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inside
contents
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CULTURE M
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Publisher Jeremy Zachary Editor-In-Chief Evan Senn associate Editor Ashley Bennett managing Editor Victoria Banegas
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Editorial Contributors Benjamin Adams, Sheryll Alexander, Marguerite Arnold, Jake Browne, Cole Garrison, Jasen T. Davis, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Natasha Guimond, Addison Herron-Wheeler, Anthony Herrold, Pamela Jayne, Heather Johnson, Joe Jatcko, David Jenison, Kevin Longrie, Emily Manke, Tyler Markwart, Meital Manzuri, Sandy Moriarty, Madison Ortiz, Denise Pollicella, R. Scott Rappold, Paul Rogers, Joy Shannon, Lanny Swerdlow, Simon Weedn, Zara Zhi Photographers Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Duncan Rolfson Art Director Steven Myrdahl
features 24
Looking Ahead Medical cannabis regulation is necessary for Bakersfield— and T.J. Esposito has a plan.
departments 16 News Nuggets 12 Strain Reviews 18 By the Numbers 28 News of the Weird
production manager Tommy LaFleur Graphic Designers Tanya Delgadillo, Jonathan Ibarra bakersfield Jon Bookatz sales manager Account Executives Kim Cook, Cole Garrison, Gene Gorelik, Emily Musser, Beau Odom, Justin Olson, Jim Saunders, Chris Thatcher, April Tygart general Manager Iris Norsworthy Office Assistant Angelina Thompson
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director of digital media Brian Gingrich digital media Editor David Edmundson Ctv Contributors Quinn Marie Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla
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NEWS
nuggets Patients Express Concern Over Potential Ban in Tehachapi During a Tehachapi City Council meeting in early March council members voted unanimously, 5-0, in support of eliminating any and all medical cannabis before MMRSA deadlines. Following this vote many medical cannabis advocates and patients, including 63-year-old Victoria Kendall expressed discontent with the movement, “I’m really upset. I really would like to see them suffer with some of the things, the ailments, that some of us people who are using marijuana to help with the pain,” Kendall stated. So, in an additional meeting on March 21, Council members decided to listen to testimonies from patients and advocates, ultimately deciding that it would rather examine an ordinance regulating medical cannabis, according to Bakersfield Now. This decision was based off research conducted by the council and public input, nothing was said regarding when the Council would readdress this movement.
Cannabis Oil Company Could Bring in Millions for Coalinga if Approved Ocean Grown Extracts made a proposal in February to purchase a 77,000 square-foot establishment in Coalinga for production of its cannabis oil. The site was formerly the Claremont Custody Center and his been shut down for several years, according to the Visalia Times-Delta. Early in March the Coalinga City Manager Marissa Trejo addressed the proposal revealing that Ocean Grown Extracts could bring in $2 million annually for the city and 100 fulltime jobs. On March 30 the Coalinga City Council approved Ocean Grown Extract’s proposal, allowing the company to begin cultivation in the abandoned prison, according to Your Central Valley. “We need some kind of revenue. We’re hurting. We’re at 3.2 million dollars in the hike. And we’re trying to come out of that hole. And this is one way,” said Coalinga Mayor Ron Ramsey. 8
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2nd Annual Country and Craft Beer Festival The Active 20/30 Club has spent the past 10 years raising funds for Kern County children’s charities, contributing over one million dollars so far. In 2015, the club created the Country and Craft Beer Festival, raising $25,000 for charities in its inaugural year. This year, the festival is back and will feature a ton of breweries from California and all across the U.S., along with some of the best food Bakersfield has to offer (which is included with a ticket purchase). As this is a Country and Craft Beer Festival, expect live performances from local country musicians too. Put on your dancing shoes and spring attire and head to the Country and Craft Beer Festival where you can enjoy plenty of food, beer, games and music! WHAT: 2nd Annual Country and Craft Beer Festival. WHEN/WHERE: Sat, April 9. Central Park, 21st St. and R St., Bakersfield. INFO: Visit eventbrite.com for tickets.
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REVIEWs
strain
Gas Co. OG From the Bakersfield Gas Co. in what is still a hotbed of oil and gas drilling comes their own proprietary strain appropriately named Gas Co. OG. Demonstrating skilled cultivation and preparation, the spongy lime green nug literally sparkles with the trichomes stacked on trichomes. What catches your attention is the pervasive diesel odor, so strong you might think you are at a Pilot gas station. Surprisingly, the taste is not diesel but kind of a cannabis green chlorophyll. The upload is smooth quickly filling your head with rolling waves of sensuality. Although eyes might become heavy, Gas Co. OG is not a motivation killer. This is good to rock with as it produces an appropriately scaled head and body effect so that most people will not experience couch-lock but find it an aid to stimulating their mind and getting it up and running.
Available at: Bakersfield Gas Co. in Bakersfield.
Available at: Pow Wow Collective in Bakersfield.
Animal Cookies Purportedly the genetic offspring of the union of Girl Scout Cookies with Fire OG, it is understandable why increased munchie stimulation comes from more than just its name. Small nugs with red hairs crowded out by crystal white trichomes that cover just about every exposed surface have been expertly trimmed A hint of sweet cookie aroma emanates from the bud, but when burned, a pungent cannabis odor fills the room—everyone will know you are smoking some good cannabis. The Animal Crackers found at the Pow Wow Collective in Bakersfield are potent and will put the depressed, distressed and demoralized in a gregarious and happy mood. Excellent for making mundane tasks like starting the morning, attending another tedious office meeting and for scanning Facebook less mundane.
Available at: The Coughy Shop in Bakersfield.
OG Kush OG Kush may be plain old vanilla to some, but like vanilla ice cream is the most popular ice cream flavor, OG Kush is arguably the most popular cannabis strain—existing as both a pure strain and as crossed with more strains then found in a Marc Emery seed catalog. There are several stories as to its origin but except for black-belt cannabis aficionados, who really cares. What everyone cares about is the incredible cerebral and body effects OG Kush has on humans and this batch of OG Kush at The Coughy Shop in Bakersfield is no shrieking violet when it comes to classic OG Kush potency. Skilled trimming makes for good looking nugs that are firm, heavy and exude potency. Bright lemon kushy aroma and taste is a delight as its legendary ability to produce euphoria and mitigate stress underscores it continued position as numero uno.
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REVIEWs
strain Available at: LEAF collective in Bakersfield.
Joker Nug Run IVXX is a new company in Oakland that is taking the concentrate stage by storm. With quality cannabis from select cultivators as the foundation of all their concentrates and utilizing “innovative and extremely advanced extraction labs, which utilize custom-designed, state of the art equipment,” it’s no wonder the Joker Nug Run available at the LEAF collective in Bakersfield is dynamite. In face with a lab tested 79.2 percent THC concentration, dynamite might be too gentle a term to describe its power. As you unwrap the Joker shatter, a light sweet citrus aroma drifts upward. The hit is clean and mildly expansive making it easy on the lungs and a pleasure to inhale. Excellent for powering through mundane chores or physical tasks while keeping your mind occupied and off the clock. As are all good things in life, the Joker is at its best when shared with friends.
Kylo Ren
Available at: Therapeutic Healing Center in Bakersfield.
Purple Alien Purple Alien is known to be a cross of Alien Kush and Tahoe OG so why it’s called Purple Alien is a legitimate question but most likely because Purple Alien sounds sexier than Tahoe Alien. Whatever it is called, you can find it at the MARS Collective in Bakersfield and it is most definitely worth finding. Purple Alien presents a solid compact nug, moderately sticky with a strawberry cotton candy odor. Breaks apart easily, smoking produces a Sweet Tart taste and a warm rush. Settles into the back of your head and massages your senses so that you are awake and focused. Good for mundane physical work as it takes your mind away while leaving your concentration in place. It’s fairly long lasting but eventually morphs into a relaxed mellow state.
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Since it is named after Kylo Ren, the kind-of-a villain in Stars Wars: The Force Awakens, Kylo Ren is obviously a new strain hoping to follow in the steps of other Star Wars strains such as Skywalker, Ewok, Master Yoda and of course Death Star. From this sample from Therapeutic Healing Center in Bakersfield, it certainly has a good chance of not only joining their ranks, but even exceeding them. A solid green pinecone shaped nug with red hairs interwoven between abundant trichomes has been expertly manicured. Although OG is not in the name, OG has got to be in the lineage as its smell, aroma and effects closely mirror those of OG strains. This is perfect to watch The Force Awakens or any other blockbuster Hollywood special effects extravaganza—it is trippy close-your-eyes and drift off while nuzzling up next to your favorite human special.
Available at: MARS Collective in Bakersfield.
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The number of votes by the Maryland house of delegates in favor of allowing midwives, nurses, dentists and orthopedic doctors to certify patients for medical cannabis use:
The number of New Mexicans who currently have medical cannabis cards: (Source: KOAT-TV)
21,000
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(Source: The Washington Post) The percentage of Iowans who support medical cannabis: (Source: The Des Moines Register)
78
The number of dispensaries being opened by the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe in Nevada: (Source: The Washington Times)
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The number of votes from the Vermont Senate in favor of approving a bill that would legalize cannabis for (Source: Forbes) recreational use:
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“Wilson Call: Life Designed” WHAT: “Wilson Call: Life Designed” exhibit. WHEN/WHERE: Through April 17. Bakersfield Museum of Art, 1930 R St., Bakersfield. INFO: Visit bmoa.org for more details. Bakersfield has an extensive and rich history with details that may surprise most of the city’s residents. Architect Wilson Call is a part of that history and in this exhibit, viewers will learn about his contributions to the city, as well as his other talents. Call designed over 3,000 structures in Bakersfield, some of which you may have encountered without knowing so. Inspired by the likes of Piet Mondrian and 18
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Richard Neutra, Call’s structures are linear and modern evoking a chic ‘60s style. Because Call was able to produce stunning homes and buildings, amongst his other talents, in 2015 he was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the American Institute of Architects Golden Chapter. This exhibit will feature pictures and blue prints of Call’s buildings as well as some paintings and hand written notes, revealing the architect’s genus and originality.
Kern County 150th Birthday Bash You’re invited to the biggest birthday bash the county has ever seen! Celebrating its 150th year, Kern County invites its residents to check out its birthday bash being held at the beautiful 16-acre Pioneer Village at the Kern County Museum in Bakersfield. At this celebration—made possible with the help of generous sponsors— five districts will be represented, showcasing their unique attractions, entertainment and local fare. This is your chance to get to know Kern County and all its wonderful qualities. As the event’s co-organizer Teresa Hitchcock stated, “There are a lot of things out there that folks in Bakersfield don’t even know about.” So, come out, have fun and satisfy your curiosities with interesting local artifacts, history and more. WHAT: Kern County 150th Birthday Bash. WHEN/WHERE: Sat, April 16. Kern County Museum, 3801 Chester Ave., Bakersfield. INFO: For tickets and information visit kcmuseum.org.
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“I am not doing all of this work and making all of this noise because I'm pro ‘weed shop,’ I'm working for the community and the patients that choose marijuana as medication.”
Turning Over a New Leaf
Medical cannabis regulation is a chance to create local revenue by Victoria Banegas
Medical cannabis patients in Bakersfield may be in luck come mayoral elections in June. Since the city’s current Mayor Bill Harvey expressed that he will not be running for a fifth term, Bakersfield Now reports that 25 candidates have stepped up with intent of filling his place. Among those candidates is T.J.
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Esposito, a Bakersfield native who hopes to regulate medical cannabis for a safer and more effective local market. Unlike other candidates running to become Bakersfield’s next mayor, Esposito grew up in a rougher setting and feels he knows the city and all its different aspects. With 15 years of experience in the medical cannabis field, Esposito sees that not all collectives within the city are worth keeping and
stated that it is time for “real collectives to open in the city that are run by real professionals.” CULTURE spoke briefly with Esposito on his views on cannabis and how he plans to regulate the plant for patients. “When it comes to using marijuana as an alternative medicine, it is absolutely the patient’s choice. As long as a doctor has recommended it to a patient, no government person or agency should interfere with a doctors’ treatment to a sick patient, as long as the doctor is following the law” Esposito told CULTURE. Although the prospective mayor believes strongly that medical cannabis should be readily available for patients, he wanted to make it clear that he does not plan on regulating cannabis for the sake of collective owners, “I am not doing all of this work and making all of this noise because I’m pro ‘weed shop’ I’m working for the community and the patients that choose marijuana as medication.” stated Esposito. As Bakersfield is in much need of an economic boost, Esposito also sees cannabis regulation as a chance to create local revenue. Esposito stated, “If we look at successful cities like Denver, we can learn a lot of lessons . . . Denver is thriving, the parks, the schools and small businesses are at an all-time high. Not to mention crime is down and tax money is flowing. Marijuana has really become an asset for that city and I believe it could be an asset for our city, if regulated properly.” Currently 100 collectives in operation in Bakersfield, and Esposito hopes to bring that number down to 20 or 30, to create a more professional and tight-knit cannabis community that is safe and effective for all of the city’s citizens. c
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Chuck Shepherd's
News of the
Weird
LEAD STORY—TAKE THAT, PORTLAND! u Seattle’s ambitious Office of Arts & Culture has allocated $10,000 this year to pay a poet or writer to create a work while present on the city’s Fremont Bridge drawbridge. The office’s deputy director told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in January that the city wants to encourage “public art” and that the grant will oblige the recipient to create a work of prose or poetry from the bridge’s northwest tower, to help the people of Seattle understand the function of art in the city. (The artist will not be “in residence,” for the tower has no running water).
THE CONTINUING CRISIS u The dominant-submissive lifestyle soared to higher-brow status in February when The New York Times reported on the recent marriage of the celebrated composer of “moody, queasy” works (and compulsive dominant) Georg Friedrich Haas to Mollena Williams, who blogs introspectively about her own kinky bondage as “The Perverted Negress.” Friedrich had introduced himself to her on a dating site with the note, “I would like to tame you,” and credits her acceptance for his improved productivity—because, he said, “I am not (any longer) disturbed by unfulfilled thoughts.” Although Williams-Haas is a black woman submitting to a white man, she explained that, “To say I can’t play my personal psychodrama out just because I’m black, that’s racist.” NEW WORLD ORDER u Exasperated, Columbia County (Pennsylvania) District Judge Craig Long felt the need to post a sign outside his courtroom in January informing visitors that they should not wear pajamas to court. However, even Judge Long acknowledged that his admonition was not enforceable and that he was merely trying to encourage minimal standards. u “Microaggression”: In its brand-new communications stylebook this year for city workers, San Diego officials noted that 28
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the city’s then-upcoming Presidents’ Day announcements should, to be bias-free and inoffensive, never refer to America’s “Founding Fathers”—even though they were all males—but only to “founders.” BRIGHT IDEAS u The roadside billboard giant Clear Channel Outdoor Americas announced in February that it would soon be recording the cellphone locations of drivers who pass the company’s signs in 11 cities in order to give advertisers more information on how to pitch products to people with those particular travel patterns and behaviors. Clear Channel asserts that no individual identifications would be sought, but privacy advocates fret about potential abuses, and even a Clear Channel executive acknowledged that the program “does sound a bit creepy.” (On the other hand, as Clear Channel pointed out to The New York Times, cellphone users’ locations and characteristics are already being extensively monitored by advertisers). u “Medical” marijuana will take on a new meaning soon if the Food and Drug Administration approves Foria Relief cannabis vaginal suppositories for relieving menstrual pain (from the California company Foria). Currently, the product is available only in California and Colorado, at $44 for a four-pack. The company claims the inserts are targeted to the pelvic nerve endings, but International Business Times, citing a gynecologistblogger, noted that the only studies on the efficacy of Foria Relief were done on the uteruses of rats. NOT THE USUAL SUSPECTS u A then-married couple, both graduates of elite California law schools, were convicted of felonies and went to jail briefly two years ago for a criminal scheme inexplicably tawdry—and in February 2016 lost a resultant civil lawsuit for $5.7 million to the scheme’s victim. A woman at their child’s school had referred to the lawyers’ son as “slow,” enraging Kent Easter (University of California at Berkeley) and then-wife, Jill (UCLA), who retaliated by planting drugs and paraphernalia in Kelli Peters’ car and then, a man identified via circumstantial evidence as Kent (with an accent as if from India), called in a DUI tip to police, resulting in Peters’ arrest. According to Peters, neither perpetrator has ever expressed remorse, and although Kent admitted to “stupidity,” he now complains that Peters does not deserve her windfall (like a “Powerball winner,” he said).
Tunes and Tacos Cook Off With the arrival of spring comes that sweet essence of calm and joy as we anticipate summer and all the fun activities and road trips we have planned. To get you in the right mind set, Bakersfield’s Tunes and Tacos cook off is all about good vibes and good food. Guests will get a chance to try free tacos from a variety of local vendors and vote for the one they think is best. Not only will this relaxing outdoor event highlight some of the best tacos in Bakersfield, local bands Amity Flow, Dub Seeds and Vanity Ave will be entertaining with their soothing and rhythmic beats. Headlining the show will be Hawaii natives Natural Vibrations that will surely to end the night on a good note. Get your dose of sunshine, fun, love and nourishment at the Tunes and Tacos Cook Off. WHAT: Tunes and Tacos Cook Off. WHEN/WHERE: Sat, April 23. Stramler Park, 3805 Chester Ave., Bakersfield. INFO: Visit eventbrite.com for tickets.
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