ALBANY, Ore. (AP) - Despite approval from lawmakers this past session, growing hemp industrially in Oregon may not be a reality. The Albany Democrat-Herald reports that Oregon's climate may not be suitable for growing hemp, a crop that was outlawed in the 1930s along with its relative, marijuana. Oregon is one of a handful of states to give farmers the option of growing it. The law passed by legislators will take effect on Jan. 1, 2010.
AUSTRALIA-KILLING CAMELS
SYDNEY (AP) - The Australian government is considering a proposal to allow
marksmen in helicopters to hunt down and kill thousands of camels in Australia's
remote outback. The goal would be to cut down the population of the
havoc-wreaking creatures. Camels were first introduced into Australia in the
1840s to help explorers travel through the Australian desert. There are now
about 1 million camels roaming the country and the population is doubling every
nine years. Camels compete with sheep and cattle for food, trample vegetation
and invade remote settlements in search of water, scaring residents as they tear
apart bathrooms and rip up water pipes.
BLAGOJEVICH WEB SITE
CHICAGO (AP) - Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has launched a new Web
site, www.GovernorRod.com. Blagojevich publicist Glenn Selig says the site
offers a way for Blagojevich fans and supporters to connect.
MAN DRIVES BACKWARD ON HIGHWAY
BERLIN, Vt. (AP) - Vermont State Police charged a New Jersey man with drunken
driving after receiving a call about a car being driven backward on Interstate
89. Police say they received a report late Friday night of a motorist driving
erratically - and at one point driving in reverse - in the southbound lanes in
Berlin, south of Montpelier. When police caught up, they arrested a 46-year-old
man. Police said a preliminary breath test indicated the man's blood alcohol
content was nearly three times the legal limit.
FLORIDA INMATES-HOT SAUCE
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Inmates at Hillsborough County Jail in Florida are making and
selling "Jailhouse Fire Hot Sauce." The sauce is offered in "Original," "Smoke"
and "No Escape" varieties, all made from their jail-grown peppers. The inmates
have been selling the sauce since 2005 for $7 a bottle. Horticulture instructor
Allen Boatman estimates they've made $10,000 on the sauce since then.
OBESE INMATE HIDES GUN
HOUSTON (AP) - An obese inmate in Texas has been charged with possession of a
firearm after officials learned he had a gun hidden under flabs of his own
flesh. Twenty-five-year-old George Vera was charged with possession of a firearm
in a correctional facility. The Houston Chronicle reports that Vera was
originally arrested on charges of selling illegal copies of compact discs.
