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December 20
1892 - Benjamin Harrison establishes 555,520-acre San Gabriel Timberland Reserve (Angeles National Forest). First forest reserve in California, second in U.S. [story]
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The Board of Supervisors is expected to sign an agreement Tuesday that would provide $232,000 in federal funds for the Sheriff’s Department to bust marijuana grows on public lands throughout the county.

The agreement would allow the Sheriff’s Department to participate in the federal Drug Enforcement Agency’s 2016 Domestic Cannabis Eradication Suppression Program, or DCESP.

If approved, the DEA would pay $232,000 to the Sheriff’s Department to defray costs of eradicating and suppressing illegal grows of marijuana.

The DEA has been working to suppress the growth of marijuana in the United States, which is “the only major drug of abuse grown within our (county’s) borders,” according to a report from Sheriff Jim McDonnell.

The primary goal of the the program is to investigate, arrest and prosecute those who are using public lands for commercial growing and illicit distribution of marijuana.

In 2015, the Sheriff’s Department conducted 48 operations: about 117,869 plants were eradicated, 15 firearms were seized, 17 felony arrests were made, and 9,550 pounds of trash were removed from the forest.

According to McDonnell’s report, the “use of public lands to grow cannabis causes severe damage to the environment, harming forests, streams, and wildlife population. … Illegal growers who aggressively guard their plants also pose a serious threat and safety hazard to citizens and tourists who hike and visit these public lands for recreation.”

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25 Comments

  1. D.j. Smetana says:

    Dude. That’s totally bogus man.

  2. Good! Money well spent. These pot head dealers are hurting our young people. Mark my word, no good will come from legalizing Pot!!

  3. Really, such a waste of Federal Funds. Wake up and see the lie that has been feed to all of us regarding marijuana. I’ve decided to take the red pill!

  4. Ralph Green says:

    Legalizing marijuana won’t harm kids. If its legal its regulated just like alcohol. It’ll have the same laws. Dont drive high and Dont buy for kids simple enough.

  5. Dave Rickmers says:

    I doubt any reputable compassionate care
    facility buys cannibus grown in such
    conditions. These grows are driven by the
    underground demand. The War on Drugs is destroying the forest. Pot is safer than
    milk. The Auto Club recently stated that
    there is no evidence weed alone significantly
    impairs the ability to drive. They are an
    insurance company. Pot regulates itself.

  6. Juan Godina says:

    That’s marijuana money being used by the feds yo
    Worried about all the wrongs things

  7. How about using those funds for homeless shelters , or people in need … Instead of busting some chops over something that’s “on its way to be legal in the future ” ?

  8. rather notsay says:

    How about the pills in the medicine cabinets that are causing more destruction and addictions leading into drugs that are harmful? You will never find a pothead causing damage or violence, or stealing to buy weed.

    • SCVNews.com says:

      Obviously many commenters are unfamiliar with the damage these pot farmers to do our PUBLIC forests (and the plants and animals in them), which is what this funding is for.

  9. dennis says:

    The prison industrial complex Always needs more slaves.Usa incarcerate more people for victim less crimes the all of the communist country put together.Law enforcement take more Money,Cars,Property,And what ever else they want.IF you cant afford the outrageous fines for a traffic tickets these days they take your lic. sure they community service but you cant work a regular job when doing you community this SERVICE they make you be there at six in the morning and work all day five days a week so then you have to feed your family they suspend your drivers lic,then take your car then you lose your job and your home.Living in the wash then they arrest you for that.They dont care about you or me only there own self preservation.Violating there oaths of office and never being called out on these crimes.We have INALIENABLE rights one of witch is to travel.If law enforcement converts your rigjts in to a crime its a felony.No man can take these rights away.Givin to you by god.So the key here is not to call them constitutional rights because those have all ready been taken away from the American people.If you dont know your rights you dont have any.Dont think this cant happen to you.Its happened to 4 millon Californians so far that are travelling not driving.And because there not part of commerce.You dont need to register your car to the privately owned Dmv and you dont have to pay insurance as long as you dont harm anyone or there property your good.If they take your car with out your consent they are breaking the law!!

  10. Weed is not the issue. Let’s focus on the drug that is killing and ruining families…..HEROIN

  11. Open your eyes and realize that Heroin is the problem. Put the money to better use. Marijuana will be legal soon enough, concentrate on the drugs that are killing our teenagers. And for those of you that are Marijuana haters…marijuana/CBD cured my son of his ulcerative colitis. He went from a death bed to healthy.

  12. Sarah says:

    What a waste of money. How about focusing on more important things? Anyone ever heard of an overdose of pit? It’s actually a medicine, people. Educate yourself. http://www.drugpolicy.org/blog/how-did-marijuana-become-illegal-first-place

  13. jon doe says:

    Waste of money hate this Republican city, ignorant enough to even say marijuana harmful do research finish what your reading as well. And bad for the environment. What a stupid thing to say. Its a plant that brings life. How is that bad.

  14. Jeanne says:

    Stopping Heroin, and Meth are where every penny should go.

  15. Jeanne says:

    SCVTV I am aware of the damage caused by illegal pot grown in the local hills and forest. Weird that you would assume that we don’t know about that.

    I feel that the forest dept. and the local Sheriff’s dept. can continue to work on that without this large infusion of cash.

    It is not a matter of whether it is needed, it is a matter of what is needed more. Our kids are dying. The forest will survive, our kids won’t. Get more money to help with that!

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