DFG lawsuit Hearing

[Seamus]

California Fish and Game director resigns

http://www.sacbee.com/politics/story/2272575.html
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By Matt Weiser
mweiser@sacbee.com
//$(document).ready(function(){ // $("#bug").dialog("autoOpen","false"); //}); Published: Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009 - 12:00 am | Page 4A
The director of California's Department of Fish and Game is resigning after 18 months in the position.
Donald Koch was appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in April 2008 and had a somewhat controversial confirmation process in the Legislature.
Lawmakers allowed the entire yearlong confirmation period to run before certifying him. Democratic leaders used the confirmation process to pressure the administration to improve the department rather than to criticize Koch.
Citing reasons "unrelated to my duties" in a Wednesday letter to the governor, obtained by The Bee, Koch said his resignation is effective Nov. 1.
"I am truly grateful for the opportunity you provided me to serve as director," he wrote.
Department spokeswoman Jordan Traverso said Koch wasn't available for comment and declined to elaborate on the reason for his departure. She said Koch was not asked to resign and his reasons have nothing to do with his duties at the department or friction with the administration.
Koch was formerly director of Fish and Game's North Coast Region and maintains a home there. He came out of retirement to take the director's job and has lived in Sacramento, apart from his family, for much of that time.
"He is leaving for personal reasons and to spend more time with his family," Traverso said.
The administration, she said, won't consider naming a replacement until after Nov. 1.
Before Koch was appointed, Fish and Game was overseen by an interim director for seven months after the 2007 resignation of Ryan Broddrick, who was appointed by Schwarzenegger in 2004.
Koch's departure comes at a difficult time for the state as it struggles with challenges, including game warden shortages, budget problems that hinder wildlife management and historic efforts to rewrite water law, restore the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and adopt marine sanctuaries.
"This is somewhat shocking," said Todd Tognazzini, president of the California Fish and Game Wardens Association. "We have been through a substantial number of directors over a very short period of time. But if he's got personal reasons, we certainly would respect that."
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Call The Bee's Matt Weiser, (916) 321-1264.

[patrick wallace]

re. This is somewhat shocking. Iwant to say WT(f).., gill nettin.... Yes shocking. Welcome to planet Earth.

[jerhobbs]

Hello friends, fellow miners and dredgers.
Friday I met with David Young, the attorney hired by Public Lands for the People to defend the right of the People of the State of California to exercise their right to dredge in California waterways. Teamed up with Jerry Hobbs and PLP, he has made excellent progress in helping miners regain their right to mine. He asked to please, please show up at the hearing next week and bring as many miners as possible to show Judge Alvarez that there are many local, Southern CA miners affected by the illegal dredge ban. There is a CRITICAL hearing this coming Friday, Aug. 3rd at 10 AM (not 8:30 as originally announced) in which the Judge may decide to hear all six cases together, here in San Bernardino County, instead of Alameda County which would likely garner the miners a much more fair and unbiased venue. The number of miners showing up in support of PLP will have a tremendous impact. The judge will see how serious we are about saving dredging rights in CA and hopefully decide to hear the cases here locally.

Here is the address: (Near the corner of 3rd and Arrowhead)

Civil Court House
303 WE. Third St.
San Bernardino, CA 92415-0210
There is ample parking a block south on the south side of Second St. just east of Arrowhead.

Please forward this to everyone you know that is interested in saving our FREEDOMS, even if they aren't a miner this will affect all of us. Once they are successful stopping mining using these underhanded tactics, they will start on the next group (they have already begun to tighten the noose of fishing rights).

See you there this Friday.

THANK YOU!
Ron Kliewer

[GaryG]

San Bernardino Court Hearing Update

San Bernardino Court Hearing Update

First of all PLP would like to thank all of you that came to the hearing and thanks to those that were there in spirit . We had 53 people (miners) and they were quite an impressive crowd. The State Attorney, PLP Attorney David Young and James Buchal all addressed the fact that the people in the audience were the reason that the 6 cases should be heard in San Bernardino, that there were thousands of miners in San Bernardino and not any in Alameda County. They also argued that the 6 cases that were now before the courts were complex cases and needed to be consolidated before one Judge and they prefered them to be heard in San Bernardino.

The judge stated that he had particpated in complex cases before and fully understood the process. He stated that he would have a written decision this month and possibly with in 2 weeks. Judge Alverez's decision at that time goes to the Judicial Council and they will determine whether they implement with his recomendation. The Judicial Council would normally go with the Coordinating Judges opinion and usually do. Our attorneys did a fine job argueing the case and seemed to overwhelm the Karuk attorney.

About all the (Karuk etal) attorney could do is whine that they could not afford the trip down here and would probably have to get another attorney to take her place. At any rate we are getting closer to trial.

We also had visiting attorney in the audience who took extensive notes. I ask him if he felt that things went well and he agreed that he thought they had gone well. All we can do now is to wait for the judges decision before we move forward. Keep up the Faith.

[BB46]

Thanks for the update. I was wondering what happened and came online just to see if I could find out anything.
Thanks again.