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Stops and starts

You knew folks were going to have tough time getting medical marijuana through the Alabama Legislature. Once they did, you might not have figured on how tough a time it’d be issuing licenses to businesses so they could get the industry going.

In the latest on that front, AL.com’s Mike Cason reports that a Montgomery County circuit judge has issued a temporary restraining order to keep the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission from issuing licenses to integrated companies.

That was supposed to begin next week. Over the past sixth months the Commission has twice given out and taken back license awards because of legal issues raised by companies that weren’t awarded.

Judge James Anderson acknowledged the need for medications to be produced and for companies who are being awarded licenses to get to work. But he also said the legal arguments justify hitting the pause button again.

Licenses have been issued to some businesses such as cultivators, processors, secure transporters and a state testing lab. This week’s restraining order affects integrated companies that’ll be doing more than one function in the industry. It was requested by six unsuccessful applicants, some that were selected during the first two rounds but weren’t this time around.

There’s a hearing scheduled for Jan. 24.

Police chief’s dismissal

Mount Vernon is out one police chief after the town council voted to fire Duncan Herrington on Thursday, reports AL.com’s Howard Koplowitz.

Herrington was arrested on Dec. 15 on a misdemeanor domestic-violence charge. Mount Vernon police said he was the aggressor in an incident with a family member and jailed him for 24 hours before releasing him on bond. A Class A misdemeanor in Alabama can get you up to a year in prison and up to a $6,000 fine.

The council’s decision came after Herrington pleaded his case during an executive session.

An aquarium plunge

Thursday night got pretty wild even by Bass Pro Shops standards when a man in the Leeds store took off his clothes and jumped into the aquarium.

AL.com’s Carol Robinson reports that police say the man may have knocked himself unconscious falling out of the aquarium and that he was taken to a hospital for a mental evaluation. According to police, he had already driven a vehicle into a pole in the parking lot before coming into the store near closing time.

So it’s worth praying the man gets his situation cleared up so he can put this behind him and try to forget it. Even if he has a couple buddies who’ll never let him.

Watching the weather

There are a couple chances for severe weather to affect the southern parts of the state between now and Monday, so keep an eye on the latest forecasts.

Quoting

“You just look around this place and you look at all this. It is the standard, there’s no doubt about it.”

Drew Gilmer, upon being announced Thursday as the new Hoover High School football coach.

More Alabama news

Born on this date

In 1923, Sun Records founder Sam Phillips of Florence.

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