Silent Storm: The Lack of Information on Fish and Wildlife Marijuana Raids in Humboldt County (Our Opinion)

Convoy gathering at Cal Fire station above Garberville

On April 30, a law enforcement convoy gathered at the Cal Fire station above Garberville. [Photo provided by a reader]

A silent storm has whirled through Humboldt County this summer. It has sucked up plants, property, and cash as well as occasionally led to arrests. We’d like to think this storm actually protected the environment but we don’t know because the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the agency that led the storm, refuses to answer questions.

As recently as October 1, approximately 10 law enforcement vehicles swept out Hwy 36, slipped across the Blocksburg Road and stopped somewhere in the 22000 block of Alderpoint Road. Local residents reported that one of the vehicles pulled a chipper so presumably this was related to marijuana as that machine is commonly used to destroy plant material. However, that has not been confirmed. Like so many raids conducted by the Department of Fish and Wildlife this summer, the residents of this county (and those counties surrounding us) are not being given even a skeleton account of what occurred.

A spokesperson for the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, wrote in reply to our question about the incident, that it was related to a “Fish and Wildlife warrant served on the 22000 block of Alderpoint rd.” This is the normal policy by law enforcement agencies. The lead agency is the only one to release information about an investigation.

Normally, this makes sense. It keeps agencies from duplicating effort.

Unfortunately, the Department of Fish and Wildlife instituted a new policy sometime around the middle of May of this year not to release information on marijuana-related raids–which as they are now often the lead agency leaves the community with little in the way of answers as to what is driving armed officers onto private property to confiscate and destroy what they choose. Questions posed prior to the middle of May received press release answers–which was a reasonable if somewhat canned response that allowed the public to have a rough idea of why the raids were conducted, what the suspects allegedly did that got them raided, and what occurred as a result of those raids.

The last report we received from the Department of Fish and Wildlife in answer to our questions was on May 9–it was the slightly delayed but relatively detailed description of the confiscation of more than $3 million in cash among other items seized on April 30 and May 1 at marijuana cultivation sites west of Redway.

After that, the only information on marijuana raids in Humboldt County that we received came through the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office usually about search warrants served by their Drug Enforcement Unit. The storm of raids headed by the Department of Fish and Wildlife crept stealthily under the radar.

It was impossible to learn what occurred as no agency would acknowledge that they were happening (except the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office would say if they assisted which at least confirmed what witnesses in these rural areas were telling us.) We here at Redheaded Blackbelt have used a formal public records request to try and get even basic responses… to no avail.

We can tell you that there have been repeated raids throughout the summer both here in Humboldt and in the surrounding counties but we don’t have answers on where the convoys went, what was found on the properties that were raided, what happened to the owners/workers (though in some cases we have obtained arrest records), so we can’t make even good guesses about how many raids have been conducted this year compared to last year, or how much marijuana was confiscated, or what were the violations that lead to these raids.

The community is without even basic information that would allow it to make informed opinions about whether human rights are protected and tax dollars are being spent effectively.

Off the record reports from local residents are our only window into what is happening in remote areas of our county. Some residents of the area have reported being handcuffed and held even though they weren’t involved in the properties that were ultimately raided. (We haven’t been able to confirm that because we don’t know what properties were raided.) One resident who said he was handcuffed and eventually released said he felt that the DFW treated him like he was “guilty by association” simply because he lived in the area.

In our opinion, the new policy by the Department of Fish and Wildlife is doing the community and the people who work for it a disservice. Off the record, two employees told us that they don’t understand the need to hide what they feel is a good program that helps get those who are destroying the environment to stop. But they say all employees are forbidden to give specific information on individual raids to reporters.

The latest request we sent to the DFW for information hasn’t received a response. Jordan Traverso, their public information officer said in a mid September response to a request for information,

I’m afraid I don’t have information about this specific detail. If I did, much of it might be confidential as it’s likely part of an ongoing investigation. If the California Department of Fish and Wildlife is involved, it is usually because we are working to enforce violations of Fish and Game Code, which typically involve environmental harm, habitat destruction, illegal water diversions, illegal take of fish or wildlife, and other such crimes. Our officers enforce all state laws. In regard to cannabis, we usually focus efforts on unpermitted cultivation sites doing the most environmental damage. Our enforcement efforts are largely coordinated. Our goal is to preserve resources for everyone, whether or not they are growing cannabis. We encourage anyone who wants to engage in a highly regulated activity like commercial cannabis cultivation to obtain both local authorization and a state license, as well as any necessary permits from us or the Water Boards. Otherwise, it is unfair to those that invest resources to do so and contrary to the will of the majority of Californians in 2016.

That said, if you see a convoy of wildlife officer vehicles, you can be sure they are there to protect California’s natural resources and provide public safety through effective and responsive law enforcement.

Meanwhile, some of the biggest economic and political questions in Humboldt County currently revolve around marijuana cultivation and the attempt by law enforcement of various types to enforce governmental rules. And, our community doesn’t have even the barest of answers on how much cannabis and cash has been seized, how many properties were raided, and what were the alleged violations that led to the raids.

Yes, we’re frustrated. And, we think you should be frustrated, too.

 

 

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Canyon oak
Guest
Canyon oak
5 years ago

I’m reminded of Mary Bullwinkell, spokesperson for the pacific lumber company in the late 90’s.
It’s time we stand up and demand that our forest practice act violations be recognized

Real farming
Guest
Real farming
5 years ago
Reply to  Canyon oak

Fish And wildlife are discriminating against Cannabis farmers, time for a class action lawsuit

Food for thought
Guest
Food for thought
5 years ago

Excellent article kym!!!!!
Couldnt have been written any better !

SundayNewsday...Mattole Poaching Bust? or what?
Guest
SundayNewsday...Mattole Poaching Bust? or what?
5 years ago

12 green CDFW trucks, no chipper, Sheriff, or any white vehicles…passing Honeydew Saturday morning…who knows what came from Ferndale…Poaching bust?

Not a lokal
Guest
Not a lokal
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

I think transparency is important. Is kym held to the same standard.? When asked to NOT report the DEpt of fish and game “raiding” Jessie Jeffries ranch in Garnerville. WOW not being fair or impartial @ yournews

Muddy Black Dodge
Guest
5 years ago

Great article Kym. Good on you.

Ben Round
Guest
Ben Round
5 years ago

Agreed to the quality!
Want to point out though that this is an Editorial. And as such, what we truly laud Kym for is her strength and forthrightness to speak for an unfair process, one that (this commentator views) is more indicative of a police state. Kym is a person who goes out of her way to be fair to all sides. That in mind, this opinion piece speaks loudly of the depth of her concern, a concern that all regional residents should share.

binbearda4
Guest
binbearda4
5 years ago

Agreed, a load of fook-N-shite mixed wit a bag-O-bullocks

Redwood Dan
Guest
Redwood Dan
5 years ago

Everyone should read “Playing God in Yellowstone”. Federal wildlife employees do what they want and have for a long time.

Boogaloo
Guest
Boogaloo
5 years ago

Who is giving them their marching orders?? They do not go after egregious logging operations. Must be getting orders from the back door of the planning department. All part of the continuing corporatization of the trade. Used to be ATF, now should be ATMF. Genuine bunch of MF’s

Joe Mota
Guest
Joe Mota
5 years ago
Reply to  Boogaloo

Logging operations are regulated. You may not like them, but they are legal. Timber companies do not use banned pesticides that have been scientifically shown to cause cancer; all stream crossings are designed with appropriate culverts using the current best management practices areas cleared of trees must be restocked. Green rushers use illegal pesticides and put roads where they are cheapest, whether or not they endanger streams; trees they cut are left on the ground to rot and create a breeding ground for bark beetles. There is no comparison.

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mota

Haha good one^^^

Real farming
Guest
Real farming
5 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mota

Ha ha ha ha ha, do Loggjng companies get fined for legacy issues?

Real farming
Guest
Real farming
5 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mota

Most cannabis farmers drive on culverts the logging companies installed, or drive on roads that logging companies made, that have no culvert. Hence the term ” “Humboldt crossing”where logging companies filled creeks with logs and pushed dirt over them

chasi
Guest
chasi
5 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mota

“Timber companies do not use banned pesticides that have been scientifically shown to cause cancer…”
Wow, you must be new around here huh? Or just an old pal of Hurwitz?

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago
Reply to  Joe Mota

I love how the term “regulated” somehow means “free from corruption” to [edit] even though the exact oppossite is true.

There is a great read about Clinton’s logging company ties, called “steal a tree, go to jail. Steal a forest, get a medal.”

Basically, as long as you are an elite corporation, the democrats give you a pass on destroying the commons. If you are a LAND OWNER, the dems crawl right where the sun don’t shine.

I think timber companies should be regulated and timber hillbillies/ land owning private citizens should NOT BE REGULATED… Under 99 plants should remain legal as well.

Legallettuce
Guest
Legallettuce
5 years ago

Thank you. I definitely am sympathetic to all those affected by this legalization process. As a public entity it is the public that needs to hold these agencies accountable.

horrible person
Guest
horrible person
5 years ago
Reply to  Legallettuce

The only thing the public will get is rebuffed reprimanded or arrested . There is not much held or controlled by the government / state/ county agencies that the public can review or even attempt to do to hold the public entity accountable . Like the public over site committee that is hand picked by the agency it is to look at the actions of the only real freedom we have is to blow our nose or wipe our a!@## but if the misguided folks who live in wood houses and make protest signs on paper treehugger types get their way we won’t have that ability much longer either

Legallettuce
Guest
Legallettuce
5 years ago

I heard a story once about how a bunch of outlaws created a whole new country because they were being oppressed by a government. Check this out, rumor has it the oppressing government used a hefty tax that sparked a protest in a city called Boston supposedly over dried leaves.

hey kool aid
Guest
hey kool aid
5 years ago
Reply to  Legallettuce

The rest of the story: The newly formed government, by the people for the people and all that stupid shit, was quick to make it a felony to do the same. You get a 20 year prison term if you don’t get shot first.

18 U.S. Code § 2385 – Advocating overthrow of Government US Code

Whoever knowingly or willfully advocates, abets, advises, or teaches the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying the government of the United States or the government of any State, Territory, District or Possession thereof, or the government of any political subdivision therein, by force or violence, or by the assassination of any officer of any such government; or

Whoever, with intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of any such government, prints, publishes, edits, issues, circulates, sells, distributes, or publicly displays any written or printed matter advocating, advising, or teaching the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying any government in the United States by force or violence, or attempts to do so; or

Whoever organizes or helps or attempts to organize any society, group, or assembly of persons who teach, advocate, or encourage the overthrow or destruction of any such government by force or violence; or becomes or is a member of, or affiliates with, any such society, group, or assembly of persons, knowing the purposes thereof—

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.

If two or more persons conspire to commit any offense named in this section, each shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.

As used in this section, the terms “organizes” and “organize”, with respect to any society, group, or assembly of persons, include the recruiting of new members, the forming of new units, and the regrouping or expansion of existing clubs, classes, and other units of such society, group, or assembly of persons.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 808; July 24, 1956, ch. 678, § 2, 70 Stat. 623; Pub. L. 87–486, June 19, 1962, 76 Stat. 103; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(N), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2148.)

Legallettuce
Guest
Legallettuce
5 years ago
Reply to  hey kool aid

“We need a revolution every 200 years, because all governments become stale and corrupt after 200 years.” – Ben Franklin

We the people are overdue!

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Legallettuce

But what is the most noticeable symptom of stale government? That they make laws they don’t have the courage or means to enforce.

Legallettuce
Guest
Legallettuce
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

Out on my hill I notice the federal government is enforcing their rule perpetrated by a lie. Should we discuss the courage the drug dealing federal government had in moving drugs from Honduras to the United States for missles. Maybe we should look into how the American youth have gotten hooked on heroin during the time we are at war in a country that is the main exporter. I say they make laws that only apply as long as they (federal government) choose to follow. Nothing courageous went on during the war on drugs just misery for some citizens and another failed federal resolution. From my hill logic point of view it sounds corrupt.

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago
Reply to  Legallettuce

“Better known was Samuel Adams, a representative of the local Boston assembly and member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Samuel Adams had this to say in May 1764:

“For if our Trade may be taxed, why not our Lands? Why not the Produce of our Lands & everything we possess or make use of? This we apprehend annihilates our Charter Right to govern & tax ourselves. It strikes at our British privileges, which as we have never forfeited them, we hold in common with our Fellow Subjects who are Natives of Britain. If Taxes are laid upon us in any shape without our having a legal Representation where they are laid, are we not reduced from the Character of free Subjects to the miserable State of tributary Slaves?”

Note the important sentence: “If Taxes are laid upon us in any shape without our having a legal Representation where they are laid, are we not reduced from the Character of free Subjects to the miserable State of tributary Slaves?”

We now have representatives to call or to write to, voting booths, and grand juries.
Jury duty is the most important vote of all.

As an aside, those who protested the tea tax made prior purchasing arrangements with the ship captains. It was their own tea they tossed over board that day. Protesters today lack a sense of personal responsibility, unless they’ve purchased the stores and other businesses they are vandalizing and looting. Even then, they are looting their insurance companies unless they’ve made prior arrangements with them too.

We no longer have to fight the hard way. Our Founding Fathers made sure of that by providing us the security of the vote.
In a democracy, the mob votes for or against their neighbor.
We are not a democracy. We are a Constitutional Republic. Every state was guaranteed a Republic form of government.

(the above quotes were taken from KrisAnne Hall’s website. http://krisannehall.com/the-real-origin-of-the-tea-party-movement/ ).

Legallettuce
Guest
Legallettuce
5 years ago
Reply to  shak

“We, the people are rightful masters of both Congress and the courts – not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.” – Abraham Lincoln

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago
Reply to  Legallettuce

In case you haven’t noticed, those who pervert the Constitution have been resigning or getting fired, despite the news headline distractions.

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago

speechless… great reporting

Sparkle Mahn
Guest
5 years ago

Who needs pesky, stinkin’ facts?
Thank you, Kym, for questioning authority.

laurie jensen
Guest
laurie jensen
5 years ago

Well written Kym!!! Thank you

diesel dually
Guest
diesel dually
5 years ago

The attempts to enforce current laws, permitting efforts, and concerns for wildlife, pollution, and water issues, should be clear in intent, even to marijuana farmers.

Federal and State Government departments do not need to explain. It is not required.

If you want to have a business involved with Cannabis, you will need to comply with all current laws and codes. Period. Just as all other businesses do.

If you do not like the government, feel free to work to change it. Complaining about enforcement, complaining about, well whatever else you are complaining about, it’s interesting, but not to me.

Enjoy freedom to grow a useless commercial product in a free country. You can have a business, just don’t think you will be allowed to run wild with it, as you may have in the past.

It is legal to grow 6 plants. It is not legal to sell cannabis, or to give it away. Consult an attorney, if you are unsure about the law. Meanwhile, don’t grow 5000 or 20000 plants without all the proper permits, and complying with all applicable laws, or you may experience some “eradication”…

As John Hardin might say, pot is not whine…

Thanks!

diesel dually
Guest
diesel dually
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

You want information. Requesting information is different from changing the government.

How much follow up is received regarding the average police case? It seems to me like the difference between research and reporting, is that the entertainment value of news is supported by policing entities, while the amount of substantive follow-up information is according to the continuing relationship that the media maintains with law enforcement.

So, if you have a good relationship with authorities, you may obtain information. In my opinion, these agencies are not required to provide information to news media.

Probably, it should be more transparent. In actual fact, government agencies are required to protect the privacy of citizens, and we need to consider the idea that possession of all the facts is a status which we do not need to have.

In a police state, the police would probably jail you for asking! In our society, the agents of government are required to follow standards and procedures. This is their job. It is not their job to disseminate information to just everyone who may be interested.

If the privacy of those charged, cited, arrested or those who have their illegal crops destroyed, if the privacy of those persons is not protected, the cases against these persons would be compromised, and the government could face legal exposure.

Please consider these aspects of enforcing laws before publishing anti-government material, or representing yourself as an agent for change.

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  diesel dually

The cases and charges as well as anyone who is cited for anything, not just crops is public record dude. As soon as someone’s case hits the court system anyone can see it. How can the court protect someone’s privacy if its already public record in the first place? You’re whole entire last paragraph is false propaganda. Maybe you should check that.

However, that being said, police don’t charge people with crimes, they investigate and arrest. Police records therefore aren’t part of the court system and are not open to the public as court records are. Police are supposed to uphold the law and do everything by the book. The public is supposed to be able to trust law enforcement, and law enforcement should be able to be transparent to the public since they are upholding the law and doing so while obeying the law themselves. This builds trust between the public and law enforcement because we can see that they can actually be trusted with the amount of power that they wield.

Once law enforcement stops being transparent, especially when there are so many reports of corruption within many precincts throughout this state, it means that they are acting suspiciously at the very best, and may be down right corrupt at the very worst. Whatever it is, the public has the right to question their actions. What makes it even more troubling is the last report from CDFW, as Kym stated, was a confiscation of $3 Million bucks! Thats a lot of cheddar, and everyone knows thats not the only bust like that. When there is that much money involved with a plant that is only somewhat legal with a bunch of people operating in the grey and black markets, all that needs to be added is a group of LEO’s gone rogue and you have a perfect recipe for corruption in the upmost degree. Transparency from the group of LEO’s involved in that sort of cocktail is very important to safeguard the public’s trust, the public trust, and the Rights of Americans. To try to reprimand and then discourage anyone from questioning the lack of transparency from LEO’s in that situation is not only wrong, it is not American.

Please consider these aspects of our country before writing anti-American sentiments to someone standing up for one of the things that makes America awesome.

diesel dually
Guest
diesel dually
5 years ago

The greatest thing about our country is not that a large number of people can go to a remote area, commit huge numbers of crimes with no repercussions, destroy wildlife, forests, water resources etc, in order to profit from the cultivation of illegal crops and in an illegal manner.

The greatest thing is that we are able to employ a cadre a attorneys and press cases against the government.

If pot growers are to insist that the government is acting illegally, it would be more appropriate to band together and sue the government – and attempt to manipulate the legal system in their favor.

Seizures, eradications etc, result from the appearance and existence of illegal activity, and I think you will find basis in law.

I am no attorney, but every business is required to follow legal process, taxation and environmental law.

If you want to continue to earn your living this way, clearly, the best thing to do is to do it legally. Pay your taxes, follow current law and don’t destroy the environment.

The government will exact a modicum of control, eventually, just as your industry will change out of necessity.

If you don’t like this, you are free to follow another line of business, or change your vocation.

File a case! Rabble-rousing is entertaining, but not very effective.

In 1976 I predicted that pot would be legal in 5 years. It took over 40 years. Many, many people worked to produce this result.

Are you working to produce change, or just complaining?

Sheesh!!
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  diesel dually

Boycott businesses frequented or owned by law enforcement.
Boycott businesses where law enforcement or local government officials family members work.
Give them bad yelp reviews!
An organized response is necessary.

groba dude trustafarian osnt
Guest
groba dude trustafarian osnt
5 years ago
Reply to  Sheesh!!

Yes, by all means, complain on Facebook. Whining on the internet is an effective means of controlling corruption and incompetence!

If you want change, file suit and then wait. You have the right to attempt to manipulate the legal system, just as any other citizen.

Participate in society! Don’t just hide in the forest and commit crimes.

tax payer
Guest
tax payer
5 years ago
Reply to  Sheesh!!

where is this list of businesses? can you find a list of leos?

Cherryl Mier
Guest
Cherryl Mier
5 years ago
Reply to  Sheesh!!

Your attitude is part of the political problem. Business owners are just trying to make a living and in most cases make much less than the greed growers have been making tax free for decades! To go after the families of someone doing their job is an absurd idea. Law enforcement is trying to enforce policies made by others. It is the policy makers that need to be transparent. Law enforcement is bound to enforce all laws not just the ones that fit your needs!

tax payer
Guest
tax payer
5 years ago
Reply to  Cherryl Mier

my point is there is no list and there can be no list. every business is going to cooperate with the leos because they are the only ones who can prosecute criminals if they need help. plus i am pretty sure they dont post a list of all the leos anywhere, i think this list would be very hard to come up with

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  diesel dually

Fortunately I don’t partake in this industry. I think smoking weed makes you less productive than one could be. If you look at all my posts you can see that I could honestly care less about what happens with this industry. The thing that I am concerned about is how many of our civil rights are being violated in the name of “regulation”. Doesn’t matter if you grow pot, are a plumber, a logger, or even a dope dealer, everyone still has rights that are protected under our Bill of Rights. The fact is I know a few people now who have been swept up in this swarm of regulation and abatement who don’t grow any pot and they are getting completely screwed. The county will effectively regulate the marijuana industry in Humboldt, eventually. The problem is, while you are cheering the eradication efforts of LEO’s while not holding them accountable for violations of civil rights in the process, means its only a matter of time before those practices are used against other citizens. Does anyone honestly believe that after the very last black market grow is abated/raided that the eye in the sky and the abatement letters are going to magically go away? If so you are either very idealistic or very naive to the way gov’t works. The parasite never shrinks and programs don’t go away, they just grow and grow. These practices are eventually going to be turned on all of us after the county gov’t has sucked every last penny out of this current industry. Humboldt county is going to be broke and money hungry and it is going to have all these tools to use against property owners like us who don’t have millions of dollars to fight this current system. The current Nazi like abate without any evidence and raid in complete secrecy style of enforcement that is going on now will be used against every citizen in this county eventually. By that time it will be an established precedent and be very hard to fight. Now is the time. I do not care if people are abated and raided if they are in fact doing something wrong. What I care about is the apparent lack of evidence behind all these abatements and the guilty until proven innocent mentality behind them.

Brian
Guest
Brian
5 years ago

1911, I dont have energy to debate. But i appreciate your words and I side with your comments here.

Diesel, I dont think your wrong in some* of your statements but I do think your giving a pass to the DFW.

Your literally arguing that all (pot) business’ follow all applicable laws, codes, ordinances, etc.

But this article is about the exact opposite; Public Entities that are not following mandates of transparency.

There are pot business following laws, and an article about that subject might be quite boring, however enlightening.

This story, like the Rhonert Park police officer-pretender who stole legal and not legal weed on 101 to sell on his own time to his as-corrupt friends, is enlightening and just may bring about change.

Kym brought some change to that RP officers life and the entire outfit.

So give the article a little more than 5 minutes to have effect.

And if you don’t care, move on, have a good day.

diesel dually
Guest
diesel dually
5 years ago
Reply to  Brian

My opinion is that the RP police may not have acted exactly legally, but, the complainants do not appear to have any proof that anything done by police was actually illegal, or proof of the claims by complainants have veracity.

Meanwhile, giving a pass is not the same as basis in law. The government’s agents risk their livelihood by acting illegally, and, my opinion is that the agents do what their supervisors instruct them to do. I hope, anyway.

Seizing assets, profiling, surveillance etc, I give no passes. A lot of this stinks.

But, it is a stinky business! How can these cowboys be regulated? What would you like? A return to CAMP raids? The National Guard?
Black Ops? Pot was legallized, in the end, because of the cost of maintaining it’s illegality! Now, at least, there is a basis to tax, regulate, and control this commodity.

The transition to a legal market is insane. Years will pass before it smooths out, but one thing for sure, pot farming, on the North Coast and in Oregon, is forever changed.

I am not a fan of our government, but I am not a fan of pot-growing crazies who pollute, divert waterways, build un-permitted structures
and wave guns while driving giant pickups! These folks are deeply out of control, and the drug abuse and crime attendant is disgusting. In point of fact, an armed association of whack-o’s controls a large area of world-class beauty and value, and this needs to end!

I call for legal action, not random accusations of malfeasance. You will need proof, you will need to cooperate with one another, and you will need to get organized.

Good luck…

Brian
Guest
Brian
5 years ago
Reply to  Brian

Fair enough comment.

I would still completely disagree with your assessment of the RP officer, Tatum.

Its clear from the reports and his dept. actions he was breaking all sorts of laws.

Just because a cop is never charged with crimes doesn’t mean they didn’t commit them.

Hence, the importance of Kyms article there, and perhaps here too.

What do people organize for if there is no information on important subjects?

Media is not the enemy.

diesel dually
Guest
diesel dually
5 years ago
Reply to  Brian

Proof. Proof. Veracity.

The people who complained, they were clearly in the wrong, and were caught.

The stories changed from day to day. But the police also had problems accounting for property, and with their accounts…

I am saying that agents of government follow procedures developed under basis in law. Do not try to tell me that there are no reasons for the actions taken against the folks who have huge amounts of cash, guns, illegal un-permitted weed etc.

Governments cannot control each action taken by it’s agents, but, citizen’s are responsible for some of the oversight.

If the government is in the wrong, overthrow it, or at least, take some legal action.

Once again, rabble-rousing is entertaining. Getting organized and presenting legal action is the real event.

The media should report. Picking up a weapon and joining the fight, is not really advisable.

LostCoastEMT
Guest
LostCoastEMT
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

“Whatever it is, we’re against it!”
(Groucho Marx)

Squeeler
Guest
Squeeler
5 years ago
Reply to  diesel dually

You act like you know everything but you don’t. It is legal to give it away.

diesel dually
Guest
diesel dually
5 years ago
Reply to  Squeeler

Hey, give away all you like. I don’t smoke it, and I don’t care if you do.

Marijuana grows everywhere, and it should be free! Plant some “public pot” today!

Tall Trees
Guest
Tall Trees
5 years ago
Reply to  diesel dually

Worthless comments.

Mr Right
Guest
Mr Right
5 years ago

Wow. Kym has really stepped up her support for growers, illegal and “otherwise.” Nice job! Next up, an editorial opinion on why not a single word out of the mouth of Dr. “I can’t remember” Ford was untrue.

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

yes, and lower regulations and taxes. I think everyone is against the corruption that replaced what was one of the last free market economies in the world, located in the hills of northern ca… but I digress.

RHINO = republican in name only. They are the ones for foreign wars over oil. They are for higher stock prices and lower wages. They are against weed and for tyranny, just like the illiberal left who want to join the UN in a global government where weed is illegal and women have to wear hoods over their faces, pray to allah, and are property of their husbands, soooooooooooooo liberal.

Dr. Ford is clearly a ruse, and has many CIA members in her family. Not saying Trump is great, but he ain’t calling fish and game on people like illiberal leftists are in humboldt and trinity. Conservatives want to be left alone and leave others alone on their own land.

pow right in the kisser
Guest
pow right in the kisser
5 years ago
Reply to  bearjew

Aha, the CIA! That must be how they got their hands on the plant DNA identifying LIDAR.

LostCoastEMT
Guest
LostCoastEMT
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Yes they are kym… proud conservative

Swine
Guest
Swine
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Kym I wish you weren’t so boxed in. A conservative person is not always a “conservative” I hate how these words have lost their meaning and now only aooly to ones political ties and beliefs and then we all make grsdiose judgements about them.

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

nope I laughed so hard my coca cola came out through my nose…

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

A right is available to those whose intent is abuse the government as much as to the most loyal supporter. That is essence of the word right as opposed to privilege.

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Correct. Conservatives don’t care what you do in your castle as long as you’re not forcing other castle dwellers to do it in theirs. Individual rights reign, not individual complaints.

local observer
Guest
local observer
5 years ago
Reply to  shak

you must have not been Listening to your president when he instructed you to look over your neighbors fence and report anything suspicious related to illegals. the biggest variable to this is perception.

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago
Reply to  local observer

I was too busy listening to the governor when he instructed all suspicious illegal’s to report anything suspicious related to non-illegals.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  shak

No it’s not. That might be the definition of a libertarian but a conservative is one who respects what already exists and demands at least a good chance that there will be an overall improvement before the government is used as a tool to force people to change.

Too many people want to define conservative for their own convenience either in that they want to abuse the government for restricting their personal actions at all or they want to bash a person for objecting to government change enforcing their personal wants. It’s neither of those things. Despite all the self justifying verbage in every direction, it simply means that a case for government action has to be proven to a conservative before they abandon what exists for something that doesn’t.

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

A conservative is anyone who knows that we all live a self governing life unless or until we forbid another someone their right to self govern.
A conservative is anyone who preserves, defends and protects the Constitution which secures our rights by limiting governments.

Libertarians, on the other hand, pretty much believe the same, except:
Libertarians argue whether or not people have the right to murder others.
Libertarians argue whether or not people have the right to enter another person’s property unannounced or uninvited.

Then there are the Rhino’s, the NeoCons, and the rest of the brood.

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  shak

That’s not correct. A Libertarian is someone who believes you can do what you want as long as you don’t infringe on anyone else’s Right to do what they want, simply put, its someone who believes in free will. Murder and trespassing are definitely infringing on someone else in a big way. I believe you are confusing Libertarians with Anarchists

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago

Thank you for the correction. I’ve spent too much time reading the fights in their treads and lost track of who is who and what is what.
Pro-life v Pro-abortion. Guarded borders v Open borders. Ratings v no Ratings (pg, g, r, x). Crosses v no Symbols. Smoking v No Smoking.
The fans argue over all the issues.
The party lays out their stances. I should have reviewed their issues page before spouting off. Thanks for catching it!

http://www.ontheissues.org/Libertarian_Party.htm

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago
Reply to  shak

Ron Paul is a classic economist/libertarian. He believes in freeing weed from illegality and over-regulation, believes in sound money, believes in government debt limitations, in not going to war in far off lands, civil liberties, less Wall Street influence, and no more banker bailouts…

He’s why I don’t mind calling myself a liberal libertarian….

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago
Reply to  shak

Bearjew, I agree about Ron Paul, he’s the one that got me interested in the Libertarian Party.
Unfortunately, the LP screwed him over royally.
There’s been a few since Ron that almost made it through, but they too got bit by the backroom monster.
That’s why most of them decide to run as independents or gop or anything but LP anymore.
“Follow the candidate, not the party” is the best advice I’ve ever received since beginning my voting booth journey.

(no reply button under your name, had to reply to mine).

Divide by Zero
Guest
Divide by Zero
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Yes we are Kym, and what you’re seeing today is big government running amok. Which is the party of big government? Research what percentage of “public employee union” contributions go to democrats, and presto, you’ll have your answer.

Farce
Guest
Farce
5 years ago
Reply to  Mr Right

Weird comment. I like Kym’s article. And I like that bad growers and mega- growers are finally getting busted. But it is our tax dollars being spent to do this and we deserve to know. I can agree to disagree with my neighbors but we all should want relevant information from the agencies spending our tax money. Then we can disagree better! None of us should be wanting a secretive police state.

Lalo
Guest
Lalo
5 years ago
Reply to  Mr Right

Hmmm…you radical rights crack me up….so needy for attention. We’re talkin’bout Fish and Game. Go watch Fox.

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago
Reply to  Lalo

aka: divide and conquer — a bunch of hippies with badges vs. a bunch of hippies committing misdemeanors on their own lands.

The only folks winning are the RHINO right wingers like the execs at Halliburton and Monsanto who stand to gain as this civil war between hippies rages on and this region loses it’s economy.

Spotted owl.
Guest
5 years ago

Thank you read headed black belt for shedding light on the sneaky,constitutional rite breaking,rogue branch of government. That takes the peoples tax money for there operation and pay checks,but doesn’t think they have to awnser to the people they work for!!!!!!

gimmie a break
Guest
gimmie a break
5 years ago

Great article ! Its a secret society. Everyone should know that Fish and Game is the most powerful law enforcement agency in the state. Does anyone know THEY don’t need a warrant to violate your 4th amendment. They need no warrant to trespass your property, enter your home, and search and seize just about anything they want. Worse of all is that WE pay their wages. Harassing property and homes just cause the want to is going too far. Yes. wildlife that can not defend themselves do need someone to take care of them. That would be commendable. That seems out the window for the can be corrupt, line their pockets and not let us the public know what our taxes are doing. SHAME ON THEM…. gimmie a break but serious…. wake the fuck up

Melinda
Guest
Melinda
5 years ago
Reply to  gimmie a break

F&G are so wrapped up in MJ cases they are letting poachers off Scott free. I heard a forest ranger guy report to me personally they refused to press charges on illegals poaching right in front of the home owner and let the guy walk away with the buck he shot in the front yard of someone’s private property with a shrug. Meanwhile they bust small amounts of personal along the lake every year for the hefty $150 federal fines…. not concerned about wildlife one bit if you ask me.

tax payer
Guest
tax payer
5 years ago
Reply to  Melinda

there is no money in busting illegal aliens and they could get in trouble. so why hassle yourself with trying to enforce laws on illegal aliens if all they have to do is change their name?

Truth in advertising, plz.
Guest
Truth in advertising, plz.
5 years ago

Excellent, Kym. Meanwhile in Mckinleyville, the county is happy to accommodate a liquor store right across the street from a highschool and gradeschool.

Scooter
Guest
Scooter
5 years ago

Booze, the real gateway drug.

LuckyPunk
Guest
5 years ago

Whoa,seriously? What street?

tax payer
Guest
tax payer
5 years ago

bullshit. why do you make things up? and since when has anyone cared if a grocery store sells booze and whether or not they are located next to any kind of school? the only liquor store i can think of in Mckinleyville is Cask and Flask, do you have a personal vendetta?

Dude
Guest
Dude
5 years ago
Reply to  tax payer

They are talking about the new Dollar general which I presume sells alcohol being built across the street from the highschool

tax payer
Guest
tax payer
5 years ago
Reply to  Dude

well i have only been to one dollar general and i dont remember any alcohol. plus selling alcohol doesnt make you a liquor store. and furthermore 76 right there sells beer and grocery stores sell liquor right across the street from elementary schools (so what?)
oh yeah btw boycott dollar general, they are a bad company that is bad for the community

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago
Reply to  tax payer

It won’t be long before all liquor stores must also sell fresh produce. Seriously. It’s in the Agenda 2-30-50 plan.

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago

I’m pretty sure you can buy beer at the Miranda Market too. Or at Shop Smart which is also right across the street from the school.

guest
Guest
guest
5 years ago

Try teaching an elementary school class and see how long you last without a gallon of cheap vodka in your desk drawer.

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago
Reply to  guest

LOL for reals. That made my day.

gunther
Guest
gunther
5 years ago

Fish and Wildlife ask the questions and don’t feel they need to answer questions. I was fishing on the bay a few weeks back. They checked my license, went through all my fishing gear, opened all the hatches in my kayak and searched every square inch. They didn’t ask if they could. They don’t need to ask. Don’t mess with Fish and Wildlife, just know the law and stay within the law and you’ll be fine.

Z
Guest
Z
5 years ago

Wow!! I had no idea CA Fish & Wildlife is a rogue Dept!! No search warrant needed? Doesn’t our federal constitution have hegemony over states rights?

Helllbilly
Guest
Helllbilly
5 years ago

Thanks Kym!!!!

guest
Guest
guest
5 years ago

Any reporter worth a shit would get out in the field and find answers instead of reporting from google and email sources. Sorry Kym, I love your work but you complain that someone in government doesn’t write the story for you.

Lalo
Guest
Lalo
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Tell it,girl….

Melinda
Guest
Melinda
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Love you Kim!

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Thank you Kym, I for one haven’t found the stories Kym reports on on google. Except when google routes me to redheaded blackbelt for the story I’m searching for. Looks like Kym may potentially have the drop on a lot of the info before other people do, that seems like darn good reporting to me.

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago

I haven’t either, but that’s only because I dropped that censor happy engine and switched over to duckduckgo and others.

Information we need to know to understand the problem..............
Guest
Information we need to know to understand the problem..............
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Any idea who the growers are? Are they local landowners born and raised in Humboldt County. Are they Eastern Europeans who have hired Illegal Mexicans? Are they Cartel members just here to fatten their wallets? Are they meth producer taking advantage of their “Brown Highway businesses? Three million bucks is a lot of money. Big Corporation money? We know who the enforcers are, but nothing about the growers. And how much of the grow sites are on Public land? Should that be OK? A while ago there was news floating around Lost Coast and a few blogs that questioned thousands of acres of land being recently purchased by unknown persons and groups (again Big Corporations). Should that information be made public? Appears to be an entire segment of information missing. If and I stress IF the new owners are people with a lot of money from outside our County should that change locals minds? And it takes a group to manage a grow site if 10,000 plants. I doubt they were legally employed and a check with EDD would be interesting. When you see photos of refried beans cans and pesticides one has to think the workers were not legally hired from Fortuna or Eureka. Makes me wonder if Sessions and Trump and Republicans have money invested after they reduced the IRS to its core and passed increased big corporation protections and tax advantages this past week. Of course, none of them are known for telling the truth, but that is another story all together.

Information can come in many forms. Don't look in one corner.
Guest
Information can come in many forms. Don't look in one corner.
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

The landowners could be completely different from the growers. With how many landowners allow growers to raise weed on their property. If you know the address of the property owner it is listed in the recorder’s office. It might be listed as a corporation, but it has to have data recorded. It is the property owners responsibility to what happens on their property. If they allow illegal growing they can be held responsible. My guess only is that some have no clue as to what is happening on their land. Then there is the property that has been recently purchased. By whom? There has got to be a name even if it is a corporation. What’s in a name? And what about the illegal grower who set up a grow without the owners knowledge? Who are they? How is it that in most raids there are no arrests? And what about the evidence found on the ground? Can finding empty cans of refried beans give a clue as to who is tending the plants? And what of the multiple empty containers of pest poison? Do Mexican illegal come into the country with cases of rat poison? Then there is the miles of plastic water pipe. If your grow in around Blocksburg where is that plastic pipe coming from? Not to even mention quonset tents. I have not seen them at any hardware store in Eureka or Fortuna. Nor Home Depot in Santa Rosa. Where is it coming from?

There is more to a raid than addresses. And I bet you can get the addresses if you request them from a raid member. Addresses will not get you who the growers are. They are the violators.

Valerie
Guest
Valerie
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Thank you for all you do Kym!

guest
Guest
guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Thanks for pointing out the donate button. Many of us may believe the ad revenue sustains this website. I donated this morning.

Matthew Meyer
Guest
Matthew Meyer
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Careful! Trolls grow when fed…

Lalo
Guest
Lalo
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Love you, Kym…thanks …

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago
Reply to  Lalo

Kym blackbelted his a$$

This is only a guest
Guest
This is only a guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Lalo

Putting da redhead in redheaded blackbelt! Love it and would love to see fiery editorials in the future. Fya!

Raving Ritchie
Guest
Raving Ritchie
5 years ago

Strangely enough I kinda miss C.A.M.P. I do believe that we need a little bit more transparency in what OUR government is doing. I have seen more destruction to small farmers than ever in my 40+ years here.

Uncle George
Guest
Uncle George
5 years ago

Thanks. Good article. I understand the “why” but not the a****le behavior and lack of due process. At some point it’ll bite back, especially when cannabis becomes the visible heavyweight it already is in the regional economy.

onrustr
Guest
onrustr
5 years ago
Reply to  Uncle George

I just sent an email to Governor Brown about this issue. I also included a copy of your opinion. It was an excellent opinion piece.

Brian
Guest
Brian
5 years ago
Reply to  onrustr

Good on you!

Jeff
Guest
Jeff
5 years ago

It’s another government agency out of control .it is amazing how they come up with a bust all of the sudden with all these dangerous chemicals.its anither scare tactic and we need to stop letting them do that .life means something to us and our death should mean something about us ,I want my death to count so im not buying into this ice raids and the need for homeland security the way it’s forced upon us and dish and game leading marajuana raids .they took 3 million dollars from Americans with rights who dont deserve to loos there money and properties and using code enforcement to steal properties,from us .I heard they were hitting people with 10 thousand dollar a day violations giving them 10 days to pay this is after they destroy there whole years worth of work and when the fines are not satisfied with in 10 days actually taking there properties from them .and many of these people applied for permits and they have thrown in so many last minute laws to follow many grows were already in. Operation.i one think anybody at this point is in complete compliance and it seems they haved intentionally made it that way to steal land from people and monopolize the market for themselves.most violations are not an arrestable offense as far as criminal code is concerned so there using code enforcement and fish and game to steal lie and cheat people from there incomes and there properties
Id lime to see if any of the city or county grows are in compliance but why should they nobody to govern there activities .it’s a scam the whole lic.issue .are there any other states operating like California .id like to kno..but I havnt heard of the nitemare stories from Colorado or oregon they all seem to be happy and easy going situation .why is California having so many issues when others states have successfully implemented the program

Road Weary
Guest
Road Weary
5 years ago

My guess is that they view media, especially local media, as hostile since notices of convoys are send out over the wires; a perceived ‘aiding and abetting’ the criminals. That, of course, is no excuse for keeping the public in the dark. Keep up the effort to hold them accountable, and thanks Kym.

ED Denson
Guest
ED Denson
5 years ago

FIsh and Game are amateurs, which may explain the absence of information. Their investigations are not up to the standards of county law enforcement – which is really saying something. Fish and Game also seem to be more hostile than county law enforcement. That’s another sign of them being amateurs. Like the first days of CAMP, someone has cried “havoc” and unleashed the dogs of war.

I would suggest an FOIA request, but I have the impression you have made one already. Nothing to do but keep on, or as a great man once said, keep on keeping on. Thanks for your work, Kim, your site is everyday reading for me.

For Sure
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  ED Denson

Thanks Ed. Thanks Kym.

Teresa Lighty
Guest
Teresa Lighty
5 years ago

Why is one plant subject to permitting when the rest in the forest, grasslands etc are not. Or is it just a matter of time before permits are required for all.

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago
Reply to  Teresa Lighty

My God people this is nothing new, the same steps have been responsible for the corporate consolidation of almost every agriculture and manufactured product in America. It starts off with over regulation to the point where private individuals cannot afford to operate. Then big corporations especially Monsanto and there subsidiaries, Move In and start buying the local farms at a discount price making them conglomerates. They then start to lobby the local ,state and federal governments to ease the regulations, what regulations they can’t get eased they simply pay the fines for. Most of the regulations responsible for this or actually voted in by the people (just like the situation right now) that think they’re doing the environment Justice, unfortunately after they make the regulations so strict that no one can afford to comply many of these businesses are moved to countries with absolutely no regulation at all and begin polluting even worse than they did before. Their products are then shipped halfway across the world and sold to the same people that passed the regulations lol. Did you know they actually use SWAT teams to raid Amish farmers for selling raw milk to their neighbors and family in California? One of the only things we can do is start paying attention to what the fuck we vote for. And just to point out the obvious, voting to make the government bigger and giving it more control over our life is not going to make the situation better!

read
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  THC

Large majority of humboldt growers did not vote for prop64 but I agree with everything your saying.

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago
Reply to  read

I don’t know about that, many of the older Growers that have been in the area for decades that I talk to did support it. I found it quite interesting that many of the back to the Landers from the seventies and eighties that came to this area to escape big cities and over-reaching governments,are now some of the more liberal people in the area, voting for Bernie Sanders and over-regulation.

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  THC

There are more people whose eyes are open than you think. You make excellent points.

rollin
Guest
rollin
5 years ago

As do you. This whole article and the comment section, with people concerned about an over reaching government, is a breath of fresh air. If only more people could see that this is our fate, in every aspect of government, unless we demand less government. Why can’t liberals see this growing class of oligarchs, suffocating we the people? It’s not just Fish and Game people!!!

owl
Guest
owl
5 years ago
Reply to  rollin

IF you are generally supportive of legalization and licenses, regulations and you are supportive of using publicity, raids fines, fees, seizures to promote that, then you should demand transparency.
We have lived with the alternative for a long time, the good, the bad, and the ugly, so we know what we are talking about.
And the first step to support a fair and well regulated economic environment is to demand transparency from these tax payer funded entities, all the way from HCSO, FnG, thru the county District Atty and Courts so we can talk intelligently about known facts instead of letting people and organizations with a much wider agenda do our thinking for us.
Transparency would certainly include the addresses and therefore the names of the property owners and their relation to the growers that are raided. Land owners pretending to be ignorant about such activities have a high burden to convince the rest of us of that ignorance.
The lack of transparency can certainly hide all manner of corruption and illegality…such as the hideous owner /seller funded land ‘sales’ where the buyer makes a down and monthly payments, then is ruined by a raid and the and original owner is ‘forced’ to take the property back and rip off the next sucker. Corruption is obvious with the ‘coincidences’ of the timing and selection of raids being not available for the public to know about…it becomes criminal conspiracy involving at worst law enforcement agencies.
We do not want to have that around us, therefore we demand transparency

That the results of the legal processes are not available to be known is police state stuff and rife with opportunistic corruption that erodes many more quality of life issues than weed grows do..

One ‘goal’ of these raids would surely be the money seized at the moment, then the fines and property seizures. That is the practical side of an underfunded and therefore greedy agency.

Another goal, the public one is enforcement of the regulations with abuses of the environment among the most important and widely supported by the public. The public has demanded rules, enforcement and compliance, but this bumbling creepy cowboy shitshow is eroding whatever tentative support government has gained.
Publicizing all of this would go miles toward understanding, public support, and give growers more reasons to act towards compliance…which, unless greed and corruption are a factor….the reason for this tax payer funded activity in the first place…and not only is it tax payer funded directly, the community is also ‘paying’ in many other ways for this as well, less local income, less productive citizens, less economic activity including all kinds…

We demand transparency.

Thanks Kym!..it’s good to see you take such a good swing at this issue.

nines
Guest
5 years ago

Kym, I think it might be beneficial to contact the Inspector General for the Department of the Interior:

https://www.doioig.gov

Tell them about the refusal to provide information and ask, too, about whether warrants are required and, if so, who issues them. If it’s really true no warrants are required, and no information required to be given to the media, this is not frustrating, it’s infuriating and not constitutional.

Since the local F&W people are stonewalling, the IG is the right place to go with questions and complaints.

If you are still being prevented from getting the information, there is also information on how to file a complaint against a federal agency here:

https://www.usa.gov/complaint-against-government#item-37437

I like stars too!
Guest
I like stars too!
5 years ago
Reply to  nines

Don’t forget the website for complaints against whack-job pot growers:

https://www.screwthecrazydopefarmersofhumboldt/trinity/mendocino/lake.net

Please make a note of it!

Melinda
Guest
Melinda
5 years ago
Reply to  nines

Thanks for helping👊

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago
Reply to  nines

Very helpful links, nines!

Guest 32
Guest
Guest 32
5 years ago

“…confiscation of more than $3 million in cash…”

Wow. Maybe, just maybe, that might have had an effect on their decision to hide all info on their raids…

No accounting is always a big red flag. Nines has a good idea.

Thanks for writing this.

It's me
Guest
It's me
5 years ago

I am for eradication without compensation but, the raids need to be done legally and information needs to be public. Good job California you have created the prefect jack booted police state.

weedageddon
Guest
weedageddon
5 years ago

But if you got a warrant, I guess you’re gonna come in.

https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/northcoast/board_decisions/adopted_orders/pdf/2018/Sunday_Morning_LLC_Inspection%20Report.pdf

They create some detailed reports.

This is only a guest
Guest
This is only a guest
5 years ago
Reply to  weedageddon

Ironic that the website is called “waterboards” …(water boarding)

bearjew
Guest
bearjew
5 years ago
Reply to  weedageddon

thing is they have a kangaroo court rubberstamping the warrants. My neighbor was searched last year even though they had a warrant for the property next to his. They drove through my property (no weed, only forest) and saw a barrell. They thought it was meth chemicals or something. They searched my property and broke the lock on a storage container of mine. They told my neighbors that:

1. they could sieze my property if the barrel contained bad chemicals, even though the barrel was from the previous owner’s tenant who made a mess on my land (which I cleaned up, and was why I could purchase the land for a decent price).

2. They told my neighbors “someone in the neighborhood” is a snitch and ratted out the whole place.

While I don’t grow, this type of behavior is dangerous, subconsciously this all suggests that I (the lone woodsman around) am a snitch, which in our world is worse than dying and going to hell…

In any event, fish and game is [edit] Kind of like when Kubla Kahn beheads the members of his own Politbeauro…

Ain’t Communism Grand?

Melinda
Guest
Melinda
5 years ago

I am curious if these properties that are raided are being confiscated? Are they loosing the deeds to the land onthese raids? And what happens to the land ? Is it sold off to the highest bodder? Who receives the money from sales?

future land auction bidder
Guest
future land auction bidder
5 years ago
Reply to  Melinda

Soon enough if they don’t pay the fines or get a judge to toss it.

rick
Guest
rick
5 years ago

I have been at the bad end of the “dish and shame ” gov’t agency but in a different business. I say this because I am not just a couch commenter, but have been on their hit list.
I can’t sit by and watch the hypocrisy about the media reporting about how law enforcement won’t tell them what details about a crime ( infraction) , they want to report on.
I wouldn’t talk to news reporters either if they worked both sides of the fence by reporting that law enforcement was on their way to a bust IE: ” There on there way up so and so roads with their chipper again”.
If growers want legalization and legitimacy, do it the legal way. don’t bitch if you get caught if YOU are not doing your part to follow the laws that are being enforced.
Legal growers should want policing of their industry if they are to be a viable entity.
Media needs stop working both sides of the street if they want any agency to work with them, not hinder their job. let those that deserve to get busted be tried by the justice system, not tipped off just to run and create more issues down the road.
Yes there does need a lot more transparency from our gov’t, don’t give them a reason to shut down.

read
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  rick

Is this your first time to this site?

That sauce
Guest
That sauce
5 years ago
Reply to  rick

Ugh, another person accusing kym of tipping people off. Do you even live here bro? Literally nobody has ever ran because of the convoy alerts…well maybe towards the end some folks from Rancho did if they heard a convoy was heading up alderpoint r. 😂

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago
Reply to  That sauce

That sauce, that is not correct. I know of multiple times that larger grow operations posted Lookouts miles down the road from their location after hearing of a convoy or potential raid in their area.

read
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  THC

Did they run?

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago
Reply to  read

They certainly would have if the law came their way. Not saying what Kym does is wrong. I’m just saying that there are people who when warned about a potential raid in their area take precautions that they normally wouldn’t have. But it’s not like they’re arresting anybody anyways, they’re just gold mining.

Brian
Guest
Brian
5 years ago
Reply to  rick

How would you know that we need transparency in the Govt if a reporter didn’t tell you the what and why’s about it?

Most commentors on this site appreciate the word of convoys because it gives them something to cheer about; law enforcement enforcing laws.

It is our right to watch (and film) the police in every frikin inch they walk.

If you think the media needs to back off – so we can get more answers. I would say i disagree completely.

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

The owner of the property may not get away with it, but other people that have no tangible attachment to the property or evidence of their presents can simply walk off into the woods, which is much easier with advance notice of law enforcement activities. Or people growing on other properties that they do not own such as federal or state or trespass grows. How many raids do we read about where nobody was found on the property and no arrests were made?

Again not saying it’s your fault or that anything your doing is wrong. But it may have unintended consequences, or are they intentional? only you know..

Ford weenie roaster
Guest
Ford weenie roaster
5 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Kym, you are not harming the LEO efforts or they would charge you with a crime. That’s what they do. You are all good.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  THC

Nobody walked off into the woods. They were all there if it makes you feel any better??

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  rick

Rick, once the media starts to pick a side and push a certain agenda, it becomes bias. Bias reporting is not good reporting. A good reporter does report BOTH sides of the issue. If they don’t they are biased and lose all credibility because they are then pushing an agenda. If you are all for biased media pushing only one viewpoint as fact I don’t know what to say. I am sorry but you are truly lost.

Spotted owl.
Guest
5 years ago

Thank you Kim for the service you provide , shedding light on the extortion and trampling of citizens Constitutional rights is a service to your fellow American citizens.im smart enough to see whats really happening here and too see whats on the way for our region.dont let guest get under your skin he’s a pile!!!!!!

Hollyhock
Guest
5 years ago

In regard to government agencies. Our neighborhood tried to find out if Mercer Fraser had a permit to run huge, double trailers trucks thru our tiny neighborhood. This went on for at least 6 months. We could not get an answer from Code Enforcement. I suspect that that they either had no permit or an expired one. Mercer Fraser doesn’t have to abide by the same rules that cannabis farmers do, ya think?

Small Fry
Guest
Small Fry
5 years ago

Thanks again Kym. I appreciate your hard work. And I beilive reporters need to look at both sides, that is what makes fair reporting. It is absolutely ridiculous when people accuse RHBB of tipping off growers. It is important.. just as a matter of public safety, to know when a major event is happening in your neighborhood. Public transparency of public adgencies is extremely important! It is one of the biggest foundations of our democracy. But I suppose some trolls on this post would be happy to see America turn into Russia. It’s ridiculous that Fish and Game refuses to give info, if anything, it will only help people to understand the regulations.
Thank you for putting pressure on them to disclose important information to the people they work for.
I appreciate your willingness to communicate with F&G.. when most people won’t.
Who else is going to communicate with these folks? Not an easy job.
I think F&G can do some good… but we as a people need to see that.
Best of Luck Kym..

Fortune Cookie
Guest
Fortune Cookie
5 years ago
Reply to  Small Fry

Amerika turned into Russia decades ago. Yall were too busy growing dope to recognize the transition. Do you think the land owners who were abated, raided, or otherwise fined want the details released to the public? Why not just place an add in the Compton Herald that says please come “ROB ME!”.

read
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Fortune Cookie

If cannabis makes you dopy then you are a dope to begin with. Growers are some of the more “travel” people.

Fortune Cookie
Guest
Fortune Cookie
5 years ago
Reply to  read

May I mambo dogface to the banana patch ?

Small Fry
Guest
Small Fry
5 years ago
Reply to  Fortune Cookie

Exuse me Unfortunate Cookie.. but no.. America didn’t turn into Russia because a few people grew some Cannabis. And as far as releasing personal information, I don’t think that is exactly legal.. however F&G is a public entity… I do beilive they have an obligation of transparency to the public..

guest
Guest
guest
5 years ago

Seems a FOIA request would force their hand.

tax this next
Guest
tax this next
5 years ago
Reply to  guest

A FOIA request can be ignored or heavily redacted if they do not want to identify the property owners.

The Fish Whisperer
Guest
The Fish Whisperer
5 years ago

Thanks, Kym. Much love to you!

I’ll go submerge my head in the Eel and try to find out what gossip- if any- the denizens of the river may have heard about this growing scandal. I’ll get back to you when I find something.

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago

Thank you, Kym, for raising awareness. Transparency and accountability can never be over rated.

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago

Non transparency = railroading.
Transparency = lawful procedures.

Protecting & helping people like Joe Robertson can only happen when we have transparency.
https://redoubtnews.com/2017/02/wotus-pardon-joe-robertson/

People in SoHum are not given the chance to receive public help or scrutiny. Are the agencies afraid that others with knowledge might point out the ridiculous charges against the victims?
https://www.dropbox.com/s/u6w879q6602ww4r/Kegal%20Report%20Robertson%2C%20Joe%20April%2026%202016.pdf?dl=0

I’m sure the public has a lot of questions, just like in the dropbox link above, waiting to be answered. Distance, depth, etc

Kathy Sutter
Guest
5 years ago

Why on “Gods Green Earth” is the government spending funds on marijuana eradication? Isnt there more important things that should be a priority?
I guess it depends on who you ask. Accountability has gone out the window. Ugh!

Heathen Savage
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  Kathy Sutter

Thanks Kim…you win the “Catbird’s Seat”…Oregon says “never give an inch!”

jB
Guest
jB
5 years ago

Rick: //”Media needs stop working both sides of the street”//

Yes comrade … Because what the world needs is government shill media.

Please continue working all sides Kym — it’s appreciated.

LostCoastEMT
Guest
LostCoastEMT
5 years ago

Fish n game are federal agents that don’t have to answer to any local law inforcment or YOU. They are the “in” card for this war. You could sue the local sheriffs and Probley win. They know this,and this is why there are 32 new game wardens for humboldt county compared to two,8 years ago. There is no fighting this war. The system was designed to fail, period. Fear,greed and confusion has made “there” job of eradication very easy. In nature a predator must divide and confuse the herd in order to kill. If the herd acts as one….. it’s impenetrable.

Wild West
Guest
Wild West
5 years ago
Reply to  LostCoastEMT

They should be required to disclose any requested information.
The more requests the better…
Hello Director Charlton H. Bonham.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife:

Formed: 1909

Preceding agency: Board of Fish Commissioners

Headquarters: 1416 Ninth St.
Sacramento, Ca.

Annual budget: $539 million (2007)

Agency executive: Charlton H Bonham, Director

Parent agency: California Resources Agency

Website: http://www.wildlife.ca.gov

Telephone: (916) 445-0411

Qanon
Guest
Qanon
5 years ago

Kym thank you for posting this, you are a preserver of freedom and a true patriot. I don’t think you should feel the need to defend yourself to all these silly comments.

“Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.”― Mark Twain

LostCoastEMT
Guest
LostCoastEMT
5 years ago

That’s why I like arguing with myself !…. would rather look crazy , than a fool.

shak
Guest
shak
5 years ago

I don’t know how this fits in to the conversation, but I found it interesting and thought someone else might too.
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/409455-trump-administration-ends-key-law-enforcement-program-at-wildlife
They’re going to go back to managing and leave the swat to swat, at the refuges. Maybe the other branches will be receiving a similar order, who knows.