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The Newport Miner THE VOICE OF PEND OREILLE COUNTY SINCE 1901
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
www.pendoreillerivervalley.com
Volume 114, Number 7 | 2 Sections, 16 Pages
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Local school administrators weigh in on education bill NEWPORT – Area school administrators didn’t seem too enthused about the passage of SB 6195, which was introduced by Gov. Jay Inslee Monday, Feb. 29, and establishes a task force to create recommendations in order to better coincide with the State Supreme Court’s 2012 decision that the state is unconstitutionally underfunding basic education. “I don’t see it as a negative thing, but it really doesn’t mean anything,” says Newport School District Superintendent Dave Smith of the legislation. “There’s really no meat to it and it doesn’t effect us in any way.” The bill covers teacher compensation and retention, local school levies’ limits and conditions, and sources of state funding. The bill also requires legislative action to remove local reliance on school levies, and provides funds for a consultant to analyze current teacher salaries. However, according to Greg Goodnight, sixth-12th grade principal at the Selkirk School District, the bill
SEE BILL, 2A
North county chamber on hiatus the Chamber attempts to boost membership and involvement. About 14 community members and business owners, eight of which are NPOCC members, attended a meeting Thursday, March 10, at the Metaline Falls
BY SOPHIA ALDOUS OF THE MINER
METALINE FALLS – After about a two-hour deliberation, the North Pend Oreille Chamber of Commerce (NPOCC) decided to take a hiatus until Sept. 27 from regular business while
SEE CHAMBER, 7A
MINER PHOTO|SOPHIA ALDOUS
Ione Airport Manager John Redinger looks out over the new turnaround.
Area airports connect county to skies Ione, Sullivan Lake only two airports in county
BY SOPHIA ALDOUS OF THE MINER
IONE – Though the sky is blue it’s a cold, blustery day at Ione Airport, where town councilman and airport manager John Redinger looks over the new turnaround taxiway that was completed by contractors Century West Engineering last summer. There’s still some lining that needs to be painted on the tarmac when the danger of frost passes, but on the whole, the project is completed. “There’s more maneuvering room now,” says Redinger. “Last year, during that fire season, it got pretty
Moratorium illuminates conflict over weed BY SOPHIA ALDOUS OF THE MINER
NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille County Commissioners’ hearing room was filled with people contesting and championing the county’s six-month moratorium on retail marijuana during a public hearing Tuesday, March 8. The adopted moratorium was passed Jan. 26 and applies only to retail marijuana operations. Testimony given during the hearing ranged from supporting the state law, which legalized recreational marijuana in 2012, to encouraging commissioners to outright ban a retail marijuana store in the county. “We do appreciate
meeting were divided between supporting the moratorium and lifting it in favor of economic growth. Mike Smith, a Baptist preacher from Ione, said the cost of marijuana to the community, children, and way of life far outweighs benefits to the individual. “It is going to wreak such havoc in our community,” he said. Smith provided eight pages of a petiMINER PHOTO|SOPHIA ALDOUS tion that he said were Audience members discuss the validity of a retail marijuana filled with signatures moratorium at the March 8 hearing. from residents of north Pend Oreille people’s commentary, that this moratorium County asking the and your feedback is simply addresses a land commissioners to important,” said Comuse issue. either maintain the missioner Karen Skoog. That is what is at the moratorium, or ban “However, I would like heart of this.” to remind everyone Those attending the SEE WEED, 2A
crowded around here.” The turnaround is located at the south end of the runway, which is approximately 3,643 feet by 45 feet. Redinger estimates a few hundred feet were shorn off the runway’s length to accommodate the turnaround, but he adds this doesn’t inhibit airplanes ability to land. “There’s more leeway for aircraft to get around now,” Redinger says. The cost of the project was $304,425, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FFA) paying for 90 percent SEE AIRPORT, 8A
Marijuana evolves into legal state industry BY LAVENDRICK SMITH WNPA OLYMPIA NEWS BUREAU
OLYMPIA – When Logan Bowers opened his marijuana retail store Seattle Hashtag in April 2015, he entered an arena far different from his techindustry background. Bowers, co-owner of Hashtag and president of the Cannabis Organization of Retail Establishments (CORE), had the same task as other marijuana license holders in the state: bring an industry relegated to street corners and sidewalks into a legal and regulated retail environment. “We get a lot of local
traffic,” Bowers said. “A lot of folks kind of walking by who are like, ‘What’s this about?’ And they come in and checked it out and realize we’re just a normal business.” Since the voter-approved Initiative 502 – which earned 56 percent of the popular vote in November 2012 – was implemented, the state Liquor and Cannabis Board has issued more than 1,000 licenses to retailers, producers or processors of marijuana under the I-502 system. The LCB issues up to a dozen new licenses each week. SEE INDUSTRY, 2A
B R I E F LY Art walk Saturday NEWPORT – The first Artwalk of the year will take place Saturday, March 19, starting at 10 a.m., in downtown Newport. Artists from the Evergreen Art Association will be displaying works at a variety of local venues. Brittney Sears, acrylics, Shirley Hendershott, oils, Diane Maslonka, oils, and Steve Patton, oils, will show their art at Mi Pueblo. Chicky Gorat’s photography and Sharon Smith’s oil paintings will be at Fleur de Lis. Cork & Barrel will host Ellen Bartel,
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oils, Tamara Taylor, acrylic and oils, Jan Gleason, watercolors, Gail Cory-Betz, oils, and Scott Bassett, photography. Janet Steiner, watercolors, and Channin Manus, oils, will share space at My Favorite Things with Friends of the Library who will have art books for sale. Art Walk ends at 4 p.m.
Swan Festival Saturday USK – The Pend Oreille County Swan Festival will take place Saturday, March 19, with a directed bus
tour starting from the Kalispel Tribal Camas Wellness Center in Usk to the privately-owned Calispel Lake and back. It includes lunch and an afternoon nature presentation. The event costs $10 per adult and $5 for children 12 and under. For more information, contact Sonya Scauflaire of Pend Oreille River Tourism Alliance at info@porta. us or 509-589-1224. Register online via PayPal at www.porta.us to secure a reservation.
CLASSIFIEDS
6B
OPINION
4A
RECORD
5B
LIFE
1B
POLICE REPORTS
5B
SPORTS
2B
OBITUARIES
5B
PUBLIC NOTICES
6B-8B
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