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contents
inside
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CULTURE M
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Publisher Jeremy Zachary Editor-In-Chief Jamie Solis associate Editor Ashley Bennett
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creative consultant Evan Senn Editorial coordinator Benjamin Adams Editorial Contributors Matthew Abel, Sheryll Alexander, Marguerite Arnold, Jake Browne, Cole Garrison, Jasen T. Davis, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Keira Fae, Natasha Guimond, Addison Herron-Wheeler, Pamela Jayne, M. Jay, Heather Johnson, Kevin Longrie, Emily Manke, Meital Manzuri, Madison Ortiz, Denise Pollicella, R. Scott Rappold, Paul Rogers, Ed Rosenthal, Lanny Swerdlow, Jefferson Van Billiard, Simon Weedn, Laurie Wolf, Zara Zhi Photographers Kristen Angelo, Steve Baker, Kristopher Christensen, John Gilhooley, Joel Meaders, Tonya Perme, JosuĂŠ Rivas, Eric Stoner Art Director Steven Myrdahl
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production manager Tommy LaFleur Graphic Designer Tanya Delgadillo
Room For Growth Two cannabis cultivation and manufacturing businesses have shown interest in the city of Hanford.
departments 6 News Nuggets 7 By the Numbers 14 News of the Weird
12 Strain & Concentrate Reviews
sales director Justin Olson bakersfield Jon Bookatz sales manager Account Executives Alex Brizicky, Eric Bulls, Kim Cook Beau Odom, Gloria Santiago, Garry Stalling, Ryan Tripp, Chris Walker, Vic Zaragoza general Manager Iris Norsworthy Office Assistant Angelina Thompson digital content manager David Edmundson Intern Kiara Manns Distribution Manager Cruz Bobadilla
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CULTUREÂŽ Magazine is printed using post-recycled paper.
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NEWS
nuggets
Atascadero City Council Considers Outdoor Cannabis Cultivation On April 25, the Atascadero City Council suggested that it may support allowing outdoor cannabis gardens, as long as they are hidden from public view. The council also suggested it may choose to permit cannabis delivery services, as well as testing and manufacturing facilities. “To gather a better understanding of local concerns and provide information for the city council, city staff held a series of public outreach meetings in February and March, in conjunction with an online questionnaire, to solicit input and feedback on the issue of recreational cannabis retail sales, personal cultivation, commercial cultivation and public smoking of both marijuana and tobacco products,” a staff report read. Councilmember Charles Bourbeau was in favor of allowing commercial cannabis sales and cultivation in the city, while most others in the council took a more conservative stance. According to Mayor Tom O’Malley, however, the council’s direction does not amount to a final decision. An ordinance based on the recommendations is expected to be shown to the city Planning Commission in either July or August 2017.
San Luis Obispo County Discusses Commercial Cannabis Regulations San Luis Obispo County residents gathered on April 12 at a public forum to examine the rules on commercial cannabis in unincorporated areas of the county. The meeting was held at Nipomo Community Services District where residents discussed a draft zoning ordinance, which was amended to include commercial cannabis businesses. The ordinance, which amends Title 22 of the San Luis Obispo County code, is expected to take effect by next fall. “The purpose of this Chapter is to protect the public health, safety and welfare, enact strong and effective regulatory and enforcement controls in compliance with state law and federal enforcement guidelines,” the draft ordinance reads. It also continued to mention that it aims to “ . . . protect neighborhood character, and minimize potential for negative impacts on people, communities, and the environment in the unincorporated areas of San Luis Obispo County by establishing minimum land use requirements for cannabis activities.” The next hearing for the ordinance is on June 29, and the ordinance will be brought before the Board of Supervisors in September 2017.
Kern County Extends Moratorium On April 4, Kern County supervisors extended a moratorium on opening or relocating medical cannabis dispensaries in county territory that are outside of incorporated cities. The 2016 moratorium was extended to ban dispensaries for another year until the county drafts up a new regulatory plan. The moratorium states, “From and after the effective date of Ordinance G-8630, May 10, 2016, no medical marijuana dispensary, other than those in existence and operating on the effective date of this ordinance, is permitted within the unincorporated areas of Kern County during the period of time this ordinance is effective.” Large-scale cultivation, processing and the sale of cannabis is still allowed under existing medical cannabis rules for the county’s permitted dispensaries only. Kern County supervisors are racing to implement a temporary moratorium in preparation for January 1, 2018 when Proposition 64 takes effect. The only dispensaries that will be effected are businesses that ignored the moratorium when it was enacted in May 2016 and started to operate. Violation of the ordinance is considered a misdemeanor in Kern County.
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The amount of money, in billions of dollars, that U.S. taxpayers could have saved per year on Medicaid prescriptions if cannabis had been legalized nationwide in 2014: (Source: RT)
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The amount of money, in dollars, that it will cost for adult residents in Uruguay to buy one gram of recreational cannabis at a local pharmacy, starting in July: (Source: Reuters)
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The number of cultivators that the Pennsylvania Department of Health is planning to license as part of its Medical Marijuana Program: (Source: U.S. News)
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The percentage of surveyed Americans ages 18 and over who have tried cannabis at some point in their lives: (Source: NBC News)
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The number of recreational cannabis consumers that German researchers in Berlin plan to recruit for a (Source: The Local Germany) study:
25,000
Kern CountyCraft Scottish Games & Gathering Bakersfield Beer Festival WHAT: Bakersfield Craft Beer Festival. WHEN/WHERE: Sat, May 13. 12 p.m.-5 p.m. CSUB Amphitheater, 9001 Stockdale Hwy., Bakersfield. INFO: Visit bakersfieldcraftbeerfestival.com for details. Prepare yourself for the 5th Annual Bakersfield Craft Beer Festival. More than 35 breweries will be offering fine beer selections on tap. The microbrewery movement is gaining in popularity as more consumers turn to mouthwatering craft beers. Whether you prefer a pale ale, an IPA, a stout, a lager or a porter, vendors will be offering a wide selection. Well-known breweries including Sierra Nevada, Mammoth Brewing Company and Stone Brewing will be there as well as up-and-coming small breweries. Sober up with a selection of food
trucks including The Curbside Kitchen, The Meat Wagon from Brookside Deli, Pa’l Norte Mexican Cuisine, Milan’s Market and more. Outside food and drinks will not be permitted. Be sure to bring cash, because this is a cash-only event. The event is sponsored by Imbibe Wine & Spirits, Casa of Kern County and the CSUB Athletic Scholarship Fund. Event organizers recommend assigning a designated driver or an Uber of Lyft accommodation. Pop-up shade structures, blankets and umbrellas will be allowed in designated areas. iReadCULTURE.com MAY 2017
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Profitable Possibility
Our base for sales tax goes to public safety, parks and public youth. With [money from cannabis businesses], we could utilize it to get more officers on the streets, and we could utilize it so that we can protect our citizens with more fire fighters and police officers.
Cannabis businesses continue placing bids in Hanford by Benjamin M. Adams
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he future continues to show promise for business opportunities in Hanford, where two commercial cannabis cultivation and manufacturing businesses have recently showed interest. San Jose-based Caliva (Coastal Grown Cannabis) and Playa Del Rey-based Hanford Gardens proposed plans to get permits to operate in the city of Hanford by the end of 2017. The first cannabis business to submit interest in Hanford was Purple Heart Patient Center based in Oakland. However, the company decided against waiting for an approval until the general election in November 2018. Now two prospective cannabis companies see an opportunity to bring business to Hanford. Hanford Gardens requested a business permit in a March 14 letter. Caliva hopes to open a cannabis cultivation and processing hub in the Kings Industrial Park south of HanfordArmona Road. Caliva Chief Executive Officer, Larry Thacker, recommended that the city impose a cannabis business tax on a special election ballot. Tax revenue could be allocated toward long-winded projects in the city, such as renovating the Bastille, a historic prison, which would cost upwards of $1 million. Thacker believes a cannabis business tax could generate $10 million annually for the community.
The city favored placing the proposal for a cannabis business tax on a special election ballot. This would allow the city to vote in August instead of waiting until November 2018. A special election requires a two-thirds vote in favor of the bill. Hanford Mayor David Ayers suggested looking at how other communities are directing cannabis tax revenue. A staff report suggests that an ordinance be drafted to impose a limit of two cultivation permits. According to the report, a cultivation operation would be limited to 400,000 square feet. The report recommends that the city grant permits for two manufacturers, one testing laboratory, one distribution facility and one transportation facility. Pressure is mounting as Hanford is facing a budget crisis, and options are running out. Councilmember Francisco Ramirez told CULTURE that the city’s sales tax has been bottom-lining, due to online sales. “Our base for sales tax goes to public safety, parks and public youth. With [money from cannabis businesses], we could utilize it to get more officers on the streets, and we could utilize it so that we can protect our citizens with more fire fighters and police officers.” Caliva also offered to cover all costs of extra police resources that would be needed to regulate businesses. Ramirez was impressed with the way that Caliva and other cannabis companies treat and pay their employees. According to Ramirez, Caliva could create up to 1,500 jobs in
the city of Hanford that would offer a starting pay of $17.50 an hour. Ramirez’s track record highlights his constant effort in promoting family-oriented activities in the city of Hanford. He believes that a regulated cannabis industry in Hanford will help the community at large. “We’ll have more [money] for public safety, we can develop parks, we can create recreational facilities for our kids and keep them out of trouble. It’s adding jobs, deterring crime, and it’s going to create an atmosphere where our kids can be kids.” Ramirez also strives to maintain an obstacle-free relationship with small businesses in the area. On a personal level, Councilmember Ramirez believes in the efficacy of medical cannabis. “I’m an avid supporter of cannabis,” said Ramirez. “We talk about drugs—and I’ve done my research on cannabis, truly, because my mom died of cancer. If I’d would’ve known what I should’ve known back then, I would have given it to her. I would take it if I was sick as well. No doubt about it. I studied cannabinoids, CBD, every single aspect.” Ramirez said he is proud to openly support medical cannabis. In Hanford, the city could either take advantage of the lucrative perks that cannabis companies can bring, which could be voted on at an election in November or as early as August. “Either we’re going to be visionaries and pioneers, or we’re going to be left in the dust,” Ramirez concluded. c
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REVIEWs
strain & concentrate
Farmer PHred’s Gold Blueberry Haze Creative sparks will fly when consumers in Bakersfield fill their lungs with Gold Blueberry Haze concentrate from Farmer PHred. This amber-tinted wax had reviewers engaged and energized when our mid-week slump hit, and continued into the glorious weekend until we unfortunately ran out. Now, all we can do is reminisce about its pungent odors and muscle-relaxing effects while letting our faithful readers in on the hazy secret. Classified Connect Delivery Service has a knowledgeable and friendly staff ready to give consumers the attention and quality products they deserve, and the best part is they’ll come to you, eliminating any reason to go outside (unless it’s a food run).
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HERE Oil Del Platinum Available at: Phantom Pharms in Bakersfield.
These flowers from Phantom Pharms should have come with a warning label informing us of the potent relaxing power this indica has to offer. Large, dense, resin-coated buds and bright orange hairs along with a slightly diesel scent greeted us as soon as they arrived. We recommend consuming this powerful flower in the evening or after finishing anything you needed to get done, as the strong effects can last several hours. Chronic pains associated with arthritis or cancer are no match to the Oil Del Platinum, just make sure there’s a couch or a pillow nearby.
Royal OG x Green Crack Trim Run by Punch Extracts Roll out the red carpet and sound the alarms—the royal family has arrived! Royal OG’s lineage is known for its indica-heavy side effects, leaving consumers blissfully dazed, couch-locked, and in need of a taco truck right outside of their living room. Now, thanks to Highway 99 in Bakersfield, we get to experience this extremely sedative indica phenotype with an added mental boost from one of the most sought after sativas available today, Green Crack. Anyone searching for euphoric effects while still maintaining a sharp mental focus knows that there are very few strains that can match Green Crack’s ability to relax and relieve while still getting things done. Pair that with the potency of a quality-made dab, and you’ll understand why we love this product by Punch Extracts.
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Available at: Highway 99 in Bakersfield.
iReadCULTURE.com MAY 2017
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Chuck Shepherd's
News of the
Weird TRY, TRY AGAIN u Samuel West announced in April that his Museum of Failure will open in Helsingborg, Sweden, in June, to commemorate innovation missteps that might serve as inspiration for future successes. Among the initial exhibits: coffeeinfused Coca-Cola; the Bic “For Her” pen (because women’s handwriting needs are surely unique); the Twitter Peek (a 2009 device that does nothing except send and receive tweets—and with a screen only 25 characters wide); and Harley-Davidson’s 1990s line of colognes (in retrospect as appealing, said West, as “oil and gas fumes”). (West’s is only the latest attempt to immortalize failure with a “museum.” Previous attempts, such as those in 2007 and 2014, apparently failed.) GOVERNMENT IN ACTION u Toronto, Ontario, Superior Court Justice Alex Pazaratz finally ridded his docket of the maddening, freeloading couple that had quibbled incessantly about each other’s “harassments.” Neither Noora Abdulaali, 32, nor her now-ex-husband, Kadhim Salih, 43, hadn’t worked a day in the five years since they immigrated from Iraq, having almost immediately gone on disability benefits and begun exploiting Legal Aid Toronto in their many attempts to one-up each other with restraining orders. Approving the couple’s settlement in March, Judge Pazaratz added, “The next time
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anyone at Legal Aid Ontario tells you they’re short of money, don’t believe it . . . Not if they’re funding cases like this.” u In May, a new restaurantdisclosure regulation mandated by the Affordable Care Act is scheduled to kick in, requiring eateries (except small chains and independents) to post calorie counts for all menu items including “variations”—which a Domino’s Pizza executive said meant, for his company, “34 million” calorie listings. The executive called the regulation, for the pizza industry, “a 20thcentury approach to a 21stcentury question,” since for many establishments, orders increasingly arrive online or by phone. REDNECK CHRONICLES u (1) Dennis Smith, 65, was arrested in Senoia, Georgia, and charged with stealing dirt from the elderly widow of the man Smith said had given him permission to take it. Smith, a “dirt broker,” had taken more than 180 dump-truck loads. (2) New for Valentine’s Day from the SayItWithBeef. com company: a bouquet of beef jerky slices, formed to resemble a dozen full-petaled roses ($59). Also available: Daisies. Chief selling point: Flowers die quickly, but jerky is forever. NEW WORLD ORDER u In March, Harvard Medical School technicians announced a smartphone app to give fertility-conscious men an accurate semen analysis, including sperm concentration, motility and total count—costing probably less than $10. Included is a magnification attachment and a “microfluidic” chip. The insertable app magnifies and photographs the “loaded” chip, instantly reporting the results. (To answer the most frequent question: No, semen never touches your phone. The device still needs Food and Drug Administration approval.)
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