watchpaul

#OcuppyTreeHouse

2012-01-31T17:36:00.000-08:00

◼ County tells Bayside family to take down beloved treehouse Structure deemed too close to stream on property - Times-Standard

So - they can set up a permanent encampment on the Courthouse lawn, pissing all over the Courthouse steps, but a kid can't build a treehouse.

Bizarro land.

◼ ‘Illegal Treehouse’ Family Speaks - LostCoast Outpost

Full circle

2012-01-27T23:04:00.000-08:00

◼ Cannabis Grow Damage Like ‘Worst Of Timber Industry’ - Daniel Mintz for The Arcata Eye

A five-county program assessing impacts on salmonids has named unpermitted grading as a major impact and one county supervisor said the effects of illegal grading connected to marijuana grows are as bad as those seen during the dark years of the timber industry.

Supervisor Mark Lovelace, who was one of the county’s most active environmentalists before being elected, made those comments as a result of a new regional study on habitat protection policies presented at the Jan. 10 Board of Supervisors meeting.

Dr. Richard Harris, the researcher who coordinated the study, said unregulated and illegal grading – including the grading that enables marijuana grows – is a problem. And Lovelace described its scale as massive in Humboldt County.

“It’s phenomenal,” he said, referring to photographs of grow-related grading that he’s seen. “And it’s shocking – and it compares with the worst of the worst from some of the bad years of the timber industry....” Read the rest

Actually - some have said - for years - that it has always been worse than the timber industry, and has gotten even worse in recent years since pot growing has become defacto legal in this county.

Research Project

2012-01-22T10:10:00.000-08:00

◼ Brown's budget leaves schools with 'unenviable task,' locals dissect governor's proposal, which has schools planning for the worst - Times-Standard

What was the headline last year? The year before that? And that? And that?

Who's been on the budget committee all that time?

Go back - year by year - what do you find?

Then - do a little more research. What was the end result, each year?

Aren't you tired of this same old game every year? The same tired headline? The same threats?

Do you think there's been a real effort to fix it? Or does it get papered over every year?

(Yes, I know the only ones who can do this work AT the Times-Standard. The rest of us have no access to your online archives, unless we have a grand to blow. You can do it, even if it's only a compilation.)

What were the headlines, how far back? What were the threats? Did they materialize? What about the state taking the county's money? Was it ever returned? Have they stopped or curbed that practice? Do you think taking the local money and doling it back in the form of grants is an efficient use of funds? What does Chesbro have to say?

Rana murder case may go federal; defense attorney proclaims client's innocence, blames co-defendant for 2008 slaying

2012-01-18T07:27:00.000-08:00

◼ Rana murder case may go federal; defense attorney proclaims client's innocence, blames co-defendant for 2008 slaying - TS

Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos indicated last week that the U.S. Attorney's Office is interested in taking over the cases of Ryan Christopher Carroll and Robert Lanham Lee, both of whom stand accused of murdering a 35-year-old San Francisco man. On Tuesday, Carroll's attorney Kathleen Bryson told the Times-Standard that Gallegos has broken off plea bargain negotiations in the case.

”I just got an email saying he's been advised the feds are coming in to take the case,” Bryson said. “He will not work toward a resolution because he said the feds are coming.”

...Gallegos indicated he planned on trying Carroll and Lee together once Lee was returned to California, but said Friday he was unsure what the U.S. Attorney's Office would do if it takes on the case.

Bryson -- speaking publicly about the case for the first time -- proclaimed her client's innocence and said Lee killed Rana.

”My guy didn't fight extradition (from Washington) because he's innocent,” she said. “He's eager to clear his name, and the evidence shows it was Robert Lee that did it.”

Bryson said it was Lee who shot Rana twice with a rifle, adding that he then forced her client at gunpoint to take Rana's car and set fire to it near Big Lagoon. Lee ultimately left Carroll in Washington, Bryson said, but threatened to kill him if he told anyone what happened on that dirt road in Southern Humboldt....

Investigators said they never believed Carroll acted alone and kept working the case. According to Humboldt County Sheriff's Sgt. Wayne Hanson, investigators caught a break about one year ago when Carroll's car was found in the Garberville area spray-painted black. Finding the car, Hanson said, led to new witnesses and new evidence that linked Lee to the killing.

Maybe you're just seeing his real face now.

2012-01-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

◼ TS letter to editor

Corrupted by a corrupt system

Has the corrupt system co-opted the DA? As I recall, one of the reasons we originally elected our current DA is that he said he was going to sue the lumber company (PL) that was calling Earth Firsters! terrorists. We've been down this road before.
If in fact the DA thinks Occupy Eureka has been co-opted by some of our local professional protesters, then he should know that these people, who do not get a paycheck for their work, would not, under any circumstances, tolerate explosives, guns or other means of violence.

These are non-violent organizers; the basis of organization is non-violence. The DA should know that the DA's paranoia in his own head, noteworthy released emails, is what makes one wonder whether or not he has been corrupted by a corrupt system.

Scott E. Tenney

Weott

Paul Gallegos: “I believe the continued presence of tents outside of the courthouse presents a profound public safety risk.”

2012-01-12T07:18:00.000-08:00

◼ County emails outrage Occupy Eureka; D.A. says tents posed safety risk - Grant Scott-Goforth/The Times-Standard

Members of the movement used a California Public Records Act request to obtain emails they called “nefarious” that detailed Gallegos' suggestions to Eureka and county officials that tents be taken down from the courthouse lawn. The emails were part of the discussion that led to police action against the Occupy Eureka encampment on the Humboldt County Courthouse lawn.

In a Nov. 2 email to county officials, Gallegos wrote, “I believe the continued presence of tents outside of the courthouse presents a profound public safety risk.”

In the same email Gallegos wrote, “While I do not suspect that any of those tents contain any explosive or otherwise dangerous materials, I cannot confirm that they do or do not and I do not believe that we can allow the risk of such an occurrence to continue....”

In a Nov. 18 email to 3rd District Supervisor Mark Lovelace, Gallegos wrote, “Having tents outside our building pose an immense public safety risk. All you need is 1 McVeigh guy,” wrote Gallegos, referring to Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.

Gallegos said that enclosed structures like tents or trucks wouldn't last three minutes in front of a federal building, due to concern over events like the Oklahoma City bombing. He said city and county ordinances outlaw camping on public property, and that those laws don't affect protesters' right to gather and speak....

In a Nov. 18 email, Gallegos wrote, “Candidly I support the movement. Unfortunately here it has been somewhat co-opted locally by our local protesters.”

Ironic. Given that it is "our local protestors" that got him into office.

Humboldt County Deputy DA Arnold Klein retires after 40 years in law

2012-01-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

◼ Humboldt County Deputy DA Arnold Klein retires after 40 years in law - Times Standard

After more than 40 years practicing law, Humboldt County Deputy District Attorney Arnold Klein has hung up his briefcase and his sport coat.

...While Klein only worked on the North Coast for five years, he developed a reputation for his quick wit, dynamic courtroom presence and for winning cases.

”In my opinion, he's the best trial attorney in Humboldt County, hands down,” said Jeffrey Schwartz, who worked alongside Klein in the DA's Office before starting a private defense practice in 2007....

◼ Question, really, is "Who's left?" w/update(s)

Five years. What's significant about five years? It's what it takes to qualify for PERS?

A Job For Mitch

2012-01-05T20:27:00.000-08:00

◼ Judge rules for Walker campaign in case against state election officials - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A judge ruled Thursday that the state Government Accountability Board needs to take more aggressive action to vet recall signatures that are expected to be submitted in two weeks against Gov. Scott Walker and other Republican office holders.

The ruling by Waukesha County Circuit Judge J. Mac Davis came in a case filed Dec. 15 by Walker's campaign committee and Stephan Thompson, executive director of the state Republican Party, asking Davis to order the accountability board to seek out and eliminate duplicate and fictitious signatures and illegible addresses in recall petitions.

Davis, who refused to enter injunctions in the case, based his decision on his interpretation of state law, more than on equal protection arguments brought up by the Republicans. He also said that the board must take "reasonable" efforts to eliminate such signatures.

Kevin Kennedy, director and general counsel of the board, said after the hearing that his organization would have to discuss the decision to see what it needed to change in procedures already in place.

In court, Kennedy testified that entering signatures into a database to look for duplicates could take eight extra weeks for his staff, and could cost $94,000 for software and outside help.

One man claimed he'd signed recall petitions 80 times, there are reports of Bugs Bunny and Hitler signatures. Many residents would like to know if their names were used...

Scan 'em and put them on online? Mitch? Are you a bi-partisan dude?

The #Occupiers are NOT happy with Paul Gallegos

2011-12-29T09:21:00.000-08:00

◼ Paul Gallego's bullshit pogrom. - billygoat at Indymedia

INCARCERATION: Holiday Gift from Paul Gallegos to Occupy Eureka

While the District Attorney vacations with his family for the holidays, he (ultimately responsible for actions of his office) has set in motion another campaign of harassment, wrongful arrests, and incarcerations....

What do the three people who were arrested "for a warrant" have in common? They all are dedicated Occupy Eureka demonstrators. They all were arrested in the 'no warning' mass arrest on November 14th. They all made sure to inquire about their court dates. NONE of them received notice in the mail to appear. All of them had signed for or been told that their dates were after the holiday. And NONE of them had, or could have, missed a date! (In fact, Martin went in to the court clerk on his own to make a Dec 28th court date!)

So, why the warrants and the cruel X-mas arrests? We could call it absolute incompetence by the District Attorney's office (who is precisely the entity to cause warrants to be issued here), or we could call it deliberate and blatant action to stifle political dissent. Violating constitutional rights and locking people up to stifle dissent: the same reason that the county and the city and the DA have criminalized hanging a flag banner (or any sign) around the courthouse, and arrested Pat today. The DA's office won't tell us who has these bogus warrants. Who will it be tomorrow?

*Call for the RELEASE OF MARTIN KATZ AND KEELAN MCWAYNE!
COME OUT TO OCCUPY EUREKA, HOLD SIGNS AND SUPPORT!
NO MORE BOGUS WARRANTS AND ARRESTS!!

*Leave message for Kelly Neal, Assistant District Attorney at 707-441-3051 and fax 707-445-7416
KNeel [at] co.humboldt.ca.us, pgallegos [at] co.humboldt.ca.us, districtattorney [at] co.humboldt.ca.us

As stated above, Martin Katz made a court date which is tomorrow morning, Thurs, at 8:00am. If he is still in jail, please show up to support Martin in court. Watch out: The DA's office might oppose his release back to the community like it has for other Occupy protesters!

◼ at TOPIX

Hey. You guys probably helped elect him. Welcome to your world.

Not even a plea deal. No evidence.

2011-12-22T07:33:00.000-08:00

◼ Judge dismisses murder charge against Loleta woman - Thadeus Greenson/Times Standard

A Humboldt County judge has dismissed the murder charge facing a Loleta mother accused of killing her baby with methamphetamine-laced breast milk last year.

In a ruling filed Wednesday, Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Bruce Watson threw out the murder charge against Maggie Jean Wortman, 27, finding that no evidence was presented at the case's preliminary hearing to establish that Wortman knew she was endangering her infant son's life when she breastfed him after allegedly smoking methamphetamine.

Humboldt County Deputy District Attorney Ben McLaughlin said Wednesday he may choose to refile the murder charge and start the case over again from square one.

”We did not consider a murder count until after the testimony at the preliminary examination but thought there were sufficient facts to support such a charge,” McLaughlin said in an email to the Times-Standard. “Our investigation has continued since the preliminary examination, and we will meet as a group to consider whether or not to refile the murder charge. If we decide to refile, the preliminary examination will be considerably more involved.”

Wortman was arrested after her 6-week-old son, Michael Phillip Acosta III, was taken not breathing to a local hospital the morning of Nov. 21, 2010. Michael was pronounced dead that day, and a subsequent autopsy determined his cause of death to be “methamphetamine toxicity.”

Can you grow pot in Detroit?

2011-12-17T17:02:00.000-08:00

◼ The median price of a home in Detroit is now just $6000.

Imagine the profit margin! Go forth and gentrify.

Google "Let it Snow"

2011-12-17T16:25:00.001-08:00

◼ Enjoy!

Entertainment. And Poison.

2011-12-17T12:12:00.000-08:00

It's entertaining to watch the meltdown over WalMart at The Herald. Evidently Target, KMart and Costco are now cherished local businesses who will be affected by a similar competitor.

It's a little less entertaining to see Richard spreading his poison. There's no campaign in play at the moment, but he's conducting the scorched-earth smear campaign early, hoping upon hope that if he says it often enough you all will come to think it is true.

One of his targets is Rex Bohn. And Richard brings up every dirty little thing he can make up and hope will stick. With no evidence to back it up, as is always the case - it's smear and innuendo. It's not the echo-chamber he hopes to convince, but you, the reporters who surf the blogs all day long.

He delights in bringing up CalPine. Let's not forget that Richard got in bed with Bonnie Neely, who, in her position as Supervisor was engaged in serial back door meetings with CalPine. The company was meeting with as many local officials as they could, long before the community ultimately said, "No, we don't want it."

It's old news, and the hypocrisy wears thin.

In his life - Richard will be lucky to have done 1/100th of the positive work for this (his) community as Rex has. Richard has not created a goddam thing, except the poisonous smear machine he heads.

You looking for a fight, Richard? Poor baby.

Pot grower pleads, gets 1,000 hours of community service; Bridgeville man to forfeit $40K, stay out of jail

2011-12-17T08:08:00.000-08:00

◼ Pot grower pleads, gets 1,000 hours of community service; Bridgeville man to forfeit $40K, stay out of jail - Times Standard

The head of a marijuana cultivation operation near Bridgeville will serve 1,000 hours of community service and forfeit almost $40,000 in cash -- but stay out of jail -- under a plea agreement reached this week with the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office.

Thomas William Morgan, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Bulgaria also known as Taco Nikolov Budnakov, was arrested Oct. 19 and charged with cultivation and possession of marijuana for sales after the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office reported finding 191 pounds of dried marijuana, more than 60 pounds of processed marijuana buds, a handgun and the cash.

On Wednesday, Morgan pleaded guilty to a felony charge of maintaining a residence for the purpose of marijuana cultivation in an agreement that stipulated to his forfeiting the cash, allowing the firearm to be destroyed and doing 1,000 hours of community service in order to stay out of jail....

Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos said in a statement emailed to the Times-Standard that it's appropriate for Morgan to do the equivalent of more than six months worth of community service work rather than jail time.

”The way I look at it is people who broke the law but are not dangerous shouldn't be sitting in jail at county expense, they should be out in the street doing work,” he said. “There's plenty of need, and plenty of work to do.”

PleaBargainsRUs

'Occupier' at courthouse reportedly harassing employees; EPD has been apprised of the alleged complaints

2011-12-17T08:03:00.001-08:00

◼ 'Occupier' at courthouse reportedly harassing employees; EPD has been apprised of the alleged complaints - Times Standard

Jack Nounnan, an activist associated with the Occupy group, said they've had some problems with a few of the homeless residents that gather there but that none of the core people of the Occupy group have harassed anyone.

”There's a couple of people who are definitely mentally ill, and sometimes they scream,” Nounnan said. “We've never seen any of them accost anybody going into the building.”

Fake Federal Agents Target Seniors

2011-12-11T11:04:00.001-08:00

◼ "Thompson’s office also urged local residents to report to law enforcement if they’ve received a call from someone inquiring about their (personal or financial) information." - Humboldt Sentinel

I'm curious to know, if you DO call law enforcement - what kind of reaction/response do you get?

LOL

2011-11-28T12:31:00.001-08:00

The #Occupiers are going after Mark Lovelace. Guess they don't respond to the voice of reason. Probably not gonna help him advocate at the state and national level.

We've had our differences, but he IS the hardest working Supervisor we have right now.

And he undoubtedly sees the #Occupy thing for what it is.

Step aside, the REAL activist muscle is involved now

2011-11-27T07:54:00.001-08:00

◼ Occupiers turn out for Saturday rally in Eureka

Armed with a variety of fliers, sign-up sheets and a microphone, Aryay Kalaki and Jerry Martien -- event organizers for the newly formed Occupy Humboldt County -- spoke about the need to move the “Occupy” movement beyond the courthouse's doorstep.

”The attempt here is to find a transition from the (Occupy Eureka) group here to finding a way to be effective in doing outreach to the larger community,” Kalaki said.

Whaddya wanna bet there are some other well-known names in the shadows.

”I'm hoping the movement can help to be a voice for real change on big issues,” (Mark) Lovelace said. “I need these people to help me advocate at the state and national levels.”

Higher office?

So far - what have they accomplished? They've got a cyclone fence keeping EVERYONE off the lawn. Good going. Ruin it for everyone, that is the end result of #Occupy. Eyesores, less freedom and more restriction.

Renege on student loans - no more student loans for anyone. Ruined for everyone.

Default on your mortgage to bring down the banks? No more mortgages for anyone. Ruined for everyone.

That's your end result. Nice to know who's down with that.

Two things

2011-11-10T23:54:00.001-08:00

ONE - The #Occupy "movement"/campaign stunt finally has its dead victims. They didn't get their Kent State moment, but people are dead nonetheless. President Obama and his stormtrooper/goon pals should be held fully accountable. The blood is on their hands. Nice going, you divisive class warriors, Stephen Lerner, you and Michael Moore belong in jail.

TWO - The Mayors and Powers that be in the various municipalities have finally had enough. They're guilty of an unforgivable double-standard, holding responsible honest citizens (The Tea Party) to a whole different level of compliance and fees, and treated them with extreme disrespect (yes, you too, reporters) - and then allowed the animalistic #Occupy/campaign stunt free rein, with a wink and a nod. (Nancy Pelosi did not shed a tear, did she, no, not this time.)

And in this world where we are told we cannot do this, cannot do that, because of fear of liability - we can't have swingsets because someone might get hurt, can't do this that or the other thing because someone might slip and YOU the City, or County might be held liable, you have COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY INVALIDATED THIS. You have either acted extremely irresponsibly in allowing this madness to go on, where women are raped in the camps, drug abuse is rampant, filth and sewage is everywhere, people are dying in the tents on your property, and now you have shootings. Deaths, - Or - you have just shown that ALL of those concerns over liability can be tossed out. You don't mean it - and we can have swingsets again.

Reality has bitten. People have been killed. And you, in your complicity and cowardice, allowed this to go on. And in so doing, you have, as surely as the Eureka #Occupoopers, defecated on your good, honest, law-abiding citizens - the ones you are supposed to represent - and protect.

It's time for this hideous charade to end.

◼ MAN SHOT DEAD AT OCCUPY OAKLAND PLAZA – Protesters Harass & Block Reporters From Taking Pictures (Video)

◼ Oakland Mayor Does About-Face, Wants #OccupyOakland Camp Gone – City Council Plans “No Confidence” Vote For Mayor’s Mishandling

◼ TB (Tuberculosis) breaks out at 'Occupy Atlanta'...

◼ Shooting at VT camp...

From the mailbox: Anyone care to decipher this?

2011-11-04T12:24:00.000-07:00

CONTENT REMOVED BY REQUEST

Hey George, are you in on this one?

2011-10-25T18:43:00.000-07:00

Don't call me. We'll know soon enough.

◼ Shocking voter fraud allegations are rocking the mayor's race in San Francisco. District Attorney George Gascon has launched an investigation and demands are growing for federal authorities to move in. - FOX

Supporters of incumbent Mayor Ed Lee, who is running for a full four-year term next month, are accused of illegally handling vote-by-mail ballots.

Witnesses say workers for the group, SF Neighbor Alliance, set up a makeshift sidewalk voting site in the city's Chinatown and accuse it of illegally casting absentee ballots for elderly Chinese voters.

The witnesses claim cell-phone videos show workers telling voters to vote for Lee, filling out ballots for the voters and even using a stencil to hide the names of rival candidates so the voters could only chose one -- Lee.

They also say that the completed ballots were stuffed in plastic bags, which is prohibited by state election law.

"At first we thought they were just helping them understand what absentee ballots were," witness Malana Moberg told Fox News, saying that she saw a worker filling out a voter's ballot.

But she said, "It was pretty blatant."

"I noticed that someone who was working at that booth, who had an Ed Lee shirt on, fill in an absentee ballot on behalf of the voter, and I was immediately shocked and couldn't believe that someone would actually fill in the ballot. I thought it was probably illegal, and if not at the very least, unethical," Moberg said, adding that "someone filling out a ballot for somebody else seemed completely inappropriate."

◼ Ed Lee's campaign supporters target of new probe - SF Chronicle

◼ SF Officials, Mayoral Candidates Request Department Of Justice Investigation Into Allegations Of Voter Fraud By Ed Lee Camp (Video) - SF Appeal

Anybody have a link to the Alliance for - - I mean SF Neighbor Alliance? It's obscured by all the news reports.

Natural Born Killers

2011-10-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

◼ Murder suspects to be sent to Washington; Eureka man shot in the back of the head as part of multistate killing spree - Times Standard

A young white supremacist couple accused of a string of four killings across three states -- including one in Eureka last week -- will be extradited to Washington to face murder charges.

David “Joey” Pedersen, 31, and Holly Ann Grigsby, 24, both of Everett, Wash., waived their right to an extradition hearing during a brief court appearance Tuesday in Yuba County, where they were arrested last week. Washington prosecutors have issued aggravated murder warrants for the two after authorities there discovered the bodies of Pedersen's father and stepmother.

Prosecutors alleged Tuesday that Grigsby claimed that she and Pedersen -- both of whom have expressed white supremacist beliefs -- were heading to Sacramento to “kill more Jews” when they were arrested by the California Highway Patrol last week, driving in a vehicle registered to one of their victims, 19-year-old Cody Myers.

The pair shot Myers in Oregon because his name “sounded Jewish,” according to court documents.

Pedersen also reportedly admitted to law enforcement that he shot and killed a man -- later identified as 53-year-old Reginald Alan Clark -- in Eureka on Oct. 3 or Oct. 4.....

◼ Eureka shooting victim linked to killing spree: Washington couple allegedly responsible for deaths in three states - Times Standard

Authorities said Monday they believe a 53-year-old Eureka man found dead Friday was shot in the head amid a multistate killing spree carried out by a young couple out of Washington.

Eureka Police Department Sgt. Patrick O'Neill identified the deceased Monday as Reginald Alan Clark, saying he died from a gunshot wound to the head.

Authorities are alleging that Clark was shot and killed by David Joseph Pedersen, 31, and his girlfriend, Holly Ann Grigsby, 24, both of Everett, Wash., at some point before the pair were arrested Wednesday at the conclusion of a killing spree that started late last month and left four dead. During an interview with the Appeal Democrat newspaper Sunday, Pedersen reportedly admitted to killing his father, his stepmother and an Oregon teenager, and made allusions to being responsible for another murder that had not yet been reported.

O'Neill said detectives don't know of anything connecting Pedersen and Grigsby to the local area and indicated Clark's slaying may have been random.

”At this point, we haven't determined any relationship between the victim and the suspect,” O'Neill said.

Pedersen has the letters “SWP” tattooed prominently on his neck, believed to be a white supremacist acronym standing for “Supreme White Power.” O'Neill said Clark was black but said EPD has not determined whether his killing was racially motivated.

In a jail interview with the Appeal Democrat on Sunday -- a day before he was publicly linked to Clark's killing -- Pedersen told the paper's Ashley Gebb that he expected to be charged with the murder of a “dead Negro” in a truck in Eureka “in that the bullet from my gun is in his head....

Grigsby also spent time in prison for a variety of charges beginning in 2006, including for identity theft and unauthorized use of a vehicle. After completing probation, she was again sent to prison on an identity theft conviction in 2008 and served two years.

Her white supremacist beliefs became clear to her fellow inmates at an Oregon women's prison, according to a report by The Associated Press, and she got in trouble while behind bars for assault and possession of contraband....”

◼ Holly Grigsby and Joseph Pedersen remain in California jail awaiting extradition - Oregon Live
◼ Couple admits to killing 4 in Ore., Calif. - ABC local (image source)

Both share an interest in white supremacist ideology. Pedersen prominently displays a white supremacy tattoo on his neck. Grigsby's white supremacist leanings were made clear to fellow inmates at Oregon's women's prison.

◼ Affidavit: Racist Quadruple Murder Suspects Planned to ‘Kill More Jews’ - splcenter.org

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors today directed Humboldt County Community Services Director Kirk Girard to to work on improving his department, including investigating possible staffing and structural changes.

2011-10-12T09:17:00.000-07:00

◼ Humboldt supervisors direct Girard to work on improvements - TS

...The direction was a result of Girard's employee performance evaluation, which was completed in closed session today after being continued from a meeting in September.

Girard said he'll be working with Humboldt County Administrative Officer Phillip Smith-Hanes to come up with ideas on how to improve his department and make it more efficient.

”(We'll be working on plans) that would deal with some of the issues about how our department performs, such as permitting and communication to the public,” Girard said....

McKinleyville home invasion

2011-10-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

◼ Woman with two children attacked in McKinleyville home invasion

...According to a sheriff's office press release, the victim told deputies she was home in the 2000 block of Second Avenue with her children when two men knocked on her front door around 11 a.m. and asked if they could mow her lawn for money. The victim told them, “no thank you,” and they left.

The victim said two men she believed were the same ones who knocked on her door earlier, knocked on her door about one hour later. This time, one suspect had a dark-colored ski mask covering his face, and the other suspect's face was covered with face paint....

The press release said the suspects were last seen leaving in a white sedan, similar to a Crown Victoria, partial California license plate of CF319.

According to the sheriff's office, the suspects were described as a white male, late teens or early 20s, approximately 5-feet, 9-inches tall, weighing 165

pounds, with short, dark-colored hair, wearing a black T-shirt, and a male of unknown race and age, wearing a full ski mask with a similar physical description.
Anyone with information is requested to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office at 707-445-7251.

'Fleecing' the taxpayer

2011-10-09T08:01:00.000-07:00

◼ Keeping the lights on: Indoor pot growers skirt high electric bills through discount program for low income - Thadeus Greenson/The Times Standard

No matter how you feel about marijuana grow houses, you're likely helping to finance one.

Don't think so? Take the case of Greg Willard and Gayden Rosales, busted in February for running a grow operation in the garage of a house in the 700 block of Arcata's Fickle Hill Road.

When officers pulled Pacific Gas and Electric Co. records for the property, they found that the home used 4,676 kilowatt hours of electricity in the month of December 2010 -- an amount roughly 10 times the average monthly consumption of a Humboldt County household -- running up a bill of almost $1,500. But Rosales and Willard paid only a fraction of that -- $535 -- after receiving an almost 70 percent discount through PG&E's CARE program, which offers subsidized rates to low-income households....

But, to the knowledge of Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos, no one locally has been prosecuted for such an offense.

”With law enforcement, it's a resource issue, ultimately,” Gallegos said. “Putting together a fraud case is a lot more time consuming and takes more resources than a dope case. ... It's not because people don't care or aren't outraged; it's a resource issue.”

In order to prove that someone made false statements to PG&E, Gallegos said, his office would have to reconstruct the person's finances at the time they filled out the CARE program application -- not an easy task.

”It would take a lot of investigation,” Hansen said. “We do a lot of triage from case to case to case, so we've never gone after that aspect of it. It would be very time consuming.”
__________________

No discussion about POT is complete without acknowledging Gallegos' role in making criminal activity defacto legal.

Not just grow houses and things like this, pretending to be poor to get free power, but the outright stripping of land in complete violation of any environmental laws or sensibilities - and that at the same time Gallegos and his pals claim environmental high ground.

Right now dope growers have the best of both worlds - a complicit DA ensures they are free to operate with impunity, and defeating the ballot measure to legalize the stuff keeps the prices high and keeps them rolling in the dough. Tax-free. Fee-free. Regulation-free.

They're cheating more than just their fellow PG&E customers.

They're cheating the state out of taxes owed on six-figure incomes. They're cheating counties out of business license fees and property tax assessments, they're cheating employees out of Social Security contributions. Just for starters.

#Occupythat.

Medical-pot users fuming over ATF’s gun-sale ban

2011-10-07T09:43:00.000-07:00

◼ You can have your gun, or you can have your medical marijuana. But the Obama administration now says you can’t have both. - Washington Times

National News

2011-10-02T07:33:00.000-07:00

◼ Huge California manhunt ends with suspect's death - AP

FORT BRAGG, Calif. (AP) - The 7,000 residents of Fort Bragg can now relax after spending more than a month on edge while the area's largest manhunt in decades enveloped their coastal community about three hours north of San Francisco.

The massive operation came to a close when authorities shot and killed the subject of the search, a fugitive accused in the deaths of two area officials.

Elizabeth McNeill, who works as a clerk in an appliance store in downtown Fort Bragg, said she is feeling a sense of relief, "It's a sad situation, but now people can relax."

Aaron Bassler, 35, was shot seven times in an area of redwood forest about 6 miles east of Fort Bragg after being sniffed out by a bloodhound, said Mendocino County Sheriff Thomas Allman. Three members of the Sacramento County SWAT team were in the trees about 40 yards from Bassler when he came toward them on a timber trail.

Bassler was suspected of killing a city councilman in late August and a county land trust official several weeks before. Bassler was thought to be hiding out in the redwoods outside of Fort Bragg, breaking into several cabins and businesses to steal food and weapons. ...read the rest

Movement on Balloon Track; state lands resolution, Supreme Court decision for Marina Center project

2011-09-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

◼ Movement on Balloon Track; state lands resolution, Supreme Court decision for Marina Center project - TS

Mikal Xylon Wilde pleads not guilty

2011-09-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

◼ Wilde pleads not guilty - Times-Standard

A 29-year-old Eureka man again pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder Thursday, a week after a judge held him to stand trial in a case stemming from a shooting at a Kneeland marijuana grow operation last summer.

Thursday, Wilde again pleaded not guilty to the charges at an arraignment in the case. Wilde is due back in court Dec. 19 for a pre-trial hearing and is tentatively scheduled to stand trial beginning Feb. 20, 2012.

◼ Shooting victim expected to testify against his attacker; Hearing moves forward in Kneeland marijuana murder case - TS
◼ Horror - Fight over supplies led to shooting Sep. 21. 2010
◼ Fight over supplies led to shooting TS
◼ The details emerge - Marijuana grow operation shooting leaves one dead, one wounded near Kneeland; 28-year-old man held on suspicion of murder, investigation remains ongoing Aug. 27, 2010
◼ ...four gunshot victims... UPDATES on Blogthing Aug. 26, 2010

"The house was set up as a potential distribution network...They had it all set up to receive supplies of high-grade marijuana from Northern California, and from there, it was being distributed

2011-09-22T09:19:00.000-07:00

◼ POLICE: SIX POUNDS OF MARIJUANA FOUND AT BENGAL'S HOME - wap.nfl

Police said a package containing 2 1/2 pounds of marijuana was delivered from Eureka, Calif., to the suburban Kentucky home of Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jerome Simpson on Tuesday, where authorities say they conducted a search and found six more pounds of marijuana inside.

◼ California agents say they track pot to NFL player's home - Press Democrat

Shooting victim expected to testify against his attacker; Hearing moves forward in Kneeland marijuana murder case

2011-09-14T11:52:00.000-07:00

◼ Shooting victim expected to testify against his attacker; Hearing moves forward in Kneeland marijuana murder case - TS

A Guatemalan man is scheduled to take the stand in Humboldt County Superior Court today to testify against the man who allegedly shot him in the face and back last year after a dispute at a marijuana grow operation near Kneeland.

Mikal Xylon Wilde, 29, of Eureka, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, attempted murder and cultivation and possession of marijuana for sale. A preliminary hearing this week will culminate with a judge determining whether there is enough evidence to hold Wilde to stand trial.

Wilde is accused of shooting and killing Mario Roberto Juarez-Madrid, 40, of Guatemala, and seriously wounding Pedro Fernandez, also of Guatemala, at the scene of a marijuana growing operation with more than 1,500 plants on Aug. 25, 2010. The shooting allegedly stemmed from an argument over payment and supplies that started when Wilde informed Juarez-Madrid, Fernandez and another man -- all his employees -- that he would no longer be providing them with food at the remote grow site where they were living, which was located about two miles from the Kneeland Cal Fire air station.

On Tuesday -- at what was scheduled to be the beginning of Wilde's preliminary hearing -- District Attorney Paul Gallegos told Superior Court Judge Bruce Watson that he planned on calling Fernandez and another man, Chris Bigelow, to testify. Gallegos suggested that both men be appointed attorneys by the court and said he would be entering into immunity agreements with the witnesses because he expected them to testify about their roles in a marijuana cultivation operation and there may be issues regarding self-incrimination.

◼ Horror - Fight over supplies led to shooting Sep. 21. 2010
◼ Fight over supplies led to shooting TS
◼ The details emerge - Marijuana grow operation shooting leaves one dead, one wounded near Kneeland; 28-year-old man held on suspicion of murder, investigation remains ongoing Aug. 27, 2010
◼ ...four gunshot victims... UPDATES on Blogthing Aug. 26, 2010

New boundaries don't change supervisorial race; County's 2012 election gears up

2011-09-14T08:42:00.000-07:00

◼ At least one supervisorial candidate plans on moving to a new residence in order to keep his bid for the 1st District supervisor seat. - TS

With the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors' approval of the new district lines on Tuesday, 1st District candidate Rex Bohn's current residence would no longer be within the district. The candidate said he plans to move within the new district by the time the boundaries go into effect in January.

”I've made a commitment to quite a few members of the community that I was going to run in the 1st District,” Bohn said in a phone interview before the board's decision was made. “I spent the last 30-plus years in the 1st District. When the lines are activated in January, I will still be in the 1st District.”

◼ Supervisors approve new boundaries; Public officials see changes to districts TS

The supervisors opted to move forward with Plan 2A, which moves Blue Lake into the 3rd District and leaves both Fieldbrook and Glendale in the 5th District. The plan straightens the border of the 1st and 4th districts and moves the Tompkins Hill area to the 1st District. The only change made was to move a precinct called ES-3 in Cutten from the 3rd District back into the 1st District.

...First District Supervisor Jimmy Smith said the approved map has him taking on some new territory and new constituents. For example, he'll be representing the town of Scotia instead of 2nd District Supervisor Clif Clendenen.

...Rio Dell Councilman Frank Wilson said Scotia wanted to be part of the same district as Fortuna because Scotia residents' children attend Fortuna high schools.

Seismic shifts

2011-09-12T11:58:00.000-07:00

◼ Estelle out at HumCPR - Herald
◼ Estelle Fennell Resigns from HumCPR - Hank
◼ EMPIRE FALLS: Kirk Girard out at Building and Planning - Mirror

9/11 Attacks On The Towers

2011-09-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

Eureka Appoints New City Attorney

2011-09-02T18:20:00.000-07:00

◼ Cyndy Day-Wilson, an attorney out of Bonita in San Diego County, penned the contract with the city earlier today, a hire which will be confirmed by the City Council next Tuesday. - Humboldt Sentinel

7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes off Alaska

2011-09-02T07:29:00.000-07:00

◼ A 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Friday in the Aleutian Islands off Alaska, the U.S. Geological Survey reported, prompting a brief tsunami warning for a portion of Alaska's coast. - CNN

Former Eureka police officer mulling plea deal; terms of DA's office not disclosed in felony case

2011-08-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

◼ Former Eureka police officer mulling plea deal; terms of DA's office not disclosed in felony case - TS

A former Eureka police officer facing drug and theft charges is considering accepting a plea agreement, the details of which have not been made public.

Appearing in Humboldt County Superior Court Thursday, Daniel “Danny” Kalis asked that future court dates in his case be pushed back a couple of weeks so he and his attorney will have time to review a plea offer from the District Attorney's Office.

”I anticipate we do have a resolution, I just request a bit more time to review the offer,” Kalis' attorney Marek Reavis told the court. Reavis and Deputy District Attorney Nicole Bockleman were not immediately available to comment for this story Thursday.

Guilty verdict in rape case; prosecutor says victim's courage 'can't be overstated'

2011-08-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

◼ Guilty verdict in rape case; prosecutor says victim's courage 'can't be overstated' - TS

The jury -- comprising seven women and five men -- found Walker guilty of forcible rape while acting in concert and forcible oral copulation in concert more than one year after he was arrested for raping 20-year-old Jane Doe in a wooded area near the Arcata Sports Complex.

Walker, 38, of Eureka, faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and will have to register as a sex offender for life.

Jane Doe, who testified in the case and appeared in court Thursday to hear the verdict read, hugged prosecuting Deputy District Attorney Ben McLaughlin and DA investigator Jack Bernstein after the hearing, thanking them with tears in her eyes.

”I'm elated with the verdict and really proud of Jane Doe,” McLaughlin said. “I don't say this as hyperbole, but she really showed a level of courage that can't be overstated. She came into court and faced her rapist and showed him she is not the easy target of opportunity he thought she would be.”

Attempts to contact Walker's attorney Owen Tipps were not immediately successful.

APD Chief Tom Chapman attended Thursday's hearing and commended the people who came forward at the scene to help Jane Doe, which he said allowed his officers to take Walker into custody in short order and conduct a thorough investigation. Chapman also said the DA's Office's work on the case was “outstanding.”

”The DA's Office was tireless in its effort to seek justice in this matter,” Chapman wrote in an email to the Times-Standard. “Kevin Walker is a predator. He belongs in prison.”

Walker was arrested in May 2008 after witnesses reported him and two other men fighting in a Trinidad beach parking lot. Witnesses said Walker and another man were holding the third man on the ground, hitting him in the head with a metal pipe and stepping on his face while shouting racial slurs. Walker and the other assailant, Collin Roczey, were arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, sodomy and kidnapping, and later pleaded guilty to the assault charge in a plea agreement reached when the victim in the case refused to cooperate with their prosecution.

Walker was on probation from the 2008 case when he committed the rape -- a violation that will add another year to whatever prison sentence a judge imposes.

”We all thought that Kevin Walker really eluded justice with respect to his conduct in 2008, and everybody was very committed to prosecuting this case to the best of our abilities,” McLaughlin said. “We invested ourselves quite a bit in the case. In light of his prior conduct that was sexualized violence against another party, this verdict is obviously important because he now has a conviction to reflect who he is and what he is.”

2011 Elections

2011-08-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

◼ Special District Board Candidates Finalized - Ryan Burns, The JournalHumboldt Community Services District

Frank ScolariDave SaundersonGeorge DavisKevin H. McKenny

McKinleyville Community Services District

Helen EdwardsJohn W. CorbettDavid Elsebusch

Manila Community Services District

Mike SeeberGeronimo GarciaJoy DellasRobert RoseZachary Brian ThomaSusan OpalachJan Bramlett

Willow Creek Community Services District

Joe O’HaraJudy M. GowerBruce NelsonTom O’GormanMarc J. Rowley

Resort Improvement District 1

Susan L. FoxRoger BoedeckerMark MitchellDennis D HarperNanette CorleyChet Edeline

Blue Lake Union School District

Lex RohnLisa HoovenMandi LewisLana Manzanita

Ferndale Unified School

Rey UrbachEmil FeierabendKristina Radelfinger

Eureka Unified School District, Ward 4

Judy AndersonSusan L. Johnson

Fieldbrook School District

Richard GrissomLinda F. BroadmanJeremy Sargent

Fortuna Union High School District

Kenneth A. SteeleAnita L. GageCharles Giannini

Klamath Trinity Joint School, Area 6

Robin WildDarlene Magee

Magnitude 7.1 - VANUATU

2011-08-20T17:07:00.000-07:00

◼ 18.260°S, 168.069°E Depth: 40.6 km (25.2 miles) - USGS

Just curious...

2011-08-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

How many Non-Profits have received a bill from the County (Assessor's Office) for 'property taxes' because they have rented a County facility - (Note that they have paid the required rental fees all along) Ever hear of this? Developing

Jim Jones Plotted 9/11-Like Attack

2011-08-12T13:46:00.001-07:00

◼ Cult leader wanted to crash a plane into San Francisco - Scott James/baycitizen.org

Twenty-five years before the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, a religious extremist plotted to hijack a commercial airliner — filled with 200 or so unsuspecting passengers — and deliberately crash it.The target was San Francisco. And the would-be perpetrator was not a jihadist, but the man who would become one of history’s more infamous villains: the cult leader Jim Jones of the Peoples Temple, whose headquarters was then on Geary Boulevard in San Francisco.With the hijacking plot, described in a coming book and recently confirmed by a former Peoples Temple leader, Jones is said to have wanted to cause death on a scale that the world would not soon forget....The San Francisco hijacking plot progressed to the point where beginning in 1975, Maria Katsaris, 21, a close associate and lover of Jones, attended the Sierra Academy of Aeronautics in Oakland. Academy records confirm that a church paid her tuition.Katsaris earned a private pilot’s license and began commercial jet training, but church officials instructed her to attend school only long enough to learn how to take the plane’s controls after storming the cockpit and killing the pilots

__________________Coincidentally, Jim Jones second-in-command-right-hand-man is in the news these days, too: ◼ Woman won't be jailed for feeding bears at her home - Glenda Anderson/Press Democrat via mercury news◼ Sentencing deferred in bear case - Ukiah Daily Journal

Gallegos takes another slam dunk

2011-08-10T07:38:00.001-07:00

◼ Man (Leon Alyious Bigleggins) held to answer in child murder case; witnesses describe multiple incidents of 'discipline' inflicted on 4-year-old (Dylan Blount-Chambers) - Times Standard”We, the people, believe Dylan was unlawfully killed,” Gallegos said, describing the kicking and striking of the 4-year-old as inflicting unnecessary pain and suffering. “The squats, spanking with the hanger and kicking all indicates Bigleggins' desire to injure this child enough to send a message.”....During the weeks prior to his death, Blount said she never noticed the injuries documented by forensic pathologist Mark Super in his testimony Monday.Super, who performed the autopsy on Dylan, said the official cause of Dylan's death was blunt force trauma to the abdomen or head that occurred on or around July 24, 2010, but in photo after photo taken during the autopsy, he also pointed out extensive bruising covering the boy's body.”These would be significant bruises that would catch your attention,” Super said, referencing the bruises and abrasions covering the boy's groin, buttocks, abdomen, the palms of his hands and the tops of his feet.....

Pick up The Arcata Eye and McKinleyville Press

2011-08-09T15:09:00.000-07:00

Gallegos, in an interview with Daniel Mintz, says that he's withdrawing his Grand Jury response regarding grants. Developing.Some things in this article are not clear. Not adding up. Not making sense.

The D.A., (no, not ours) the lost revolver and the lieutenant, Part I

2011-08-08T00:17:00.001-07:00

His pal, Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas... in the news again.

◼ The Watchdog readily admits this is a meandering, tortuous tale involving an elected county official, a missing revolver and an Anaheim police lieutenant who dared to step into the fray. - ocregister.com

But, dear readers, we’re crossing our fingers you will stick with us to the bitter end of this two-part series to find out just how it came to be that the only person punished was the lieutenant who tried to do the right thing.

The official in this tale is Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, who may, or may not, have needed the gun for personal protection....

◼ The DA, the lost revolver and the lieutenant, Part II - ocregister.com

...The sergeant interviewed Major as he was told, but things apparently didn’t quite add up. He went to his supervisor, Lt. Dave Vangsness. The sergeant said he figured Rackauckas didn’t want the publicity, given Welter’s recent issues with missing guns, internal police documents show.
Things didn’t add up to Vangsness either. There were more questions than answers, starting with why Hunter went directly to the sergeant, why Rackauckas had someone else’s gun for so many years and how it suddenly disappeared....

Rackauckas would eventually fax in a statement of how he came to have Blankenship’s gun, and the burglary sergeant would eventually interview Blankenship. Their stories didn’t match up – and Vangsness pressed forward with the investigation. Vangsness wrote that he told his superiors on at least four separate occasions he intended to forward the case to state prosecutors.

Vangsness called Senior Assistant Attorney General Gary Schons on Dec. 15, 2009 to brief him on the case.

“I asked Lt. Vangsness how it would look if someone outside law enforcement, like the press (as often seems to happen in these types of circumstances), found out that this matter had been reported to your department, investigated, a possible crime identified under these circumstances involving two of the highest ranking law enforcement officials in the county, and not reported to the Attorney General for review,” Schons later wrote to Anaheim PD....

“What is troubling about the reprimand is that Lt. Vangsness attempted to and did do the right thing – he tried to convince his superiors to allow him to pursue the proper course of action in investigating and reporting the case, which they rejected or slyly refused to support, and then he did the right thing in reporting the case to the Attorney General,” Schons wrote.

“For his effort, he got reprimanded and had other duties stripped from him.”

The revolver remains missing.

A win

2011-07-29T07:19:00.000-07:00

◼ Arcata man gets maximum sentence in child sex abuse case

A Humboldt County judge sentenced an Arcata man on Wednesday for the continual sexual abuse of a minor, dissuading the minor from testifying against him and committing a felony while out on bond.

W. Bruce Watson sentenced Wayne Thomas Bukowski, 37, of Arcata, to 20 years, eight months in prison -- the maximum sentence allowed by law. Bukowski is also required to register as a sex offender for life.

This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Kelly Neel.

Another revolving door superstar

2011-07-28T07:15:00.000-07:00

◼ Driver arrested following Broadway roll-over - TS

Vandenplas was booked at the Humboldt County jail on the following charges: possession of a controlled substance, transportation of a controlled substance, driving while under the influence (drugs/medications), felony enhancement for multiple DUIs, possession of medications without a prescription, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of less than an ounce of marijuana, false information to a peace officer, no insurance at a collision scene and parole violation.

Out in 3 - 2 - 1....

So – if they declare a moratorium

2011-07-27T16:33:00.001-07:00

Then it is time to furlough or close the Building/Planning Department.

◼ Rezoning decision awaits Supes today; after marathon meeting, board continues discussion - Thadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard

After a marathon session Tuesday high on acrimony and disagreement but short on decisions, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors will continue meeting today to determine the fate of a massive effort to rezone properties throughout the county for multifamily housing developments.

In a meeting that featured multiple twists, as well as some changing facts, the board took public comment from more than two dozen people -- with much of it sharply critical of county staff and the rezoning plan. It ultimately directed staff to do some more homework -- and come up with some answers -- before the meeting at 11 a.m. today.

The plan -- which is being driven forward on a tight timeline -- seeks to rezone 55 parcels throughout the county to allow for the development of more than 1,000 multifamily units, a little more than half of which would be designated for low-income families.

The project is being fast-tracked under the terms of a settlement reached last month between the county and the advocacy group Housing for All in the court case brought against the county in 2007 by Humboldt Sunshine, which alleged the county's housing element was out of compliance with state law. Under the terms of the settlement, the board has to approve the plan by Saturday, and the state has to OK it by Aug. 15.

If the county fails to meet the deadline, a Humboldt County Superior Court judge could issue a moratorium on the issuance of building and development permits within the county....

What do YOU buy at WalMart (KMart, Target?)

2011-07-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

What do you buy at Costco? Is it the same? What do you buy in Old Town? Do you shop there for basic necessities? You don't have to sign your name...

New life for Salzman's mobs?

2011-07-17T07:20:00.001-07:00

There's no election in play, the Garr Nielsen thing is fizzling, Richardson's Grove has only revealed how idiotic they can be, but maybe there's hope - rumors of WalMart, the evil boogeyman, coming to town? Will the intrepid "progressives" be able to gin up the rage? Stay tuned.

◼ Mystery retailer prepares to move into Gottschalks building; company to finance $4.6 million in facility improvements - TS
◼ Architect in Mystery Bayshore Mall Project is Wal-Mart’s Go-To Dude - Hank/LoCo

Looks like they're trying: ◼ Heraldo starts it off: Wal-Mart to dig its ugly claws into Eureka

Championing for causes -- and people you represent -- can be done in a civil manner

2011-07-12T10:21:00.001-07:00

◼ Championing for causes -- and people you represent -- can be done in a civil manner - John Chiv's My Word in the Times-Standard

It's time for a few to stop the conservative versus progressive game. Most of us, regardless of our beliefs, want the best for this community. Think how much we could accomplish if we worked together and moved our city forward.

Once again, there is an attempt to rip the community apart by fomenting anger towards the EPD. John calls it out.

And you have to ask why, when a few days before his firing, the Times Standard ran a piece touting Garr Nielsen's being a finalist in applying for two positions in other areas, when it was clear he was leaving, there is all this angst about his firing.

Where is it really coming from?

7.0 quake off Honshu, Japan – no Tsunami Warning

2011-07-09T21:02:00.001-07:00

◼ 7.0 quake off Honshu, Japan – no Tsunami Warning - Watts Up With That

DISTRICT ATTORNEY PAUL GALLEGOS AND CAL EMA... 2 DIFFERENT STORIES UPDATED

2011-07-08T10:53:00.001-07:00

◼ DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND CAL EMA... 2 DIFFERENT STORIES - VIDEO/NEWSCAST - KIEM

KIEM says: "It’s a story we first broke last week… the District Attorney’s office is being investigated for allegedly not filing some paperwork concerining hundreds of thousands dollars in grant monies.

We've heard both sides of the story… but they’re not matching up. District Attorney Paul Gallegos claims these grants are not on hold, but the state says they are. its complicated so instead of trying to explain it ourselves… here’s the arguments straight from the sources." Submitted by Betsy Lambert on Thu, 07/07/2011 - 17:44

KIEM REPORT (transcribed from the link)

KIEM/Kelly Mays says: "It’s a story we first broke last week… the District Attorney’s office is being investigated for allegedly not filing some paperwork concerining hundreds of thousands dollars in grant monies.

We've heard both sides of the story… but they’re not matching up. District Attorney Paul Gallegos claims these grants are not on hold, but the state says they are. Its complicated so instead of trying to explain it ourselves… here’s the arguments straight from the sources:

Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos (on camera): We're not in danger of losing any grants. No grants have been stopped."

Brad Alexander, Cal EMA (Emergency Management Agency) Office of Public Information: (told) multiple times that they are.

Ch. 3: (reporter asks Alexander) "The three grants that are in question?"

CalEMA: (responds) "There's actually like six or seven, and you should have individual names and titles for each of those."

Ch. 3: Those grants in question totaling over $847,000, some of that has already been settled between the two parties but it's the difference, some $334,000 that's been put on hold by the state.

Ch. 3: "Are the grants on hold? Are they stayed? Or are they fine?"

CalEMA: Currently everything is on pause except for the funds that have already been distributed."

Ch. 3: This grant money is dedicated to programs like victims of crime, violence against women, anti-drug abuse, victim witnesses, and unserviced populations for local Native American tribes.

The CalEMA says the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office asked about the grants in November, saying they weren't aware of some of the funds. This sparked the investigation into the District Attorney Office.

Paul Gallegos: "There's a per-sonn-el issue that we asked for an investigation to be done... ummmmm... part of that investigation, that investigator contacted CalEMA to ask for specific questions related to the personnel matter..."

Ch. 3: (asks) "If it's just a personnel issue, what happens?"

CalEMA: (answers) "Then they simply replace the person that we were handling with."

Ch.3: Gallegos says he took the initiative when he first learned about this situation.

Paul Gallegos: "It's an investigation into a PERSONNEL matter by our office or at the request of our office to bring in a 3rd party investigation."

CalEMA: "My understanding is that the office of risk management at the County level hired a private investigator."

Ch.3: The fact of the matter is, right now, according to CalEMA, over $334,000 is NOT available to Humboldt County, and at this point, we don't know if it will ever be.

CalEMA: "So, there was not a regular line of communication that typically exists between CalEMA and the grantee. They weren't returning phone calls and they weren't returning emails, that's why staff had to go up there in November/December last year to get one on one face to face with the staff at the District Attorney's office."

Paul Gallegos: "Truth is our grants are fine. If you talk to CalEMA, you'll find out they're fine..."

Back to reporters, Kelly Mays: Ch. 3: So, it's obviously a big complicated mess at this point and we are in contact with both offices. But we continue to hear different things, we'll keep looking for the truth.

Betsy Lambert: Yes, this is something that all of our newsroom has been looking into - just trying to get the truth, down to the bottom of this matter.
___

◼ Update: Submitted by Kelly May on Fri, 07/08/2011 - 12:02 in News Stories - KIEM

Cal EMA has admitted to a miscommunication within their organization that lead to reporting misinformation to both News Channel 3 and the Humboldt County District Attorney's office regarding hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant monies. Brad Alexander, spokesperson for Cal EMA, admits that a miscommunication did exist between the grants branch at Cal EMA and the Office of Public Information, causing inaccurate information to be released regarding the investigation into Humboldt County District Attorney's office. District Attorney Paul Gallegos told News Channel 3 in a meeting this morning that local funders had put a hold on grant funds available to the D.A.'s office. At the request of the District Attorney's office and to reassure local funders that the grant funds are available, Cal EMA says they will issue and official statement aknowledging the miscommunication and misinformation that was reported.

So - there's more to the story yet.

Someone in the executive branch must have requested the funding for Gunrunner

2011-07-08T09:51:00.001-07:00

◼ Project Gunrunner Got Stimulus Money - John Hayward

Poster “Domandred” at Free Republic dug through the text of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, otherwise known as the “Obama stimulus,” and discovered that an earmark of ten million dollars for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives was rolled into the bill.

Part of that earmark came from House Resolution 495, the Southwest Border Violence Reduction Act of 2009. This bill explicitly included $15,000 in funding for Project Gunrunner.

That funding did indeed make it into the Obama stimulus act:
For an additional amount for ‘State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance’, $40,000,000, for competitive grants to provide assistance and equipment to local law enforcement along the Southern border and in High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas to combat criminal narcotics activity stemming from the Southern border, of which $10,000,000 shall be transferred to ‘Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Salaries and Expenses’ for the ATF Project Gunrunner.
We need to know who pushed this Gunrunner funding into the Obama stimulus, and then the President must be made to formally admit – under oath if necessary – either he knew about Project Gunrunner all along… or he had absolutely no idea what was contained in the trillion-dollar stimulus package he boasted of passing without a single Republican vote.

◼ Too bad to check: Project Gunrunner was funded by … the stimulus - HotAir

I really did think it was too bad to check, despite posts about it at PJM, Weasel Zippers, and Free Republic. But I checked. You’ll find complete PDF and text versions of the final stimulus bill right here. Scroll down to page 16 (of 407!) in the PDF version and behold:
For an additional amount for ‘‘State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance’’, $40,000,000, for competitive grants to provide assistance and equipment to local law enforcement along the Southern border and in High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas to combat criminal narcotics activity stemming from the Southern border, of which $10,000,000 shall be transferred to ‘‘Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Salaries and Expenses’’ for the ATF Project Gunrunner.
And to think, you guys say the stimulus didn’t produce anything. It produced guns for Mexican drug cartels, didn’t it? Says Ben Domenech, in a stroke of perfect black humor: “Shovel ready.”

See what happens when Congress doesn’t read the bills?

◼ earmark for funding of gunrunner in the stimulus?

So the big question is - WHO put it in there? And then, of course, WHY?

Richardson Grove activists threaten disruptions for potential project contractors; letters warn of 'a PR nightmare' for bidders

2011-07-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

◼ Richardson Grove activists threaten disruptions for potential project contractors; letters warn of 'a PR nightmare' for bidders - TS

Richardson Grove Action Now member Kim Starr said companies should be aware of the risks associated with the project.

”Any involvement by your company will bring you public notoriety -- a PR nightmare,” the letter states. “We wish to warn you that no matter what Caltrans claims the project will cost, it will cost you MORE -- because the public does not want it.”

One letter recipient, who wished to remain anonymous fearing retaliation, said the Federal Bureau of Investigation recently contacted the company regarding the letter, investigating the group for possible eco-terrorism. The businessman, who said the letter was sent out to at least four other contractors, said the anticipation of disruption will mean a higher bid price for Caltrans to cover extra security or equipment damage -- essentially more cost for the state.

A powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off New Zealand's Kermadec Islands, triggering a tsunami in the region

2011-07-06T14:40:00.001-07:00

◼ The quake, initially reported as a magnitude 7.9, triggered a tsunami warning for New Zealand, the Kermadec Islands and Tonga, the U.S. Pacific Tsunami Center said. - Reuters

Happy Fourth!

2011-07-04T09:34:00.001-07:00

◼ Image Source - CLICK HERE to enjoy the show!

Medical marijuana group holds fundraiser for Gallegos in Sacramento; Raises legal, ethical questions surrounding campaign finance for Humboldt DA

2011-07-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

◼ Medical marijuana group holds fundraiser for Gallegos in Sacramento; Raises legal, ethical questions surrounding campaign finance for Humboldt DA
The focus Wednesday was clear, with suggested donations for Gallegos ranging from $250 to $2,500. The money will go to pay off the more than $40,000 in campaign debt Gallegos racked up last year -- the bulk of which is owed to his wife. Guests included representatives of the Humboldt Growers Association, members of the California Board of Equalization, medical marijuana dispensary owners and former Sacramento City Councilman Robbie Waters. The event was closed to reporters.

Del Real, who spoke to the Times-Standard about the fundraiser last week, said that he could not allow a Times-Standard journalist to attend the party because he would then have to let other members of the media, who also expressed interest in coming, to attend the event.

While Del Real later declined to provide the list of attendees and the total amount raised for Gallegos at the fundraiser, he said he would be happy to talk about the event afterward. Numerous phone messages left on Del Real's cell phone through the end of the week were not returned.

Gallegos said before the fundraiser that he had no problem with members of the media attending, adding that he supported the notion of openness for an industry that lives largely in the shadows.

”I'm an elected official, but at the same time, these people are not,” Gallegos said, adding that while he could not speak for Del Real, he thought the league stood to benefit from more exposure. “These are legitimate people that are trying to change the law -- why would they not want it to be out there?”
____
Matt Drange produced this story for the Times-Standard and California Watch, part of the Center for Investigative Reporting. He can be reached at mdrange@californiawatch.org.

Every single person in that room will be public information, every single person will have contributed more than the $99 threshold for anonymity. Every single related expense and the resultant income will have to be disclosed.

The fact remains that Gallegos couldn't get elected by telling the truth about who he is - he pretended to be 'law and order' - called himself a professor - and did NOT tell people the truth about his relationship with the growers.

At least now the mask is off.

Criminal censorship

2011-07-02T10:29:00.000-07:00

◼ Hoopa Tribe shuts down Two Rivers Tribune over controversial articles; tribal newspaper staff rallying supporters for council meeting
The Hoopa Valley Tribal Council chairman shut down the tribe's newspaper through a memo sent Friday afternoon, citing financial issues and disagreement over controversial articles.

Controversial. But excellent.

What is a newspaper for if not to tell the story, cover the issue? Controversial it may be, but the decision to publish Hunsucker's account of the killing was and is the right thing to do.

◼ The Arcata Eye: As we celebrate the Fourth of July weekend, a fine Humboldt County newspaper is dying.
◼ Chairman Shuts Down Newspaper Day Before New Council Sworn In - Two Rivers Tribune

Council approves Nielsen firing

2011-07-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

◼ Council approves Nielsen firing - TS

The Eureka City Council voted 4-1 today, with Councilwoman Linda Atkins dissenting, to approve the firing of former Police Chief Garr Nielsen....

At the conclusion of the closed session, interim city attorney Andy Stunich also reported that the council voted unanimously to affirm the appointment of EPD Capt. Murl Harpham as interim police chief.

◼ EKA City Council Affirms Nielsen Firing - LCO
(you'll get a "Buzzfeed Buzzbox (Invisible Tracker)/About: blank" from that link, looks like)

So, $250 to $2,500 dinner tickets are all fully reportable

2011-07-01T01:02:00.000-07:00

It will be interesting to see the campaign filings on Paul Gallegos' Sacramento soiree. How much did he rake in? And from whom?

Obama Administration Gives Green Light for Raids on Medical Marijuana Distributors

2011-06-30T23:52:00.000-07:00

◼ Obama Administration Overrides 2009 Ogden Memo, Declares Open Season on Pot Shops in States Where Medical Marijuana Is Legal - Reason.com

The Department of Justice sent out a memo Wednesday instructing the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration and leading officials in the U.S. Attorneys Office to treat medical marijuana shops as top priorities for prosecutors and drug investigators.

◼ Obama Administration Gives Green Light for Raids on Medical Marijuana Distributors - Volokh

Back in October 2009, the Obama Justice Department issued a memo that some interpreted as discouraging federal raids on medical marijuana dispensaries operating in states where medical marijuana is permitted under state law. I pointed out at the time that the memo imposed few if any genuine restrictions on federal prosecution of medical marijuana producers. Certainly, it fell far short of implementing Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign promise to stop medical marijuana prosecutions in states where medical marijuana is legal.

Now the Justice Department has issued a new memo to federal prosecutors emphasizing that it has no intention of discouraging federal medical marijuana prosecutions, regardless of state law

◼ The Memo

Jason Bruce ‘J-Bird’ Hunsucker's story of the murder of Darrel Hanger Sr.

2011-06-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

◼ Man on the Run - tworiverstribune.com via ◼ lostcoastoutpost.com
Hunsucker said he was asked to drive his sister Sonia Hunsucker and her boyfriend Jackson Surber to the residence to burglarize the home. He was driving a stolen vehicle, a 2006 silver Toyota Tacoma, but didn’t say whether or not he was responsible for the theft of the truck.

Hunsucker was with his girlfriend, Samantha Smoker-Machado, who he said came along for the ride, but did not intend to participate in the burglary.

He said they pulled into the driveway, a short paved entrance way about 20 ft. long that connected to a carport.

“Someone with us said something had been moved, so we started to back out,” he said.

Hunsucker said Sonia and Surber had previously burglarized the same residence and went back with the impression that nobody was home.

“Before I could even hit reverse, I seen people running up behind us,” he said. “I locked my door real fast and yelled at everybody else to lock their doors too.”

Hunsucker said he was having a difficult time keeping the vehicle running and placing it in reverse because a screwdriver was used to start the vehicle when it was stolen....read the rest at the link...

Once they arrived at their friend’s house, Hunsucker contacted a family member, who agreed to drive them to Eureka. Hunsucker claims he did not tell his family what happened, but that they had gotten into a wreck.

However, the following day, once they got news that Hanger had died, Hunsucker’s family member in Eureka asked him to leave. He said he then visited a friend in the area that was a physician and his wounds were cleaned.

Questions about who the doctor is...

◼ TRT Editorial: Hunsucker Should Turn Himself In - tworiverstribune.com
Prior coverage:

◼ Hunsucker Outruns Police Wednesday Night
PRESS RELEASE, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department

On June 29, 2011, approximately 10:30 p.m. a Humboldt County Sheriffs Deputy and Hoopa Tribal Police Officer were working in the Hoopa Area when they spotted an All Terrain Vehicle (A.T.V.) traveling southbound on State Route 96, North of Hostler Field Housing. The deputy and tribal officer attempted a traffic stop on the All Terrain Vehicle for vehicle code violations. When the deputy and tribal officer caught up to the All Terrain Vehicle they recognized the driver as wanted murder suspect Bruce Stallings-Hunsucker. Stallings–Hunsucker has a one million dollar murder warrant for his arrest out of Humboldt County Superior Court. The warrant is for his involvement in the killing of Darrell Hanger Sr. in Willow Creek.

After the deputy attempted to stop Stallings-Hunsucker using the patrol cars red light and siren, Stallings-Hunsucker fled on the All Terrain Vehicle, running stop signs and driving on the wrong side of the highway. The deputy and tribal police officers pursued Stallings-Hunsucker who periodically would travel on roads and trails in the area attempting to elude the officers. Stallings-Hunsucker was last seen by Hoopa Tribal Police Officers eastbound, about four miles up Big Hill Road, Hoopa, off Highway 96. Stallings-Hunsucker drove his vehicle off the highway where the patrol vehicles could not follow him. The deputy and Tribal Police officers later located Stalling-Hunsuckers All Terrain Vehicle and Helmet in the brush. They searched the area but could not locate him. Additional charges of felony evasion are being sought against Stallings-Hunsucker.

His description is: Bruce Jason Stallings-Hunsucker, also known as Bruce Hunsucker, 36 years old brown hair, brown eyes, five feet ten inches tall, 185 pounds, unknown clothing description

Anyone with information regarding Stallings-Hunsucker is requested to contact the Sheriffs Office immediately, 707-445-7251.

◼ Hunsucker Escapes Deputies on Quad Down River - tworiverstribune.com
◼ Third Suspect in Hanger Homicide Captured*** - tworiverstribune.com
(***comment on that article includes this: Call the Humboldt County District Attorney- Paul Gallegos- and ask him why Sonia Hunsucker was realeased to terroize when she was arrested in connection to a murder in Eureka just last year- (707) 445-7411. The death of Mr. Hanger could have been prevented had the local police been effective in their duties. Please take a stand. Please fight for justice! Jane Doe Weitchpec, CA)
◼ $1 Million Arrest Warrant for Homicide Suspects - tworiverstribune.com
◼ Sheriff’s Searching for Suspects in Weitchpec Robbery

Third suspect arrested in Willow Creek homicide, robbery case; Bruce Stallings-Hunsucker still at large
05/19/2011 - The third of four suspects sought in a Willow Creek homicide investigation was arrested in Eureka on Tuesday, and deputies are continuing to search for the last one. The Eureka Police Department's...

Hunsucker pleads guilty to eluding officers
01/31/2009 - Sonia Hunsucker, a 28-year-old woman from Eureka, pleaded guilty in Humboldt County Superior Court Thursday to the felony charge of eluding an officer....

$1 million warrants out for Willow Creek shooting suspects
05/11/2011 - A Humboldt County judge issued $1 million arrest warrants Tuesday for Samantha Kristen Machado, aka “Samantha Smoker,” 26, and Bruce Jason Stallings-Hunsucker, 36, both of Eureka....

Reward offered for information into homicide
06/08/2011 - The Willow Creek Volunteer Fire Department is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect sought in a Willow Creek homicide investigation. Three of the...

Investigation into botched burglary continues; victim remembered as a “wonderful father” and an “upstanding man”
05/07/2011 - An autopsy and toxicity test are scheduled today for Darrell Hanger Sr., the 50-year-old man who was shot and killed in a burglary attempt that went awry at a residence on the 400 block of Sunset...

Humboldt County Sheriff's Office still searching for suspects in Willow Creek homicide; memorial service for Darrell Hanger Sr. set for this Saturday
05/10/2011 - While the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office continues its investigation into a shooting that killed a Willow Creek man last week, the community he served is preparing to honor his life. What...

Murder suspect spotted, remains at large
05/21/2011 - The last outstanding suspect sought in a Willow Creek homicide investigation was spotted by law enforcement Friday, prompting an unsuccessful search by the California Highway Patrol and the Humboldt...

Three wanted after home invasion in Weitchpec
04/12/2011 - The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office is searching for three suspects believed to have been involved in an armed home invasion robbery Sunday night in Weitchpec. At about 8:30 p.m., deputies were...

Eureka woman arrested after high speed chase
01/23/2009 - A high speed chase from Del Norte into Humboldt County ended Thursday with the alleged driver of a stolen vehicle, who reportedly drove the wrong way on Highway 101 in an attempt to evade...

Recurring search term: www.google.com — humboldt county district attorney's office investigation

2011-06-30T18:28:00.000-07:00

Yes. Something is up.

Developing

A lot of interesting searches, from interesting places. Hmmmmmmm......

Arcata man pleads guilty to molestation charges

2011-06-30T18:26:00.000-07:00

◼ Arcata man pleads guilty to molestation charges

Arcata resident Wayne Thomas Bukowski, 37, pleaded guilty Monday to one count each of continuous sexual abuse of a minor and committing a lewd and lascivious act with a minor, attempting to dissuade a witness while out on bail and three violations of a court order to have no contact with the victim.

Bukowski is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge W. Bruce Watson on July 25. He faces up to 20 years, 8 months in prison and will be required to register as a sex offender for life.

McKinleyville man held to answer for death of Jerry George

2011-06-30T18:19:00.000-07:00

◼ McKinleyville man held to answer for death of Jerry George - TS

A Humboldt County Superior Court judge ruled that Jacob Charles Steele will be held to answer to a charge of murder.

After a three-day preliminary hearing that ended Monday, Judge Christopher Wilson ruled there is sufficient evidence to hold Jacob Steele, 23, of McKinleyville, to stand trial on charges of first degree murder for the death of Jerry George, who went missing over a year ago and is believed dead.

Jacob Steele, who faces an additional count of making a criminal threat, remains in the Humboldt County jail with his bail set at $1 million.

Investigators from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office and members of Eureka's Problem Oriented Policing Unit arrested Jacob Steele in March 2010 after discovering evidence that George had been a victim of homicide.

While investigators have not yet found George's body, court records show that they did find evidence of the alleged crime. Declarations in support of arrest warrants filed by the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office and the District Attorney's Office state that a confidential informant first told the sheriff's office that George was shot and killed at Jacob Steele's apartment.

According to court documents, witnesses said that George was at the apartment on Jan. 21, 2010, with Jacob Steele, his girlfriend Lindsay Devore, his cousin Richard Steele and another friend, Shawn Hof. Hof told investigators that Jacob Steele and George got into an argument, and then Jacob Steele told everyone but George to leave the apartment. Court documents state that Jacob Steele then shot George.

No charges in toddler drowning; Deputy DA: 'Does not rise to the level of criminal negligence'

2011-06-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

◼ No charges in toddler drowning; Deputy DA: 'Does not rise to the level of criminal negligence'

The Humboldt County District Attorney's Office has decided not to file criminal charges stemming from the March 6 drowning death of a 20-month-old boy in Eureka.

”At the end of the day, it is a horrible family tragedy, but the conduct does not rise to the level of criminal negligence,” said Deputy District Attorney Kelly Neel. “We have decided not to file criminal charges as it relates to this child's death.”

Caiden Archie Cathey died March 6 when, according to officials, he fell from a dock in Eureka's Halvorsen Park into Humboldt Bay while still strapped into his stroller and drowned.

Judge to decide on Tsurai village civil suit discovery; tree service joins civil suit, waiting on criminal case's conclusion

2011-06-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

◼ link

The suit alleges that former Trinidad Planning Commission Sam Pennisi and his wife Sharon Ferrett hired Coastal Tree Service to clear a 105-foot-by-210-foot area on the 12.6 acre historic site, knowing that it would be a violation of the law to do so. City officials said they were unaware of the project, and put a stop to it when they saw work being done in June 2010. Pennisi resigned in August.

The ceremonial burial site sits below the Memorial Lighthouse in Trinidad and is located adjacent to the couple's property.

According to the court calendar, the civil suit has become a 15-party lawsuit, and includes nine members of the Tsurai Ancestral Society, the city of Trinidad, and Coastal Tree Service and its owner Tom Head.

Timothy Wykle, an attorney for Pennisi and Ferrett, said most of the civil complaint was “piggy backed” on the criminal charges brought on by the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office, which he said over charged the couple.

”Both the civil and criminal matters have serious issues surrounding consent, lack of damages, standing and over charging,” he said. “These issues will eventually all be sorted out.”

The District Attorney's Office filed criminal charges against the couple in February, including one felony count of vandalism each for Pennisi and Ferrett, as well as misdemeanor charges of trespassing, destroying standing timber and injuring a historical object. The case has a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 28.

On a day to day basis nothing changes, with or without Chavez at home: food scarcity, electric blackouts, crime, unemployment, infrastructure degradation, health care worker strikes, etc, keep their steady progression. This is what happens in a thugocracy, this novel variant of autocracy that is been revealed to us this June. Indeed, for all the adjectives we were applying to describe the Chavez regime the one that fitted it best was the government of thugs, by thugs, for thugs, or thugocracy.

2011-06-30T12:59:00.000-07:00

◼ Thugocracy in crisis: mystery disease and cancelled summits for Chavez - Daniel in Venzuela

The EPIC Pot Bust is in the news again... Fieldbrook man held without bail on federal drug charge

2011-06-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

◼ Fieldbrook man held without bail on federal drug charge

A Fieldbrook man was arrested Tuesday on charges of conspiracy to distribute marijuana out of Harrisburg, Pa.

James Edward Shelton, 37, was arrested by Humboldt County Sheriff's deputies at approximately 11 a.m. in the Humboldt County Courthouse on a no bail federal arrest warrant.

The charges brought against Shelton stem from an investigation that took place at his Fieldbrook home earlier this month.

Officials from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshals Service assisted the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration out of Santa Rosa in uncovering an alleged major marijuana grow operation at Shelton's residence in Fieldbrook on June 9, while serving a state search warrant as part of an ongoing investigation.

Shelton and Amber Zo Jamieson, 28, were arrested on suspicion of cultivation and possession of marijuana for sale.

Authorities reported seizing 298 marijuana plants ranging in height from 1- to 5-feet inside the home and a nearby outbuilding. In addition, 10 extra-large duffel bags were reportedly found filled with 495 pounds of processed marijuana stored in vacuum-sealed, one-pound bags.

◼ Fieldbrook pot bust is EPIC - The Mirror

You can bet this investigation is ongoing and far-reaching.

District Attorney Paul Gallegos, Poster boy for "Vote Local Control" begging for big bucks from - wait for it - out of town - makes the paper. $250-$2,500 a pop dinner

2011-06-27T23:50:00.000-07:00

◼ Pot lobbying group to host Gallegos fundraiser; Sacramento soiree for DA charges $250 a plate and more - TS
Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos is still looking to pay off some campaign debt and hopes to get a lot of help Wednesday at a pricey Sacramento fundraiser sponsored by a medical marijuana lobbying organization.

...$41,000 in outstanding loans, including $26,000 owed to his wife, local attorney Joan Gallegos.

I'm hearing that the local boys aren't ponying up the dough - probably because even they realize that he is a faker, and has let everyone down.

◼ For Gallegos, ‘multitasking’ means pandering to growers and paying off campaign debt all at the same time - The Mirror (image source)

◼ "Vote Local Control" Poster Boy, in his own words. Say anything.

This global warming is getting so bad

2011-06-27T22:08:00.001-07:00

It's shifting from gorgeous, sunny and warm to cold and rainy all in a couple of hours.

”The Intelliwaste study had been, we thought, designed to find out whether or not the Samoa facility was being operated in a reasonably efficient manager,” Boyd said. “And the next thing we knew was that it was then being used as a justification to go outside Humboldt County for a request for proposals for recycling by the waste management authority. We were feeling pretty persecuted by that."

2011-06-26T22:08:00.000-07:00

◼ Outcry against Willits contract brings HWMA, ACRC full circle; entities agree to discuss authority's potential acquisition of center's Samoa plant - Times Standard

Uh, you were going to CHARGE "$65 per ton to process its recycling" and the other guys were going to PAY the authority $8 per ton for the same service.... I think some people MIGHT feel a bit "persecuted" by being ripped off, don't you?

"Currently, the ACRC charges $50 per ton to process recycling," and you're stabbing in the dark, saying you'll drop it to $0?

Persecuted, nothing. Something is rotten in Denmark. (Arcata) Obviously, it wasn't/isn't "being operated in a reasonably efficient (manner)."

"Keeping it local" shouldn't mean being ripped off. This isn't a couple dollars difference, it's a spread of nearly $100 a ton. Bear in mind that Willits was going to have to HAUL it, incurring additional expense on their end, and they can STILL beat you by that much. Wow.

How long has this been going on, and how much has it cost the people - who have a right to expect their interests to be looked out for much better than this.

No?
_________________________

Odd. heraldo has a post up saying the Arcata Recycling Center is announcing that they are DROPPING their fees fees they charge you to drop off bottles and cans... "Beginning July 1, 2011 ACRC is reducing the facility fee for drop off of these materials to zero (the current fee is five dollars per visit). Certain materials, such as electronic waste, appliances, and fluorescent tubes, will still require a small fee to cover their safe handling.

Drop off recycling of mixed paper (newspaper, magazines, cardboard, and office pack) and containers (glass bottles and jars, aluminum cans and formed containers, steel cans, and #1-#7 plastic bottles and containers) will now be offered as a free service."

WTH? That's FREE in McKinleyville, and always has been. Arcata's been CHARGING? $5 a visit?

Explain.

Garr Nielsen fired without cause

2011-06-24T13:25:00.000-07:00

◼ CHIEF NIELSEN FIRED - heraldo June 24th, 2011 at 11:41
◼ Heraldo: EPD Chief Nielsen Dismissed Lost Coast Outpost June 24th, 2011 at 12:21 p.m.
◼ Nielsen out at EPD TS - June 24, 2011 12:30:34 PM PDT
◼ EPD Chief Garr Nielsen Fired The Journal June 24th, 2011 at 12:29 P.M. (but quotes TS's 12:30 story)

◼ EPD Chief Nielsen fired after 4 years; Harpham named interim replacement - 06/25/2011 02:40:18 AM

Clendenen cleared of conflict of interest complaint

2011-06-24T07:38:00.001-07:00

UPDATE: ◼ Clendenen cleared of conflict of interest complaint; FPPC said there is 'insufficient evidence'

The Fair Political Practices Commission has cleared 2nd District Supervisor Clif Clendenen on allegations of a potential conflict of interest with his seat on the railroad authority.

The commission sent a letter, dated June 15, to Fortuna resident John Pelletier, who filed the complaint earlier this month. The letter stated, “after review by staff, it was determined that this complaint does not contain sufficient evidence to allege a violation of the Political Reform Act's conflict of interest provisions.”

According to a copy of the original complaint, Pelletier argued that Clendenen is violating the act by being a partner in his family business, Clendenen's Cider Works, which is located within 500 feet of the rail line the North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA) makes decisions on.

”It seems a victory for Mr. Clendenen for now,” Pelletier said Thursday. He did not elaborate on his concerns.

Clendenen has served on the NCRA since 2009. The orchard property, which is owned by Clendenen's mother, is adjacent to the Northwestern Pacific Railroad Authority route.

”It seemed without merit, and I'm glad the FPPC concurs,” Clendenen said on Thursday.

7.2 Earthquake in Alaska – Tsunami Warning Canceled

2011-06-23T22:09:00.000-07:00

◼ 7.2 Earthquake in Alaska – Tsunami Warning Canceled

Republican Representative Ron Paul and Democratic Representative Barney Frank, would be the first ever legislation designed to end the federal ban on marijuana.

2011-06-22T17:58:00.000-07:00

◼ Lawmakers to introduce bill to legalize marijuana - Yahoo

LEGALIZE IT NOW.

In the Mailbox: The POT ADVOCATE DA wants $2,500 donations, the mask is off

2011-06-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

Subject: Paul Gallegos Fundraiser

Dear Friend And Ally,

I hope this note finds you well. I am honored today to share with you a new and exciting development for the Medical Cannabis Industry in California. In an effort to strategically support the economic infrastructure and business interests of our industry, the California Cannabis Business League (CCBL) is being formed to support the people, the politics, and the future of the Medical Cannabis Industry in California.

The California Cannabis Business League would like to invite you to attend An Evening with Paul Gallegos. (See Attachment) Paul Gallegos is the District Attorney of Humboldt County. Paul is a leader in his community and he actively supports the medical cannabis industry throughout our state. The CCBL is proud to have Mr. Paul Gallegos serve on our Advisory Board. We encourage you to support Paul Gallegos and attend this event.

These are exciting times for the Medical Cannabis Industry. The CCBL is committed to creating jobs, advancing public safety, and providing new revenues to cities and communities. You will be receiving additional information about the California Cannabis Business League, and ways that you can participate and contribute. I thank you for your leadership and support of the Medical Cannabis Industry. I encourage you to attend the Paul Gallegos Fundraiser and learn more about the CCBL and its important mission. Thank you.

M. Max Del Real
President / CEO

California Capitol Solutions
916.717.2664 Capitol Office
916.720.0529 Capitol Fax
530.342.1455 District Office
530.267.8494 District Fax
max@calcapsol.com
www.calcapsol.com
***
An Evening With Paul Gallegos District Attorney, Humboldt County
The California Cannabis Business League (CCBL) is pleased to invite you to an evening social and networking engagement with Paul Gallegos to celebrate his support of the Medical Cannabis Industry and its exciting future in California.

WHEN: Wednesday, June 29, 2011; 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Midtown Sacramento, L Street Lofts, 1818 L Street, Suite 810.
RSVP: Jessica Ryan, jessica@thevologroup.com, (916) 538-6751
CONTRIBUTION LEVEL: $2,500 - Sponsor; $1,000; $500; $250

Campaign ID #: 1324372 Please Make Checks Payable to: Gallegos 2010
Treasure: Kevin Sumida Phone: 707-442-9000 Mailing Address: PO Box 1236 Eureka, CA 95502 FPPC: 866-275-3772
An Evening With
I plan to attend the Paul Gallegos event on June 29th: Yes/ No Feel free to contribute via check or via credit card by completing the form below.
Amount of contribution: $ _________________________ Campaign #1324372 Names: ____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip: _____________________________________________________ Phone: _____________________________________________________________ Occupation: ________________________________________________________ Employer: __________________________________________________________ Signature: __________________________________________________________
Please make checks payable to: Citizens for District Attorney Paul Gallegos 2010 Please bring contributions in person, or mail contributions and this page to:
Gallegos 2010 PO Box 1236 Eureka, CA 95502
Credit Card: _____ Visa _____ MasterCard _____ AMEX _____ Discover Exact Name on Credit Card: __________________________________________ Credit Card Number: ________________________________________________ Exp. Date: __________________________________________________________ Signature: __________________________________________________________ This is my personal credit card and not a corporate card
Sponsored by the California Cannabis Business League
Please include this page with your contribution

Count the lies, spread this time by change.org

2011-06-20T13:59:00.000-07:00

Dear ____________

Right now, Humboldt County, California, is home to some of the last remaining old-growth redwoods in the world. Many of Richardson Grove State Park’s trees have survived more than 1,000 years.

But as soon as July 1, Humboldt’s old-growth stands could be destroyed by an unnecessary CalTrans construction project to widen and “re-align” Highway 101 -- against the best interests of Humboldt County and California.

That’s why Aliana Lee Knapp-Prasek, who lives just 10 miles from the location of the proposed project, started a Change.org petition calling on Governor Jerry Brown and CalTrans to stop the project and protect Richardson Grove State Park’s irreplaceable trees.

These trees are integral to the park’s habitat -- a haven for endangered species like the northern spotted owl -- and represent an important part of California’s natural heritage.

Even CalTrans admits that “adverse effects to old-growth trees may be a significant impact to this unique natural community.”

Yet CalTrans plans to destroy 40 trees directly, and its overall effect will be even greater. More than 70 old-growth trees will be affected as CalTrans cuts through or paves over roots and compacts hundreds of cubic yards of soil in the area.

CalTrans claims the project will facilitate “goods movement” and make transportation safer, but large trucks already use the road without problems.

In fact, widening the road and subsequently increasing the speed limit will just make it harder for local truckers to compete with bigger businesses -- and make Highway 101 more dangerous.

On Tuesday, Aliana and other local residents will deliver a printed version of their Change.org petition to Governor Brown.

Add your name to help Aliana and other residents gather the 12,750 signatures they need to make the printed petition’s length the same as the height of the tallest tree in the park -- 340 feet -- and show Governor Brown how many of us care about saving one of the last stands of old-growth redwoods in the world:

http://www.change.org/petitions/defend-ancient-redwoods-save-richardson-grove-state-park

Thanks for taking action,

- Patrick and the Change.org team
*********************************

Aaaaaggggghhhh! "meth mouth"

2011-06-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

◼ This is Your Mouth on Meth
◼ grotesque (google images)

Planning Commission Minutes have not been updated since March 24, 2011

2011-06-19T23:04:00.000-07:00

◼ http://co.humboldt.ca.us/planning/commission/default.asp?pg=plan_comm_archives.asp

Someone really ought to fix that.

Is climate change raising sea levels, as Al Gore has argued — or are climate scientists doctoring the data?

2011-06-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

◼ Faking sea level data? - HotAir

The University of Colorado’s Sea Level Research Group decided in May to add 0.3 millimeters — or about the thickness of a fingernail — every year to its actual measurements of sea levels, sparking criticism from experts who called it an attempt to exaggerate the effects of global warming.

One more example.

Worthless spendaholic legislators criticize Governor Brown - and blame Republicans

2011-06-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

◼ Humboldt County education officials applaud Brown's veto; fate of redevelopment funds remains a question
◼ Brown vetoes budget: State Controller's Office says fate of lawmakers' paychecks uncertain

”By vetoing the Democrats' plan, I fear that we may go down the same path as in 2009,” she said in a statement. “At that time, then-Gov. Schwarzenegger played a high-stakes game of chicken for several months, but it was the people of this state who lost. ... says spendaholic Sen. Noreen Evans, D-Santa Rosa, who really needs her paycheck to pay for her own car now.

Blame, blame, blame - and taking no responsibility for her role - her and Chesbro both - in bringing the state of California to the brink of bankruptcy.

Worse - with the passage of Prop 25, they are free to continue spending more than they have without getting a 2/3 majority to approve.

"We don't have a spending problem, we have a revenue enhancement problem." (to quote former legislator Patty Berg.) That about sums up their mindset, and the reason why they refuse to deal with the problem.

Fortunately, Jerry Brown is no dummy. Though there's some reason to believe he vetoed the bill for the wrong reason - and he too is still engaged in the blame game.

◼ THE RIGHT VETO FOR THE WRONG REASON

Speaking of POT busts... What ever happened to Josh Hedlund? And Vilica LLC? And Steve Schectman?

2011-06-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

◼ Beyond Vilica, Hedlund and Schectman's relationship is murky. In a letter to the federal probation office, Schectman said he took Hedlund under his wing as a paralegal and a clerk, and even tried to help him gain a State Bar apprenticeship.

However, after pleading guilty, Hedlund told the government that he had moved his office into Schectman's "to protect [my] documents from seizure by federal authorities," according to a DEA affidavit.

Hedlund entered his plea on Feb. 4, 2008, after preparing his holdings for forfeiture. On Feb. 3, Schectman resigned as Vilica's president. Hedlund's sentencing is scheduled for the end of this month; the government is seeking 63 months in prison.

That was Pubdate: Fri, 13 Feb 2009

EPIC Liars, tramps and thieves

2011-06-14T10:42:00.000-07:00

◼ Major marijuana bust in Fieldbrook - TS

Law enforcement officers uncovered approximately $1.5 million worth of processed marijuana and about 300 marijuana plants at a residence on the 900 block of Rock Pit Road in Fieldbrook, officials announced Monday.

Officials from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshals Service assisted the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration out of Santa Rosa in making the marijuana bust Thursday while serving a state search warrant as part of an ongoing investigation by the Santa Rosa DEA.

According to a press release by the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, authorities arrested two suspects -- James Edward Shelton, 38, and Amber Zo Jamieson, 28 -- on suspicion of cultivation and possession of marijuana for sale.

Five other individuals on the property were detained and questioned but no additional arrests were made, said Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Wayne Hanson. According to Hanson, as the Santa Rosa DEA office builds its case, individuals will likely be brought in and indicted on federal charges.

”I imagine there are a lot of scared people out there right now,” Hanson said.

Authorities reported seizing 298 marijuana plants ranging in height from 1 to 5 feet inside the home and a nearby outbuilding. In addition, 10 extra-large duffel bags were found filled with 495 pounds of processed marijuana stored in vacuum-sealed, one-pound bags.

”I cannot remember ever finding that many one-pound bags of marijuana in one place,” said Hanson, who was on scene when the warrant was served....

Future arrests of individuals associated with the pair are expected.

◼ Fieldbrook pot bust is EPIC - The Mirror

EPIC’s Amber Jamieson was arrested yesterday in a multi-agency pot bust in Fieldbrook that yielded a smidge under 500 pounds of processed marijuana, neatly packaged for resale, with a street value estimated at $1.5 million.

Jamieson’s significant other, James Shelton, who was similarly arrested at the Fieldbrook residence, has a less direct connection to the litigious enviro org: Mr. Shelton–shocker alert–is a “glass-blowing artist” whose magical objets d’art are sold at EPIC’s gift shop.

Jamieson graduated from Humboldt State University with a degree in–wait for it–Natural Resources Economics. Despite the stupidity on full display now, she won an academic award at HSU and was photographed, possibly just for our amusement, standing next to a fellow award winner by the name of Soran “Rio” Anderson.

Yeah, I remember Soran, too, that was a funny story.

A "coalition of environmental groups"

2011-06-10T10:56:00.000-07:00

◼ The usual suspects. Environmental coalition threatens North Coast Railroad Authority with lawsuit
A coalition of environmental groups has warned the North Coast Rail Authority that it will file a lawsuit if the agency certifies an environmental impact report for the reconstruction of a rail line that would operate between Lombard and Willits....

The predatory litigious orgs strike again.

Conflict 101 - UPDATE: Clendenen cleared of conflict of interest complaint

2011-06-09T07:32:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: ◼ Clendenen cleared of conflict of interest complaint; FPPC said there is 'insufficient evidence'

The Fair Political Practices Commission has cleared 2nd District Supervisor Clif Clendenen on allegations of a potential conflict of interest with his seat on the railroad authority.

The commission sent a letter, dated June 15, to Fortuna resident John Pelletier, who filed the complaint earlier this month. The letter stated, “after review by staff, it was determined that this complaint does not contain sufficient evidence to allege a violation of the Political Reform Act's conflict of interest provisions.”

According to a copy of the original complaint, Pelletier argued that Clendenen is violating the act by being a partner in his family business, Clendenen's Cider Works, which is located within 500 feet of the rail line the North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA) makes decisions on.

”It seems a victory for Mr. Clendenen for now,” Pelletier said Thursday. He did not elaborate on his concerns.

Clendenen has served on the NCRA since 2009. The orchard property, which is owned by Clendenen's mother, is adjacent to the Northwestern Pacific Railroad Authority route.

”It seemed without merit, and I'm glad the FPPC concurs,” Clendenen said on Thursday.

◼ Complaint alleges railroad bordering Clendenen property is conflict of interest; supervisor says claim not an issue - TS
It's interesting where this shows up:
◼ humboldtmirror
and where it does not:
◼ humboldtherald

Eric has picked it up:
◼ Complaint filed with FPPC against Clif Clendenen - Sohum Parlance II

Adding prior coverage:
◼ Kier nabs NCRA appointment; County counsel: Clendenen can vote despite FPPC complaint - Times Standaard

A divided Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to approve the appointment of William Kier to the North Coast Railroad Authority Board of directors.
The board's 3-2 vote, with Supervisors Virginia Bass and Jimmy Smith dissenting, came after more than a dozen members of the public addressed the board, with many of them openly lobbying for the board to appoint former NCRA Executive Director Dan Hauser....

Much of Tuesday's public comment was spent debating the concept of “rail banking” -- using out-of-service rail corridors for pedestrian trails or other uses until the corridor is needed again for rail service. A number of speakers said “rail banking” would bring an end to the railroad in Humboldt County and to the economic opportunities that would come with a revitalized rail line.

Jane Woodward said that, at a time when the nation is investing in rail, as is philanthropist Warren Buffett, it would be foolish for the board not to support revitalizing the railroad.

◼ Councilwoman Linda Atkins resigns from NCRA board - Times Standard
◼ Supes appoint Linda Atkins to North Coast Railroad Authority - Times Standard

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to approve the appointment this week, with 5th District Supervisor Jill Duffy dissenting and adamantly stating her opposition -- not to Atkins, but to the application process.

Among her primary objections was the treatment of long-time NCRA board member Charles Olivier, whose seat Atkins will assume, as well as the lack of complete information on the applicant's philosophies and the related discussions held out of the public process.

◼ Supes Tap Atkins for Rail Authority - Humboldt Sentinel

Supervisor Clif Clendenen, the other Humboldt County rep on the NCRA since shortly after his election last November, said the board had a variety of good candidates to choose from to entrust with an incredible asset like the railroad -- but then implied the need for increased trail construction to be met by himself and the new appointee.

“I’m excited to recommend Eureka City Councilmember Linda Atkins for this position,” he said. “She appreciates the multiple-use opportunities of our right-of-way.”

◼ Choo-Choo Politics: The Poll! - Lost Coast Outpost

◼ Railroad authority says rail not dead - Times Standard

But, if it is up to that "coalition of environmental groups" it will be as they are bound and determined to kill it. Question is, will it be with the help of complicit Supervisors?

One for Cap:

2011-06-07T16:36:00.000-07:00

◼ DERAILED: Is ethics complaint the end of the line for Clendenen as NCRA director? - The Mirror
....◼ Clendenen FPPC complaint

Once upon a time we had men who risked lives and limbs to carve their way across a continent. Through desert, granite cliffs, and across mighty rivers.

Now, the sandalmen plot ways to keep a rail line from being restored. And the question is always, why?

For whatever reason - I'm in moderation at the Mirror

2011-06-06T16:52:00.000-07:00

Since May 29th. So, I waited, but... on the Richard Salzman Post, people in the thread are saying things like this:
Cell Block D, on May 29, 2011 at 9:08 am said:

It takes brave men like Richard to show us how conservative and corporate-owned the Arcata City Council is.

Power to the people!

So, I just want to say"

Brave?????? Bullshit.

Sneaking around sticking stickers on parking meters in the dark of night? Anonymous hit pieces in plain brown wrappers? Phony names for his self congratulatory/hit piece letters to the editor? The Web-Of-Lies? Worse, using the names of people whose caretakers said they couldn’t even sign their name much less write a letter to the editor?

I don’t think “brave” is the right term.

Trying to rehabilitate his image – the only thing you can say this time is he was forced to use his own name because the supply of willing dupes has dried up.

The Peter Principle

2011-06-02T07:37:00.000-07:00

◼ Baykeeper Pete expands his territory

Arcata turns down $8 per ton in revenue, choosing to pay $65 per ton instead.

2011-06-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

◼ Arcata opts to stick with ACRC for recycling needs; Promotes developing countywide plan

But, hey, they kept it local.

Judge to review EPD officer's personnel file; DA looking for evidence relating to criminal case

2011-06-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

◼ Judge to review EPD officer's personnel file; DA looking for evidence relating to criminal case - TS

Photos and Video from Pedreros Child-Murder Case

2011-05-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

◼ includes a statement from Pedreros attorney Russ Clanton and Sophia's father at northcoastjournal.com

In this week’s issue of the Journal — on streets today, online tomorrow — interns Travis Turner and Preston Drake-Hillyard report on the tragic case of Claudia Pedreros, the McKinleyville woman accused of drowning her 2 1/2-year-old daughter Sophia in the Trinity River last weekend.

The end of CAST

2011-05-23T07:10:00.000-07:00

◼ Proposed Humboldt County cuts squeeze departments: DA, DHHS, public defender all warn cuts will carry consequences
The Humboldt County District Attorney's Office is contemplating a drastic scale-back of its Child Abuse Services Team, or CAST. The 8 percent across-the-board cut will mean the Department of Health and Human Services will be unable to leverage millions of dollars in matching state and federal programs and will have to scale back its focus to mandated programs.

The proposed cuts would also force the Public Defender's Office to lay off two senior attorneys, which would likely lead to the court appointing private attorneys to pick up some of the office's case load. That could result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in added expenses for the county.

”We're looking at some major, major impacts,” said Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos. “I'm not trying to sound bleak but, candidly, I don't see a silver lining....”

Gallegos said his department is potentially looking at taking hits from all sides.

In addition to the proposed county cuts, he said his office will also potentially lose some $160,000 in state funding if a portion of the Vehicle Licensing Fee is not extended. Cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services will also impact the DA's CAST program, Gallegos said.

For some 15 years, DHHS has contributed about $280,000 to the ongoing operation of CAST, which comprises specially trained individuals from Child Welfare Services, the DA's Office, the DA's Victim Witness Assistance Program, local law enforcement agencies, Probation and other agencies. The idea is that the team is better able to investigate and prosecute child abuse allegations.

But this year, DHHS is taking a 17.4 percent reduction in state funding in addition to the proposed county cuts, which is strongly impacting its ability to leverage matching state and federal funds. Consequently, Director Phillip Crandall said, it has had to pull its funding of CAST, though it has pledged to keep allocating staff positions to the team.

”While we have historically provided that support for CAST because it's a valuable service and good for our children, we don't have sufficient funds to carry that,” Crandall said.

Gallegos said he's currently looking to supplant the money that traditionally came from DHHS. As things stand, Gallegos said, he will be able to keep CAST going, but he worries further cuts could put it in jeopardy.

As an example, Gallegos said that senior Deputy District Attorney Max Cardoza and Assistant Deputy District Attorney Wes Keat are planning on retiring this year. He said their salaries are in his proposed budget -- which comes in with an 8 percent cut -- but the county has a hiring freeze in place, and he's concerned the county may not approve refilling the positions.

If those positions were to wind up frozen, Gallegos said it would severely impact his office.
Both Crandall and Gallegos said CAST is a priority, but both stated it is not a state-mandated program, meaning at some point, it could be dropped due to cuts.

”We're going to look at every feasible option to keep CAST functioning,” Gallegos said.

Gallegos said he thinks it's important to remember that public safety is a joint effort that cuts across multiple departments. He said there's no question deputies are needed to enforce laws, but said prosecutors are also needed to bring offenders to justice, probation officers are needed to help ensure ex-convicts don't re-offend and DHHS officials are necessary to provide mental health services, investigate health code violations and protect children and vulnerable adults.

”It's a system that requires balance,” Gallegos said.

Terribly, horribly sad. Missing 2-year-old found dead in Trinity River; mother charged with murder, UPDATE: Pedreros admits to killing her

2011-05-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

◼ Missing 2-year-old found dead in Trinity River; mother charged with murder - Times-Standard

A McKinleyville toddler who was the subject of a major search effort in Humboldt and Trinity counties was found dead in the Trinity River north of Coffee Creek on Saturday afternoon, according to law enforcement.

Her mother is now being charged with murder.

◼ Missing child's mom says she doesn't know how she got to Trinity; official says woman 'doesn't have any recollection of having a daughter' - Times-Standard

Pedreros, 30, was found at 9 a.m. walking naked on Highway 3 near Coffee Creek Road and Trinity Lake. Deputies suspected that Pedreros has mental health issues or was under the influence of a narcotic, according to the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office.

UPDATE: ◼ McKinleyville woman admits to drowning her 2-year-old daughter - Times-Standard
◼ UPDATED: Sheriff says mother confessed to drowning daughter in Trinity River Record Searchlight

Salzman in the news, suing the City. Hasn't he cost us enough?

2011-05-21T13:52:00.000-07:00

1 - Lost Coast Outpost
Plaintiff Richard Salzman is, and at all times mentioned ..... Please take notice that Mr. Richard Salzman, a resident of, and taxpayer within, the City ...
lostcoastoutpost.com/media/.../Salzman%2BComplaint.pdf

Salzman Sues Arcata Over Panhandling Law | Blogthing | North Coast ...
Political activist/consultant/sign maker Richard Salzman (above right) filed a lawsuit in California Superior Court yesterday against the City of Arcata, ...
www.northcoastjournal.com/.../salzman-sues-arcata-over-panh...

Arcata Resident Sues City Over Panhandling Ordinance | News Channel 3
Richard Salzman filed what his lawyer is calling a "tax payers suit," alleging the city's panhandling ordinance is unconstitutional. ...
kiem-tv.com/node/1841

Man arrested in connection with 2002 murder; officials say DNA 'cold hit' reopened stabbing death case

2011-05-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

◼ Man arrested in connection with 2002 murder; officials say DNA 'cold hit' reopened stabbing death case

A man accused of fatally stabbing a 46-year-old woman who was discovered dead in her Eureka apartment nine years ago pleaded not guilty to murder charges Thursday.

Joseph Eugene Miller, 42, is accused of murdering Beverly Jean Jacob, whose body was discovered in April 2002 after a maintenance man notified police there was a foul smell coming from her E Street apartment. Officials suspected she had been dead for up to three weeks. The coroner's office said Jacob died as a result of numerous stab wounds to the neck and chest.

A preliminary hearing date is set for June 2 to determine if there is enough evidence to go to trial. Miller's bail is set at $1 million....

For five years, the identity of Jacob's murderer remained a mystery. Her file grew cold in the Eureka Police Department, but in 2007 a DNA “cold hit” warmed the case up. The hit, obtained by a criminalist from the Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Services, revealed Miller's DNA on an item of clothing worn by Jacob at the time of her death, officials said....

Former Willits teacher, soccer coach sentenced to 6 years, 8 months for molestation

2011-05-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

◼ Former Willits teacher, soccer coach sentenced to 6 years, 8 months for molestation

Meghan Allison Stewart, 28, of Willits, pleaded guilty in April to the continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and one count of oral copulation of a person under the age of 16. Stewart will have to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed Wednesday by Humboldt County Superior Court Judge Bruce Watson and will have to register as a sex offender for life after her release....

Deputy District Attorney Kelly Neel, who prosecuted the case, said after the hearing that the disposition was reached in accordance with Jane Doe and her family's wishes. Neel also said there is no evidence to indicate other victims in the case....

◼ 'Secrets kill people': Jane Doe shares her story

Samantha Machado, also known as Samantha Smoker arrested in Willow Creek killing

2011-05-19T23:36:00.000-07:00

◼ Third suspect arrested in Willow Creek killing Times Standard
Samantha Machado, also known as Samantha Smoker, who was wanted on a homicide warrant, was taken into custody without incident near a residence in the 600 block of West Del Norte Street in Eureka at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The POP team, investigators from the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office and EPD detectives continued the investigation and served a search warrant at the residence, which Machado had been seen leaving. A fourth outstanding suspect, Bruce “Jason” Hunsucker, was not located during the search and is still outstanding. He is considered armed and dangerous.

Bail is a million bucks, and they're still looking for Bruce “Jason” Hunsucker - know where he is? Call Detective R. Schlesiger or S. Quenell at 445-7251.

MORE: Harry Reid's entire state, Nevada secures partial waiver from federal health care law

2011-05-17T13:11:00.000-07:00

◼ The Health and Human Services Department announced late Friday that Nevada had secured a statewide waiver from certain implementation requirements of the Obama administration’s health care law, because forcing them through, the department found, “may lead to the destabilization of the individual market.” - Las Vegas Sun