Patriot Shield started operating in the warehouse in September without getting an occupancy permit or building inspection from the city. Farmers brought their hemp crop there to be dried into smokable hemp flowers, which taste like marijuana but lack the THC necessary to get users high.
Neighbors complained about the odor that emanated from the warehouse for weeks. It brought up to 200 jobs, but many workers started protesting outside of the building after not receiving paychecks.
That issue still has not been rectified, two former employees told the Tribune-Review. The state Department of Labor and Industry’s Bureau of Labor Law Compliance performed an audit of the company, according to a letter obtained by the Trib. The department did not respond to a request for comment about the pay situation.
