First African American Owned Cannabis Dispensary “Cheeba Spot” to Open in New Jersey

When “Cheeba Spot” opens in the summer of 2022, ( Essex County Area) it will be one of the 1st African-American owned cannabis dispensaries in the State of New Jersey; Cheeba Spot will be the first of its kind, providing a safe and appealing shopping experience in an urban pop culture environment that focuses on quality products, customer education, and quality service.

After New Jersey’s groundbreaking 2021 approval to allow legal recreational use and sales of marijuana, Cheeba Spot is eager to enter the space of retail recreational cannabis.

Cheeba Spot’s owner Mark Boulding is excited to bring the much-needed representation and inclusion of African Americans to the cannabis industry. “Growing up in New Jersey, I witnessed firsthand the negative effects the so-called “War on Drugs” had on my community and my peers,” he explained. “I have seen friends and family members sentenced to prison, for the same plant that companies are today making billions of dollars legally. I felt it was my obligation to become a part of the State of New Jerseys commitment to Social Equity entering the cannabis industry. Cheeba Spot is currently looking for a location for its physical space.

With an emphasis on customer education and service, Cheeba Spot will offer carefully curated products in three different categories: Edibles, commonly baked goods such as gummies, cookies or brownies that are infused with cannabis extracts; Flower, which refers to the smokable section of the cannabis plant, also known as nuggets, nugs, or bud; and Concentrates, a potent consolidation of cannabinoids that are made by dissolving marijuana in its plant form into a solvent. The dispensary will be staffed with team members who are paid above industry average and trained to help consumers determine the best product for their needs.

According to industry analytics firm Headset anticipates the U.S. cannabis industry will top $30.5 billion in sales in 2022, up from $23.6 billion in 2021. New Frontier Data, another industry data consultancy, estimates 1/3 of US cannabis sales will come from New York, New Jersey, and Virginia, three states that passed legislation in 2021 to make cannabis legal for recreational use.

Boulding explained how the Cheeba Spot team is committed to building a successful, consumer-friendly business that benefits the community on multiple levels including holding regular meetings that consist of people from the community, stake holders and policy makers. Cannabis has so many benefits,” said Boulding. “The cannabis industry is growing so fast; our communities need to be a part of the expansion and all the benefits from it.

Learn more about Cheeba Spot https://www.cheebaspot.com/

President Biden nominates Ventris C. Gordon for U.S. Mint director

Ventris C. Gibson, deputy U.S. Mint director and currently acting Mint director, was nominated Dec. 13, 2021, by President Biden to a full five-year term as the 40th director of the nation’s coin bureau.

If confirmed by the full Senate, Gibson, a U.S. Navy veteran, would be the first African American to lead the U.S. Mint, and the first woman since the 37th director, Henrietta Holsman Fore (August 2001 to August 2005). Gibson would be the seventh woman to hold the office.

Gibson joined the Mint from District of Columbia government, where she served as the director of human resources. In this role, Gibson provided executive oversight of human capital programs and services for nearly 37,000 employees.

Prior to that, Gibson served as an associate deputy assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Gibson’s career with the federal government includes significant leadership roles in the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"The Black Eagle' Joe Madison ends hunger strike

Sirius XM radio host Joe Madison , "The Black Eagle" announced the end of his hunger strike after 74 days of protest in order to bring awareness to voting rights legislation. Listen to the radio legend explain why he striked and why he decided to end the strike below:

Donna Edwards announces run for former congressional seat

Former Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.) on Thursday launched a campaign for her old House seat in Maryland's 4th Congressional District.

Edwards represented Maryland's 4th District for five terms before waging an unsuccessful bid for Senate in 2016, losing in the Democratic primary race to then-Rep. Chris Van Hollen.

She is now looking to replace Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.) as he vacates his seat to run for Maryland attorney general.

In a video announcing her candidacy, Edwards said she is running to give her district a stronger perch in Washington, emphasizing her experience serving in national politics.

Rep. Jim Clyburn statement on failure of Senate to pass voting rights legislation

Rep. Jim Clyburn released the following statement after the Senate voted against a one-time change to the chamber's filibuster rules late Wednesday night essentially killing voting rights legislation.

Although the Senate’s inaction is disappointing, this is not the end.

Those of us who are committed to our nation’s pursuit of a more perfect Union will continue to heed John Lewis’ admonition to "stand up, speak out and get in the way" to get voter protections signed into law.