Oregon sheriff continues stand against U.S. Forest Service abuse of power

Josephine County, Ore. — Two months ago Gil Gilbertson, the sheriff of this rural county in southern Oregon, drafted a 10-page report exploring the origins and extent of federal power within a state and emailed his findings to various parties, asking for comment. Since the report was in rough-draft form he was somewhat surprised that it went viral, but it shows there are a lot of people hungry for information about how much power (particularly law-enforcement power) the federal government actually wields within a state, where that power comes from, and the limits to that power. Gilbertson continued his research and recently completed a 13-page revised and updated version, retitled: Unraveling Federal Jurisdiction within a State.

Idaho sheriff issues warning to Bureau of Land Management

Gary Aman, the Sheriff of Owyhee County, Idaho has taken a bold step to protect private property rights. Faced with repeated incidents of what he believes to be trespass — acts of federal employees escorting anti-grazing extremists onto and across private property without permission — Sheriff Aman has served public notice of a policy which requires permission before such crossings. He has notified the Bureau of Land Management and members of the public that violation of the policy will be considered "trespass of private property."

Climategate 2.0: New emails rock global warming debate

A new batch of 5,000 emails among scientists central to the assertion that humans are causing a global warming crisis were anonymously released to the public yesterday, igniting a new firestorm of controversy nearly two years to the day after similar emails ignited the Climategate scandal.

AGO Report: What’s so great about it?

After glancing over the Obama Adminstration’s America’s Great Outdoors report, I began to ask myself: ‘What’s so great about it?’ Don’t get me wrong, the outdoors remains great — at least for now — but the plan for you to access it in the future clearly isn’t. I decided to call in some expert opinions on the subject, including Public Lands for the People President Jerry Hobbs and American Land Rights Association Executive Director Chuck Cushman. The report itself is a polished piece of public relations that is typical of government reports, but even more typical of the new era of political teflon, ‘transparency’ and teleprompters that we’ve come to expect from the Obama camp. As ALRA and the PLP suggest, the AGO report is just more doublespeak. Rest assured that the dog and pony show with its promises of conservation this and sustainable that is nothing more than a way the Obama Administration to appease radical environmentalists and then claim they’ve consulted the public before they lock up the land and natural resources.

Rockhound goes for the gold, adventure

Fred Siekmann started watching George “Buzzard” Massie on TV back in the early ’90s. As he watched more shows, Siekmann became more and more interested in gold prospecting and since he was already into gem hunting and rockhounding, he decided to try his luck at finding the yellow stuff. Later, he went to a Gold & Treasure Show in Mesa, Ariz., where he met the Buzzard and joined the GPAA. “He was a pretty neat guy,” he said. Since then, Siekmann, now GPAA’s Arizona State Director, has never looked back with any regrets and prospecting has been one of Siekmann’s greatest pastimes.

Land rights groups slam federal plan

Land rights and small-scale mining groups are calling the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative nothing more than another land grab attempt by the Obama Adminstration.

Both the American Land Rights Association and Public Lands for the People say the AGO Initiative is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

“It just a feel-good thing, while they grab your land and put you out of business,” said ALRA Executive Director Chuck Cushman.

The vague 102-page report and video on the federal government website talks about conservation and sustainable land use and urges outdoor recreation groups to stand behind government efforts to close off more public and private lands to development.

PLP backs miners’ freedoms

Do you ever wonder why it is that GPAA is so supportive of Public lands for the People, Inc? Why does GPAA donate an all expense paid two-week trip to Alaska to the PlP annual raffle? Why does GPAA donate booth space to PlP and then offer up Alaska trips for raffle at each GPAA gold show? Why do the gold show vendors donate prizes, as well? It’s really quite simple. It is good business and the right thing to do to support an organization that is fighting for the rights of miners and prospectors by filing lawsuits in state and federal courts to secure against the erosion of our statutory mining rights. radical environmentalists are hoodwinking the naïve, well-meaning public, bureaucrats and legislators into destroying American freedoms through prohibition and overregulation.

Urge senate to vote yes to defund EPA Corps Wetlands Regulations

Tell both your senators to vote Yes on “Barrasso Heller Amendment” to defund EPA Corps jurisdiction expansion. Call both your senators at (202) 224-3121. The EPA and Corps have published new regulations expanding the term “Navigable” so it could cover a bird feeder in your back yard. Don’t let the EPA and Corps get away with expanding their own jurisdiction and undermining the limits Congress placed on them by limiting their Jurisdiction to “Navigable Waters” in the Clean Water Act.
 
“The EPA and Corps actually want to control all waters of the United States and all activities affecting those waters. You do not want the EPA and Corps in your backyard,” said Chuck Cushman of American Land Rights Association. The Senate vote is slated for after the Thanksgiving holiday and Congressional Recess to defund the new EPA and Corps of Engineers Clean Water Act regulations. Please make your calls now! Keep calling through Thanksgiving week and after until you hear that the Senate has voted. Call, call again. Keep calling. Call your friends. 

Oregon calls for help

Former Karuk Tribal Councilman Gary Lake has called on GPAA members and the mining community to attend  a meeting on Friday, Nov. 18, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Jackson County Library in Medford, Oregon.

The meeting will explains how the KBRA/KHSA affects the Rogue Valley Water supply, property and water rights.

“Very few people in the Rogue Valley (southern Oregon) believe that what is happening in Siskiyou County can happen to them!  If I can get another 200 people to write comments to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar before Nov. 21 against dam removal, it will be of help,” Lake said.

”I know this is last minute, however, when I started fighting against dam removal and the socioeconomic extermination of the Shasta People as a Karuk Councilman 10 years ago, I pledged to fight to the very END! The end is near and I pray that I will have made a difference,” Lake wrote in an email.

"I warned the miners 10 years ago. They are going to try to shut down suction dredging on the Rogue River. You guys aren’t dredging in California right now. I told you guys this woud happen.”

Here is some information about the meeting provided by Lake:

Southern Oregon Water Under ATTACK-!!
Get Educated, FREE Public Presentation on Water and Property Rights
Over 30 percent of Rogue Valley (TID) Irrigation & Recreational Water at RISK!
Learn how to Defend Against Northern California Radical Environmentalists that have Set Sights on Southern Oregon Water! PROOF Straight from the Horse’s Mouths Craig Tucker/Steve Kandra

Cripple River Camp report

We are still awaiting an official report on the condition of the Cripple River Camp near Nome Alaska. But rest assured, it will be up and running by June 2012 — especially with all that fresh gold!