In their own backyard Public stewardship of public lands in the Mattole sets example for generations to come


The Times-Standard
One sunny day in April, 35 volunteers gathered on Pros­per Ridge in the King Range National Conservation Area to work on a grassland restoration project with the California Conservation Corps’ Watershed Stewards Project. The volunteers, pri­marily students, removed 434 encroaching young Douglas fir trees from the grassland, and planted 233 native grass plugs that were grown at the Mattole Restoration Coun­cil’s native plant nursery.

This kind of thing — col­laborative efforts at the grass­roots level, public steward­ship of public lands — has been going on for decades in the Mattole Valley. In fact, the council is about to celebrate its 30th anniversary and the community is invited.

Watershed Stewards Project member Nick Tedesco, placed with the Mattole Restoration Council and the Mattole Salmon Group, organized “Help the Grass­lands Prosper on Prosper Ridge,” an event which edu­cated students on the com­plexities of grassland restora­tion and provided hands-on restoration experience.

“There is a lot of work that still needs to get done up there (on Prosper Ridge.) It looked like we didn’t do much today, but I know we did good,” said visiting stu­dent Tim Campbell. He is one of many students who have been coming to the Mattole Valley for the past eight years with the Gateway Mountain Center, an out­door environmental educa­tion organization based in Soda Springs. He was joined by local high school students from the Mattole Valley who took special pride in this stewardship activity on the public land that is their own backyard.

Fir encroachment due to fire suppression is one cause of grassland loss in the King Range NCA. The event was designed to remove young Douglas fir that have been steadily advancing into his­torical grassland areas, there­by helping prevent ground fires from becoming intense canopy fires in the encroach­ing forest, as well as encour­aging diverse wildlife habi­tats. Deer, rodents and rap­tors are just a few of the many species that utilize grasslands, which have been decreasing at an alarming rate through­out the watershed and along the coast.

According to its website, the objectives and purpose of the Mattole Restoration Council are “the restoration of natural systems in the Mattole River Watershed and their mainte­nance at sustainable levels of health and productivity, especially in regards to forests, fisheries, soil and other plant and animal com­munities.” The council pur­sues this goal, in part, by pur­suing “the education and involvement of watershed residents and landholders in the process of watershed recovery, maintenance and preservation of natural sys­tems, and cooperating and communicating with com­munity-based groups with similar goals in other water­sheds.” The public is invited to help the Mattole Restoration Council celebrate its 30th anniversary on June 8 at the Mattole Grange Hall. The gates will open at 3:30 p.m.. There will be “Restoration Olympics” field games with prizes, a photography con­test, a kids’ story-writing con­test, ongoing family activities, music outside and indoors, dinner, and a ceremony hon­oring the council. Absynth Quintet will entertain from 7 to 8 p.m. and Moonalice from 8:30 to 11 p.m. Admis­sion is free during the day, with snacks, desserts, drinks available all afternoon. Din­ner is $10 for adults, $5 for kids, and the music portion of the evening is $20.





The Shasta County Sheriff's Office is investigating a triple homicide in Shingletown, CA. A be on the lookout has been issued for the suspect, Shane Franklin Miller. Miller is believed to be armed and dangerous, and police say he might be in the Petrolia-Honeydew area, where he may have a cache of weapons. 
 
Miller is wanted for the deaths of his wife and two children, Sandy Miller, 34, Shelby Miller, 8, and Shasta Miller 4. They were found dead inside their home on Alpine Way in Shingletown Tuesday night. Shasta Sheriff’s Officials are pursuing leads in the Northern California Region, a nationwide manhunt bulletin has been issued.
 
Shane Franklin Miller is described as a white male, red hair, blue eyes, 5’10”, 200 pounds, DOB 05/08/1968, 45 years of age.

Mattole Valley Manhunt continues.........
*Community meeting at Honeydew School, 5pm, Wednesday, May 15.

Q&A with Sheriff Mike Downey and Supervisor Rex Bohn.

Kathy Radke 

May 15 


     Sheriff Mike Downey told a crowd at the Honeydew School this evening that the search for Shane Miller will soon wind down, although for another week or two, six or seven deputies will remain in the Mattole Valley to provide a rapid response if evidence emerges that Miller is still in the area.  Lynda Roush of BLM announced that the King Range Conservation Area, including the Mattole Beach, will remain closed through May 30 unless Miller is found.

     Downey said that there have been no confirmed sightings of Miller since last Wednesday, and searches in the King Range have found no trace of him, although personnel from many agencies have been involved, and search tactics have ranged from stake-outs at the Smith-Etter and Big Flat cabins and other areas to which Miller might be attracted, to fine-scale searches in the area where Miller's truck was found abandoned.  Downey noted that Miller could be dead, could still be at large in the King Range, or could be elsewhere.  Based on the negative results of the search, he thinks the second possibility is least likely.   However, he noted that noted that area is large and rugged, that Miller is a skilled woodsman, and that he is good at avoiding arrest.  Years ago he was charged with possessing a machine gun, and it took five years to bring him into custody. 

   In response to questions, Downey reported that members of Miller's family have been questioned, and there is no evidence that any are helping him.  Many of his acquaintances have also been questioned, and have offered diverse opinions about where Miller might be or what he might do.  His cell phone has not been detected since last Wednesday.   Downey acknowledged that early in the search some searches of structures did not follow normal procedures, on account of the extraordinary circumstances.  However, he emphasized that the search has been for Miller only; on several occasions deputies have turned their backs on evidence of non-violent felonies.  

 In contrast to the Sunday meeting in Petrolia, the Honeydew meeting was more relaxed and had somewhat the flavor of a political event.  Besides Sheriff Downey, supervisors Rex Bohn and Estelle Fennell were present and spoke briefly, and thanks and praise were extended all around. 

 -John Williams and Kathy Radke

Information posted re-Meeting held at Petrolia,
Mattole Valley Community Center,
 Sunday 5-12-2013.

On Sunday afternoon, Lt. Steven Knight of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department and Lt. Mark Lillibridge of the Shasta County Sheriff’s Department met with local residents at the Mattole Valley Community Center in Petrolia to explain what law enforcement knows and does not know about the Shane Miller case, and what has been and will be done.  The following summary is from their initial remarks and their response to questions.

Directly after the shooting, Shasta County deputies began interviewing people who know Miller well, and they identified the King Range as the place Miller probably would go.  Subsequently, he was seen in Petrolia in his truck by an old acquaintance, with whom Miller briefly talked.  By her report, Miller seemed “defeated” and not angry.  Police converged on Petrolia on all routes, but did not find his truck until they began searching private roads.  They secured the truck, but waited until reinforcements and daylight arrived to begin searching.  The initial search included scent-trained dogs, but no sign of Miller has been found.  The search now includes dogs trained to find cadavers, in case Miller has killed himself. 

The search is continuing on several fronts simultaneously, and by several means.  In addition to the local area near where the truck was found, the search has included locations in the King Range that informants have suggested as possible destinations. Miller is said to be a very competent woodsman. Trained man-trackers are involved, as well as infra-red imaging methods. How long the search will continue at its current intensity is being re-assessed daily, and will depend on whether any sign of Miller is found, the need for police resources elsewhere, etc.  However, some police presence will be maintained in the Mattole Valley for some time, to allow a rapid response in case of developments.  For the time being, roadblocks will be maintained at Honeydew and on the road from Petrolia to Ferndale. 

 The police regard this as a domestic violence case, albeit of the worst sort, and evidence that Miller intends to harm others is weak.  A note expressing anger at estranged family members was found in his truck, but it did not contain threats, and none of the named persons live in the Mattole Valley.  However, he is clearly a violent person, and they regard him as armed and very dangerous.  Miller owned various weapons, and ammunition for a powerful handgun was found in the truck, but what weapons he had with him is unknown.  There is no evidence that he had a cache of weapons somewhere in the King Range.

The deputies recommended that people call 911 if they see Miller; do not confront him.  If people see signs that someone has entered buildings, or other evidence that he may by in their area, call 911 or the fire department; the deputies will check it out.  While searching, police will not enter buildings without permission, unless there are signs of forced entry.  If you are away from home, lock the doors but keep the curtains open enough that police can see in, should they be searching the area. The deputies also recommend that in the near-term people stay in with the doors locked at night, keep their cars locked, and exercise more than normal caution during the day, but that people resume normal activities during the day to the extent they are comfortable doing do.  Schools can re-open; the police will maintain a child-friendly presence at the schools, and there will be other officers nearby.   

Questions and discussion at the meeting identified communication difficulties and other problems; people felt they were not promptly informed of the danger, or that buildings that should have been checked were not.  This was not contested, but the deputies pointed out the problems they faced coming into an unfamiliar area and trying to organize a difficult search. Communication about on-going activities was also identified as a problem, and a way to post daily updates using existing community networks was quickly worked out. 

Residents from Honeydew, 15 miles up the valley, where Miller grew up, were also present, and asked that there be more of a police presence there.  The Humboldt County Sheriff’s representative asked that another meeting be arranged in a few days. The next community meeting will be held Wednesday at 5 pm in the multipurpose room of the Honeydew school.
 
-report by John Williams and Kathy Radk

Mattole Valley - Driving Conditions

Bridge to Ridge Run-4/14/2013

Glenda Short
Mattole Valley Women's Club
Citizen of the Year, 2013.

Honeydew Volunteer Fire Company-3/30/13 

Remembering James Carpenter - Honeydew Camp - 1-19-2013

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