Idyllwild was well represented at the Riverside County Board of Supervisors cannabis workshop last week. Three of the public speakers were from Idyllwild, as well as several more in the audience who did not speak.
Most of the speakers during the one hour allotted to the public favored board action to authorize cannabis sales and growth within the county’s unincorporated areas.
Stepping forward from Idyllwild were Linda Crowder, Alicia Barry and Dave Brown.
Crowder encouraged the legalization of cannabis because of its medical value. She has had two knee replacements and will have hip surgery in the future.
“It helps a lot,” she stated.
Barry, who operates the Cannabis Country Club on Pine Crest Avenue, encouraged the supervisors to visit the store and learn what people want. She admitted they have been shut down this year, but espoused their intent to work with the county on finding positive solutions for the whole community.
“We’re offering complete transparency,” she said.
Brown spoke positively of the work Code Enforcement is doing and expressed his concern over the conflict between state law legalizing cannabis and federal agents enforcing the opposite laws.
He also emphasized that cannabis revenue will help the county, but supervisors should be cautious on the level of taxation. Too high a rate could continue to encourage a black market in its sales.
