Kathleen Olivastro

The Fairview Heights City Council voted 8-1 Wednesday to approve the dispensary near the intersection of Interstate 64 and Illinois Route 159. Ascend Illinois can now move forward with opening its second dispensary in the region at 114 Commerce Lane, a defunct Babies R Us store, in the main shopping district.

BELLEVILLE — Illinois’ recreational cannabis industry is off to a strong start. Sales of recreational marijuana totaled $39.2 million in January, the…