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</head><body><p class="default-style" style="font-size:12pt;font-family:helvetica,arial,sans-serif;color:#333333;"><br> <br></p><p class="ox-b2b530e57a-default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica,arial,sans-serif; color: #333333;">THE ANDERSON VALLEY ADVERTISER REPORTS: Those big pot raids in the North Mendocino County over the past two weeks are certain to help pot prices. Local growers tell me they expect $1500 a pound this season, a huge rebound from the rock bottom prices of last year. We used to joke that pot raids functioned as a price support program, with the cops busting enough grow operations to keep prices lucratively attractive to farmers. Legalization having failed in Mendocino County because of its ridiculous and absurd complexity, lots of growers are choosing to stay illegal.</p><p class="ox-b2b530e57a-default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica,arial,sans-serif; color: #333333;">See Press Democrat article below.</p><p class="ox-b2b530e57a-default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica,arial,sans-serif; color: #333333;"><br></p><p class="ox-b2b530e57a-default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica,arial,sans-serif; color: #333333;">THE PRESS DEMOCRAT REPORTS: Marijuana raids in Mendocino County mark renewed targeting of illegal operations. See link below:</p><p class="ox-b2b530e57a-default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica,arial,sans-serif; color: #333333;"><br></p><p class="ox-b2b530e57a-default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica,arial,sans-serif; color: #333333;">Meanwhile, Mendocino County continues to lose market share -- and its leadership position as the producer of the world's finest cannabis -- to more enlightened counties, like Santa Barbara County and Santa Cruz County. They tax on the back end. Meanwhile, Mendocino County front loads its fees and taxes. The cost of entry is too high for lots of small farmers in Mendocino County. </p><p class="ox-b2b530e57a-default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica,arial,sans-serif; color: #333333;"><br></p><p class="ox-b2b530e57a-default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica,arial,sans-serif; color: #333333;">Supervisor McCowen will be voted out next year. Supervisor Brown is retiring. It's my fervent hope that Mendocino County will then reform its oppressive cannabis permitting and licensing ordinances. </p><p class="ox-b2b530e57a-default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica,arial,sans-serif; color: #333333;"><br></p><p class="ox-b2b530e57a-default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica,arial,sans-serif; color: #333333;">All of us want to be legal. Really, we do!</p><p class="ox-b2b530e57a-default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica,arial,sans-serif; color: #333333;"><br></p><p class="ox-b2b530e57a-default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica,arial,sans-serif; color: #333333;">pressdemocrat.com/news/9830280-181/mendocino-marijuana-raids-reflect-californias</p><p class="default-style" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: helvetica,arial,sans-serif; color: #333333;"><br> </p></body></html>