The Medical Cannabis Commission is charged with crafting rules and regulations so licensing of dispensaries can begin.

By Zach Wendling, Nebraska Examiner

A legislative committee on Tuesday reconsidered and favorably advanced a second Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission appointee who had tied in a 4-4 vote last week.

In a quick meeting Tuesday, State Sen. Stan Clouse of Kearney flipped his opposition to Lorelle Mueting of Gretna, the prevention director at Heartland Family Service in Omaha. Clouse said he supported advancing Mueting’s nomination so the full Legislature could consider her appointment instead of keeping the nomination in the General Affairs Committee.

Had the committee not advanced Mueting by the end of the legislative session, scheduled to end June 9, she would have been added to the commission without a vote of the full Legislature.

The voter-approved Medical Cannabis Commission is charged with crafting rules and regulations by July 1 so licensing of medical cannabis dispensaries can begin by October 1.

Clouse said his original reservations came because Mueting didn’t have a “great” confirmation hearing Thursday. After she spoke, long-time medical cannabis supporters voiced concerns over Mueting.

That was contrasted with Dr. Monica Oldenburg of Lincoln, an anesthesiologist, whom Clouse supported in part because he wants someone with a medical background on the regulatory commission.

Both nominees eventually advanced 5-3, in a party-line vote between Republicans and Democrats.

Oldenburg stayed for the three-hour hearing. Mueting left after three invited witnesses spoke in favor of her appointment.

The appointees would need at least 25 votes in the Legislature to be confirmed. They would join the three members of the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission to comprise the new regulatory commission for medical cannabis.

Clouse said he wants to keep an open mind before deciding how he’ll vote on the appointments.

This story was first published by Nebraska Examiner.

Ohio Is More Than Doubling The Amount Of Marijuana That Adults Can Legally Buy Per Day

Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.

YORK COUNTY, Neb. (KOLN) — A York County woman faces several felony charges after using her daughter to sell Xanax and morphine, according to authorities.

Deputies arrested 36-year-old Shantell Perkins on Thursday. She has since been charged with possession of a controlled substance, using a minor to distribute a controlled substance and child abuse.

The sheriff’s office assigned a DHHS intake to a deputy on May 1. A teen told her therapist that her mother had been forcing her to deliver drugs for several years, and the authorities were alerted.

Perkins lived with the girl and two other children at a Benedict home, all three children have since been removed from her custody. Each child was forensically interviewed regarding the allegation earlier this month.

The children told deputies that Perkins regularly took pills — ranging between prescription hydrocodone, oxycontin, morphine and Xanax — an arrest affidavit shows. They’d commonly come home to find her unconscious, but she would later explain to them that she’d merely suffered a seizure, deputies said.

One child told police they begged Perkins not to take the pills while home alone, fearing “they might find her dead,” authorities wrote. A records check for calls for service at Perkin’s address showed authorities had been called to the home multiple times since 2022.

The teen described arguments with her mother often turning physical — getting whipped with a belt or a coat hanger or sometimes being backed into a wall. Deputies think the other two children may have suffered similar abuse, and they wrote that Perkins would often accuse her children of stealing her pills.

In the meantime, Perkins had been using the teen to deliver Xanax, morphine and other unidentified pills to multiple people over the years, according to the affidavit.

The deliveries began sometime in 2018 when the family lived in South Dakota, deputies said. The teen said she never got any money for the transactions, thinking the drugs had been paid for in advance.

According to court records, the girl delivered pills on at least 50 occasions between two communities in South Dakota, then in Benedict, York and Seward.

Authorities think Perkins would persuade the girl with promises of gifts for making the deliveries, and other times she’d threaten to ground the teen if she disobeyed.

Jail records show Perkins’ bond was set at 10% of $50,000. Her first court hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

If you or someone you know is struggling with opioid or substance abuse, The National Drug Hotline and SAMHSA provide 24/7 resources to battle addiction.

The National Drugs Hotline can be contacted at 844-289-0879, and SAMHSA is available at 1-800-662-4357. More information on battling opioid abuse in Nebraska can be found at this link.

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LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A Division III National Champion, and a new school record holder; That’s what Nebraska Wesleyan’s Avery Decker became this weekend, winning gold in Women’s Javelin throw.

Decker, the Senior delivered gold Thursday while competing in day one of the Championships in Ohio.

And, she did it in style. On Decker’s very first throw, she reached 48.70 meters. It’s a new school record, and the sixth longest throw in Division III history.

“My coach just told me I needed to get it started right from the first throw,” said Decker. “That’s what I tried to do, and it worked out.”

The Prairie Wolves Track and Field completed a historic season, and Coach Derek Frese credits Avery’s leadership, and work ethic for what this team was able to accomplish this season.

“Avery is a very rare athlete,” said Frese. “Her drive and her work ethic was very contagious to some of her teammates as well. Our program had a very very successful year. We qualified seven throwers for the national championship meet.”

When the senior began her throwing career, she didn’t imagine being a national champion from the start.

But, over time she realized it was possible.

“Since my first full year throwing I had hopes of being an All-American,” said Decker. “After my second full season of throwing, I had dreams of being a national champion.”

The championship performance caps a season that saw Nebraska Wesleyan establish itself as a power in Division III track and field.