Morality on high

Cal Expo has inhaled—briefly. In a rare blend of state business and medical-marijuana interests, Sacramento cannabis dispensary Canna Care has been running an advertisement on Cal Expo’s digital billboard along Interstate 80.

However, Cal Expo is having second thoughts about selling ad space to the local pot club.

“Although we haven’t had any complaints,” said Brian May, Cal Expo assistant general manager, “we discussed it internally and decided it wasn’t appropriate.”

Specifically, Cal Expo documents show that agency officials approved a “morality clause” for marijuana advertising. As part of a discussion of electronic-sign agreements at a board meeting on May 27, the minutes show that Cal Expo director Marko Mlikotin “asked that a morality clause be included” for any future advertising requests or proposals. This new clause would restrict advertising of “marijuana for sale.”

The Cal Expo board, which is appointed by the governor, passed the motion unanimously.

Bryan Davies, co-owner of Canna Care, said he was not aware of Cal Expo’s plan to let his billboard advertisement expire. “I’m surprised,” he said. “The ad has been running for several months. I don’t understand it.”

Yet when it comes to future advertising, Cal Expo plans to pass on the grass. “We are not scheduled to renew it, and we have informed the contractor to discontinue selling similar ads in the future,” May told SN&R. (Hugh Biggar)

San Francisco’s newspaper battles are making up for Sacramento’s lack thereof. SN&R’s fellow alternative weeklies SF Weekly and the San Francisco Bay Guardian have been at odds for years. In 2008, a judge ruled in favor of SFBG in a predatory-pricing trial and stuck SF Weekly with a $22 million tab. Last month, a California Court of Appeals judge upheld this ruling.

SF Weekly, owned by publishing powerhouse Village Voice Media, was recently rumored to be in settlement negotiations with SFBG owner Bruce Brugmann. But now, according to Eli Sanders, associate editor at alternative weekly The Stranger in Seattle, SF Weekly may petition the California Supreme Court instead. VVM has yet to file an appeal, however, but the company has until late September to petition. (Nick Miller)

Remember 2008’s summer of love, those days before Proposition 8 when Sacramento’s gay and lesbian couples got hitched without a hitch? SN&R did a cover story that June, which featured photos of local same-sex married couples relaxing on a pink couch at locales such as at the Capitol Mall, the Tower Theatre, even Arco Arena.

But not at Raley Field: The West Sacramento ballpark passed on the photo shoot, citing a reluctance to be involved with political matters.

Well, evidently Raley Field officials have had a change of heart: This Friday, TheCall, a U.S. religious group known for its anti-gay rhetoric and conservative politics, will hold a free prayer event at the ballpark.

Of course, TheCall paid to rent the stadium. And, as one Raley Field official noted, there was a lesbian-couple proposal at a River Cats’ game just last week.

Still, can you feel the love? (N.M.)