ARSON IN A SANTA BARBARA NEIGHBORHOOD; VANDALS SET ANTI-POT STORE
SIGNS ON FIRE

When Mari Menders heard the dogs barking about 3:30 a.m., she thought
a skunk or raccoon had wondered into the yard of her Santa Barbara
home.

So she went back to sleep.

When she awoke later that morning, she was horrified.

Vandals set two anti-marijuana dispensary lawn signs on fire. The
alleged arsonist also spray-painted the number "420," a slang term
that refers to the time to smoke marijuana, on the curb.

"I just feel very violated," Menders told The Daily Sound. "It's not
OK to light a fire at someone's home because you disagree with them."

Menders joined Santa Barbara City Councilman Dale Francisco and state
Assemblyman Pedro Nava for a press conference Monday on the steps of
the Santa Barbara Police Department.

The three are in favor of banning storefront medicinal marijuana
dispensaries in the city. If approved, Measure T would ban regulated
storefront medicinal marijuana dispensaries in the city.

Menders has been one of the most vocal supporters of Measure T, and
she has been critical of efforts to allow storefront medicinal
marijuana dispensaries in Santa Barbara.

Francisco has also loudly opposed storefront dispensaries in the
city.

Nava, a former prosecutor, also opposes dispensaries.

Although he has never attended any of the several Santa Barbara City
Council meetings on the dispensary issue, he was there for Monday's
press conference, less than 12 hours after the acts of vandalism.

"These are people who I would describe as thugs, bullies and cowards,"
Nava said. "If you want to see more marijuana in Santa Barbara, you
can expect to see more of this kind of lawlessness."

Nava said the issue is very personal for him because he has a
child.

"I am a parent," Nava said. "There's plenty of room for political
debate, but as soon as you cross the line to become criminal, that's
intolerable."

Nava said that marijuana smoking "not benign" and that 9 percent of
the people who smoke it develop an addiction."

The assemblyman said marijuana dispensaries attract "a criminal
element." He said that although there was controversy over the city's
recent approval of "BevMo!" wine and liquor retailer, nobody burned
any signs.

"The marijuana activists contain an element that is aggressive and
that is hostile," Nava said.

Menders said that her two teenager daughters, ages 13 and 16, were
shaken up by the incident. She is also hosting an Italian exchange
student, who unfortunately now has a tarnished image America.

"I am just trying to express my viewpoint and it's my right to do that
in my home," Menders said.

Menders, a mental health psychiatric nurse, said she see regularly
sees the devastating effects of marijuana use on her patients.

"A lot of what I am exposed to, you can trace back to drug abuse,"
Menders said.

Santa Barbara has struggled with how to handle the dispensary issue.
While the councilmembers generally agree that sick people should have
access to medicinal marijuana, retail sales of the drug at storefronts
around town is an entirely different matter.

A ideological rift on the council forced the panel to put the
dispensary issue on the November ballot.

The local measure coincides with the statewide Proposition 19, which
would legalize marijuana for possession in small amounts, and allow
the state to tax the drug.

Santa Barbara City Councilman Dale Francisco also spoke at Monday's
press conference.

Santa Barbara, he said, would become a magnet for marijuana users,
should the city allow them in storefronts.

Francisco was upset that vandals chose to target someone for simply
want to protect their community.

"This is clearly an attempt to intimidate someone who has been vocal
on this issue."

Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider, has been an advocate for
allowing highly regulated dispensaries -- a maximum of three in the
city -- said the vandalism was a terrible display and a poor
reflection on the community.

"The incident that happened is reprehensible and the perpetrators
should be prosecuted," Mayor Schneider said.

Schneider, however, said that Measure T supports should not use the
incident to build political support for the measure.

"I don't think people having access to three medical marijuana
dispensaries throughout the city will bring criminal element,"
Schneider said. "One action does not automatically mean that more
incidents like this will occur."

Menders said she won't be intimidated. She plans to put new signs back
up in her yard.

She said that the suspects left behind clues, such as a hand and
footprint, and a discarded cigarette.

Shortly after speaking at Monday's press conference, she filed a
police report, complete with pictures, of the attack.

"Someone set a fire on my lawn in the dark of night," Menders said. "I
think they should be prosecuted."