Hemp plant deal falls through at last minute

Monday night’s meeting of the Odessa Public Development Authority produced unwelcome news for the Odessa community. The pending sale of the former biodiesel plant on Railway Avenue to an investor group from California, with operational involvement by some Odessa farmers and business people, has fallen through after months of due diligence, negotiations and financial deal-making.

HempTech Consulting, Inc., a team consisting of Matthew Mandel and Steve A. Johnson of California, Connor Deife and Traig Weishaar of Odessa and Michael A. Hermosillo with ties to California, Colorado and Mexico, prese...