Something is definitely happening.
There’s a whole bunch of tight-lipped people at the Fortuna River Lodge right now. They’ve got satellite trucks. (Check the web cam
here
.) John Matthews of KHUM went down to try to get people to talk this afternoon; he was unsuccessful. But they did check his ID.
Supervisor Johanna Rodoni tells the
Journal
that Sheriff Gary Philp told her that the people at the River Lodge were federal agents, and it was definitely
not
a convention. (Last week, personnel from the Convention & Visitors Bureau said they knew nothing about any convention coming to town this week.)
Rodoni says Philp told her that all would likely be revealed soon.
There’s three police vehicles from Siskiyou County in the parking lot of the Red Lion, along with some large trucks.
The front desk at the River Lodge gives out an FBI number to reporters seeking more information.
Is it drug busts? Immigration?
UPDATE:
The DEA has denied, again and in no uncertain terms, that any sort of mass drug bust is planned for Humboldt, according to a story in tomorrow’s
Arcata Eye
. But the phone number given out at the River Lodge was for the FBI, not the DEA.
A lot of known unknowns right now. It might not be weed-related at all. Or maybe it is. Or maybe it’s completely innocuous, whatever it is — a conference or training or what have you. Though that seems less likely by the moment.
UPDATE:
Why FBI? The DEA is drugs and ICE is immigration. The DEA has strongly denied any big drug busts are coming down. Does the FBI do marijuana raids? Doesn’t seem plausible, unless they were trying to make some other kind of case — corruption, racketeering.
The FBI and ICE
do sometimes work together
, though, if there’s criminal cases to be made. And as the
Times-Standard
reported earlier this month
, the recent layoffs at the bulb farm were the beginning of an investigation, not the end of one. The point will be expanded upon in this week’s
North Coast Journal
cover story.
Go ahead and file this update under “wild speculation,” or “something to think about.”
UPDATE:
Turns out the FBI does do weed — see the link to the Clear Lake paper that Jason provides below.
UPDATE, 8:26 a.m.
: See
here
.
This article appears in Can’t Swim.
Fortuna, wasn’t that the site of most of the illegals working out at Sun Valley?
I mean, didn’t they live in Fortuna?
Yes. But FBI?
A firefighting command center seems far more likely. But thanks for giving the wingnuts enough to keep their beanies spinning another week.
It would but for the fact that it’s the FBI.
Firefighting?
“The front desk at the River Lodge gives out an FBI number to reporters seeking more information.”
Right.
So what did they tell you when you called the FBI line to inquire about the activity?
Well, so far the only reason we have to believe that it is the FBI is that the front desk gives out an FBI phone number. I want harder evidence.
Does anyone else think the blimp spotted in Eureka and Arcata have anything to do with this?
They hung up on John Matthews as soon as he identified himself. After that, they didn’t pick up the phone when he called or when I called.
The number was 703-630-0996, plus a 7-digit extension. Here’s the Google Search.
A Goodyear blimp travels through Humboldt County at least once a year and stops at the McKinleyville airport. I’ve never before heard people allege it was involved in law enforcement activity. And what precisely would a blimp do for the FBI? Extreme gas savings compared to helicopters?
Check the update above, if you’d like. If anything else comes up I’ll throw another one up there.
I heard they are working with the county to do some “code” enforcements.
What about the Red Lion? Any activity there?
Here on the Lower Eel, we live under a flight pattern, so we do see lots of local air traffic. There was a dark green double-blade helicopter that flew over our house on Friday, I believe. Also, a couple of weeks ago there was a small white airplane circling all over the Eel River Valley for several days, althought perhaps it was P.G. and E. looking at power lines. I don’t know. I guess I am getting use to the abundant air traffic these days. There are even ultralight riders spotted in the neighborhood this past year, but I believe they are a local outfit. One time I thought they were going to crash, they were right over my head.
FBI might have gotten pulled in because of the amount of fake SSN and other things (IE Paperwork) in the area?
FBI also works tribal lands. Food for thought.
All I hear is speculation. Narco, Immigration, anybody else want to throw DHS out there for the fun of it? It’s ALL speculation until something does or does not happen, this is ridiculous. All this seems to be doing is causing everyone a whole lot of stress and anxiety!
Federal agents seize medical marijuana at Clearlake dispensary:
“A few months earlier, in August 2007, the FBI seized 30 mature plants from the Lakeport home of Howard Holtz, as Lake County News reported.”
http://lakeconews.com/content/view/4377/764/
My guess is that they are here for the pot clinics and thier primary suppliers.
For a few folks with home gardens surely it’s stressful, but for the rest of us it’s very interesting.
Immigration is DHS, Liz.
It’s a fact that the people answering the phone at the River Lodge gave a reporter an FBI phone number when he was looking for contacts. A very specific FBI phone number.
Sheriff Gary Philp told Johanna Rodoni (according to Johanna) that the people at the River Lodge were federal agents, and that they were not there for a convention or training. Also, according to Rodoni, Philp said that we would probably all find out what they were up to very soon, and more or less at the same time.
It’s a fact that people at the River Lodge refused to tell John Matthews what they were doing there, and had given strange and contradictory answers when the cashier at the mini-mart across the street asked what they were doing. You don’t usually get that with a firefighter command center, or even at a law enforcement training session.
Jason’s link:
A few months earlier, in August 2007, the FBI seized 30 mature plants from the Lakeport home of Howard Holtz, as Lake County News reported.
So there you go. I guess the FBI does do weed.
I’m sure that whatever it may be, will probably be revealed soon enough. I’m sure the good ole’ Sheriff wouldn’t lie to anyone.
I haven’t known him to, and I’d expect that he’d at least need a reason to do so. You have a theory why Philp might lie about this matter? Let’s hear it.
I’m in no way, whatsoever, saying that the man is lying. Nor do I have a theory. This is all just too funny to me, that’s all. I’ve been reading these various DEA/FBI/ICE speculation boards for the last day or so and it’s amazing to me all the different opinions everyone has about what may or may not happen.
For whatever it’s worth, the DEA was involved in some raids in Mendocino County according to this Ukiah Daily Journal story dated June 20:
http://tinyurl.com/5skvow
Sounds like they were just helping out and I believe they said earlier on they just might well be doing so, if memory serves me correct.
No mention of the FBI, though.
What about taxes? Does the FBI assist the IRS with tax cases?
How many growers pay taxes? How would the FBI track a tax related tax case? What about fraud? how many growers use fraud to get cheaper PG&E electric rates ( no reportable income qualifies for energy rate deductions?) and what about welfare or food stamp fraud related to grow operations? By the way, sales of dope are illegal under 215, unreported income is illegal at state and fed level: would the FBI be involved in any of those investigations or are these things only in IRS jurisdiction ( whose enforcement branch has been defunded by the Bush administration)
It’s not the Goodyear Blimp, it is the Outback Steakhouse Blimp. Unless they’re both in town.
Ohh, well, that changes everything. Mechanics good. Steak eaters bad.
Be afraid. Be very afraid. A very large, very conspicuous, very noisy and very slow object is floating your way.
Google Fuji Blimp NYPD and see the power of the spy blimp- it can track thousands of targets and see through walls.
They must be after us bloggers, you know, how they hate free speech and all.
Really, they heard that the best place for burgers is in Hobbitton and bingo, here they come!
whats up with the blimp, saw it last night heading to the airport. Hank are you photoshoping these photos for some kind of cheap thrill…you feeding khum and JohnM. with fake news…is this some kind of new journalism?
If we’re in the speculation game, could it have anything to do with large Mexican national grows on federal lands?
Wait a dang minute…isn’t that the same truck set up they used when they came to get E.T?
[…] North Coast’s series of photos from the River Bend Lodge in Fortuna. Feds Real? Go time From the Sheriff’s […]
tune into KMUD if you want to know what’s happening
I’ve tuned into KMUD 3 different times this morning and all they’ve been talking about is the fires. KHUM and KSLG seem to have more about the fed’s current activity.
recognize it! they are here. humboldt has become far too world known too not have this happen ..
and what caused the fires? does anyone know that much? its kinda coincidence that the big raid is happening at the same time as the fires. they want to keep the bust athon operation secret, so our attention turns to “the fires”. these people are insane
The storm on Friday started the fires. It is a coincidence.
Wow i didn’t know that. am i only the only one who feels like something huge is going on? its giving me anxiety for the people who are getting busted. whats going to happen to our economy.
we dont even have an outback steakhouse.. wierd.
They do say that paranoia will destroy ya.
i think it’s way past paranoia, i mean i have nothing to worry about but if you think about it its goin g to affect us all.
[…] Following week long rumors of a massive DEA operation in Humboldt, information began trickling out last night on a possible FBI raid. […]
ok evreyone knows meth is a problem more then marijuana in this county. next time can we please have meth busta thon ? and target all the meth labs. that would actually do us some good.
Everyone needs to drive by the Red Lion and Riverlodge at 3 or 4 a.m. and HONK YOUR CAR HORN endlessly as you drive by. At least we can keep those asshole scumbags from getting any sleep!!!
Eureka P.D. has squad car in R.L.parking lot at night.Besides this is not a fishing expedition they know who they’re after & like the Mounties they always get their man!
A big thing that concerns me about this is our economy. Is no one concerned about the impact of all this? I hate to remind you all that our economy largely depends on these horticulturalists. Maybe not the big timers- I am not in a position to educate you on economics but I’m getting a little tired of reading about the bad bad pot growers when the other major source of income in Arcata is HSU (who’s not doing so hot either!!) Let’s try to use our minds to save this beautiful community not act like gossiping housewives.
Carol – It’s not , ” althought ” it’s
although . You got so many errors in your spelling that I’m afraid I’m going to have to send you and Fred back to
grammer school to learn some english !
“Grammer” school?
daf,
You talk about “welfare or food stamp fraud related to grow operations?” Who do you think these growers are? FLDS members?