Veteran's Affairs Plus W/ David L. Washington

Kevin Krall 0:00
You're listening to special programming sponsored by making moves, life coaching services, the content of Veterans Affairs, plus does not reflect the views or opinions of Public Radio, K, U, N, V, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, or the Board of Regents of The Nevada System of Higher Education. You

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what's going on

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on Good Morning Las Vegas. This is veterans of airs plus on 91.5 jazz and Moore. I'm Dave Washington, your host as usual. I'd like to start out with a few announcements. The first one is that the Las Vegas Fire and Rescue explorers are recruiting. And I'm sorry I don't have the contact information, but I trust that if you Google it, it would pop up. But again, the Las Vegas Fire and Rescue explorers are recruiting, and we certainly need to get that multicultural so young folks think about joining the fire department's good career, on our next show, which will be the last show of the month, we're going to have our new sheriff. That is Kevin mcmahill. He replaces our former Sheriff, Joe Lombardo, who will be, who is our new governor, I should say, recently elected, also, we will have MS Carla Holmes. She's the chairwoman of the Carl Holmes executive development institute. She will kind of fill us in on what the institute is up to. And then from a condolences side I mentioned last week about the passing of Gloria burns. I said it was her son or grandson, I should say, but it's actually her sister's son, so that would make him her nephew. Him her nephew. So he passed away, most recently, and to the family of Henry McIlroy. He was a retired engineer with Las Vegas Fire and Rescue. I attended his service this past Saturday. While I didn't speak, I certainly want to share a couple of points that are should be of interest, and just give you some indication of the professionalism, and I guess you would say the character of Henry. He served 33 years with the department, and I will briefly talk about his professionalism, and I mentioned his character when I was president of the city black firefighters. We took on the city for discriminating against blacks. One thing Henry never did was he didn't stop talking to me, as some Caucasians did. He was always very professional, and it speaks to his character. On another occasion, when I established a training program for women. It was a preparatory training program to assist women in their preparation to take firefighter, the firefighter entry level exam. Many of the black and the white firefighters, they didn't appreciate what I was doing. In fact, they were saying that I was bringing on women to take their positions and their jobs. Well, Henry again, his professionalism and character. Henry never, ever stopped speaking to me for doing the things that I thought were important to make us a department that was welcoming to all people. So I just wanted to kind of mention that, because Henry was, he was a good guy. And the other interesting thing to me was it's ironic that we both did 33 years, because I retired after 33 years as well. Henry came on in 1967 I came on in 1974 so to his family, again, to the family of Henry McIlroy, great guy, great professional, and had strong character, and that's the kinds of things that the fire chiefs and other executive level fire personnel look for when they are hiring additional firefighters. So those young folks who are listening with respect to joining the Las Vegas fire explorer program, please consider character and professionalism. It's very, very important. Once again, this is Veterans Affairs, plus on 91.5 jazz and more. One other person I want to mention real quickly, because his services will be coming up this weekend. And that's trustee vinyl Dudley, trusty bio San Jose Fire Department retired. His services will be in San Jose this weekend. So any of you firefighters out there who remember him, if you can, if you're in the area, please stop by. And then the final person I want to mention is Lewis Hawkins. I mentioned him a few weeks ago, but Lewis passed his services will be on the 27th I believe it is, but it's going to be a pious it's on a Friday, if I get the date wrong. But those Valley View members out there who knew Lewis, he was a great guy, let's try to show some love to his wife for the work that they've done with Valley View. So with that, once again, this is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5 jazz and more. We will shortly have our first guest coming up.

Unknown Speaker 5:58
Once again, Las Vegas. This is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5 jazz and more. This is Dave Washington, your host, and I have my first guest today, and for the purpose of full disclosure, this is my brother in law. Sherm is a retired military person, and I'm going to ask him a few questions that he can fill in exactly what his rank was, and all that kind of good stuff. So Sharon, what branch did you serve and how many years did you serve?

Unknown Speaker 6:28
Yeah, I did the Navy, and I ended up doing 34 years.

Unknown Speaker 6:32
34 years

Unknown Speaker 6:37
sound like a long time, but not really.

Unknown Speaker 6:40
Please give us an example of some of the positions that you held.

Unknown Speaker 6:46
Oh, well, it was like in 34 years, I covered quite a bit. I started off enlisted as the electronics, aviation electronics technician, and then at some point, I decided to switch over, became an officer, and I was on a ship as a gunnery officer and electronics material officer. So that lasted for three or four years, and then I became a, what they call the engineering duty officer. After going through post grad school, getting my master's there, they decided engineering was the way to go. So I got the degree and computers switched over, and didn't have to necessarily be part of a ship after that, and then I just did job as program manager. That's my major job that I did when I retired. It was called, what program manager? Programs? You know, mine was basically communications, and all of the communications throughout the Navy, I was responsible for the the shore side of it and the shipboard side, making sure they could all communicate. Okay,

Unknown Speaker 7:59
so you held several different ranks, I assume. And did your college education have anything to do with the position that you held?

Unknown Speaker 8:10
Oh yes, most definitely. Actually, I started off enlisted, worked my way through e1 through e6 and once I got degree, that was the only way you can get your commission, of course, is if you have the degree. And so starting off there is oh one. And after I get made lieutenant, which is oh two, I went to PostGraduate School, which is allowed me to get my master's degree, I could become an engineering duty officer once I had my master's degree, and that was sort of at the beginning of my career as as an officer, all the way up through the ranks of Captain, which is oh six.

Unknown Speaker 8:53
Now, I didn't realize you as an enlisted person. Yes, I didn't know, you know, I thought you started out as an officer, so after you did your enlistment time, then you went to Officer scanning school or to college to to pursue the the officer type rank.

Unknown Speaker 9:15
Yeah, I went. The Navy actually paid for me to go to Purdue University, which is where I got my mechanical engineering degree. And then, of course, they also paid for my master's degree at the Naval post grad school and OCS office of candidate was just right after completing Purdue, that's where they send you there for like, I think, like, 12 weeks or so. And upon completing that, that's when they commissioned me.

Unknown Speaker 9:42
Wow, yeah, I don't know why I thought you was, because I guess most of the time that we were in contact as adults, you were an officer, so I missed the enlisted part. Now, where are you actually from? Sherman.

Unknown Speaker 9:57
I was born in Grand Rapids. It's but most of my youth was in Detroit, where I was there until I got drafted, which is the other thing about that I was destined to go army when I ran to the Navy, so I didn't have to go to the army.

Unknown Speaker 10:17
So what have you? What have you been? Go ahead.

Unknown Speaker 10:22
No, you can say that was Detroit. Is what I consider at home,

Unknown Speaker 10:24
though. Okay, so what have you been doing since you since you retired?

Unknown Speaker 10:30
Well, while I was in the Navy, I was a major program manager, and when I got out, some of the people who I worked with or who knew me, as you know, contractors approached me about being a program manager at their company. And so I started off being just that, a senior program manager, and I worked my way up through a couple of companies until I became Operations Manager for the West Coast. And so it's all over state, pretty much in the same arena, you know, communications, working with the Navy on ships and submarines.

Unknown Speaker 11:07
So actually, so what you did, really, in the military help you in your preparation as you enter civilian life,

Unknown Speaker 11:17
100% that was it gave me all the tools I needed, and when it came time for me to actually get out, I didn't go looking for a job. Job came looking for me.

Unknown Speaker 11:29
Wow, that's pretty cool. Yeah,

Unknown Speaker 11:30
it was, it was actually it was, it was, that's why my talk about 34 years. They were beneficial years. I can't complain about any part of it.

Unknown Speaker 11:43
So how about the travel as a Navy officer?

Unknown Speaker 11:48
Well, now that's a different thing. I did a lot of travel. I mean, my kids will even tell you about how we bounced around. Every couple years. I have to move from one location to another. But on the good side of that, though, I got to go to a lot of good locations. I said, I've been on the East Coast, West Coast. I was stationed in Spain for a couple years when I was enlisted, and then once I commissioned, I was in Hawaii twice, up in the Vallejo area of San Diego, which is where I am now. So it allows me to move around, meet a lot of different people, and just go to some wonderful places. So I can't complain about that either. It was a lot of moving around,

Unknown Speaker 12:31
right, right? So in that moving around generally, is there a general time frame that one would spend at a particular assignment is there no particular time frame is just as they need you?

Unknown Speaker 12:46
Well, normally it's either two or three years, normally, and in some cases, they will pull you out sooner if necessary. Or in like the case of Hawaii, I was enjoying myself so much, I extended, and I stayed there for four years. You know, it kind of varies.

Unknown Speaker 13:05
And the Navy is they, you guys have some tradition and ceremonial. Because, in fact, I recall when you was getting a new job, we came over to Hawaii and and there was a huge ceremony conducted for you as you were either being you either were leaving the command getting old, or you were assuming the command.

Unknown Speaker 13:26
Yes, they do have that for only for command positions. They do that. And I think you came over for the last one as I was leaving. I believe, right,

Unknown Speaker 13:36
okay, yeah, that was, that was pretty cool. And is there anything that you would like to share as far as advice? Because I trust that there are some young folks out there listening to the show that may be considering a young man or woman entering or joining the military. What advice or suggestions would you give to them?

Unknown Speaker 14:01
Okay, well, I have to be real careful with that, because I don't give advice. But I would suggest that if there's a anyone, male or female who is, you know, considering the military, just like any other job on the outside, you should check it out. Now make sure you know what things you're looking for, what things they provide, what to expect, and therefore make your decision based on that. And no matter which service it is, you should do that same process, because, you know, they don't have a draft any longer. It's up to you individual to check it out and decide, yeah, I mean, AV, Marines, whatever that that's the best way to go, and what they offer is what you need and what you're looking for in the future.

Unknown Speaker 14:49
Excellent suggestion, and I agree with you, Sherman, 100% I know that I have family members as well as friends who come to me for advice, until I don't give advice, I would suggest. And you do what you want to do, but don't, I don't want you to ever come back to me and say, Well, you advise me to do this. No, I did not. I won't even make sense, certainly, yeah, because otherwise people, they hold you to it

Unknown Speaker 15:12
exactly. You got it? Any,

Unknown Speaker 15:14
any final thoughts or closing thoughts, Sherman, you might have as we close the session, and we appreciate you so much for coming on.

Unknown Speaker 15:23
Well, I want to first thank you for inviting me and enjoying I hope it will be I say something that was a nugget to somebody, but I just wanted to everyone to know the military is not for everyone true. And so take it, you know, take it in carefully and make sure this is really what you want to do. And even if you're in for a short time, you can get out, obviously, but just be prepared and expect to have an exciting and a fun career, because it can be just that if you allow it.

Unknown Speaker 15:59
Great words of wisdom. Thank you. Great words of wisdom. And how's your golf game? I know you're here for a Bowling Tournament, so obviously you must bowl. Okay, you

Unknown Speaker 16:10
said you weren't going to ask me anything that was difficult. Horrible, bowling. Horrible. So what's your way to go back in there right now, I

Unknown Speaker 16:21
get one more shot at it. All right. Well, good luck, and thanks again for coming on.

Unknown Speaker 16:25
All right. All right. Thank

Unknown Speaker 16:27
you. Take care, safe travel.

Unknown Speaker 16:39
Good morning. Once again, this is Veterans Affairs, plus on 91.5 jazz and more. We have our next guest coming on board with us, a local businessman, former Raider, Mr. Frank Hawkins, what's up? Hawk

Unknown Speaker 16:55
all is good. Chief, how you doing?

Unknown Speaker 16:57
I'm doing all right. Doing all right. I know you've been a move in a shaker in this cannabis business for quite some time. When did you start?

Unknown Speaker 17:07
When we started in 2014 with our first application, yeah, 2014 when it was medical. And then in 2017 the state passed recreation in 2018 we went recreational, and so we've been in recreational ever since. And medical market is not quite what it used to be, but there is still a market, and we try to serve as many of veterans or folks with injuries or ailments through the use of selling RSOs or CBDs or one to one THC CBD products, great,

Unknown Speaker 17:56
so you do look out for the veterans. And again, this is Veterans Affairs, plus. So that's perfect. We hope that those

Unknown Speaker 18:04
exactly we have for the last couple months, we have been running specials for veterans and where they come in here they get discounted pressing on some of our ACE fly marijuana flower, which gives them pain relief. So yeah, if you got something out there listening, they can go to our websites. They don't even have to drive. They can go to the website at WWW dot Nevada Wellness centers.co, m.com, and they can get look at the menu and pick what they want and order it, and it'll be ready when they get here to pick it up.

Unknown Speaker 18:46
Oh, cool. Another service brought to you by Mr. Frank Hawkins. So Frank, you were, you were in a battle for quite some time with the state, and as completing that process, you have another location. Where is it, and what are your hours there?

Unknown Speaker 19:06
Yeah, so we have a second dispensary at 9030 West Flamingo. That's at Flamingo up around 215 and it's 24 hours. And you can go to the same website and place your order online and just drive by and pick it up. And again, we're open 24 hours at that location as well, and we've been open now since July of last year at the new location, seven and a half years at the current location at 3200 South Valley View,

Unknown Speaker 19:43
great. Now please give our listening audience an update on the consumption lounge iteration of this industry. I know that's something that has been talked about it, and I know you were actively involved in that whole process, because I if. Set with you and attended some of those meetings with the with the board who regulates, and they are what state regulated,

Unknown Speaker 20:08
Cannabis Control Board, Cannabis

Unknown Speaker 20:11
Control Board, proper terminology, Dave, okay,

Unknown Speaker 20:16
all right, so, so the Cannabis Control Board the legislature approved the bill, which became law two years ago. So the Cannabis Control Board, who has the authority have been trying to create regulation so that they could issue consumption lounge licenses, which allows people to smoke inside under the regulations that they passed, governed by local authorities. Finally, the state approved the regulations a few months ago, and they had a almost like an option for the licenses. And so far, there was 10 social equity licenses and 10 licenses that they call independent licenses, and then other folks like us, who were already in the business were grandfathered in if you met the requirements, which were you either had, you couldn't go through another door to get to the facility. So our facility is large enough so we would be grandfathered in, but we had, we also have to pay $100,000 where the other folks or the social equity only had to pay at the time of application, 2500 so they have that process now the local governments, the city and the county, those are the only two governments that agreed to approve lounges in their jurisdiction, in Southern Nevada. So once their regulations is all approved, then those that have their licenses will be able to open so it's going to be a exciting time. You know, it hasn't worked that well across the country. So there really isn't models that you can pick and choose from. So, you know, it gives you a time opportunity to use your your creativity and create something new that's exciting for both the locals and the tourists.

Unknown Speaker 22:37
Well, that sounds very interesting, because, in fact, then we could actually become the leaders in this whole consumption lounge iteration of this industry?

Unknown Speaker 22:47
Well, there's no question. And we are in so many other ways. There's lots of states that are having problems, Oklahoma, Colorado, Oregon, because they have too many dispensaries. And that's one thing Nevada was smart at there's a limit on the number that you can have, and that's, that's, I think, going to help. At the end of the day, when other states and their businesses fail, Nevada's business will continue to thrive, and along with having tours, that's all helpful.

Unknown Speaker 23:18
No, that's, that's interesting, that you say they're still actually working on these regulations. So the license, I assume, have been approved by those and you call it social equity. Would you give a little bit more detail to that?

Unknown Speaker 23:33
Yeah, social equity was supposed to help the either guy who was in prison or girl who was in prison and or low income people to give them an opportunity to get into the marijuana space whereby they haven't, as you know and your listeners may know, we are the only 100% home and African American not only dispensary, but vertically integrated dispensary, cultivation in the state of Nevada. So we would definitely like to see more ethnic minorities, more African Americans, and ownership positions via cultivations, dispensaries and or consumption lounges. So the move by the Cannabis Control Board was to try to ensure that more ethnic minorities had an opportunity to participate. So it's interesting, but out of all the applications that came out, we still don't know what the ethnicity was of the 10 social equity licenses are. So I'm sure one day we'll find out, but you know, we'll just try to be patient and positive and wait and see. Wait

Unknown Speaker 24:45
a minute. You saying, no one knows what the TNR at this stage of the game? I mean, what's nope, with my knowledge.

Unknown Speaker 24:52
I mean, the CCD may know,

Unknown Speaker 24:53
yeah, and I'm saying, you know what's, what's the big secret. You did it for the purpose of ensuring that. It, the various ethnic minority groups will get an opportunity to be in this business. So to me, it is shameful. And I don't know who can who can rub them to say, hey, go ahead, just display the information. You don't have to specifically say who it is. Yeah, I'm

Unknown Speaker 25:16
sure they would argue it's a two step process. So you know, you had to submit your application in, and then you got your name pool, and then I believe you have till either the end of February or the end of March to get all your information in, and then you can, maybe it'll be disclosed then, but as of now, it still isn't.

Unknown Speaker 25:37
So okay, so that, I guess that makes sense. So there's, they're basically saying there's another step that has that one has to go through, and if they don't get through that step, they may not necessarily get it. So they don't want to put it out there prematurely. Okay, I guess we, I guess we can live with that. Another thing you kind of mentioned it briefly was the cultivation. I know you've acquired one. What is that industry? All about that part of the industry? If you can disclose some of the information about that, please,

Unknown Speaker 26:05
sure, for us, it's important to control our own destiny. We can grow our own. We manufacture our own. We have our own pipeline, transportation pipeline, and also distribution pipeline, which really helps the business to be successful, gives you some flexibility on the growth side, gives you some flexibility on the distribution side, but more importantly, we are in control. If we grow a good product and customers like it, then we'll be around a long time, and we plan on growing a good product. We had our first harvest. We're excited about so relatively soon, our flowers become will be coming out with our brand, and we do marketing and advertising it and and we look forward to it. We are terribly excited about being able to bring our talents and talents of our team to actually grow and be able to represent that and let people smoke what we have, and let us do it our way and make it successful.

Unknown Speaker 27:07
Great. Now, with uh, Valentine's coming up next month, are you got Are you anticipating having any kind of specials I might take some home to my wife? No, I'm just kidding, because my wife don't smoke or drink, and we never, and we never celebrated Valentine's Day. If I bring anything off you go, are you a fool or what? But are you considering that? We

Unknown Speaker 27:30
all Yeah, we excited about all the holidays because we're local, and, you know, a lot of dispensaries are based and cater to tours, but we're a local dispensary, so yeah, we definitely will have something for the ladies, uh, some, some special, matter of fact, we might even have a special strain just for them on Valentine's Day, but we definitely will have for that week to be having Valentine's Special. And we do that for every holiday.

Unknown Speaker 28:00
All right, great. Well, once again, it's a joy to have you on the show Frank, and appreciate all that you've shared with our listening audience. And hopefully some will take it upon themselves to get actively involved in this in this industry, because I know it's going to be lucrative over the years.

Unknown Speaker 28:18
Well, I appreciate you having me and again, folks out there listening. If you need some full pain or to sleep or just want to get a good high, think about and don't forget to Wilson.

Unknown Speaker 28:31
All right. Mr. Hawkins, Thanks, Frank.

Unknown Speaker 28:33
Take care. Okay, man. Thank you.

Unknown Speaker 28:37
As we close out again, this is Veterans Affairs, plus on 91.5 jazz and more, I like to acknowledge Wes for taking care of us today. And also, if anybody have any issues, please contact our Service Officer, Mr. Tony Marshall, 301-537-9465,

Unknown Speaker 28:58
that's Tony Marshall. He generally works by appointment. He's down at the American Legion Post 10 at Doolittle and Eighth Street, I think on Saturdays, maybe twice a week. But the bottom line is that number Tony Marshall service Officer, 301-537-9465, this is Veterans Affairs plus on 91.5 chance.

Outro Song 29:40
Oh, all the smoke in the air till they hate when they stare all the pain that we bear. Don't you better?

Transcribed by https://otter.ai