THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2016
Business & Ag
Halfway’s proposed dispensary
BY SUNNY WERNER
Sunny@TheBakerCountyPress.com
In July of 2015, Oregon
followed in the footsteps of
Colorado and Washington,
changing state law to legal-
ize recreational marijuana.
The Oregon law allows
individual households to
have up to four marijuana
plants.
As cities around the state
have discovered, feelings
regarding the growth, pro-
cessing and use of marijua-
na continue to run high. As
of September 29, 2016, 89
cities and counties around
Oregon have opted to pro-
hibit either the production,
processing, wholesaling or
retail sales of recreational
marijuana.
Sales of recreational
marijuana are taxed in
Oregon. As of January 4,
2016, a 25% sales tax was
imposed on recreational
marijuana sales at medical
dispensaries.
The 25-percent tax
wasn’t permanent, howev-
er. When OLCC-licensed
recreational marijuana
stores began to open, the
charge dropped to a 17-
percent state sales tax, with
local municipalities able to
tack on up to an additional
3 percent — bringing the
maximum to 20%.
The Oregon Department
of Revenue explains how
the tax monies will be
used:
• 40% will go to Or-
egon’s Common School
Fund
• 20% will go to Ore-
gon’s Mental Health Alco-
holism and Drug Services
Account
• 15% will go to Oregon
State Police
• 10% will go to partici-
pating cities’ law enforce-
ment offi ces
• 10% will go to par-
ticipating counties’ law
enforcement offi ces
• 5% will go to the
Oregon Health Authority
for alcohol and drug abuse
prevention, early interven-
tion and treatment services.
This distribution of the
tax monies is for the 17%
Oregon State tax. The
additional amounts, up to
3% as decided by local city
councils, will remain in the
locale in which the sales
were made.
2015 reported total
tax revenue in Colorado
netted about $69 million
from marijuana taxes in
the fi scal year that ended
June 30. The tax rates
vary by locality, making
it diffi cult to extrapolate
to Oregon’s projected
revenue, but Washington
state had a similar revenue,
$70 million taxes received
for 2015 (the fi rst year of
legalized sales.)
Halfway, Oregon, 52
miles from Baker City and
with a population of 288
(2010 census), is currently
in the process of deciding
whether or not to allow a
marijuana dispensary to
open its doors downtown.
The prospective own-
ers, Derek and Amy Olley,
moved to Halfway with
their large, blended family
just a few months ago.
Derek, a former football
player for Boise State,
(1997-2001) had been
experiencing severe pain
resulting from his years in
football.
His physician had been
prescribing increasingly
stronger doses of opiate
pain medications.
The resulting addiction
to the pain medications
was taking its toll, not only
on Derek’s body but on his
emotional and psychologi-
cal health.
His family was becoming
concerned about his mood
swings on the opiates. As
he explained, “I discovered
the kids would ask Amy
when they came home
from school ‘What’s Dad’s
mood?’”
He also found meeting
the requirements of his
career at Simplot more
diffi cult.
Finally Derek and Amy,
his wife, decided that
the damage had gone far
enough. She began re-
searching alternative forms
of therapy, and she, Derek,
and their children began
their journey to health.
After experimenting with
a number of alternatives,
Amy found a supplier in
Washington state who
could provide Derek with
the salves that fi nally
brought his pain under
control. These salves
utilized CBD oil, derived
from marijuana.
They travelled to Prosser,
Washington from their
home in Boise on a regular
basis. During their travels
they explored different
The store has been sold
to new owners Rob and
Josey Gaslin who will take
over operations in 2017.
Adams said in an email
to vendors and customers,
“Thank you for nine won-
Friday, October 21, 2016 — Eastern Oregon
Prices trended generally steady compared to week
ago prices. Most demand lays with the retail/stable
hay. According to some producers, horse owners
are starting to prefer lower sugar, higher protein
hay. Recent rainstorms throughout the state have
slowed movement.
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
No new sales confi rmed.
Last week:
Alfalfa — Large Square Supreme
113 140.00-140.00 140.00
Alfalfa — Large Square Good / Premium
500 150.00-150.00 150.00
Alfalfa— Large Square Good
400 115.00-115.00 115.00
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
Submitted photo.
As of October 1, 2016, this symbol is required on
all marijuana products being sold in Oregon, includ-
ing marijuana plants, seeds, usable marijuana and
cannabinoid products, as outlined in OAR 333-007
in the labeling rules.
parts of Oregon, including
Halfway. Both had grown
up in small, rural com-
munities and the ambiance
and beauty of Halfway
itself and the surrounding
areas appealed to them
both.
Their children were
growing up in a city, but
both parents wanted to
offer them the safety and
sense of community only
found in smaller towns.
The success Derek had
experienced using the
marijuana-based medica-
tions gave them the idea to
share what their family had
found, and open a dispen-
sary.
The Olleys did their re-
search before buying their
home in Halfway; they
met with the City Council
to see if their proposal to
open a marijuana dispen-
sary would fi nd approval.
Amy spoke to Sheriff Ash
about their plans, and they
spoke to everyone they
came across to discover the
prevailing attitudes toward
a dispensary opening in
downtown Halfway. With
the consensus being that
the City Council was sup-
portive and the community
members seemed, in gen-
eral, positive, the Olleys
found a storefront down-
town and settled into their
home in the hills outside
the edge of town. They be-
gan moving forward with
their plans to open “H2H,”
or Halfway to Happy.
Their market research
showed that, within a
short time of opening, they
would be able to hire a
large number of employees
from the local workforce.
The process of growing,
processing, manufacturing
and selling marijuana in
various forms is labour-
intensive and time consum-
ing. Their projected plans
include, as Amy exolains,
“hiring local people who
are, due to transportation,
health or family issues,
unable to easily leave Half-
way to fi nd work.”
In late June the Olleys
found that a ballot for an
initiative petition had been
fi led with the Baker Coun-
ty Clerk on June 23rd.
This petition states, “Pro-
hibits certain marijuana
registrants and or licenses
in Halfway, Oregon.
“The initiative would, if
passed, ban all marijuana
activity including medical
marijuana producers, pro-
cessors and dispensaries
and also all recreational
marijuana producers, pro-
cessors, wholesalers and
retailers within city limits.”
The petition does not
clarify how enforcement
will be provided, nor a
funding method to do so.
Currently Halfway
benefi ts from the part time
services of a Baker Deputy
Sheriff, paid for by Idaho
Power. Additional hours
for enforcement may prove
problematic to fund.
Currently unable to move
forward until after the vote
November 8th, Derek and
Amy Olley have enrolled
their children in Pine Eagle
Charter School, Halfway’s
K-12 school, and Amy’s
sister has moved from out
of state to join them. The
family remains hopeful
that the voters will support
their plans but, either way,
say they don’t regret mov-
ing to Halfway.
The Sycamore Tree to change owners
Jackie Adams, owner
of The Sycamore Tree on
Main Street has announced
that as of December 31 of
this year, she and her hus-
band, Lance will no longer
operate the business.
— Weekly Hay Report —
derful years of service—
and in some cases a great
friendship.”
Adams will oversee one
fi nal fall open house and
Christmas preview start-
ing November 3.
For more details, please
turn to the advertisement
on page 14.
— Cattle Market Report —
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 1,035
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 125.00 - 135.00 Top 140.00
400-500# Bulk 110.00 - 133.00 Top 136.00
500-600# Bulk 100.00 - 113.00 Top 117.00
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 110.00 - 118.00 Top 122.00
400-500# Bulk 94.00 - 113.00 Top 119.00
500-600# Bulk 95.00 - 103.00 Top 105.00
Yearling Steers
600-700# Bulk 90.00 - 107.00 Top 110.25
700-800# Bulk 89.00 - 105.00 Top 108.25
800-900# Bulk 87.00 - 100.00 Top 101.00
900-1,000# Bulk 80.00 - 91.00 Top 93.50
600-700#
700-800#
800-900#
900-1,000#
Yearling Heifers
Bulk 89.00 - 94.00 Top 97.50
Bulk 87.00 - 92.00 Top 96.00
Bulk 85.00 - 95.00 Top 99.00
Bulk 76.00 - 85.00 Top 87.50
Thin Shelly Cows 42.00 - 53.00
Butcher Cows 54.00 - 62.00
Butcher Bulls 49.00 - 64.00
Pairs Young 1300.00 - 1475.00
Hfretts. 75.00 - 95.00
Stock Cows Young - N/A
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
— Log Price Report —
Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon
Currently the local log market is fl ooded with
fi re salvage logs. The log buyer for Malheur
Lumber Co. stated they have all the logs they
need under contract and are not accepting any
new purchases. BCC/LLC of La Grande has
receive so many burned fi re salvage logs they
are no longer accepting logs at the La Grande
log yard. Any additional pine logs have to be
delivered to the Elgin Log yard cut in plywood
lengths and to a 8 inch top. For these pine
logs cut in plywood lengths, BCC is offering
$280.00/mbf. They are also paying $420.00/
mbf for Doug Fir & Western Larch. For White
Fir they are offi ng $325.00/mbf. At the Pilot
Rock Saw Mill BCC is offi ng $360.00/mbf for a
12 to 15 inch top, for 16 to 19 inch top $400.00/
mbf & offi ng $425.00/mbf for 20 inch plus top
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
— Precious Metals Report —
Tony's Tree
Service
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1,274.30
Silver: $17.77
Platinum: $964.50
Palladium: $634.50
Bloomberg.com
Free evaluations for:
• Proper Trimming
• Safety
• Removal
•Disease Control
• Insect Control
• Tree Replacement
• Stump Grinding
— Ag Commodities —
Nearly fi ve decades of experience.
Corn: $349.25/bu/USD
Wheat: $404.25/bu/USD
Soybeans: $1002.25/bu/USD
Oats: $212.00 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $9.84/cwt/USD
Canola: $513.70 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $99.00/lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $103.70/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $44.63/lb./USD
600 Elm Street, Baker City. 541.523.3708
Owners Tony & Lisa Constantine LCB 6271 • CCB 63504
Bloomberg.com
Licensed | Insured | 48 years experience.
Tony's Tree Service.
Accepting payment plans and credit cards.