FRIDAY, JANUARY 30, 2015
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 5
Local
OLCC cultivates public
discussion on legalized pot
By Brian Addison
Brian@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Baker City was the site
of the first in a series of
10 statewide “listening
sessions” conducted by
the Oregon Liquor Control
Commission (OLCC)
to take public input as
the state prepares for the
legalization of recreational
marijuana on July 1, 2015.
More than 100 people
from northeastern Oregon
and western Idaho attended
the meeting at the Baker
City Armory, January 22.
Of those, most appeared
to be prospective busi-
ness people looking for
information pertaining to
Oregon’s budding recre-
ational marijuana industry.
A few, on the other side
of the table, came to the
meeting to voice concern
for the safety of children.
OLCC has been tasked
with developing policies
and regulations to take to
Oregon legislators as the
state of Oregon imple-
ments the new recreational
marijuana law. The listen-
ing session in Baker City
was led by Rob Patridge,
OLCC Commissioner for
the Second Congressional
District. Patridge is one
of five OLCC commi -
sioners in Oregon and the
only one representing the
eastern side of the state.
Patridge works as the Dis-
trict Attorney for Klamath
County and mentioned
his disagreement with the
legalization of marijuana
in Oregon.
As a concerned par-
ent, Karen Howton of La
Grande was in the minor-
ity of those attending the
meeting. “I’m a parent and
I’m scared to death of it,”
Howton said.
Baker City resident Rox-
anna Swann echoed the
concern of Howton. Swann
listed the top concern of
the people at her table.
“The first priority is kids
and how it’s presented to
the public,” she said.
Brian Addison/ The Baker County Press
Karen Howton of La Grande voices her concerns as a parent about the legaliza-
tion of marijuana in Oregon during the listening session held by Oregon Liquor
Control Commission at the Baker City Armory, Thursday, January 22.
Protecting children also
topped the list of questions
OLCC presented to the
public.
“One of the OLCC’s
main priorities is to pre-
vent sales to minors. The
measure prohibits recre-
ational marijuana sales to
people under the age of 21.
The act gives the OLCC
authority to regulate or
prohibit advertising. The
OLCC may regulate pack-
ages and labels to ensure
public safety and prevent
appeal to minors,” states
OLCC.
During the next several
months, OLCC com-
missioners are traveling
around Oregon taking
public comment to help
develop the guidelines for
legal marijuana possession
and sales. They are taking
opinions on what advertis-
ing should be allowed and
what it might look like, on
how the retail stores should
carry out business, and
how to regulate production
and sales.
The use of legalized
marijuana authorized in the
new law, beginning July
1, 2015, allows those 21
years of age and older to
possess up to eight ounces
of marijuana and allows
the growing of up to four
plants per residence. An
individual may carry up
to one ounce but may not
consume marijuana in
public.
Those planning to
enter the marijuana sales
business are required to
purchase licensing from
the state. There are four
types of recreational
marijuana license required
for the Producer (grower),
Processor, Wholesaler,
and Retailer. License fees
are established at $1,000
annually with a $250 ap-
plication fee. OLCC begins
accepting license applica-
tions on January 4, 2016.
The new legalization law
provides for an excise tax
place upon the Producer
(grower) set at $35 per
ounce for flowers (buds),
$10 per ounce for leaves,
and $5 per immature plant.
The tax is expected to raise
between $17 million and
$40 million per year. The
law provides for distribu-
tion of the tax dollars at
40-percent for the Com-
mon School Fund, 20-per-
cent to Mental Health,
Alcoholism, and Drug Ser-
vices, 15-percent to State
Police, 10-percent to cities
and 10-percent to counties
for the enforcement of the
measure, and 5-percent to
Oregon Health Authority
for alcohol and drug abuse
prevention.
Local governments may
not prohibit the licenses
in their jurisdiction. Local
jurisdiction may prohibit
licenses and retail sales
only through a vote of the
public through a general
election.
Possession, use, grow-
ing, and sale of marijuana
remains illegal until July
1, 2015.
More information on the
legalization of recreational
marijuana may be found at
website www.marijuana.
oregon.gov. Questions and
comments may be sent to
marijuana@oregon.gov
Heart ‘n Home
Hospice
Continued from Page 1
Dickinson continued, “We must take care of ourselves
as caregivers first, so we can take care of our patients and
their families in the best possible manner. One way we
recently honored our patients was in a staff and Volunteer
Balloon Release Ceremony. Balloon release ceremonies
are a powerful way of helping to create a visual ceremony
of remembering. Balloons with messages on them can be
viewed as a release of the grief. It is important to process
grief in a healthy, supported environment.”
The balloon ceremony gathered staff and volunteers
together in the parking lot of the business at 3370 10th
Street at 8:50 a.m. to release the white dove balloons in
a touching ceremony that not just physically released
balloons into the air to float away but also symbolically
“released” staff and volunteer emotions.
“We put a lot of heart and soul into caring for people.
As much as family needs to have closure, so do the
caregivers. We really love a lot of these people,” said Ron
Hunter, Heart ‘n Home employee.
Many hugs were exchanged and some tears flowed at
Wednesday’s profoundly moving ceremony that was just
for staff and volunteers.
“We have the honor and privilege of getting to know
so many amazing people in our community. It is im-
portant for us to take time to grieve, say goodbye, and
celebrate those whose lives have touched us in so many
ways. This is a good way to get your feelings out,” Val-
erie Potter, Executive Director of the Baker City Heart ‘n
Home said.
Before the outside balloon release ceremony everyone
gathered inside to pay tribute, share a few stories and
then a touching poem written by a staff member was read.
A Celebration of Life event that is open to the public
will be held on February 18th from 5:15 p.m.-6:15 p.m.
at Heart ‘n Home, 3370 10th Street, Suite E.
Those who plan to attend are asked to please RSVP
541-524-7688.
Heart ‘n Home also holds regular Grief and Loss Sup-
port Groups that are free and open to the public.
Local farmers
market opens
new poster
art contest
The Baker City Farmers Market is seeking artwork for
the 2015 Market Poster. Submissions must be received
by April 17, 2015.
Artwork should depict an aspect of Farmers Market
(such as fresh produce or colorful vendor stalls) that will
translate well into poster form.
Prize awarded to selected artist. For more informa-
tion please call Ann Mehaffy, 541.519.0698. Baker City
Farmers Market, PO Box 794, Baker City OR 97814.
Wolf plan has changes for livestock producers
SALEM, Ore.—Oregon
is moving to Phase II of its
wolf recovery plan after
wildlife biologists docu-
mented seven breeding
pairs of wolves in Oregon
in 2014.
Of nine known wolf
packs, only the Imnaha
Pack is not a breeding pair.
The Umatilla River pack
still needs to be surveyed.
A breeding pair is a pair
of adult wolves which
produce at least two pups
that survive to the end of
each year. Six of Oregon’s
2014 breeding pairs are in
eastern Oregon.
While surveys are not
completed on all of Ore-
gon’s wolves, confirmation
of at least four breeding
pairs for the third consecu-
tive year in eastern Oregon
moves the eastern part of
the state to Phase 2 of the
state’s Wolf Conservation
and Management Plan.
“This is an important step
for Oregon. Wolves have
now met one of the initial
milestones envisioned by
the public and the Com-
mission,” said Russ Mor-
gan, ODFW wolf coordi-
nator. “In the past seven
years, Oregon has gone
from no known wolves,
to resident and reproduc-
ing wolves, and now to
meeting our conservation
objective for the eastern
part of the state.”
In addition to breeding
pairs, the department docu-
mented four new pairs of
wolves in 2014, including
confirmation of a second
wolf in the Keno Unit.
Changes for livestock
producers east of Hwys
395-78-95
Most known wolf activ-
ity, including eight of the
nine known wolf packs, is
east of Hwys 395-78-95.
This is the area of the state
where wolves are also
delisted from the federal
Endangered Species Act.
Wolf-livestock conflict in
this area is now managed
under Phase 2 rules of the
Oregon Wolf Plan. Non-
lethal measures to prevent
wolf-livestock conflict are
still emphasized in Phase
2 but livestock producers
now have more flexibility
to protect their livestock.
Specificall , producers in
the easternmost portion
of the state are allowed to
take (shoot) a wolf caught
chasing livestock under
certain circumstances.
See this handout for more
information, or see the rule
online. Livestock produc-
ers are also encouraged to
visit the Wolf-Livestock
page and sign up for
automatic Wolf-Livestock
section email updates to
get the latest information
on wolves in their area.
West of Hwys 395-78-95,
wolves remain listed under
the Federal Endangered
Species Act and the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service
regulates all take and ha-
rassment of wolves where
wolves are federally listed.
The only known wolves
in this area are the Rogue
Pack (OR7) and two new
wolves recently confirmed
in the Keno Unit.
Next steps: Annual re-
port, potential delisting of
wolves from Oregon ESA
ODFW biologists are now
working to finalize 2014
wolf population counts.
Population surveys are
nearly complete and the
number of wolves may be
updated through Febru-
ary as biologists collect
information. The 2014
population will be reported
in March.
The transition to Phase
2 also marks the initia-
tion of the state delisting
process in Oregon as
outlined in the Wolf Plan.
ODFW will begin conduct-
ing a full status review
and will present the results
of that review to the Fish
and Wildlife Commission
in April 2015. Delisting
from the Oregon List of
Endangered Species is
a public process and the
Commission could make
their decision as early as
June 2015.
“The Wolf Plan is work-
ing and the wolf popula-
tion in Oregon expanding
as the original crafters of
the Plan thought it would,”
said Brett Brownscombe,
ODFW interim deputy
director.