Pot Bust Located Near Unaware Home
Imagine this…walking around your own property and stumbling upon someone else's secret pot farm growing a couple hundred yards from your own house. It is the first big pot bust of the year, but authorities say it is nothing compared to what is to come. The property owners found the multi-million dollar operation growing on their land near Fern Road in Whitmore. They called authorities after discovering the elaborate garden just 300 yards from their home. The Shasta County Marijuana Eradication Team was there on Thursday. Agents seized 9,000 plants in the bust, but say the area was being prepared for as many as 20,000 in all. They say it is early in the marijuana season, but by the way things are going, the marijuana problem in this area is indeed on the rise. The site was complete with tents, food and hundreds of yards of irrigation hoses. Agents say that this is an elaborate garden that may be related to a drug cartel. The marijuana that was seized was only in its beginning stages. At its full potential, it would have sold for $40 million dollars on the streets. Agents have not made any arrests, but they do have several leads. This tip is just one of 50 that the Shasta County Marijuana Eradication Team has collected so far this season. Usually, agents monitor the area to find out who the suspects are, but because the garden was located so close to someone's home, they wanted to take care of the problem right away.
Wildfire Rages Western Tehama County
An out-of-control wildfire is raging as fire crews worry that the wind could make the situation even worse. We are keeping a close eye on the Colyear Fire. It is burning about 35 miles west of Red Bluff, east of Colyear Springs, heading east toward Red Bank Creek. No structures are threatened, and crews have been working around the clock to get it under control. We just got the latest numbers in from Cal-Fire. The fire has burned 1057 acres, and is 5% contained. The multi-agency effort has 235 firefighters working the blaze, including additional support from two helicopters in the sky and six inmate crews on the ground. This fire started when a Tehama County man started a control burn on his property on Saturday. When it got out of control, he called in private contractors to try and put it out. When that did not work, he called Cal-Fire. A crewmember said that if they cannot get control of this blaze, it could be a dire situation. They will, of course, be working through the night, trying to build a 5-mile line around the fire.
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Local Headlines
Update on Colyear Fire
A wildfire is still raging in Tehama County, but crews are battling more than just the blaze. Now, they are facing winds and soaring temperatures too. The weather is proving to be a key factor in the Colyear Fire. It has been burning since Saturday, when a controlled burn got away. So far, it has burned 2,000 acres, about 35 miles west of Red Bluff, east of Colyear Springs. The wind picked up Thursday afternoon, but firefighters have been able to get the fire 55% contained. Crews spent the day digging a line around the fire by hand because bulldozers could not get into the area. A total of five structures, including homes, cabins and outbuildings have been threatened. Fire officials hope to have the fire contained by Friday.
Chico PD vs. Redding PD in Fundraiser Game
Members of the Redding and Chico Police Departments should be practicing their shooting right now: hoops, not guns. Friday night, the Redding and Chico PD's tip off a fundraising basketball game to raise money for Ryan Taylor. The 19-year old Foothill High School graduate has a brain tumor. All the money raised will help pay for his treatments. It is for a good cause, but you can bet there is going to be some friendly competition! If you would like to see the cops taking shots at each other, verbally and otherwise, the game starts Friday night at 7 pm at Foothill High. Doors open at 6. Tickets are only $5. There will be a barbecue and a half-time shoot-out between Chico's Captain and Redding's Chief of Police. Again, with basketballs.
Water Cut Backs Begin Surfacing
The lack of rainfall this season is starting to force local water districts to think about limiting water to customers. That is what is happening in Bella Vista. The Bureau of Reclamation has cut normal water allocations almost in half this season, so changes are definitely going to have to be made. A meeting has been set to talk about proposed restrictions and possible rate increases. It will start at 5:30 Monday night at the Bella Vista Water District office.
