Oaksterdam News Network - Oakland moves ahead on permitting new dispensaries

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Oakland moves ahead on permitting new dispensaries

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Oakland moves ahead on permitting new dispensaries

Written by Richard Lee

Public hearings were held Feb. 16 concerning the four remaining applicants for two open Oakland Cannabis Dispensary permits that were revoked last September for building code violations.

   Sparky Rose, the manager of Compassionate Caregivers who bought out the company assets and reorganized under the name New Remedies, hopes to reopen at 2135 Broadway. New Remedies operates in San Francisco as the only remaining outlet of what was once a seven-outlet mega-dispensary. The company reputedly grossed millions of dollars per month at its height, but collapsed last summer when its West Hollywood branch was raided and bank accounts seized by Los Angeles police. No owners or employees have been prosecuted or indicted to date.

Steve DiAngelo and David Wedding Dress laid out plans for an 1840 Embarcadero location. DiAngelo started a successful hemp business in the 1990s and Wedding Dress is a masseuse. They expressed hope to enhance their club with a holistic clinic with acupuncture, yoga, and classes on cannabis gardening, self-defense and legal issues.

   Next came Winslow Norton of Compassionate Collective of Alameda County, with plans to bring up to code the old Oakland Compassionate Healing Center location at 578 Grand. He has been open in Hayward since 2004 and is seeking an Alameda County Health Department permit for a commercial cannabis kitchen.

   The final applicant was Keith Stephenson who hopes to open the Purple Heart Center at 415 4th street. Stephenson has been a part of the Oakland Cannabis Industry since the 1990s, when he worked at The Zoo, the first club to open in Oakland after the OCBC, Oakland Cannabis Buyers’ Coop, was shut down in 1998.

   City Administrator Debra Edgerly will grade the applicants and award points on such criteria as proof of capitalization, staffing and security plans, and site inspections.

   The two with the most points will be given conditional approvals. The actual permits will be awarded and new clubs will be allowed to open after any needed remodeling is complete, most likely this summer.

Photo by Mikki Norris

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ODAM NEWS - This issue marks the first anniversary of the Oaksterdam News. The newspaper has expanded its focus from a local community paper to statewide in scope. The publication has grown from 12 pages to 20, the print run / circulation has gone from 10,000 to 50,000 copies per issue, and the paper has an online version at www.oaksterdamnews.com. Shown here (l-r) are founders Chris Conrad, Richard Lee, and Jaime Galindo.

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