Week in Review: Drugs, audits and ferrets

By Travis Perry │ Kansas Watchdog

OSAWATOMIE, Kan. — In case you hadn’t noticed by the smell in the air, the light in the evening or the mailers being crammed down your throat, it’s election season.

We’re inching ever closer to the August primaries, which means the political cogs are working overtime. If you’re feeling worn out, take a break from the electoral hype and glance back at the week.

Marijuana is law enforcement’s cash crop

While it won’t come as much of a surprise that Kansas law enforcement would rather bust marijuana users than consumers of other drugs, seeing the numbers is certainly one way to put it in perspective. For at least three years running, cannabis has been involved in more than half of all law enforcement incidents involving drugs. Oh, and it’s a moneymaker, too. Check it out.

Kansas says school is sitting on $1 million in potential savings

As part of the legislative decree to scrutinize education spending, the Emporia School District recently came under the microscope of state auditors, who uncovered a range of ways the district could cut costs by as much as $1 million. While a number of suggestions were common sense matters, still others brought an air of controversy with them. Curious? We thought so.

Feds ignore consequences in bid to save endangered ferret

Should the government try to save species at any cost? That appears to be the case in western Kansas, where efforts to revive the flagging black-footed ferret have resulted in hundreds of thousands in costs and damages to neighboring private landowners. here.

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