Good morning, and welcome to the Important California publication. It’s Monday,Jan. 31. I’m Justin Ray.
An odd scenario involving cash from marijuana gross sales in California highlights the awkward stress between California’s progressive stance on hashish and federal regulation.
The story begins in November, with an armored automobile carrying $712,000 in money from licensed marijuana dispensaries. The automobile was heading to Barstow on a Mojave Desert freeway. The automobile was pulled over by San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies. They interrogated the driving force, seized the cash and turned it over to the FBI.
The identical driver was pulled over once more just a few weeks later. Throughout that cease, deputies took an extra $350,000 belonging to authorized pot shops and gave that money to the FBI, too.
The companies should not returning the cash. In actual fact, the FBI is making an attempt to confiscate the practically $1.1-million bounty, which it could share with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Division. The FBI claims the cash is tied to federal drug or money-laundering crimes. No specified illegal actions have been disclosed, and no person has been charged with a criminal offense.
Money seizures by federal authorities
The case could have larger implications.
Decide John W. Holcomb of U.S. District Court docket in Riverside is at the moment weighing a request by Empyreal Logistics, the corporate whose armored automobiles have been emptied, for an emergency order to drive each companies to cease pulling over automobiles and taking cash with out proof of illegal actions. The corporate additionally desires the cash again.
The sheriff’s division and federal authorities deny wrongdoing.
“That is among the many extra egregious forfeiture instances that we’ve ever seen,” stated Dan Alban, senior legal professional on the Institute for Justice, a libertarian group that fights forfeiture excesses nationwide and represents Empyreal in its lawsuit. Alban referred to as the money seizures a “very cynical try to take advantage of the variations between federal and state regulation” on marijuana.
The case is paying homage to one other wherein the FBI and the U.S. legal professional’s workplace in Los Angeles have been compelled to return tens of thousands and thousands of dollars in money and valuables seized by federal brokers from lots of of secure deposit containers in Beverly Hills. The federal government was not in a position to present proof of wrongdoing after alleging that the cash and items have been the results of prison exercise. It’s value mentioning that a few of that cash belonged to house owners of state-licensed marijuana companies.
However there’s extra to know concerning the case involving Empyreal autos pulled over by authorities, together with extra the reason why regardless of hashish being authorized in California it's troublesome to function within the business within the state.
And now, right here’s what’s taking place throughout California:
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How California’s rooftop photo voltaic program grew to become a sufferer of its personal spectacular success. Launched in 1995 and pushed ahead a decade later, when then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger set a goal of 1 million photo voltaic installations, California’s program to spur the set up of rooftop photo voltaic panels has handily exceeded that purpose. However that has brought about issues which will forestall some individuals from acquiring them sooner or later. Los Angeles Occasions
L.A. STORIES
The Rams are headed to Tremendous Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. The L.A. soccer workforce defeated the San Francisco 49ers in a 20-17 thriller and can try to win their first Tremendous Bowl in L.A. after they face the Cincinnati Bengals on Feb. 13. Los Angeles Occasions
Now that Hollywood’s guilds have weighed in, do we've a greatest image Oscar front-runner? “Judging from these teams’ slates, it could seem that reflecting the tastes of moviegoers — notably from the PGA [Producers Guild of America], a physique that has acknowledged field workplace hits previously — is fairly low on the precedence record this awards season,” Glenn Whipp says. Los Angeles Occasions
Scores of weapons stolen from trains trigger extra issues in L.A. “I’ve bought 24 years in LAPD, ex-military, secret clearance and I've to attend 10 days to get a brand new firearm and these guys are going into these containers with no locks and getting weapons,” stated Capt. German Hurtado. Los Angeles Occasions
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POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT
Town of Gilroy on Friday completed the set up of a commemorative El Camino Actual mission bell downtown over objections from native Native People. Members of the Amah Mutsun tribal band had protested the venture, saying that it was a logo of oppression by the hands of the Spanish padres who based California’s string of Catholic missions from the 1760s to 1830s. “Tens of 1000's of indigenous individuals compelled to construct the adobe church buildings succumbed to European illnesses,” Julia Prodis Sulek writes. Metropolis council members who favored the venture have declined Mercury Information interview requests. Mercury Information
CRIME, COURTS AND POLICING
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Workplace and Sheriff Scott Jones are being sued after an assault on a mentally unwell inmate who suffered “catastrophic mind accidents.” Anthony Cravotta II, 45, is predicted to stay on life assist for the remainder of his life after his cellmate attacked him Sept. 26, 2021, in keeping with the lawsuit. The incident happened after Cravotta was assigned to the jail’s common inhabitants whereas ready to be despatched to a state hospital. The sheriff’s workplace stated it doesn't touch upon pending litigation. KCRA
In L.A. jail, well being employees say deputies discourage vaccinations and deface COVID-19 indicators. “L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies are flouting COVID-19 rules and spreading lies about vaccines contained in the beleaguered Twin Towers Correctional Facility,” LAist reported, citing a number of healthcare employees. One healthcare employee reportedly witnessed deputies making an attempt to persuade unvaccinated incarcerated individuals with psychological sicknesses to forgo the vaccine, telling them that it “makes you shed coronavirus.” LAist
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HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT
How nervous ought to we be concerning the new BA.2 Omicron subtype? California has recognized quite a few instances of BA.2, a sublineage of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus that’s gaining extra consideration. Right here’s what we all know. Los Angeles Occasions
CALIFORNIA CULTURE
Santa Cruz Starbucks employees filed a union petition with the Nationwide Labor Relations Board, changing into the primary retailer in California to take action. Twenty-two out of 31 staff on the Starbucks reportedly signed union playing cards. The employees can begin the method to unionize in the event that they meet the minimal requirement of no less than 30% of staff signing playing cards or a petition saying they want to take action. “So long as Starbucks continues inserting income over companions, companions have an ethical obligation to arrange,” 13 former and present Starbucks staff stated in a letter to Starbucks’ president and CEO. KSBW
‘A cloud by no means dies’: A California monastery mourns mindfulness advocate Thich Nhat Hanh. “Our instructor doesn’t die, he simply manifests in a different way now,” stated Brother Phap Dung, a dharma instructor on the monastery. “The cloud turns into rain, turns into grass, turns into tea. He’s not lifeless now, he’s simply in a special type.” Los Angeles Occasions
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CALIFORNIA ALMANAC
Los Angeles: Cloudy 69 San Diego: Overcast 64 San Francisco: Cloudy 59 San Jose: Cloudy 62 Fresno: Cloudy 62 Sacramento: Cloudy 61
AND FINALLY
I not too long ago requested readers for the music they take heed to when they need some nostalgia of their lives. Here's a response from Lisa Petersen:
Completely my California music reminiscence is the track “Gentle My Fireplace” by The Doorways. Each time I hear it I'm transported again to the primary time I bear in mind listening to it, at a public pool in Clovis. I might have been 6 years previous in 1967 when the track got here out. We lived in Oakland, however would go to my great-great-uncle (an emigre from Denmark) throughout the summers. My siblings and I might be so bored visiting uncle, so we'd go to the native pool. I clearly recall listening to this superb track, with its haunting lead singer’s voice and the electrical piano riff. Such an epic reminiscence.
You probably have a reminiscence or story concerning the Golden State, share it with us. (Please preserve your story to 100 phrases.)
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