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About Columbia Gorge news. (The Dalles, OR) 2020-current | View Entire Issue (June 2, 2021)
Columbia Gorge News www.columbiagorgenews.com Wednesday, June 2, 2021 B7 George Floyd vigil A vigil was held on May 25 to mark the one- year anniversary of George Floyd’s death. The vigil was sponsored by the Somos Uno campaign of Gorge Ecumenical Ministries (GEM), and was the last in a series of four held on Tuesdays from 5-6 p.m. at the Second and State Street Overlook Park in Hood River. Contributed photos Study: Oregon police find marijuana laws difficult to enforce Garrett Andrews ■ By EO Media Group A recent study that draws heavily on Deschutes County found an “over- whelming consensus” among law enforcement offi- cers that Oregon’s marijuana laws are poorly written and confusing. As a result, this percep- tion has even led some local officers to stop enforcing marijuana laws altogether, according to the February report by Portland State University researchers Kris Henning and Greg Stewart. “The laws are too convo- luted to comprehend,” one officer wrote in a survey response. “If we as law enforcement can’t easily de- cipher the laws, how can we expect the citizens to be able to understand them?” Wrote another, “I have just started treating weed as if it is legal regardless of the amount.” For their report, titled “Dazed and Confused: Police Experiences Enforcing Oregon’s New Marijuana Laws,” Henning and Stewart surveyed 301 police officers in the second half of 2020. Participants included officers and deputies from four agencies: Bend Police Department, Redmond Police Department, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office. Among the results: • More than 90 percent of participants felt that the il- legal shipment of marijuana out of state had increased in the past three years. • More than 90 percent believe instances of driv- ing under the influence of marijuana had increased for adults and juveniles. • More than 60 percent of respondents felt Oregon’s marijuana laws make it diffi- cult to determine if someone has broken the law. In 2014, Oregon voters approved Measure 91, legalizing recreational use of marijuana for people 21 and older. What followed were a number of major changes to Oregon law in a short period of time. This included the Oregon Liquor Control Commission tightening its licensing guidelines in 2018. The next year, the Legislature afforded the agency more authority to restrict marijua- na production licenses. Today, there are six areas where marijuana offenses are still charged, though the offending amounts differ from those prior to 2014: Driving while impaired, the illegal use or possession of marijuana and the illegal growing, processing or dis- tribution of marijuana. In response to open-end- ed questions in the PSU study, three of four officers mentioned confusion in understanding the laws. Many officers expressed a feeling they’d been inten- tionally written to be vague so officers would eventually give up on enforcement. Officers surveyed spoke to confusion about en- forcement of medical vs. recreational cannabis laws. They also discussed a difficulty determining if a person possessed an illegal amount of a drug, or in determining if it was purchased from a licensed retailer. Many officers noted a breakdown in cooperation with state agencies that regulate cannabis, nota- bly the OLCC, the Oregon Health Administration and the Oregon Department of Agriculture. This lack of clear under- standing often manifests in roadside contacts between officers and members of the public, according to the study. Officers said it can be difficult determining the authenticity of documenta- tion showing a person is in lawful possession of large amounts of marijuana. They also reported a near-impos- sibility in determining if a driver with large amounts is heading out of state. “Offenders often claim the product is hemp rather than marijuana which also makes it difficult to determine what the product is,” one officer wrote. Many officers also report- ed declining to make mari- juana arrests because they feel district attorneys will not prosecute the cases. “It seems pointless to care about it when, in (redacted) county, even if someone has several hundred pounds, there will be no prosecu- tion,” wrote a respondent. “I would just prefer that it is legalized and then it is not an issue.” The Dalles High School announces scholarships Ariana Asevedo — Harris & Anna K. Stout Memorial Scholarship; The Dalles High School Student First Generation Scholarship; Carter Family Orchards Scholarship and Randy Rood Memorial Scholarship. Jackson Aguilera — Multiple Mental Models. Hanani Andrade — Bill Martin Memorial Scholarship; John V. Peterson Memorial Scholarship and Randy Rood Memorial Scholarship. Taylor Beeks — Jeffrey Staver Memorial Scholarship; Cascade Singers; Outstanding Drama Scholarship. Hannah Biehn — The Dalles Lions Club Memorial Scholarship; The von Borstel Scholarship and Keith Tucker Memorial Scholarship. Nicholas Caracciolo — The von Borstel Scholarship and Renaissance Scholarship. Elena Cardosi — Kevin Mullen Memorial Scholarship; Lillie & Dorothy Tindall Memorial Scholarship. Jaime Castro — Vogt Family Memorial Scholarship and Gerald Alwin Smith Memorial G Scholarship. Gavin Cates — The Dalles School District 21 Education Association Scholarship. Ashley Clausen — Outstanding Drama Scholarship. Spencer Coburn — The Dalles Lions Club Memorial Scholarship; The von Borstel Scholarship; St. Mary’s Academy Scholarship and Kiwanis Club Scholarship. Fonetia Duyck — Lester T. Jensen Memorial Scholarship. Myah Ell — Colonel Wright School PTO Scholarship and Schanno Family Scholarship. Isabella Evans — Mosier Grange No. 234 Scholarship; Lenora Hunter Memorial Scholarship; Marlys Krein Memorial Scholarship; Wasco Lodge Masonic No. 15 Scholarship and The Dalles Rotary Club Service Above Self Scholarship. Alex Gonzalez — Bob & Mary May Memorial Scholarship. Jayleen Hernandez — Bill Martin Memorial Scholarship; Ancil Payne & Paul McCulloch Memorial Scholarship; Jump Start Scholarship and The von Borstel Scholarship. Courtney Her — Kevin Mullen Memorial Scholarship; Chapter BF PEO Sisterhood Scholarship; Lillie & Dorothy Tindal Memorial Scholarship; The Dalles Girl’s Softball Assocation Scholarship; Schanno Family Scholarship and The Dalles Rotary Club Service Above Self Scholarship. Xitlaly Ibarra Hernandez — Cascade Eye Center Scholarship; Lenora Hunter Memorial Scholarship; Randy Rood Memorial Scholarship and Columbia Gorge Community College Foundation Scholarship. Emily Johnson — Mid- Columbia Vision Source Scholarship and The Dalles High School Alumni Fund Scholarship. Maggie Justesen — The Dalles High School Alumni Fund Scholarship and Lois Kimsey Chapter EJ PEO Scholarship. Keon Kiser — Bill Martin Memorial Scholarship; Annette E. Pugh Memorial Scholarship; Steve Martin Memorial Scholarship; Gerald Alwin Smith Memorial Scholarship; Bob Koch Scholarship; The Dalles Rotary Griffith Family Business Scholarship and Randy Rood Memorial G O R G E L O C A L The Mid-Columbia Directory Scholarship. Jesse Larson — The von Borstel Scholarship; Bob Murray/Dr. A.B. Stone Memorial Scholarship and Wasco Lodge Masonic #15 Scholarship. Skyler Leeson — Gerald Alwin Smith Memorial Scholarship. Izabella Marlinga — Outstanding Drama Scholarship. Brindel Charlie May — Bob & Mary May Memorial Scholarship and Keith Tucker Memorial Scholarship. Juan Mejia — Hyde Family Scholarship in the Medical Arts. Anna Miller — Columbia Gorge Community College Foundation Scholarship. Iliana Moreno Lopez — The Dalles High School Student First Generation Scholarship Icyss Morgan-Ervin — Luvina Lash-Robinson Memorial Scholarship. Preet Patel — Lloyd Heckman Memorial Scholarship and First Generation Scholarship. Elijah Perkins — Outstanding Drama Scholarship. Quinn Raffensperger — The Dalles School District 21 Education Association Scholarship. Kjersten Richardson — Dr. Victor Mills Family Trust Scholarship. Autumn Ringer — NW Education Support Professionals. Yahir Santillan- Guzman — Colleen Jenks Memorial Scholarship; First Generation Scholarship; Outstanding Boy of the Year; Edward Ward, Jr. Memorial Scholarship and Wasco Lodge Masonic No. 15 Scholarship. Savannah Schell — Cascade Eye Center Scholarship and Dr. Victor Mills Family Trust Scholarship. Shaelyn Scott — Gerald Alwin Smith Memorial Scholarship; Outstanding Drama Scholarship and Randy Rood Memorial Scholarship. Colin Shubert — Columbia Gorge Community College Foundation Scholarship. Spencer Taylor — The Dalles School District 21 Education Association Scholarship. Maia Thomas — Lloyd Heckman Memorial Scholarship. Madison Troutt — Cherry City Crush Scholarship. Jonathon Valdovinos — John V. Peterson Memorial Scholarship. Jasmin Vejar Sapien — The Dalles High School Student First Generation Scholarship and Wilma Roberts Memorial Scholarship. Elizabeth Velador Garcia — Bill Martin Memorial Scholarship; Susanna Blake Gabay Memorial Scholarship; Gerald Alwin Smith Memorial Scholarship and Randy Rood Memorial Scholarship. Angelica Villegas — Colleen Jenks Memorial Scholarship. MaKenna Wilcox — Columbia Gorge Community College Foundation Scholarship. Avery Winwood — Richard Lewis Memorial Scholarship; Outstanding Girl of the Year and Outstanding Drama Scholarship. Tressa Wood — NW Education Support Professionals. Hannah Ziegenhagen —Annette E. Pugh Memorial Scholarship. 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