Thursday, January 27, 2011

GLENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WIN STATE AMERICANISM & GOVERNMENT TEST

It is my pleasure to congratulate two outstanding Glenwood High School students on a very impressive accomplishment.

Sara Adkins, a sophomore, and Aaron Hannah, a senior, both at Glenwood High School, have won the State Americanism and Government Test. As state winners, both students will receive a free trip to Washington D.C. this spring.

Sara is the daughter of Raymond and Sherry Adkins. Aaron is the son of Charles and Elizabeth Hannah.

I am very proud of both of these young citizens and congratulate them and their parents. They have made our school district and community very proud.

Mike Payton
01-27-2011

Thursday, January 20, 2011

VILLAGE COUNCIL CONSIDERS BANNING PAIN CLINICS & SYNTHETIC THCs

New Boston Village Council is considering banning pain clinics and synthetic THCs (and other similar products) from within the village limits.

Village Administrator Steve Hamilton presented research from other communities at our January 19 meeting detailing "Fake Marijuana" users showing up in emergency rooms with racing heart beats, extreme anxiety, and halluncinations. The substance is called K2 and is a synthetic form of marijuana. K2 is often marketed as incense and sold in packets of herbs laced with synthetic marijuana at "head shops," gas stations, convenience stores and on-line for about $30 to $40 per three-gram bag.

K2 is legal in many states including Ohio although legislation is being proposed to ban these substances.

The Village Solicitor has been asked by council to explore the legality of banning pain clinics and synthetic THCs and similar products from the village limits. What we want to do is be proactive and try to stop a problem in the village before it begins. Pain clinics throughout the area have been closing down and the feeling is these people are going to start looking for alternatives and especially those alternatives that are easy (and legal) to obtain. We do not want those alternatives to be found in our village.

My feeling is that we will most likely adopt a moratorium on pain clinics similar to the one Portsmouth City Council adopted which in effect instituted a 180-day moratorium on the issuance of any permit, license and/or authority to establish any pain clinic, pain management clinic or pain management center in New Boston. Rather than 180 days, I will support a year-long moratorium if legally possible.

Within a year, our village staff, public agencies and departments throughout the state, and the state legislature will be able to further review regulatory options, rules and streamline ordinances for these clinics.

Mike Payton
01-20-11