North Coast Congressman Jared Huffman is urging the Department of Justice to rebuff the U.S. Postal Service’s requests and publicly state that it won’t prosecute businesses who are mailing advertisements for marijuana but are acting in line with state law. Huffman joined seven of his colleagues in penning a letter to U.S. Attorney General Loretta […]
marijuana
Posted inNews
Whitethorn Woman Faces 10-Year Prison Term for Environmentally Destructive Grow
A Whitethorn woman has pleaded guilty to charges of depredation against the property of the United States, admitting to doing more than $100,000 worth of environmental damage to federal lands as a part of her marijuana cultivation operation. Melinda Van Horne entered the plea Wednesday, according to a press release, and is free on bond […]
Posted inNews
There’s Weed-Infused Vodka Now
We all knew it was coming to this. Humboldt Distillery — which began selling its Humboldt Vodka brand a couple years ago — has released a cannabis-infused vodka called, obviously, “Humboldt’s Finest.” Owner Abe Stevens explains in a press release that the vodka — which doesn’t have any THC in it, rendering it legal to […]
Posted inNews
Sundberg: Pot Tax Will be on November Ballot
Humboldt County Supervisor Ryan Sundberg told KINS Radio this morning the county plans to put a medical marijuana cultivation excise tax on the November ballot. A projection tallied by the interim county administrative officer, Sundberg said, projects the tax earning $2 million in the first year, assuming a $1-per-square-foot fee and 10 percent participation from […]
Posted inNews
Getting Legit: Local Growers Line Up to File on First Day of County Ordinance
A small crowd clustered at the top of the stairs of the Humboldt County Planning Department on Friday morning, waiting for the doors to open. In their hands, they clutched their land use ordinance permits for medical marijuana cultivation. “We’ve been gearing up all week for a big day,” said Rob Wall, interim planning director, […]
Posted inNews
Three Questions for Jared Huffman
Congressman Jared Huffman was in town last week for a short visit, and he sat with Journal to share his thoughts on a few newsworthy North Coast topics. On marijuana: “We’re fast approaching the tipping point,” Huffman said. Climate in Congress is “changing rapidly,” he said, and he expects legislators to reconsider marijuana’s placement on […]
Posted inNews
Huffman Backs Bill to get USPS off our Backs
Last month, the U.S. Postal Service contacted the Journal to tell us we were breaking federal law by including medical marijuana advertisements in our paper, which is mailed to subscribers through the USPS. Those advertisements, of course, are legal in the state of California. We decided to continue business as usual; read NCJ news editor Thadeus […]
Posted inNews
TL;DR: Five Things You Need to Know from This Week’s Cover Story
Busy week? We get it. Here are some highlights from the cover to get you caught up. Not long after he was elected as Mendocino County’s district attorney in 2011, David Eyster instigated an innovative — and lucrative — new program. County residents charged with certain marijuana felonies — usually possession with intent to sell […]
Posted inNews
Deadline for Marijuana Laws Lifted, Two Days After Supes Cram Through Ordinance
Two days after the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors passed a comprehensive outdoor medical marijuana cultivation ordinance — an effort of superbureaucratic speed — state lawmakers lifted the deadline that led to the county’s mad rush. Assemblyman Jim Wood announced this morning that his emergency legislation, lifting a March 1 deadline for local jurisdictions to […]
Posted inNews
As Supes Move Closer to Marijuana Ordinance, the Planning Commission Expresses Outrage
A new outdoor medical marijuana draft ordinance has been released in advance of next week’s board of supervisors meeting, and it contains the stiffer restrictions on canopy sizes and cultivation in timber lands that supervisors have asked for since their review began at the beginning of the year. It’s a turn away from some of […]
Posted inNews
UPDATE: Supes to Discuss Marijuana Grower Registration Program
UPDATE: County planner Steve Lazar has released the draft medical marijuana cultivation ordinance that county supervisors will look at next week. Click on the pdf for details on the permit tiering and other regulations recommended by the planning commission. Also included is a letter in support of the recommendations penned by commission Chair Robert Morris […]
Posted inNews
Two Sentenced for SoHum Slaying
Two men accused of the 2008 robbery and murder of a San Francisco man in Southern Humboldt were sentenced in federal court this week. Ryan Carroll and Robert Lee had both reached plea agreements with prosecutors in July stemming from the slaying of 35-year-old Reetpaul Singh Rana during an attempted robbery on Dyerville Loop Road, […]