The Yucca Valley Town Council changed the order of its meeting last night, so that the 15 people who there to speak during public comment wouldn’t have to wait until the end of a four-hour meeting to do so. In the first of a two-part story, Managing Editor Tami Roleff says the speakers tried to persuade the Council members to change their minds about medical marijuana. Tomorrow, the rest of the meeting…
Residents from across the Morongo Basin pleaded with the Yucca Valley Town Council during its meeting last night to allow the only legal medical marijuana dispensary to reopen. California Alternative Medicinal Solutions, or CAMS, was forced to close its doors December 6 as a result of a Town ordinance passed three years ago that allowed it to operate until then. Lanny Swerdlow, the founder of the Marijuana Anti-Prohibition Project said closing CAMS will put residents in danger. “I would strongly urge that you allow the collective that had been operating here to open up again as soon as possible because patients here are either going to go on the black market or drive down to Palm Springs; they’re not going to go without.” Brian Nicholson, who operated CAMS on Wamego Trail, told the Council there’s been no crime at his dispensary. “I’ve operated for three years with no issues, everything has been great.” Only one resident, Jamie Anderson, urged the Council not to allow the dispensary to reopen. Since the item was not on the agenda, the Council took no action, nor did any council member request that the issue be brought back for a second look.
