Chandler to consider revoking River Valley cultivation license at Nov. 28 hearing November 11, 2022 By Griffin Coop The director of the state Alcoholic Beverage Control division will consider revoking the cultivation license of River Valley Relief during a hearing on Nov. 28 after a circuit judge ruled last week that the state erred when it awarded a license to the Fort Smith cultivator. River Valley Relief, owned by Storm Nolan and his brother Kane Whitt, will go before ABC director Doralee Chandler in a hearing set for 1 p.m. Nov. 28. River Valley could appeal a decision by Chandler to the full ABC board, which is set to meet next at 9 a.m. Dec. 21. River Valley could then appeal a decision by the ABC board to circuit court, according to Scott Hardin, spokesman for the ABC and the state Medical Marijuana Commission. Circuit Judge Herb Wright ruled last week that the Medical Marijuana Commission erred when it issued a license to River Valley in 2020. Wright sided with the arguments of plaintiffs 2600 Holdings (doing business as Southern Roots) that River Valley’s application called for a site that was too close to a school and that the license was eventually awarded to a business entity that was different than the one on the application. Wright stopped short of revoking River Valley’s license but said the state should “take all steps necessary to remedy these violations.” The state sent a letter to Wright this week saying it was moving forward with revoking River Valley’s license. The commission’s regularly scheduled meeting Thursday included only a brief litigation update that gave a bare-bones update on the case. The commissioners said they would discuss the case more at their next meeting on December 1. Abtin Mehdizadegan, the attorney who represents 2600 Holdings, said he would provide a statement later this evening. Ownership changes The commission unanimously approved ownership changes Thursday at one cultivation facility and two dispensaries during a meeting that lasted 11 minutes. The owners of the cultivation facility known as Revolution Cannabis were approved Thursday to become the owners of Enlightened Cannabis for People of Morrilton. Revolution DMCC Acquisitions Corp. will own 100% of the Morrilton dispensary. Tamika Edwards will own 62.5% of the business through DSMS Ventures LLC and Dustin Shroyer will own the remaining 37.5% through Revolution Ventures AR LLC. The pair own Revolution Cannabis of Newport in the same proportions. The commission also unanimously approved a change of ownership at Good Day Farm Van Buren dispensary. James W. Smith had been the sole owner through JCODC Investments LLC. The new owner of that LLC will be GDF RussArk Dispensary Holding Company LLC, which will be composed of Brittany Priest, Terrance Anderson and Terry Barnes. Documents provided by the commission did not include the percentages of ownership for each new owner of the dispensary. Priest also owns .066% of Good Day Farm cultivation through Benson Mountain LLC. Four other people also own portions of the Good Day Farm cultivation through Benson Mountain LLC. Barnes owns 2.353% of Good Day Farm cultivation. Barnes’ husband, James, owns half of Green Light Little Rock dispensary. The commission approved a change of ownership at Carpenter Farms cultivation in Grady. Abraham Carpenter Jr. will reduce his ownership from 64% to 56% and the business will bring on Lindsay Brooke Wilkerson of Little Rock at 8%. Note: Our report yesterday on other changes to the ownership at Carpenter Farms yesterday were inaccurate. That report was based on information provided by the commission in error. In other business, Chandler announced that Arkansas Natural Products withdrew its request for a change of location. The dispensary located in Clinton had submitted a request to move to 101 Country Club Lane in Harrison.
