In Your Town for May 10, 2024
SAN RAFAEL
State details items
seized in pot probe
State cannabis authorities have released additional details about a crackdown this week at a downtown shop.
The California Department of Cannabis Control executed a search warrant Tuesday at the Hemp Bros store near the corner of Fourth Street and Lincoln Avenue. The department opened an investigation at the request of the city, which received complaints about unlicensed cannabis sales at the site.
On Wednesday, the agency reported that investigators confiscated an estimated $131,941 worth of cannabis products from the store. The haul included more than $48,900 worth of cannabis flowers, about $15,000 worth of vape cartridges and more than $68,000 worth of cannabis edibles, said David Hafner, a spokesperson for the department.
Authorities made no arrests and planned to refer the case to the Marin County District Attorney’s Office for potential charges.
EDUCATION
Marin residents pass
California bar exam
Seven people with Marin County addresses have passed the latest state bar exam, a mandatory milestone to practice law in California.
The state bar published the results on Sunday. The test was in February. The bar administers its exams in February and July.
The passers included Gregory Bentley of San Rafael; Jennifer Watson of the Belvedere-Tiburon area; Matthew Tasto of Corte Madera; and Jenna Gustafson, Abradat Kamalpour, Kathryn Phelan and Mikayla Ratto of Novato.
The State Bar of California reported that 1,337 applicants passed the February general bar exam, a success rate of 33.9%. Another 197 applicants passed the attorneys’ exam, a success rate of 52.7%. The attorneys’ exam is for lawyers already licensed in other jurisdictions or disciplined California lawyers applying for readmission.
INTERSTATE 580
Lanes to be closed
on Richmond bridge
Caltrans is planning lane closures on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge next week during work to upgrade electrical equipment.
The far-left eastbound lane will be closed from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, the agency said. The far-right eastbound lane will be closed from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
The project is expected to continue until December 2025.
NOVATO
School district picks
new administrators
The Novato Unified School District has appointed administrators at three schools.
The board named Eleanor Marsh as principal of Sinaloa Middle School. The starting annual salary is $166,791.
Marsh has nearly 20 years of experience as an administrator and a teacher, according to the district. She has a bachelor’s degree from Lewis & Clark College in Oregon and a master’s degree in multicultural and bilingual Education from La Universidad de Alcalá de Henares in Spain.
Karen Freemantle was named principal of Lu Sutton Elementary School. The starting annual salary is $141,775.
Freemantle has held the position of coordinator for curriculum and instruction at the district since 2022. She has worked as a teacher in San Rafael and Novato. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a master’s degree from Sonoma State University.
Alison McMorrow was named assistant principal at Hamilton TK-8 School. The starting annual salary is $116,820.
McMorrow has been a teacher in the district for 11 years. She has a bachelor’s degree from Dominican University of California in San Rafael and a master’s degree in education from San Francisco State University, the district said.