Posted inCurrent affairs Marijuana

Marion County might ban marijuana businesses — secretly

[September 26, 2015 update: Yes, the Marion County Board of Commissioners did prohibit marijuana businesses in the unincorporated parts of the county, aside from "grandfathering" in two currently licensed medical marijuana dispensaries. A vote in the November 2016 election will determine whether the prohibition on marijuana businesses continues. If it doesn't, the 3% tax on recreational marijuana sales passed in another ordinance will go into effect.  Here's what the county Public Information Officer, Jolene Kelley, told me when I asked what happened at the September 23 meeting. Attached are the two ordinances the commissioners approved on Wednesday. Ordinance 1358 "opts out"…
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Posted inSalem

Salem City Councilor Warren Bednarz caught in a lie

So what should I call a false statement by a public official, in this case Salem City Councilor Warren Bednarz? "Misstatement"? "Falsehood"? "Untruth"? These are fine words, and sometimes they are the best to use. But in this case I feel justified in using "Lie" in the title of this blog post. As you can read below, I got a report that Councilor Bednarz spent several minutes at a Salem neighborhood association meeting criticizing me and this blog -- claiming that I spread "half truths" on it. That got me fired up. I do my best to be accurate in…
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Posted inCurrent affairs

Republicans, including Fiorina, lie in their presidential debate

Though I'm a proud progressive, I readily admit that Democrats, and liberals in general, shade the truth at times.  But Republicans, and conservatives in general -- they often engage in total eclipsing of the truth, blanking out virtually every semblance of factual reality.  The New York Times editorial board tells it like it is in "Crazy Talk at the Republican Debate."  Eleven presidential candidates had three prime-time hours on the national stage on Wednesday to tell the American people why they should lead the country. Nobody forced them to be there. They were there freely, armed with the best arguments they…
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Posted inHome life

Apple Upgrade Program credit check — what credit agency is used?

Frustrating.  That's my reaction after spending time today trying to learn what credit agency will be used to check my Credit Score when I go into the Bridgeport Village Apple Store on September 25 to, hopefully, pick up my new iPhone 6S bought under the iPhone Upgrade Program. Which says I'll need to bring... Your personal information and credit card. You will be asked to provide your Social Security number and date of birth for a credit check. You will also need a valid U.S. personal credit card. Debit cards and prepaid cards are not accepted. Several times this week…
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Posted inHome life Marijuana

Tips for “vaping” marijuana if you want to go first class

Oregon, where I live, has legalized recreational marijuana, along with medical marijuana. Early sales through medical marijuana dispensaries start October 1, 2015 -- just two weeks away. Since many people are going to either be buying pot for the first time, or getting back into imbibing marijuana after a long absence, I wanted to share my preferred approach to "smoking" marijuana. I realize this sort of openness will sound weird to people used to Demon Weed being, well, demonized. But on July 1 of this year marijuana became legal to use, possess, and grow in Oregon. Before too long more states…
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Posted inSalem

Salem City Councilors admit I was right and they were wrong. Sweet!

Ah, it feels so good to have called out Salem City Councilors Brad Nanke and Jim Lewis about their erroneous assertion at a recent council meeting that I got things wrong about early sales of recreational marijuana in this town. I was confident that I was right, and told them so in my testimony at the August 31 meeting. You can see me speaking truth to power in a video Salem Community Vision made of my remarks at the contentious meeting, where citizens were disrespected, big time. But I didn't want to leave it there. It deeply irked me that Nanke…
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Posted inHome life Marijuana Salem

How did I know how many marijuana stores are in Colorado?

It was my favorite moment of yesterday's Salem City Club lunch event, "Marijuana: It's Legal, Now What?" And not just because I was the centerpiece of it. The moment pointed to something profound -- yet not easily understood -- about how memory, intuition, and that well-worn adage Trust Yourself tie together.  Salem Police Chief Jerry Moore was one of the speakers, along with Margo Lucas, owner of West Salem Cannabis, a medical marijuana dispensary that after October 1 will be selling recreational (a.k.a. "adult") marijuana. Moore said he had done some Googling about Colorado's experience with legalized recreational marijuana. After…
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Posted inSalem

My KMUZ interview about early sales of marijuana and Salem city council dysfunction

I always enjoy talking with Ken Adams, host of the Willamette Wake-Up show on Salem's KMUZ community radio. Here's a link to a podcast of our recent interview/conversation about prohibiting or allowing early sales of marijuana in Salem, which was on the agenda of the August 31 city council meeting. http://kmuz.org/willamette-wakeup-09072015-brian-hines-interview/ Ken has a knack for saying things that usually blend perfectly with the remarks I was contemplating for my next side of the conversation. Here's a photo of Ken and Salem Weekly publisher A.P. Walther. I ran into them, figuratively, at last month's Salem Sunday Streets event. I just…
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Posted inSalem

Photos of 2015 Salem Sunday Streets event

Here's photos of, and commentary on, the third Salem Sunday Streets event that was held August 28. I'm a big fan of Salem Sunday Streets, where some downtown roadways are closed to traffic and opened for the sole use of cyclists, walkers, and other human-powered ways of getting around. I'm also a big fan of Portland Sunday Parkways, as I wrote about in "What Salem Sunday Streets can learn from Portland Sunday Parkways."  Over time I hope and expect that our local open streets event will become more like how Portland does things. This isn't really a criticism of Salem…
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Posted inSalem

City of Salem kills another beautiful ancient White Oak

A friend sent me photos of a very old (maybe 500 years?) White Oak that the City of Salem cut down recently. It was near the intersection of Fir and Bush streets. Since the City has a habit of removing street trees for no good reason -- see here and here -- I'm determined to find out if this was another case of "get out the chainsaws first, ask arborist questions later." What I was told is that several weeks ago a woman who lived near the tree asked that some limbs be trimmed because she was worried about branches falling…
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Posted inHome life

DirecTV, rot in hell for not carrying Pac 12 Networks

I don't think I'm overreacting by telling DirecTV staff to rot in hell for -- after THREE FREAKING YEARS -- being unable to reach an agreement with the Pac 12 Networks to carry their sports events. Like the opening Oregon State and Oregon football games that I'll be unable to see today and tomorrow, just like I have for the past THREE FREAKING YEARS. (See here and here.) Today I emailed DIrecTV again through their online help center. I told them not to send me their deeply irritating canned response about why they don't carry the Pac 12 Networks. I"ve…
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Posted inSalem

Michael Rose is missed at the City of Salem

While I was checking our VISA statement against our credit card receipts this evening, a task that doesn't consume all of my cognitive assets, I was idly thinking about what I'd like to say to the Salem Mayor and City Council the next time I testify at a council meeting. (Yeah, I know, I'm weird.) Wanting to throw in some positive observations and advice about the City's often-shaky P.R. and communications efforts, I was mentally rehearsing some lines regarding how postings on the City of Salem Facebook page have improved.  But then another thought came to mind: No, wait. They…
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Posted inCurrent affairs Salem

Basic facts about Oregon’s early sales of recreational marijuana

Today I got an email message from a friend who'd been contacted by someone who thought I had my facts wrong about early sales of recreational marijuana in Salem, and Oregon as a whole. That "someone" (I don't know who it was) wrote to my friend: I think he got the dates wrong for the early sales of pot.  Legal sales from rec dispensaries can begin on Jan 4 2016 if i am not mistaken... meaning that early sales (from medical dispensaries) would go from Oct 1 to Jan 4.  Brian would have you believe from his blog, that the City Council's action would ban…
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Posted inCurrent affairs Salem

Are Salem City Council votes predetermined prior to meetings?

It's an open question, the title of this blog post. But this is something people have been talking about for a long time here in Salem, Oregon, because it sure seems like important policy decisions often are voted on with very little discussion or debate between councilors at City Council meetings.Today I emailed the message below to Kacey Duncan, the Acting City Manager, and other city officials. After last Monday's city council meeting, I figured it was time to ask some pertinent questions that revolve around whether the City of Salem is complying with Oregon's public meeting law. The way…
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Posted inSalem

“Trust us” says Salem’s right-wing City Council. “Why?” ask citizens.

As the saying goes, there can be a universe in a grain of sand. Likewise, those attending last night's Salem City Council meeting got insights into how things at City Hall are generally going. In short: not well. Not for those of us concerned about government transparency, trust, and citizen participation. The three go together. Transparency. Trust. Citizen participation. For example, when people feel like the Mayor, city councilors, and other officials are being open and honest with them, trust is fostered. When people trust that what they say will be listened to, and can make a difference, they're more…
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Posted inSalem

The Salem City Council accuses me of misinformation — I call them out on this

It's late. I'm tired. But I have to defend myself against the untrue accusations Salem city councilor Brad Nanke, and other officials, made about me tonight. Not long ago I got back from a fascinating Salem City Council meeting. (Check out the KGW-TV story about this that was on the 5 pm news. I was interviewed, but, sob, I was identified as "Dan Atchison, City Attorney." As was the real Dan Atchison, who also was interviewed. My reputation is now ruined! I considered suing KGW, but I think that instead I'll ask them for an ounce of free weed. The…
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Posted inSalem

Salem has a new City Manager — Steve Powers

It looks like Salem, Oregon has a new City Manager, Steve Powers. He's currently the City Administrator of Ann Arbor, Michigan.  So reports MLive (whatever that is) in "Ann Arbor city administrator accepts new job in Oregon." City Administrator Steve Powers is planning to leave the city of Ann Arbor to pursue a new career opportunity in Oregon. Powers, who has been Ann Arbor's top administrator since 2011, informed the City Council of his decision via email late Sunday afternoon. He has been offered the city manager position in Salem, Oregon, and he has accepted pending the Salem City Council approving…
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Posted inCurrent affairs Marijuana Salem

Salem City Council might ban marijuana sales — secretly

News flash: without any warning to Salem's citizens, the City Council might move to ban recreational marijuana sales at its Monday (August 31) meeting.  Here's a PDF version of this flyer; feel free to share far and wide Download Hey Salem PDF I find this outrageous, like so much the Mayor and right-wing council majority is doing these days. My outrage is as much about the disturbing lack of public notice and transparency going on here, as the absurd notion that recreational marijuana sales should be banned in a city whose citizens approved Measure 91 by 53% to 47% in…
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Posted inBicycling Salem

What I like most about cycling at a Portland Sunday Parkways event

Yesterday I took part in my second Portland Sunday Parkways bike ride. After my first experience, I wrote "What Salem Sunday Streets can learn from Portland Sunday Parkways."  Now that I've been to two Portland Sunday Parkways, I've got a better understanding of what I like about these open streets events, where 7-8 miles of streets in various parts of Portland are completely closed off to moving vehicles. People cycle, scoot, skateboard, walk, or whatever along the route, which leads to several public parks where booths and activities abound. After driving up from Salem, my Bike Friday folding bike ("Silkie,"…
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Posted inSalem

Cycling in Salem got good news, but we’re a long ways from being pedal-friendly

Way to go, Salem Bike Boulevard Advocates! Without you pushing for Family Friendly Bikeways in this town, of which we currently have exactly none, there wouldn't have been this good news that you shared today on your Facebook page. We have great news to share with you this morning. The City of Salem has been awarded an ODOT TGM grant to begin the planning stages of the Winter-Maple Family Friendly Bikeway! What does this mean? It means that Salem will receive $110,000 from ODOT along with a $30,000 match from the City to plan a safe and convenient route.  TGM…
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