Latest news with #MarkCochran
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Looking for a Monroe park to have fun in the sun? Here are your options
With skies getting clearer and temperatures rising, the time is perfect to visit one of the 38 parks in the City of Monroe. With 300 acres of dedicated parkland, there's plenty to choose from. "Parks are vital because they bring our community together, support healthy lifestyles, and preserve our natural beauty," said Mark Cochran, assistant city manager and director of economic and community development. "Whether you're looking to relax, explore, or spend quality time with family, our parks offer something for everyone - they're the perfect reason to get outside and enjoy what Monroe has to offer." Find other parks in Monroe County: Monroe County's public parks guide: Everything you need to know Here are the parks you can find in the city and where they are. All city parks are open from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Arbor-Lorain Park 502 E. Lorain St. Boyd Park 321 Harrison St. Central Park 905 Brock St. Frenchman's Bend Park 401 Ave De Lafayette Hoffman Park 831 Jennie Place James & Hendricks Park 1349 N. Roessler St. Lavender Park 660 Lavender St. Manor Park 445 Donnalee Drive Father Cairns Park 802 W. Eighth St. Labor Park 1101 E. Second St. Munson Park 2770 North Custer Road St. Mary's Park 111 W. Elm Ave. Soldiers & Sailors Park 687 E. Front St. Veteran's Park 1671 N. Custer Road Altrusa Park 107 E. Front St. Cappuccilli Park 930 East Elm Ave. Hellenberg Park 1313 E. Front St. Plum Creek Park 914 Kentucky Ave. Rauch Park Associated with the River Raisin Heritage Trail River Raisin 1403 East Elm Ave. Riviere-aux-Raisins Park 101 N. Dixie Highway Worrell Park 2301 North Custer Front/Third/Union Park 725 E. Front St. Gateway Park 119 West Front St. Monroe Skate Park On the corner of Noble Avenue and North Dixie Highway, across from Unlimited Truck & Trailer Services Memorial Place Monroe St. Elliot Park Small landscape area or passive open space Crescent Park Small landscape area or passive open space Median Park Small landscape area or passive open space Noble Park Small landscape area or passive open space Oak Forest Park Small landscape area or passive open space Mill Race Park 402 S. Telegraph Road Sawyer Homestead 320 East Front St. MLK Park - Orchard Center 1821 Oak St. Navarre Park & Playground Jones and Laplaisance Road — Contact reporter Connor Veenstra at CVeenstra@ This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Our guide to the City of Monroe parks: Hours & locations
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
TN House passes amended bill to regulate hemp industry, ban hemp flower in state
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — In a last-minute switch, Tennessee lawmakers in the House passed a bill aiming to regulate the hemp industry, in part, by essentially banning hemp flower in the state. The House version of the bill, sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) would create regulations on the hemp industry, including packaging, testing, and licensing requirements. The Alcoholic Beverage Commission (ABC) would become the regulatory group for the hemp industry. Many lawmakers and those in the hemp industry agreed with the regulation proposals. PREVIOUS | Renewed push to regulate hemp industry heats up in Tennessee However, during the final debate on the House floor, an amendment filed by Rep. Mark Cochran (R-Englewood) and adopted by lawmakers added a ban on hemp products with more than .3% TCHA, the chemical compound in hemp that, when burned, turns into THC, the same intoxicant found in marijuana. 'It's difficult for law enforcement to discern between [hemp flower] and marijuana. When smoked, it's highly intoxicating, and if you were to take a drug test, there's no discernible difference between did you just smoke marijuana or THCA,' Cochran said. The amendment would align with federal law and the Senate's version of the bill. However, lawmakers, including some Republicans, pointed out it would essentially ban the natural form of hemp in the state and encourage people to ingest the synthetic version instead. 'We're not stopping intoxicants. We're only keeping intoxicants that are not natural,' Rep. Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby) said. 'You're not voting on a bill to do away with people getting high. You're voting on a bill to do away with people getting high naturally. You're making it to where they can get high through chemicals now.' Certain lawmakers were also critical of the measure's potential to hurt small businesses and farmers who invested in the hemp flower industry. 'We need this industry to be regulated more so. It has been the wild west up until now. Nobody disputes that fact, but we are the body that two years ago created this. Let's understand that if we think we've created a monster, then we're Dr. Frankenstein. We need to take responsibility for that, and based upon those decisions that we made, people made investments,' Rep. Kevin Vaughan (R-Collierville) said. 'I fail to comprehend how this body, mostly rural in nature, just stuck it to every farmer in the state of Tennessee that has invested in this,' Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) said. 'We keep pulling the rug out from under these folks, and it's going to come back to bite us, and you just did that by adopting that amendment.' The amendment to ban hemp products with more than .3% THCA is the same rule the hemp industry sued the Tennessee Department of Agriculture over last year, stopping it from going into effect. Some lawmakers in support of the THCA restriction argued the hemp industry cannot be regulated without it. 'A lot of people forget that there is a thing called cannabis-induced psychosis, and so the potency of these products under that regulation will help so much,' Rep. Elaine Davis (R-Knoxville) said. ⏩ Others said it protects people in the state from dangerous products because they'll be able to trust what they're buying. 'If you buy a Sprite, you should get a Sprite. If you buy a beer, you should get a beer, if you buy a bottle of tequila, you should get a bottle of tequila. You shouldn't buy a Sprite and get tequila, or buy tequila and get Sprite. I'm not advocating for any of those particular products, but you should know what you're getting,' Leader Lamberth said. 'After this bill passes, if it passes, and I hope it does, Tennesseans will know exactly what they're purchasing. That's a worthy thing.' The amended bill passed the House 69 to 21, with some Republicans voting against the bill and some Democrats voting in favor. The Senate version of the bill is set to be debated on the floor soon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
