Breaking News (158)
Tree-sitters come down from their perches on former Pacific Lumber Co. land
Chief forester says activists have protected ancient trees
Tree-sitters are no longer living in the forest canopy on the former Pacific Lumber Company land. They came down from their perches August 12 after representatives of the new Humboldt Redwood Company unmarked old growth trees for cutting. HRC says they will no longer cut down old growth trees as part of a company-wide policy.
The owners of Mendocino Redwood Company (and the GAP) took control over Pacific Lumber Company in early August, transforming it into the Humboldt Redwood Company. The president and chief forester of Humboldt Redwood, Mike Jani, met with tree-sitters and other activists at three separate areas. He told KMUD news reporter Cynthia Elkins that their site visit started at Nanning Creek, where tree-sits have been up for three years.
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It has been two weeks since 450 law enforcement officials raided Southern Humboldt County in what is being called Operation Southern Sweep, and no charges have been filed to date. During the raid, agents served 29 warrants throughout Humboldt County, and they say their operation is focused on a single group of people. The FBI says they seized about 16,000 marijuana plants during the raid, along with guns and more than 150,000 dollars in cash. Since Operation Southern Sweep took place, the U.S. Attorneys office has filed claims indicating they intend to seek forfeiture of several properties, including 2,000 acres that spans Humboldt and Mendocino Counties and is known locally as Budaville. Joseph Schadler is a special agent with the FBI in San Francisco. I asked him if he has any idea if or when charges will be filed in the case.
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WORT-FM interviews Charley Custer about "Operation Southern Sweep"
Written by Simon
This Wednesday afternoon community radio station WORT in Madison, Wisconsin talked about last week's "Operation Southern Sweep" and interviewed KMUD volunteer Charley Custer.
Here is audio from A Public Affair, Wednesday edition, courtesy of wort-fm.org
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Assemblywoman Patty Berg of California's first assembly district, was in Redway on Friday, June 27, to present a $1.95 million grant for upgrading the Garberville Sanitation District. Ms. Berg also talked about the state's budget.
Below is raw audio from that town-hall meeting.
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Use this link if you'd like to download the file or if the player above doesn't work for you. Right-click on the link to download (control-click on the Mac).
Mendocino Fire Situation Wednesday, June 25, early afternoon
Written by Simon
Terry Klemetson talking with Mark Romero, unit chief of the Mendocino unit of Calfire; Tom Allman, Mendocino County Sheriff; and Joe Waterman, Incident Commander of Calfire Incident Command Team 4 and of the Mendocino Lightning Complex.
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Today Terry Klemetson of the KMUD news department talked with FBI Special Agent Joseph M. Schadler about "Operation Southern Sweep."
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(fixed link and corrected sample rate June 26, 10:00 am)
Joint News Release, FBI and California Attorney General's office
Written by SimonJoint News Release
For Immediate Release
June 25, 2008 4:20 p.m.
Operation Southern Sweep' Targets Commercial Marijuana Growers
Around 7 a.m. Tuesday approximately 450 local, state, and federal law enforcement personnel
executed 29 search warrants in Humboldt and Mendocino Counties. The warrants stemmed from
a nearly two-year investigation targeting a large commercial marijuana cultivation and distribution
organization.
Law enforcement officers raided grow houses and residences in Shelter Cove, Whitethorn,
Redway, Ettersburg, Garberville, Miranda, Phillipsville, Arcata, and McKinleyville. They also
secured and are searching almost 2000 acres in southern Humboldt County and northern
Mendocino County belonging to the targets of the investigation.
Over the course of Tuesday's activity, officers located around ten thousand marijuana plants
estimated to be worth between $25 and $60 million on the street. They seized 30 firearms,
including fully automatic weapons, one vehicle, and over $160 thousand in cash.
No charges have been filed and none of the targets of the investigation were arrested during
yesterday's raids. However, FBI agents arrested one man for assault on a federal agent during
the execution of the search warrants.
"This is not a medical marijuana operation or a group of people growing for personal use," said
FBI Special Agent in Charge Charlene B. Thornton. "It's a large-scale, for-profit, commercial
business. The targets of our investigation are reaping huge profits while contributing to the crime
and violence oppressing communities across the state."
California Department of Justice Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement Special Agent in Charge Sara
Marie Simpson said, "Californians voted for reasonable personal use of medicinal marijuana for
qualified patients-not massive wholesale growing operations. When large quantities of cash
start changing hands, crime and violence soon follow and that will not be tolerated by law
enforcement."
Beginning in early 2006, members of BNE's Redding regional office initiated an investigation into
a California-based organization which had purchased a large parcel of mountainous land in the
southern Humboldt and northern Mendocino County areas, and was suspected of growing large
amounts of marijuana on the land and selling it for profit. Due to the large scale and scope of the
investigation, BNE invited the FBI to participate.
Upon checking the area, agents located numerous buildings and greenhouses on the properties.
No building permits had been issued for any of the structures on the properties. A review of
aerial photos showed construction and grading in the area had increased year to year.
Investigators believed the subjects were working together on the rural properties to grow
marijuana to be sold for profit.
This investigation has been a cooperative effort between the FBI, BNE, Internal Revenue Service,
United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Drug Enforcement Administration,
California Highway Patrol, California National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, United States
Forest Service, Campaign Against Marijuana Planting, California Department of Fish and Game,
Eureka Police Department, Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, Mendocino County Sheriff's Office,
and the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office. CA DOJ/BNE task forces included the North and South
Butte Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Tehama Interagency Drug Enforcement, Glenn
Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Shasta Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Siskiyou County
Interagency Narcotic Task Force, Humboldt County Drug Task Force, Mendocino County Major
Crimes Task Force, San Jose Unified Narcotic Enforcement Team, and the Madera County
Narcotic Enforcement Team.
Cynthia Elkins from the KMUD news department talked with a special agent in charge from the Department of Justice.
Here's the audio:
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Here are some links to coverage of the law enforcement activities in our area:
Eureka Reporter: Operation Southern Sweep to continue for a few days
Los Angeles Times: Raids smoke out large marijuana operation in Humboldt County
Times-Standard: Major sting targets commercial grow op
Video from the Times-Standard:
Also, keep in mind that the Civil Liberties Monitoring Project has a strong interest in these events. If you have something to report to them you can call them at (707) 923-4646, or just visit civilliberties.org
A study is being published this month (April 2008) that reveals important new information about sudden oak death in California. Sudden oak death was first discovered in the state in 1994, and scientists estimate that it has killed more than a million trees so far. The new study was able to determine where the first infestations of sudden oak death occurred in California, which was Mount Tamapais and Santa Cruz. The study also discovered that the pathogen that causes sudden oak death is mutating at a much more rapid pace than previously believed.
Dr. Matteo Garbeloto is a forest pathologist for the University of California and one of the authors of the study. He spoke to Cynthia Elkins of KMUD news about the new information the study reveals and some of the steps that you can take to reduce the risk of spreading sudden oak death.
You may download the audio file using this link. Use the right mouse button and choose Save Link As (some browsers display it as Download Link Target, and on a Mac hold the Control key while clicking on the link).
Kate Klein, KMUDs long-time Music Director and community volunteer, died on Tuesday, April 15, of cancer at the Jerold Phelps Community Hospital in Garberville, surrounded by friends and loved-ones. Kate was one of KMUDs most-beloved DJs, and she was also a popular DJ for parties and events. Her love of music was obvious, and her dedication to KMUD tremendous. Kate spent countless hours volunteering for fundraisers and benefits. She was extremely committed to her work in radio, but always found time to sing, dance and play. She was a caring person who made many people feel that their thoughts and opinions mattered.
Kate greatly expanded KMUDs music library over the years, developing one of the most extensive ones around. Her eclectic taste in music was appreciated by those who listened to her show here on KMUD, called KMOOD, which was sprinkled with profound, wise words that raised ones conciousness and spirit. Some of the words friends used to describe Kate include genius, creative, and magical.
A memorial dance is in the works, which will include live music, singing and celebration of the beauty and joy Kate brought. There has also been an account set up to help with the costs of memorial and cremation services. That account is at the Community Credit Union in Garberville, and donations are also accepted at Kidz and More in Garberville.
Kate was a gift to KMUD and our community, and her smile, her words, and Kate herself will be sorely missed. Thank you, Kate, for being a good friend.
written by Cynthia Elkins for KMUD News.
Link to article written for the Independent Newspaper by Cristina Bauss
Link to audio from Healing Factor on March 30, her very last radio show
