[ladyknight]

ASA California Alert: October 16, 2009

California Round Up
Tuesday, October 20th -- San Francisco ASA Mini-Training for Activists
Saturday, November 7th -- Sebastopol Harvest Dance to benefit ASA
Take Action
Turn up the Pressure on the L.A. County D.A. and City Attorney!
Chapter and Affiliate Meetings
Saturday, October 17th -- Los Angeles: ASA Meeting
Wednesday, October 21st -- Landers: High Desert MAPP meeting
Tuesday, October 27th -- San Francisco: ASA Meeting
Thursday, October 29th -- Silicon Valley: ASA Meeting
City and County Hearings
Tuesday, October 20th -- Lake County to Discuss Moratorium
Court Support
Monday, October 19th -- Court Support Needed for Thomas Kikuchi
Monday, November 16th -- Sentencing Hearing for John Seidenberg
California Round Up

Tuesday, October 20th -- San Francisco ASA Hosts Mini-Training for Activists

6pm - 9pm, Tuesday October 20th, 2009
Bowzer’s Pizza, 371 11th Street, between Folsom & Harrison, SF

Come learn the basic skills it takes to help make an effective chapter, host meetings, respond to raids, deal with problem scenarios, and more. If you want to be more involved in medical cannabis in your community, this is your chance to learn how. All of the presenters are bay area organizers, activists, or key spokespeople.
Free event with dinner provided. Donations gratefully accepted.

For other questions please contact sarah@safeaccessnow.org, dcgoldman@yahoo.com, or call 510-251-1856
Saturday, November 7th -- Sebastopol Harvest Dance to benefit ASA

The 11th Annual Harvest Dance and Celebration presented by Peace in Medicine is scheduled for November 7th at the Sebastopol Community Center and Youth Annex. Last year, the Celebration was well-attended by over 2400 people over the course of the day!
For more information: http://www.harvestdance.com

To purchase tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/85838
The 11th Annual Harvest Dance and Celebration will offer a friendly kids space, film festival, and expanded vendor expo. It will culminate with the Harvest Dance from 6:00 p.m. to Midnight featuring headlining local entertainment: Animal Liberation Orchestra, Human Revolution, L'Fiasco, Seraphin, and special guest Gabby LaLa.

Our goal is to facilitate an opportunity for the local and regional medical cannabis community to unite in a joint effort of celebration, education and accomplishment, while raising needed funds for 501(c)3 organizations. The beneficiaries of this years event are Americans for Safe Access and Sebastopol Community Center.

The Harvest Dance and Celebration is starting early in the day with a series of FREE workshops: including cultivation, know your rights training, California Legalities, how solar can support renewable energy for cultivation, edibles, history of cannabis, an author's corner, Art Show, "Ask Ed" live and on stage with Ed Rosenthal and much more.
Children's activities and games will be available outdoors. Live music and DJ's will lead us into the evening. Dance tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door
Take Action

Turn up the pressure on the L.A. County D.A. and City Attorney!

On Thursday, October 9th, Los Angeles County District Attorney Steven Cooley told reporters that "about 100%" of the medical cannabis dispensing collectives in Los Angeles County are illegal. D.A. Cooley said he intends to close every one of them.

The D.A. made these outrageous comments after a training luncheon hosted by the California Narcotics Officers Association (CNOA). The CNOA luncheon focused on training police officers and prosecutors to "eradicate" medical cannabis facilities.

Help us send a message to L.A. County D.A. Cooley and L.A. City Attorney Carmen Trutanich. Tell them that medical cannabis collectives are legal under California law. Patients depend on them for safe access to medicine!

Please sign our national petition:

http://www.americansforsafeaccess.org/losangeles
Chapter and Affiliate Meetings

Saturday, October 17th -- Los Angeles: ASA Meeting

1:00 p.m. @ Patient ID Center, 470 S. San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles (at Drexel, between Wilshire & 3rd St.)
For more info, contact: Don@AmericansforSafeAccess.org
Wednesday, October 21st -- Landers: High Desert MAPP meeting

6:30 p.m. @ Castle Inn, 1388 N. Golden Slipper Lane, Landers
For more info, contact: lannyswerdlow@earthlink.net


Tuesday, October 27th -- San Francisco: ASA Meeting

7:30 p.m. @ Bowzer's Pizza, 371 11th St in San Francisco
For more info, contact: dcgoldman@yahoo.com


Thursday, October 29th -- Silicon Valley: ASA Meeting

6:00 p.m. @ 1051 Morse Street in San Jose
For more info, contact: 805-217-6116
City and County Hearings

Tuesday, October 20th -- Lake County to Discuss Moratorium

The Lake County Planning Division will be presenting in front of their Board of Supervisors regarding "steps taken to alleviate conditions necessitating a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries." Come speak up for patients' needs!
The agenda item is expected to come up after 11:00 AM. This presentation will be taking place on October 20th, at the Lake County Courthouse, 255 North Forbes Street, in the city of Lakeport.
Item 11-A on the agenda:
http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/BOS/Agendas/2009+Agendas/October+20$!2c+2009.pdf
Court Support

Monday, October 19th -- Court Support Needed for Thomas Kikuchi

What: Motion To Dismiss for Thomas Kikuchi
When: Monday, October 19, 2009
Time: 8:30 AM
Where: Van Nuys Courthouse West, 14400 Erwin St. Mall, Room 902 Dept. E. 9th Floor, Van Nuys, CA 91401
Veteran cultivator and activist Thomas Kikuchi will begin his state case on Monday, October 19, 2009 in Van Nuys, California. This Monday, Allison Margolin will argue a motion to dismiss in Tom's case. This is an important step in the process. If you can come out and support Tom, it would be much appreciated. This is a classic medical marijuana case, but Tom must still prove to the court's satisfaction that his grow was for medical purposes, a complex task in the current legal environment. Please come out and support Tom as his case begins.

Monday, November 16th -- Sentencing Hearing for John Seidenberg

What: Sentencing Hearing for John Seidenberg
When: November 16th, 2009
Time: 2:30 PM
Where: Los Angeles Federal Courthouse, 312 N. Spring Street, Courtroom 3, 2nd floor, Los Angeles.

John Seidenberg was originally arrested on state charges for cultivating two gardens for the Hortifarm collective, each garden having over 100 marijuana plants. The arrest followed a raid in December of 2007 in Lompoc and a second raid in February of 2008 in Santa Ynez by the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department. A Santa Barbara Sheriff's Deputy turned Seidenberg over to federal prosecutors. He was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on August 26, 2008. Seidenberg asserts that he was operating well within the Attorney General's guidelines and was legally within the bounds of California state law.

Seidenberg took a plea deal that could result in a sentence ranging from time served to 3-5 years in federal prison, of which he'd have to actually serve 85%. He has two small children, and showing our support may help the judge recognize that "time served" is the best sentence. His sentencing will be held before Judge Dean Pregerson on November 16, 2009, 2:30 PM, in the Los Angeles Federal Courthouse located at 312 N. Spring Street, Courtroom 3, 2nd floor.
Please Note: Your identification card will be required (Driver’s License or state ID). Federal buildings follow federal law and do not recognize medical cannabis patient status, regardless of state law. Please dress nicely and leave all medicine at home. Do NOT leave your medicine in your car, especially if you are parked on federal property, and please read signs before entering the metal detector to be sure you are not bringing in banned items.