Opinion: “Religion is an outlet for them.” >>See page 5
Rhythm N’ Blooms rocks Knoxville >>See page 6
Track & Field hosts Alumni Weekend >>See page 11
Activist seeks college aide in marijuana legalization Tanner Hancock News Editor The law is straightforward: marijuana use is illegal in Tennessee. Talk with local activist Steve Cooper, however, and he might convince you the opposite can be true. Over the past few months, Cooper has been working to add two referenda to the upcoming November primary election in Knox County: the legalization of medicinal and recreational marijuana. That process, it turns out, is a difficult one. First, Cooper had to get approval of the questions from the Knox County Election Commission, which after nearly a month of discussion, gave their approval of the questions. “The election commission does not weigh in on whether a question that could
Volume 131 Issue 54
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potentially p tentially be asked on o the ballot bal is legal,” Administrator said aid Chris Davis, Assistant A A County Election of Elections K Knox Co Commission. ission. n “It is strictly an administerial duty to make question is in proper ke sure the qu form.” With that approval now comes arguably the most difficult part of the process. In order for the approved questions to appear on the November ballot, Cooper must gather a number of signatures from registered Knox County voters no less than 15 percent of voter turnout in the previous 2014 gubernatorial election. According to Davis, that number stands at approximately 16,000, though Cooper says he’s aiming for 20,000, a process which involves disseminnating notebooks, grassroots campaigning and generally getting the word out about what he’s doing. See MARIJUANA on Page 3
Tuesday, April 12, 2016