East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, January 12, 2016, Image 2

Historic Oregon Newspapers

East Oregonian : E.O., January 12, 2016, Page 2A, Image 2

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 2016)

Prev Page of 14 Next Prev Issue Next Text PDF JP2 (1.4 MB) Clip/Print Image

Return to Top

Prev Page of 14 Next Prev Issue Next

Newspaper Page TextNORTHWEST East Oregonian Page 2A Tuesday, January 12, 2016 Sales tax not stopping pot shoppers By NOELLE CROMBIE The Oregonian PORTLAND — Oregon’s recreational marijuana consumers, at least those who opt to shop in dispensaries, seem to be taking a new state sales tax in stride, many dispensary owners say. On Jan. 1, after a three- month tax holiday, Oregon imposed a 25 percent sales tax on recreational mari- juana sales. The tax will eventually be replaced with a 17 percent state tax once the Oregon Liquor Control Commission assumes control over recreational marijuana sales later this year. Matt Price, who owns a chain of dispensaries called Cannabliss, said some customers have shrugged off the tax. “And then,” he said, “we have people that say they would rather go back to their ‘guy,’ so to speak, and walk out.” At Glisan Buds and Foster Buds, general manager Nathan Kryten- berg took the radical step of absorbing the tax. Krytenberg is betting on his “strategic decision” to generate enough additional sales to cover the added cost. He also hopes the gesture builds customer loyalty in a city where more than 100 shops compete not just with each other but with the well-established black market. The company spread its message on social media and lets customers know about it when they come through the doors. “To be quite honest with you, if we even take a small hit, I believe the fact that we are doing this will put us in a better market position,” said Krytenberg, whose shops sell marijuana for $9 and $15 a gram. Oregon’s marijuana enthusiasts have histori- cally enjoyed some of the cheapest prices, particularly when compared with Colo- rado and Washington, both home to taxed and regulated marijuana markets. Yet even in Portland, where dispensaries routinely compete for recre- ational dollars by slashing SULFHVRQÀRZHUVWKHPRYH at Glisan Buds and Foster Buds raised eyebrows among other in the industry. “If you can do it and PDNH DQ\ NLQG RI SUR¿W God bless you,” said Sam Heywood, an owner of Farma, a dispensary on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard where a sign at the entrance reminds customers about the sales tax. “It’s aggressive. Is it sustainable? I don’t know.” 2I¿FLDOV ZLWK WKH Oregon Department of Revenue, the agency charged with collecting the new sales tax, said shops are free to absorb the tax or spread it among the grower, shop and consumer. Ulti- mately, the agency’s chief interest is ensuring the tax is paid in full. “We have no authority over pricing,” said Julia Dodson, a spokeswoman for the agency. “Dispensa- ries can charge whatever they decide.” The agency won’t begin collecting the tax until February. On Friday, RI¿FLDOV VDLG RQO\ DERXW half of dispensaries selling recreational marijuana have registered with the Depart- ment of Revenue, a state requirement. At Cannadaddy’s, a dispensary in outer South- east Portland, owner Brad BRIEFLY Woman’s body found in gravel pit Zusman said he’s asked the cannabis growers who supply his store about the possibility of sharing some of the tax burden, but the idea hasn’t gone anywhere. He’s not keen on absorbing the tax on his own since it would represent a PDMRUFKXQNRISUR¿WVKLV store on one day alone this week generated $1,400 in sales taxes, he said. While he’s determined to attract recreational consumers, Zusman said he’s redoubled his focus on medical marijuana patients, offering bargain-basement prices on popular concen- trates. Recreational shoppers at his store spend, on average, $38 to $45 per transaction, compared with $100 to $110 among medical mari- juana patients who don’t pay any tax, he said. Medical marijuana patients can also purchase pricier concentrates and edibles — sought-after products that remain off limits to recreational shop- pers for now. “It’s really hard for any dispensary to survive just on recreational sales,” he said. KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) — A woman’s body has been found in a gravel pit in eastern Washington. The Tri-City Herald reports that her body was found by man walking his dog in Kennewick Sunday morning. The Benton County 6KHULII¶VRI¿FHVD\VWKH woman is between 45 and 60 years old. A cause of death hasn’t been determined. The Benton County coroner has scheduled an autopsy. Authorities are still investigating. Bystanders pull two from icy pond BEND (AP) — A 5-year-old girl and her 18-year-old caretaker were pulled from the icy waters of a Bend park by people passing by. The Bulletin reports that the girl had been sledding on a snow-covered hill at Discovery Park on Sunday and was not able to stop her sled. According to the bend Police Department, the girl slid to the middle of the pond where ice had melted and went under the water. The caretaker entered to pond, but began to struggle and called for help. A witness called 911 and 52-year-old Diane Allen and 46-year-old Eric Klump pulled the girl and her caretaker from the pond. 3ROLFHDQG¿UHRI¿FLDOV found the pair extremely cold, but without life threatening injuries. Allen and Klump did not need medical attention. New Washington initiative introduced to raise minimum wage For several years, Washington state had the highest statewide minimum OLYMPIA, Wash. wage in the nation, but — Supporters of raising ¿YHVWDWHVKDGKLJKHUUDWHV Washington state’s starting this year: Alaska, Connecticut, PLQLPXP ZDJH ¿OHG D California, ballot measure Monday Massachusetts, and Rhode that seeks to incrementally Island. Some cities in increase the state’s rate to Washington state already $13.50 an hour over four exceed the statewide years starting in 2017, minimum wage. A draft as well as provide paid of the ballot measure said sick leave to employees the minimum wage would resume being adjusted for without it. The initiative was LQÀDWLRQEHJLQQLQJLQ /RUL 3¿QJVW WKH announced at a news conference by a coalition research and policy director of workers and union for the Washington State members. Washington’s Budget and Policy Center, current minimum wage is a Seattle-based organi- $9.47 an hour, but the rate zation that supports the is adjusted each year for ballot measure, estimated LQÀDWLRQ DV PHDVXUHG E\ it would take until 2031 for the Consumer Price Index the rate to rise to $13.50 an for the past 12 months. KRXUDGMXVWLQJIRULQÀDWLRQ The yearly recalculation is without the ballot measure required by Initiative 688, ¿OHG0RQGD\ Seattle’s minimum wage which was approved by Washington voters in 1998. is set to incrementally rise By WALKER ORENSTEIN Associated Press to $15 an hour and Tacoma voters recently voted to raise the city’s minimum wage to $12 an hour over two years starting this year. The minimum wage for transportation and hospi- tality industry workers in SeaTac is currently $15.24 an hour. Teresa Mosqueda, the campaign director for the Washington State Labor Council, said at the confer- HQFHWKDWWKHFRDOLWLRQ¿OHGD ballot measure because past efforts in the Legislature to raise the state’s minimum wage and provide paid sick leave failed in recent years. Lawmakers debated a bill to raise the state’s minimum wage to $12 an hour over four years last year but it didn’t get a vote in the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor. Ariana Davis, who works at a Safeway grocery VWRUH LQ $XEXUQ RI¿FLDOO\ ¿OHGWKHEDOORWPHDVXUH “Workers like me deserve to be able to earn a decent wage, I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to work countless long demanding hours at a job and still not be able to afford basic necessities in life such as food gas and rent,” she said at the press conference. Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritsville, said in an interview that raising the minimum wage to $13.50 would be a “tremendous” burden in some parts of Washington, and to some small businesses. “If you’re in counties that have persistently high unemployment rates, it’s not so rosy,” he said. Last year’s effort to raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour, House Bill 1355, was reintroduced to the Legislature this year. The primary sponsor is Rep. Jessyn Farrell, D-Seattle. Subscriber services: For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255 Didn’t receive your paper?&DOO EHIRUHQRRQ7XHVGD\WKURXJK)ULGD\ RUEHIRUHDP6DWXUGD\ for same-day redelivery — Founded Oct. 16, 1875 — 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211 333 E. Main St., Hermiston 541-567-6211 2I¿FHKRXUV0RQGD\WKURXJK)ULGD\DPWRSP &ORVHGPDMRUKROLGD\V SUBSCRIPTION RATES /RFDOKRPHGHOLYHU\ 6DYLQJVRIIFRYHUSULFH (=3D\ SHUFHQW ZHHNV SHUFHQW ZHHNV SHUFHQW ZHHNV SHUFHQW (=3D\ RQH\HDUUDWHZLWKDPRQWKO\FUHGLWRUGHELWFDUGFKHFNFKDUJH www.eastoregonian.com To subscribe, call 1-800-522-0255 or go online to www.eastoregonian.com and click on ‘Subscribe’ (DVW2UHJRQLDQ(USPS 164-980)LVSXEOLVKHGGDLO\H[FHSW6XQGD\0RQGD\ DQG'HFE\WKH(20HGLD*URXS6(%\HUV$YH3HQGOHWRQ25 3HULRGLFDOVSRVWDJHSDLGDW3HQGOHWRQ25Postmaster:VHQGDGGUHVVFKDQJHVWR (DVW2UHJRQLDQ6(%\HUV$YH3HQGOHWRQ25 Mostly cloudy and chilly Mostly cloudy with a little rain 38° 32° 45° 35° Mostly cloudy FRIDAY Mainly cloudy with a shower A little snow in the morning PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 45° 33° 42° 27° 39° 32° HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 39° 36° 45° 36° PENDLETON through 3 p.m. yesterday TEMPERATURE HIGH Yesterday Normals Records LOW 33° 20° 41° 27° 63° (1953) -11° (1963) PRECIPITATION 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date Trace 0.06" 0.62" 0.06" 0.23" 0.62" HERMISTON through 3 p.m. yesterday TEMPERATURE HIGH Yesterday Normals Records LOW 36° 22° 41° 28° 61° (2014) -10° (1937) PRECIPITATION 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date Trace 0.05" 0.45" 0.05" 0.14" 0.45" SUN AND MOON Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today First Full Jan 16 Jan 23 46° 32° 44° 33° 39° 32° Seattle 51/42 ALMANAC Last 7:34 a.m. 4:33 p.m. 9:04 a.m. 8:04 p.m. New Jan 31 Feb 8 ADVERTISING Advertising Director: Jennine Perkinson MSHUNLQVRQ#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP NEWS To submit news tips and press releases:FDOO ID[HPDLOQHZV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP Multimedia consultants 7HUUL%ULJJV WEULJJV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP -HDQQH-HZHWW MMHZHWW#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP .LP/D3ODQW NODSODQW#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP 'D\OH6WLQVRQ GVWLQVRQ#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP To submit community events, calendar items and Your EO News: HPDLOFRPPXQLW\#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRPRUFDOO7DPP\0DOJHVLQL LQ+HUPLVWRQDWRU5HQHH6WUXWKHUVLQ3HQGOHWRQDW To submit engagements, weddings and anniversaries: HPDLOUVWUXWKHUV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRPRUYLVLWZZZHDVWRUHJRQLDQ FRPFRPPXQLW\DQQRXQFHPHQWV To submit a Letter to the Editor:PDLOWR0DQDJLQJ(GLWRU'DQLHO :DWWHQEXUJHU6(%\HUV$YH3HQGOHWRQ25RUHPDLO HGLWRU#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP To submit sports or outdoors information or tips: VSRUWV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP COMMERCIAL PRINTING Production Manager: 6WHYH.QREEH VNQREEH#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP REGIONAL CITIES Today SATURDAY Spokane Wenatchee 36/33 35/32 Tacoma Moses 49/40 Lake Pullman Aberdeen Olympia Yakima 37/34 38/34 48/44 48/42 38/29 Longview Kennewick Walla Walla 48/44 38/37 Lewiston 37/34 Astoria 44/36 50/46 Portland Enterprise Hermiston 46/42 Pendleton 35/30 The Dalles 39/36 38/32 38/36 La Grande Salem 36/34 49/45 Albany Corvallis 50/46 49/46 John Day 40/36 Ontario Eugene Bend 35/29 51/46 42/38 Caldwell Burns 35/30 28/24 Astoria Baker City Bend Brookings Burns Enterprise Eugene Heppner Hermiston John Day Klamath Falls La Grande Meacham Medford Newport North Bend Ontario Pasco Pendleton Portland Redmond Salem Spokane Ukiah Vancouver Walla Walla Yakima Hi 50 34 42 55 28 35 51 38 39 40 40 36 35 52 52 57 35 37 38 46 43 49 36 37 46 38 38 Lo 46 31 38 48 24 30 46 35 36 36 36 34 33 42 45 48 29 33 32 42 38 45 33 34 43 37 29 W r c r r sn c r r r c r c c r r r c c c r r r c r r c r NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY Wed. Hi 50 35 44 50 37 38 48 44 45 44 40 41 39 50 49 51 38 45 45 50 48 48 40 42 48 46 41 Lo 41 24 28 42 20 28 39 31 36 27 22 30 31 36 40 43 27 33 35 39 28 40 31 27 39 36 25 W r sn r r sn sn r r r sn c sn r r r r sf r r r r r sn r r r c WORLD CITIES Today Beijing Hong Kong Jerusalem London Mexico City Moscow Paris Rome Seoul Sydney Tokyo Hi 29 64 58 45 67 25 46 60 31 92 43 Lo 12 56 42 35 48 20 37 45 16 70 38 W s c s pc pc sn sh pc pc pc r Wed. Hi 34 67 60 44 64 31 45 58 33 84 48 Lo 14 57 42 36 48 11 36 40 17 74 38 W s pc s c c i pc s sf pc c WINDS Medford 52/42 Klamath Falls 40/36 (in mph) Today Wednesday Boardman Pendleton NE 3-6 SE 4-8 NNW 4-8 SSE 8-16 UV INDEX TODAY Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. REGIONAL FORECAST Coastal Oregon: Rain, some heavy today and tonight. A touch of rain tomorrow. Thursday: rain. Eastern and Central Oregon: Mostly cloudy today. A little rain near the Cascades; a ﬂ urry in central parts. Western Washington: Occasional rain today into tomorrow. Thursday: a little rain. Eastern Washington: Mostly cloudy today; a little rain toward the Cascades in the afternoon. Cascades: Periods of rain today; any time across the north, during the afternoon elsewhere. Northern California: Mostly cloudy today; periods of rain; however, dry in the interior mountains. 0 1 1 BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) — A Bremerton-based manufacturer is working on a line of aluminum boats they call “virtually unsinkable.” The Kitsap Sun reports that Life Proof Boats is launching a line of vessels resembling Coast Guard SDWUROERDWVIRU¿VKHUPDQLQ the Northwest. Life Proof’s Micah Bowers says they are working to build a boat for recreation that’s more robust than what is currently in the market. Their boats feature aluminum KXOOVZLWKÀRWDWLRQFROODUVIRU added buoyance and stability. The boats can reach speeds of 60 mph, powered by two 300-horsepower outboards. Prices start at about $50,000 and Life Proof has worked with Kitsap Bank to FUHDWH¿QDQFLQJSDFNDJHV Corrections Real Estate Advertising: Jodi Snook MVQRRN#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP THURSDAY Bremerton manufacturer builds ‘virtually unsinkable’ boat The city of Pilot Rock pays the Pendleton Police Department $4,000 a month for administrative oversight and also pays for WKHZDJHVDQGEHQH¿WVWRKDYHD3HQGOHWRQRI¿FHUSDWUROVWUHHWV answer calls for service and other police duties in Pilot Rock, The East Oregonian in a Dec. 12, 2015, story on the problems small towns face with having police department did not report the addi- tional cost. Pilot Rock in December paid $6,339 for 120 hours of police work plus the $4,000 for oversight. The East Oregonian works hard to be accurate and sincerely regrets any errors. If you notice a mistake in the paper, please call 541-966-0818. Legal Advertising:$PDQGD-DFREV DMDFREV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP Single copy price: 7XHVGD\WKURXJK)ULGD\6DWXUGD\ Forecast WEDNESDAY 6($77/($3²2I¿- cials say a woman working ClassiÀed Advertising: FODVVL¿HGV#HDVWRUHJRQLDQFRP Copyright © 2016, EO Media Group TODAY Woman injured in bikini barista stand explosion dies in a bikini coffee stand who was injured when the stand exploded has died. Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg says Courtney Camp- bell died Monday afternoon. Campbell was injured Thursday afternoon when a ¿UHEURNHRXWDW6LQQHUVDQG Saints Coffee in Everett. The ¿UHUHSRUWHGO\VSUHDGWRD nearby car before the blaze was extinguished. Assistant Everett Fire Marshal Eric Hicks said Thursday the barista, later LGHQWL¿HGDV&DPSEHOOZDV inside the stand at the time and that she was burned while HVFDSLQJWKHÀDPHV Hicks told The Daily Herald on Friday that investigators believe a propane tank inside the coffee VWDQGFRQWULEXWHGWRWKH¿UH 0 0 0 8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. 0-2, Low 3-5, Moderate 6-7, High; 8-10, Very High; 11+, Extreme The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num- ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection. Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2016 Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day. -10s -0s showers t-storms 0s 10s rain 20s ﬂurries 30s 40s snow ice 50s 60s cold front 70s 80s 90s 100s warm front stationary front 110s high low National Summary: A storm will spread a fresh dose of arctic air, flurries and ground- cov- ering snow squalls across the Midwest and Northeast today. Rain will graze the Gulf Coast and will return to the Pacific coast. Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states) High 73° in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Low -36° in Cotton, Minn. NATIONAL CITIES Today Albuquerque Atlanta Atlantic City Baltimore Billings Birmingham Boise Boston Charleston, SC Charleston, WV Chicago Cleveland Dallas Denver Detroit El Paso Fairbanks Fargo Honolulu Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Kansas City Las Vegas Little Rock Los Angeles Hi 41 51 47 44 40 51 37 39 56 35 12 28 60 44 25 49 5 2 82 62 21 58 27 54 52 66 Lo 20 27 26 20 27 27 32 25 34 12 0 12 36 23 11 26 -2 -8 66 39 5 34 18 34 27 43 W s s pc pc pc s c sf s sn pc sn s s sf s c pc s s sf s pc s s s Wed. Hi 44 47 32 31 44 49 41 33 53 30 21 17 63 50 17 53 10 19 82 63 24 58 46 54 54 62 Lo 23 31 24 20 33 34 29 19 31 21 18 14 45 23 14 30 3 11 67 50 23 35 32 38 37 43 W s s pc pc pc s c pc s pc sf sn pc s sf s c pc s pc pc s s pc s r Today Louisville Memphis Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis Nashville New Orleans New York City Oklahoma City Omaha Philadelphia Phoenix Portland, ME Providence Raleigh Rapid City Reno Sacramento St. Louis Salt Lake City San Diego San Francisco Seattle Tucson Washington, DC Wichita Hi 34 47 68 12 3 44 58 41 48 19 45 62 34 41 50 37 46 61 29 31 64 60 51 62 45 41 Lo 15 25 54 -1 -6 18 41 25 25 11 24 40 24 24 25 22 34 50 16 16 47 54 42 35 23 24 W sf s sh pc pc pc s sf s pc sn s sn sf s pc c c s pc s pc r s pc s Wed. Hi 32 51 72 18 16 42 63 31 54 37 32 64 30 32 42 46 48 58 42 36 63 57 48 65 33 49 Lo 27 39 61 17 15 31 49 22 31 27 24 41 12 17 27 29 29 42 32 27 52 46 40 36 24 29 Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice. W pc s s sf sf s s pc pc s pc s pc pc s pc r r pc pc pc r r s pc s