Pubdate: Fri, 13 Aug 2010
Source: Willits News (CA)
Copyright: 2010 Willits News
Contact:  http://www.willitsnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4085
Author: Dave Oncale
Note:  Dave Oncale is a Willits-area resident and businessman.

STATE OF EMERGENCY

One of the few "smart" things I have heard out of a board of
supervisors meeting in a long time is a "state of emergency." It
should be instituted immediately, but, not limited to the National
Forest, but, countywide.

Supervisors pretend the county itself doesn't have a problem. Those
Mexican cartels in the MNF, that's the problem. Each and every
supervisor needs to get in a plane and take an air tour of our county.
It's rampant, everywhere!

Let's focus on the National Forest. and maybe everyone will forget the
rest of the county is going to crap.

I have been asked, what Dave would do if I were in their position.
First, I would tear up the Mendocino County marijuana ordinance. It
was a one-sided document Supervisor John McCowan and his pot-growing
buddies devised to circumvent Measure B. If an ordinance is needed,
then we should have input from both sides of the issue, not just pot
proponents, something that considers the safety and well being of our
community, not the political aspirations of a few individuals and the
proliferation of drug trafficking.

I would contact our county officials to the south of the Bay Area and
find out how they seem to be able to place strict limits on pot
operations, yet Mendocino County is expanding pot operations. Voters
made it clear that is not what they wanted when we passed Measure B.

Why is it that pot in Covelo is being transported to San Diego?
Because they don't tolerate 99 plants, 25 plants, or even 10 plant
grows in San Diego and other counties.

I would push to declare the whole county in a state of emergency. The
whole thing is out of control. With that much cash floating around,
how many of our government officials are being bought off? Why do some
push so hard to promote marijuana growers? Is it just rumors that
certain people are ignored in the pot sweeps? I don't know for sure,
do you? Why the sudden interest in the Mexicans in Mendocino National
Forest when there are commercial grows outside of the national forest?
If we are going to have a "state of emergency," let's not limit it to
MNF. People are getting murdered outside MNF over pot.

Transient Mexican nationals apparently a new politically correct name
for illegal aliens who are arrested, detained, or convicted of a
crime, should be held for federal immigration authorities. Why a
deputy is put in a position to have to shoot and kill an illegal alien
who was already was a convicted felon in this county is just
unbelievable. He should have been turned over to ICE as soon as he was
done serving his time. Not released on probation to run back to Covelo
to grow more dope and threaten law enforcement. Illegal aliens should
be turned over to ICE, not released back into the community.

As far as our national forest goes, our fearless leader in Washington
needs to have his bell rang. It is a national forest and federal
jurisdiction. The federal government has way more manpower and
capabilities to interdict drug traffickers in the national forest. I
would raise hell on every media outlet to get the attention of those
in D.C. who want our votes but disappear into the political game after
they are elected.

If the local U.S. Forest Service leadership can't get things done,
let's get our local senator and congressman involved. Better yet, take
them deer hunting in MNF.

Midterm elections are coming up; if they can't help, see ya! The
county does not have manpower, money, or resources to spend in the
national forest.

I would demand that the feds bring in the DEA, ATF, ICE, and every
other alphabet letter they have at their disposal and do something
about it.

But, you can't have your cake and eat it to. The whole county needs to
be cleared up of these growers. Yes, that means some of your political
associates and pot-growing buddies will get busted, too.

It's pretty bad when one of the most liberal people in the county asks
for a 24-hour checkpoint into the National Forest. I didn't think
"checkpoint" was even in her vocabulary.

Close to 80 percent of the foreclosures we inspect are homes where the
garage or the whole home was converted to a pot grow, illegal
electrical wiring is in place, and ducting run between living areas. A
great environment for the kids living in these places.

I would insure that every time a search warrant is served and a home
found to have been converted illegally, that is does not get occupied
until the home is inspected by a county building inspector, violations
noted, and all additions, wiring, and ducting be removed or brought up
to code. Why give the next pot grower a set-up operation?

Why is it the working taxpayers in this county have to bend over
backwards to satisfy a group of drug traffickers? I just don't get it.
Medical marijuana is a total lie and a front PR campaign for the
proliferation of drug trafficking by individuals who are profiting off
the backs of the citizens who pay taxes. Legalization is a farce, and
Measure G brought the cartels and commercial growers here, and people
know it.

Supervisor McCowan says the pot problem won't go away as long as the
prices are artificially inflated. What? The pot problem won't go away
until our supervisors take a stand like the majority of the state
does, and county leaders think more about the working public and
public safety, and less about the feelings of local pot growers.

Legalization of marijuana in California will not solve anything. It
will make California the "go-to" place to come buy drugs, but will do
little or nothing to the price. As long as the federal government and
other states consider marijuana a felony, legalization in California
will mean nothing. There are just too many states in this nation that
will never legalize it, hence "artificially inflated" prices will continue.

Mexican cartels are still moving marijuana across the border by the
ton each week. Legalization in California will just give them a longer
border.
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MAP posted-by: Matt