MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES DON'T FIT IN, SOME SAY

Hayward has three medicinal marijuana dispensaries within a couple of blocks
of one another, and two more are planned for the downtown area.

Some business owners are concerned about their impact.

``It would not attract shoppers downtown,'' said Steve Rubiolo, who has a
photography studio below one dispensary. ``It would encourage questionable
activity at all hours of the day and night.''

Others said they thought the new businesses did not mesh with the planned
upgrade to a street that is slated for a $3 million face-lift.

Police Capt. Raul Valdivia said the department does not get many complaints
about the establishments.

``We feel it's probably better to deploy our energy and our resources in
other directions,'' he said.