California
California Set To Launch Amsterdam-Style Cannabis Cafes Starting Next Year
Californians will soon have the opportunity to enjoy their favorite snacks alongside their cannabis, thanks to a new bill that aims to introduce Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes in the Golden State.
A proposed bill that sought to legalize cannabis cafes in California, mirroring the successful model established in Amsterdam to expand and diversify the marijuana industry in the state, finally arrived on the desk of Gov. Gavin Newsom this week, who also has to sign a bill that would legalize certain psychedelics in the state.
Introduced by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) in February, the bill would allow marijuana dispensaries and cannabis lounges in California to offer food and beverages and host live music events, much like the cannabis coffee shops in Amsterdam.
This initiative seeks to support marijuana businesses in a fiercely competitive market by allowing them to diversify, akin to the renowned Amsterdam-style cannabis coffee shops that draw marijuana enthusiasts visiting the Dutch capital. In Dutch cannabis cafes, customers can purchase food and non-alcoholic beverages alongside their cannabis products.
Currently, in California, there are a few cannabis lounges primarily found in San Francisco and Oakland. However, they have limitations. These lounges can only offer cannabis products and can’t provide any other items like food. Nevertheless, some businesses have been finding ways to offer on-site consumption and food to their customers. They’ve been doing this in a gray area, collaborating with separate licensed restaurants.
Assembly Bill 374 proposes changes for dispensaries. Instead of just selling marijuana products and accessories, it would allow cities and counties to allow cannabis businesses to sell things like food and beverages and host live music. However, they cannot sell alcohol.
The bill was amended to clarify that hemp-based food items or drinks are not categorized as “non-cannabis” products that can be sold at the cafes. It also specifies that non-cannabis items must be kept and shown separately from all cannabis and cannabis products on the premises.
The legislation is currently awaiting approval from Gov. Newsom. It received strong bipartisan support, passing the California Senate with a vote of 33 to 3 last week and the Assembly with a vote of 66 to 9 on Monday, September 11.
After Gov. Newsom signs the bill, local governments can allow cannabis cafes or consumption lounges to offer soft drinks and freshly prepared food at their dispensaries. However, these establishments will still have restrictions on selling prepackaged food to retailers. Selling alcoholic beverages and smoking tobacco will remain prohibited.
If Gov. Newsom approves it, the law will become effective in January.
Haney’s proposal to introduce cannabis cafes in California seems to contrast with the current situation in Amsterdam, where the city council has recently taken action due to complaints from local residents regarding this type of tourism.
The “Cannabis Cafe” bill has been introduced at a time when public support for marijuana legalization is increasing, with a significant number of people acknowledging their use of the substance.
According to a Gallup survey released last month, 50% of Americans stated that they have experimented with marijuana at some point in their lives.
California
California firefighters confront alleged looters stealing Emmy Award during Eaton Fire: ‘You are not doing this’
A group of California firefighters stopped an alleged looter from robbing a burned-down house and jetting off with an Emmy Award that had miraculously survived the fiery carnage of the Eaton Fire.
Smoke eaters with the Los Angeles County Fire Department were working in a burned-down Altadena neighborhood on Thursday when they came across two suspicious people who were leaving one of the properties.
One of the firefighters confronted a woman – wearing a dark sweatshirt and skirt over sweatpants – carrying possessions from the home including the prestigious award.
“There’s no way what?” the suspected looter asked the firefighter as he walked away from a white pickup truck with the award, according to LAFD Watchdog video obtained by Fox LA reporter Matthew Seedorff.
“No way, you are not doing this,” the first responder argued.
“This was our house. We tried to save all these people. You are not stealing from them.”
The woman claimed she wasn’t stealing and was protecting her neighborhood.
The firefighter walked away but turned around when the woman and her friend attempted to get into the truck.
“You’re not going anywhere,” the firefighter ordered.
The Emmy was awarded in the news and documentaries category in 2002, Fox LA reported.
Along with the Emmy, the woman allegedly stole another award, the Sharp Award from 2016. Both awards had the name of the rightful owner on it, who was not publically named.
The firefighter called for an engine to be parked in front of the suspect’s white pickup until police arrived.
Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office arrested the looters.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman revealed nine more individuals charged with crimes related to the aftermath of the Eaton and Palisades fires.
The charges included felony arson, felony possession of ammunition by a felon, felony looting during mandatory evacuations, and misdemeanor impersonation of a firefighter.
Nine people were originally charged with crimes before Hochman’s update Friday.
Over 40 out-of-town vultures were arrested by the Santa Monica police for allegedly preying on the thousands of homes left abandoned there and in the neighboring Pacific Palisades.
The suspected criminals took advantage of residents fleeing the devastating fires and allegedly burglarized the homes.
“To anyone who believes they can use this disaster as a cover for criminal activity, let this be your warning: You will be caught, and you will be held accountable,” Hochman said. “The citizens of this county deserve safety and justice, especially in the wake of such unprecedented devastation, and I will not rest until we achieve both.”
The deadly fires killed 27 people and destroyed more than 11,000 structures after the raging infernos burned through over 40,000 acres since Jan. 7, 2025.
California
California prisoner firefighter program draws harsh criticism
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California
A giant battery power plant is on fire in California
A fire broke out at the Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility in Central California Thursday. The battery power plant is the largest in the world according to the company, Vistra, that owns it.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office issued evacuation orders for nearby residents and closed parts of Highway 1 in response. County Health officials have asked other residents to shelter indoors with windows and doors closed and to switch off ventilation systems.
The company will investigate the cause of the fire once it’s out, Vistra spokesperson Jenny Lyon told The Mercury News. Vistra did not immediately respond to an email from The Verge. It completed an expansion of the facility in 2023, adding more than 110,000 battery modules needed to store renewable energy. Energy storage facilities like this one are essential for power grids to be able to keep enough excess solar and wind energy so it’s available when the sun goes down and winds wane.
This isn’t the first battery fire in the area. A nearby Pacific Gas & Electric battery plant stocked with Tesla batteries caught fire back in 2022. The year prior, Vistra had to temporarily shut down its battery plant at Moss Landing after a malfunctioning smoke detector and heat-suppression system sprayed water on its batteries, Canary Media reported.
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