“If the bill had been brought forward in its current state, then they would not have voted for it,” said Alex Traverso, director of media relations for Levine. “So he opted to fight another day.”

Traverso said the primary concern was over the lack of local flexibility in the law, stating that some State Senators said that what worked for Los Angeles would not necessarily work for Sacrament or Mendocino.

The California Healthy Pets Act would have mandated the spaying and neutering of all non-permitted dogs and cats by 4 months old to address California’s shelter populations and euthanasia rates.

Traverso said Levine plans to continue to work on the bill in coming months to try and address the flexibility issues to satisfy concerned officials and reissue the bill at a later date if those compromises can be reached.

 

Santa Ynez Rancher Interrupts Marijuana Harvest

A local rancher interrupted a marijuana harvesting operation in the early evening hours of Tuesday July 10, when he stumbled upon a group of Hispanic men trespassing on the property and carrying green duffle bags of marijuana. The rancher was armed and searching for coyotes on his property off Happy Canyon Road when he observed eight men wearing camouflage clothing and carrying military style duffle bags. According to a statement issued by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, the rancher assumed the men were poachers and ordered them to stop. After attempting to detain the men, the rancher checked one of the bags and found marijuana. All the suspects fled the scene in different directions leaving some of the duffle bags behind. The suspects reportedly range from 18-35-years in age.

“This incident serves as a reminder to ranchers, residents and visitors to our backcountry. Individuals involved in the cultivation, harvest and production of marijuana and other illegal narcotics can be extremely dangerous,” said Erik Raney, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Department, in a statement released to the public. 

Sheriff’s Deputies were contacted and K-9’s were brought on site. However, no suspects were found. Deputies recovered 100 pounds of marijuana from the duffle bags. No arrests have been made and the suspects remain at large.

 

 

Three Men in Custody after Eradication of Marijuana Field near San Louis Obispo

Three men have been placed on immigration holds by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a July 6 marijuana eradication just east of the Twitchell Reservoir on Hwy 166 near San Luis Obispo, which yielded $195 Million worth of marijuana plants. Narcotics Officers from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department responded to a report of a possible marijuana field made by a helicopter crew flying a routine patrol of the area.

According to a statement released by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, The plants were located in nine separate grows within a short distance of the riverbed and water from the river was used in a sophisticated system of gravity fed irrigation. The plant sizes ranged from one to eight feet. From the camp scene authorities say that it is likely the operation had taken place for many seasons and the plants were tended by Mexican Nationals.

All three suspects, 35-year-old Francisco Hinojosa, 27-year-old Rafael L. Zavala and 34-year-old Pedro Alvarez are thought to be connected with the marijuana operation. Zavala and Hinojosa have been previously deported and may face felony immigration charges for illegal reentry into the country.   

“These illegal operations threaten the safety of our residents and visitors to the National Forrest as well as harming the environment,” said Erik Raney, public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, in a statement released to the public. “The increasingly large and sophisticated marijuana plantations are very often the work of dangerous drug cartels, and forest visitors or residents who happen upon them may be harassed or assaulted.”

Suspected Marijuana grows in Santa Barbara County should be reported to the Sheriff’s Narcotic Bureau at 737-7945 for North County or 681-4175 for South County.     

 

Fire Fighters Brave More Blazes

Amid the devastating Zaca fire, fire fighters are also responding to smaller fires in the Valley. The County Fire Department is still investigating a fire that occurred on Hwy 101 just seven miles north of Buellton at Woodchopper Grade July 11. More that 40 firefighters put down the roadside vegetation fire that started around 5 p.m. and was declared contained at approximately 6:30 p.m.

“It just so happened that three strike team rush engines were in the area, 15 engines and 48 and a helicopter that did three water drops on the fire’s edge,” said Public Information Officer Eli Iskow. “It helped that we had more fire fighters. We probably would have picked the fire up fine, but the mop up was handled much quicker.”

No structures were damaged on the Chamberlin Ranch and no injuries were reported.

“For roadside fires especially, people need to be cautious of burning materials near any vegetation and never pull off the road onto dry brush or grass,” Iskow said. “People also need to keep their car’s engine tuned as well.”

For more information about fire prevention, current updates on the Zaca fire and to sign up for the fire department’s Red Flag Alerts and public announcements, visit www.sbcfire.com