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Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: medical marijuana

Patient Town Hall Meeting on the State of Medical Marijuana in Santa Ana set for 10/7

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Medical marijuana Santa Ana town hall meeting

A Patient Town Hall Meeting on the State of Medical Marijuana in Santa Ana has been set for Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014, from 6 to 7 pm at the headquarters of the Yes on Measure CC ballot initiative campaign.

The discussion will include information about the recent raids on medical marijuana dispensaries by the Santa Ana Police Department, court cases and the upcoming election.

Refreshments will be served.  A patient raffle raffle will follow the meeting and will include volunteer rewards. Continue reading→

Is the City of Santa Ana extorting Measure BB campaign contributions from marijuana dispensaries?

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Civic Affairs, Health and Medical, Marijuana, Measure BB, Politics, Santa Ana 20 Comments

Measure BB sucks

Apparently someone has been soliciting campaign contributions from certain Santa Ana medial marijuana collectives for the City of Santa Ana’s flawed and fraudulent Measure BB, and implying that this will help them to get a conditional use permit in Santa Ana – but only if the City’s badly written Measure BB is wins on Nov. 4, according to OC NORML.

There are several reasons why this is not a good idea:

  1. The City’s Measure BB is badly written and will be litigated immediately.
  2. Any medical marijuana that rolls over for the City of Santa Ana’s blatant extortion campaign will be scrutinized by the media as this arrangement with the City of Santa Ana is blatantly corrupt.
  3. You simply cannot trust the City of Santa Ana!  How many times have they burned local businesses and residents!  Even now they are trying to pass a Utility Tax Increase, Measure AA, that is masquerading as a tax decrease!

Continue reading→

Outrageous free speech hypocrisy on display at the DTSA Fiestas Patrias event

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Ballot Measures, Civic Affairs, Civil Rights, Democratic Party, Gerardo Mouet, Latinos, Loretta Sanchez, Politics, Santa Ana 12 Comments

Congresswoman Sanchez' booth at the Fiestas Patrias

The City of Santa Ana says U.S. Rep. Sanchez “isn’t political”

Santa Ana Parks and Recreation Agency Director Gerardo Mouet called me today to assure me that all is on the up and up over at the Fiestas Patrias event that is taking place this weekend in Downtown Santa Ana.

Mouet explained that it is okay to let local elected officials participate in the Fiestas Patrias because, well, they’re elected.  But it is not okay for other candidates and campaigns to have booths at the Fiestas Patrias or participate in the parade on Sunday because, well, they’re not elected.

Huh?  Did I miss something? Does becoming an elected official automatically bestow extra Constitutional powers to our incumbent politicians?  Because that is what Mouet is saying.  Free speech is apparently available in Santa Ana but only if you were fortunate enough to win an election.  Free speech is not extended to anyone else!  Is this what we expected from our all-Democrat Santa Ana City Council?  Does this mean the “Santa Ana Spring” is dead? Continue reading→

The City of Santa Ana shuts down free speech at the Fiestas Patrias event

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Civil Rights, Marijuana, Politics, Santa Ana 16 Comments

SAPD talk to protesters at the Fiestas Patrias

The Measure CC campaign (Santa Ana Medical Marijuana Initiative) were all set to run a booth at this weekend’s Fiestas Patrias event in Downtown Santa Ana when they got a call from Santa Ana Parks and Recreation Director Gerardo Mouet.

Mouet cancelled their booth.  He said that it was not his policy to allow any political booths.  The Measure CC campaign director had previously been told by another City of Santa Ana employee that he got an internal email that stated that the Measure CC booth would be a “public safety risk.”

The Measure CC campaign was previously told that it would be okay for them to participate in the Fiestas Patrias event as their goal was to register and educate voters. Continue reading→

Yes on Measure CC, Medical Marijuana Initiative, to launch on 8/30

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Ballot Measures, Elections, Entertainment, Health and Medical, Marijuana, Santa Ana 6 Comments

Yes on CC

The Yes on Measure CC (Santa Ana Medical Cannabis Restriction and Limitation Initiative) campaign is launching this Saturday, August 30, 2014, from 12 noon to 2 pm at 117 W. Fourth St., in Santa Ana.

Come by and learn how you can volunteer to help save safe access to medical marijuana in Santa Ana.  RSVP to Kandice@yesonmeasurecc.com.

About Measure CC: Continue reading→

Victims of SAPD attack on marijuana colectives to speak out at the City Council meeting tonight

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, Crime, Entertainment, Police Brutality, Politics 1 Comment

Protest against arrest of medical marijuana collective staff

OC NORML is asking their supporters to attend tonight’s Santa Ana City Council meeting so that they may speak out against the “outrageous treatment that the medicinal marijuana collective operators, volunteers and patients endured during the most recent series of raids.”

Over 75 people associated with local medicinal marijuana collectives were arrested by the SAPD on July 31, as we previously reported.

Those arrested were locked up in a paddy wagon for hours and were not allowed to use the restroom, get anything to drink, and one patient was even denied the right to take his heart medication.  All of them were eventually booked and released with a code enforcement ticket for $500 each. Continue reading→

Forty more arrested at Santa Ana medical marijuana dispensaries

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Drugs, Health and Medical, Marijuana, Santa Ana 10 Comments

Medical Marijuana

The Santa Ana Police Department once again raided many of Santa Ana’s medical marijuana dispensaries, arresting over 40 people, last night according to OC-NORML’s Facebook page.

The SAPD made 42 arrests after similar raids in mid-July this year, according to the O.C. Register.

The City of Santa Ana banned medical marijuana dispensaries in 2007, but that was ridiculous given that the people of California approved the use of medical marijuana via a statewide ballot measure, Prop. 15, back in 1996.

The only reason our city is having these problems is that the city leaders opted to resist medical marijuana instead of working to find a way to make this work for everyone.  What they should have done years ago was develop a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) protocol for medical marijuana dispensaries. Continue reading→

Three Council Members seek to ban medical marijuana collectives

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Angelica Amezcua, Civic Affairs, Crime, David Benavides, Drugs, Marijuana, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 25 Comments

Ban Marijuana Dispensaries in Santa Ana

Three Santa Ana City Council Members, including Michele Martinez, David Benavides and Angie Amezcua have placed an 85A item on the agenda for this Tuesday’s City Council meeting, regarding medical marijuana.

These Council Members would like to place a measure on the November General Election ballot that would allow voters to vote against the sale of medical marijuana by collectives/dispensaries.  Continue reading→

Santa Ana medical marijuana house burns down

Posted on by Posted in Drugs, Fires, Marijuana, Santa Ana 5 Comments

Pot Building Burns Down – Scene from the movie Pineapple Express

A fire damaged a Santa Ana home Friday, sending an apparent personal medical marijuana operation up in smoke.The fire was reported at 11:40 a.m. in the 5000 block of Lindell Lane, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi, according to the OC Register.

When firefighters arrived, thick smoke and fire were coming from the home’s second story, he said. The fire caused heavy damage to the upstairs portion of the house and attic. The damages were estimated to be about $250,000 to the home’s contents and the structure, Concialdi said.

Continue reading→

Local medical marijuana iniative signatures turned into the City Clerk

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Drugs, Marijuana, Politics, Santa Ana 2 Comments

Medical Marijuana

The folks who are promoting a medical marijuana dispensary initiative in Santa Ana have turned their signatures into the Santa Ana City Clerk, according to the OC Weekly.

Interestingly the medical marijuana proponents are selling their measure as being more conservative than the statewide marijuana measure that voters will be considering in November.

Here are a few excerpts from the OC Weekly: Continue reading→

The SAPD assists the Feds in going after 63 medical marijuana stores

Posted on by Posted in Drugs, Marijuana, Public Safety, Santa Ana 15 Comments

Department of Justice

Santa Ana Police Department Advisory: Santa Ana Police assist Federal Agency in targeting illegal Commercial Marijuana Businesses

Commercial Marijuana Businesses in City of Santa Ana Targeted with Justice Department Warning Letters and Asset Forfeiture Lawsuits

LOS ANGELES – In the latest of a series of federal enforcement actions against the commercial marijuana industry in California, federal authorities today moved against 63 illegal marijuana stores in the City of Santa Ana.

In federal court this morning, prosecutors filed three asset forfeiture lawsuits against properties in Santa Ana where a total of seven marijuana stores are currently operating. Authorities also executed federal search warrants at two of the stores involved in the asset forfeiture actions. Additionally, prosecutors sent warning letters to people associated with 56 other stores not involved in the forfeiture actions. The federal actions involve all known marijuana stores in the City of Santa Ana. Continue reading→

The Feds drop the hammer on marijuana storefronts in LA & OC

Posted on by Posted in Courts, Crime, Drugs, Health and Medical, Marijuana, Public Safety, Santa Ana 6 Comments

André Birotte Jr., United States Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney, Central District of California

For Immediate Release: October 25, 2012

Contact: Thom Mrozek, (213) 894-6947

FEDERAL AUTHORITIES ARREST 12 PEOPLE INVOLVED IN OPERATION OF NINE ILLEGAL MARIJUANA STOREFRONTS IN ORANGE AND LOS ANGELES COUNTIES

SANTA ANA, California – A dozen people associated with a chain of nine marijuana stores that operated across Orange and Los Angeles counties were arrested this morning on federal drug trafficking charges. The 12 arrested are among 14 people named in a 14-count indictment returned last week by a federal grand jury. Continue reading→

Will you support the Santa Ana medical marijuana dispensary initiative?

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Drugs, Elections, Health and Medical, Marijuana, Politics, Santa Ana, Seniors 16 Comments

“Proponents of medical marijuana have begun collecting signatures to let Santa Ana voters decide whether the city should allow dispensaries to operate in the city” according to the O.C. Register.

The initiative’s signature gathering is being coordinated by Debbie Tharp, a Libertarian who has run for the State Assembly.  She has since become an expert on ballot measure signature gathering and is making a living off such campaigns.  I ran into one of her signature gatherers a week ago at an Albertson’s on 17th and Tustin Ave.  The Albertson’s manager asked him to move back away from the entrance and he did so.  Tharp herself was arrested a few weeks ago while gathering signatures in front of a Mother’s Market in Costa Mesa. Continue reading→

Mother and sister of 5 yr. old hit and run victim remain critical

Posted on by Posted in Alcohol, Charities, Crime, Drugs, Marijuana, Santa Ana 10 Comments

UPDATE: The mother and sister of 5 year old hit and run victim Osmara Meza remain hospitalized, in critical condition, according to KTLA News.

UPDATE: The Santa Ana Police Foundation has set up a page on our website so that donations can be taken for the family. http://www.sapdf.org/tragedy/ We are a 501(c)3 so your donations are likely tax deductible.

Police have identified a child killed in a hit-and-run collision in Santa Ana this weekend as five-year-old Osmara Meza, according to NBC News. Continue reading→

Occupy the DPOC Truman Dinner, which will feature Gov. Jerry Brown

Posted on by Posted in california, Democratic Party, Entertainment, Governor Jerry Brown, irvine, Lou Correa, Marijuana, Orange County, Politics 10 Comments

UPDATE: The Occupy protesters are going to show up at this event!  The dinner is sold out.  It should be quite a ruckus.

“California Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed SB 847, a bill by Senator Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) that would have required medical cannabis cooperatives and collectives be located at least 600 feet from residential zones,” according to 420 Times.

The bill was SB 847, by state Sen. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana), who said he wanted to allow cities to chose their own regulations and to protect children living near such facilities from second-hand smoke, according to the L.A. Times.

In vetoing Correa’s bill that would have unnecessarily restricted medical marijuana clinics, Brown wrote “Decisions of this kind are best made in cities and counties, not the state Capitol,” according to columnist Steven Greenhut, in the North County Times. Continue reading→