City bans medical pot facilities

In a close vote, the Huntington Beach City Council opted to overturn

an ordinance regulating medical marijuana, essentially banning pot

distribution facilities in Huntington Beach.

The debate on the 4-3 vote was infused with politics regarding the

eight-year-old medical marijuana controversy. Councilman Don Hansen

called 1996 voter initiative that legalized medical marijuana a front

for efforts to completely decriminalize the substance by pot

advocates that “use cancer patients as human shields.” Councilwoman

Debbie Cook said “it’s a shame that (medical marijuana) was being

withheld from so many people for such stupid reasons.”

In the end, Cook lost the debate with Council members Hansen, Dave

Sullivan, Cathy Green and the bill’s author Gil Coerper voting to

overturn an ordinance enacted just weeks earlier to deal with medical

pot facilities.

The March ordinance, which came after several groups requested

information about opening a facility in Huntington Beach, essentially

became a moot point, Coerper said, following a July 1 decision by the

U.S. Supreme Court ruling that federal law enforcement agents could

seek prosecution of medical pot growers and dispensaries.

Just how the new ban will affect Huntington Beach will be hard to

determine since no group is currently trying to open a dispensary

within city limits. In May, a group calling itself the AIDS

Collective Herb Center tried to open a dispensary on Graham Street on

the heels of the new ordinance, but the Planning Department denied

the group’s permit on the grounds that Supreme Court decision now

made pot dispensaries illegal.

Several medical marijuana advocates were in attendance for

Monday’s heated debate. Sullivan, a retired doctor, told the audience

that it was bad medicine to legalize medical pot through voter

initiative without any type of regulation from the Food and Drug

Administration. Mayor Hardy said a ban on medical pot could be seen

as cruel to people suffering from cancer and glaucoma.

“I’m not going to vote on a ban on medicine in this city,” she

said.

Inner-city kids take over state beach

More than 700 inner-city youth between the ages of 8 and 17 from

throughout California -- many of whom have never been to a beach

before -- will be the guests of California State Parks at a special

two-day “Beach Play Day” at Huntington State Beach, July 27 and 28

for a massive overnight beach camping event.

The eighth annual “Beach Play Day” is sponsored by California

State Parks, the State Parks Police Activities League, the California

Police Activities League and personnel support from the California

National Guard Drug Demand Reduction team.

This collaborative team transforms the beach into a giant

campground and activity center providing healthy living options

featuring physical activity through beach related recreation, at one

of Southern California’s most popular beaches. PAL youth will

experience outdoor recreation including body boarding, climbing a

rock wall, a giant Slip-N-Slide, dodge ball, beach relay and team

building games.

Teenagers will be offered the unique chance to ride all-terrain

vehicles on a sandy beach course. Surf rescue techniques and water

safety will be demonstrated by State Parks lifeguards including a

helicopter rescue. Hoag Hospital will team with lifeguards for water

safety instruction. Following an evening dance, the activities league

youth will camp out on the beach in military field tents. State Parks

personnel, police officers from statewide agencies and volunteers

oversee the event.

“Doctors recommend 60 minutes of physical activity a day for

health and wellness. We can help make that prescription fun,” wrote

Director Ruth Coleman in a recent press release. “The Beach Play Day

partnership provides an excellent opportunity for youth to develop

lifelong interest in outdoor recreation, build self esteem and make

healthy lifestyles choices.”

Seen as a highlight of the year, “Beach Play Day” youth are

selected to attend by their respective Police Activities Leagues for

a variety of reasons including school attendance and positive

behavior.

KTLA to broadcast from Huntington Beach Pier

The public is invited to attend a special live broadcast of the

KTLA morning news from the Huntington Beach Pier on July 28 from 7 to

9 a.m.

News anchors Carlos Amezcua, Michaela Pereira, Mark Kriski and Sam

Rubin will be hosting the show, along with live updates from

reporters Gayle Anderson and Bill Smith. Thursday’s show will focus

on the Huntington Beach community.

Scheduled segments on the show include interviews with members of

the Huntington Beach City Council; an interview with Dean Torrance of

Jan and Dean fame; clips of pro-surfers from the U.S. Open of

Surfing; a free KTLA surf clinic, Motorcross and Hour Soul Bowl

Skateboard demonstrations; Teen Vogue Fashion Show, a sand castle

competition; profiles on lifeguards and junior lifeguards; segments

on the Bolsa Chica wetlands and Boeing Aerospace; and a look at the

Huntington Beach real estate market.

Schedule permitting, KTLA personalities will also be available

after the show to sign autographs.