The top story out of Thursday’s (June 14) Fresno City Council meeting was the approval of a November ballot measure taxing cannabis sales. Regulations are still needed before there is anything to tax. And two-thirds of voters would have to approve the tax for it to become law. But based...
The Greening of Fresno? Voters Will Decide Cannabis Tax.
Fresno voters will decide whether they want to tax cannabis. The city council enacted step one Thursday (June 14) — deciding by a 5-1 vote to place the item on the November ballot. However, the tax would have to earn the approval of two-thirds of Fresno voters to become law....
McConnell Eyes Farm Bill as Path To Legal Hemp
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants something to replace the faltering cash crop of tobacco in his home state of Kentucky. It's clear that he has found it: hemp. Sen. McConnell wants the federal government to take hemp off its list of Schedule I controlled substances, making it legal for farmers...
The Great Fresno Cop Debate: 1,000 or 900 Officers?
When he campaigned for mayor two years ago, Lee Brand often cited 1,000 sworn officers as the goal for the Fresno Police Department. Listen to any of his recent speeches, like during a recent campaign fundraiser, and his goal remains 1,000 officers. Does Chief Jerry Dyer agree that 1,000 is...
Q&A With Councilman Clint Olivier on Marijuana Tax
The following is a transcript of GV Wire's interview with Fresno Councilman Clint Olivier. Watch it by clicking on the video above. GV Wire: Where do you stand on marijuana regulations in Fresno? Olivier: I'm personally in favor of adult use uses within the city that include manufacturing, cultivation, distribution,...
Cannabis Backers Loving Trump's Apparent Support
Entrepreneurs and other cannabis enthusiasts are doing backflips over President Donald Trump's statement last week about marijuana. The president said Friday that he "probably" would support bipartisan federal legislation protecting legal marijuana activities in states such as California that have approved the drug. Trump's announcement follows his April declaration that...
Legal Marijuana Sales in Fresno? Council Will Vote on Ballot Measure
As GV Wire reported last week, voters could decide whether to allow marijuana sales in Fresno. In the just-released agenda for the June 14 Fresno City Council meeting, council members will vote whether to place a marijuana measure on the Nov. 6 general election ballot. The proposal calls for the...
Toxic Pesticide Use Rises at Illegal California Pot Farms
SACRAMENTO — Researchers and U.S. authorities are finding what they say is an alarming increase in the use of a powerful banned pesticide at illegal marijuana farms hidden on public land in California. The pesticide residue is showing up in about 30 percent of the plants themselves, researcher Mourad Gabriel...
District 7 Candidates Press for Advantage at Voter Forum
Comparatively, they are left, right and center. The three candidates for Fresno City Council District 7 faced off in a forum Tuesday (May 1) night at the Islamic Cultural Center of Fresno. Veva Islas offered the most politically liberal approach to addressing the city's issues. Brian Whelan took more conservative...
Pot, Parks, & Race Relations Highlight District 3 Forum
Four candidates running for Fresno City Council, District 3 met in a forum Thursday (April 19) night, sharing their views and qualifications. GV Wire, in conjunction with CMAC and Fresno’s Young Leading Professionals, held the 90-minute forum in the district at the Westside Church of God. Miguel Arias, Tate Hill,...