Connect with us

breaking news

Willamette Week….”Gov. Tina Kotek has asked for and received the resignation of longtime director of the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission, Steve Marks, sources tell WW.”

Published

on


WW are reporting the following

Marks informed OLCC staff of his departure today. The move came as a surprise to OLCC staff and to key players in the industries the agency regulates.

Marks took over leadership of the OLCC in October 2013, when its business was strictly the sale and regulation of alcoholic beverages. When voters passed a recreational cannabis measure in 2014, the agency added the licensing and regulation of that product to its portfolio and later changed its name accordingly.

A former longtime aide to Gov. John Kitzhaber, and Kitzhaber’s final chief of staff in his first tenure as governor, Marks brought a wealth of Capitol experience to an agency that wobbled under his predecessor, Steve Pharo.

In the job, Marks won praise from lawmakers and the alcohol and cannabis industries for his steady leadership through the complexities of legalizing cannabis. He also acted with unusual flexibility during the pandemic, pushing to loosen regulations on takeout cocktails, residential delivery and curbside pickup from liquor stores.

Like the Oregon Lottery, the OLCC is tasked with delivering revenue to the state and to local governments. By that measure, the agency has thrived, regularly exceeding forecasts for liquor sales, by far its largest revenue generator.

In fact, liquor sales have grown so much that the agency has purchased some very expensive property in Canby to build a new headquarters and warehouse. The expense of that project caused some heartburn for lawmakers.

The expensive building project nothwithstanding, Marks’ departure was unexpected, in part because he weathered the initial storm of agency head departures. Kotek signaled before winning election in November she would clean house at the Oregon Health Authority. Lottery director Barry Pack, a close ally of former Gov. Kate Brown’s, also announced his departure soon after the election, as did Andrew Phelps, director of the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. That led Marks’ supporters to think his job was safe. That turned out to be wrong.

One clue something was amiss: The budget Kotek released Jan. 31 included a proposed new 50-cent-per-bottle liquor price increase. That’s something critics, including Oregon Recovers, an advocacy group critical of the OLCC, supports and the liquor industry does not.

Oregon Recovers executive director Mike Marshall says he’s also surprised to hear Marks is out but hopes that is a sign that Kotek will push the OLCC to be more focused on public health than on maximizing alcohol sales.

The OLCC and the governor’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Source:

https://www.wweek.com/news/state/2023/02/01/longtime-olcc-director-steve-marks-is-out/



Source link

Continue Reading

breaking news

And Today’s Mass CCC Drama Is… plot to “take out” O’Brien as punishment for investigating serious allegations of cover-ups, abuse and misconduct within the agency.

Published

on

By


C/- Grant Smith – Ellis

I do hope there is a Netflix scriptwriter following his posts – all this would make a perfect update to Parks & Recreation or The Office..

Here’s a taste of the latest episode

 

In shocking development, former Massachusetts CCC Chair Shannon O’Brien alleges State Treasurer Deb Goldberg violated court order in an attempt to keep secret details about a plot within the CCC to “take out” O’Brien as punishment for investigating serious allegations of cover-ups, abuse and misconduct within the agency.

Furthermore, say O’Brien’s lawyers, Goldberg attempted to spread this incorrectly redacted document to the press in an attempt to obfuscate the serious allegations directed at CCC staff (and currently being hidden from the public by way of these risky redactions).

A section of Thursday’s motion from former CCC Chair Shannon O’Brien, alleging violations of a court order by State Treasurer Deb Goldberg. (Released via MassCourts, 2/13/25)

O’Brien, in turn, is asking the court to order the entire document unsealed for pubic review as a sanction for Goldberg violating the court’s specific instructions as to redactions.

“Given the nature of the underlying proceedings, and the asserted bases for Plaintiff’s removal as Chair of the CCC, the Court is, frankly, skeptical that the administrative record itself is likely to contain a significant amount of protected personal information that satisfied the narrow definition of same under SJC Rule 1:24,” said judge Robert B. Gordan (who is specially assigned to the matter) in a prior ruling instructing Goldberg as to how to go about filing the redacted document in question. Read more background about that ruling here – https://www.patreon.com/posts/121109593

A section of the original court order that O’Brien alleges Goldberg violated. (Released via MassCourts, 1/30/25)

Then, in a strong, rebuke to Goldberg, Judge Gordon went on to say, …[T]he Treasurer has not identified, and the Court has not located, any case authority suggesting that an administrative record filed in the context of a review under G.L.c. 249 Section 4 or G.C.c. 30A is subject to the broader strictures of [the Fair Information Practices Act/FIPA], to claims of attorney-client privileges asserted after the subject information was disclosed in an administrative proceeding, or to a privet promised of confidentiality that a governmental agency may have extended to a complaining employee, such as would justify impoundment or redaction of the administrative record on those grounds.”

In turn, Goldberg’s shocking decision to attempt to hide most of the document in question from public view may well draw the ire of the court upon review thereof.

A hearing on the matter has been requested, but not yet scheduled, in Suffolk Superior Court.

’Brien alleges that a group of CCC staff members –attempting to cover up serious allegations of abuse, misconduct and corruption– “took out” O’Brien with pre-textual smears after she attempted to reform the beleaguered regulatory juggernaut.

Goldberg, O’Brien further alleges, is attempting to hide documents related to O’Brien’s suspension (and eventual dismissal) that may show a plot by Nurys Camargo, Shawn Collins, Cedric Sinclair and other CCC personnel to “take out” O’Brien with pretextual allegations of misconduct. Those documents are currently being kept private by Goldberg’s office because of the explosive allegations of misconduct (directed at some of Goldberg’s friends/allies) included therein.

Plenty more at

https://www.patreon.com/posts/new-overnight-in-122264111?utm_campaign=patron_engagement&utm_source=post_link&post_id=122264111&utm_id=8eb034e7-1b0e-497d-b0de-90b535ee76e9&utm_medium=email

 



Source link

Continue Reading

breaking news

Royal Queen Seeds Fund Campaign In Germany Saying There’s A Lot of Poo In Illegal Weed.. and yes hilarity ensues with puns about smoking good shit

Published

on

By


Only one in five samples classified as “clean”

After eight months of work and with the fantastic support of over 200 volunteers, the submitted samples were tested for biological components, pesticides, and other drugs.* And the results were shocking: Out of more than 300 samples tested, only around 20 percent were classified as safe and clean products. The majority of the remaining 80 percent contained traces of substances such as human and animal feces, Covid-19, and influenza viruses. We also found traces of cocaine, ketamine, crystal meth, MDMA, and even compounds from hairspray, as well as traces of toxic pesticides that are classified as illegal in Europe.

Worst test results in Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich

How the individual cities performed in the study is shown in the following overview, listed in descending order from most to least contaminated samples from 30 German cities and 20 other European metropolises.

*Please see below for detailed information on the analysis methodology.



Source link

Continue Reading

breaking news

Both Chambers Of Virginia’s Legislature Vote To Legalize Adult Use Cannabis Sales

Published

on

By


Marijuana Moment

With a vote on Tuesday by Virginia’s House of Delegates, both chambers of the legislature have now passed bills that would legalize and regulate recreational marijuana sales in the commonwealth.

House members voted 53–46 to approve HB 2485, from Del. Paul Krizek (D), which would allow adults 21 and older to purchase up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana from regulated, state-licensed retailers. The vote comes after the Senate last week approved companion legislation, SB 970, from Sen. Aaron Rouse (D).

Each bill now proceeds to the opposite chamber for consideration there.

Even if lawmakers give final approval to the legislation, however, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) has indicated he plans to veto it, as he did last year with nearly identical legislation.

Read full story

Both Chambers Of Virginia’s Legislature Have Now Voted To Legalize Recreational Marijuana Sales



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending

Copyright © 2021 The Art of MaryJane Media