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San Luis Obispo changes pot shop rules

June 2, 2023

Former SLO Mayor Heidi Harmon and Helios Dayspring

By KAREN VELIE

In an apparent attempt to curtail marijuana mogul Helios Dayspring’s involvement in the cannabis industry, San Luis Obispo recently tweaked its rules for pot shop applicants.

During the city’s previous pot shop application process, applicants were required to pass criminal background checks. The city then approved three pot shops, all of which were owned or partially funded by Dayspring.

Dayspring, who courted and bribed public officials, told those wanting to open local pot shops, they needed to kiss his ring in order to be successful in the SLO County cannabis industry, sources said.

However, after federal prosecutors charged Dayspring with bribing public officials and falsifying his tax returns, the city took away his pot shop license saying that he had lied on his application.

Less than a year later, Dayspring attempted to sell a commercial property at 2640 Broad Street for $9 million, which he designed and constructed as a premier cannabis retail store. He later dropped the price to $6.8 million.

Dayspring is currently packaging a group of his properties to sell at auction, according to a local real estate broker.

The city plans to reopen the pot shop application process in September in order to find a replacement for Dayspring’s permit approval.

In what appears to be an attempt to bar Dayspring from renting his property to prospective applicants, the city is now requiring that both the applicant and the property owner pass background checks.

Dayspring is currently serving a 22-month sentence for bribery and tax fraud.

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Did any of the bribed public officials get jail time? takes two to tango..


23

No, not Yet anyway. One committed suicide and several resigned


0

Following this decision, City executive management met for 8 hours on Saturday to outline how they will make up the shortfalls in their annual incomes. Shortfalls, because no more or less salary from Helios. Thus, expect huge salary increases for the City executive team later this year.


10

Dayspring is damaged goods as far as any local politician is concerned. Too many of SLO’s then “Left Wing Elite” got caught with their hands in his cookie jar, now nobody wants within 10 degrees of separation from him. He really should go to Nevada, or some other state where the legal cannabis industry is still in it’s infancy, and there are still local politicians who are ripe for him to buy. Why was the legal pot inudstry set-up to be locally governed instead of having a state agency (like Alcoholic Beverage Control or an equivalent) regulate it? It’s almost as if the entire industry was set-up with local corruption in mind.


20

Hopefully bureaucrats will do everything they can to get responsible upstanding residents owning and operating cannabis dispensaries, wherever there is a demand. Reduce the taxes and fees and help free the weed in this time of need.


2

Simple fact, City government officials want more money on the side out of him and he refused to pony up again. Now, he won’t get the monopoly he was promised.


19

Helios already has large ownership stakes in Megan’s Organic Market and SLOCAL ROOTS. He still wants that third because he’s still a fat greedy pig like his Megan’s Organic Market partners. The City bent over backwards to help Helios and Megan’s Organic Market obscure the real ownership by accepting the MOM INC’s Delaware Corporation hidden ownership structure with Nick Andre’s elementary school teacher wife posing as the second largest shareholder. Let’s see what puppet show they perform this time to help Helios Dayspring get what he wants.


34

Watch out for these “properties” as Dayspring has sold properties with active weed permits. Sticking the new owners with violations he created. Get a good lawyer to go over escrow.


You might get a $5,000 dollar a day violation!


21

Put stinks and so does the County for allowing it, thus i’m holding my nose.


5

It depends which variety you’re talking about. Some varieties have a heavy aroma, others not at all. There’s a lot of diversity among cannabis species.


0

I think this is a good idea as money laundering comes in many shapes, sizes and packages.


30