Monday, January 9, 2012
Citizen petition drive to get legalization on November ballot expected to start while Michigan Supreme Court hears medicinal cases. What do you think about legalization of marijuana?
The push to make Michigan one of the first states in the nation to decriminalize use, possession, and delivery of marijuana could begin in earnest this week with a petition drive to amend the state constitution. The drive by the Committee for Safer Michigan will need to collect 322,609 signatures by July 9 to put the question of whether Michigan residents 21 and older can legally smoke marijuana on the November ballot, the Detroit News reported. The petition kickoff coincides with a question before the Michigan Supreme Court, which is scheduled this week to consider two cases with local ties related to the state's medical marijuana law. On Dec. 1, 2010, the ACLU — on behalf of Birmingham residents Robert and Linda Lott — sued Bloomfield …
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Royal Oak officials tackle a long agenda in four-hour meeting Monday evening.
It took four hours, but the Royal Oak City Commission got through a long agenda Monday night. Aside from the controversial “party bus” ordinance issue, following are some highlights from the meeting: By a 5-2 vote, the City Commission approved the purchase of two 2012 Ford Tauruses at a cost of $21,658 each for Royal Oak Police detectives’ use, replacing two other vehicles that are 10 years or older. Commissioners Jim Rasor and Patricia Capello voted against the expenditure. City Manager Don Johnson reviewed the preliminary financial report for the Labor Day weekend Arts, Beats & Eats festival. Despite lower attendance and revenues, the city does not stand to lose any money in part because of lower costs this year, Johnson said. The …
42.490373
-83.14432
Emagine Royal Oak
200 N Main St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/city-commission-highlights-medical-marijuana-emagine-parking-parade-and-more
2004006
/locations/5619404
42.49135
-83.14437
Billings Lawn Equipment
221 N Main St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/city-commission-highlights-medical-marijuana-emagine-parking-parade-and-more
708834
/locations/5619405
42.48991
-83.14041
Royal Oak Missionary Church
411 E 11 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/city-commission-highlights-medical-marijuana-emagine-parking-parade-and-more
709515
/locations/5619406
42.48757
-83.14421
Hermann's Bakery
317 S Main St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/city-commission-highlights-medical-marijuana-emagine-parking-parade-and-more
708963
/locations/5619407
42.488146
-83.142775
City of Royal Oak City Hall
221 E 3rd St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/city-commission-highlights-medical-marijuana-emagine-parking-parade-and-more
709775
/locations/5619408
Friday, October 14, 2011
Chuck Semchena and others talk about a controversial topic.
Attorney and legal analyst Charlie Langton was the host of a televised discussion on the topic of medical marijuana at the CMNtv studio in Troy earlier this week. The discussion featured a panel of six people, including Royal Oak City Commissioner Chuck Semchena. Additional panelists were Cooley Law School professor Gerald Fisher; defense attorney Michael Komorn; criminal defense attorney Niel Rockind; the editor of Medical Marijuana Magazine, Ric Thompson; and Oakland County Commissioner and former Farmington Hills Police Chief Bill Dwyer. Semchena said he believes 95 percent of people holding medical marijuana registration cards are using the drug for recreational use, not medical purposes. You can watch the one-hour heated debate on …
42.545636
-83.129328
/articles/city-commissioner-debates-marijuana-laws
/locations/5589116
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Commission handles long agenda in Monday night meeting.
The Royal Oak City Commission took more than two hours to work through a long agenda at Monday night’s regular meeting. Here were the highlights: Wally Whipple remembered: Mayor Jim Ellison and other city leaders remembered longtime Royal Oak watchdog Wally Whipple, who died Sunday. Non-Motorized Transportation Plan distribution approved: The City Commission approved distribution of the Non-Motorized Transportation Plan, prepared by the Active Transportation, to be reviewed by neighboring communities for comment. Resolution passed in support of Medical Marijuana Bills: Commissioners passed a resolution in support of four bills that have been introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives that address medical marijuana. Commission …
42.488146
-83.142775
City of Royal Oak City Hall
221 E 3rd St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/in-brief-city-distributes-transportation-plan-for-review-honors-memory-of-longtime-watchdog-supports-medical-marijuana-and-personal-property-tax-resolutions
709775
/locations/5517202
42.48031
-83.138749
1200 Knowles St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/in-brief-city-distributes-transportation-plan-for-review-honors-memory-of-longtime-watchdog-supports-medical-marijuana-and-personal-property-tax-resolutions
/locations/5517203
Bills to refine Michigan's medical marijuana law have commissioners' support.
Commissioners passed a resolution in support of four bills that have been introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives that address medical marijuana. The laws would: Rasor said he found it “completely amazing that we are loading our attorneys” with the marijuana issue when “72 percent of our residents voted in favor of the Medical Marihuana Law.” Rasor indicated residents voted six times more in favor of the Medical Marihuana Law than any single candidate. “We have worse problems to fight,” he said. The mayor supported the resolution, saying he was in favor of encouraging state lawmakers to address holes in the current law saying while he supports patients rights, “the laws need to be better.”
42.488146
-83.142775
City of Royal Oak City Hall
221 E 3rd St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/commission-supports-medical-marijuana-house-bills
709775
/locations/5517132
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Here is a look at what happened during Monday night's meeting.
The Royal Oak City Commission took less than an hour to work through a short agenda at Monday night’s regular meeting. City Manager Don Johnson asked commissioners for authority to sit down with the Royal Oak Golf Center and negotiate a new lease. The golf center is requesting a lease extension of seven years through December 2025. If approved, the center will commission a study of additional recreational improvements to its facility and property to enhance its recreational usefulness. The golf center estimates such a study would cost $40,000-$60,000 and would be ready in 12-18 months for evaluation. Johnson told commissioners they were not approving anything binding Monday, but rather simply approving staff time to look at the terms of …
42.488146
-83.142775
City of Royal Oak City Hall
221 E 3rd St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/city-commission-oks-talks-with-golf-center-supports-bills-on-medical-marijuana
709775
/locations/5401805
42.519514
-83.182608
Royal Oak Golf Center
3500 Edgar Ave, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/city-commission-oks-talks-with-golf-center-supports-bills-on-medical-marijuana
708929
/locations/5401806
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
With changes happening all the time with city ordinances related to medical marijuana laws, downtown facility wants people to have a safe place to learn about laws and uses.
With so much going on with the medical marijuana laws, it’s important for residents to know how the laws are affecting their neighborhoods. The reality is, most don’t have a clear understanding of the laws, city ordinances and businesses involved with medical marijuana. In fact, hundreds of people walk down Fourth Street in downtown Royal Oak every day and have no idea they are passing a medical marijuana ID center. MMM Patient ID Center services nearly 600 patients since its opening in early 2009. The center allows potential patients to come in and meet with a doctor to see if they are a candidate for their medical marijuana ID card. If they are, candidates send their application and a check for $100 to the Michigan Department of …
42.487279
-83.14425
104 W 4th St, Royal Oak, MI
MMM Patient ID Center
/articles/medical-marijuana-id-center-works-to-educate-the-public
/locations/5056360
42.48695
-83.14418
Caribou Coffee
401 S Main St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/medical-marijuana-id-center-works-to-educate-the-public
709521
/locations/5056361
42.48726
-83.14495
Goldfish Tea
117 W 4th St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/medical-marijuana-id-center-works-to-educate-the-public
710405
/locations/5056362
42.48739
-83.1442
Incognito
323 S Main St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/medical-marijuana-id-center-works-to-educate-the-public
708971
/locations/5056363
Friday, July 22, 2011
Some are on high alert with recent case; Commissioner Andrzejak considers changing vote from January.
Some recent local activity on the medical marijuana landscape has at least one Royal Oak City Commissioner rethinking his “yes” vote on the city’s ordinance on the matter from earlier this year. Meanwhile, other officials are wondering if they can be held criminally accountable for approving an ordinance that puts medical marijuana in the hands of anyone who can get a card enabling them to obtain the drug. In late January, the Royal Oak City Commission approved 4-3 an ordinance that allows use of medical marijuana by qualified patients, but prohibits growing and distribution in the city. Federal medical marijuana laws allow cultivation of a certain number of plants in one's home. The Royal Oak ordinance prohibits it, but when push comes …
42.488146
-83.142775
City of Royal Oak City Hall
221 E 3rd St, Royal Oak, MI
/articles/can-commissioners-be-held-criminally-liable-for-passing-medical-marijuana-ordinance
709775
/locations/4907281
James Ver Wys
4:59 pm on Tuesday, February 26, 2013
"Opponents, however, argue decriminalizing marijuana is a mistake and won't help Michigan's most pressing problem – the economy." So the opposing side chooses money over what is right or wrong?! That's crazy! more ›