Homeland Security secretary to visit Arizona border

Jeh_Johnson_official_DHS_portrait TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — The secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will be visiting border operations in Arizona this week.

Jeh Johnson is expected to visit Douglas and Tucson on Wednesday.

According to his office, he will receive briefings on efforts to secure the border at the Tucson Sector headquarters of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Johnson will also meet with state and local law enforcement officials.

Arizona is one stop on a trip that will also include a visit to McAllen, Texas, on Tuesday.

Obama Urges Marijuana Legalization While American Support at an All-time High

obama-weedNEW YORK (MainStreet) — Admitting that he “smoked pot as a kid,” in an interview with the New Yorker magazine published this weekend, President Barack Obama urged the legalization of marijuana.

“I view it as a bad habit and a vice, not very different from the cigarettes that I smoked as a young person up through a big chunk of my adult life,” Obama said. “I don’t think it is more dangerous than alcohol.”

With recreational retail sales of marijuana already allowed in Colorado – and soon in Washington state – public favor for legalization is growing.

In October, a Gallup survey reported a majority of Americans (58%) favored legalization of grass, while more than one-third (38%) admitted having tried it.

“With Americans’ support for legalization quadrupling since 1969, and localities on the East Coast such as Portland, Maine, considering a symbolic referendum to legalize marijuana, it is clear that interest in this drug and these issues will remain elevated in the foreseeable future,” the Gallup report said.

Read more at Rolladailynews.com

See Also: Obama: Pot is not more dangerous than alcohol (Boston.com)

Enticement, harassment charges dropped against foreign military officers

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Two foreign military officers who were training at Fort Leonard Wood and charged in October of last year with enticement of a child and harassment had their charges dropped, Pulaski County Prosecuting attorney Kevin Hillman said Friday.

WAYNESVILLE, Mo.—Two foreign military officers who were training at Fort Leonard Wood and charged in October of last year with enticement of a child and harassment had their charges dropped, Pulaski County Prosecuting attorney Kevin Hillman said Friday.

“The victim’s family and I discussed the situation, and they did not want her to go through the further traumatization of two trials,” Hillman said.

The two foreign officers charged were Mohammed Mahmoud Omar Mefleh, of Jordan, and Antoine Chela, of Lebanon.

Hillman said the pair had the charges dropped as part of an agreement which required them to remain in jail for 90 days and pay for their incarceration costs, which were over $3,000 each.

“Right after the charges were dropped, the men were taken by Fort Leonard Wood officials and have to leave the country within 10 days. I expect them to be gone by Monday,” Hillman said.

“They can have no contact with minors and will not be allowed back in the country. The Department of Homeland Security will be tracking and monitoring the men until they leave the country.”

Read more at TheRollaDailyNews.com

See Also:
1. Grand Jury indicts two foreign military officers for attempted child abduction
2. Foreign military officers plead not guilty in attempted child abduction case
3. Two men arrested for attempted child abduction

Briar Patch flower shop opens today

20130119-01WILLIAMS—Just in time to get those Valentine’s Day gifts and flowers reserved (guys!), Carl and Mariah Funderburg opens the Briar Patch today. The Briar Patch Florist and Gift Shop is located at 226 W. Route 66, next to Circle K.

The shop will provide flowers, plants, balloons, cards and gifts for a variety of occasions. They plan to deliver to Ash Fork, the Grand Canyon and to Flagstaff. The phone number to the store is (928)635-5366.

In addition they offer custom woodwork, restoring and building custom furniture and even refinishing rifle stocks.

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