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San Luis Obispo rejects pot shop’s attempt to sway city officials

October 20, 2021

By KAREN VELIE

In what appeared to be a staged attempt, more than 30 employees of cannabis businesses tied to Helios Dayspring protested in front of San Luis Obispo City Hall on Tuesday to pressure the city counsel to overrule staff’s decision to revoke Natural Healing Center SLO’s retail permit.

After years of servility, SLO city officials terminated Dayspring’s application for his Natural Healing Center SLO retail store on Oct. 19, after determining he had lied on his application. The city based their determination on a July plea agreement in which Dayspring admitted to tax fraud and bribery.

While negotiating a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, in Oct. 2020, Dayspring told the city he transferred his interest in the SLO pot shop to his girlfriend Valnette Garcia.

Valnette Garcia

At 5 p.m. on Tuesday, about 50 protesters gathered in front of SLO City Hall, with many wearing T-shirts that said “Support NHC SLO” on the front, and “Save my career” on the back, even though the shop has not yet opened.

Standing on the steps outside city hall, speakers focused on Garcia’s race and gender, while asking the council to override staffs’ decision to revoke the permit.

During the SLO City Council meeting that started at 6 P.M., SLO city attorney Christine Dietrick announced the city’s plan to rewrite their cannabis regulations, and then reopen the process to applicants.

City Manager Derek Johnson explained that even though the city had revoked the permit for Natural Healing Center SLO, the company could reapply in the future or file a suit within 90 days.

During public comment, 20 people, who claimed to be employees of Natural Healing Center’s retail shops in Morro Bay and Grover Beach, gave what appeared to be canned speeches: The commenters started by detailing the length of time they have been employed by Natural Healing Center, sang Garcia’s praises, spoke of “love” or called her “mamma bear,” and asked the city council to reconsider the revocation.

City officials denied their request.


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For those of you interested in the story, here is more background.


https://calcoastnews.com/2019/03/all-slo-pot-shop-permits-awarded-to-political-donors/


23

Why don’t we have ABC regulate and issue pot shop licenses like they do liquor? And while we’re at it, have ABC stop regulating sub-10% alcoholic beverages?


10

Yes! A common sense idea that is unlikely to be considered in a Government culture drunk on power and control.


2

Now, all other cities that have given permits to businesses Helios Daysprings was or is involved in need to pull those permits too.


65

Sounds like their anger is pointed at the wrong one. They should be going after Helios Dayspring for being the one that caused the whole problem. They’re blinded by their dependence to a lying corrupt criminal along with Valnetta Garcia, who could really care less about any of them. It is my hope the whole cannabis industry will be destroyed.


32

I’m sure Dayspring gave all those idiots a dime bag in return for their phony protest. At least the SLO council is finally coming to their senses now that Harmon is gone.


75

Ahhh, the glorious ganja… Smoke too much and ye old brain quickly rots causing practitioners to act just like these children are. I would laugh were it not so pathetic.


Local governments would do well to purify themselves of anything having to do with Helios Dayspring and “mamma bear.”


1

Does this mean local politicians will need to give back the money they received in bribes?


51

What a bunch of cry babies! They should be complaining to Dayspring. It’s his fault. He put himself before his employees.


82

Whoever made it legal to smoke pot …… Please help me end the sentence for me. What happened to previous science that said that its just a gateway for people to get hooked on it and go on to worse drugs?


4

Pot is legal. Always should have been. Where are they getting access to other drugs? Do you think a 15 year old is the head of a multi continent major drug smuggling ring, or do you kinda thinks it adults like you and me, except they find a way to convince a kid to try something different. If pot made y feel good, this is just “better and cheaper” (initially)


-24

Because that statement is a joke.


-18
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