Prosser, Wash. – School officials Monday flatly turned down a $14,000 donation from a local marijuana farmer, taking a strong stand against youth marijuana use.
"We're not taking it, end of story," said Ray Tolcacher, Prosser School District superintendent.
The donor, Randy Williams, now is looking for another local recipient.
"I never thought it'd be a problem to give money away," said the owner of Fireweed Farms, a marijuana producer north of this city of 5,800.
Williams' next choice is the Prosser branch of the Boys and Girls Club. The youth nonprofit officials will "evaluate internally," said Brian Ace, executive director of Boys and Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin Counties.
Next in line would be the VFW, Williams said.
Williams, one of the few licensed Yakima Valley growers, promised at his Nov. 15 auction to donate the proceeds of one low-grade lot of marijuana to local schools. The stash sold for about $13,500; he kicked in the remainder to make it an even $14,000, he said.
After reading media coverage of the auction, which mentioned the school donation, school officials discussed the proposed donation last week and decided not to accept it to send a clear message to their students, Tolcacher said.
"We've been pretty vocal about our concern over this," Tolcacher said.
The school board must approve all donations over $500.
Tolcacher has been one of Prosser's staunchest opponents of recreational marijuana, repeatedly speaking against the city's decision to permit Altitude, a pot retail store in town. Most surrounding cities have banned marijuana.
Tolcacher said he recently told Randy Dorn, state superintendent of public instruction, that school officials throughout the state are catching more kids with marijuana since state voters legalized it for adults with the November 2012 passage of Initiative 502. He plans to tell same thing to the Liquor Control Board, the state agency charged with regulating recreational marijuana.
Even with the initiative, pot remains illegal for those under 21, just like alcohol.
Williams visited the school district office to make the donation last week. Tolcacher, who was out at the time, broke the news to the would-be donor over the phone Monday.
"That's a mistake on their end because they're not helping any thing," Williams said.
News Moderator: Shandar @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Yakima Herald Republic | Home
Author: Ross Courtney
Contact: Yakima Herald Republic | Contact
Website: Yakima Herald Republic | Prosser schools turn down pot farmer?s donation
"We're not taking it, end of story," said Ray Tolcacher, Prosser School District superintendent.
The donor, Randy Williams, now is looking for another local recipient.
"I never thought it'd be a problem to give money away," said the owner of Fireweed Farms, a marijuana producer north of this city of 5,800.
Williams' next choice is the Prosser branch of the Boys and Girls Club. The youth nonprofit officials will "evaluate internally," said Brian Ace, executive director of Boys and Girls Clubs of Benton and Franklin Counties.
Next in line would be the VFW, Williams said.
Williams, one of the few licensed Yakima Valley growers, promised at his Nov. 15 auction to donate the proceeds of one low-grade lot of marijuana to local schools. The stash sold for about $13,500; he kicked in the remainder to make it an even $14,000, he said.
After reading media coverage of the auction, which mentioned the school donation, school officials discussed the proposed donation last week and decided not to accept it to send a clear message to their students, Tolcacher said.
"We've been pretty vocal about our concern over this," Tolcacher said.
The school board must approve all donations over $500.
Tolcacher has been one of Prosser's staunchest opponents of recreational marijuana, repeatedly speaking against the city's decision to permit Altitude, a pot retail store in town. Most surrounding cities have banned marijuana.
Tolcacher said he recently told Randy Dorn, state superintendent of public instruction, that school officials throughout the state are catching more kids with marijuana since state voters legalized it for adults with the November 2012 passage of Initiative 502. He plans to tell same thing to the Liquor Control Board, the state agency charged with regulating recreational marijuana.
Even with the initiative, pot remains illegal for those under 21, just like alcohol.
Williams visited the school district office to make the donation last week. Tolcacher, who was out at the time, broke the news to the would-be donor over the phone Monday.
"That's a mistake on their end because they're not helping any thing," Williams said.
News Moderator: Shandar @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Yakima Herald Republic | Home
Author: Ross Courtney
Contact: Yakima Herald Republic | Contact
Website: Yakima Herald Republic | Prosser schools turn down pot farmer?s donation
