In Around West Virginia: lawmakers support the decriminalization of marijuana, Cabell County to vote on the brunch bill, Berkeley County sheriff's deputies to carry naloxone, and more.
n The Cabell County Commission voted Thursday to let county residents vote on whether alcohol can be sold in local establishments before 1 p.m. on Sundays, according to The Herald-Dispatch. State lawmakers passed legislation last session allowing counties to hold referendums on the issue.
n A Preston County man allegedly threatened a 12-year-old girl with a hammer, then raped her, in October of 2015, according to The Dominion Post. Dakota Kristian Roach, 19, of Bruceton Mills, also allegedly hit the girl, possibly with a rock, when she tried to escape. He is charged with second-degree sexual assault.
n Berkeley County sheriff's deputies will start carrying naloxone, a drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, The State Journal reports. Since state lawmakers passed legislation allowing police agencies to carry the drug, numerous agencies, including the Charleston Police Department and Kanawha County Sheriff's Office, have begun carrying it.
n Amid a budget crisis, state lawmakers introduced a bill that would create new revenue for the state. State lawmakers, including Delegates Mike Pushkin, Shawn Fluharty, Bill Flanigan, Mike Folk and Pat McGeehan, have introduced a bill that would decriminalize the possession, use and growth of small amounts of marijuana, MetroNews reports. The bill has a slim chance of passing, but people have been talking about the idea since it was introduced on Tuesday.
Reach Erin Beck at erin.beck@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5163, Facebook.com/erinbeckwv, or follow @erinbeckwv on Twitter.