Use of National Guard in federal raid raises questions
Michigan National Guard provided helicopters for Nov. drug raid
By Todd A. Heywood | 01.06.11 | 11:00 am
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Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Sheriff’s Office expands program for increasing security for local business premises
Written by Bob FroehlichThe following information was released from a Humboldt County
Sheriffs Office Information Bulletin, dated Jan., 25, 2011:
Sheriff Mike Downey is pleased to announce the expansion of a program he
started when he worked in Garberville as a Sergeant. Beginning February
1st, 2011, Sheriff Deputies will be provided with “ Patrol Check” cards.
Deputies and members of the Sheriffs Citizen On Patrol ( S.C.O.P.) will
be encouraged to check businesses to be sure their doors are locked and
secure, when the businesses are closed. After checking the business,
deputies will leave a card on the door letting the business owner know
their business was checked by law enforcement.
The Patrol Check Card will look like this:
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Thursday, January 13, 2011
New study finds smart meters likely to be safe, but also encourages further research into non-thermal effects of radio frequency emissions
Written by Bob FroehlichTwo California State Legislators, Assembly Member Jared Huffman (Marin) and Assembly Member Bill Monning (Santa Cruz), requested the California Council of Science and Technology (CCST), a non-profit organization established in 1988, to prepare a report on the health impacts of radio frequency from "Smart Meters."
Click here for the KMUD archived newscast (aired at 6 PM, Jan.12, 2011) containing the interview with HSU President Roland Richmond regarding the released report.
Download a copy of the report from the website http://www.ccst.us/news/2011/20110111smart.php
CCST is requesting public comment on the report through midnight PST, January 31, 2011.
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Monday, January 10, 2011
Use of National Guard in federal raids in Michigan raid raises local questions
Written by dan glaser
Thank you, to the Mendocino Medical Marijuana Advisory Board (http://www.mmmab.net/), for forwarding the following information to KMUD News:
LANSING — On Nov. 30, the Drug Enforcement Agency raided a facility in Meridian Township. Along with ground forces, the Michigan National Guard provided two Blackhawk helicopters to assist in the operation.
The facility was a joint growing operation by several registered patient caregivers. The caregivers decided to rent the facility to grow medical marijuana for their patients, and remove the drug from their homes.
Dave Clark, an Okemos attorney representing one of the patient caregivers, told the City Pulse that his client and the others had done nothing illegal.
“We were surprised there was even a warrant. Everything inside was legal under state law,” Clark said. “I’m sure it was 100 percent legal.”
Clark and his client were not the only ones surprised by the raid. Meridian Township Police Chief Dave Hall tells Michigan Messenger that his department was never informed of the raid by federal authorities. Traditionally, when a law enforcement agency is going to be engaged in an action in another jurisdiction, they let the law enforcement from that jurisdiction know. This is done to prevent sending officers to the scene of a police action because of 9-1-1 calls.
United States District Attorney Rene Shekmer of the Western District in Grand Rapids told the City Pulse that the raid was conducted at several locations, and agents seized 400 plants, as well as growing equipment.
“Under federal law, there is no exemption for medical marijuana. Under Michigan law, there are limits and rules you have to follow,” Shekmer told the City Pulse. “As a broad brush, it does not appear they were (state-compliant) because of the number of plants.”
Feds are also seeking information from the Michigan Department of Community Health about several medical marijuana caregivers. It is widely believed this subpoena, issued in June, is directed at the caregivers involved in the Meridian Township growing operation.
The full article can be viewed at: http://michiganmessenger.com/45414/use-of-national-guard-in-federal-raid-raises-questions
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Arrests made when Marin County group protests against PG&E "Smart Meter" installation crews.
The group's website and information about their campaign are available at http://stopsmartmeters.org.
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Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Update: Dump on Dutyville Road, Ettersburg - GONE!!
Written by dan glaserUPDATE - December 28, 2010
After 6 months of trash and hazardous materials accumulation, the mysterious Dutyville dump is gone!! Thanks.
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The first photo was taken in July, and subsequent photos show the trash dumping and the progressive graffiti.
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Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Unvaccinated dog tests positive for rabies in Trinity County
Written by dan glaserAn unvaccinated Trinity County dog that bit at least one person tested positive Thursday for rabies.
The dog’s owner had taken the animal to Humboldt County for testing. The sample was processed at the Department of Health and Human Service’s Public Health laboratory in Eureka.
The dog’s owner, the veterinarian who provided the sample, the Humboldt County Health Officer and the California Department of Public Health were all immediately notified of the test results.
Three adults and two children, all Trinity County residents, came into contact with the dog and are undergoing a series of injections to prevent rabies infection. No one in Humboldt County is believed to have been exposed.
“Rabies in domestic animals is extremely rare in California,” said Health Officer Ann Lindsay. “In Humboldt County, we haven’t had a rabid dog in more than 20 years.”
Lindsay noted that the canine-variant strain rabies is believed to have been eradicated in the U.S. While final test results will not be available for four to six weeks, it is believed the Trinity County dog was infected with a skunk variant, which is carried by both skunks and foxes.
“The elimination of canine-variant rabies in the U.S. is one of the major public health success stories of the past 50 years,” said Public Health Branch Director Susan Buckley. “Widespread vaccination of household pets stopped canine-to-canine transmission. But dogs can still get rabies from wildlife—such as skunks, foxes, raccoons and bats—and they can still infect humans.”
Vaccination remains incredibly important, Lindsay said.
“Rabies is endemic among wildlife in Humboldt County, and vaccinating your dog is required by law,” she said. “You’re not just protecting your pet. You’re also protecting your family, your neighbors and anyone else who may come into contact with your animal.”
A viral disease of the central nervous system, rabies is one of the oldest and most feared diseases reported in medical literature. Once symptoms appear, there is no known treatment that can cure the disease.
According to the World Health Organization, rabies kills an estimated 55,000 people globally each year. Very few humans have been known to survive the infection.
A follow-up investigation to identify additional exposures, if any, is being conducted by Trinity County officials with the assistance of the Humboldt County Public Health Branch.
Photo credit: Los Angeles County Public Health Laboratory, 2007
Rabies-positive brain sample. Photo is taken through a fluorescent microscope. The brain sample from the rabid animal was prepared on glass slides, incubated with fluorescent antibodies that attach to the virus, and then viewed through the microscope. The rabies virus is seen as small fluorescent clusters throughout the sample.
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Tuesday, December 28, 2010
New Business Tax Penalties on 90,000 Delinquent Filers - California State Board of Equalization
Written by dan glaser
New Fee on Delinquent Taxpayers Effective January 1, 2011
Legislation Imposed the Fee and Requires the BOE to Collect
The California State Board of Equalization (BOE) announced today that thousands of California businesses will potentially be assessed a fee on past due liabilities beginning in 2011, under recently enacted legislation. More than 90,000 businesses will be notified of this potential fee beginning January 1, 2011.
Legislation imposed the new collection cost recovery fee and requires the BOE to collect a fee on any person failing to pay amounts due and owing. The fee applies to most taxes and fees collected by the BOE and is intended to cover costs incurred in obtaining payment of past due amounts. The fee may only be imposed after the BOE has notified a taxpayer of the potential fee by mailing a notice advising that the continued failure to pay the amount due may result in collection action and potential assessment of the collection cost recovery fee. The BOE could potentially assess a fee on each liability greater than $250 that remains unpaid for more than 90 days. The fee amount, adjusted annually to reflect the cost of collecting unpaid liabilities, ranges from $185 to $925 for calendar year 2011, as follows:
Fee Amounts Effective January 1, 2011
|
Liability Size |
Liability Amount |
Fee Amount |
|
Small |
$250.01 - $2,000.00 |
$185 |
|
Medium |
$2,000.01 - $50,000.00 |
$550 |
|
Large |
$50,000.01 and greater |
$925 |
The BOE has identified more than 90,000 tax and fee payers with outstanding sales and use tax liabilities or overdue payments in the many tax and fee programs administered by BOE.
Taxpayers can avoid the fee by paying their liability in full prior to the fee being assessed, that is before 90 days from the date the notice expires. The notice they receive will state that the new collection cost recovery fee will be due if each liability of greater than $250 remains unpaid for more than 90 days. Taxpayers unable to pay in full now may still avoid the fee if they qualify for, enter into, and complete an installment payment agreement, which allows for payment of a tax, fee, or surcharge debt in smaller, more manageable amounts. Also, if the BOE finds that a taxpayer’s failure to pay the amount being collected is due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the taxpayer’s control, the BOE may relieve the taxpayer of the collection cost recovery fee.
The BOE estimates the fee will facilitate additional annual revenue of $5.2 million from additional collection of taxes, fees, and surcharges for the remainder of the 2010-11 Fiscal Year and $19.4 million to $22.6 million annually beginning in 2011-12.
This new collection cost recovery fee requirement was added to the Revenue and Taxation Codes by Senate Bill 858 (Chapter 721, Statutes of 2010).
The five-member California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is a publicly elected tax board. The BOE collects more than $48 billion annually in taxes and fees supporting state and local government services. It hears business tax appeals, acts as the appellate body for franchise and personal income tax appeals, and serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes. For more information on other taxes and fees in California, visit www.taxes.ca.gov.
The Special Notice is available on the BOE website at www.boe.ca.gov.
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The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Animal Shelter would like to thank everyone who braved the inclimate weather on December 10, 2010, to attend our 6th Annual Open House.
We received many generous donations of food, treats, toys, bedding, and money for the shelter animals, and donations are still coming in! Additionally, seven dogs and two cats found new homes!
We would also like to acknowledge the following businesses and citizens who donated raffle items for the event. Proceeds from the raffle were donated to the emergency medical fund through Friends for Life Animal Rescue. Donations can be made to this fund year-round at the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Animal Shelter, 960 Lycoming Ave., McKinleyville or be mailed to FFL-EMF, P.O. Box 962, Eureka CA, 95501.
Ray's Food Place
Finnish Country Sauna
Redwood Yogurt
LaDolce Video
Valley West Subway
Bea Pre Golf Club
Tomo's
Arcata Pet
Hey Juan Burrito's
Blondies Spray Tan
Hair Unlimited
Couple Cups Coffee
North Coast Co-op
Belle Star
Tomas Jewelry
Imagine Jewelry
Starbucks Coffee
Diamond Dog food
Doug Blair
The Farm Store
Napa Auto Parts
Redwood Harley Davidson
Life Cycle
Yi-fang Imports
Eureka Fly Shop
Barney Barnwell
Cindy Anderson
Arcata Co-Op
Jim Marlatt
Smokin' Moses Barbecue
McKinleyville Ace Hardware
McKinleyville Animal Care
A&L Feed
Hair Unlimited
Cathy Pavlich
Mike Scullard
Sara Star
Kelley Barrett
Stacie Shelter
Gary and Shannon Chadwick
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HUMBOLDT COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE
INFORMATION BULLETIN
Date: 12-23-10
Subject: Suspicious Fire
On 12-23-10, approximately 1:47 a.m. Humboldt Fire District was dispatched to a residential structure fire at 4255 Union Street, Eureka. After fire personnel arrived on scene they learned from neighbors and relatives the tenant of the residence was unaccounted for. The Sheriff’s Office was notified of the fire and asked to respond due to unknown circumstances of the fire and possible missing tenant being in the burning building. When deputies arrived and met with relatives of the tenant, they learned the tenant of the residence is Gary Allen Croan, 54 years old of Eureka.
After the fire was extinguished, fire and sheriff personnel conducted a thorough search of the residence. No one was located in the residence. Arson investigators were called in to assist with determining the cause and origin of the fire, which is still under investigation. It is unknown what caused the fire at this time. The Sheriffs Office is attempting to locate Gary Croan to check his welfare and speak with him about the fire. Anyone with information about this fire or the location of Gary Croan is requested to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251.
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- Eureka City Council reconsiders plans for the Jefferson School site-Daniel Mintz Reports:
- District Attorney, Paul Gallegos, announced today that he is filing a felony child endangerment complaint in the matter in which a fireworks device detonated severely injuring a Ferndale girl, on July 4, 2010. Based on an investigation submitted by Cal Fire, Joe Marsh, will face charges which could result in up to 9 years in prison. Marsh is scheduled to be arraigned on January, 21, 2011, in Humboldt Superior Court.
- On early Friday evening, 12-17-10, at about 4:30 PM, the manager of the “Tilt”, at the Bayshore Mall, reported he was a victim of a robbery. The manager was in the office when the assailant entered the office and demanded he open the safe. When he refused, the unarmed assailant attacked the manager. The manager eventually yielded to the suspect’s demands. The suspect escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect is described as a white male adult, mid thirties, about 6’ or taller, medium build, with long straggly blondish hair down to about the collar. The suspect wore a black ball cap, possibly with a “Raiders” logo, a gray hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans. The suspect had one unique characteristic, a noticeably lazy or drifting left eye. Anyone who may have any information about the robbery or the suspect should contact Eureka Police Detective Ron Harpham, 441-4305.
- It’s the anniversary of the 1955 and 1964 floods. Heavy rains accompanied by runoff from an unusually large snowpack led to the flooding of the Mad and Eel Rivers in 1964. Total damages reached $100 million, with entire communities (including Pepperwood, the site of the 1955 fatality) being destroyed and 19 fatalities recorded. Millions of board feet of lumber, thousands of acres of prime farmland, and 4,000 head of livestock were also lost. For more information see the Humboldt County Historical Society-445-4342.
- When the U.S. Navy showed up in Fort Bragg last Thurs. night they faced a wide range of questions about the potential harm to marine mammals from their training range complex. For more information see Mendocino Coast Television.
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