Former South Lake Tahoe medical marijuana dispensary owner Gennaro "Gino" DiMatteo was arrested on federal charges prior to a court hearing in Placerville Friday. As DiMatteo entered the El Dorado County Superior Court's Department 7 courtroom during a recess about 2 p.m., a District Attorney's investigator told him they had to talk, took his arm and shuffled him over to a corner of the courtroom between the audience and where arguments are heard. He then asked DiMatteo to put his arms behind his back because he was being arrested on a federal warrant. [continues 587 words]
Although the former Third Street site of the City of Angels 2 medical marijuana collective sat shuttered Friday, the fight over the marijuana dispensary appears far from over. On Wednesday, attorneys representing the collective filed suit against the South Lake Tahoe City Council and former City Manager Tony O'Rourke, challenging the city's July denial of a proposed relocation of the pot club. Wednesday's petition for writ of mandate asks El Dorado County Superior Court Judge Steven Bailey to compel the city to vacate its July 3 vote denying approval of the move, and make the City Council issue a resolution approving its June 5 support for transferring the collective's operating permit to a new location. [continues 250 words]
Former South Shore medical marijuana dispensary owner Gino DiMatteo has pleaded not guilty to felony charges including bribing a City Council member and possession of a controlled substance. Gennaro "Gino" DiMatteo and his wife, Irene DiMatteo, were arrested Aug. 31. Details of the arrests have not been made public by the El Dorado County District Attorney's Office. Prosecutors have charged Gino DiMatteo, who previously operated the City of Angels 2 Collective, with bribery, possession of marijuana for sale, possession of Methelone and illegal possession of ammunition. [continues 554 words]
A second medical marijuana dispensary in South Lake Tahoe is facing closure after having its operating permit revoked last week. The city revoked Patient to Patient Collective's dispensary permit July 11 after making several unsuccessful attempts to get the medical marijuana dispensary to properly install a fire safety wall, Interim City Manager Nancy Kerry said Tuesday. During a July 13 inspection, city officials also found the dispensary growing marijuana in an upstairs room at the property in violation of their permit, Kerry said. [continues 457 words]
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE -- Whether three medical marijuana dispensaries should be able to transfer a permit to a new operator hung up a South Lake Tahoe City Council discussion about proposed regulation of the dispensaries Tuesday. Council members agreed to most of a proposed ordinance that would grant permits to three dispensaries considered "established operations" by the city if they successfully complete a two phase application process. The requirements of the permit include being in compliance with state law, not causing a public nuisance, allowing yearly inspections, operating on a not-for-profit basis and providing the city access to financial records. [continues 403 words]
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. -- Whether three medical marijuana dispensaries should be able to transfer a permit to a new operator hung up a South Lake Tahoe City Council discussion about proposed regulation of the dispensaries Tuesday. Council members agreed to most of a proposed ordinance that would grant permits to three dispensaries considered "established operations" by the city if they successfully complete a two phase application process. The requirements of the permit include being in compliance with state law, not causing a public nuisance, allowing yearly inspections, operating on a not-for-profit basis and providing the city access to financial records. [continues 403 words]
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - South Lake Tahoe's medical marijuana dispensaries could face stringent operational and financial regulation under a proposed ordinance released by the city this week. The proposal requires existing dispensaries to submit detailed applications to the city and receive a permit to operate. Where a dispensary can grow marijuana is also restricted under the draft ordinance. A moratorium on new medical marijuana dispensaries has been in place since November 2009 to allow the city time to regulate the operations, which opened in South Lake Tahoe as far back as 2008. [continues 372 words]
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Medical marijuana growers will be able to make it official in the eyes of South Lake Tahoe following a decision by the City Council this week. The council unanimously approved an ordinance regulating the cultivation of medical marijuana in residential homes Tuesday. The ordinance is designed to encourage medical marijuana growers with legitimate needs to comply while discouraging unscrupulous growers from damaging rental properties, said Mayor Hal Cole. City of Angels 2 collective owner Gino DiMatteo said he supports the ordinance, which should deter people from coming into a town, renting a place to grow marijuana, damaging the rental and leaving, DiMatteo said. [continues 686 words]
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. -- How qualified patients and caregivers can legally grow medical marijuana in their homes will be on Tuesday's agenda for the South Lake Tahoe City Council. Under the latest proposed cultivation ordinance, medical marijuana grows would be limited to 10 percent of a home's square footage and require inspections and permits from city officials. As-of-yet undecided application and renewal fees would also be used to pay for city costs associated with the ordinance. Violations would be considered a misdemeanor and would include a fine of up to $1,000, six months in jail or both. Also, medical marijuana grows would be expected to be in compliance with the ordinance by Dec. 20. [continues 108 words]
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - After more than a year of back and forth with the city, the owner of a medical marijuana collective in South Lake Tahoe is ready to let the courts decide who can legally provide cannabis at the South Shore. On Monday, Mountain Collective owner Chris Ziegler filed suit against South Lake Tahoe over a November 2009 emergency moratorium on new medical marijuana dispensaries in the city. The suit challenges the legality of the moratorium as well as how it was applied to Mountain Collective. [continues 499 words]
What Happens If 19 Passes? SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. -- In 1913, California became the first state in the U.S. to make marijuana illegal. And in less than a week, it could be the first to reverse course. On Tuesday, voters will decide whether to approve the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010, known as Proposition 19. The possibility has attracted international attention, criticism from federal officials and debate around the country about the merits and drawbacks of legal marijuana. [continues 1330 words]
Council Forms Committee to Look at Medical Marijuana Cultivation Ordinance SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. -- Medical marijuana advocates scored a victory Thursday when the South Lake Tahoe City Council backed away from a proposed ordinance that would place a long list of restrictions on medical marijuana cultivation in the city. After more than four hours of sometimes heated public debate, the council unanimously approved the formation of a committee to look at how the cultivation of medical marijuana should be regulated. The group is scheduled to present the city council with a revised medical marijuana cultivation ordinance at the council's Oct. 5 meeting. [continues 782 words]
South Lake Tahoe Joins the Ranks of 64 Jurisdictions With Moratoriums on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Three's a crowd when it comes to medical marijuana dispensaries in South Lake Tahoe, the City Council decided this week. The Council voted 4-0 on Tuesday to enact a 45-day moratorium on the establishment of new dispensaries within city limits. Councilman Bruce Grego did not attend Tuesday's meeting. The moratorium will give the city time to develop permanent ordinances regulating the distribution of medical marijuana, said City Attorney Patrick Enright in a Nov. 17 staff report to the City Council. [continues 411 words]
South Lake Tahoe -- Dozens of medical marijuana advocates showed up at the South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting on Tuesday, but the council did not discuss what action to take against the city's three medical marijuana collectives. In a memorandum to the City Council dated July 7, city attorneys Jacqueline Mittelstadt and Patrick Enright asked for direction on how the city should proceed regarding police action against the three medical marijuana providers that have opened in the city during the past year. [continues 522 words]
South Lake Tahoe city attorneys Jacqueline Mittelstadt and Patrick Enright have signaled police will begin enforcement against three medical marijuana providers who have opened in South Lake Tahoe over the past year. Possession of amounts of marijuana in excess of the allowable state law amounts is a violation of both state and federal law," the attorneys wrote in a memorandum to the City Council dated July 7. "(South Lake Tahoe police) will soon commence pursuit of such illegal conduct." Whether the city will give marijuana providers advance notice of police enforcement is an item on the agenda for the City Council's meeting on Tuesday. [continues 210 words]
The Collective Is Affiliated With a Medical Marijuana Provider in Hollywood Called City of Angels SOUTH LAKE TAHOE -- South Lake Tahoe's third medical marijuana provider opened this month, an employee at the dispensary said Monday. City of Angels 2 Wellness Center opened about two weeks ago at 909 Third St., said Tom Franco, a manager at the center. Franco described City of Angels 2 as a "holistic pharmacy" and said about 90 percent of customers are terminally ill. We're strictly a medical marijuana provider," Franco said. "We're very selective with who we provide to." [continues 87 words]
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE -- Although federal agents shut down a purported medical marijuana collective in South Lake Tahoe last week, a second collective opened its doors this month, and operators said they plan to dispense marijuana to qualified California residents. Tahoe Wellness Collective opened in the Bijou Shopping Center on Jan. 8 and plans to offer marijuana to adults with state-issued medical marijuana cards or a doctor's recommendation as soon as this week. Opening of the collective has been met with praise by South Shore residents, said Tahoe Wellness Collective spokesman Cody Bass. [continues 241 words]
Federal agents raided a purported medical marijuana dispensary in South Lake Tahoe on Thursday. At about 11 a.m., five agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency - -- joined by members of the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, the South Lake Tahoe-El Dorado County Narcotics Enforcement Team and the South Lake Tahoe Police -- served a federal search warrant on Patient to Patient Collective at 2314 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Agents seized between five and 10 pounds of processed marijuana and a "small amount" of U.S. currency from the collective, DEA Special Agent Gordon Taylor said. [continues 331 words]
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE -- Federal agents raided a medical marijuana dispensary in South Lake Tahoe on Thursday. At about 11 a.m., five agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency - -- joined by members of the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, the South Lake Tahoe-El Dorado County Narcotics Enforcement Team and the South Lake Tahoe Police -- served a federal search warrant on Patient to Patient Collective, located at 2314 Lake Tahoe Boulevard. Agents seized between five and 10 pounds of processed marijuana and a "small amount" of U.S. currency from the collective, said DEA Special Agent Gordon Taylor. Police made no arrests on Thursday. Taylor declined to comment on additional details of the raid, saying Patient to Patient Collective is part of an ongoing investigation. [end]
