>> COMING UP NEXT ON "HEADLINE HUMBOLDT," DESPERATION -- >> CHANTS.

>> CANNABIS FARMERS AND MEMBERS OF THE BROADER COMMUNITY CROWDED IN FRONT OF THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY COURTHOUSE TO DEMAND THE STOP OF MEASURE S AND SAVE THEIR INDUSTRY.

OHM KRON CONTINUES SPREAD ACROSS THE REGION AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ATTEMPTS TO PROVIDE TESTS TO ANYONE WHO NEEDS THEM, COMING UP NEXT.

LIVE FROM THE TOP OF HUMBOLDT HILL, THIS IS "HEADLINE HUMBOLDT," I'M JAMES TALK, JOIN JOIN.

AFTER 18 MONTHS TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO PROTECT MYSELF, MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS AND MY CO-WORKERS, MY FAMILY SPENT THE BETTER PART OF THE LAST MONTH IN THE THROWS OF COVID-19, WHETHER IT WAS THE SLIGHTLY LESS SEVERE NATURE OF OHM KRON OR THE FACT WE HAD ALL BEEN VACCINATED OR BOTH, WE CAN REPORT THAT A WICKED TURN NEVER HAPPENED.

WE WERE SCARED MY WIFE AND I UNDERSTOOD HOW DANGEROUS THIS DISEASE COULD BE AND HOW ABSOLUTELY LUCKY WE WERE TO NOT BE DEATHLY ILL.

I'M HERE TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO THE DOCTORS, SCIENTISTS AND EXPERTS WHO HAVE WORKED NONSTOP THESE LAST TWO YEARS TO DEVELOP A VACCINE AND A KNOWLEDGE BASE THAT GIVES US ALL AN INFORMED SHOT AT BEATING THIS ILLNESS, WHETHER IT INFECTS US OR THE PEOPLE WE LOVE.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ERIC BLACK WHO ABLY SAT IN THE ANCHOR SEAT THESE LAST TWO WEEKS AND DELIVERED THE NEWS WITH GRAVITAS AND PROFESSIONALISM.

THROUGH THIS TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE AND ENDLESS CRISES, IT BECOMES CLEAR WE ARE ALL ON THE EDGE OF A MAJOR SOCIAL UPHEAVAL WHOSE ULTIMATE RESOLUTION IS IN THE OFFING.

WE CAN ABSORB THE NECESSARY LESSONS, LEARN TO WORK BETTER AND BECOME A BETTER WORTH OR ALL THESE CRISES WILL WEAKEN OUR FOUNDATIONS AND BROADEN THE ALREADY GAPING FAULT LINES.

I TRY TO COVER ISSUES FROM THE TEETERING DEMOCRATIC NORMS AND RAMPANT RACISM TO MISINFORMATION AND MISUNDERSTANDING.

WE HAVE CHOICES TO MAKE AND WHAT WE DECIDE TO DO WILL SAY WHO AND WHAT WE ARE AS PEOPLE AND A COMMUNITY.

ONE WAY WE SET PRIORITIES IS BY POLITICAL REPRESENTATION AND HOW THEY CHOOSE TO SUPPORT INDUSTRIES OF THE FUTURE.

SCORES OF PEOPLE GATHERED ON THE COURTHOUSE STEPS TO DEMAND THAT THE COUNCIL SUSPEND MEASURE S. THE WHOLESALE PRICE OF CANNABIS HAS PLUMMETED AFTER LEGALIZATION AND THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY TAX PAID EN IF NO CANNABIS IS PRODUCED OR SOLD AND DOES NOT FLUCTUATE WITH MARKET CONDITIONS.

THE ORGANIZERS SAY IT IS JEOPARDIZING THEIR INDUSTRY AND THEY DEMAND IMMEDIATE ACTION.

>> MEASURE S IS A MARIJUANA CULTIVATION TAX.

FOR THE RECORD, CANNABIS BUSINESSES DO PAY TAXES.

THEY PAY TAXES ON THEIR TAXES BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROHIBITS CANNABIS BUSINESSES FROM WRITING OFF EVERY DAY EXPENSES ALL OTHER COMPANIES CAN USED.

THEIR LANDS WERE REASSESSED AND INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES ARE PAID DIRECTLY TO THE COUNTY.

NOW WE ARE ASKING OUR COMMUNITY TO GIVE US A LIFELINE, BY SUSPENDING MEASURE S TO CONTINUE OUR EFFORTS TO BE UPSTANDING AND CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY.

>> JOINING US NOW VIA ZOOM IS THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY GROWER'S ALLIANCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NATALYNN DELAPP AND DYLAN MATTOLE.

CAN YOU HEAR ME?

>> I CAN HEAR YOU.

>> I CAN HEAR YOU >> THAT IS A PARTIAL VICTORY.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR AGREEING TO MEET WITH US HERE TONIGHT ON ZOOM.

LET'S START WITH THE BASICS ABOUT MEASURE S. WHAT IS IT EXACTLY AND HOW DOES IT' IMPACT CANNABIS CULTIVATORS?

>> HOW ABOUT I START WITH THAT AND I WILL TALK ABOUT WHAT IT IS AND DYLAN CAN TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT.

MEASURE S WAS ENACTED BY VOTERS IN NOVEMBER OF 2016.

IT IS A $1, $2, $3 A SQUARE FOOT CULTIVATION TAX PAID BY FARMERS BASED ON THE TYPE OF CULTIVATION THEY HAVE.

IT IS ALSO A FLAT-RATE TAX SO FARMERS HAVE TO PAY IT REGARDLESS AS TO WHAT HAPPENS WITH THEIR CROP THROUGHOUT THAT YEAR.

SO MAYBE I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DYLAN I >> SURE, DYLAN, WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS FROM MEASURE S ON FARMERS LIKE YOURSELF?

>> WELL, AS A CULTIVATOR, IT IS AS NATALYNN MENTIONED, THIS IS AN ENTITLEMENT TAX, THIS IS NOT A TAX BASED ON OUR ACTUAL PRODUCTION OR OUR SALES OR ANY SUCH MEASUREMENT.

IT IS A TAX WHICH WE PAY FOR THE RIGHT TO CULTIVATE.

SO IT HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON US AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH SEASON PRIOR TO OUR BEGINNING CULTIVATION.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT HITS THE BOTTOM LINE RIGHT OUT OF THE GATES AND IT IS VERY IMPACTFUL TO OUR BUSINESSES.

>> YEAH.

NOW ONE OF THE THINGS IT SEEMS THERE WAS AN ASSUMPTION MADE PEOPLE GROWING MARIJUANA OR GROWING CANNABIS WERE GOING BE SO FLUSH WITH CASH BECAUSE IT IS A MONEY MAKER THEY WOULD ALWAYS HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY THIS.

THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE, RIGHT?

THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE CANNABIS MARKET AND THINGS AREN'T AS ROSY AS THEY ONCE SEEMED, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

THE LAST 18 MONTHS, BUT REALLY IN THIS LAST YEAR THERE STARTED TO BE A DRAMATIC DROP IN THE OVERALL WHOLESALE PRICE FOR CANNABIS.

THAT IS MOSTLY ATTACHED TO STATEWIDE OVERPRODUCTION.

AND BASICALLY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA HAS AUTHORIZED MORE -- HAS LICENSED MORE CANNABIS CULTIVATION IN CALIFORNIA THAN THE CALIFORNIA MARKET CAN CONSUME.

AND SO SIMPLE SUPPLY AND DEMAND ECONOMICS MEANS THAT AS MORE CANNABIS ENTERS THE MARKET, THE PRICE GOES DOWN.

AND BUT GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO WHEN THIS TAX WAS WRITTEN, WHICH WAS STARTING TO BE IMAGINED IN EARLY 2015 AND VOTED ON IN 2016, THAT WAS BEFORE THE STATE'S LEGALIZATION INITIATIVES AND THAT WAS BEFORE THE STATE DEVELOPED A TAX STRATEGY AND BACK IN 2015, 2016, THE PRICE OF CANNABIS WAS ALSO PROPPED UP BY PROHIBITION.

>> SO NOW IS IT THE CASE YOU ARE BEING DOUBLE TAXED BOTH AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AND THE STATE LEVEL, DYLAN?

>> WE ARE BEING TAXED A LOT OF WAYS.

I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD CONSIDER IT JUST DOUBLE TAXED.

>> OKAY.

>> WE PAY FLAT-RATE TAXES TO HUMBOLDT COUNTY FOR THE RIGHT TO CULTIVATE AND THEN AS WE PRODUCE AND SELL, WE PAY A FLAT-RATE TAX PER POUND ON OUR PRODUCT AS IT IS SOLD.

AND THAT IS, OF COURSE, IN ADDITION TO ALL THE WHAT I WOULD CALL NORMAL TAXES THAT WE PAY, YOU KNOW, PAYROLL TAX, INCOME TAX, FEDERAL INCOME TAX, LAND TAX, LIKE ANY OTHER BUSINESS, WE DEAL WITH TAXES, WHICH ARE TO BE EXPECTED.

THE TAX AT HAND WE ARE BRINGING TO THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION IS A SPECIAL TAX, THIS ENTITLEMENT TAX, AS IT IS CALLED.

>> YEAH.

SO WHAT ARE YOU GUYS REQUESTING THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DO TO HELP RELIEVE THE INDUSTRY?

>> SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS OUR CULTIVATION TAXES ARE PAID IN TWO INSTALLMENTS, ONE IN MARCH AND ONE IN OCTOBER.

AND LAST YEAR IN THE FALL, THE COUNTY GAVE AUTHORIZATION TO FARMERS TO PAY THEIR TAXES LATE WITHOUT BEING PENALIZED.

SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS FARMERS ARE FACING A BALLOON PAYMENT OF TWO TAX BILLS, ONE IS DUE IN MARCH AND ONE IS DUE BY THE END OF MAY.

>> OKAY.

>> AND SO THAT BALLOON PAYMENT IS REALLY IMPACTING THE FARMERS.

AND SO THEY NEED TO HAVE THAT CASH UPFRONT TO BE ABLE TO START THEIR CULTIVATION CYCLE AND CULTIVATION SEASON.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR IS THE SUPERVISORS TO FORGIVE THE OCTOBER PAYMENT, WAIVE THE MARCH 15 PAYMENT AND SUSPEND THE TAX FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR WHICH WILL GIVE OUR COMMUNITY TIME TO COME TOGETHER AND GO THROUGH AN OPEN, TRANSPARENT AND ROBUST PUBLIC PROCESS TO DEVELOP A NEW TAX STRATEGY THAT WOULD GO BACK BEFORE THE VOTERS >> WHAT COMPLICATES THIS, IT WASN'T A SUPERVISE ORAL DECISION.

>> THE VOTERS GAVE THE SUPERVISORS THE ABILITY TO AMEND, REPEAL OR REDUCE THE TAX.

WHEN THE TAX WAS WRITTEN, IT WAS EARLY ON.

HUMBOLDT COUNTY WAS THE FIRST JURISDICTION IN THE STATE TO DEVELOP A TAX MEASURE.

IT DID GO THROUGH A PUBLIC PROCESS.

THIS DID NOT COME FROM A CITIZEN INITIATIVE.

IT WAS A SUPERVISOR TAX THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE VOTERS.

>> DYLAN, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS TAX AND IT WOULD BE RELIEF TO SUSPEND THIS IN THE FUTURE AND REDESIGN SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE MORE SYMPATHETIC TO THE PLIGHT OF GROWERS.

OVERALL WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THAT ARE MAKING THINGS SO DIFFICULT.

YOU MENTIONED THERE ARE SO MANY PERMITS FOR GROWERS IN THE STATE IS ONE ISSUE.

YOU CAN'T SELL OUT OF STATE WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY ANOTHER ISSUE.

THAT LIMITS THE MARKET YOU CAN REACH.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE STATE OR COUNTY COULD DO TO MAKE THINGS MORE FRIENDLY ECONOMICALLY FOR PEOPLE IN YOUR INDUSTRY?

>> WELL, THERE'S REALLY THREE MAJOR STATE POLICY ISSUES THAT ARE -- THAT WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH RIGHT NOW.

ONE OF THEM IS THE OVERSUPPLY.

THE OVERSUPPLY ISSUE COMES FROM A FACT, AS NATALYNN MENTIONED, THE STATE HAS NO LIMIT ON CULTIVATION AND THE AMOUNT OF ACREAGE THAT IS PERMITTED AND WHEN PROP 64 WAS PASSED BY THE VOTERS OF CALIFORNIA, THERE WAS A PROMISE OF SOME PROTECTIONS FOR THE EXISTING MEDICAL INDUSTRY, WHICH ALREADY HAD BEEN FUNCTIONING IN CALIFORNIA FOR, YOU KNOW, AS 215 FOR SOME TIME AND DECADES BEFORE THAT.

SO THERE WAS A ONE ACRE CAP THAT WAS INITIALLY EXPECTED TO BE IN THE REGULATION AND THAT WAS LIFTED.

SO THAT OPENED UP THE DOOR TO UNLIMITED PRODUCTION.

ANOTHER BIG STATE POLICY ISSUE IS THAT IN ORDER TO GET PROP 64 ACROSS THE LINE, THERE WERE SOME DEALS MADE AND ONE OF THEM WAS TO ALLOW LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE AN OUTRIGHT BAN ON A PROHIBITION ON ANY FORM OF CANNABIS, INCLUDING RETAIL.

SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE A SITUATION IN CALIFORNIA WHERE, BY SOME ESTIMATES, OVER 60, ALMOST 70% OF THE STATE DOES NOT ALLOW ANY RETAIL.

SO THAT LIMITS THE -- LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO GET OUR PRODUCT OUT TO THE LARGE CALIFORNIA MARKET.

>> YEAH.

>> AND THEN THIRD WE HAVE THESE FLAT RATE TAXES, WHICH DON'T FLUCTUATE WITH THE MARKET.

I THINK THERE WAS AN ASSUMPTION AT THE TIME OF BOTH OUR MEASURE S AND PROP 64, POUNDS OF MARIJUANA WERE SELLING FOR AROUND $1,500.

SO, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS THIS $150 APPROXIMATE 10% TAX THAT WAS IMPOSED AT SALE, BUT, OF COURSE, NOW WE ARE DEALING WITH WHOLESALE PRICES WHICH ARE $300 TO $500, YET THE TAX ACTUALLY HAS INCREASED DUE TO MOVING WITH INFLATION.

SO WE ARE NOW AT $161 PER POUND THAT IS SOLD.

SO THESE ARE SERIOUS CHALLENGES.

>> DO YOU FEEL THAT THE STATE AND THE COUNTY GOVERNMENTS ARE, YOU KNOW, LISTENING TO THESE LARGER ISSUES OR ARE THEY MOSTLY NUMB TO THE WHOLE THING?

>> WELL, I THINK THE STATE IS LISTENING.

I THINK IT IS HARD TO IGNORE AT THIS POINT.

OUR GOVERNOR HAS PUT INTO HIS BUDGET THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE TAX REFORM IN CANNABIS, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVEN'T SPELLED OUT WHAT THAT WOULD BE.

BUT AS FAR AS PROP 64, MOST OF THE CHANGES TO THAT LAW WOULD NEED TO GO BACK TO THE GENERAL VOTING PUBLIC OF CALIFORNIA.

HERE LOCALLY WITH MEASURE S, WE DO HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THE VOTERS OF HUMBOLDT COUNTY GAVE OUR SUPERVISORS THE ABILITY TO AMEND, REPEAL OR SUSPEND THE TAX AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT INCREASE THE EFFECT OF THE TAX.

>> YEAH.

>> SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.

>> YEAH.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TO DESIGN A MORE EQUITABLE TAX, YOU KNOW, FROM THE OUTSET, FROM THE STARTING GATE, WHAT DIRECTION DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD TAKE THE TAX IN?

IS THERE A STARTING POINT IN YOUR NEGOTIATIONS THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO GO?

>> I MEAN, I THINK THAT IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC PROCESS, REALLY, WHAT WE NEED IS TO BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

WHETHER THAT IS A GROSS RECEIPTS KIND OF TAX THAT IS BASED ON PRODUCTION OR WHETHER IT REMAINS IN A SQUARE FOOTAGE, I DON'T KNOW.

WE NEED ANALYSIS.

WE NEED REPORTS.

WE NEED RESEARCH AND THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER TO WEIGH THESE IDEAS AND MAKE DECISIONS.

SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE, BUT WITH THE PROPER PEOPLE AT THE TABLE, I THINK WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT IS GOING WORK FOR BOTH THE FARMING COMMUNITY AS WELL AS THE TAXPAYERS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

>> DOUBLING BACK TO AN ANSWER A MOMENT AGO, YOU MENTIONED THERE IS A GLUT IN THE MARKET AND THERE WAS THE ACRE CAP AND THAT GOT DONE AWAY WITH.

THERE'S ALSO A LARGE NUMBER OF PERMITS.

WHERE IS THE GLUT COMING FROM?

IS IT COMING FROM BEING A LARGE SCALE OPERATIONS OR A LOT OF SMALLER GROWS AND THERE'S JUST TOO MANY?

>> I THINK THAT'S A NUANCED QUESTION, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE FACT THAT A LARGE PART OF CALIFORNIA MARKET HAS NOT BEEN OPENED UP YET.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE GLUT OF PRODUCT, WE CERTAINLY DO HAVE AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF CULTIVATION IN THE STATE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE ARE ALSO ONLY DEALING WITH 30% OF OUR STATE WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO SELL.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED THE MARKET TO OPEN UP HERE IN CALIFORNIA SO WE CAN REALLY SEE WHERE THE MARKET IS.

HUMBOLDT COUNTY HAS ABOUT 1,000 LICENSED CULTIVATORS, INDEPENDENT FARMS, BUSINESSES, AND WE HAVE THE LARGEST NUMBER OF CULTIVATORS IN THE STATE, BUT THERE IS A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF PRODUCTION IN THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL PART OF OUR STATE >> YEAH.

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU MENTIONED AT THE DEMONSTRATION WAS THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY THE TAXES BUT DON'T HAVE SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES THAT ARE AFFORDED TO OTHER UPSTANDING BUSINESSES, BEING ABLE TO ITEMIZE AND DEDUCT THINGS.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW THAT ALSO DISADVANTAGES CANNABIS GROWERS?

>> YES.

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE VERY LIMITED ACCESS TO BANKING.

WE ACTUALLY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TRADITIONAL BANKING.

WE ARE FORTUNATE WE HAVE LOCAL CREDIT UNIONS THAT HAVE OPENED UP SOME BANKING OPTIONS FOR CASH FLOW.

WHEN IT COMES TO ANY SORT OF FINANCING, BANK LOANS, CREDIT LINES, AS YOU WOULD FIND WITH A LOT OF BUSINESSES IN AGRICULTURE SPECIFICALLY WHERE YOU RUN A CREDIT LINE THROUGH THE PRODUCTION SEASON AND PAY IT BACK DURING SALES PERIODS.

WE HAVE NO ABILITY TO ACCESS ANY OF THAT FINANCING.

WHEN IT COMES TO OUR TAXES, WE ALL PAY FEDERAL INCOME TAXES AND CALIFORNIA STATE INCOME TAXES ON THE FEDERAL SIDE, WE FILE UNDER SPECIAL RULES, WHICH ARE CALLED 280-E, WHICH DO NOT ALLOW US TO TAKE NORMAL ITEMIZED DEDUCTIONS FROM OUR EXPENSES.

SO AS IT IS OFTEN SAID, WE ACTUALLY PAY TAXES ON OUR TAXES BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE DON'T GET OUR NORMAL WRITE OFFS.

>> JUST TO BE -- MAKE SURE IT IS CLEAR FOR THE VIEWERS.

THE REASON YOU CAN'T ACCESS BANKING AND REGULAR BUSINESS FINANCING BECAUSE IT IS STILL ILLEGAL FEDERALLY, RIGHT?

>> CORRECT.

>> SO, I MEAN, THIS IS SORT OF A KIND OF A BEYOND THE CAN QUESTION, BUT WOULD NATIONAL LEGALIZATION MAKE YOUR LIVES A LOT SIMPLER OR WOULD THAT FURTHER COMPLICATE, YOU KNOW, THINGS FROM YOUR END?

>> I THINK THE DEVIL'S ALWAYS IN THE DETAILS.

>> OF COURSE.

>> OF WHAT DOES THE LEGISLATION SAY.

DOES THE LEGISLATION CREATE A NEW COMPLICATED TAX STRUCTURE.

CALIFORNIA'S BEEN A FRONT-RUNNER IN DEVELOPING CANNABIS POLICY.

SOME OF IT IS VERY COMPLICATED AND NOT ALWAYS GREAT, BUT THERE ARE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE THAT HAVE DEVELOPED.

SPECIFICALLY WE HAVE COUNTY OF ORIGIN PROTECTIONS.

HUMBOLDT COUNTY, THE NAME AND OUR COUNTY AND THE PRODUCT GROWN IN THIS REGION IS PROTECTED.

IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES NOT INTEGRATE THAT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND NAME PROTECTION, WE'RE GOING BE SWIMMING UPSTREAM IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

SO WE NEED WHATEVER IS HAPPENING ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WHICH THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWO DIFFERENT BILLS THAT ARE COMPETING THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED.

ONE HAS MORE TAXES.

ONE HAS LESS TAXES.

SO WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT LEGISLATION OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO OR THREE AND WHERE IT GOES, YOU KNOW, OPENING UP INTERSTATE COMMERCE WOULD BE CERTAINLY HELPFUL.

BEING ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO BANKING WOULD BE GREAT.

>> WHAT KIND OF EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO OPEN UP THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA?

IS THERE ANY KIND OF EFFORT TO GO TO RESISTANT COUNTIES AND TRY TO GET THEIR SUPERVISORS TO OPEN UP OR HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?

>> I MEAN, I OFTEN TALK TO SOME OF OUR LOCAL ELECTED PEOPLE AND ASK, WHEN YOU TALK TO OTHER ELECTEDS FROM OTHER REGIONS, THAT IS A GREAT PLACE TO START.

CITY OF EUREKA HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK AND HAS EMBRACED CANNABIS AS HAD ARCATA AND HUMBOLDT COUNTY.

I ASK OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO TALK TO OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS ABOUT WHAT BENEFITS COULD BE BROUGHT TO THEIR COMMUNITIES IF THEY OPENED THIS UP.

>> WHAT IS THE WORST THING FOR YOU, DYLAN, IF THE MEASURE S TAX IS NOT SUSPENDED IN THE SHORT TERM?

>> I THINK THE MOST IMMEDIATE FALLOUT IS WE ARE GOING SEE LOTS OF, A LARGE NUMBER OF OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.

AS I SAID BEFORE, WE HAVE RIGHT AROUND 1,000 INDEPENDENT FARMS RIGHT NOW.

I TALK DAILY TO FRIENDS, ASSOCIATES.

THESE ARE FAMILIES.

THESE ARE YOUR NEIGHBORS WHO ARE LOOKING AT MEASURE S PAYMENTS AS THAT FINAL CUT THAT IS GOING PUT THEM OUT THIS YEAR AND THEY ARE NOT GOING CONTINUE TO STAY IN BUSINESS.

SO I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS A LARGE NUMBER.

IT IS FULL SPECULATION AS FAR AS HOW MANY OF THESE FARMS WOULD GO OUT OF BUSINESS, BUT I THINK THAT WHEN THESE FARMS DO GO OUT OF BUSINESS, IT IS NOT THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY THAT FARM IS SUPPORTING.

MOST OF US EMPLOYEE PEOPLE.

WE PAY ON AVERAGE A FAR BETTER THAN LIVING WAGE.

SO THERE WILL BE A RIPPLE EFFECT.

THE EMPLOYEE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTS, WE EMPLOYEE CONTRACTORS.

WE BUY PRODUCTS IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

WE ALL SHOP LOCALLY FOR THE MOST PART.

WE SUPPORT MANY LOCAL BUSINESSES AND SO I THINK THERE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE A RIPPLE EFFECT THROUGH OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.

IT IS NOT JUST OUR BUSINESSES GOING OUT OF BUSINESS, IT IS THE EFFECT IT WILL HAVE ON THE GREATER COMMUNITY.

>> AND A LOT OF THESE ARE FAMILY FARMS, RIGHT?

THEY HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR SOMETIMES GENERATIONS.

IT IS NOT A FLY BY NIGHT OPERATION.

THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES, SOME OF THEM.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE STARTED WITH A LOT MORE FARMS IN THIS PROCESS AND WE ARE DOWN TO ABOUT 1,000.

WE HAVE ALREADY HAD A HIGH LEVEL OF ATTRITION OF PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE AND STARTED THE PROCESS AND WERE FOR MANY REASONS WERE UNABLE TO GET THERE.

WE ARE DEALING WITH 1,000 OF US THAT MADE IT, THAT HAD THE ABILITY TO GET THIS FAR, I WOULD HATE TO SEE ANY MORE LOSS OF LOCAL BUSINESS.

>> NATALYNN, WE HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT, ROUGHLY.

I WANT TO FIND OUT IF PEOPLE ARE IN SUPPORT OF THIS ENDEAVOR.

YOU MENTIONED THERE IS A HEARING IN FEBRUARY BEFORE THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

CAN YOU GIVE US A DATE AND WHAT PEOPLE MIGHT DO TO SUPPORT YOU?

>> AWESOME.

ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 1st, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IS HEARING AN AGENDA ITEM TO DISCUSS MEASURE S. TUNE IN.

I APPRECIATE THEY HAVE THE ZOOM CALL STILL SO PEOPLE CAN TURN ON.

OUR WEBSITE IS SUSPENDMEASURES.COM.

>> EXCELLENT.

AS THIS GOES FORWARD I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU BACK TO UPDATE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK AFTER THIS SHORT BREAK.

>> I'M GOING WATCH THE HECK OUT OF THAT SHOW.

ANYWAY, AS OHM OM KRON CONTINUES TO SPREAD, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TOOK STEPS TO MAKE SURE MORE STEPS ARE AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO NEED THEM.

KEY CONTRIBUTOR RYAN HUDSON HAS MORE.

>> AS THE COVID-19OMICRON SURGE CONTINUES TO HUMBOLDT COUNTY, CASES ON THE SEVEN-DAY AVERAGE MAY CONTINUE TO RISE BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT REACHED THE PEAK OF THIS SURGE YET.

HE EXPLAINED AT THIS WEEK'S PRESS CONFERENCE.

>> OMICRON IS FAST MOVING, IT IS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS AND IT IS HERE BASED ON THE NUMBERS, WIDESPREAD.

THE BIG TAKE HOME IS IF YOU ARE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING SUPPLIES, KNOW YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

THIS IS HAPPENING EVERYWHERE.

BUT IF WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE, WE SHOULD REALLY BE PRIORITIZING THOSE WHO ARE SICK TO FIND OUT IF THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, COVID OR SOME OTHER COLDS THAT ARE CERTAINLY CIRCULATING IN OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT JUST OPENED UP A WEBSITE TO ALLOW FOR EACH HOUSEHOLD TO ORDER FOUR TESTS, THAT WOULD OCCUR TO EVERYONE TO UTILIZE IMMEDIATELY.

THAT IS COVIDTEST.GOV.

MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY CAN ACCESS TESTING AT SCHOOL SITES THROUGH KIDS WHO ARE AT SCHOOL, IF THEIR SCHOOLS ARE DOING TESTING.

SOME HAVE BEEN GIVEN AT-HOME TESTS.

SO THOSE CAN BE UTILIZED FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO ACCORDING TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, PEOPLE WHO TEST POSITIVE WITH SYMPTOMS REGARDLESS OF VACCINATION STATUS SHOULD ISOLATE FIVE FULL DAY, COUNTDOWN BEGINS FIRST DAY AFTER SYMPTOMS OR THE FIRST DAY AFTER A PERSON TESTS POSITIVE.

PUBLIC HEALTH ADVICE TO LOCAL BUSINESSES -- >> WE ARE NOW REALLY SORT OF MOVING TOWARDS ANYONE WHO HAD POTENTIAL EXPOSURE, ANYONE IN THAT GROUP IN THE SAME SPACE OF THAT PERSON COULD GET TESTED AGAIN IF THEY HAVE THAT EXPOSURE WOULD BE THE BEST WAY TO SLOW THIS THING DOWN AND UTILIZE THOSE PLENTIFUL RESOURCES.

IF THEY ARE LIMITED, YOU WOULD WANT TO UTILIZE THOSE FOR YOUR WORKERS WHO WERE SYMPTOMMATIC SO YOU COULD IDENTIFY A POSITIVE, EXCLUDE THEM AND POTENTIALLY BRING THEM BACK EARLIER IF THEY WERE ON A FIVE-DAY ISOLATION AND THE ABILITY TO GET OUT EARLY FROM THAT OR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HAVE HAD A HIGH EXPOSURE, YOU CAN GET THEM OUT OF QUARANTINE EARLIER THAN DAY FIVE WITH THAT TEST.

DIFFERENT SCENARIOS DEPENDS ON THE LIMITED AVAILABILITY AND HOW MANY TESTS ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THAT BUSINESS.

>> REPORTING FOR "HEADLINE HUMBOLDT," THIS IS RYAN HUDSON.

>> STATE SENATOR MIKE c McGUIRE WAS NAMED TO THE POSITION BY THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM.

THEY WILL WORK TOGETHER IN THE COMING MONTHS TO LEAD THE CALIFORNIA SENATE.

McGUIRE'S PRIORITIES WILL INCLUDE ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE, WILDFIRE RESILIENCE AND HOMELESSNESS.

HE HAS SERVED AS ASSISTANT MAJORITY LEADER.

WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH TOGETHER, MULTIPLE WILDFIRES, FLOODS, DROUGHT AND THIS PANDEMIC.

WE NEVER GAVE IN AND NEVER GAVE IN.

WE WILL NEVER QUIT FIGHTING FOR THE FUTURE OF THE NORTH COAST AND THE GOLDEN STATE.

THAT IS ALL OUR TIME.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

THANKS FOR CARING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

STAY TUNED, STAY INFORMED.