eager to move past sec case, victorville also eyes nality ...presentation on scla to the victorville...

12/13/2017 Eager to move past SEC case, Victorville also eyes finality as plug to bleeding airport finances

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By Shea Johnson Staff Writer Posted Dec 12, 2017 at 3:07 PMUpdated Dec 12, 2017 at 5:29 PM

Prior to $11M spent in legal fees, the airport authority hadbeen running at cash positive.

VICTORVILLE — The Jan. 23 trial date for the city in a five-year Securities andExchange Commission case is being seen by officials not only as the opportunity tofinally prove the emptiness of charges, but as the beginning of the end for mountinglegal fees that have disrupted the budget for a prized asset.

In the five years since the case was filed in April 2013, the Southern California LogisticsAirport Authority has spent about $11 million in legal fees — a princely penny that hasdepleted cash reserves in its operations fund and helped flip the budget $5.6 millioninto the red for the current fiscal year.

But officials are tethering the stoppage of the financial hemorrhage with the prospectthat the SEC case —

of involvement in a purportedly fraudulent 2008 municipal bond offering —could soon be put behind them,

.

“I believe they’re temporary,” Sophie Smith, the city’s director of economicdevelopment, said Tuesday of the airport authority’s budget shortfalls, following apresentation on SCLA to the Victorville Rotary Club.

“As we stated in our staff report ... the largest expenditures we have are related to theSEC case so that looks like it is moving forward Jan. 23,” Smith continued. “So wefinally believe we’ll have some resolution there, positive outcome, and we can movepast it and get back to focus on revenue-generating activities and not have those legalexpenditures.”

Eager to move past SEC case, Victorville also eyes�nality as plug to bleeding airport �nances

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12/13/2017 Eager to move past SEC case, Victorville also eyes finality as plug to bleeding airport finances

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She noted, too, that prior to the legal fee burden, the airport authority had beenrunning at cash positive.

“So, yes, that’s the biggest factor,” she said. “There were a couple of other things thatjust happened to happen this year, but by far the biggest hurdle has been this SEC case.”

As detailed in a story Sunday, the logistics airport recently

. The U.S. Army’s use of March Air Reserve Basebeginning Oct. 1 will strip the airport of roughly $1 million in yearly revenue.

The airport authority will use nearly the remaining balance of a $10 million interfundloan to bankroll operations through the rest of this fiscal year.

In her presentation, titled “Inside SCLA,” Smith detailed the city’s aggressive efforts tomarket the logistics airport — the civilian remnant of former George Air Force Base’sclosure in 1992 — as a hub for asset management, plane maintenance and repair,secondary landing site of unmanned aerial vehicles, commercial filming and school aspart of a partnership with Victor Valley College.

The airport, with a city staff of about 30, is home to prominent clients includingBoeing and General Electric.

“There’s a lot of activity,” she added, “that’s going on behind the scenes at the airport.”

Shea Johnson can be reached at 760-955-5368 or .

Follow him on Twitter at .

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12/13/2017 Tax delinquents in the High Desert: Several local businesses among highest debtors in latest CDTFA list

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By Rene Ray De La Cruz Staff Writer Posted Dec 12, 2017 at 2:53 PMUpdated Dec 12, 2017 at 2:53 PM

HESPERIA — The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration updated itsTop 500 Sales & Use Tax Delinquencies in California list, with the revelation that onelocal shop owes a lot of dough.

Ghaleb S. Almasad, the owner of Hole in One Donut on Main Street in Hesperia, hasaccumulated a bit over $1.5 million in back taxes since August 2006, according to thelatest quarterly report by the CDTFA.

Almasad owed the state $1.37 million in sales and use taxes in 2012, according to theCalifornia State Board of Equalization, as previously reported by the Daily Press. He didnot return calls Monday.

On Dec. 7, the CDTFA report showed a total delinquency amount of $448 million isowed from all businesses and individuals on the state’s list, with six of the highestdebtors located in the High Desert:

Hole in One Donut Foodmart Location: 15188 Main St. Hesperia. Balance: $1.5

million. Lien date: Aug. 2006 Donco Enterprises Inc. Location: 14673 Civic Dr. Victorville. Balance:

$863,168.72. Lien date: May 2010 Louis Carl Rossman Location: 14673 Civic Dr. Victorville. Balance:

$861,343.72. Lien date: May 2014 Victorville Motorcycle Center Location: 14370 Valley Center Dr. Victorville.

Balance: $767,806.06. Lien date: Jan. 2017

Tax delinquents in the High Desert: Several localbusinesses among highest debtors in latest CDTFAlist

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12/13/2017 Tax delinquents in the High Desert: Several local businesses among highest debtors in latest CDTFA list

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ABDI Petroleum Location: 16251 D. St. Victorville. Balance: $629,216.71. Lien

date: Nov. 2003 Hesperia Truss Inc. Location: 9780 E. Ave. Hesperia. Balance: $473,322.07. Lien

date: Sept. 2007

Donco Enterprises Inc. owed $699,075 and Abdi Petroleum more than $623,000 in2012, according to the BOE, as reported by the Daily Press. Both owners could not bereached.

Topping the state’s list is M & Y Safar Brothers, Inc., with an outstanding balance of$6,838,960, followed by Levitz Furniture LLC, at $5,940,886. Coming in third is Top500 newcomer Bijan Sharifi of Upland, who owes $4,957,050, according to the state.

The 34 new taxpayers added to the list this quarter owe a combined amount of justover $31 million. Since the list began with the top 250 delinquencies in 2007, $18.18million has been collected from 257 taxpayers, state officials said.

A list of the Top 500 Tax Delinquencies has been provided to participating statelicensing agencies. Those on the list could have driver and other professional licensessuspended until they pay the amount owed or enter into a payment plan with theCDTFA.

The California State Board of Equalization is required by law to post tax informationevery quarter, removing amounts that are being addressed through paymentarrangement, bankruptcy, litigation, or appeal.

Each taxpayer is notified 30 days before their information is posted. The latestinformation and the updated list can be found atwww.boe.ca.gov/sutax/top500.htm. For more information, call 916-327-8988,

email [email protected] or visit www.cdtfa.ca.gov.

Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227, RDeLa

, Twitter


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12/13/2017 This tricky Redlands intersection is getting an upgrade – Redlands Daily Facts

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By SANDRA EMERSON | [email protected] | Redlands Daily Facts

PUBLISHED: December 12, 2017 at 6:56 pm | UPDATED: December 13, 2017 at 2:38 am

Join the Conversation

Work is expected to begin next year to x the tricky intersection at California Street and Redlands Boulevard.

The city of Loma Linda plans to make improvements to the Mission Channel near the intersection, which will eliminate the offset on California

Street and improve traf c circulation. The cities of Redlands and Loma Linda share jurisdiction in the area.

“We have been working on this project for many years,” Loma Linda City Manager T. Jarb Thaipejr told the Redlands City Council on Dec. 5.

The Redlands City Council approved an agreement with the city of Loma Linda, which is the lead agency on the project, and San Bernardino

County Flood Control District at its meeting Dec. 5.

The project falls within both cities’ limits, while the Mission Channel is under the ood control district’s jurisdiction, according to a staff report

on the matter.

The project includes the installation of 450 feet of box culvert south of Redlands Boulevard, widening California Street, improving traf c

signals and modifying the Orange Blossom Trail entrance.

The city of Loma Linda plans to award a construction contract for the project Jan. 23, with construction anticipated for May through August as

to avoid con ict with nearby Mission Elementary School, Thaipejr said.

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This tricky Redlands intersection is getting an upgrade

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12/13/2017 Standing tall: Crazy Horse statue unveiled at Liberty Sculpture Park

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By Brandon Chiz / For the Daily PressPosted Dec 12, 2017 at 8:36 AMUpdated Dec 12, 2017 at 11:32 AM

YERMO -- A new statue was unveiled along Interstate 15 here Monday afternoon.

Artist Weiming Chen debuted his 15-foot sculpture of Crazy Horse at the LibertySculpture Park, commemorating the 140-year anniversary of the former NativeAmerican war leader’s death.

Chen explained how he wants his work to bridge the gap between China and America,bringing awareness to the oppression brought about by the communist state andsharing his outlook that every person wants freedom.

“I’ve traveled to many places, I want to make a difference with my art,” Chen said. “Iwant to celebrate the freedom America provides.”

Chen said he chose the iconic Native American as his focal point because Crazy Horsefought for freedom until his last day.

Chinese human rights activist Wei JingSheng, a friend and colleague of Chen’s,understands his work personally. JingSheng was imprisoned for 18 years for publishingtwo articles in opposition of the Chinese government and he praised the artist’s ability

Standing tall: Crazy Horse statue unveiled atLiberty Sculpture Park

Crazy Horse comes to the desert

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12/13/2017 Standing tall: Crazy Horse statue unveiled at Liberty Sculpture Park

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to empathize the needs of humanity through his medium on Monday.

“He is connecting people together, bringing awareness to how the people of China longfor the same thing as Americans,” JingSheng said. “They long for freedom, they longfor liberty, they long for humanity.”

Yermo Community Board President Michael Cint welcomed the park, remarking howit was a great addition to the community and finding Chen’s work both inspiring andinsightful.

“I love having Mr. Chen’s work here. This revitalizes the community by providing asense of history without losing any of the local flavor.” Cint said.

As the sculpture stands tall near the I-15 freeway for all passing motorists to see, Chenplans to continue to expand the Liberty Sculpture Park, 37570 Yermo Road. He hopesto share his dream in that while our worlds may seem physically and culturally milesapart, we can come together through shared ventures to bridge the gaps that separateus.


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12/13/2017 Adelanto Council meeting: What to watch

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By Staff reportsPosted Dec 12, 2017 at 5:41 PMUpdated Dec 12, 2017 at 5:41 PM

ADELANTO — The City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday for itsregularly scheduled meeting inside council chambers at City Hall, 11600 AirExpressway. Notable items on the agenda include:

Name a current council member the new mayor pro tem A report on the financial status of the city Cooperative agreement between the San Bernardino CountyTransportation Authority and the city for the Highway 395 WideningProject Approve five-year Measure I Capital Improvement Plan Presentation by the City Council to winners of donated girl and boybicycles

Meetings can be watched live online or viewed as archived versions atci.Adelanto.ca.us.


Adelanto Council meeting: What to watch

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12/13/2017 Narcotics unit inspects six commercial cannabis facilities in Adelanto

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By Shea Johnson Staff Writer Posted Dec 11, 2017 at 4:40 PMUpdated Dec 11, 2017 at 4:40 PM

“The investigators’ findings will be reviewed for any criminalviolations,” Bachman said Friday, “and the details will bereleased at a later date.”

ADELANTO — San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Detailconducted compliance inspections at six commercial marijuana facilities here late lastweek, a spokeswoman confirmed.

Two inspections were completed Thursday and four others on Friday, Sheriff’sspokeswoman Cindy Bachman said.

“The investigators’ findings will be reviewed for any criminal violations,” Bachman saidFriday, “and the details will be released at a later date.”

On Monday, the department said it did not immediately have any other details toreport.

City spokesman Michael Stevens said Adelanto officials had no involvement orknowledge of the inspections and were not briefed on why authorities conducted them.

Steve Peltier, the city’s head of code enforcement, was only made aware of theinspections Monday morning, Stevens added.

But the inspections came only a week after Sheriff’s officials served a search warrant atAdelanto-based Lifestyle Delivery Systems and found an illegal cannabis extraction lab.

The property, located at 9501 Commerce Way, was under construction for commercialmarijuana cultivation and manufacturing and only in late October held an event tousher in the launch of CannaStrips, a medicine taken under the tongue that dissolves ina patients’ mouth.

Narcotics unit inspects six commercial cannabisfacilities in Adelanto

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12/13/2017 Narcotics unit inspects six commercial cannabis facilities in Adelanto

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Authorities said that volatile extraction labs were illegal until the state’s Bureau ofCannabis Control finalized regulations and issued licenses, expected after Jan. 1.

No arrests were made, and neither Brad Eckenweiler, the CEO of Lifestyle DeliverySystems, nor Jerry Davis, president of joint partner CSPA Group, had been chargedwith a crime as of Monday, court records show.

But the raid on Nov. 30 had spurred two reactions from the city: first, to direct anyother businesses conducting volatile extractions in Adelanto to cease until after thenew year; and secondly, to call a meeting with authorities in an effort to gain someclarity on their actions.

City Manager Gabriel Elliott said he, City Attorney Ruben Duran, the assistant cityattorney and code enforcement subsequently met Dec. 4 at City Hall with Sheriff’s andDistrict Attorney officials.

City officials also invited personnel from the Bureau of Cannabis Control toteleconference into the meeting, but did not receive a response.

The most meaningful takeaway from the roughly hour-long session, according toElliott, was that authorities made it clear they could enter the premises of a businesswith probable cause regardless of the business’ permit status.

Mayor Rich Kerr previously said he believed CannaStrips was operating above boardbased on city and state permitting. Adelanto has authorized a host of commercialcannabis activities in the city, beginning in late 2015.

Elliott noted that because the Sheriff’s Department’s search warrant was still sealed dueto their operation remaining an active case, it wasn’t yet possible to determine thereason for the warrant.

“Without knowing why they entered the premises,” Elliott said, “it kind of puts adamper on whether or not it was because our ordinance was deficient or whether ornot there was a misinterpretation.”

Authorities had said, however, they served the search warrant after learning employeeswere operating the extraction lab. Large amounts of propane, ethanol and butane werefound, as was finished concentrated cannabis, which was seized.

Shea Johnson can be reached at 760-955-5368 or .

Follow him on Twitter at .

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12/13/2017 To Be Blunt, California’s Marijuana Industry Is Stoking High Anxiety | PublicCEO

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To Be Blunt, California’s MarijuanaIndustry Is Stoking High Anxiety

POSTED BY : JOE MATHEWS DECEMBER 12, 2017

Once Weed Becomes Legal, Paradoxically, We’ll Need to Step upPolicing Our Cash Crop

By Joe Mathews.

California’s 2018 transition to legal marijuana contains a mind-bending paradox: Ending prohibitions

on marijuana is going to require an awful lot of aggressive law enforcement.

When January 1 rolls around, California will not merely be permitting adults 21 and older to buy

marijuana for recreational purposes. The state and its cities also will be scrambling to create a new

and wickedly complicated regime to regulate and tax cannabis.

Coming high times will have high stakes: The legalization of cannabis in America’s largest state, if

carried off well, represents an opportunity to end the war on drugs that still rages in the United States,

with the cops catching far more poor people than preppies.

But if this transition turns messy, the Trump administration—which is devoted both to debasing

California and promoting thoughtless “law-and-order” policies—could bogart everything by stepping

up arrests and criminal penalties for drug violations.

Smoking weed is said to expand your mind, but I’m not sure if there is enough marijuana in the state

for anyone’s brain to comprehend the complexities of all the new rules, much less figure out how best

to enforce them.

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The paradox of legalization is that it requires moving a $7 billion industry—that has long gone

unregulated by the state, and benefited from that status—into a highly regulated structure, with

extensive taxes and permitting. California governments that once took a live-and-let-live approach to

cannabis now find themselves having to boost enforcement against cannabis businesses to make sure

that companies move out of the black market.

Such policing requires a difficult mix of tight and carefully balanced enforcement. If regulatory

compliance is too loose and taxes and permits are too cheap, scofflaws could plague the new industry.

If they undercut the prices of the legit sellers, they might make the drug all too available to children.

But if regulatory compliance is too costly and taxes and permits too expensive, too many firms might

choose to stay in the black market.

At this point, it’s hard to be optimistic that California’s governments will find that balance.

Among the challenges: The state has been slow to issue regulations to create an interconnected

framework of rules covering both newly legal recreational adult use and medical use, which has been

legal since 1996 but poorly regulated.

Then there are California’s cities—which have tremendous discretion in whether to issue permits, but

are in many cases still debating what to do. Those municipalities that have issued rules are creating so

many different standards—some cities ban marijuana businesses of all kinds, while others might

permit certain dispensaries, distribution, or labs—that California’s cannabis market will resemble a

crazy-quilt.

The federal government is also undermining the transition. By maintaining its prohibitions of

marijuana, it is creating both legal jeopardy for those in the legal industry and real difficulties with

banking, since few financial institutions will serve businesses selling a product that the United States

considers to be an illegal drug. In an acknowledgment that cannabis is likely to remain a mostly cash

business, State Treasurer John Chiang has offered to provide armored cars so that cannabis

businesses can transport their money when they pay taxes.

Because the industry is badly undercapitalized, it has yet to build out the infrastructure—from

compliance systems to lab testing to a strong distribution system—necessary for its new regulated

reality.

While attending three different conferences on cannabis this fall, I was struck by the high anxiety

around the conundrum of making a business legal without ending up in trouble over the new rules.

These days, marijuana business owners sound a bit like homebuilders—utterly frustrated at the

endless delays and NIMBY politics that make it so hard to get permits from California’s local

governments.

Smoking weed is said to expand your mind, but I’m not sure if there is enough marijuana in the state

for anyone’s brain to comprehend the complexities of all the new rules, much less figure out how best

to enforce them.

Many businesses, as they struggle with uncertainty, are coping by devoting themselves to California’s

ultimate drug of choice: marketing.

Indeed, attending industry events or receiving industry communications (I now get twice as many

pitches for cannabis companies as I do for Silicon Valley startups, the previous champion) is to enter a

fog of propaganda so thick that it obscures the larger questions about how this important social

transformation will work.

Cannabis already seems to be reproducing all the regular facets of American commerce, with endless

varieties of products of dubious necessity: cannabinoid eye drops that will treat your glaucoma,

cannabis oral strips that dissolve under your tongue, hemp oil that will stop your brain seizures,

cannabis creams that will make your skin glow, and several cannabis-infused items that will get you off

addictive opioids.

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Here’s Why

There’s also an attempt to sell corporate architecture. I’ve been deluged with pitches for companies

that claim to be “vertically integrated,” which means that they operate in the “complete ecosystem of

cannabis—breeding, cultivation, extraction, packaging, and manufacturing.”

Add to this a host of other services like online marketplaces, specialized software, and—my personal

favorite—PotBot, an “artificial intelligence” app that will recommend marijuana strains that show the

most promise in relieving your symptoms. All these choices also create the need for companies that

can simplify your marijuana shopping. A press release from Canndescent, a cultivator of “ultra-

premium cannabis flower,” has adopted a “consumer-friendly, strain classification” system (Calm,

Cruise, Create, Connect, and Charge).

“You shouldn’t need to bio-hack your body through a periodic table of ominous strain names like

Durban Poison and Trainwreck just to buy some pot,” said the CEO in a statement.

Amid all this smoke, there are nods to some important issues—including whether the new industry is

representative of California and the communities that have suffered the worst from enforcement

under prohibition. I’ve been repeatedly invited to “Meet L.A.’s First Legit Latina Cannabis Entrepreneur”

and been asked, rhetorically, “Did you know there’s a growing, influential Jewish community within the

cannabis industry?” More seriously, Los Angeles, Oakland, and Sacramento are among the cities

working on “social equity programs” to make sure that communities hurt by the drug war enjoy the

benefits of jobs and investment in the newly legalized market.

But these efforts speak to the real possibility that cannabis businesses will mirror California’s

inequality. Poorer communities have been more open to permitting the businesses, while wealthier

places have kept them out. In effect, many places with the resources to pioneer the enforcement that

shrinks the black market and protects the newly legal businesses are sitting this transition out. For

example, the Independent California Kingdom known as Marin County has failed to license a single

new retail dispensary or adult use shop, despite 70 percent voter support there for legalization.

This New Year’s Eve is likely to be full of high spirits, especially at the stroke of midnight when some

Californians may light up for the first time. But don’t be surprised if the rest of the transition feels like a

bad trip.

Originally posted at Zocalo Public Square.

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12/11/2017 Sonoma County OKs first cannabis farm

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7711198-181/sonoma-county-oks-first-cannabis?artslide=0&sba=AAS 1/3

Sonoma County OKs �rst cannabis farm

Sonoma County has o�cially opened the door to the newly regulated cannabis industry, starting with a Sebastopol-

area farm run by a married couple who has been producing marijuana and low-dose tinctures for nearly a decade.

The Fiddler’s Greens farm, founded by Shannon and Cameron Hattan, is a 10,000-square-foot cannabis cultivation

operation on a property south of Sebastopol, producing �owers for a line of low-dose and nonpsychoactive tinctures.

On Monday, Sonoma County’s agriculture department o�cials gave Fiddler’s Greens an o�cial cultivation permit

letter, the �rst granted for a cannabis business other than a medical marijuana dispensary.

“We’re legitimate. We’re business owners. We’re part of society,” Shannon Hattan said.

The approval of the �rst cannabis farm is a benchmark moment for Sonoma County, which began accepting

applications from cannabis cultivators, manufacturers and other businesses in July. Agricultural Commissioner Tony

Linegar, whose department oversees farms of a certain size, said they aim to treat cannabis like any other crop —

albeit one with a high level of regulatory scrutiny.

“We hope this is encouraging to other people who have been on the fence about applying for a county permit,” Linegar

said. “It’s a complicated process, but the barriers are not insurmountable.”

Sonoma County’s agriculture and permit departments have received 127 applications from marijuana businesses: 107

cannabis cultivators, 10 manufacturers, three nurseries, three dispensaries, three distributors and one testing

laboratory.

Tim Ricard, the county’s cannabis program manager, said sta� expect to begin handing out more approved permits

this week or next.

“The toughest one is the �rst one,” Ricard said.

There are 87 “boxes to check” to meet agriculture department requirements for a 10,000-square-foot garden, from

ensuring the property is part of a quali�ed water district and slopes aren’t too steep to providing the correct ecological

reports, Linegar said.

The process took more than �ve months and cost upward of $30,000 for the Hattans, who were fourth in line July 5,

when the county began accepting cannabis business permit applications.

Fiddler’s Greens products are currently sold in about 45 dispensaries across California, from San Diego to Arcata, and

include a line of tinctures and ointments. This weekend, it’s launching a line of pre-rolled joints at the Emerald Cup,

held at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa.

The name Fiddler’s Greens comes from “an old sailor’s myth, a place where the cups are never empty, music never

stops and the dancing never ends,” said Cameron Hattan, a Marine Corps veteran, commercial boat captain and sailing

JULIE JOHNSONTHE PRESS DEMOCRAT | December 4, 2017, 6:09PM

12/11/2017 Sonoma County OKs first cannabis farm

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instructor. Cameron Hattan said cannabis helped him tamp down his “intense and aggressive” personality after leaving

the military and better channel his energy.

He was a judge for the High Times cannabis contest in Amsterdam in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The couple met in

the Virgin Islands more than 15 years ago, where Cameron was working as a bartender and making cannabis-infused

ice cream. Shannon Hatton was leaving the corporate workplace, where she held jobs as a management and project

consultant, and planned to open a restaurant in Texas.

They fell in love, moved to Sonoma County about a decade ago after a stint in Texas, and have been cultivating

marijuana for medical marijuana dispensaries while holding down other jobs. They told few friends and family

members about their involvement in the cannabis industry.

They established Fiddler’s Greens in 2015, after California lawmakers passed a landmark set of laws regulating the

medical marijuana industry, which has been legal for two decades but not closely governed.

The Sonoma County permit gives them the �rst sense of legal protection for the work they’ve been doing as part of a

collective for medical marijuana dispensaries, Shannon Hattan said.

But the permit, and an accompanying document with an o�cial Sonoma County Cannabis Program seal to display at

their property, doesn’t erase all anxiety. Cannabis is still banned under federal drug laws.

But for now, they will focus on the next phase: seeking a state cultivation license and a county permit for the

manufacturing arm of their operation.

“We were all in the shadows,” said Cameron Hattan, after signing the document in a cubicle at the Department of

Agriculture/Weights and Measures o�ce north of Santa Rosa. “We feel giddy. We’ve never shown our faces before as

being part of the industry.”

You can reach Sta� Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or [email protected]. On Twitter

@jjpressdem.

12/13/2017 Long-term solution needed on state marijuana laws – San Bernardino Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/2017/12/12/long-term-solution-needed-on-state-marijuana-laws/ 1/3

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD | [email protected] |December 12, 2017 at 6:30 pm

AP Photo/Richard VogelIn this April 23, 2017, file photo, large jars of marijuana are on display for sale at the Cali Gold Genetics booth during the High Times Cannabis Cupin San Bernardino, Calif.

On Dec. 7 Congress extended critical protections for states that allow lawful access to medical marijuana.

Since 2014, the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment, originally known as the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, has prevented the Justice

Department from spending money to interfere with state medical marijuana laws.

Today, 29 states and the District of Columbia have laws on the books allowing some degree of access to medical marijuana, serving roughly

2 million patients, according to the Marijuana Policy Project and New Frontier Data.

As marijuana remains illegal under federal law, Rohrabacher-Blumenauer offers protections by simply blocking DOJ spending on

enforcement, which is why it is tied to federal spending bills and must be constantly reauthorized.

OPINION

Long-term solution needed on state marijuana laws

http://www.sbsun.com/author/the-editorial-board/mailto:[email protected]://www.sbsun.com/opinion/

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While the amendment has been consistently reauthorized since 2014, reauthorization hasn’t been so certain this year, with attempts by

prohibitionist House Rules Committee Chair Pete Sessions, R-Texas, to block it.

Fortunately, the amendment has been extended, for the time being. But as Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., said a�er the vote, two weeks

isn’t enough security for the millions of people who bene�t from medical marijuana.

“As Congress works out a long-term funding bill, it must also include these protections,” he said. “And ultimately, Congress must act to put

an end to the cycle of uncertainty and permanently protect state medical marijuana programs — and adult use — from federal

interference.”

We agree. The amendment must be reauthorized to protect patients and distributors willing to operate in a lawful manner. But in the long

run, a better solution to the tension between state and federal laws is to remove marijuana from federal restrictions.

Practically, that entails passing legislation such as the Marijuana Justice Act introduced by Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, or the Ending

Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act introduced by Reps. Tom Garrett, R-Virginia, and Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii. If Congress is unwilling to go

that far, the least that should be done in the meantime is the passage of legislation like the CARERS Act to permanently protect state

medical laws and allow Veterans Affairs physicians to prescribe medical marijuana.

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The Editorial BoardThe editorial board and opinion section staff are independent of the news-gathering side of our organization. Throughour staff-written editorials, we take positions on important issues affecting our readership, from pension reform toprotecting our region’s unique natural resources to transportation. The editorials are unsigned because, while written by

one or more members of our staff, they represent the point of view of our news organization’s management. In order to take informedpositions, we meet frequently with government, community and business leaders on important issues affecting our cities, region andstate. During elections, we meet with candidates for of�ce and the proponents and opponents of ballot initiatives and then makerecommendations to voters.

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12/11/2017 Cities and counties face pot holes on road to cannabis legalization

http://www.dailydemocrat.com/article/20171211/NEWS/171219987&template=printart 1/3

Daily Democrat (http://www.dailydemocrat.com)

Cities and counties face pot holes on road to cannabis legalization

Yolo County considers limitations at T uesday meeting

By Jim Smith, Woodland Daily Democrat

Monday, December 11, 2017

On the eve of California’s big new experiment with legal cannabissales, cities and counties are becoming a kaleidoscopic landscape asthey race to enact laws by the start of the new year that reflect theirhopes and fears.

Will there be a flood of tax revenue from cannabis to fix potholes andhire more cops? Or will pot sales trigger blight, violence and otherills?

After the decision of California voters last year to legalize recreationalcannabis similar-seeming places are reaching very differentconclusions. And different places, oddly, often seem to agree.

One college town, Santa Cruz, is pro-pot sales. Another, Palo Alto, isopposed. One working-class East Bay city, Richmond, has said yes torecreational cannabis sales. Another similar city, Antioch, has said nofor now.

Beyond the Bay Area, the prosperous cities of Sacramento, Davis, LosAngeles, Long Beach and San Diego are all in. They have longhistories with medicinal cannabis sales, with little evident harm.

Yolo County, after months of hearings during which it appeared thatoutdoor cultivation would be permitted within certain limits, is now meeting on Tuesday where it could bancommercial pot production. County voters will be asked to consider a tax on medicinal cannabis in 2018,however, if it isn’t approved they could decide to ban farms.

Davis has approved four cannabis dispensaries, Sacramento 30, but Woodland is saying no to dispensaries andgrow sites.

This past week, the Woodland City Council held its second reading on the rules and regulations regarding thebudding cannabis industry. Those rules permit manufacturing, processing and testing and out-of-town deliveryof medicinal cannabis but no indoor or outdoor grow sites or storefront dispensaries. In mid-November thecouncil ratified the decision on a 4-1 vote with Councilman Tom Stallard opposed to even the manufacturing,processing and testing regulations. Last week — even though the topic was included in a consent calendar whichare usually approved without debate — Stallard went on record as second time as being opposed.

A third reading is scheduled in another week, which will put the ordinance into law.

The council’s action ran counter to what city planning staff, Planning Commission and even the council’s ownAd Hoc Cannabis Subcommittee recommended.

http://www.dailydemocrat.com/



Woodland’s council reflects the confusion and concern about legalized cannabis. Unprepared and overwhelmed,many cities are hitting the pause button as they brace for bleary-eyed debates over planning, zoning and taxrates. While these cities support legal weed in theory, in practice they’re less sure. They seem startled, as if toask: How did Jan. 1 get here so soon?

“People have assumed a quick ramp-up,” said Courtney Ramos, vice president of Mountain View-based MatrixConsulting Group, which is advising cities and counties on how to deal with cannabis ordinances, “but a lot ofcommunities weren’t having those conversations.”

A century of prohibition kept pot laws pretty simple, but the passage of Proposition 64 in November 2016 hascomplicated things, creating a cultural Rorschach test of sorts, revealing our cities’ deeply held values.

Despite the passage of the statewide ballot measure, California cities and counties still have the power to bansales and cultivation within their borders. Some dug in their heels this month, saying the state’s rushedemergency rule-making process didn’t give them enough time to prepare. Local regulations must mesh with thestate framework, released in mid-November.

In Vallejo, the debate has even taken a more ominous turn. An initiative petition, meant to increase the type andnumber of cannabis businesses and allow adult use sales has been started.

The initiative is sponsored by a handful of the city’s medical cannabis dispensaries and was found to haveenough signatures to move forward last month. The council is scheduled to hear a formal report Tuesday night.That 11-page report, prepared by the Grass Valley-based law firm Colantuono Highsmith & Whatley, PC,outlines “several legal vulnerabilities that likely render (the initiative) facially invalid.”

According to the report, the initiative discriminates against non-residents by only allowing the city’s dispensariesand indivdiuasl who can prove they have lived in Vallejo for three consecutive years the ability to obtain specialcannabis business permits.

The report further argues the initiative is inconsistent with the city’s general plan because the measure changesVallejo’s zoning ordinance allowing cannabis manufacturing, dispensaries and cultivation in “any zone,excluding exclusively residential zones.”

The council is being asked to decide if it should adopt the initiative as law or send the matter to city voters. Citystaff is recommending putting the matter before voters during the November 2018 election. City staff is alsoasking the council to direct the city attorney to get an order from the court regarding the legality of the ordinanceitself.

Meanwhile, the confusion among cities continues. A 25-mile, left-leaning swath of the East Bay — fromHayward to El Cerrito — will allow cannabis sales. The artsy agricultural coast, from Pacifica to Santa Cruz, isalso pot-friendly. The Bay Area’s three big cities — San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland — are cool with it.Young-and-hip Mountain View is getting there, but says it needs more time to write regulations.

But recreational pot sales will be banned for now all along the leafy Peninsula, as well as family-focused ContraCosta County towns such as Pleasanton and Orinda. Heavily Asian-American places like Milpitas, Fremont andDaly City have rejected legal cannabis for now, which is consistent with election results. Polls showed that whileProposition 64 was backed by solid majorities of whites, Latinos and blacks, most Asian-Americans didn’tsupport it.

Some cities, however, defy expectations. Albany, “Where the Bay Comes To Play” at Golden Gate Fieldsracetrack, isn’t betting on weed.

A few cities, like San Carlos and Palo Alto, are rejecting brick-and-mortar shops but will allow delivery servicesto drive weed to their residents.



Marin County, once known as the land of hot tubs and New Age thinking, is saying no. Eight of its 11 cities areslamming their doors on recreational cannabis — even Fairfax, the site of California’s first-ever medicalcannabis dispensary more than 20 years ago.

A handful of depressed Central Valley and desert towns have said yes to recreational cannabis. BankruptCoalinga authorized pot growing in its abandoned prison and an area zoned for auto wrecking yards. The fadingresort town of Desert Hot Springs, nicknamed “Desert Pot Springs,” is planning a cannabis spa. Also welcomingis Adelanto, a high desert town in San Bernardino County with four prisons, cactus and not much else.

Lisa M. Krieger of the Bay Area News Group contributed to this article as did John Glidden of the VallejoTimes-Herald.

URL: http://www .dailydemocrat.com/2017121 1/cities-and-counties-face-pot-holes-on-r oad-to-cannabis-legalization

© 2017 Daily Democrat (http://www.dailydemocrat.com)

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12/13/2017 L.A. County leaders review sexual harassment policies - LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-sexual-harassment-policies-20171212-story.html 1/2

A

L.A. County leaders review sexual harassmentpolicies

By Melissa Etehad

DECEMBER 12, 2017, 10:00 PM

mid the wave of sexual harassment complaints lodged against elected officials and other high-profile

figures, Los Angeles County supervisors on Tuesday tinkered with what they said is already an

effective program for handling such allegations for the 110,000-person workforce.

After hearing a report on how the program is run, supervisors recommended the county make the online link

employees can use to file complaints easier to find.

They also called for an evaluation of the effectiveness of sexual harassment training for new employees, and a

survey of employees who filed complaints to gauge their thoughts on the process.

Los Angeles supervisors Hilda Solis, Janice Hahn, Kathryn Barger and Sheila Kuehl after Barger was sworn in to the Los Angeles CountyBoard of Supervisors in 2016. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

http://www.latimes.com/la-bio-melissa-etehad-staff.html#nt=byline

12/13/2017 L.A. County leaders review sexual harassment policies - LA Times

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-sexual-harassment-policies-20171212-story.html 2/2

“We have a great policy, but it can be better. In light of what’s happening across the country, we want to make

sure women don’t have to wait 30 years before they feel comfortable in filing a complaint,” said Supervisor

Janice Hahn.

Employees can choose to file reports online, in person, over the phone or anonymously.

The county has a stricter interpretation of what is considered inappropriate conduct toward others than the

state or federal government, officials said.

“Inappropriate remarks, like a sexual joke that may not rise to sexual harassment, would be a violation,” said

Vickey Bane, executive director of the county's Equity Oversight Panel, who added that the numerous options

for filing complaints helps foster “positive culture change,” and a “forum to air complaints.”

Supervisors said they will soon ask county officials to provide data showing how complaints were resolved.

[email protected]

Follow me on Twitter @melissaetehad

Copyright © 2017, Los Angeles Times

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12/11/2017 Supervisors Approve Guidelines for Honorary Naming of Bridges, Unincorporated Areas - Times of San Diego

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Supervisors Approve Guidelines for HonoraryNaming of Bridges, Unincorporated AreasPOSTED BY DEBBIE L. SKLAR ON DECEMBER 6, 2017 IN POLITICS | 28 VIEWS | 0 COMMENTS | LEAVE A COMMENT

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The restored Torrey Pines Bridge. Photo by Chris Jennewein

The County Board of Supervisors Wednesday approved guidelines for the honorary

naming of bridges in unincorporated areas.

The policy sets forth a process by which communities can name a bridge after a person

or entity, designated by signs on each end of the bridge. There are 85 bridges under the

county’s jurisdiction, according to a staff report.

Under the rules, the person being honored must be deceased. The person or entity must

have provided “extraordinary public service or some exemplary contribution to the

public good” and should have a connection to the community in which the bridge is

located.

The request must be accompanied by a petition signed by at least 100 residents of the

unincorporated community where the bridge is located and then placed on the agenda

of the local community planning group, if applicable.

If approved by that group, the county supervisor representing the community in which

the bridge is located may choose to sponsor the naming and submit it for a vote of the

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12/11/2017 Supervisors Approve Guidelines for Honorary Naming of Bridges, Unincorporated Areas - Times of San Diego

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BY BENJY [email protected]

DECEMBER 12, 2017 07:41 AM

UPDATED DECEMBER 12, 2017 04:51 PM

San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar announced Monday an ongoing investigation into the Sheriff ’s Office sparked by two formerpathologists’ allegations of grave misconduct, and recommended the county sheriff and coroner roles be separated.

Memos from Drs. Bennet Omalu and Susan Parson made public last week alleged Sheriff-Coroner Steve Moore pressured the physicians to ruleofficer-involved deaths as “accidents” and left bodies in the morgue for weeks on end without cause.

A San Joaquin County Sheriff ’s Office sergeant also ordered at least five corpses’ hands cut off for identification purposes, Omalu said, despite thebodies having been positively identified by family members after the subjects died at home.

Parson resigned Nov. 27, while Omalu did so on Dec. 5. The two notified the district attorney of the alleged misconduct several months ago, at whichpoint Salazar’s office began looking into alternative structures used in other California counties.

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Salazar’s announcement came hours after protesters marched through downtown Stockton to the San Joaquin County Courthouse. Led by DionneSmith-Downs, who challenged the coroner’s report after her 16-year-old son James Rivera Jr. was fatally shot by police in 2010, the protesters calledon Moore to resign and an independent investigation to be conducted into the sheriff ’s office.

Omalu and Parson’s union representative said Friday the doctors would consider withdrawing their resignations if the San Joaquin County Board ofSupervisors separated the sheriff and coroner’s offices. Salazar called for an independent committee to analyze other models used around the stateand formally recommend one to the five-person board.

In Santa Clara County, where Salazar and her understudies spent a day observing operations, the sheriff and coroner’s departments were split lastyear after similar allegations of law enforcement officials interfering in medical determinations. Personnel changes from dividing the two offices costthe county nearly $850,000.

The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors unanimously rejected Rev. Bob Hailey’s pleas to dissolve the joint system in 2005 after then-sheriffBaxter Dunn’s resigned amid a federal corruption probe and delayed classification of a jail inmate choked to death by his deputies.

“When you’ve got a sheriff who’s got to take care of his men, then that’s what he’s gonna do,” Hailey told The Record at the time. “That’s too muchpower for one individual. No man should have that kind of power unless he can stand up to the truth.”

The California Medical Association and San Joaquin County Medical Society have also demanded the coroner and sheriff ’s offices be separated.Moore told The Record he would be open to relinquishing coroner duties but stood by his performance in the role since he was first elected in 2006.

Benjy Egel: 916-321-1052, @BenjyEgel

IN OTHER NEWS

San Joaquin County District Attorneyon Monday

San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar announces investigation into allegations made by Drs. Bennet Omalu and Susan Parson in the course of theirresignation.

This investigation began prior to the public release of these allegations.

Apart from the investigation, the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office has, in the past few months, conducted its own research into alternatives to the traditional sheriff-coroner model. Over the past few months, we ha... See More

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The Washington Post

The Watch Opinion

It’s time to abolish thecoroner

By By Radley BalkoRadley Balko December 12 at 3:45 PMDecember 12 at 3:45 PM

Two San Joaquin County, Calif., medical examiners have Two San Joaquin County, Calif., medical examiners have resignedresigned in the past two weeks, alleging that Sheriff-Coroner Steve in the past two weeks, alleging that Sheriff-Coroner Steve

Moore pressured them to change their autopsy results for deaths in police custody. In other instances also involving deaths atMoore pressured them to change their autopsy results for deaths in police custody. In other instances also involving deaths at

the hands of police, they say, the sheriff ignored their conclusions completely.the hands of police, they say, the sheriff ignored their conclusions completely.

Bennet Omalu, the chief medical examiner for the county, tendered his resignation on Nov. 28, as did a colleague, SusanBennet Omalu, the chief medical examiner for the county, tendered his resignation on Nov. 28, as did a colleague, Susan

Parson. (Notable aside: Omalu is the medical examiner who exposed the degenerative brain condition found in many formerParson. (Notable aside: Omalu is the medical examiner who exposed the degenerative brain condition found in many former

NFL players and was the inspiration for the movie “NFL players and was the inspiration for the movie “ConcussionConcussion.”) Omalu was hired in 2007 to help professionalize and.”) Omalu was hired in 2007 to help professionalize and

modernize the county medical examiner’s office. In his resignation letter, he said that Moore “has always made calculatedmodernize the county medical examiner’s office. In his resignation letter, he said that Moore “has always made calculated

attempts to control me as a physician and influence my professional judgement.”attempts to control me as a physician and influence my professional judgement.”

From KQED NewsFrom KQED News::

Following her resignation last week, Parson sent copies of emails, notes and other correspondence to the SanFollowing her resignation last week, Parson sent copies of emails, notes and other correspondence to the San

Joaquin County district attorney and the board of supervisors to support both doctors’ claims.Joaquin County district attorney and the board of supervisors to support both doctors’ claims.

The documents, obtained by KQED, included memos written by Omalu that raised serious questions aboutThe documents, obtained by KQED, included memos written by Omalu that raised serious questions about

the integrity of investigations of people who died in the custody of law enforcement officers who used Tasersthe integrity of investigations of people who died in the custody of law enforcement officers who used Tasers

or other types of force.or other types of force.

Omalu wrote that the sheriff’s interference in death investigations had “gotten even worse” over the last twoOmalu wrote that the sheriff’s interference in death investigations had “gotten even worse” over the last two

years . . .years . . .

In March 2017, Omalu and Parson began documenting incidents they believe show wrongdoing by SheriffIn March 2017, Omalu and Parson began documenting incidents they believe show wrongdoing by Sheriff

Moore. The two doctors allege the sheriff labeled certain deaths as “accidents” rather than “homicides” toMoore. The two doctors allege the sheriff labeled certain deaths as “accidents” rather than “homicides” to

shield from prosecution law enforcement officers who were involved.shield from prosecution law enforcement officers who were involved.

In the Aug. 22, 2017, memo, one of several he drafted over the past nine months to document his concerns,In the Aug. 22, 2017, memo, one of several he drafted over the past nine months to document his concerns,

Omalu wrote: “The Sheriff does whatever he feels like doing as the coroner, in total disregard of bioethics,Omalu wrote: “The Sheriff does whatever he feels like doing as the coroner, in total disregard of bioethics,

standards of practice of medicine and the generally accepted principles of medicine.”standards of practice of medicine and the generally accepted principles of medicine.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watchhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/people/radley-balko/https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/12/04/autopsy-doctors-sheriff-overrode-death-findings-to-protect-law-enforcement/http://time.com/4158140/concussion-film-bennet-omalu-cte-nfl/https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2017/12/04/autopsy-doctors-sheriff-overrode-death-findings-to-protect-law-enforcement/

Among the specific incidents the two doctors cite:Among the specific incidents the two doctors cite:

— Omalu cited the case of Daniel Humphreys, a father of two who died on a Stockton freeway median in— Omalu cited the case of Daniel Humphreys, a father of two who died on a Stockton freeway median in

2008 after crashing his motorcycle as he fled arrest.2008 after crashing his motorcycle as he fled arrest.

In a deposition for a lawsuit brought by Humphreys’ family, Omalu said he was told by investigators that aIn a deposition for a lawsuit brought by Humphreys’ family, Omalu said he was told by investigators that a

California Highway Patrol officer had used a Taser on Humphreys once or twice. But when Omalu asked toCalifornia Highway Patrol officer had used a Taser on Humphreys once or twice. But when Omalu asked to

see a computer record that the weapon automatically generates when fired, he was told there was no reportsee a computer record that the weapon automatically generates when fired, he was told there was no report

to see. In his autopsy report, Omalu attributed Humphreys’ death to a head injury from the accident . . . Twoto see. In his autopsy report, Omalu attributed Humphreys’ death to a head injury from the accident . . . Two

years later, a deputy district attorney shared the Taser report with Omalu. It showed that the CHP officer inyears later, a deputy district attorney shared the Taser report with Omalu. It showed that the CHP officer in

fact fired the Taser at Humphreys 31 times. A source close to the sheriff’s office said that the sheriff hadfact fired the Taser at Humphreys 31 times. A source close to the sheriff’s office said that the sheriff had

access to the Taser report since the day after Humphreys’ death.access to the Taser report since the day after Humphreys’ death.

— One case involved Abelino Cordova-Cuevas, 28, who died in a March 7, 2016, confrontation with Stockton— One case involved Abelino Cordova-Cuevas, 28, who died in a March 7, 2016, confrontation with Stockton

police.police.

Police told The Stockton Record that officers used a stun gun to subdue Cordova-Cuevas. An attorneyPolice told The Stockton Record that officers used a stun gun to subdue Cordova-Cuevas. An attorney

representing the family alleged the officers used an illegal chokehold.representing the family alleged the officers used an illegal chokehold.

Omalu found that the man had died from asphyxiation and blunt force trauma and that his death was aOmalu found that the man had died from asphyxiation and blunt force trauma and that his death was a

homicide; the sheriff certified the manner of death an accident.homicide; the sheriff certified the manner of death an accident.

— The autopsy of Samuel Augustine Jr. concluded that he died June 7, 2016, of a traumatic brain injury and— The autopsy of Samuel Augustine Jr. concluded that he died June 7, 2016, of a traumatic brain injury and

a spinal cord injury during arrest by Stockton police — and that the manner of death was homicide. Omalua spinal cord injury during arrest by Stockton police — and that the manner of death was homicide. Omalu

wrote that the sheriff told him that his findings were wrong and should be changed.wrote that the sheriff told him that his findings were wrong and should be changed.

“This is simply daylight corruption and nothing else,” Omalu wrote in a memo dated the day after he alleges“This is simply daylight corruption and nothing else,” Omalu wrote in a memo dated the day after he alleges

the sheriff approached him. “He is using his office and powers to protect police officers.”the sheriff approached him. “He is using his office and powers to protect police officers.”

Omalu came to the conclusion that Sheriff Moore “seems to believe that every officer-involved death shouldOmalu came to the conclusion that Sheriff Moore “seems to believe that every officer-involved death should

be ruled an accident because the police did not mean to kill anyone.”be ruled an accident because the police did not mean to kill anyone.”

Omalu and Parsons are both board-certified forensic pathologists. Moore is not. So why can Moore overrule these two doctorsOmalu and Parsons are both board-certified forensic pathologists. Moore is not. So why can Moore overrule these two doctors

on whether a death was an accident or a homicide?on whether a death was an accident or a homicide?

As it turns out, this is a fun little artifact of the coroner system, which the United States inherited from Britain. Coroners areAs it turns out, this is a fun little artifact of the coroner system, which the United States inherited from Britain. Coroners are

often confused with medical examiners, but they are two very different positions, and they rarely overlap. A medical examiner isoften confused with medical examiners, but they are two very different positions, and they rarely overlap. A medical examiner is

a doctor who performs autopsies after suspicious deaths. The county coroner is an elected position. In most states, you don’ta doctor who performs autopsies after suspicious deaths. The county coroner is an elected position. In most states, you don’t

need any medical training, police training or crime investigation training to run for the office. There are only a few states whereneed any medical training, police training or crime investigation training to run for the office. There are only a few states where

the coroner must be a physician, and even in those states there’s a big loophole — if no doctor wants the office, anyone can runthe coroner must be a physician, and even in those states there’s a big loophole — if no doctor wants the office, anyone can run

for it.for it.

Back in medieval England, the office of “coroner” originally had nothing to do with death. The coroner’s responsibility forBack in medieval England, the office of “coroner” originally had nothing to do with death. The coroner’s responsibility for

investigating suspicious deaths came about almost by accident. The background on how all of that happened is prettyinvestigating suspicious deaths came about almost by accident. The background on how all of that happened is pretty

fascinating, but a bit too involved to get into here. (You can read all about it in my forthcoming book, “fascinating, but a bit too involved to get into here. (You can read all about it in my forthcoming book, “The Cadaver King and theThe Cadaver King and the

Country DentistCountry Dentist.”.”) The office of coroner was essentially a catch-all position for the crown, but that didn’t neatly fit under any) The office of coroner was essentially a catch-all position for the crown, but that didn’t neatly fit under any

other office (“coroner” comes from “crowner,” or an agent of the crown). You can still see vestiges of the coroner’s utilityother office (“coroner” comes from “crowner,” or an agent of the crown). You can still see vestiges of the coroner’s utility

function in the United States. In some states, the county coroner is responsible for auctioning off unclaimed property. Infunction in the United States. In some states, the county coroner is responsible for auctioning off unclaimed property. In

others, he or she is the only public official with the power to arrest the county sheriff. Until the 1990s, coroners in Mississippiothers, he or she is the only public official with the power to arrest the county sheriff. Until the 1990s, coroners in Mississippi

had two responsibilities: investigate suspicious deaths, and round up any stray livestock and return it to its rightful owner. Ahad two responsibilities: investigate suspicious deaths, and round up any stray livestock and return it to its rightful owner. A

call in the middle of the night could have been to investigate a murder, or it could have been to catch some pigs.call in the middle of the night could have been to investigate a murder, or it could have been to catch some pigs.

In much of the country, the office of coroner is part time and low paying. It’s sometimes an entryway into politics, but moreIn much of the country, the office of coroner is part time and low paying. It’s sometimes an entryway into politics, but more

often it’s held by the local funeral home director. It’s a popular position for people in the mortuary industry, not becauseoften it’s held by the local funeral home director. It’s a popular position for people in the mortuary industry, not because

embalming bodies confers any relevant skills to investigating deaths, but because being the first at the scene of the death usuallyembalming bodies confers any relevant skills to investigating deaths, but because being the first at the scene of the death usually

gives them first crack at selling funeral and body transport services to the families of the deceased.gives them first crack at selling funeral and body transport services to the families of the deceased.

By the early 20th century, the office of coroner grew to be quite powerful, particularly in large cities. It also had a reputation forBy the early 20th century, the office of coroner grew to be quite powerful, particularly in large cities. It also had a reputation for

corruption. A coroner’s determination about cause of death could determine whether or how much a life insurance companycorruption. A coroner’s determination about cause of death could determine whether or how much a life insurance company

had to pay out. It could swing the outcome of a lawsuit in a factory death or negligence case. A bribed coroner could also help ahad to pay out. It could swing the outcome of a lawsuit in a factory death or negligence case. A bribed coroner could also help a

rich or powerful family avoid public embarrassment when a relative committed suicide. Coroners could paper over mob hits, orrich or powerful family avoid public embarrassment when a relative committed suicide. Coroners could paper over mob hits, or

exonerate a parent of child abuse. (If you’re interested in all of this, I highly recommend the book exonerate a parent of child abuse. (If you’re interested in all of this, I highly recommend the book Death Investigation inDeath Investigation in

America: Coroners, Medical Examiners, and the Pursuit of Medical CertaintyAmerica: Coroners, Medical Examiners, and the Pursuit of Medical Certainty, , by Jeffrey Jentzen.)by Jeffrey Jentzen.)

For much of the past century, coroners played a shameful but often unnoticed role in facilitating lynchings, assassinations andFor much of the past century, coroners played a shameful but often unnoticed role in facilitating lynchings, assassinations and

other racial violence. Too often, coroners’ juries determined an obvious lynching to be a suicide or natural death. Even in casesother racial violence. Too often, coroners’ juries determined an obvious lynching to be a suicide or natural death. Even in cases

in which they did determine a death to be homicide, they made little to no effort to ascertain the identities of the culprits, asin which they did determine a death to be homicide, they made little to no effort to ascertain the identities of the culprits, as

they did in other cases.they did in other cases.

As far back as the Progressive Era, groups such as the American Medical Association, the Municipal League and other civic andAs far back as the Progressive Era, groups such as the American Medical Association, the Municipal League and other civic and

professional organizations have tried to get states to ditch the coroners for a more modern death investigation system. Theprofessional organizations have tried to get states to ditch the coroners for a more modern death investigation system. The

coroners proved to be a political powerful lobby and were able to consistently push back reform efforts until the last 20 years orcoroners proved to be a political powerful lobby and were able to consistently push back reform efforts until the last 20 years or

so of the 20th century. A few states did eventually abolish the coroner position, but many didn’t. Most that tried any reform atso of the 20th century. A few states did eventually abolish the coroner position, but many didn’t. Most that tried any reform at

all ended up creating some sort of hybrid system in which a medical examiner performs the autopsies, but an elected coronerall ended up creating some sort of hybrid system in which a medical examiner performs the autopsies, but an elected coroner

still has final say over manner of death. That often made things worse.still has final say over manner of death. That often made things worse.

Allowing the official in charge of death investigations to be beholden to political forces is a bad idea, for lots of reasons. ThereAllowing the official in charge of death investigations to be beholden to political forces is a bad idea, for lots of reasons. There

are the obvious ones, like those already mentioned — coroners could be susceptible to influence by powerful interests that mayare the obvious ones, like those already mentioned — coroners could be susceptible to influence by powerful interests that may

have a sta

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