NewsWatch: Rail, Marijuana, Social Media Policy

Feds Crack Down on California Marijuana Dispensaries
Letters notify landowners that their property could be seized and forfeited to the federal government or they could be criminally prosecuted. It gives them 45 days to stop the distribution or sale of medical marijuana at their properties. Medical marijuana is allowed under California law but is not recognized by federal law. San Diego Union-Tribune

Court Voids Long Beach Marijuana Dispensary Law
A state Court of Appeal has ruled that Long Beach's ordinance regulating dispensaries violates federal law. The city held a lottery, issued permits to the winners and charged fees, which the three-judge panel said put it in the position of authorizing the distribution of marijuana in direct conflict with the federal Controlled Substances Act, which makes the possession and sale of the drug illegal. Los Angeles Times

SFpark to Base Meter Rates on Demand
With the use of embedded roadway sensors, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is tracking parking space occupancy and using that information to set parking rates. When demand is high, the price will go up, when it is low, the price drops. San Francisco Chronicle

California High-Speed Rail Route to be Revised
The plan for building a 114-mile segment of the system between Fresno and Bakersfield was released in August, but encountered heavy criticism from citizens groups, local cities, major land owners and financial experts. The California High-Speed Rail Authority, responding to public feedback, said it would issue a new plan for that section next spring. Los Angeles Times

Can High Speed Rail Be Saved?
This is a tough time to be discussing investments in infrastructure, and the future of high-speed rail in particular. The president’s $10 billion program has become almost a caricature of an administration initiative that has had to be pulled back – right alongside doing something about climate change. Infrastructurist

County Clerk Joins Lawsuit over Ballots for Inactive Voters
Gessler, sent a letter warning Ortiz that if he mailed ballots to inactive voters who are eligible to vote, he would be named in the lawsuit by Gessler's office.  At the time, Ortiz said he would "reluctantly" comply with Gessler's order not to mail ballots to 64 inactive military voters but indicated that the dispute of whether inactive voters should receive mail ballots was not over. Denver Post

Austin's Government Uses 100 percent Renewable Energy
Earlier this month the city of Austin, Texas made a big green move. The municipal government transitioned all its buildings — from libraries to fire stations — to 100 percent renewable energy, making it the largest local government to be powered completely by renewables. Smart Planet

Car Sharing 2.0 Leaps Forward in Paris
In several cities around the world, a new form of car sharing is being developed that offers users both one-way trips and electric vehicle fleets. Together, these advances could increase the number of people choosing to abandon their private vehicles in favor of shared cars. TransportPolitic

Kingston, N.Y., Adopts Citywide Social Media Policy
“Social media is another tool you can use,” reads the policy, “just be sure you do it the right way.” Mid-Hudson News