Police in Oakland, Calif., said they arrested two people after firefighters responding to a blaze at the home discovered about 150 marijuana plants.

Police spokesman Roland Holmgren said the two suspects, a man and a woman, are also suspected of stealing electricity to power their grow lamps, the Oakland (Calif.) Tribune reported Wednesday.

Rep. Jerry McNerney is now willing to vote for an amendment he'd opposed last year that would bar the federal government from spending money to arrest or prosecute medical-marijuana patients in the states — including California — where medical marijuana is legal.

OAKLAND — Alameda County supervisors agreed this week to tweak the county's medical marijuana ordinance, allowing licensed dispensaries in unincorporated Alameda County to carry hashish while outlawing those dispensaries from carrying food made with marijuana.

The supervisors approved the first reading of the amendments to the ordinance by a 4-1 vote, with Supervisor Gail Steele opposed. Changes to an ordinance require a second reading — which should occur at the board's next scheduled meeting, July 22 — before it's officially passed, but that is usually considered a formality.

Officers from the city's public school detail said they could smell marijuana when they went to John Halsema's home Thursday to check on a car they thought was stolen. They say that Halsema told them he was an authorized medical marijuana user and had 40 pot plants.

When police returned with a search warrant, they found 160 marijuana plants growing under automatic watering, lighting and ventilation systems in three of the house's six rooms, but no documents backing up Halsema's claim he was a medical marijuana patient.

OAKLAND — A "state of the art" indoor marijuana grow was discovered and more than $100,000 worth of the weed seized at a house near Redwood Heights Elementary School, police said Friday.

In addition to the marijuana, police found phony police identification cards, guns and books on how to make bombs. The house, in the 4100 block of Harbor View Avenue, was searched for several hours Thursday.

Formerly known as SR-71, the Coffeeshop Blue Sky is still kinda "stealth." Strolling down 17th Street in downtown Oakland, it's easy to mistake for a small java joint, not a place where you can purchase something to roll a joint with. From the outside, it sure doesn't look like a med-pot dispensary. Yet unlike some cannabis clubs, Blue Sky boasts friendly customer service.

OAKLAND, California (AFP) — A private San Francisco area university dedicated to the study of the cannabis industry is giving a whole new meaning to higher education.

At Oaksterdam University -- so called after the nickname locals have given to Oakland -- students learn how to grow, harvest and cook marijuana, as well as dispense it to others.

(05-30) 10:02 PDT OAKLAND -- Two men were in custody Friday on suspicion of breaking into a downtown Oakland building hours after it was raided by federal drug agents during a marijuana investigation, authorities said.

Arthur Palmer, 44, and Kenneth Goss, 41, both of Oakland, broke into 3333 Telegraph Ave. about 9:20 p.m. Wednesday, police said. Officers responding to a report of a burglary in progress caught them as they were going out the back door, police said.

SAN LORENZO — State-issued medical marijuana cards may become a requirement rather than an option for people who want to patronize medical marijuana outlets in unincorporated areas of Alameda County.

The reason: While the cannabis retailers have generated big money in portions of state sales taxes that return to the county, many residents and public officials in the county remain uneasy about how the retailers operate.

Federal agents, with help from Alameda County Sheriffs Deputies, smashed into what was apparently a pot farm on Telegraph Avenue in Oakland today as employees form a nearby bakery watched.

The big question the employees had was what took the Drug Enforcement Agency so long to conduct the raid.

"Every day I go to lunch and I smell, like, skunk or something, but I knew what it was — because it smells like marijuana," said Patty Garcia, who works at Neldam's Danish Bakery, 3401 Telegraph Ave., across the street from the alleged pot farm.