Mountain Top Media
Floyd woman charged with arson after grass fire ignites mother’s home
DAVID, Ky. — A Floyd County woman was arrested last week, when he attempt to burn grass ended up catching her mother’s house on fire.
Floyd County sheriff’s deputies were called around 3:30 p.m. Thursday to a house fire on Buckeye Branch of Blue River Road at David, due to suspected arson.
There, they spoke with Kayla Combs, who told them she was trying to burn grass away from her mother’s house, when the fire spread and ignited the structure. From there, the fire spread up a hillside and was threatening homes on Triple S Hollow.
Firefighters from David, Prestonsburg and Middle Creek fire departments said the fire spread beyond their control and they requested help from the Kentucky Division of Forestry. The police report says the fire caused thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.
Kentucky is currently in its spring fire season, when it is illegal to set an outdoor fire from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Area officials have also stressed that fire danger is high right now, and several counties have implemented total burn bans, although Floyd County has not.
Combs was arrested and charged with third-degree arson and first-degree criminal mischief. Both charges are felonies, punishable by up to five years in prison.
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Sen. Paul files bill to allow states to opt out of impending hemp THC ban
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last year, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell inserted language in the agriculture appropriations bill that would implement a near-total ban on all intoxicating hemp products.
Now, his cross-state colleague is seeking to put that decision in the hands of the states.
U.S. Sen. Dr. Rand Paul has introduced the Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, which would allow states and tribal governments to opt out of the ban by enforcing their own standards. The bipartisan bill is co-sponsored by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).
“Half the states have already set up their own smart rules, THC limits, age restrictions, and safety standards that let hemp farmers grow, manufacturers innovate, and consumers stay safe,” said Dr. Paul. “Washington shouldn’t wipe out those efforts or destroy jobs and access to products that help our veterans, our elderly, and families across the country. This bill gives states the freedom to regulate hemp responsibly while keeping dangerous synthetics off the market and ensuring products can move freely between states.”
The bill seeks to protect a $28 billion industry that was borne out of an accident. When the 2018 Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp, it did so by legalizing hemp products that contained 0.3 percent or less of delta-9 THC. THC is the active drug that produces a high from marijuana. However, the bill did not regulate the amount of other types of THC, such as delta-8. That omission legalized the sale of intoxicating hemp products, such as vapes, gummies, drinks and candies.
Under the Hemp Safety Enforcement Act, states would be able to opt out of the ban, while leaving in place safeguards such as minimum age requirements and a ban on synthetic cannabinoids.
The bill has been endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Kentucky, U.S. Hemp Roundtable, Hemp Beverage Alliance, Hemp Industry and Farmers of America, and Cornbread Hemp.
“From our perspective, a balance matters,” VFW Kentucky Commander Nicole Horseman said. “A full ban risks cutting off access and slowing down research at a time when we should be learning more about what actually helps veterans, not less. The Veterans of Foreign Wars has been clear at the national level that we support continued research and access to alternative treatments, and we see your legislation as being consistent with that goal.”
Without intervention, the ban on intoxicating hemp products will go into effect Nov. 12.
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