Pot moratorium starts, extended

Whitman County Commissioners put a six-month moratorium on new marijuana businesses in the county in March, then extended it another six months in September.

In a series of standing-room only meetings, commissioners Art Swannack, Michael Largent and Dean Kinzer took in public comment and ultimately sent the matter to the planning commission, to draft a possible ordinance to regulate existing operations – including retail, growing and/or processing.

The planning commission started their work soon after the initial moratorium and continued this fall, as the ban was extended to allow the group to...