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May 31, 2001
State keeps
pot, centers closed
The most contentious ounce of
pot in Humboldt County history will remain in government possession
pursuant to a May 23 decision by U.S. Disrict Court Judge Charles
Legge.
Legge ruled that Sheriff Dennis
Lewis must give an ounce of pot that has been the subject of
litigation to the state justice department. Lawyers for registered
medical marijuana patient Chris Robert Giaque sited Proposition
215 in an effort to have the seized cannabis returned .
Giaque won the first round of
court battles in January when Humboldt County Superior Court
Judge Bruce Watson ruled Lewis had to return the marijuana. Legge's
ruling sends the marijuana to the state justice department without
specifically ruling on the appeal to Watson's ruling.
In related news, both of Humboldt
County's medical marijuana distribution centers have shut down
pursuant to a May 14 Supreme Court ruling that distribution of
medical marijuana conflicts with federal law. The court ruled
that claims of medical necessity on patients' parts do not outweigh
explicit prohibitions on the distribution of marijuana.
As of press time, both the Humboldt
Medical Cannabis Center and the Humboldt Patient Resource Center
were closed. The court ruling did not specifically address medical
marijuana usage, so individual patients are not yet liable for
prosecution.
High
school scams
Two scams involving high school
sports surfaced last week.
Arcata businesses were contacted
by a company called the Sports Promotion Network, which was selling
footballs inscribed with the business's names.
The footballs were ostensibly
for distribution at Arcata High School sporting events but somebody
forgot to tell the school. AHS representatives said they had
nothing to do with the promotion and advised that businesses
should call the school at 825-2400 before taking part in any
fund-raising offer.
In Eureka, telemarketers have
peddling advertising for Eureka High School's Sports Calendar.
The only problem is that no such calendar exists, said Sheldon
Reber, director of public relations for Eureka City Schools.
"Eureka High School's athletic
department does not solicit donations by phone and does not support
or endorse the calendar," he said in a press release.
Reber suggested anyone with
questions call EHS at 441-2508.
Plaza cameras
coming
Arcata Plaza users and abusers
will enjoy a new level of public exposure this summer as three
cameras are mounted to oversee the public space.
Two of the cameras, which will
cost a total of $30,000, will survey the Plaza. A third will
be aimed directly at the intersection of Ninth and H streets,
where many of the transient who occupy the Plaza collect.
The Plaza has been the subject
of much debate and two city ordinances over the last year (see
Who Are the Plaza People, Feb. 15). The cameras are the
latest in a series of attempts to address concerns of businesses
and residents about uncivil behavior.
The Arcata Police Department
has said that the cameras are less for constant scrutiny than
to discourage crime and create a record. The idea is that if
people know they are on camera they will not commit a crime.
If they should happen to, then the tape will provide proof of
their transgressions and identity.
BSS Building
delayed
Humboldt State University's
controversial plans to build a 95-foot tall Behavioral and Social
Sciences
Building on Union Street have
been derailed at least temporarily.
Construction on the building
had been scheduled to start this summer, but the bids the university
received from contractors were all over the HSU's cost estimates.
The lowest bid received was $21.9 million; the project had been
budgeted for $17.5 million.
Since university officially
rejected the bids last week, funds for the building's construction
will revert to the CSU administration.
Some Arcata residents and government
officials will breath a sigh of relief at the news. Both the
building's would-be neighbors and the Arcata City Council had
expressed opposition to the project, which they claimed would
have significant impact on traffic and the neighborhood's quiet
character.
The fight probably isn't over
yet, however. A bond measure which would give the CSU system
the funds HSU needs to go through with the building could be
placed on the ballot as soon as 2002. The university has signalled
its intention of pursuing construction.
New child
development center
Children of College of the Redwoods
students have reason to celebrate this summer as the college
broke ground May 29 on a Child Development Center.
The $5.2 million center will
provide six large classrooms with built-in play areas. But the
center is more than day care: Each of the classrooms is also
equipped with an observation room where early childhood education
students can study and learn from the childcare in progress.
"We're delighted to take
this first step toward providing a modern, accessible and multiuse
Child Development Center," CR President Casey Crabill said
in a press release.
Construction is scheduled for
completion in late summer 2002.
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