COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY ENDORSES MEASURE B

With a room full of Measure B supporters, the Willits City Council
listened to about 20 "Yes on B" proponents and one "No on B" speaker
before unanimously endorsing the measure that would repeal Measure G
and limit the number of medical marijuana plants an individual can
grow from 25 to six.

The sole "No on B" supporter was thanked by the council for having the
courage to speak.

Councilmen Jere Melo from Fort Bragg and Benj Thomas from Ukiah both
spoke, urging the Willits council to support "B." Fort Bragg has
already endorsed the measure by a 4-1 vote and the Ukiah council will
vote on the issue at its next meeting.

"While Measure B won't fix the marijuana problem in the county it
won't turn it into a police state either," says Thomas. He also said
passage of "B" would let the country and the world know the era of
tolerance in Mendocino County is changing but if it was defeated, a
different message would go forth--reinforcing the county's reputation
as a haven for rampant marijuana growth.

A number of speakers urged voters to come out in large numbers to pass
"B" and send a clear message.

Dr. Bruce Andich, chief of staff at Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital,
spoke of his personal support for the measure, because he does not
like what has been happening with the drugs and violence in the
community. Recently the Ukiah Valley Medical Center medical staff
voted nearly unanimously in favor of "B" and Howard Hospital was now
polling its medical staff members Advertisement Click Here! for their
views.

Retired Willits teacher Jeannie King spoke of the big changes she saw
with the youth of the community following the original passage of
Measure G. She spoke of how quickly the ambitions of students in her
class shifted. She had 10 boys in the 10th-grade charged with writing
an essay, nine spoke of how they "can't wait to get their medical
marijuana card so they could pay bills and go on trips."

King described another student she was helping to get all the course
credits needed to graduate who was pulled out of school to help her
mom trim weed, risking her graduation. She spoke of how many college
kids from Willits return to the county during trim season to earn
money for college expenses.

Councilwoman Tammy Jorgensen described a recent incident while she was
substitute teaching in a Willits freshman science class and asked an
inattentive student what he was going to do when he grew up. She was
very disturbed when he responded, seemingly surprised anyone would
need to ask, "That's easy, I'm going to grow dope."

Councilman Larry Stranske described the vote as a "No brainer." As an
educator, he saw what it has done to a number of young people in the
community. He says he watched bright kids starting high school who
went downhill due to drugs by their senior year.

Mayor Holly Madrigal said it was appropriate for cities to take a
leadership role in issues of this type. She acknowledged voting for
Measure G originally, being young and idealistic. "I knew 25 plants
was ridiculous," she says.

Madrigal also said she believes pot should be legalized and described
the current medical marijuana card system as a farce.

Madrigal talked about ongoing discussions she has with friends, about
growing up in Willits, going away to college, returning home and
getting a legitimate job; knowing they can't make as much money as a
pot grower and how it has become commonplace to break the law.

She was brought to tears as she spoke of hearing on the radio about a
childhood friend's arrest for a large grow involving weapons and a
chase and learning the friend's children were now in the custody of
Child Protective Services.

The vote, when taken, was anticlimactic.