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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 2015)
REGION Friday, January 16, 2015 Pot study group gets answers from state not separate retail space for non-marijuana items from where it sells pot could face an immediate shutdown. If there are a number of minor violations, she said, inspec- By PHIL WRIGHT East Oregonian Umatilla County’s Med- ical Marijuana Committee learned some lessons Thurs- day on how Oregon operates its dispensary program as it begins to consider restrictions it could put in place when the shops are allowed to reopen. Erin Kennedy, one of Ore- gon’s three medical marijua- na dispensary inspectors, and Pete Edlund, a policy analyst with the dispensary program, answered questions that have swirled in county meetings for months. Security and inspection issues dominated the conver- sation. When do inspections take place? How frequently do inspectors check dispensa- ries? Can a felon work there? Kennedy said there are plenty of cardholders: 69,865 statewide as of Jan. 1, accord- ing to the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program’s online statistics, and 618 card hold- ers in Umatilla County alone. The state also has approved 213 dispensaries. (The web- site still shows the Releaf Center operating outside Hermiston, but that dispensa- ry is closed.) Dispensaries use an FBI criminal background check on owners, Kennedy said, problems rather than “bring- ing the hammer down.” So far, Kennedy said, the health authority has revoked three dispensary permits and three more revocations are pending. Kennedy said plenty of communities are asking the Staff photo by E.J. Harris A medical marijuana patient lights a bowl of marijua- na in March 2014 in Hermiston. The Umatilla County Medical Marijuana Committee met over the phone with representatives of the Oregon Health Authority to discuss the state’s medical marijuana program Thurs- day in Pendleton. and convictions of certain drug crimes ban some peo- ple from opening a business. But she said there is no state requirement to check em- ployees. Undersheriff Jim - ney Dan Primus both pressed Kennedy with questions on the topic. Dispensaries cannot oper- ate in residential zones, she said, and must be more than 1,000 feet from a school. Once the state gives the OK - spection happens within six months. “The mandatory inspec- tions are once a year,” she said. “We personally feel that is too infrequent.” The program also gives no notice of when an inspec- tor will come knocking, she said, and everything is up for inspection: proper instal- lation of security cameras, bookkeeping, testing for pot’s potency, or presence of pesti- cides, mold and mildew. dictate consequences, she said. The state would give a dispensary 10 days to make sure its testing documenta- tion, for example, was in or- der. But a business that does out what works best, such as limiting operating hours for dispensaries or tightening zoning regulations. That is also the direction the Umatilla County commit- tee is heading. Tamra Mab- bott, the committee chair- woman and county planning director, gave the group some proposals she worked up, including allowing the dis- pensaries only in commer- cial and industrial zones and requiring growth facilities to have conditional use permits. The group plans to meet next on Feb. 11 and Mabbott said the goal is to have land use standards in place. The rest of the committee agreed. ——— Contact Phil Wright at pwright@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0833. MISSION ArtWORKz opens fourth annual youth show East Oregonian Sculpture, painting, draw- ing, printmaking, glass, mixed media, photography digital art and traditional tribal work are featured in a youth art competition and show. The ArtWORKz 2015 ex- hibition opens Friday, Jan. 23 at Tamástslikt Cultural Insti- tute. Located near Wildhorse Resort & Casino, the muse- um gallery is open Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In its fourth year, Art- WORKz features the artistic endeavors of youths under the age of 19 from throughout the region. Both individual and collaborative projects will be on display. “This art show and com- petition has grown every year and the caliber of art is incred- ible,” said Randall Melton, collections curator. “Young artists are excited to display their artwork in a true gallery Photo contributed by Tamastslikt Cultural Institute Alexis Sharpe received the Best Emerging Artist award with her drawing of Mountain Man in the ArtWORKz 2014 youth art competition. The 2015 show opens Fri- day, Jan. 23 at Tamastslikt Cultural Institute in Mission. setting.” The competition is divided into three age categories: 10 and under, 11-14 and 15-18. It is being judged by recog- nized professional artists and is based on artistry, creative vision, technical merit and presentation. Young artists are competing for grand prizes, awards of excellence, awards of merit, honorable mentions and best emerging artist. In addition, an Artist’s Choice award will be a new form of recognition determined by the participants themselves. Prizes will be announced during an awards reception Saturday, Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Regular admission to the museum, which is good for two consecutive days, is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $6 for youths ages 6-17, free for ages 5 and under or $25 for a family of four. There’s no charge for First Fridays. Also, many area libraries have fam- ily passes that can be checked out and Tamástslikt is a Blue Star Museum, admitting fam- ilies of active military free of charge all year long. For more information, contact Melton at 541-429- 7720, randall.melton@ta- mastslikt.org or visit www. tamastslikt.org. COMMUNITY CALENDAR FRIDAY, JAN. 16 PENDLETON MASTERS SWIM CLUB, 5-6 p.m., Roundup Athletic Club pool, 1415 Southgate, Pend- leton. Fees are $5 per session coaching fee; non-RAC members pay $8 pool fee per session. (Tania Wildbill 541-310-9102). PENDLETON EAGLES LADIES AUXILIARY KITCHEN, 6-8 p.m., Pendleton Eagles Lodge No. 28, 428 S. Main St., Pendleton. (541- 278-2828). COLUMBIA GRANGE, 6:30 p.m. potluck; 7:30 p.m. meeting, at The Hall, 32339 Diagonal Blvd., Herm- iston. SATURDAY, JAN. 17 WHITE EAGLE GRANGE POT- LUCK AND MEETING, 5:30 p.m., grange hall between Pendleton and Pilot Rock on Highway 395. Public welcome. (Gail Wilson 541- 276-3778). PENDLETON EAGLES STEAK AND LIVE MUSIC, 6-8 p.m. dinner, music 8 p.m. to midnight, Pendle- ton Eagles Lodge No. 28, 428 S. Main St., Pendleton. Open to mem- bers and guests. (541-278-2828). SUNDAY, JAN. 18 HERMISTON EAGLES BREAK- FAST, 8-11 a.m., 160 N.W. Second St. Members and guests welcome. PENDLETON EAGLES BREAK- FAST, 9 a.m. to noon, Pendleton Eagles Lodge #28, 428 S. Main St., Pendleton. Open to members and guests. (541-278-2828). MONDAY, JAN. 19 BLUE MOUNTAIN PIECEMAK- ERS, 12 noon, Thimbles Fabric- HERMISTON TEEN LIBRARY ADVISORY COUNCIL, 4-5 p.m., (Steve Fisher 541-276-1509). BLOOMER GIRLS GARDEN CLUB, 7 p.m., meeting site varies, No. 154, 6:45 a.m., Pendleton City Hall community room, 501 S.W. Emigrant Ave. (toastmasterdarle- nesue@gmail.com). TOPS CHAPTER OR 1110, 8 a.m. weigh-in, meeting starts at 8:45 a.m., Missionary Baptist Church, 125 E. Beech St., Hermis- ton. (Margaret Wetterling 541-720- 0276). BIBLE STUDY, 10 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 352 S.E. Second St., Pendleton. (Sandy Kimbrow 541-276-2616). downstairs Hermiston Public Li- brary, 235 E. Gladys Ave. Hermiston. (Marge Timmons 541- 567-4069). INLAND NORTHWEST MUSI- CIANS CHORALE, 7 p.m., Harris Jr. Academy gym, 3121 S.W. Hailey Ave., Pendleton. (Teresa Best 541- 289-4696). OREGON EAST SYMPHONY CHORALE, 7 p.m., Pendleton High School band room, 1800 N.W. Carden Ave., Pendleton. Rehears- al CDs and scores are available at S.W. Fourth St., Pendleton. (541- 276-0320). OREGON TRAIL GEM & MINER- AL SOCIETY, 6 p.m., First Church of God, 712 S.W. 27th St., Pendleton. TUESDAY, JAN. 20 PENDLETON TOASTMASTERS 11:45 a.m., Desert Lanes, 1545 N. First St., Hermiston. No-host lunch. All women welcome. (541-567- 0006). PENDLETON TOASTMAS- TERS, 12 noon, Roosters Restau- rant, 1515 Southgate. (Jim Mar- quardt 541-969-4845). East Oregonian Page 3A BRIEFLY White Eagle Grange offers monthly dinner PENDLETON — The White Eagle Grange will add a monthly dinner to its twice-monthly fundraising breakfasts. The dinners will be served on the second Saturday of each month, beginning Feb. 14, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at White Eagle Grange, 43828 White Eagle Road, located 11 miles south of Pendleton off Highway 395 between Pendleton and Pilot Rock. The Saturday breakfast is this weekend from 6-10 a.m. The suggested donation is $7 for ages 8 and older, $4 for ages 5-7 and free for under 5. Bring two items of non-perishable food to donate and receive $1 off the cost of breakfast. The menu includes pancakes, French toast, ham, sausage, hash browns, eggs, ham & cheese omelet, biscuits & gravy, and beverages. Also, the grange is accepting donations for its Words for Thirds program, which provides dictionaries to area third graders. For more information, contact Gail Wilson at 541- 276-3778 or g.wilson@q. com. Cay-Uma-Wa Toastmasters host open house PENDLETON — Cay- Uma-Wa Toastmasters will host an open house from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21 in the Birch Room of Wildhorse Towers Hotel at Wildhorse Resort & Casino. Guests are invited to ob- serve a regular Toastmasters meeting, including prepared speeches and Table Topics, where members and visitors alike are selected at random to speak for one to two minutes. The theme will be “New Year’s Resolutions.” Snacks and drinks will also be provided. For more information, email Leigh Pinkham-Johnston at LeighPinkham-Johnston@ ctuir.org. regional musicians PENDLETON — A local eight-piece band will Wine & Coffee Co. Brass Fire’s unique sound provides a listening experience featuring jazz, blues and jazz/rock. The free event is Wednesday from 7-8:30 p.m. at 403 S. Main St., Pendleton. There’s no cover charge for the all-ages show. Brass Fire Band includes Jill Scanlan, a music teacher in the Pendleton School District, Paul Dunsmoor, the Hermiston High School band director, and Josh Rist, the HHS choir director. Rounding out the band are local professionals. For more information, gmail.com. To listen to a 2013 demo, visit www.youtube.com/ watch?v=B0EUYPnNiJo Class focuses on make-ahead meals PENDLETON — Crockpot meals is the focus of an upcoming class offered through Pendleton Parks & Recreation. As part of the Back To Basics Series, participants can plan meals ahead of time. The session is Wednesday, Jan. 28 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Foundation Room at the Pendleton Recreation Center, 500 S.W. Dorion Ave. It’s open to ages 16 and up. The $49 fee, which includes all ingredients to create four meals feeding approximately four persons each, is due by Wednesday, Jan. 21. To register, go to www. pendletonparksandrec.com 865 Tutuilla Road. For more information, call 541- 276-8100. Presentation includes free skin cancer screening HERMISTON — A presentation and free skin cancer screenings will be dermatologist. Melanoma & Funny Moles is the topic of a free presentation by Dr. Robert Hopp. The event is Friday, Jan. 23 from 1-4 p.m. at Good Shepherd Medical Center, 610 N.W. 11th St., Hermiston. To reserve a free appointment time, call 509- 735-1100 or 855-525-4677. History program highlights railroad TROUTDALE — The Oregon Historical Railroads Project is the topic of discussion at an Oregon Encyclopedia History Night event. Edward J. Kamholz, a forest historian and author, will make the free presentation Tuesday, Jan 27 at 6:30 p.m. at 2126 S.W. Halsey St., Troutdale. The discussion highlights the historical survey of Oregon’s private, public, urban and interurban railroads. For more information, call 503-669-8610 or visit www.mcmenamins.com/ history. GREENFIELD GRANGE PI- NOCHLE, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Green- (Jane Dean 541-481-5223). GREATER HERMISTON AREA REPUBLICAN WOMEN’S CLUB, His Way of Hope Series Every Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday @ 6:30 pm MIKE SHORT Loan Officer Seventh-Day Adventist Church 855 W. Highland Ave. Hermiston, OR. For Info call (541) 567-9000 N-More, 1849 Westgate Place, Pendleton. PENDLETON ROTARY, 12 noon, Pendleton Elks Lodge, 14 S.E. Third St. SUBMIT COMMUNITY NEWS Submit information to: community@eastorego- nian.com or drop off to the attention of Tammy Malgesini at 333 E. Main St., Hermiston or Renee Struthers at 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton. Call 541-564-4539 or 541-966- 0818 with questions. Term Loans. Lines of Credit. Ag & Commercial Real Estate Loans. 202 SE Dorion, Ste. #102 • 541-276-6509 • beobank.com
