Ex-medical marijuana dispensary owner sentenced
A judge on Sept. 11 handed down a five-year prison term to a La Jolla man who operated a medical marijuana dispensary known as the Purple Bud Room in Pacific Beach. But the judge ruled the five-year term can be served concurrently with the five-year sentence in federal prison also involving marijuana cultivation.
The result is that John Thomas Sullivan, 39, will serve no more prison time and San Diego Superior Court Judge Timothy Walsh said Sullivan can serve the whole term in federal prison. Sullivan was given credit for 189 days already spent in jail.
Probation was denied and Walsh fined him $1,040. Sullivan pleaded guilty in state court in 2006 to possessing marijuana for sale and to filing a fraudulent insurance claim after falsely telling his auto insurance company his car had been stolen. The car was discovered in a storage facility after Sullivan was delinquent in paying storage fees.
Sullivan operated the Purple Bud Room on Garnet Avenue and Tender Holistic Dispensary on Cass Street before both were shut down during drug raids in July 2006. Fourteen other people were arrested with Sullivan, but he was the biggest target and received the longest sentence.
The medical marijuana dispensaries operated because of Proposition 215, which voters approved in 1996. It allowed for ailing persons to use a small amount of marijuana if a physician recommends it for medical purposes. But it is still illegal to transport and cultivate marijuana. The law was vague, and is still open to debate.
Federal law did not make allowances for medical marijuana and it is still illegal to possess it even if one has a medical reason to do so. Sullivan was given five years in federal prison on Aug. 27. He had pleaded guilty to illegally cultivating 300 marijuana plants.
Patients who use medical marijuana have obtained identification cards they show to police. In general, officers do not make arrests of people with very small amounts of marijuana if they claim the purpose is for medical use, but they can still be arrested if they commit another crime or are in possession of other illegal drugs.
San Diego Zoo introduces latest female panda cub
The fourth giant panda cub born at the San Diego Zoo had residents eagerly awaiting the announcement on whether the black-and-white furball was a boy or a girl. Now, San Diegans wait for a chance to glimpse the female panda and, maybe more important, to share in the naming process.
Sept. 13 brought an end to the wonder when zoo officials announced the fourth giant panda to be born at the San Diego Zoo was, in fact, a girl.
“We do a weekly exam in the mornings, and that’s when we determined the sex,” said Yadira Galindo, a zoo spokesperson.
Zoo officials were close-mouthed, however, about the naming process that occurs 100 days after the birth, in keeping with Chinese tradition. The mother, 16-year-old Bai Yun, had the cub six weeks ago in August.
Zoo officials said the first cub, Hua Mei, which was born in the United States in 1999, was named out of respect for the Chinese. The second cub born at the zoo was Mei Sheng in 2003, and the naming was discussed with the Chinese. In 2005, zoo officials came up with five names, cleared them with China, then posted them on an Internet site. They let the world pick Su Lin as the name of the third cub, Galindo said.
Officials won’t say how they are going to choose the name for the latest cub. “We are still discussing the way,” Galindo said.
Although officials are tight-lipped about the cub’s name, the public should be able to view the girl by December, Galindo said.
If people want to see the panda cub now, they can view the zoo’s panda cam at http://www.sandiegozoo.org
“We also have blogs and chats, video and photos,” Galindo said. “People can see those at the same site.”
Library seeking local authors for new exhibit
The San Diego Public Library system is looking for local authors who published a book in 2007 to submit their work for the 42nd annual Local Authors Exhibit.
The exhibit will showcase local talent and provide opportunities for their authors to be recognized. It will run through the month of February, and the special preview reception for participating authors will be Jan. 26.
The exhibit will take place in the lobby of the central library downtown, 820 E Street. Local authors who wish to participate are urged to call the San Diego Public Library at (619) 236-5847.
The deadline for submission is Dec. 1.
Ocean Beach officials launch T-Shirt contest
The Ocean Beach Tree Committee is looking for artwork for the official 2007 Ocean Beach T-shirt design.
The T-shirts are for the upcoming Ocean Beach Holiday Festival, which will run from Oct. 21 through the second week of December. Held annually, the festival starts with a pancake breakfast on the pier from 7 to 11:30 a.m. and includes many community events.
The winning Ocean Beach Festival Artworks entry should convey the theme “Celebrating 120 Years of Ocean Beach History” and must bear “Ocean Beach Holiday Festival 2007” somewhere on the design and be camera-ready, said contest organizers.
The winner of the artwork contest will be awarded $200. Entries should be directed to The James Gang at 1931 Bacon St. in Ocean Beach by 2 p..m. on Sept. 24. For more information, call (619) 226-8613.