SARL Members and Alumni News
Nevada marijuana sales hit $27 million in first month
Reno Gazette Journal | Posted on October 5, 2017Nevada took a gamble on recreational marijuana, and it’s paying off. Dispensaries sold $27.1 million of pot in Nevada, in July alone. That's almost double what both Coloradoand Oregon sold in their first months. It's almost seven times what Washington sold. Banking on weed, Nevada made $10.2 million off the fledgling industry during the first month of sales in July, according to the Nevada Department of Taxation. Of that, $6.5 million came from industry fees and $3.68 million came from tax revenue.Gov. Brian Sandoval projected that, between its two-year old medical marijuana industry and the now upright recreational marijuana industry, the state could pull in approximately $100 million over the next two fiscal years from both taxes and fees.
Government jobs sprouting as legal pot looms in California
AP | Posted on October 5, 2017Scientists. Tax collectors. Typists. Analysts. Lawyers. And more scientists. Recreational marijuana use becomes legal in California in 2018, and one of the things to blossom in the emerging industry isn’t green and leafy - it’s government jobs.The state is on a hiring binge to fill what eventually will be hundreds of new government positions by 2019 intended to bring order to the legal pot economy, from keeping watch on what’s seeping into streams near cannabis grows to running background checks on storefront sellers who want government licenses. Thousands of additional jobs are expected to be added by local governments. The swiftly expanding bureaucracy represents just one aspect of the complex challenge faced by California: Come January, the state will unite its longstanding medical cannabis industry with the newly legalized recreational one, creating what will be the United States’ largest legal pot economy.
New Road Bump for US, Cuba Relations Puts Louisiana Trade Ambitions on Hold
Voice of Louisiana | Posted on October 5, 2017Louisiana leaders see great possibility – and lots of money – in potential trade with Cuba. However, a new wedge between the U.S. and the island nation has put that dream in jeopardy. “It's a little bit distressing to see that we are now de-evolving in our relationship,” said Mike Strain, commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.
Trump Administration Files Additional WTO Request over BC Wine
NASDA | Posted on October 4, 2017The Trump Administration has filed an additional formal request on September 28 for consultations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over British Columbia (BC) regulations that favor BC wines over imported US wines. Notably, the BC regulations allow BC wine to be sold on grocery store shelves while US wines must be sold in a separate “store within a store.” The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative filed an original request at the WTO for consultations over the British Columbia regulations on January 18, 2017. This new request updates the previous request.
Minnesota once again leads the Midwest in annual energy efficiency ranking
Midwest Energy News | Posted on October 2, 2017Minnesota is the only Midwest state ranked in the top 10 of the annual American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s State Energy Efficiency Scorecard. The state’s ninth place standing, announced this week, topped Michigan and Illinois (tied for 11th); Iowa (19th); Wisconsin (24th); Ohio (31st) and Indiana (40th). South Dakota and North Dakota rounded out the bottom.Last year Minnesota ranked 10th on the scorecard and was, once again, the only Midwest state to make the Top 10.
KDA Announces Kansas Wildfire Cost Share Initiative
Kansas Department of Agriculture | Posted on October 2, 2017The Kansas Department of Agriculture announced that the State Conservation Commission has approved the creation of the Kansas Wildfire Cost Share Initiative which will provide funding in the amount of $200,000 for specific recovery expenses following recent wildfires in Kansas. The commission approved the action in September to work with local Conservation Districts in supporting the recovery efforts.Funds from the initiative are to be targeted at livestock water supplies, cross fencing, grass seeding, windbreaks and obstruction removal in the areas affected by the March 2017 Kansas wildfires as well as the Anderson Creek wildfire in 2016. Eligible areas for the initiative are in the following counties: Barber, Clark, Comanche, Ellis, Ellsworth, Ford, Hodgeman, Lane, Lincoln, McPherson, Meade, Ness, Reno, Rice, Rooks, Russell, Seward and Smith. Cost share assistance will be provided by the KDA Division of Conservation (DOC) through local county Conservation Districts.
Missouri man hopes to convince state Supreme Court that 'farming' marijuana is legal
Springfield News Leader | Posted on October 2, 2017Mark Shanklin thinks he was well within his rights in June 2016 when a police officer knocked on his door after noting unusually high power usage at the St. Louis man's home. Shanklin "...was covered in dirt or potting soil and reeked of marijuana" when Detective Gregory Klipsch asked him to talk, and he consented to a search after consulting with his wife, according to court documents. The state says a federal agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms tipped off local law enforcement.Inside, Klipsch found "...numerous potted plants of marijuana scattered throughout the residence along with lights and a pulley system," court documents say. "Headlights were affixed to the ceiling in some rooms and there was a table with lights and red Solo Cups with smaller marijuana plants."In addition to hundreds of plants, Shanklin had books on growing marijuana, a scale and cut cannabis inside various Tupperware containers.But Shanklin, through his attorney, contends that what he was doing should be considered perfectly legal. He argues that Missourians legalized growing marijuana in 2014 when voters passed a so-called "right-to-farm" amendment to the Missouri Constitution.As such, Shanklin argues the drug laws under which he was convicted are unconstitutional in their application to prohibit cannabis cultivation.
Massive, unregulated networks move dogs into Virginia to save them from death.
The Virginian Pilot | Posted on October 2, 2017These volunteers spend their time and money to rescue dogs from municipal shelters by shuttling them to fosters or adopters in other parts of the country. They see it as a win for everyone – it eases overcrowding at shelters, keeps dogs from being euthanized and loving families get pets. But there are no laws in the U.S. about tracking dogs moving across state lines. Rescue groups say they self-police and emphasize transparency, but critics say the lack of regulation may put adopters at risk if they unwittingly take in dogs with behavioral problems. They say details about a dog’s past aggression can be lost in the shuffle or obscured by well-meaning rescuers. The daughter of the Virginia Beach woman who was killed said in a lawsuit that’s what happened to her. She wasn’t made aware of Blue’s bite history when she adopted him. Media from around the country have reported similar incidents. There are some pushing for legislative oversight of this pet pipeline, but few inroads have been made. In the meantime, thousands of dogs are moving across state lines every year with little oversight.
Senators press agriculture rural development assistant on funding, FCC relationship
The Fence Post | Posted on October 2, 2017Anne Hazlett, assistant to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on rural development, came under pressure Sept. 28 from several senators on whether she will push for money for programs President Donald Trump proposed eliminating and on whether the USDA will formally weigh in with the Federal Communications Commission on fixed versus wireless broadband internet access. The interactions occurred at a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on rural development and energy programs in the next farm bill.Senate Appropriations Committee ranking member Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said rural development is one of the reasons he stayed on the agriculture committee, and said it is vital to find "new resources" for the community facilities program to combat the opioid drug addiction crisis.Leahy then asked Hazlett, "Are you going to push for providing them?"But Hazlett responded only that, "you have my commitment to steward the resources that are provided."
Tenth Circuit says Wyoming trespass statute implicated First Amendment
Texas A&M | Posted on September 29, 2017The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has held that the First Amendment is applicable to a Wyoming statute that prohibits crossing private property to collect resource data. The statute, which would prohibit a variety of acts such as photographing, videoing, sampling, or otherwise gathering data on water, soil, and animals, was challenged by several plaintiffs who claimed it violated their free speech rights. The trial court dismissed the case, finding that the collection of data was not “speech” such that the First Amendment was implicated. The Tenth Circuit reversed, holding this action was speech. Thus, the case was remanded back to the trial court, which will now apply the legal analysis required for a First Amendment challenge.