REPORTER
COVINGTON | MAPLE VALLEY | BLACK DIAMOND FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2015
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NEWSLINE 425-432-1209
LOCAL |Ticketless at the Super Bowl [page 3]
Pinned | Tahoma Bears win subregional tournament title, Kentwood crowns three champions [10]
WEBSITE | Check the website for breaking news, sports and weather stories. maplevalleyreporter.com or covingtonreporter.com
The special science of marijuana making
Decision to refinance stirs up confusion
BY RAY STILL rstill@courierherald.com
BY REBECCA GOURLEY
With the passage of I-502 in 2012, development of marijuana legislation and marijuana research has surged to unprecedented levels. In an attempt to clearly translate new laws and research, the Reporter and Courier-Herald will examine these issues in a fourpart series. Part four of this series addresses information about the cannabis plant and the chemicals it produces. While research on the longterm health effects of marijuana use and Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC have only just begun, the cannabis plant itself has been thoroughly studied. The anatomy of the plant is well-known; the iconic five-leaf plant is easily recognizable in popular culture. The science of growing and processing the cannabis plant is also well documented and studied, giving both businesses and medical dispensaries innumerable ways to utilize the plant. On a chemical level, we know how THC affects the human brain and can even synthesize those same chemicals in a lab. Consider this your Cannabis 101 class - the science behind the plant.
rgourley@maplevalleyreporter.com
[ more SCIENCE page 7 ]
After a number of people testified at the public hearing at Monday night’s Maple Valley City Council meeting, one thing was clear – there was a lot of misunderstandings and possible confusion about the MAPLE city potentially VALLEY refinancing their $2.9 million in bonds. After the meeting, Mayor Bill Allison commented about the hearing, saying that people were misunderstanding the issue. He said refinancing, no matter which option the City Council chooses, is going to save the city at least $175,000. The question then becomes which option does the city choose, refinancing with taxexempt or taxable bonds. Here are the differences between those options for each piece of land in question:
LEGACY SITE
‘Birds Flying High’
Aleyna Lomuntad, a sophomore, was crowned the 2015 Kentwood Idol on Friday, Feb. 6. The 10 contestants were judged by Principal John Kniseley, Assistant Principal Shannon Nash and the up-and-coming boy band, ZeroGravity. Lomuntad was nicknamed “the diva” by ZeroGravity member Michael Kean after she sang “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone. REBECCA GOURLEY, The Reporter
Goodwin rejoins Black Diamond City Council BY ERIC MANDEL emandel@covingtonreporter.com
The Black Diamond City Council appointed Craig Goodwin with a 3-1 vote as its newest City Council member at the Feb. 5 meeting. Goodwin, who is retired, served on the City Council from 2010-13 and spent a year on the planning commission from 2008-
09. He did not run for re-election after his term ended. The council position opened as part of a domino effect when then-Mayor Dave Gordon resigned from his post Nov. 25, writing in an email that “due to circumstance beyond my control, I feel I can’t serve the duties of mayor to the standard I set for myself.” The council ap-
pointed mayor pro tempore Carol breaking the 2-2 tie. Benson told The Reporter that she believes Benson to Gordon’s position six Pepper needs more experience in days later. city government. Four candidates — Goodwin, Councilman Ron Taylor initiatPatricia Pepper, William Giesen ed the vote for Goodwin, and Mario Sorci — apwith Morgan casting the plied for the opening, council’s lone “no” vote though Giesen did not against the candidate. participate in the public In his public interview interviews at a special with the council Jan. 22, meeting Jan. 22. Goodwin said he plans Councilwoman Tamie to primarily focus on the Deady initially nominated Craig Goodwin city’s fiscal health. Other Pepper to the open spot at areas of interest include the Feb. 5 meeting, with the Black Diamond Community support from Councilwoman Center, listening to the commuErika Morgan. The nomination nity and the YarrowBay master failed, though, with Benson un-
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Location: About 25700 Maple Valley Black Diamond Rd SE. [ more REFINANCE page 6 ]
planned developments. Goodwin could not be reached for comment prior to press deadline. In his written answers to questions from the council, Goodwin wrote, “With our son now having successfully completed treatment for cancer, I am once again in a position to devote the time required to be an effective and contributing member of the council.” Benson told The Reporter Friday that Goodwin’s previous time on the council will be beneficial. “I’m sure he is going to be a good fit,” she said.