STADIUM WAY ARTERIAL PROJECT >>>

Champagne corks popped, feet danced and copper nails were stored away at the Sky Terrace Condominiums Wednesday when the giant tree blocking the view of Mount Rainier fell onto Stadium Way. Yes, it's been noisy. Yes, it's been dirty. Yes, it's been a huge pain in the ass to drive through downtown Tacoma to access the Tacoma Spur. That said, the Stadium Way Arterial Project produced many smiles that rainy day.

What else is up with the project?

Stadium Way Arterial Project open house will be held Monday, Dec. 3 from 7-7 p.m. in the Council Chambers on the first floor of the Tacoma Municipal Building, 747 Market St.  City staff and the contractor, Ceccanti, Inc., will discuss detours and plans for the upcoming inclement weather, as well as next steps for the ongoing ground improvement construction, including retaining wall work that is slated to begin in December. City staff and the contractor will also be available to answer questions regarding the project.

The tree that blocked the view of Mount Rainier.

According to the city of Tacoma, "The Stadium Way Arterial Project involves the reconstruction of the roadway, including upgrades to street lighting, sanitary, storm and water utilities, a new traffic signal at South Fourth Street, subsurface stabilization, and the construction of large retaining walls and other Complete Street elements such as wide sidewalks, landscaping, bike lanes and other improvements related to Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility. For more information, visit www.cityoftacoma.org/stadiumway."

THE INSIDE SCOOP >>

It is always a good idea to plan your weekend activities - map it out in your mind. If so, you can do as much as possible with the little free time we get. For example, before you get too crazy with your Friday night it in some early evening entertainment. Go to the Colored Women's Club from 6-9 p.m. for Antonio Edwards' farewell show. The spoken-word/poetry O.G. god is moving to California. Get some deep thinking in before the debauchery begins.

Then, you can quickly, but not speeding, drive-up to Seattle to catch the Zulu Jam Hip-Hop History Month Edition. The event, like all Zulu Jams, is at the historic Washington Hall. Why would I tell you to go to a Seattle show? The Weekly Volcano is a 253-area rag/site. It's because some 253-area artists are getting recognized: E-Dawg and General Wojack!

Maybe you want to keep it local and not drive. I understand that. Then go to The New Frontier Lounge and see Tacoma's own Eliot Lipp with openers Killerz with Kindness. Lipp might be the most well known electronic-musician to ever emerge from our city. It is $10 to get in, which really is not that bad to see Lipp on a Friday night.

It does not slow down Saturday. Start off by checking out an Alliance Battle League event.  This is a daytime, all-ages event at the Backstage Bar & Grill. The battles start at 1 p.m. The league is accepting nonperishable food items for the holiday season. Way to go A.B.L.!

Then that night, make a short trip to Fife where at Louie G's you can catch Mr. Von's Slice of Hip-Hop 3. These are hip-hop nights Mr. Von curates. It is only $5 to get in and there is a pizza-buffet (#winning)!  Show starts at 8 p.m. and it is all-ages.

If you are trying to stay away from the all-ages thing - fine. Go to Jazzbones and see Mickey Avalon, The Chicharones, Sky Pilot and others. Sky Pilot is having a huge freshman year. The Chicharones consist of Josh Martinez from Vancouver, B.C. and Sleep from Seattle/Portland of Oldominion fame. It is a dope group. Mickey Avalon will provide you with as much punk-rock hip-hop swagger as you could want. The show starts at 8 p.m. and it is $20 tickets.

Sunday, you might need to rest after all that. So, go to the Apex Apartments in Tacoma. That is where Fred Diezel lives. At 7 p.m. he debuts his new video "Good Time" on his personal movie theater. I do not know if it is in his personal apartment, or if his complex has a communal theater movie-screening room. Go and find out. It is a $20 event, but that $20 gets you a bottle of champagne.

LINK: Josh Rizeberg talks "digging" with Todd Sykes

LINK: More live music this weekend in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION >>>

South Sound Sidekick series offers advice from experts living in the, well, the South Sound. It posts every Friday. Today, The Counselor is back with a breakdown of what you can and can't put in your pipe now that Initiative 502 passed.

"The people intend to stop treating adult marijuana use as a crime and try a new approach. ..." (Intent section of I-502)

Well the good news is that marijuana is now legal in Washington. Bad news?  Many of the old rules still apply and there is and will be for sometime a whole bunch of unanswered questions.

Can I smoke dope in public?  Nope. (Law provides that it is an infraction just like drinking in public to display marijuana in public.)

Can I buy grass?  Nope.  (How are we supposed to get it?  Good question.)

Can I smoke my very fine bud in my own home?  Yes you may.

How much can I possess?  A person over 21 years of age may possess up to one ounce of bud, 16 ounces of solid-form marijuana in food products and 72 ounces of cannabis in liquid form.

Can I grow my own? No you cannot.

The law provides that the state will license and closely regulate the production and distribution of marijuana.  But the law this does not provide for anyone to grow their own.

Can I smoke a big honking doobie while driving?  Bad Idea, first, grass is treated just the same as alcohol; it is an infraction to drink while driving and would be to smoke as well. You are in the motoring public.Got it? Also you will be inviting trouble from the police. You cannot drive under the influence of marijuana. (5 nano-grams per milliliter of blood.) You cannot drive under the influence or be affected by any drug to a degree in which you are impaired. Marijuana remains a drug; it just is legal in some scenarios.

And smoking while driving is an open invitation to the police to at least check you out for the infraction. Then they pull you over and the cop says:

Hey man that smells like good shit.

And you say:  Yeah man it is the best.

You will most likely be having your blood drawn to see if you are under the influence, (probable cause being your own admission that you are high as a kite, likely combined with several visual cues, bloodshot eyes, food spilled all over your shirt, stereo playing full blast). While a Judge in most cases has to authorize a blood draw, the whole thing is and would be a pain in the ass.

So just do yourself a favor and don't smoke and drive. Go home and smoke in your living room.

The new law does not have any affect on the older Medical Marijuana law. None. Not one bit.  Whatever you could or could not do under the medical marijuana law remains unchanged; they are two completely different laws.

Do not go anywhere near a Federal building or Federal Courthouse with your Washington legal dope.  To the Feds it is still illegal and subject at the very least to seizure.  What else the Feds will do remains a question.

There are tons of unanswered questions about what the future of marijuana will be here in Washington. I-502 gives the State until December 2013 to come up with some answers.

"The people intend to stop treating adult marijuana use as a crime and try a new approach".
The voters of Washington have spoken and we should all be proud.

Be intelligent and respectful in your use of marijuana.  Treat it as you would a good scotch. Don't be stupid. And don't go straight. Just go forward.

The Counselor

LINK: Speeding ticket advice

LINK: DUI advice

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