GREAT GOLFING: Brentsville wins Prince William Cup with Isabel Bae as the individual medalist. Page 7
August 14, 2019 | Vol. 18, No. 33 | www.princewilliamtimes.com | 50¢ Covering Prince William County and surrounding communities, including Gainesville, Haymarket, Dumfries, Occoquan, Quantico and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
Wittman shifts stance on background checks By Daniel Berti
Times Staff Writer
After a weekend of gun violence during which 31 people were killed in mass shootings, Rep. Rob Wittman says he now supports strengthening gun background checks, an apparent shift for the congressman who has an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association. “I support strengthening our National Instant Criminal Background Check System. We must have a constructive conversation about
how to put a stop to these mass shootings while protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens,” Wittman, R-1st, said in an email. Rob Wittman W i t t m a n’s statement came in response to back-to-back mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 3 and 4. The El Paso shoot-
er, who targeted Hispanic shoppers at a Walmart, killing 22 and injuring dozens more, was armed with an AK-47 assault-style rifle. The Dayton, Ohio, shooter used a .223-caliber, high-capacity rifle technically classified as pistol to kill nine people and injure 27 at a restaurant. The shooter’s rampage lasted only 30 seconds before he was shot and killed by police. “I am deeply disturbed by these senseless and heart-wrenching tragedies. I remain extremely concerned about gun violence, and I believe it
is absolutely critical that we continue working to address this problem. We must be focused on preventing criminals from acquiring firearms in the first place, addressing the behavior that leads to this violence and preventing future acts of violence,” Wittman said. Wittman is the only Republican member of Congress representing Prince William County, which is split between three House districts: the 1st, 10th and 11th. U.S. Rep. Jennifer See WITTMAN, page 2
Cookies, cream and kratom? Supervisor leads advocacy group for controversial herbal supplement By Daniel Berti
Times Staff Writer
Supervisor Pete Candland and his wife Robyn are well known for the two Cookies & Cream ice cream shops they own in Haymarket and Bristow. Lesser known is Candland’s other day job – a position that has him on the forefront of the fight to keep controversial herbal supplement kratom legal at the state and federal levels. Candland, R-Gainesville, has quietly led the American Kratom Association as its executive director since 2016. Kratom, a plant-derived substance that has similar properties to opiates, is legal in the U.S. but has been banned in six states and Washington D.C. There are currently no laws regulating kratom at the federal level. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has recommended kratom’s active ingredient, mitragynine, be classified as a Schedule 1 drug, citing its “high potential for abuse” and morphine-like pharmacological effects. Other Schedule 1 drugs include heroin, marijuana and ecstasy. In Virginia, there have been 26 fatal overdoses associated with kratom since 2015. All but three, however, have also involved other deadly
TIMES STAFF PHOTO
Supervisor Pete Candland, R-Gainesville, greets voters outside the polls at Bull Run Middle School during the May 4 GOP primary. Candland beat primary challenger Ray Mizener with 73 percent of the vote. He now faces a challenge from Democrat Danny Funderburk in November. drugs, including heroin and fentanyl, according to the Virginia Department of Health. As the American Kratom Association’s executive director, Candland, 44, lobbies state and federal officials for the continued legalization and increased regulation of kratom products. The organization has successfully lobbied lawmakers in four states – Utah, Nevada, Georgia and INSIDE Special Back to School Puzzle.............20 Calendar.............................................10 Classifieds...........................................13 Lifestyle................................................8
Arizona -- to pass the “Kratom Consumer Protection Act,” which sets regulatory requirements on kratom products while keeping it legal. Those regulations include increased labeling and manufacturing guidelines; a ban on the sale of adulterated kratom products; and a ban on the sale of kratom to anyone under 18 years old. Candland said the American KraObituaries...........................................12 Opinion.................................................5 Puzzle...................................................6 Real Estate..........................................11 Sports...................................................7
tom Association’s focus is on keeping kratom uncontaminated and legal. “We don’t represent the vendors in the industry, we represent consumers, and our goal is to protect consumers and protect their right to consume kratom,” Candland said in a recent interview. “We believe that people should have the right to make See KRATOM, page 4
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