Maryland's state nickname may be "Free State", but it won't feel liberating to patients who qualify for medical marijuana. The Maryland State Senate voted 42-4...

www.eastbayexpress.com/LegalizationNation/archives/2013/04/11/how-to-buy-maryland-medical-marijuana-first-wait-three-years

Colorado became the first U.S. state to regulate and tax sales of recreational marijuana yesterday, the Denver Post reports. Legislators levied a 15 percent excise...

www.eastbayexpress.com/LegalizationNation/archives/2013/05/10/congrats-colorado-on-your-new-legal-marijuana-rules

At Women's Rock Camp, playing music is an empowering, supportive, nonjudgmental affair.

www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/a-womans-world/Content?oid=3541429

World

People who can't afford to hire an attorney have virtually no chance in court against well-heeled lawyers for banks and debt collection companies.

www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/debtors-purgatory/Content?oid=3541407

A general news blog for Oakland, Berkeley, and the greater East Bay.

www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2013/05/03/funding-to-be-slashed-for-program-that-cut-air-pollution

Politics

Restaurant and food news in Oakland, Berkeley, and the East Bay by John Birdsall.

www.eastbayexpress.com/WhatTheFork/archives/2013/05/01/mid-week-menu-chez-panisse-aims-for-june-10-reopening-ikes-expands-to-walnut-creek-and-alameda-gets-a-lithuanian-restaurant

A San Jose dispensary operator has informed us that the federal government has begun a new round of actions against lawful medical cannabis dispensaries in...

www.eastbayexpress.com/LegalizationNation/archives/2013/04/30/breaking-news-san-jose-dispensary-landlords-threatened-with-40-years-prison-as-feds-marijuana-crackdown-continues

A bill that would shield state-legal marijuana activity faces long odds in Congress this year, even though polls show 60 percent of Americans think Uncle...

www.eastbayexpress.com/LegalizationNation/archives/2013/04/29/the-respect-state-marijuana-laws-act-needs-help

A general news blog for Oakland, Berkeley, and the greater East Bay.

www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2013/04/29/monday-must-reads-bay-bridge-bolt-scandal-widens-berkeley-to-consider-raising-minimum-wage

Politics

A new bill to regulate California's $1.3 billion medical marijuana industry cleared its first hurdle yesterday: the Assembly's public safety committee. Assemblymember Tom Ammiano's AB...

www.eastbayexpress.com/LegalizationNation/archives/2013/04/24/california-medical-pot-regulation-bill-passes-assembly-public-safety-committee

A general news blog for Oakland, Berkeley, and the greater East Bay.

www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2013/02/08/oakland-bomb-plot-raises-questions-of-entrapment

Politics

Restaurant and food news in Oakland, Berkeley, and the East Bay by John Birdsall.

www.eastbayexpress.com/WhatTheFork/archives/2013/04/16/oakland-veg-week-goes-gourmet

With his new band, Life Coach, Phil Manley injects a bit more rock into his kraut.

www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/manley-music/Content?oid=3524872

You don't need lots of money to raise your own food.

www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/homesteading-on-the-cheap/Content?oid=3524849

www.eastbayexpress.com/oa

Well, here's some superficially good news. The feds' precedent-setting fishing expedition into Mendocino County's legal medical marijuana growers' program has been significantly narrowed in scope....

www.eastbayexpress.com/LegalizationNation/archives/2013/04/10/feds-marijuana-fishing-expedition-called-off-in-mendocino-county

Pretty Lady serves up classic diner fare, fist bumps, and homemade kimchi.

www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/a-korean-american-diner/Content?oid=3518706

A general news blog for Oakland, Berkeley, and the greater East Bay.

www.eastbayexpress.com/SevenDays/archives/2013/04/09/tuesday-must-read-environmentalists-win-fracking-decision-climate-change-will-devastate-californias-wine-growing-regions

Politics

Cheeseboard Pizzeria and Mike's Bikes in Berkeley have stopped using pennies and are part of a growing group of activists who say the wasteful coin should be taken out of circulation.

www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/the-fight-against-the-penny/Content?oid=3509497

Newspapers around the globe are finally starting to charge for online content that is costly to produce. But did they wait too long?

www.eastbayexpress.com/oakland/will-the-san-francisco-chronicles-paywall-work/Content?oid=3509475