AP-OR–2nd Right Now/1119
MARIJUANA FARM
Farm gets license to be recreational marijuana producer
(Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com)
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — A farm southwest of Eugene has been given a license to become the second licensed recreational marijuana producer in Lane County. Winberry Farm southeast of Eugene joins New Breed Seed, which was licensed last month by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.
The Register-Guard reports The Oregon Health Authority is running a temporary recreational marijuana sales program through medical dispensaries. The commission last week granted the first producer licenses in the lead-up to its regulation of recreational pot.
The commission on Thursday approved a small-sized grower license for Winberry Farms. The license, which costs $3,750 annually, allows for up to 20,000 square feet of pot plants to be grown outside.
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WRONG WAY CRASH-ACID
Wrong-way driver slams into semitrailer carrying acid on I-5
GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) — A semitrailer carrying hydrochloric acid has been struck by a wrong-way driver on Interstate 5 north of Grants Pass.
The Oregon State Patrol says the semitrailer had been heading north on Sunday when it was struck by a vehicle going the wrong direction. The wrong-way driver was identified as 27-year-old Ashley Whipple, who was hospitalized with minor injuries. She was cited for driving under the influence of intoxicants and released.
The semitrailer driver was uninjured.
Initial reports had said the collision caused an acid spill, but a hazardous materials team from Medford that responded to the scene says there were no chemical leaks.
The northbound lanes were reopened after several hours.
FOREST ENGINEER HONORED
Umpqua National Forest engineer receives national award
(Information from: The News-Review, http://www.nrtoday.com)
ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) — An assistant forest engineer from Douglas County has received national recognition for estimating the cost of removing asbestos from all U.S. Forest Service facilities across the nation.
The News-Review reports that John Beagle with the Umpqua National Forest has been named the Technology Application Person of the Year for 2015. He was recognized at a national engineering conference at the U.S. Forest Service headquarters in Washington, D.C. last month.
Beagle, of Roseburg, has developed a method for estimating the cost of asbestos removal that allows the work to be calculated at the federal level instead of field offices having to do it individually.
Beagle earned a degree in civil engineering at Oregon State University and joined the Forest Service in 2008.
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SOLAR FARM APPROVED
Solar farm slated for central Oregon
(Information from: The Bulletin, http://www.bendbulletin.com)
BEND, Ore. (AP) — A Canadian energy developer is closer to putting a solar farm in central Oregon.
The Bulletin reports Saturn Power Corp. is planning a 10-megawatt facility that could power 1,500 homes each year.
Deschutes County’s permit and plan approval for the project was finalized last week after the appeal period ended without opposition.
A company consultant said last year that the electricity will be sold to Pacific Power.
Bend-based Sunlight Solar Energy operates 1,566 solar panels at the Central Electric Cooperative in Bend. Founder and president Paul Israel says there has been plenty of interest in putting commercial solar facilities in Oregon, but that the process is slow.
Developers behind a planned 20-megawatt facility have asked the county to approve revised construction plans.
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MARIJUANA PROSECUTION FIGHT
Looming marijuana ruling could limit federal prosecutions
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal appeals court is expected to issue a ruling soon that could limit prosecutions of medical marijuana users and dispensaries in eight Western states that allow medical marijuana.
At issue is a Congressional amendment that said the U.S. Department of Justice could not use funding Congress allocated to it for 2015 and 2016 to prevent states that have legalized medical marijuana from implementing laws that permit its use, distribution and possession.
The amendment’s bipartisan sponsors say it prohibits the DOJ from prosecuting people who are complying with state medical marijuana laws.
But the DOJ has interpreted the law more narrowly and says it permits U.S. attorneys to go after marijuana dispensaries and growers. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law.
The 9th Circuit is expected to clarify the scope of the amendment in appeals by three sets of defendants.
WARRIORS-TRAIL BLAZERS
Lillard has 40, Blazers cut the Warriors’ advantage to 2-1
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Damian Lillard had a playoff-best 40 points and the Portland Trail Blazers avoided a fourth-quarter letdown to beat Golden State 120-108 on Saturday night, cutting the Warriors’ advantage in the Western Conference semifinal to 2-1.
The defending NBA champion Warriors were still without reigning MVP Steph Curry, who sprained his right knee in Game 4 of the team’s first-round series against Houston.
Al-Farouq Aminu had 23 points and 10 rebounds, and CJ McCollum added 22 points for Portland. The Trail Blazers led 58-46 at the half and stretched the lead to as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter.
Draymond Green had 37 points, and Klay Thompson added 35 for the Warriors, They had had won four straight against the Blazers.
GOP 2016-TRUMP-WASHINGTON-THE LATEST
The Latest: 3 Trump protesters arrested in Washington
LYNDEN, Wash. (AP) — Authorities say three protesters were arrested after they blocked a road in northwest Washington trying to keep Donald Trump from speaking at a campaign rally.
Bellingham Police Lt. Bob Vander Yacht said two females and one male were cited for disorderly conduct and released.
Protesters briefly blocked the northbound lanes of State Route 539 into Lynden before authorities started clearing the roadway.
The likely GOP nominee’s motorcade used a different route into the Northwest Washington Fair & Event Center in Lynden for the second Trump rally in Washington state Saturday.
ELECTRONICS RECYCLER-EXPORTS
Washington recycling company investigated for TV exports
(Information from: KOPB-FM, http://news.opb.org)
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — One of the largest electronic recycling companies in Washington state is facing multiple state investigations after it was allegedly caught exporting televisions with hazardous materials to unregulated facilities in Hong Kong.
KOPB-FM reports Seattle-based certified electronics recycler Total Reclaim admitted to withholding information about the exports after a nonprofit group placed GPS tracking devices in the TVs and traced their journey.
Both the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Washington Department of Ecology have launched investigations into whether Total Reclaim violated their state hazardous waste laws.
In a statement, Total Reclaim owners Craig Lorch and Jeff Zirkle blamed a bad commodities market for copper and plastic for the shipping.
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Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
