Thursday, July 17, 2014 - Week 29 - The Voice of Mason County since 1886
Picture
Marijuana moratorium has ‘ripple effect’
Journal photo by Tom Hyde
A county moratorium on marijuana processing and production facilities restricts their placement to 1.6 percent of all parcels in Mason County. Marijuana grows at Highwater Farms, located in the Skokomish Valley.
What’s the cost of Mason County’s freeze on growing and processing locations?

 By Natalie Johnson
natalie@masoncounty.com

   Two weeks after a moratorium on marijuana production and processing was passed for most properties in Mason County, 28 companies might not be able to continue at their current locations.
    “The ripple effect is huge,” said Mason County Commissioner Randy Neatherlin at a commission meeting July 8.
    Neatherlin voted against a six-month moratorium passed 2-1 by commissioners Tim Sheldon and Terri Jeffreys on July 1 that disallows all marijuana production and processing in the county except in areas zones industrial or agricultural.
    The moratorium restricts development of these businesses to 1.6 percent of all parcels in the county, according to information provided by the Mason County Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Department.
    In November, the commission previously voted to allow production in the majority of the county’s zoning districts, including residential parcels 5 acres and larger.

For more of the Mason County Journal, subscribe to our weekly edition.

_Friday night delight

By Emily Hanson
emily@masoncounty.com

   Tureano Johnson became a boxer Friday night.
    The fighter from Nassau, Bahamas, said before his match, he wasn’t that great of a fighter.
    “In the last two rounds, I adjusted and became a boxer,” Johnson (15-1, 10 knockouts) said. “(Friday night), you saw a sneek peek preview of what I can do.”
    Johnson defeated Mike Gavronski of Tacoma (14-1-1, 10 KOs) unanimously during the main fight of ESPN’s “Friday Night Fights” at Skookum Creek Event Center at Little Creek Casino Resort. Official scoring for the fight was 99-91 from all three judges.
    “I must say, Gavronski put up a hell of a fight,” Johnson said. “He has a titanium belly. He came with a game plan I wasn’t expecting.”
    And that’s why Johnson had to adjust his fighting style to come away with the victory in the fight for the World Boxing Council’s Continental Americas Middleweight title.

For more of the Mason County Journal, subscribe to our weekly edition.
Journal photo by Emily Hanson
Tureano Johnson, right, of Nassau, Bahamas, lands a punch on Mike Gavronski of Tacoma on Friday night during ESPN’s ‘Friday Night Fights’ at Skookum Creek Event Center at Little Creek Casino Resort.