Full circle

◼ 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

◼ 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

◼ 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.

◼ 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.”

◼ 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

◼ 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

◼ 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

◼ 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.

◼ 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?

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

Imagine the profit margin! Go forth and gentrify.

Google "Let it Snow"

◼ Enjoy!

Entertainment. And Poison.

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

◼ 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

◼ '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

◼ "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?