Valentine's Day Surprise from Firestone: Decriminalize Marijuana?

It's amazing how politicians change their tune when they do not have the pressure of the next election ahead of them...see this Valentine's Day surprise from County Supervisor Brooks Firestone at KEYT News:

Santa Barbara County Supervisor Brooks Firestone is suggesting marijuana be decriminalized to reduce the number of inmates in the county's overcrowded jail. "I'd like to examine that," Firestone said at Tuesday's meeting.

Although Firestone's suggestion may be a good one for several reasons, including giving government the ability to tax joints as much as cigarettes, it isn't the reason for jail overcrowding. Sheriff Bill Brown makes some good points saying that it is less about weed than it is about a slow judicial system and deporting illegal aliens who commit crimes to their country of origin.

To be fair, I've never heard that Firestone is against or for marijuana decriminalization prior to this statement -- but it would seem without the specter of the next election, he is a bit more able to speak freely.

Oops! They Did It Again!

Britney couldn't have said it better than the great headline from The Santa Barbara Independent on Greka Oil's next spill. Did any of us think that with their record it wouldn't happen again?

Irony upon irony, the spill was sadly spent on a creek bordering Firestone Vineyard. The vineyard was only until recently owned by County Supervisor Brooks Firestone...who recently voted with North County conservatives to let Greka pass go and collect $200 when Supervisor Wolf asked for a serious hearing on the matter. How often does Greka have to spill for our friends to the North to agree that this is a serious problem with a business that is clearly run as well as Enron ran their finances? Although I have at times been critical, kudos to Assembly Member Pedro Nava for trying to do something about it.

Oh Behave! Andrew Firestone Engaged...

A celebrity gossip blog has an unconfirmed report that Andrew Firestone is engaged to 30-year-old model-actress Ivana Bozilovic who was in Wedding Crashers and one of my favorite college humor movies, Van Wilder.

Apparently, departing Supervisor Brooks Firestone says of the match: “We love her and she makes Andrew behave.”

Like former fiancée Jen Schefft from Andrew's "Bachelor" days, Ivana hails from Chicago. The happy couple plans to marry in the spring. Will we have some infant, moderate Republicans coming shortly thereafter? Good for them if that's the case...

Here's to Andrew and Ivana -- a toast from SDLG, I wish them the best.