The Benicia City Council decided how the city would determine the scoring and evaluation criteria for commercial cannabis at its Tuesday meeting. At the Feb. 20 council meeting, councilmembers approved four ordinances which allowed for personal cultivation of cannabis for private or commercial use, requiring all commercial cannabis uses in Benicia to obtain two approvals […]
Council to discuss cannabis scoring criteria tonight
The Benicia City Council will be meeting tonight, and once again cannabis is on the agenda. The council will discuss reviewing the scoring and evaluation criteria for commercial cannabis uses from the four ordinances approved at the Feb. 20 meeting which allows cannabis uses in Benicia. Those four ordinances allowed for personal cultivation of cannabis […]
Letters: Cannabis and trade dumping
The Tipping Point Benicia literary aficionados are familiar with Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point.” Our nation has experienced a steady tipping in favor of normalization of cannabis as an agricultural product with multiple uses, most prominently as a medicinal supplement, or mood-modifier far safer than alcohol and completely non-toxic. Cannabis as an agricultural product brings […]
Cannabis: ‘The Smell’
Seasoned Benicia residents may remember “Creature Features” with Bob Wilkins as a Saturday night TV staple for those interested in classic horror films. These days, I am following the antics of “Svengoolie” on Saturday nights, featuring the usual platter of sometimes really bad early horror genre. A lot of works were simple two word titles […]
Letter: Buffers won’t work
Buffers won’t work Some of the rejectors of regulated cannabis activity in our town have pleaded for extensive distance buffers around schools, day care businesses, youth centers, religious assemblies, parks and any other place they could think of where minors or other “sensitive populations” (?) are likely to be in attendance. The common rationale was […]
Letters: League of Women Voters, cannabis
Thank you, LWV It is essential in our representative form of democracy that we, the public, take an interest and participate in our own governance especially at the local level. I would like to thank the Benicia chapter of the League of Women Voters for organizing and presenting its 13th annual Meet Your Local Officials […]
Letters: Weapons and cannabis
One bullet The record will show that in the ’80s, my father William stood in his classroom in Pinole Junior High School when, from Appian Way, a shooter fired one bullet from a high-powered rifle through the outside wall of his school. The bullet landed next to his fellow teacher, Al Williams, in the adjoining […]
Letter: Rejection without merit
Rejection without merit The window of opportunity is now closed for present politicians and this year’s announced or presumptive candidates to reconsider their persistent dismissive views on cannabis, even as medicine for many members of our community. Some have acknowledged the efficacy of medicinal cannabis but believe regulated access to medicine is still “not right […]
Council approves demolition appeal, request for cannabis background checks
The Foundry and Office buildings, the subject of a debate that has lasted more than a year, will remain standing. The Benicia City Council granted an appeal for an emergency demolition of the historic structures at 678 East H St. during Tuesday’s meeting. The two buildings, constructed in the 1850s and once the home of […]
Cannabis business applications, Foundry and Office buildings back on council agenda
Once again, cannabis and a final decision on an emergency demolition permit for two historic buildings are on the Benicia City Council agenda for Tuesday. The council will discuss requesting the Department of Justice (DOJ) to approve of conducting background searches of city employees would deal with applicants for commercial cannabis uses. At the Feb […]