INSIDE: Memories, ... Sports, A7
Record South Whidbey
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2012 | Vol. 88, No. 95 | www.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.com | 75¢
County gun laws come under fire
SOUR SPIRITS
The request was based on complaints about a neighbor, William Watanabe, who has a private firing range on Residents of rural com- his property. munities in Island County Island County Sheriff’s may soon have a say in Detective Ed Wallace whether or not their neigh- confirmed this week that bors can shoot guns in their deputies visited the range backyards. twice during that period and Last week, the Island found that Watanabe was County commissioners dis- adhering to existing laws. cussed a set of draft rules Residents, however, were which propose a petition and still worry that it’s only process for neighborhoods a matter of time before an seeking to ban or allow the accident occurs and somedischarge of firearms in one is hurt due to the proxtheir area. imity of neighbors. The Although usually sparse- board did not approve the ly attended, the weekly shooting ban at the time but staff session residents drew a standw e r e ing room only g i v e n crowd of huntthe OK ers, representato begin tives from local researchgun clubs and ing a general Second prospecAmendment tive ordiadvocates. Angie Homola nance. District 2 Island County commissioner Over Commissioner the next Angie Homola, several the primary sponsor of the months, they compiled proposed legislation, imme- a large binder with infordiately addressed the crowd mation ranging from in the hopes of clearing up a ballistics study to ordiany misconceptions about nances already in effect in the new rules and why they other counties around the are being brought forward state, said Homola during in the first place. Wednesday’s meeting. “I’ve been seeing a lot of That research helped emails coming through our draft an ordinance that office that Commissioner outlines a process in which Homola is trying to stop communities that contain at people from owning guns in least 20 parcels and 20 acres Island County and nothing could petition the board to could be further from the ban shooting in their area. truth,” she said. “This is just The draft rules say denan opportunity to address sity in such areas would the needs of citizens.” have to be such that the dis“I don’t get to pick and charge of firearms “creates choose what people come a reasonable likelihood that and ask me for,” she said. humans, domestic animals “People have come and or property will be jeoparsaid they are afraid for their dized.” lives and they would like Also, only petitions with an opportunity to protect the support of 50 percent themselves and can you plus one would be forwardplease help.” ed to the board for review Earlier this year, resi- and action. dents from several neighborhoods along West Beach Road asked the board to See GUNS, A8 ban shooting in their area.
BY JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter
Ben Watanabe / The Record
Nickole Martinez of Clinton buys a few 50 milliliter bottles from Clinton Liquor Store owner Jan Neil. The vast selection and mini bottles, Martinez said, makes the Clinton shop her preferred destination for spirits.
Contract liquor stores struggle with competition
BY BEN WATANABE Staff reporter
CLINTON — Upwards of 30 percent of Jan Neil’s business disappeared over the past six months. Ever since Initiative 1183 went into effect in June, fewer people are making the trip to Neil’s Clinton Liquor Store. Instead, they buy steaks, milk, toothpaste and Jack Daniels at the Red Apple, the Goose, the Star Store or Payless. “All we have is this,” Neil said, motioning to her shelves of brandy, rum, tequila, whisky, scotch, vodka, gin and other liquor. “We don’t have the groceries to fall back on.” Not long ago, there were only three places south of Greenbank to purchase hard liquor. After I-1183 passed in November 2011, that number more than doubled as grocery stores were licensed to sell alcohol, effectively competing with the former contract liquor stores. More competition has eroded sales at the little stores. Things weren’t great before, even with the state revenue that aided the smallest contract stores. Now, they’re worse, with a 50-percent drop in foot traffic at the Freeland Liquor Store. “Diversification with everybody
selling alcohol has been horrendous on us,” said Ken Vaughan, owner of the Freeland Liquor Store. “At this stage, it is too early in the progress to tell exactly what the initiative did. It hurt a lot of people.” Prices have increased since the privatization and simultaneous removal of the state from liquor sales. The initiative included, however, a provision for the state to continue to tax alcohol sales — which Neil saw as the state cutting its overhead and still gaining profit. The added competition and 17-percent tax squeezed some stores so hard they have filed a lawsuit against the state in Thurston County Superior Court. The Clinton, Freeland and Langley liquor stores are not part of the lawsuit. But that doesn’t mean the owners are pleased with the change. Both the Clinton and Freeland store now sell cigarettes. The Freeland store stopped selling cigarettes four years ago, but the passage of I-1183 prompted Vaughan to add smokes to his shop. Neil added cigarettes to her store’s offerings and she plans to sell marijuana as soon as she can because it was legalized by voters this past general election. The state Liquor Control Board has a year to come up with marijuana sales rules. Customer loyalty has helped soften the losses for the Clinton store, too, Neil said. “I’m looking for any avenue for
profit,” Neil said of seeking a marijuana sales license. What was formerly a controlled market was opened in June. The state went from having 300 liquor stores to 1,500, forcing former contract stores like the Clinton Liquor Store to become a specialty shop. Neil has to market carefully and, she said, manage her inventory more than ever. Having too many bottles is wasted money, and not having enough will lead a customer to find it elsewhere — assuming the grocery store stocks the brand. Selection was the main attraction for Nickole Martinez. The Clinton resident said she gave the grocery stores a shot, but prefers to shop at the Clinton Liquor Store because liquor prices are identical and she has more options at the former contract store, including 50 milliliter bottles of everything from Stolichnaya vodka to Glenfiddich 18-year-old Scotch. “There’s way more variety,” Martinez said. Those little bottles are too small to make a big dent in lost revenue. But they make ideal samplers and gifts and are rarely carried by large grocers, something Neil will use to her advantage this holiday season. A couple of mini bottles and a drink recipe in a redand-green bag makes a stocking stuffer. Where someone may not purchase a $50 bottle of Absente absinthe, a See LIQUOR, A8
“People have come and said they are afraid for their lives ...”