Herald-Star: Marijuana dispensary special to Mike Petrella

STEUBENVILLE — Mike Petrella, owner and CEO of Ohio Valley Natural Relief LLC medical marijuana dispensary located at 840 Canton Road, Wintersville, spoke to members of the Steubenville Rotary Club about his new business venture and why it is a personal mission for him.

“We were on vacation when my father, Craig, was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer that had metastasized,” he said while speaking during Friday’s luncheon meeting at the YWCA.

He went on to tell the group how his father was allergic to most narcotics and suffered severe side effects from the others.

“I thought there has to be a better way,” he said. “He had two brain surgeries in two days.”

Watching his father suffer inspired Petrella, who already was interested in medical marijuana, to begin seriously looking into the business. The same year his father died, the state passed the law allowing Ohio to enter into the industry.

The state is broken up into districts, with Jefferson County being located in Southeast Region 9 along with Harrison, Belmont and Monroe counties. The only dispensaries to be awarded were...

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Herald-Star: Medical marijuana dispensaries ready to open locally

WINTERSVILLE — The Ohio Board of Pharmacy has approved two applications for medical marijuana dispensaries to be opened in the area, both in Wintersville.

Only 56 of 370 applications for the facilities were approved by the board, according to officials. The board was permitted to approve up to 60 dispensaries. The state was broken into regions, with each being awarded a set number of licenses.

“There were to be two dispensaries awarded in the Southeast Region 9, which consists of four counties, Jefferson, Harrison, Belmont and Monroe,” said village Mayor Bob Gale. “I was very surprised that Wintersville was going to have one of those and shocked we received both. What I have found is that only four applied in the region and three of those came from sites in Wintersville and one came from Belmont County. However, the two in Wintersville scored higher and thus received the licenses.”

The local licenses were awarded to Cresco Labs Ohio LLC and Ohio Valley Natural Relief LLC. OVNR is owned by local businessman Mike Petrella. Charles Bachtell is the chief executive officer of Cresco Labs, the website of the Chicago-based company shows.

OVNR will be coming to 840 Canton Road, next to the Gas Lite Restaurant, and Cresco Labs plans to open its business at 180 Main St., the site of the former Lancelot’s restaurant.

State law prohibits dispensaries from being located within 500 feet of a school, church, public library, public playground, public park or community addiction services provider.

The two local dispensaries are expected to open later this year, according to officials.

Gale said some residents might be concerned about...

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