The Meeker County Board of Commissioners approved of a moratorium this week on cannabis businesses. The moratorium will give the Board time to make sure they get an effective ordinance in place prior to January 1st of 2025.
Meeker County Sheriff Brian Cruze says the State of Minnesota legalized marijuana as of August 1st of last year, and there were arguments that it reduces crime, but the data, from states that have legalized marijuana, show that crime numbers have increased. He says you can now legally grow 8 marijuana plants (4 of them mature), and use it yourself or give it away – and only in your own home or a private setting, but it’s not legal to sell it at this point, which is giving the black market a foothold before the laws for selling it legally are put into place.
Sheriff Cruze says it is legal to sell hemp-derived products such as gummies with low levels of THC, but not marijuana which has a high potency of THC. He says you can’t drive if you are under the influence of marijuana, just like drinking, but it can be difficult to test a driver to determine if they are under the influence of marijuana.
Sheriff Cruze says marijuana stays in your system for several days, so you may not be high or impaired, but it would still show up on a test. He says when it becomes legal to sell marijuana, there will likely be more marijuana-related calls to law enforcement and other related crimes and they will just deal with it because that’s what they do.
The annual Twine Ball celebration will be held tomorrow in Darwin. Several events are scheduled to help celebrate the town’s main claim to fame – the Largest Ball of Twine – created by one man (Francis Johnson) – in the world.
Saturday activities will begin in Darwin with the Twine K Run at 7:30 a.m., followed by sand volleyball at 8, kid’s pedal pull at 10, the All Saints raffle from 9-to-2 and a craft fair from 9-to-3. There will be a bean bag tournament Saturday in Darwin at 11, the Grand Day Parade at 12:30, and Minn-E-Rods at 2 p.m. There will be several food vendors in Darwin on Saturday.
The Songs of Summer Festival is coming up on August 16th at Memorial Park in Litchfield with gates opening at 4 p.m. Michael Shynes will begin performing at 5 p.m., followed by the Fabulous Armadillos at 7 p.m.
Amanda Nelson says there will be a fenced-in area for the event which will include the Splash Pad and the playground and Litchfield Rotary Club members will be at the gates accepting freewill donations. She says three youth-oriented groups will be benefitting from this year’s event.
Nelson says there will be several vendors including Gypsy Bowls, Herradura’s, Wrestling Club, Boy Scouts, Knights of Columbus, Rescue Squad, LAMP and the American Legion. She says t-shirts and can koozies will be available to purchase at the event that evening, and in case of rain, it would be held at the Litchfield Civic Arena.
Sarah Jones says there are still some raffle tickets available from board members and at Mid-Country Bank and Center Bank. She says the Songs of Summer Festival is a family-friendly event and freewill offerings will be accepted.
Jones says you can find more information at songsofsummerfestival.com or look for the Songs of Summer Festival Litchfield Facebook page.