportunities for improvement, saying a “lack of state funding and coordination leaves Missouri with a fragmented public guardianship system.”

SHIRLEY BUTLER’S GUARDIANSHIP

Butler, 78, has been under public guardianship since Lee and his sister signed paperwork in 2019, asking the Pulaski County public administrator to be a temporary guardian for their mother after Butler’s boyfriend fell sick with cancer.

Every Missouri county has a public administrator.

Public administrators in Missouri are mostly elected, sometimes appointed, to serve as public guardians when people cannot care for themselves or lack family support.

Lee was caring for his mother but needed more help, he said.

Lee and his sister, whom courts have found have a strained relationship, signed the guardianship agreement together, asking Pulaski County’s public administrator to oversee their mother’s estate.

Lee believes asking the public administrator in Pulaski County for help was the biggest mistake of his life.

“I threw my mom in the fire,” he said. “I thought I was helping her and all I did was make her life h***, so, I can’t stop fighting now.”

Under guardianship, Butler became a ward of the state, with the public administrator’s office gaining control over her finances, home and life decisions.

This month, a Missouri appeals court just ruled his mother’s guardianship is valid after Lee, his sister and the public administrator have gone back and forth for years over its legality.

KMBC 9 Investigates has not heard back from Lee’s sister after multiple attempts to reach her.

Lee also alleged that a previous public administrator kept him from seeing his mom.

But a judge ruled the public administrator was “working in her best interests.”

A court also denied Lee his plan to move his mom into his home, issuing judgments three times since the original guardianship placement finding that Lee was unable to care for his mother and that the guardianship in place was needed.

One judgment from 2021 also says his conduct when he visited his mom was “upsetting to Ms. Butler and disruptive to other residents and staff members,” saying there were 20-30 disruptions during visits.

Lee denies that he caused any disruptions during any visits or that his visits were upsetting to his mother.

QUESTIONS ABOUT SHIRLEY BUTLER’S CARE

Lee has documented his mom’s injuries, including multiple falls and a fractured pelvis, while she has remained under guardianship.

He believes Pulaski County’s current public administrator, Becky Allen, is not providing proper care. Lee has also complained about the public administrator’s handling of his mom’s case to various state and federal authorities.

KMBC 9 Investigates recently asked Allen for an interview about Butler’s case.

Her attorney sent a statement asserting that a court had ruled the public administrator’s office had performed its duties “in an exemplary, professional and efficient manner.”

“There have been accusations which perpetuated investigations pertaining to Ms. Butler, from the Department of Health and Senior Services, the Attorney General’s Office of the State of Missouri, the Social Security Administration, and the Board of Nursing,” said the attorney’s statement. “Further, the annual settlements are reviewed and approved by the Court. Each entity has confirmed the performance of duties of the Public Administrator to be appropriate and pursuant to all laws and regulations.”

But the attorney’s statement left out any answers as to whether Butler needed to remain under guardianship and why Lee has such trouble seeing her.

After multiple written attempts to ask for an interview, KMBC 9 Investigates recently asked Allen questions outside the Pulaski County Courthouse.

She remained silent, declining to comment, and walked away. Later, she turned out the lights and walked out of her office as KMBC 9 Investigates was videotaping the exterior of her office.

Public administrators across the state of Missouri are often assigned complex guardianship situations with broken family dynamics. Judges appoint them as guardians for people with severe mental and physical health issues. They can have heavy caseloads and staffing in their offices remains challenging.

Leaders with the Missouri Association of Public Administrators, who are not involved in Shirley Butler’s case, recently spoke to KMBC 9 Investigates to underscore how important their work is to the public in Missouri. They reiterated that public administrators do not actively seek out guardianship cases and are working to help people get restoration into the community, especially when they are in restrictive environments like nursing homes.

“Public administrators are some of the most caring people that I know,” said Cher Caudel, Moniteau County public administrator since 2003 and current MAPA president. “They truly do want to make a difference for the people that they are appointed to, and they do the best that they can with what they have, and a lot of times what we have isn’t much.”

They also believe more funding and support from the state of Missouri would help their increasing caseloads.

A 2020 report commissioned for the Missouri Association of Public Administrators highlighted how public administrators often do not have enough resources, “while navigating complex systems to provide care for their wards – while also facing increased pressure from the state and stakeholders to ensure all wards are placed in their least-restrictive alternatives.”

Former MAPA President and current Webster County Public Administrator Danielle Boggs said the individuals in her caseload who are not happy about what’s going on in their case are vastly outweighed by the individuals who are satisfied with service from her office.

Boggs also said she does not see public guardianship as some sort of power grab from public administrators.

“We’re not prowling the streets for people to serve as their guardian,” she said. “And I think that’s the most common misconception.”

Boggs and Caudel also said they work with wards of the state and their families by aiming to help restore people into the community.

“I can’t speak for other counties because I don’t operate in their courts,” Boggs said. “I know restoration, it is not difficult in Webster County.”

St. Louis County Public Administrator and MAPA Vice President Tim Weaks echoed that he also works to restore people into the community or into family situations.

“We’ve had some successful restoration, no doubt about that. But not nearly as many as I’d love to see here,” Weaks said. “Unfortunately, it just, it takes a lot of time to get somebody to that point.”

Weaks said it is ultimately up to judges and courts on how guardianship cases proceed toward restoration.

All three also said they have seen cases where people’s rights are restored, only to return to public guardianship in the future.

They agree more education is needed about the role of guardians and said issues within Missouri’s public guardianship system should not be attributed solely to public administrators.

Private guardians, multiple state agencies and courts all have a role to play, they said.

GREG LEE ARRESTED

Butler’s guardianship case recently took another turn. Lee was arrested for trespassing after a nursing home worker in Lowry City, Missouri, at Truman Lake Manor called a deputy during his visit to see his mom. Lowry City is more than two hours away from Lee’s home. Lee believes his mom is kept far away to discourage his visits.

But he wants to see her.

Lee believes a court order from four years ago gives him the right to see his mom. He tried to explain to the deputy on his August visit, but he ended up with a trip to the St. Clair County jail.

Lee is currently facing two misdemeanor trespassing charges in St. Clair County.

Truman Lake Manor Administrator Tim Corbin declined to comment on Butler’s care to KMBC 9 Investigates, citing HIPAA medical privacy laws.

“In them fighting so much to keep me from seeing my mom, they’ve made it to where everybody’s going to know,” Lee told KMBC 9 Investigates.

“I won’t quit,” he said. “I’m not going to stop until I can save at least one person. I hope it’s my mom.”

Throughout the next year, KMBC will continue to explore the challenges and opportunities for improvement in Missouri’s public guardianship system.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Tyler Boydston

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    WEATHERFORD, Oklahoma (KOCO) — Dozens of people were hospitalized, and many are in critical condition after a chemical spill prompted evacuations late Wednesday in Weatherford.

The incident happened around 10 p.m. Wednesday in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express near East Main Street and Cypress Drive. Thirty-six people were hospitalized, and 11 are in critical condition. Around 500 people were evacuated to the Pioneer Event Center at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. A shelter-in-place order that was given for some residents has since been lifted.

The incident started around 10 p.m. Wednesday after ammonia leaked from a tanker truck in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express near East Main Street and Cypress Drive.

Environmental Protection Agency officials released a statement, saying they were notified of a release of anhydrous ammonia on Main Street in Weatherford at 12:58 a.m. Thursday. The release resulted from a leaking gasket from a tanker truck carrying 25,000 pounds of ammonia.

Local fire departments and the Oklahoma National Guard 63rd Civil Support Team initially responded, and the EPA mobilized to the area, according to the statement. The EPA is performing community air monitoring and is supporting the response.

A 1.5-mile evacuation radius was ordered, and the EPA said local leaders reported that a mix of ammonia and vapor suppression entered a storm drain, impacting Timber Creek. The EPA is working with state and local leaders to make sure public health and the environment are protected.

Hospitalizations Thirty-six people were taken to an area hospital because of exposure to the ammonia spill. Eleven of those people are in critical condition, and four were transferred to Oklahoma City metro hospitals.

Authorities say around 500 people were evacuated to the Pioneer Event Center at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Police also ordered a shelter-in-place for the immediate area surrounding the chemical spill. That order has since been lifted, but police have asked the public to avoid the area surrounding Main Street and Cypress Drive.

Police also urge people to look out for any symptoms from exposure.

“We are asking the public to watch each other,” Weatherford police Chief Angelo Orefice said. “If they’re having breathing problems, call 911 or go to the emergency room.

Authorities also are working with business owners to make sure their businesses are safe.

“Any of the local businesses in that area, we’re asking managers and owners to go to the Taco Bell to get with the fire department,” Orefice said.

The chemical spill forced schools and universities to cancel or close on Thursday.

Weatherford Public Schools canceled classes and will announce decisions regarding after-school activities later in the day.

Southwestern Oklahoma State University also canceled in-person classes, but some students may have to attend online classes. Students are told to check Canvas for specific class situations.

First responders have recommended that all students in SWOSU on-campus housing shelter in place due to the fumes. Students in the residence halls should remain indoors and keep their windows and doors closed.

Only essential personnel supporting emergency operations should report as directed, according to SWOSU officials.

Food services and the bookstore at SWOSU are open Thursday and operating on their normal schedules. On-campus students and employees who are already on campus have access to meals, snacks, and essential items, even as some local businesses remain closed.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting.

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By Jacob Jansen

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    MONTICELLO, Iowa (KCCI) — The Monticello Police Department says it won’t be able to make its training K9 an official police dog.

Monticello Police Chief Britt Smith said Tuesday that Bozi, a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois rescue, did great in controlled environments but was unable to complete tasks when facing real-life distractions.

“There was a significant amount of uncertainty in his past when we began this journey and during his time in the spotlight, thanks to the social media exposure, we learned some important things about Bozi and his upbringing that have affirmed our observations,” the department said.

Bozi began training with the department earlier this year. He was rescued in April after being in a kill shelter for nearly a year.

As an official K9, Bozi would have worked to detect narcotics and find missing persons.

Smith and his handler, Officer Keanan Shannon, said Bozi had some problems with his formal certification. That’s when master trainers advised the department to not move forward with Bozi as an official K9.

“Not every dog is suited for the demands and expectations of this assignment, but it does not discount or discredit the efforts that were taken to provide him the opportunity to live the life of service,” Smith said.

The Monticello Police Department thanked supporters who have donated to the department’s K9 program. Donors who contributed to Bozi’s journey are able to be reimbursed, and Smith said remaining donations will be put toward future K9 training.

The department was fundraising “Project Bozi,” as training and equipment for the dog and handler can cost as much as $10,000.

Despite not graduating, it’s not a sad ending for Bozi. Smith said he adopted the furry friend, giving him a forever home.

“Bozi gets along great with all of our two-and four-legged family members and is settling in to his own and will begin to enjoy some luxuries that most working dogs don’t get to experience!”

As for the future of the department’s K9 program, Smith says they will continue the search for a new furry recruit.

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By Faith Wolpert

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    LIBERTY, North Carolina (WXII) — Governor Josh Stein and Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley are joining Toyota to celebrate the opening and start of production at the company’s first North American battery plant.

Four buildings, each covering one million square feet, will produce batteries for hybrid electric, fully electric, and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

On Wednesday, Toyota announced it would donate $2.7 million to Guilford County Schools, Asheboro City Schools and Shift_ed as part of community investment in STEM education.

“Today we celebrate historic progress as Toyota scales battery production right here in North Carolina,” said Gov. Stein. “This groundbreaking investment will create more than 5,000 new jobs for North Carolinians and will strengthen our clean energy economy.”

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By Nick Hawthorne

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    SPOKANE VALLEY, Washington (KXLY) — Gregory J. Talbot, 44, was arrested early Monday after deputies found him hiding in an attic following a five-hour standoff at a Spokane Valley residence, according to police.

Spokane Valley deputies, assisted by the Warrant Service Group, took Talbot into custody at 2:20 a.m. after searching a home near the intersection of East Indiana Avenue and North Corbin Lane, police said.

Talbot was wanted on multiple charges from a domestic violence incident, including first-degree robbery and burglary, according to police.

The team searched the home and detained another man, who was later released, according to police.

They found Talbot hiding in the attic at 2:20 a.m.

Talbot was booked into Spokane County Jail on felony robbery and burglary charges, plus several misdemeanor domestic violence charges, police said.

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By Kayleigh Randle

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    KENTUCKY (WLEX) — Kentucky’s two Republican senators are at war over a provision that some say could destroy the state’s hemp industry.

Senator Mitch McConnell slipped language into the government funding bill that would ban hemp products with more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per container. Claiming kids are at risk of consuming intoxicating THC products.

“Unfortunately, we weren’t surprised because this whole discussion has moved from protecting the kids. Now, to protect Senator McConnell’s vanity project, which is his legacy,” said Justin Swanson, who is with the Kentucky Hemp Association.

“Companies have exploited a loophole in the 2018 legislation by taking legal amounts of THC from hemp and turning it into intoxicating substances,” said Republican Senator Mitch McConnell.

However, Kentucky’s Republican Jr. Senator, Rand Paul, says that the limit is so low it would eliminate 100% of hemp products in the country.

Paul tried to strip the hemp language from the spending bill, but failed.

“The bill before us nullifies all these state laws and makes the hemp industry kaput,” explains Paul. “This is the most thoughtless and ignorant proposal to an industry that I’ve seen in a long, long time.”

“You know it’s a 28 billion dollar market across the country and employs almost 350,000 people. So the time when costs are skyrocketing, when health is skyrocketing,” admits Swanson. “To take away a choice from people who use these products to improve their quality of life is really annoying.”

Swanson stresses that dozens of farmers have harvested crops this year that now could go to waste.

The Senate voted 76-24 to block Paul’s amendment, and Kentucky has already passed its own hemp regulations this year, allowing 12 times more THC than the new federal limit.

“It’s a giant step backwards for the cannabis reform movement in general. Especially when you understand what was removed from the bill, which was allowing the VA to recommend cannabis to veterans,” said Swanson. “That passed both the house and the senate, and then the day before Veterans Day, it’s gone.”

Cornbread Hemp, one of the several businesses that could lose everything, released a statement on Facebook:

“We have immense gratitude for Sen. Rand Paul and his efforts to block McConnell’s hemp ban. While he was joined by Democrats and at least one other Republican, we did not have the support to overcome McConnell and the bourbon industry.

Now that this has gone to the House, we encourage Republicans who believe in states’ rights and personal freedom to join the opposition to the minibus appropriations bill unless the prohibition on hemp products is removed. We also encourage Democrats to tell leadership their vote to reopen government is conditional on the removal if this farm-killing language.

If this becomes law as written, it will set a 365-day clock before it destroys the hemp industry. During this one-year window, we can pass a bill to protect the hemp industry and the millions of consumers who have come to depend on them.

We need everyone to come together in this next 365 days to ensure that full-spectrum CBD products and low-dose THC beverages do not become Schedule I narcotics, as designed by McConnell and the bourbon industry.” Cornbread Hemp Facebook “I think there’s a really big sense of betrayal here. Especially the way it was done. If this was such good policy, let’s do it out in the open. Let’s have a standalone bill and let’s debate it,” said Swanson.

The continuing resolution passed the Senate and could become law this week. If it does, the hemp industry has one year before the new rules take effect.

Kentucky Congressman Brett Guthrie now chairs the House committee that could block the provision next year.

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