Cracking down on illegal dispensaries
Good Morning, I’m Annica Colbert….it’s Friday, February 18th>>>>
Efforts against illegal pot dispensaries in east county
More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….######
Governor Gavin Newsom released what’s being called the California SMARTER Plan yesterday. It’s his administration’s roadmap to move the state into an endemic approach to COVID 19. With it, California became the first state in the nation to make such a transition.
Governor Newsom says It’s recognition that the virus is not going away.
“We are smarter two years later, we are more adaptable, we are more capable of understanding the nature of this disease, the mutations, its variants. And we recognize with humility we don't know what we don't know as it relates to the future.”
Newsom says the state may bring back masking, but Californians will no longer have to be worried about the state’s most severe restrictions, like business or school closures.
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San Diego county public health officials reported more than 1300 covid-19 cases on thursday and 11 additional deaths. The positivity test rate over the past week is 10% as of Tuesday, down from 12% last friday. Hospitalizations in the county continue to decline, down 6 more people to a total of 682.
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The number of yearly high-risk fire days in southern California could double by the year 21-hundred thanks to steady temperature increases brought on by climate change. That's according to a UCLA study released on thursday. The study found that in terms of actual acreage burned in the state each year, there has been a sharp increase, mostly due to large fires in northern california.
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From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.
Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
Local law enforcement says they’ve shut down nearly all the illegal cannabis dispensaries in east county.
KPBS reporter Kitty Alvarado tells us about the enforcement efforts announced thursday.
COUNTY SUPERVISOR JOEL ANDERSON SAYS ILLEGAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES WERE RAMPANT IN HIS DISTRICT, OPERATING IN NEIGHBORHOODS, NEXT TO SCHOOLS AND EVEN ADVERTISING.
HE SAYS THEY WERE CRIME RIDDEN OPERATIONS.
So right next to your house is somebody with a sawed off shotgun, there’s somebody with an AK 47, there’s all sorts of illegal weapons there and we had murders and we had gang members from LA coming down here to prey on us and we’re putting a stop to it
HE SAYS AFTER WORKING WITH HIS FELLOW SUPERVISORS, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT TO EXPAND THE SHERIFF’S MARIJUANA ENFORCEMENT TEAM, AND HAVE TOUGHER PUNISHMENTS… THE DISPENSARIES HAVE NEARLY DISAPPEARED IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF EAST COUNTY.
DA SUMMER STEPHAN SAYS HER OFFICE HAS PROSECUTED 70 PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THESE OPERATIONS AND THE CHARGES INCLUDE ROBBERY, EXTORTION AND MURDER
One of the things that is really heartbreaking is all of the crime that comes along with these illegal dispensaries … and the fact that gangsters from Los Angeles were coming to prey on the community with the illegal dispensaries being a hub for criminal behavior
In 2021 alone they had 50 cases where 93 guns were recovered , 127 arrests were made and over $440,000 in illegal proceeds were recovered
ACTING SHERIFF KELLY MARTINEZ SAYS THEY ALSO SEIZED OVER 36 THOUSAND POUNDS OF ILLEGAL MARIJUANA AND PRODUCTS, SOME OF THEM TARGETING CHILDREN, WITH PACKAGING THAT LOOKS LIKE CANDY, BUT ARE THC INFUSED EDIBLES.
the organized operators of these businesses did not discriminate and allowed youth access and they often looked like legitimate businesses
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CHAIR NATHAN FLETCHER HAD A STERN WARNING FOR ANYONE WHO IS OPERATING AN ILLEGAL DISPENSARY OR THINKING OF OPENING ONE.
We’re going to keep our communities safe, and if you are an illegal, illicit cannabis operation we are going to shut you down and we are going to prosecute you.
KITTY ALVARADO, KPBS NEWS
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San diegans are now paying the highest prices they’ve ever paid for gasoline.
KPBS reporter john carroll found out some of the reasons behind the ever-rising prices.
“IT SUCKS, IT DEFINITELY SUCKS.”
“HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE. I HATE IT, HATE IT, HATE IT.”
A SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE REACTIONS WE GOT FROM SAN DIEGANS FILLING THEIR TANKS ON THURSDAY THE AVERAGE PRICE FOR A GALLON OF GAS IN SAN DIEGO NOW STANDS AT $4.74 A GALLON… CONTRAST THAT TO A NATIONWIDE AVERAGE OF $3.51 A GALLON. WE ASKED THE AUTO CLUB’S DOUG SHUPE WHAT’S BEHIND THE PAINFUL PRICES.
“THE AGGRESSION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND UKRAINE WHICH IS PUTTING UPWARD PRESSURE ON THE CRUDE OIL PRICES WE’RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN THE DEMAND FOR FUEL AND THEN ALSO THE MORE EXPENSIVE SUMMER BLEND FUEL.”
AND… AS DIFFICULT AND UNPLEASANT AS IT MAY BE TO BELIEVE… SHUPE SAYS IF RUSSIA DOES GO AHEAD AND INVADE UKRAINE, WE COULD SEE PRICES CLIMB SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER… BY ANOTHER 50 TO 75-CENTS A GALLON. JC, KPBS NEWS.
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San Diego congressman Juan Vargas joined a growing list of democratic representatives who are criticizing the Biden administration for its treatment of asylum seekers at the border.
KPBS Border reporter Gustavo Solis has more.
Despite promising a more humane approach to immigration, the Biden Administration continues to implement two of President Donald Trump’s most controversial asylum policies –Remain in Mexico and Title 42.
Vargas represents San Diego’s border region and is one of 29 Democrats who signed a letter asking the Biden Administration to stop the Remain in Mexico program. It forces asylum seekers to live in Mexico while their case is adjudicated.
Biden initially terminated the program but brought it back after a federal judge ruled that Biden’s action violated proper administrative procedure.
“That’s a horrible program. We never should have done it. We should have challenged the court. We should have told the court no, taken it all the way up.”
More recently, Vargas was one of 33 Democrats who signed a letter demanding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to end Title 42 – a public health order that allows border patrol agents to turn away asylum seekers without due process.
Gustavo Solis, KPBS News
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Coming up….it’s cookie season and the Girl Scouts have gone virtual.
We’ll have more on that next, just after the break.
It’s that time of year where girl scouts - armed with decadent treats - try to sell as many boxes as they can to meet their cookie quotas. And those cookies are big business. This time of year, sales of girl scout cookies, top Oreos and Chips Ahoy. And girl scouts aren't just going door to door anymore, they've expanded into online sales. Scouts can now send you a link to order your cookies, and the boxes arrive at your doorstep - no girl scout visit required.
Ana Tintocalis is a former education reporter for the California Report - and a former girl scout herself - who says she is open minded, but skeptical about virtual cookie sales,now that her nine-year-old daughter is following in her footsteps.
That’s it for the podcast today. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. I’m Annica Colbert. Thanks for listening and have a wonderful weekend.
