MARIJUANA LEAF PRINTED ON BROCHURE BY MISTAKE

They say that ignorance is bliss and innocence is your best defense, but
there are times when what you don't know can hurt you and it can get be a
bit embarrassing too.

That's what happened last week during a Cadiz City Council meeting when it
was discovered that the new Cadiz-Trigg County Farmers Market brochure -
created by a local printing firm and approved by a member of the Cadiz
Renaissance Board of Directors - mistakenly featured marijuana leaves in
the design.

Luckily, the leaf was identified during the meeting by an astute,
observant, and somewhat amused uniformed public servant - and confirmed by
another - that immediately made the mistake known to a surprised City Council.

"Oh my God, I had no idea," said Cadiz Renaissance Manager Cindy Sholar
when the seven-leafed revelation was revealed.

She had just finished announcing the upcoming distribution of the brochure
in Trigg County and the surrounding area.

"I was going to distribute these today (July 2) but I didn't because it
rained. I'm glad I didn't now," she said.

The printer had apparently tried to use a decorative plant to illustrate
the various items for sale at the Market now located next to the Lakeland
Jamboree on Jefferson Street.

Of course, no one with the printing firm or the Cadiz Renaissance Committee
had any idea what the leaf was - at least not those that saw and approved
it. City Administrator John Rittenhouse even noted that it all could be an
honest mistake.

"I think if you contacted a horticulturist they might be able to tell you
that it's some other kind of leaf," he said with an encouraging tone.

However, Cadiz Police Chief Hollis Alexander confirmed the identification
and - jokingly - said he would take immediate action.

"Starting Monday there will be a Cadiz Police officer stationed permanently
at the Farmer's Market," he quipped as he finished his monthly police report.

The owner of the printing firm was notified about the mistake the next
morning. She also was shocked and is no doubt already setting up another
printing having removed the design from the company's inventory to prevent
a repeat of the error.

Sholar and Rittenhouse said the next morning that Renaissance would share
the cost of redesigning and reprinting the brochure with a more legal
embellishment.