As Mexican and U.S. forces closed in on Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera in the winter of 2014, they set out first to find the man they hoped would unlock many of the drug kingpin's secrets, and ultimately his whereabouts.

Characterized as Guzmán's personal assistant, Mario Hidalgo Arguello was intricately involved in the fugitive's comings and goings. Hidalgo's nickname in the Sinaloa cartel was "El Nariz," named for his prominent nose, which made him easily identifiable when authorities tracked him down at a party in Culiacán one night and demanded a tour of Guzmán's hideouts.

Indeed, Hidalgo led the Mexican Marines and a U.S. drug agent to the safe house where Guzmán was holed up, but he narrowly escaped through a tunnel under the bathtub.

San Francisco is trying to fight back against the illicit cannabis market with a bold, new move—suspension of cannabis taxes.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors last week unanimously approved a measure to temporarily suspend the city’s Cannabis Business Tax, citing strong competition from the illicit cannabis market and a crime wave that has plagued the regulated industry.

The tax was approved by San Francisco voters in 2018 and was scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2022. Under terms of the ballot measure, a tax of from one percent to five percent would be levied on the gross receipts of the city’s licensed cannabis businesses.

City attorney asked to analyze current guidelines

Upon returning to its cannabis business ordinance Tuesday, the Chico City Council made the decision to ask City Attorney Vince Ewing to analyze what is currently in place and return with some new ideas.

The item was brought forward by Mayor Andrew Coolidge as a way to look beyond dispensaries toward manufacturing and production.

There are currently 24 proposed cannabis dispensaries going forward in the application process in Chico.

Ewing suggested to the council that it directs staff to look at all the options for potentially expanding the ordinance if desired.

State Sen. Mike McGuire said Wednesday he plans to introduce legislation early next year to eliminate the state cultivation tax paid by cannabis growers, a favored target of the industry.

“We need to take a close look at the overall tax rate and whether it is impeding the overall growth of the cannabis market,” he said.

“The bottom line is this: Cultivation taxes are crushing small farmers throughout the North Coast,” McGuire said, adding:

“Basing it off the weight doesn’t account for when the market collapses. It’s simply not sustainable.”

Methamphetamine paraphernalia, pills, and Butane Honey Oil were also discovered by officials.

On Dec. 8, a deputy with the City of Shasta Lake Station authored a search warrant of Rebecca Lyons, 48, residence. Lyons residence is located within the City of Shasta Lake. She was arrested on Dec. 3 after deputies found her in possession of marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, and narcotic pills. 

The South County patrol station, City of Shasta Lake patrol station, and investigators from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office
Marijuana Eradication Team helped serve the search warrant.

West Hollywood is going green, as in allowing the cannabis industry to expand and transform entertainment in the city in a way similar to the famously popular European weed-tourism hotspot Amsterdam, CBS Los Angeles reports.

"I really see it as a place that can redefine what the image of cannabis is to the general public," said Kelly Lyon, of The Artist Tree Marijuana Dispensary, as he showcased the wide range of pot-based products in the store.

Environmental regulators found no evidence that the pesticides used on an Encinitas hemp farm impacted the health of its neighboring residents, but the investigation prompted by the neighbors’ complaints did find the hemp farm operator was misusing pesticides.

In the investigation, released in November, the county found hemp farm operator Cultivaris Hemp used unregistered products and maintained inadequate pesticide records. But it also concluded that those violations were unrelated to the health complaints. The department also said these violations were uncommon.

These are a couple of super stressful weeks. We’re hurtling toward the end of the year, seasonal celebrations are in full swing, and there’s holiday baking and shopping to do. There also might be a long-postponed family get-together you’re totally dreading but still hoping to navigate with aplomb.

In the past, using cannabis to take the edge off those stressors came with the very real risk of being too high to function due in no small part to pot’s ever-increasing potency. Inhale too deeply or accidentally pop one too many gummies and eggnog gets spilled, Christmas trees become collateral damage and the baby Jesus in the creche scene gets swapped out for a lump of uncooked cookie dough.

Northcoast Environmental Center (NEC), Redwood Region Audubon Society (RRAS), Citizens for a Sustainable Humboldt (CSH), and neighbor Mary Gaterud have been forced to file a second lawsuit challenging Humboldt County over the Rolling Meadow Ranch, LLC (RMR) industrial scale cannabis project located in a remote rural neighborhood.

In this additional lawsuit, the groups ask the Court to:

(1) suspend all County decisions approving the Project Changes pending trial,

Yellow Dream Farm, a family-owned California company of robust cannabis brands that provides premium craft products and sustainably-grown wholesale flower at scale, announced today that the Company will be debuting a new suite of premium THC cannabis-branded products, GoodGood, at the upcoming industry trade show Hall of Flowers at booth #B309. The show will take place from December 8-9 in Palm Springs, California; due to its brand-first focus, the boutique trade show is the perfect location for the launch of this curated, culture-driven new brand.