Pot Plot Thickens

— by Lin McNulty —

Washington State Liquor Control Board, the governing agency for marijuana licenses following voter approval of I-502 last fall, today issued a listing of the lottery results to begin the process of issuing marijuana retail licenses.

Initiative 502 directed the WSLCB to limit the number of marijuana retail stores by county. In its rules, the WSLCB limited the number of stores statewide to 334. Each of the major islands in San Juan County is authorized one retail outlet.

Missing from the lottery list are any results for Orcas Island and Lopez Island. What this indicates is that one of the two initial applicants (listed below) has been disqualified or has withdrawn application and therefore no lottery was necessary.

Theron Soderland says he has received no notice from WSLCB that his application for a retail outlet at Country Corner has been approved or not. He remains in the dark about his current status, and will have to wait before knowing whether to go ahead with his remodel plans.

Checking in the WSLCB only provided some sketchy additional information that perhaps a listing of those applicants where no lottery was necessary will be released early next week.

Even though no lottery was held for Orcas and Lopez, that does not guarantee that the applicant will receive a license. There are still financial and criminal background checks which must be passed, along with compliance with the rules regarding location of the retail outlet.

Applicant Sophie Rice could not be reached for comment.