Palisades Fire Victim Runs for California Insurance Commissioner
Merritt Farren lost his home in the Palisades fire and is now running for California Insurance Commissioner to reform the state's broken claims system.
JM
About Jesse
Jesse Marsh has covered Northern California for two decades, working the statehouse beat in Sacramento before relocating to Humboldt County in 2008. A graduate of UC Davis, he spent twelve years at the Times-Standard covering local government, land use, and the slow transformation of the cannabis economy from underground industry to regulated market. He has reported from Board of Supervisors chambers, illegal grow sites in the hills above Garberville, and the hallways of the DCC office in Sacramento. Jesse launched California Bud because he believed Humboldt deserved a publication that treated cannabis the way a farming community paper treats agriculture: as the economic backbone, not a curiosity. He lives in Arcata with his wife and two dogs.
Articles by Jesse
Pennsylvania Governor Pushes Hard for Cannabis Legalization
Gov. Josh Shapiro is pressuring Pennsylvania legislators to pass marijuana legalization, citing lost tax revenue to neighboring states with legal markets.
PA Governor Pushes Marijuana Legalization for $1.3B Revenue
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is pressuring lawmakers to legalize marijuana, projecting $1.3 billion in revenue over five years for education and public safety.
California Salmon Restoration Stalls After Funding Runs Out
California's partnership with the Winnemem Wintu Tribe to restore endangered Chinook salmon to the McCloud River is collapsing as state funding disappears.
Federal Judge: Border Patrol Raids in California Violated Court Order
A federal judge ruled Border Patrol agents in California's Central Valley continued unlawful stops after being ordered to halt, siding with United Farm Workers.
Yuba River Disaster: A Warning for Rivers Everywhere
A ruptured penstock at the New Colgate Powerhouse killed thousands of Chinook salmon. Experts warn it's a preview of failures at aging hydropower facilities.
Judge Rules Border Patrol Violated Order in California Sweeps
A federal judge found Border Patrol agents continued illegal stops in California's Central Valley, violating a court order barring detentions without cause.
Virginia Governor Can Save Hemp Market From 6-Month Gap
Governor Spanberger has until April 13 to act on SB 542, which would cap hemp THC at 2mg and shut down Virginia's hemp retail market until January 2027.
Elizabeth Holmes Gets a Year Shaved Off While Humboldt Growers Rot for Plants
A billionaire fraudster just got a year knocked off for good behavior. Meanwhile, people in this county have done longer stretches for growing a plant that's been legal here since 2016.
The Appellation Promise Means Nothing If Small Farms Don't Survive to Use It
California's cannabis appellation program was built for Humboldt growers. But the farms it was designed to protect are disappearing faster than the regulations can save them.
Board Considers Opening Restricted Watershed Areas to Cannabis Cultivation
Humboldt supervisors will vote next week on a proposal to open restricted watershed zones to permitted cannabis cultivation, a move that has split environmental groups and legacy growers.
Board Rejects Proposed Cannabis Processing Facility Near Fortuna
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors overturned a planning commission recommendation and rejected a proposed cannabis processing facility on Kenmar Road near Fortuna, citing neighbor opposition and zoning concerns.
County Launches Cannabis Equity Grant Program
Humboldt County announces a $500,000 state-funded equity grant program aimed at helping disadvantaged cannabis applicants navigate the licensing process.
Board Approves Emergency Spending for Shelter Road Repairs
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors approved $1.2 million in emergency general fund spending Tuesday to repair storm-damaged roads in the Shelter Cove area, but not before a debate over whether the money should go somewhere else entirely.
Dispensary Licensing Cap Sparks Heated Board Debate
The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors opened public comment on a proposed cap of 12 retail cannabis licenses in unincorporated areas, and the room got loud fast.
County Budget Workshop Reveals Cannabis Tax Shortfall
Humboldt County's midyear budget review shows cannabis cultivation tax revenue tracking $1.8 million below the $5.5 million projection, forcing the board to consider cuts or a rate restructure.
Board Names Estrada Chair in Unanimous Vote
Humboldt County Board of Supervisors elects Fifth District Supervisor Michelle Estrada as 2026 chair in a 5-0 vote, with cannabis enforcement reform topping the new agenda.