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About The Southwest Portland Post. (Portland, Oregon) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 1, 2015)
A post card from the Columbia River Gorge – Page 7 History of Tektronix at VintageTEK museum – Page 4 Horror filmfest comes to Garden Home – Page 5 Halloween in the Village – Page 6 The Southwest Portland Post Volume No. 23 Issue No. 12 www.swportlandpost.com Portland, Oregon Complimentary October 2015 Recreational marijuana legal to buy and sell, temporarily untaxed By Erik Vidstrand The Southwest Portland Post Recreational marijuana will begin being sold at licensed medical marijuana dispensaries beginning Oct. 1. Oregon public health officials have recently released rules for dispensaries applying for licenses to sell legal recreational pot. Only adults age 21 and older will be able to enter the dispensaries, which will verify age via a state or federally issued identification. Each purchase will be recorded. The products can be purchased in limited quantities, including up to one-quarter ounce of marijuana flowers or leaves per day. The Oregon Health Authority regulates medical marijuana while the Oregon Liquor Control Commission will govern recreational marijuana. Rules limit the type of marijuana products sold [during the initial phase] as seeds, dried leaves, flowers and non- flowering plants. “Edibles will not be sold to recreational users at medical marijuana dispensaries,” said OLCC enforcement coordinator Patrick Owen, “until the liquor commission resolves concerns allowing processors to safely produce edible products under the timelines described in Measure 91.” Lawmakers passed legislation re c e n t l y t o t e m p o r a r i l y a l l o w recreational sales at medical dispensaries because full retail marijuana sales are not to begin until late in 2016. Paul Rigby, owner of the Green Cottage, a licensed medical marijuana dispensary in Multnomah Village, said business could be better but he has been getting calls every day whether he’ll sell recreational marijuana beginning Oct. 1. He has applied for a license and still waiting for his paperwork. Since he opened earlier this year, he has had no issues with the Oregon Health Authority which issues licenses. “Many people thought there would be skateboarders here on the premises getting stoned,” Rigby grinned. “Far from it. We are very discreet and have had no problems with the neighbors or the state.” Rigby re-emphasized that there is no tasting or consuming of any product on the property. Rigby was out during Multnomah Days handing out coupons for 50 percent off for products after Oct. 1. “We have a great relationship with the state,” Rigby boasted. “They were here not too long ago for hours examining our records, video surveillance, and weighing everything.” Chloe White, a sales associate at Healthy Pets, which recently relocated adjacent from the Green Cottage said they have been a great (Continued on Page 6) Bus rapid transit or light rail? Next public forum scheduled for Oct. 19 in Tigard SOUTHWEST CORRIDOR PLAN By Erik Vidstrand The Southwest Portland Post N o e l l e D o b s o n , M e t ro s e n i o r public affairs specialist assigned to the Southwest Corridor Plan, has been on the job for a little more than a year now. Dobson has been the buffer between community members and large bureaucratic governmental agencies to insure the process is fair, well communicated, and transparent. Getting her on the phone before a meeting, Dobson wouldn’t speculate whether the final mode of transportation will be rapid bus transit or light rail. A decision by the steering committee in December will present which mode is preferred. When asked about concerns about a Barbur Boulevard road diet (making it one lane in each direction to allow room for rail tracks or bus lanes), Dobson replied that options are still open for the high transit route to either parallel Interstate 5 or go down Barbur Boulevard. “When all options are decided next spring,” Dobson explained, “it’ll be actually up to [Oregon Department of Transportation and Portland Bureau of Transportation] to configure the best course.” Several Post readers have asked this reporter why the process is taking so long. According to Dobson, there are a lot of players involved from a dozen governmental agencies and institutions like Oregon Health & Science University and Portland Community College. “The community must realize that planning for the new MAX Orange Line began in the early ‘90s,” Dobson said. This month the project steering committee (consisting of elected and appointed officials) will consider which connection options are most promising for further study. Decision makers will need to balance many factors including construction costs, impacts on the Mount Sylvania Don’t forget to renew your subscription. Form on Page 2. The Southwest Portland Post 4207 SE Woodstock Blvd #509 Portland, OR 97206 Light rail or rapid transit bus? European transit agencies have an excellent reputation for deploying each mode in the application where it works best. (Photo by Stefan Baguette) neighborhoods (displacement, noise, temporary traffic controls), and community input. Also in the mix are future development plans for the PCC Sylvania campus, ridership gains from either light rail or rapid bus transit, and finally implementing adopted land use plans. These include refining tunnel designs, exploring alternate connections to PCC Sylvania (shuttle buses, people movers), input from students and staff, and continuing to engage with neighborhoods. The next steering committee meeting is Monday, Oct. 12 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Tigard Library, 13500 SW Hall Blvd. The public is invited to give testimony at the beginning of the meeting. A public forum is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Tigard Public Works Building, 13125 SW Hall Blvd. Metro and partners will share updates and decisions about Tigard options. “These meetings are important since the mode of transportation will be discussed at length,” Dobson said. “Southwest residents use this area for shopping and getting to other parts of the suburbs.” According to Dobson, over 8,000 people work in the Tigard Triangle bordered by Interstate 5, Highway 217, and Oregon 99W (Barbur Boulevard in Portland). Reporter’s Note: An online public comment period will be available at www. swcorridorplan.org in mid-October.