Illinois
Illinois touts improvements in making marijuana industry equitable, but critics say more needed
CHICAGO (WLS) — One of the goals of legalizing marijuana in Illinois was to repair the damage of mass cannabis convictions among people of color. And while some critics say not enough has been done to level the playing field, the state said it’s proud of the steps it’s made over the last four years to make the industry attainable for everyone.
“When cannabis was illegal, 80% of arrests were Black and brown people,” said Matthew Brewer, owner of Grasshopper Club. “My brother was one of the people in the 80% arrested for cannabis possession.”
His brother’s arrest was one of the reasons Brewer wanted to get into the marijuana industry. He is now celebrating his first year as the proud owner of Grasshopper Club, the first independent Black-owned dispensary in Chicago.
“It was a full circle moment when we opened this location and the first purchase ever here was my brother,” he said.
Brewer’s co-owners for the Logan Square shop are his brother Chuck and his mother Dianne. She never could have imagined this venture in her wildest dreams as a Black woman.
When recreational marijuana became legal in Illinois in 2020, the first cannabis businesses to open were 100% majority white-owned, and the state caught a lot of flak for that. Critics argued the barriers to entry were so extreme and costly, people of color were finding it nearly impossible to break into the industry.
The following year, Illinois launched its social equity program, which connects people and communities that have been historically impacted by the criminalization of cannabis to business ownership opportunities in the legal cannabis industry.
Erin Johnson, who oversees marijuana operations in Illinois, said as of 2021, anyone in the state seeking marijuana business licenses must meet social equity criteria.
“You really qualify by living in a disproportionately impacted area. So, disproportionately low graduation rate. Disproportionately high use of SNAP benefits. Those markers that are race neutral but really get at the folks who were harmed by the war on drugs,” Johnson said. “We are literally the most diverse industry in the country. We’ve led the way.”
According to state data from 2020 to 2023, Black-owned cannabis companies in Illinois increased from 0% to 27%; Latino-owned companies went from 0% to 5%; and women-owned companies increased from 3% to 16%.
“So we’re really doing things to make sure that our cannabis industry looks like Illinois,” Johnson said.
But critics like Abrose Jackson, CEO of the minority-owned cannabis company The 1937 Group, said the state could do so much more.
“These social equity license owners that were promised a dream have had that dream either deferred or squashed. There are a numbers of barriers of entry for this industry that they still are not able to overcome,” Jackson said.
Raising capital is a huge issues. Jackson said that to date, the state has not followed through on its legal obligation to provide funding to dispensary license holders via the Social Equity Cannabis Loan Program.
The state didn’t say what was behind the delay for the release of funds, but said they hope to start accepting applications this week.
“And we think that will be game changing. It will give folks that last little push they need to get open and over the hurdles,” said Johnson.
At Grasshopper Club, the owners are thankful to have not just one but two thriving dispensaries in Illinois, but Brewer wants to see more business owners who look like him.
“Frankly a little bit disappointing that it’s not more,” he said. “Navigating all of the requirements, the security requirements, the business plan, the purchasing and inventory, finding a space that’s zone properly… So when you layer all of those factors on top of each other, it creates a very complicated maze that’s tough to navigate.”
Critics say other barriers include extremely high cannabis taxes, which are among the highest in the nation, and the tight deadline for license holders to get their businesses open.
The state said it’s committed to ensuring the federal government passes the Safer Banking Act so that marijuana businesses can take advantage of the same loans other small businesses are able to access.
Copyright © 2024 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Illinois
Authorities: Woman’s BAC was nearly 3 times legal limit in Lombard, Illinois crash that injured family of 4
A woman was released on electronic monitoring Wednesday after authorities said she drove drunk and caused a crash that injured a family of four in Lombard, Illinois.
Among the injured was a 10-year-old boy.
Jaquelin Onofre Reyes, 27, appeared in DuPage County First Appearance Court on Wednesday morning. The DuPage County State’s Attorney’s office had asked to have Reyes detained on a charge of felony aggravated driving under the influence causing great bodily harm, but Judge Joshua Dieden denied the motion.
Onofre Reyes was instead released on electronic monitoring — with conditions that she may not possess or consume any alcohol or drugs.
Lombard police were called at 12:12 p.m. Tuesday for the crash at Route 53 and the Illinois Prairie Path.
Authorities said Onofre Reyes was driving a Hummer sport-utility vehicle south on Route 53 when she veered into the northbound lanes in an attempt to pass traffic in front of her. When Onofre Reyes tried to get back into the southbound lanes, she hit another car, crossed back into oncoming northbound traffic, and hit an Infiniti sport-utility vehicle headed north, authorities said.
Inside the Infiniti were a family of four, with two children ages 7 and 10. Everyone in the family was taken to the hospital, authorities said.
The 10-year-old boy suffered serious injuries and has been taken to another hospital for surgery, authorities said.
Police found that Onofre Reyes had two open containers of alcoholic beverages in her car at the time of the crash, authorities said. Her blood alcohol level was .238 — nearly three times the legal limit, authorities said.
“This incident involved a reckless and irresponsible individual who allegedly chose to operate a motor vehicle while impaired with complete disregard for the safety of others,” Lombard police Chief Joe Grage said in a news release. “Unfortunately, this decision led to a crash that caused significant injuries to innocent people.”
Onofre Reyes is due back in court on Jan. 20 in front of DuPage County Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh.
Illinois
SCOTUS blocks deployment of National Guards to Illinois
-
Investigation reveals timeline in Melodee Buzzard’s death
01:14
-
At least two killed in Pa. nursing home explosion
01:26
-
Now Playing
SCOTUS blocks deployment of National Guards to Illinois
01:16
-
UP NEXT
DOJ releases Epstein files that mention Trump
01:36
-
Skater Tony Hawk makes ‘Nutcracker’ ballet debut
00:18
-
Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault
00:32
-
Mother of missing girl found dead taken into custody
00:10
-
Melodee Buzzard’s body has been found
00:32
-
Jim Beam to halt whiskey production for one year
00:21
-
Third batch of Epstein files mentions Trump
00:28
-
Chipotle to offer GLP-1 menu options for customers
00:26
-
How to protect yourself from the flu as cases surge
00:37
-
Maduro seen dancing with humanoid AI-robot
00:20
-
Jackie Chan carries the Olympic Torch through Pompeii
00:19
-
Rescuers search Mexican Navy plane after crash in Texas
00:31
-
Greta Thunberg arrested for supporting hunger strikers
00:36
-
Eruption at Yellowstone geyser caught on camera
00:18
-
Ohio kids lead police on a high speed stolen car chase
01:21
-
U.S. launches new deadly strike on alleged narco-boat
00:18
-
Trap captures wrong bear in California
00:17
-
Investigation reveals timeline in Melodee Buzzard’s death
01:14
-
At least two killed in Pa. nursing home explosion
01:26
-
Now Playing
SCOTUS blocks deployment of National Guards to Illinois
01:16
-
UP NEXT
DOJ releases Epstein files that mention Trump
01:36
-
Skater Tony Hawk makes ‘Nutcracker’ ballet debut
00:18
-
Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault
00:32
Illinois
Supreme Court rejects Trump’s bid to deploy National Guard in Illinois
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Tuesday rebuffed the Trump administration over its plan to deploy National Guard troops in Illinois over the strenuous objections of local officials.
The court in an unsigned order turned away an emergency request made by the administration, which said the troops are needed to protect federal agents involved in immigration enforcement in the Chicago area.
Although the decision is a preliminary one involving only Chicago, it will likely bolster similar challenges made to National Guard deployments in other cities, with the opinion setting significant new limits on the president’s ability to do so.
The decision marked a rare defeat for President Donald Trump at the Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, after the administration secured a series of high-profile wins this year.
In doing so, the court at least provisionally rejected the Trump administration’s view that the situation on the ground is so chaotic that it justifies invoking a federal law that allows the president to call National Guard troops into federal service in extreme situations.
Those circumstances can include when “there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion” or “the president is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States.”
The court ruled against the administration on a threshold question, finding that the law’s reference to the “regular forces” only allows for the National Guard to be called up if regular military forces are unable to restore order.
The court order said that Trump could only call up the military where they could “legally execute the laws” and that power is limited under another law called the Posse Comitatus Act.
“At this preliminary stage, the Government has failed to identify a source of authority that would allow the military to execute the laws in Illinois,” the court said.
As a result, the Trump administration has failed to show that the National Guard law “permits the President to federalize the Guard in the exercise of inherent authority to protect federal personnel and property in Illinois,” the court added.
The decision saw the court’s six conservative justices split, with three in the majority and three in dissent. The court’s three liberals were in the majority.
The dissenters were Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch.
“I have serious doubts about the correctness of the court’s views. And I strongly disagree with the manner in which the court has disposed of this application,” Alito wrote in a dissenting opinion.
“There is no basis for rejecting the President’s determination that he was unable to execute the federal immigration laws using the civilian law enforcement resources at his command,” he added.
Trump’s unusual move to deploy the National Guard, characteristic of his aggressive and unprecedented use of executive power, was based on his administration’s stated assessment that the Chicago area was descending into lawless chaos.
That view of protests against surging immigration enforcement actions in Chicago is rejected by local officials as well as judges who have ruled against the administration.
The deployment was challenged in court by the Democratic-led state of Illinois and the city of Chicago, with their lawyers saying Trump had an ulterior motive for the deployment: to punish his political opponents.
They argued in court papers that Trump’s invocation of the federal law was not justified and that his actions also violated the Constitution’s 10th Amendment, which places limits on federal power, as well as the Posse Comitatus Act, which generally bars the military from conducting law enforcement duties.
U.S. District Judge April Perry said she “found no credible evidence that there is a danger of rebellion” and issued a temporary restraining order in favor of the state.
The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals largely reached the same conclusion, saying “the facts do not justify the president’s actions.”
The court did narrow Perry’s order, saying that Trump could federalize the troops, but could not deploy them.
The Supreme Court has frequently ruled in Trump’s favor in recent months as the administration has rushed to the justices when policies are blocked by lower courts.
Trump’s efforts to impose federal control over cities led by Democrats who vociferously oppose his presidency are not just limited to Chicago. He has also sought to deploy the National Guard in the District of Columbia, Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon.
Most recently, hundreds of National Guard troops deployed in Illinois and Oregon were set to return to their home states.
The deployment in the District of Columbia, which is a federal enclave with less local control, has been challenged in court, but there has been no ruling yet.
A federal appeals court allowed the Los Angeles deployment, and a different panel of judges on Oct. 20 ruled similarly in relation to Portland.
-
Iowa1 week agoAddy Brown motivated to step up in Audi Crooks’ absence vs. UNI
-
Maine1 week agoElementary-aged student killed in school bus crash in southern Maine
-
Maryland1 week agoFrigid temperatures to start the week in Maryland
-
New Mexico1 week agoFamily clarifies why they believe missing New Mexico man is dead
-
Detroit, MI1 week ago‘Love being a pedo’: Metro Detroit doctor, attorney, therapist accused in web of child porn chats
-
Massachusetts1 week agoMIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro, a 47-year-old physicist and fusion scientist, shot and killed in his home in Brookline, Mass. | Fortune
-
Health1 week ago‘Aggressive’ new flu variant sweeps globe as doctors warn of severe symptoms
-
Maine1 week agoFamily in Maine host food pantry for deer | Hand Off