Liz Writes Life
July 28, 2021
Sure did appreciate Assemblywoman Megan Dahle’s press release
in last week’s edition. It was titled: Illegal marijuana growers pose threat to
communities, ecosystems in the North State. Boy, did she hit the nail on the
head. The crime syndicates are working hard to take over our county. I am
grateful Assemblywoman Dahle was able to take the aerial tour to see the
immensity of the illegal greenhouse grows and toxic, garbage-filled areas in
the A-12 Shasta Valley area.
State agencies, especially anything to do with the
environment, should be aghast at the devastation to the environment. Why the Bureau
of Cannabis Control, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the
State Water Resources Control Board, the California Department of Fish and
Wildlife, the National Guard, and the Department of Justice are not up here –
in force – is frustrating and beyond my comprehension. Our county needs support
from these state agencies.
Siskiyou County also needs help from federal agencies
starting with more law enforcement. Our California Dist. 1 Congressman Doug
LaMalfa is seeking help from federal agencies. He has reported “threats” that
have been made towards our sheriff and the county to the FBI asking for help.
We also need U.S. Marshals, Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Wildlife
Service officials here to see first-hand the destruction and help abate it.
Last week, LaMalfa released four videos specific to the main
issues with these organized crime activities. The videos are short from three
to six minutes long and packed with visuals and information. You can find the
videos on “Rep. Doug LaMalfa” youtube page. The name of the videos are: “Rep.
LaMalfa, Sheriff LaRue and Supervisor Haupt at the illegal grows”; “Siskiyou
OES visit to discuss Lava fire and illegal grows”; “Inside the grows and the
impact on the environment”; and “Bulldozing the grows”.
LaMalfa said, “I went to see firsthand the massive
amount of organized crime and illegal cartel grow operations overwhelming
Siskiyou County. The rapid growth of this criminal enterprise was staggering.
Just a few years ago the area was sparsely populated with juniper and scrub
brush dotting the rocky hillsides at the base of Mt. Shasta. Now, thousands of
illegal grows have filled the landscape with large greenhouses. Trash,
illegally used pesticides, human waste and fuel cover the ground that has been
scraped bare of organic matter with nothing but dust left. Nothing about the
organized criminal grows in Siskiyou county is legal. These grow sites are
destroying our environment. Local wildlife is now nonexistent in the area. This
level of criminality cannot be tolerated.”
LaMalfa’s press release also stated: A court order won by
District Attorney Kirk Andrus allowed a portion of the over 4000 illegal grow
sites to be bulldozed and begin environmental remediation. The good work of
Sheriff Jerimiah LaRue enforcing the water limitations into the grow areas has
been effective in reducing some of the criminal operations. Siskiyou County
needs the help of the Federal and State government to help solve this problem.
I send a big “thank you” to both Assemblywoman Dahle and Rep.
LaMalfa for their huge efforts and support on this overwhelming criminal situation.
Garden
Yep, there was another deer problem last week. While visiting
with friends in my living room, Ed happened to look out the sliding glass
window to see a doe standing there! This meant she had walked up the stairs. By
the time I made it to the door, she had jumped the rail and ran out the other
side of the porch. Sheesh.
So the next morning, I doubled the plastic fencing and placed
in front of the steps. It looks formable with more baling twine hanging on it.
I did attach it like a Portuguese gate against the opposite fence. I also
unrolled the netting at the other end of the garden fence to block-off that end
of the porch. On Thursday afternoon, the doe was spotted standing on the patio
looking at the porch. Darn, she will continue to try and get in the garden.
I do feel sorry for the deer and wildlife as there isn’t much
food out there due to this drought. I was hand-irrigating the other morning and
the doe with twin fawns strolled along the fence (wishful thinking). The babies
were bouncing and cavorting around. They are cute until they get in the garden!
Began picking cucumbers last week and made two quarts of dill
pickles. Volunteer dill is growing several places. It seems to like to grow
with the pink hollyhocks. The garden looks like it is thriving as the pumpkin,
tomatoes and zucchini plants are getting big along with the blooming zinnias,
Black eye Susans, calendula, pink-petal Echinacea and four-foot tall comfrey.
The rhubarb is holding its own in this heat and I continue to give it extra
water every day.
May peace and calm be with you this week. Smile – just cuz it
makes you feel better!
Liz Bowen began writing ranch and farm news, published in
newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County. Columns from the past
can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.
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