According to a press release from the Humboldt County sheriff's Office, dated Oct. 29, 2012:

On 10-27-2012, approximately 12:30 p.m., the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office was notified by a citizen that a male subject was acting suspiciously outside the Early Bird Café at Willow Creek. A deputy and California Highway Patrol officer responded to the scene and met with the subject described. While speaking with the subject they saw the subject had a green canvass bag at his feet. The bag was partially unzipped. The deputy could see the handle of a weapon inside the bag. The deputy retrieved the weapon which was a pump action shotgun with a pistol grip. The barrel of the shotgun appeared to be sawed off and less than the legal limit. The subject, Pedro Nicholas Vazquez Jr., 34 years old of Willow Creek, was arrested for possession of the illegal weapon. He was transported and booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where his bail was set at $25,000.00.

Anyone with information for the Sheriffs Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriffs Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriffs Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.

Pedro Nicholas Vazquez Jr.

    Marijuana agriculture and the environment were the focal issues discussed on Friday Oct 12, 2012 from 1-5 pm, at a symposium held at Humboldt State University and jointly sponsored by the Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research (HIIMR) and the HSU Sociology Department. Each of the two sessions in the symposium, titled, "Environmental Challenges of Marijuana Agriculture in the Age of Prohibition", featured panelists discussing issues ranging from the environmental impacts of marijuana growing to using a balance of enforcement and incentives to ameliorate the problems associated with marijuana agriculture. The Symposium was introduced by Dr. Tony Silvaggio, an Environmental Sociologist from HSU. Alison Sterling Nichols from the Humboldt Growers Association moderated the first session and Hezekiah Allen, from the Mattole Restoration Council moderated Session II.

KMUD Community Journalist, Kelly Lincoln, attended the meeting and recorded each of the panel presentations and the Question and Answer sessions following the panel presentations. The resulting unedited audio is available on this page and can be heard, or downloaded, using the players below.

Audio of Session I:

Use the player below to hear panelists Gary Graham Hughes - Executive Director,  Environmental Protection Information Center and Scott Downie (beginning at approx. 18 mins. into the clip) - California Department of Fish and Game Senior Biologist.

Use this player to hear panelists Paul Gallegos - Humboldt County District Attorney, Humboldt County Sheriff, Mike Downey, (beginning at approx. 14 mins. into the clip),  and  Scott Greacen (beginning at approx. 23 mins. into the clip) - Executive Director, Friends of the Eel River.

The player below can be used to hear the Question and Answer portions of Session I.

Audio of Session II:

Use the player below to hear panelists Casey O’Neill - Community Member/Farmer from Medocino County, and Tasha McKee (beginning at approx. 19 mins. into the clip) - Executive Director, Sanctuary Forest.

Use this player to hear panelists Mark Lovelace - Humboldt County District 3 Supervisor and Ryan Sundberg (beginning at approx. 14 mins. into the clip) - Humboldt County Supervisor, District 5.

The player below can be used to hear the Question and Answer portions of Session II.

  According to a Cal Fire News Release, dated Oct. 22, 2012:
California’s first significant rainfall of the season, combined with cooler temperatures, has allowed CAL FIRE to lift the statewide burn ban effective Monday, October 22, 2012. CAL FIRE had suspended all residential burn permits and various types of outdoor burning within the 31 million acres of State Responsibility Area on August 15, 2012. While the statewide burn ban is lifted, local burn bans set by CAL FIRE’s 21 operational units may still be in effect. Each of the 21 CAL FIRE unit chiefs will determine when local weather conditions will allow for safe outdoor burning. Following the lifting of local burn bans, burn permits may be required in some areas so residents should always check with their local fire station and air quality district before burning.

“While the threat of wildfires has not diminished completely, many areas will be receiving enough rainfall to allow homeowners to safely burn outdoors once their local burn bans are lifted,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, CAL FIRE Director. “It is still important that residents monitor the weather closely, as a warming trend could increase the fire threat.” This fire season has kept firefighters across the State very busy as fire activity has been significantly higher this year. To date, there have been over 5,500 wildfires in CAL FIRE’s jurisdiction that have burned nearly 130,000 acres, compared to last year when there were 4,100 wildfires during the same time period that charred over 55,000 acres. Even with the cooler weather, there is still the possibility of wildfires and CAL FIRE remains prepared to respond.

For more information on Burn Permits and restrictions in your area see the Cal Fire web page at: http://www.fire.ca.gov/fire_protection/fire_protection_burnpermits.php

Humboldt-Del Norte Information:

Information released on Oct. 25, 2012 from the Humboldt-Del Norte Unit indicates:
CAL FIRE Unit Chief Tom Hein is formally cancelling the suspension and also advises that the declared FIRE SEASON has ended for the Humboldt – Del Norte Unit. People wishing to burn are required to obtain a burning permit from the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District (NCUAQMD). They can be contacted at (707) 443-3093. Safe burning still requires a minimum of 10’ clearance around the 4’ piles and an adult must be in attendance at all times. Chief Hein warns people to still use caution when burning, and to pay attention to changing weather conditions. For these permit applications and information, you can contact your local CAL FIRE Station. Burn day information is available at 1-866-287-6329.

Mendocino Information:

CAL FIRE Mendocino Unit Chief Christopher P. Rowney has declared the 2012 Fire Season in Mendocino County will end Friday, October 26, 2012 at Midnight.

This year on State Responsibility land in Mendocino County there were 123 wildland fires burning approximately 11,400 acres.  In addition to the 123 wildland fires, CAL FIRE, along with local fire departments, responded to 95 structure fires and 482 other fires.    

Winter burning season will also begin Friday, October 26, 2012 at Midnight.  CAL FIRE will not require burning permits until approximately May 1, 2013.  Residents are reminded that BURNING MUST COMPLY WITH MENDOCINO COUNTY AIR QUALITY REGLUATIONS.  For more information or to obtain a burn permit visit the MCQAMD web site at www.mendoair.org or call the District office at (707) 463-4354.  Recorded Burn Day status is available 24/7 on the Burn Information Line at (707) 463-4391.

According to a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, dated Oct. 22, 2012:

On 10-20-2012, approximately 7:45 p.m. the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 cell phone transfer from the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office. The 31 year old female caller told the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Dispatcher that she and her 16 year old daughter were lost. The call was dropped during the conversation. The dispatcher attempted several call backs with the victim to determine where they were at. The dispatcher was able to get a GPS Coordinate however off the cell phone and sent deputies to locate them.  Deputies responded to the area of the GPS Coordinates and located the lost females on a roadway. The deputy had to drive into Trinity County via Van Duzen River Road and then back into Humboldt County to access the location near Coffee Pot Road, the Blocksburg Area of Humboldt County. Both females were found by the deputy curled up in the roadway trying to stay warm. They were in good health and required no medical assistance. They were transported by the deputy to their vehicle. They had been hunting in the area and became separated from their party. Meantime their cell phone's battery had died during the calls to a friend and 911 seeking assistance.

The Sheriffs Office would like to remind hunters and hikers to tell family and friends where they are hiking, when they expect to return, bring appropriate equipment and clothing. This time of year the weather conditions can change rapidly. A cell phone, map or GPS is also very helpful. Keep in mind not all rural areas have cell phone coverage and a cell phone batteries need to be fully charged.

Use the player below to hear an interview with Lt.Steve Knight of the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office regarding this incident. The interview was aired on the KMUD Local News by KMUD Newscaster Dave Brooksher on Oct. 22, 2012.

According to a press release from the Eureka Police Department, dated Oct. 10, 2012:

On 10/18/12, the Eureka Police Department’s Problem Oriented Policing Unit, assisted by patrol, conducted a “prostitution sting” in Eureka’s Old Town area.  This operation was in response to complaints of prostitution activity along 3rd Street west of the Humboldt County Library.  Officers utilized male decoys or “Johns” (undercover officers) driving undercover vehicles.  Three women were arrested after soliciting the “Johns” to pay them money for sexual acts performed upon them.   A female decoy was also used, and three men were arrested after they offered to pay the officer money to perform sexual acts upon them.  Additionally, a male contacted the undercover officer and discussed prostitution related topics with her (price of acts she might perform).  He left the scene prior to agreeing to pay money to the officer. He was later contacted and warned about soliciting acts of prostitution.   

During the course of the approximately 4 hour operation, the following suspects were arrested and transported to the Humboldt County Correctional facility: 
Females:

• Kristen Leilani Hill, 39, was arrested for loitering with intent to commit prostitution and soliciting an act of prostitution. 
• Heather Deanne Amador, 42, was arrested for loitering with intent to commit prostitution and soliciting an act of prostitution. 
• Casey Marie Hunter, 31, was arrested for loitering with intent to commit prostitution and soliciting an act of prostitution.  

Males:

• Jason Garrett Shields, 40, was arrested for loitering with intent to solicit prostitution, soliciting an act of prostitution and possession of controlled substance paraphernalia.
• Alexander Joint Smith, 25, was arrested for loitering with intent to solicit prostitution and soliciting an act of prostitution. 
• Luis Carlos Valdez-Leal, 21, was arrested for loitering with intent to solicit prostitution and soliciting an act of prostitution.

Use the player below to hear an interview with EPD Sgt. Steve Watson, on this incident, aired by KMUD newscaster, Dave Brooksher, on the KMUD 6 pm local news -Oct. 22, 2012.

   According to a press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, dated Oct. 16, 2012:
On 10-15-2012 at about 6:30 pm the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence located in the 2200 block of McKinleyville Avenue, McKinleyville regarding a marijuana investigation. Sheriff’s Office Deputies discovered a large moving van that was parked near the front door to the residence. Deputies could smell the strong odor of marijuana coming from the moving van.  Deputies then knocked on the front door to the residence and contacted three subjects who were in the house.

Deputies identified the occupants as Jeffrey Donald Halverson age 25, Lee Dennis Wilson age 27 and Fredrick William Nicholas age 28. When deputies were speaking to the three subjects they could detect a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside of the residence. Deputies then detained the three subjects and secured the residence for a search warrant.

Humboldt County Drug Task Force Agents were then contacted and responded to the scene to take over the investigation. A search warrant was signed by a Humboldt County Superior Court Judge for the residence at approximately 8:30 pm. Drug Task Force Agents then searched the residence and discovered approximately 210 pounds of drying marijuana plants located in both bedrooms. Agents located marijuana, butane hash lab in the residence. It appeared to the Agents that the marijuana plants were brought into the residence from the moving van that was parked outside of the residence.

Agents arrested Lee Wilson and Jeffrey Halverson for cultivation and possession for sales of marijuana, conspiracy to commit a crime, manufacturing of a controlled substance and maintaining a residence for distributing of a controlled substance. Wilson and Halverson were both transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility and their bail was set at $500,000 dollars each. Fredrick Nicholas was arrested for cultivation of marijuana and was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where his bail was set at $25,000 dollars.

This case is still under investigation by the Humboldt County Drug Task Force.

According to a press release from the Public Information Office of the U.C. Center for Forestry:

A wave of new Sudden Oak Death (SOD)-related oak and tanoak mortality has been confirmed this year throughout California’s infested forests, according to the 2012 USDA Forest Service annual aerial survey. This year, the survey mapped 376,000 dead oak and tanoak over 54,000 acres in California’s SOD-impacted areas, compared to 38,000 trees across 8,000 acres mapped in the same area last year.

Photo from the California Oak Mortality Task Force Website at: http://www.suddenoakdeath.org/

“This increase in infection really was predicted two, and especially one, year ago when we had heavier rains and mild springs,” said Matteo Garbelotto, Adjunct Professor with UC Berkeley.  At that time, SOD Blitz surveys conducted by citizen scientists in participating communities were finding increases in symptomatic California bay laurel leaves (the primary host for disease spread and often the precursor to oak and tanoak infection), confirming that Phytophthora ramorum (the pathogen known to cause SOD) was spiking in activity in conjunction with optimal weather conditions.  SOD Blitzes, combined with the aerial surveys, validate our theory that SOD outbreaks are driven by wetter than average conditions and are initiated by bay laurel infection.  Bay laurel infections cannot be detected by aerial surveys, but require an on-ground survey like the SOD Blitzes, which now are proven to provide an early  warning (1 year, maybe more) for oak mortality outbreaks.  Early detection is crucial to pathogen containment and possibly local eradication attempts.”

Most of the key results of the 2012 SOD Blitzes concern the establishment of the pathogen in urban or residential areas.  Burlingame Hills, a residential area in the North Peninsula, had a staggering 48 percent of positive samples.  The west side of the East Bay revealed high levels of bay infection comparable to those normally observed at the onset of oak mortality outbreaks, indicating the disease in these urban areas has rapidly transitioned from arrival (reported in 2011) to an epidemic phase.  This year, P. ramorum levels are high enough that oak and tanoak infection in the SOD Blitz-sampled residential areas of Pinole, East Richmond, Kensington, North Berkeley, Claremont, and Piedmont is extremely likely, making preventive disease management options urgently needed to protect oaks and tanoaks both in private and public spaces.  SOD Blitz results from the east side of the East Bay confirmed that the pathogen is well established in Moraga and approaching Lafayette.  “All of the above are very significant infestations,” commented Garbelotto.  “Whenever you are dealing with populated areas, concerns over failing trees potentially harming people or property, as well as the loss of property value and aesthetics, can be very challenging.”

Additional urban outbreaks were detected in Santa Cruz, Carmel Valley Village, and most notably, in Golden Gate Park, where three trees were found to have SOD in a southwestern sector of the park.  Golden Gate Park was the site of another SOD finding several years ago, but in a completely different section several miles away.  Park managers and researchers are intensifying the survey in the area and deciding what steps can be taken to stop its spread in the park.

An unexpected, but encouraging SOD Blitz result, was the absence of positives in the Atherton area, where an outbreak had been detected during the 2010 and 2011 SOD Blitzes, and where local residents have attempted to eradicate what appears to be a discrete urban infestation located a significant distance from any other wildland infestations.  “Early detection and community involvement makes all the difference in success.  The pathogen was detected early thanks to a local SOD Blitz, allowing the community to respond with swift decisiveness.  The apparent absence of the pathogen in 2012 may suggest that the eradication effort has been successful, but such success can be confirmed only by continuing the monitoring efforts which, in turn, may provide early detection of future new infestations as well,” said Garbelotto.

A total of over 10.000 trees were surveyed in 19 SOD Blitzes organized throughout Northern California in the spring of 2012 and engaged over 500 volunteers.  The community-based outreach program is coordinated by local organizers in cooperation with UC Berkeley, and endorsed by the US Forest Service, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the National Science Foundation.  Participants are trained to identify SOD symptoms on California bay laurel and tanoak leaves and to properly collect samples and record their locations during the 2-day surveys.  Within 48 hours of collection, samples are processed by the Garbelotto lab to determine the presence or absence of P. ramorum, and results are published on a map early in October.

The maps are used to determine local risk of infection for oaks and tanoaks in affected California counties and also provide the backbone of SODMAP, a comprehensive distribution map of the disease in California.  Current P. ramorum distribution maps for San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Monterey, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, and Napa Counties are now available at www.sodmap.org, and can be used by community members to see how close SOD may be to any given property.  It is highly recommended that oaks and tanoaks within a half mile from confirmed outbreaks be treated to prevent infection.

Community members living in areas known to be infested are encouraged to attend one of the many free sessions organized by UC Berkeley in various SOD-impacted locations throughout October and November.  Sessions will show attendees how to correctly use the distribution maps, determine risk of infection for their oaks and tanoaks, and learn science-based recommendations to help prevent and manage SOD.

SOD is a serious exotic disease that is killing tanoak and oak species in California.  Currently it is found in the wildlands of 14 coastal California counties, from Monterey to Humboldt.

For more information on downloading maps as well as upcoming management training sessions and dates, go to: www.sodblitz.org.  For more information on Sudden Oak Death and P. ramorum, go to the California Oak Mortality Task Force website at www.suddenoakdeath.org or contact Katie Palmieri at (510) 847-5482 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .