Susan Smith-Harmon
Pro-pot cop to sue STL PD for trying to silence him
Wednesday, 13 March 2013 01:15 Published in Local News
A St. Louis police sergeant plans to sue after his department revoked his secondary job permit in an effort to silence his advocacy of legalizing marijuana. Sergeant Gary Wiegert is a lobbyist for Show-Me Cannabis, a pro-pot organization.
The department had granted Wiegert permission last month to work a secondary job as a lobbyist in Jefferson City. Weigert has also had permission to lobby for the Tea Party movement for the past three years.
Wiegert's most recent lobbying activity made headline recently, when Police Chief Sam Dotson denounced it as "not what is expected of our officers."
Wiegert’s attorney, Albert Watkins told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the sergeant's superiors had asked him on Friday to refrain from any political statements until they could meet to discuss the issue.
Then on Tuesday the department yanked Wiegert's approval to work the secondary job as a lobbyist. A move Watkins calls a violation of the sergeant's first amendment rights.
The department had granted Wiegert permission last month to work a secondary job as a lobbyist in Jefferson City. Weigert has also had permission to lobby for the Tea Party movement for the past three years.
Wiegert's most recent lobbying activity made headline recently, when Police Chief Sam Dotson denounced it as "not what is expected of our officers."
Wiegert’s attorney, Albert Watkins told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the sergeant's superiors had asked him on Friday to refrain from any political statements until they could meet to discuss the issue.
Then on Tuesday the department yanked Wiegert's approval to work the secondary job as a lobbyist. A move Watkins calls a violation of the sergeant's first amendment rights.
MO license officials assure security of documents
Tuesday, 12 March 2013 04:29 Published in Local News
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Officials who oversee Missouri's driver's licenses are assuring that none of the personal documents supplied by applicants are shared with a private contractor.
Revenue Department officials told a House committee Monday they began requiring documents such as birth certificates and concealed weapons endorsements to be scanned into a state computer system as part of an effort to deter fraud.
Lawmakers raised questions about the process after a southeast Missouri man filed a lawsuit last week challenging the new procedures.
Revenue officials said the digital copies of documents are kept by the department, and only basic information about the applicant is forwarded to a contractor that makes the licenses.
Several dozen lawmakers are backing a bill that would bar Missouri from keeping copies of the documents.
Revenue Department officials told a House committee Monday they began requiring documents such as birth certificates and concealed weapons endorsements to be scanned into a state computer system as part of an effort to deter fraud.
Lawmakers raised questions about the process after a southeast Missouri man filed a lawsuit last week challenging the new procedures.
Revenue officials said the digital copies of documents are kept by the department, and only basic information about the applicant is forwarded to a contractor that makes the licenses.
Several dozen lawmakers are backing a bill that would bar Missouri from keeping copies of the documents.
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The great 2012 drought is officially over in the immediate St. Louis area. That's according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The agency's latest update shows soil conditions in the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County, Jefferson County and eastern St. Charles County have returned to normal after almost 9 months of drought. Western St. Charles, Lincoln and most of Franklin Counties are still listed as "dryer than normal."
The southeastern third of Missouri, as well as southern and central Illinois had been declared drought-free weeks ago.
The agency's latest update shows soil conditions in the City of St. Louis, St. Louis County, Jefferson County and eastern St. Charles County have returned to normal after almost 9 months of drought. Western St. Charles, Lincoln and most of Franklin Counties are still listed as "dryer than normal."
The southeastern third of Missouri, as well as southern and central Illinois had been declared drought-free weeks ago.
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