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U.S. NEWS Thursday 21 November 2019

Boston overhauling pot review

process to close race gap

By PHILIP MARCELO ton's "opaque and vague" Commission. Only 10 are
Associated Press marijuana business appli- considered owned by mi-
BOSTON (AP) — Boston is cation process more trans- norities or disadvantaged
overhauling its process of parent. populations.
reviewing marijuana busi- She said it also provides Massachusetts' first two
nesses to boost involve- "economic justice" to mar- retail pot shops opened
ment of minority entrepre- ginalized communities that their doors Nov. 20, 2018, in
neurs in Massachusetts' bur- have suffered for years Northampton and Leices-
geoning pot industry. under harsh drug enforce- ter. One year later, there
The City Council on ment policies and have so are 33 stores operating
Wednesday approved an far not benefited from the statewide, but none is in
ordinance calling for the lucrative legal pot industry. Boston. In this March 25, 2018 file photo, a convention visitor examines
creation of an independent "The evidence is clear: with- Boston's ordinance sets a a marijuana sample at the New England Cannabis Convention
Cannabis Board to oversee out intentional focus on national standard for lo- in Boston.
local review of prospective equity, the status quo will cal vetting of prospec- Associated Press
marijuana businesses. prevail," Janey said as the tive marijuana businesses, sees the marijuana review pate in it."
The proposal by Councilor council weighed her pro- suggested Shaleen Title, a process, commended The proposed overhaul
Kim Janey also requires posal. "Larger and wealth- member of Massachusetts' Janey for her efforts and also comes as federal pros-
Boston to ensure that at ier companies will lock out Cannabis Control Commis- said he'll sign the measure ecutors are investigating
least half of its marijuana smaller, diverse companies sion that issues the state into law. He's also expect- local corruption in Massa-
licenses go to companies from our communities." licenses required for open- ed to issue an executive chusetts' cannabis industry.
from communities affected Activists across the coun- ing a marijuana business. order creating the canna- A federal grand jury has
by the war on drugs. try have complained that "There's transparency, there bis oversight board in the issued subpoenas to com-
And it creates Massachu- black and Latino business are criteria that are fair, coming days. munities across the state,
setts' first local fund sup- owners have struggled to there are people in charge "Together, we will ensure including Boston, seeking
porting minority-owned break into the legal mari- who are accountable for those who have been im- information about their
marijuana companies, ac- juana trade, often be- making those decisions, pacted hardest by the War compensation agreements
cording to Janey and other cause of prior, drug-related and there's financial assis- on Drugs can benefit most with marijuana companies.
city officials. criminal records. tance available," she said from this new economic U.S. Attorney Andrew Le-
Boston's new Equity Fund Since Massachusetts vot- after observing Wednes- opportunity," he said in a lling and others have
will provide qualified busi- ers approved recreational day's vote in City Hall. statement. voiced concern about the
ness technical assistance. marijuana use and sales "Those four things create a "Since the start of this new potential for abuse in the
It will be financed through in 2016, more than 200 li- model that other cities and industry, we have worked negotiation process be-
local industry fees. censes have been issued towns should look to." to ensure the process is fair, tween communities and
Janey said the goal of the statewide, according to Democratic Mayor Marty transparent and equitable companies, which is largely
overhaul is to make Bos- the state Cannabis Control Walsh, whose office over- for all who wish to partici- done out of public view.q

Arizona border activist acquitted of harboring immigrants

By ASTRID GALVAN on harboring charges. The aid is not always a crime,
Associated Press jury's quick decision came the way the government
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — An in contrast to Warren's last wanted it to be."
activist was quickly ac- trial, when jurors deliberat- Warren, 37, testified that
quitted Wednesday on ed for several days before neutrality guides his work
charges he illegally har- calling it quits over a lack near the border and de-
bored two Central Ameri- of consensus. nied he has ever helped
can immigrants at a camp Greg Kuykendall, an attor- migrants hide or instructed
in southern Arizona oper- ney who defended War- them how to avoid au-
ated by a humanitarian ren, said the new jury fol- thorities.
group. lowed the law carefully. Warren was arrested
The verdict by a jury in "They parsed the evi- in January 2018 by U.S.
U.S. District Court came dence," he said. "They agents who were staking
after jurors deliberated for paid rapt attention while out a humanitarian aid
about two hours in what we were putting on our station in Arizona known
was the second trial for defense and while the as "The Barn," where two Scott Warren celebrates his verdict outside the Federal
Scott Warren. A mistrial prosecution was putting Central American men Courthouse outside the Federal Courthouse, Wednesday, Nov.
was declared last June on its case, and they de- had been staying for sev- 20, 2019 in Tucson, Ariz.
after a jury deadlocked cided that humanitarian eral days.q Associated Press