CANEY CITY —
A Caney City Police Department investigation led to the seizure of several packets of suspected “K2” synthetic marijuana from a convenience store in the city earlier this week.
Caney City Police Chief Kenneth Holder said the search warrant served Monday at A to Z discount grocery on State Highway 198 grew out of complaints that substances sold at the store had come into the possession of local youth. Holder said a female caller registered an anonymous complaint that her two sons had become ill after using a substance obtained from the store.
“We allowed the business to reopen but I’m going to petition the city council to revoke their business license,” Holder said. “I’m also going to petition the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to open an administrative investigation against the store.”
Police also arrested the store clerk, 29-year-old Suraj Khadka, for selling alcohol to a minor. Khadka was booked into the Henderson County Jail on the Class A misdemeanor charge and released Tuesday after posting $5,000 bond. Holder said Khadka told police he was temporarily working at the store while visiting from Virginia.
Synthetic marijuana blends have been around for about a decade. Prob-lems resulting from its use prompted the Texas Legis-lature to make possession illegal in 2011. Henderson County Sheriff Ray Nutt said synthetic marijuana is sold in several stores in the county, but it’s not something patrol deputies have seen often on the street. He said once the suspected synthetic marijuana is seized it has to be sent to the Texas Department of Public Safety lab for analysis to determine if it has the specific chemicals that are banned under the controlled substances act.
Holder said the Caney City Council recently passed its own ordinance prohibiting sale of the substance. Holder sent the vendor a letter along with copies of the state law and city ordinance prohibiting the sale of synthetic marijuana. It then sent an underage female as a confidential informant to purchase the K2 substance and beer.
Holder said the K2-type substances look similar to marijuana that has been sliced and diced.
“It’s all different kinds of plant substances that have a chemical sprayed across them,” Holder said. “The chemical contains synthetic cannabinoids that mimic the active ingredient in marijuana.”
Tobacco shops and convenience stores carry the product under many different brand names such as “Mister Happy.”
Sometimes the substance is flavored to make it appeal to youths, giving it a grape or apple flavor.
“These chemicals are really dangerous,” Holder said. “It’s actually a felony to sell more than a gram of it, so it’s actually a higher penalty than selling regular marijuana.”
Local News
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In remembrance of heroes
The roll call of armed services veterans buried in the Athens City Cemetery for the past century-and-a-half is a long one.
A Veterans Memorial, created in their honor, will be dedicated on Memorial Day Monday, with 5th District Congressman Jeb Hensarling serving as the keynote speaker. The ceremony begins at 9 a.m. at the cemetery on South Prairieville Street. -
Does Athens Middle School have talent? You bet it does!
Drake Grammer (right) won first place in Friday’s Athens Middle School Talent Contest. He will receive a free meal from McDonald’s Lilly Enterprises. He will be taken, along with all students that placed in competition, to his meal by a limousine provided by A Trinity Valley Home Health and Therapy Services. Grammer will also receive $50. At left, is Amily Partin, who received Honorable Mention for her performance. Others receiving Honorable Mention were Fredrick Magouirk and George Jones. Second Place honors went to Mollie Davies and Third Place went to Maalik Hall. Drums for the contest were provided by Athens Middle School PTO.
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A little old and new
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Brownsboro Junior High eighth-grader Yasmine Mendez lights one of the candles during Thursday's induction ceremony for the National Junior Honor Society. Mendez and this year's NJHS class helped to officially welcome 36 new members who will be in eighth grade next year.
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‘Click it or Ticket’
The Athens Police Department is part of a nationwide effort to cut down on traffic injuries and deaths by getting motorists to buckle their seat belts. It’s part of the Click It or Ticket campaign underway through June 2.
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WWII vets visit Washington, D.C.
Two Athens men who served in World War II are part of a veteran’s visit to the nation’s capital this week.
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Taking a break, just like you
Henderson County offices will close Friday through Monday for the Memorial Day weekend.
The courthouse and other county locations have traditionally closed on a Friday in May for Fiddlers Day. County employees were given May 24 as a holiday this year in anticipation of the event. The county’s 2013 holiday schedule was already set when the organizers of Fiddlers Day decided to make it a Friday night and Saturday affair on May 31 and June 1. -
Great ability, not debatable
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