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GRISLY SERIES OF HORSE MUTILATIONS MYSTIFIES FRANCE
Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP Freelance Writer and Author September 11, 2020 © 2020 All Rights Reserved Fanny LATTACH and AFP bureaus in France September 8, 2020, 5:29 AM CDT https://news.yahoo.com/grisly-series-horse-mutilations-mystifies-102908638.html ANIMAL ABUSE, IS JUST NOT A U.S.A. PROBLEM Recently, the U.S.A. News agencies has been reporting on a series of horse deaths contributed to the killing of horses for the illegal sale of horse meat, as well as the killing of horses for meat consumption. However, this news article reports the mutilation of horses for an unknown reason, and in a European Country. YAHOO NEWS REPORTS Didier Fruchet, owner of a horse club with some 80 animals outside Paris, looks with concern at his stables. "It's stressful to be thinking, 'what happened tonight?' When we arrive in the morning we don't know what we are going to find." He and other horse lovers across France have good reason to be worried. Over the past weeks the country has been shocked by a succession of mutilations of over 150 horses that have seen ears sliced off, genitals cut and skin lacerated. What is motivating the perpetrators remains a mystery. Hatred of animals? Inspiration by a warped sect? A macabre challenge spreading on social media? Or might the causes sometimes be natural? Investigators have no firm leads. According to the authorities, the attacks are by multiple perpetrators whose methods vary nationwide, further complicating the picture. Fruchet is taking no chances at his stables in the town of L'Isle Adam in the Val-d'Oise department north of Paris, which is also being patrolled by gendarmes as an extra precaution. He has invested in hunting cameras with night vision that photograph moving targets. "We do not care how much it costs when it comes to keeping our horses safe," he said. The Val-d'Oise recorded its first cases on Saturday: Two mares, who did not die, were wounded, one with a cut in the vulva and the other a slash of 30 centimetres on its flank. - 'We hardly sleep' - Reports have come throughout the summer, sometimes on an almost daily basis, of new horse mutilations across France. Police at the weekend sought two suspects in the Cote-d'Or region after a stables owner reported an intrusion on his premises and said one horse had been wounded. In a sign of how urgent the issue has become, a 40-member team of gendarmes, backed up by police dogs and a helicopter, were sent to the scene but so far have not found the culprits. Police on Monday made their first arrest in the nationwide investigation, detaining a man suspected of an attack on three horses the central department of Yonne, who matched an image circulated. But he was later released without charge. Eloise Lang, a rider in Coueron in western France, is still distressed after her horse Ambitieux was attacked. "I saw that he had a dozen traces of wounds... knife wounds... He had some on his shoulders, flank, chest. He had cuts that were up to a foot long," she said. "We hardly sleep anymore, we think about it all the time," she added. - 'Take law into their hands' - Similar acts have now been recorded in 20 of France's departments. "There are about twenty cases of cut ears, but there are also other incidents including genital mutilation and lacerations with sharp objects," Colonel Hubert Percie du Sert of France's gendarmerie told AFP. He said there were "many perpetrators and methods of operation." According to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, 153 investigations have been opened nationwide into cases of violence against horses. France's national anti-sect agency La Miviludes, which is assisting the investigation, has not found evidence of a satanic rite so far, "but it is not something we are ruling out", du Sert said. Authorities are also concerned that the repeated attacks and failure of the police to find the culprits risk creating paranoia, with some even deciding to take justice into their own hands. In Quimper in the northwestern Brittany region, a mother, 52, and her daughter, 23, face a trial in January for threatening with weapons two people in a car whom they suspected of carrying out horse attacks after a licence plate circulated on the internet. "They admitted they were equipped with a machete-type knife as well as a pellet gun, and to have stopped a vehicle when they had no right to do so," the deputy prosecutor of Quimper, Emmanuel Phelippeau, told AFP. They risk up to five years in prison if convicted. "It is unacceptable that breeders, due to emotion, take the law into their own hands themselves", the prefect of the Finistere region Philippe Mahe, told reporters, insisting that the police mobilisation was "very strong." UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE
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YOLI’S WESTERN WEAR - DALLAS, TEXAS
CHARGED WITH MONEY LAUNDERING FOR DRUG CARTEL By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP Freelance Writer and Author September 5, 2020 © 2020 All Rights Reserved FEDS SAY MEXICAN DRUG CARTEL BOSS “LA ROCA” USED DALLAS WESTERN STORE TO LAUNDER $10 MILLION DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) — The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas have confirmed that a Mexican cartel boss and nearly 30 of his co-conspirators have been charged with laundering more than $10 million. According to Erin Nealy Cox, the money came from drug proceeds and was laundered through a local western wear store. A federal grand jury charged 28 individuals connected to Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and other financial, drug, and gun crimes, including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm. Dozens of those charged have already been arrested. “Drug cartels like CJNG wreak havoc across the globe, driving the spread of deadly drugs like meth and heroin,” said Cox. “We’re committed to tracking the money and disrupting these organizations by attacking their bottom line. By striking both the money and the drugs, we can more effectively impact the organization.” According to the 38-count indictment, Jose Valdovinos Jimenez, a boss also known as “La Roca” or “The Rock,” conspired with his co-defendants to smuggle hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine and heroin across the Mexican border, distribute the drugs in the United States, launder the proceeds, and then transfer the money back to CJNG leaders. Couriers were allegedly used to smuggle the drugs across the border, recrystallization laboratories to purify them, and stash houses to store the drugs. At Mr. Jimenez’s direction, dealers were believed to have transported drug proceeds to Yoli’s Western Wear, a clothing store on Buckner Boulevard in Dallas. The 23-year-old manager of Yoli’s, Ivan Noe Valerio, and his family members allegedly then counted the money, separated it into thousands of transactions, and ultimately sent it back to the CJNG in Mexico. During the course of the investigation, agents seized some 700 kilograms of methamphetamine, 80 kilograms of heroin, and $500,000. If convicted, Jimenez and Valerio face life in federal prison. To read the entire article, Click on the following Link: https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2020/08/28/drug-cartel-boss-co-conspirators-dallas-western-wear-store-launder-10-million/amp/ UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE McCONNEL TO INTRODUCE HORSE RACING SAETY LEGISLATION IN SENATE
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP Freelance Writer and Author September 1, 2020 © September 2020 – All Rights Reserved THE MECHANICAL HORSE, A HORSE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS On August 6, 2014 I authored an article entitled: “THE MECHANICAL HORSE, A HORSE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS. The article was authored in response to the growing horse doping issues coming to light, on the Thoroughbred Race Tracks. The first paragraph of the article specifically states: “At first glance, this articles title suggests an apparatus resembling a horse traveling on rails, making a series of stops and turns and acting much like the mechanical cow we see in the training arena. However, this article is about the horse that performs, whether on the racetrack or in the performance arena, under the influence of drugs.” The article continues. “Lately a heightened awareness of horse doping has been bestowed upon us by the news media, news articles and by legislative action in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D – New Mexico is a co-sponsor of a bill addressing the horse-doping fiasco in the United States. “The chronic abuse of race horses with painkillers and other drugs is dangerous and just plain wrong,” Udall said.” The article goes on to suggest; one day the Federal Government will step-in and intercede on the horses behalf. Apparently, that day has arrived with the intended introduction of legislation by Senator Mitch McConnell in the U.S. Senate targeting horse abuse and horse doping in-general. To read the entire Mechanical Horse Article, click on the following link: https://allaboutcutting.net/%E2%98%9B-mechanical-horse-under-the-influence-8-6-14/ MCCONNELL ANNOUNCES HE WILL INTRODUCE HORSE RACING SAFETY LEGISLATION IN THE US SENATE In an August 31, 2020 article, by Jon Hale, Louisville Courier Journal the author outlines McConnell’s intent: “LEXINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is putting his weight behind the latest effort to introduce universal safety regulations to the horse racing industry. In a ceremony at Keeneland on Monday, the Kentucky Republican announced he will introduce the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act in the Senate. The legislation builds on Horseracing Integrity Act, which had gained majority support in the U.S. House of Representatives but failed to gain traction in the Senate. Many advocates of the Horseracing Integrity Act, including Marty Irby, the executive director of Animal Wellness Action, previously identified Churchill Downs and McConnell as the chief obstacles to the bill. The new bill is endorsed by a large segment of the horse racing industry, including Churchill Downs, which was not a supporter of the previous House bill introduced by Kentucky Republican Rep. Andy Barr and New York Democratic Rep. Paul Tonko. McConnell said he decided to bring the various segments of the industry, which had clashed over previous proposals, together after reading a Washington Post editorial calling for the end of horse racing. “We’ve seen painful tragedies on the track in recent years," McConnell said. "Doping scandals have rocked the horse racing community. These challenges pose a threat, not only to this industry but also to the 24,000 Kentuckians who work in it. “... If we wanted to preserve horse racing and its future, we needed to act. We owe it to the horses, we owe it to the jockeys, we owe it to the trainers, breeders and fans to make thoroughbred racing as fair and as safe as possible.” The bill would create the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, a private, independent, self-regulatory nonprofit organization tasked with developing and implementing both a horse racing anti-doping and medication control program and a racetrack safety program. The authority would be governed by a nine-member board of directors made up of five members independent of the industry and four members representing owners and breeders, trainers, racetracks, veterinarians, state racing commissions and jockeys. The nationwide anti-doping rules developed by the authority will be enforced by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. The authority will also create an accreditation program to ensure racetracks comply with a set of training and racing safety standards, including racetrack design and maintenance; oversight of human and equine injury reporting and prevention; and procedures for undertaking investigations at racetrack and non-racetrack facilities related to safety violations. The Washington Post editorial that McConnell said spurred him to action was written in March after the arrests of 27 trainers, veterinarians and drug distributors as part of an alleged doping scandal. Those arrests followed increased scrutiny on the industry due to a rash of horse deaths in recent years. "The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act will bring 16 hands of integrity back to American horseracing by banning race-day doping," Irby said in a news release. "U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and others are right to press the industry to create a uniform anti-doping standard that will protect the horses and the sport against the worst impulses of some of its actors." McConnell said he has already spoken with Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., about his bill and anticipates bipartisan support for the legislation. Barr said he plans to introduce an amendment to make his bill mirror the one introduced in the Senate by McConnell. "This is not a particular bipartisan place we’re in right now in Congress, as you may have noticed," McConnell said, "but we’re hopeful a subject like this can overcome the partisanship that’s been pretty much on full display as we get closer and closer to the election." https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/horses/2020/08/31/mcconnell-introduce-horse-racing-safety-legislation-senate/5677999002/ FEDS CHARGE HORSE RACING TRAINERS, VETERINARIANS OVER “WIDESPREAD, CORRUPT DOPING SCHEME The article Senator McConnell is referring to can be read by clicking on the following link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/03/09/horse-racing-doping-indictment/ Eventually, the avenue of control that’s being sought after, is long overdue. Horses don’t deserve the treatment they’ve received over the decades from unscrupulous trainers and veterinarians whose only stake in the game is making more money. Unfortunately, for the horse it’s become a disposable entity, with the majority ending up on someone’s dinner plate in Europe or Asia after they’ve been crippled by illegal drug use on the race track or in the performance horse show arena. “UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE” BEST SELF-DEFENSE HANDGUN AND CALIBER
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP August 23, 2020 © August 2020 – All Rights Reserved REVOLVER OR SEMI-AUT0 As a former Drug Enforcement Special Agent and U.S. Army Military Veteran, during the Vietnam War, I’ve had the personal opportunity and experience of being in a vast array of combat situations (gun fights) as well as simulated gunfights and with a variety of weapons – both Military and Law Enforcement issued. In the Army, I was issued an M14 Select-Fire Assault Rifle as well as an M16 Select-Fire Assault Rifle. The M14 fired the 7.62 X 51 NATO round and the M16 fired the 5.56 X 45 NATO. The actual definition of an assault rifle differs from the false identity and moniker the news media defines an assault rifle. The look-a-like variant, or the AR15 style is actually a semi-auto (only) rifle and is styled after the M16 Military Assault Rifle. . However, the Military Assault Rifle is capable of two specific functions the look-a-like variant isn’t. With the flip of a select-fire-switch, it can operate as a semi-auto firing weapon, which requires a single trigger pull to fire each round, or as a fully automatic firing weapon which requires a single pull of the trigger pull to sustain continuous automatic rapid firing. In civilian use: Fully automatic weapons are illegal, except when a tax stamp is obtained from the ATF. After the Army, I joined a Drug Enforcement Group and was issued a standard Smith and Wesson Double Action Model 10 38 Special Service Revolver and an Ithaca 12 gauge 5 shot pump shotgun . In that era, the only semi-auto pistol available to the law enforcement professional was the Smith and Wesson Model 39 Single-Stack 9MM and the single action - single stack 1911 style 45 semi-auto pistol. However, both were prohibited for law enforcement use as were the 9MM and 45 ACP calibers they were chambered in. Another reason the Smith & Wesson Model 39 was prohibited was due to its constant jamming issues. The Smith 39 was designated as the “jam-o-matic” by the law enforcement community. In the late 1970’s law enforcement relaxed their attitude on caliber variations and firearms styles. Instead of just one firearm style and one caliber, the selection was expanded to include the 9MM, 45 ACP and 38 Special calibers. The firearms of choice included the standard double action revolver chambered in the 38 Special cartridge, the double action Sig 226 semi-auto in 9MM and the 1911 style semi-auto chambered for the time tested 45 ACP and 9MM cartridges. The drawback to the 1911 style semi-auto is that is had to be carried cocked and locked which means the hammer had to be cocked with the safety on. Prior to carry, each officer was required to qualify with the weapon and caliber, of choice, on the Practical Police Pistol Course which included firing 100 rounds of approved duty ammo. BEST COMBAT WEAPON: SEMI-AUTO OR DOUBLE ACTION REVOLVER First-of-all, pick a firearm that correctly fits your hand size. Second, pick a handgun that capable of performing the desired task it’s purchased for. For all practical self-defense and combat situations, the double action revolver is the best choice, from a myriad factors. 1) the double action revolver is a simple weapon consisting of a frame, a cylinder holding 5 or 6 centerfire cartridges, a hammer or hammerless design, and a trigger. With each pull of the trigger the cylinder rotates and loads a new cartridge to a new firing position. For more accurate shooting, the hammer can be cocked prior to each firing. When the hammer is cocked, it eliminates the movement of the revolver which is experienced when the trigger (only), i.e., double action mode is used to fire the weapon, and 2) because it’s simple and virtually fail safe, there’s no safety to disengage before firing, no failure to feed or failure to eject jams which are experienced with semi-auto’s, and all the shooter has to do is draw the weapon, acquire the target, and pull the trigger. Alone, this simplicity takes all of the guess work out of an already stressful situation. Remember, the decision to shoot or not to shoot is measured in milliseconds and not minutes or hours. Therefore, with the semi-auto the novice is handicapped in gunfight by trying to fumble around and feel for the safety to disengage it. A normal gunfight is over in 2 seconds or less – from start to finish. Time wasted trying to ready your weapon for firing, can mean the difference in surviving or death. The only drawback to a revolver is: It’s limited to 5 or 6 shots. However, the individuals purchasing a revolver only for self-defense purposes won’t find this much of a handicap. Speed loaders can be purchased, enabling the shooter to rapidly reload the firearm. For the record, revolvers are also made in the single action design, which requires the manual cocking of the hammer before a new cartridge is fired. When the hammer is cocked, the cylinder rotates to a new firing position. However, by modern standards, this type of action is antiquated and isn’t usable or practicable for all types of combat situations encountered during a self-defense experience. SEMI-AUTOS – SINGLE AND DOUBLE ACTION Semi-auto pistols are designed in four varieties: Single Action, Double Action, Hammer Fired, and Striker Fired. However, each firearm type shares the same commonality, e.g., they are of the John Browning blowback design, except when it’s gas operated, and they all can jam. Single Action Hammer Fired: This semi-auto is designed after the 1911 or John Browning style, where the hammer has to be cocked prior to firing the first round. Thereafter, each firing is accomplished with a single trigger pull until the magazine is empty. Double Action Hammer Fired. This semi-auto is capable of two firing sequences. The first is: The trigger is completely pulled to fire the first shot, which automatically cocks and releases the hammer reading the firearm for the next shot. Thereafter, the firearm is capable of firing with each trigger pull. Double Action – Single Action Capability. This semi-auto is capable of firing in the foregoing sequence as well as cocking the pistols hammer prior to firing the first round. After the first shot, the pistol is capable of firing with each trigger pull, until the magazine is empty. Striker Fired Semi-Auto Pistol. The striker fired pistol is a hammerless design and was developed by Glock Firearms. A spring surrounds the firing pin. When the the pistols slide is moved rearward, the firing pin spring is partially cocked. When the pistols trigger is pulled it cocks the firing pin spring the rest of the way and releases the firing pin to strike the cartridge primer. The problem with the striker fired semi-auto is: Overtime, the firing pin spring becomes weak with normal use and has to be replaced to make the firearm reliable, or the shooter will experience light primer strikes and can make the firearm nonfunctional. However, this requires thousands of rounds through the auto, before this becomes an issue. Semi-Auto Reliability Issues. The main issue with the semi-auto pistol is reliability. A failure to feed or a failure to eject a fired round will result in the semi-auto becoming inoperable. This is the last thing you need in a close-quarter gunfight. In order to clear the jam, the user has to rack the slide back on the firearm, clear the jam, and chamber a new round before the weapon is again, fully functional. Most semi-auto jams are related to the ammunition design used in a specific model firearm, the barrel feed ramp, as well as the magazine itself. A jamming issue could be something as simple as a weak magazine spring. Also, the semi-auto can become an issue with senior Americans and women who has weak hand strength and grip. This will cause the user to have a difficult time – loading, unloading, and clearing a jam when necessary. AMMUNITION CALIBERS AND REQUIRED FIRING CAPACITY Picking a firearm, a firearm caliber, and the number of rounds the firearm is capable of holding and firing is an individual choice. Some new firearm purchasers may think they need a semi-auto capable of firing 6 to 17 times. Others may opt for a 5 or 6 shot revolver. However, it doesn’t matter which firearm an individual chooses as long as the individual can become proficient in loading, unloading, clearing a jam, and shooting the firearm with proficiency and accuracy under a variety of conditions. Another factor to consider is confidence. The shooter must have absolute confidence in the firearm and caliber he or she opts to carry or have at home for self-defense purposes. However, when it comes to recoil sensitive shooters - the caliber is a specific matter of concern. It’s a handicap for the first-time firearm purchaser to select a firearm he or she isn’t capable of shooting and operating proficiently. Why pick a 45 ACP semi-auto when you’re only capable of shooting a 22 caliber handgun proficiently. For the first-time firearms purchaser, it’s better to locate a firing range that rents handguns, in various calibers, and try them out prior to making your final decision. Another handicap, is determined whether or not a firearm owner has picked a caliber that he or she will not be able to afford to purchase ammo for, in order to practice with and become proficient with. FBI GUNFIGHT STATISTICS FBI statistics indicate, the usual distance for a gunfight is 7 – 10 feet. PMA statistics suggests the average distance, at around 20 feet. This makes sense, as distance will favor the person with the most training. In a very stressful situation, the shooter which is able to control their emotions and has the most shooting experience has the best opportunity to survive a close quarter gunfight. The last thing the inexperienced shooter should be faced with is fumbling around trying to get the safety off while an assailant is advancing or shooting at you. FIREARMS SAFETY After purchasing your firearm, the first thing the new firearms owner should do is to enroll in a gun safety course and learn how to operate and store your firearm safely. If your intention is to apply for a concealed carry license, the second thing you should do is enroll in a firearms course with a certified firearms instructor. As the old saying, “It’s better to own a firearm, know how to use it, and never need it than it is not to own a firearm and one day need one” “UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE” 5 HORSES BUTCHERED NEAR TEXAS TOWN, SINCE MAY
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP Freelance Writer and Author July 13, 2020 © 2020 All Rights Reserved Over-the-years, U.S. based law enforcement agencies have documented and investigated horses being stolen and slaughtered in the U.S., for their meat. In a myriad cases, the slaughter either happened on the horse owners property, or the animal was taken a short distance away and slaughtered in the dead of night. Either way, it’s been proven - the rendered product (horse meat) was either for human consumption or it was being sold on the black market in the U.S. for the same reason. A grim reminder of horses being slaughtered in the U.S. for meat is realized in a December 13, 2019 news article, by Emilee Speck, which begins with a bold headline: 3 HORSES SLAUGHTERED IN FLORIDA, A REMINDER OF AMERICA’S HISTORY WITH HORSE MEAT. The article continues: ORLANDO, Fla. – After horses in three Florida counties were slaughtered law enforcement officers are investigating a potential black market for horse meat, reports CBS affiliate WTSP, and animal rights groups warn horses in the U.S. are not safe to eat because they are not raised to be food. Most recently, Tamara Weaver, of Sumterville, said her 10-year-old horse, Jayda, was found dead Wednesday across the street from where she was boarded. Weaver said the fence had been cut and evidence at the scene suggested that whoever was responsible was seeking the horse’s meat. In November, News 6 spoke with a family in Marion County after their horse was found dead. The family believes their horse was also slaughtered for its meat. A third horse death was reported Dec. 1 in Manatee County. It’s unconfirmed at this point if the horse deaths are related, however, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office put out a warning to equestrian owners this week. Headlines like this, is a stark reminder that horses are illegally being taken, slaughtered, and their meat is either being used for human consumption or it’ sold on the black market, in the U.S. However, as we all know: the slaughtering of horses in the U.S. for human consumption is illegal. The horse slaughter plants in the U.S. have long been closed and the chance of them ever reopening is, at best, very slim or non-existent. Even though, in the United States, horse slaughter for human consumption is illegal it doesn’t prevent horse “Kill Pen Operators” from loading up a trailer load of horses and trucking them across the Mexican and Canadian borders to slaughter plants for processing and deportation of horse meat to European and Asian markets. In an August 10, 2020 Fort Worth Star Telegram news article, the author - Michell Willetts writes: 5 horses butchered near Texas town since May - and police think someone’s eating them. At least five horses have been killed around Pearland, Texas since late May — but it’s the way they’re being killed and what’s being done to their carcasses that’s particularly disturbing to locals. Pearland police made their first discovery June 10. Responding to an animal cruelty call along the 14000 block of Kirby Drive, they found a horse, dead and butchered. Police told the property owner, Jason Bockel, that they had never seen anything like it, FOX 26 Houston reported. “They were just speechless,” he said. His son Tyler was the first to see the dead horse. He went out that morning to feed the horses, Goldie and Sugar, and found them tied to a tree. The killer — or killers — picked Goldie and spared Sugar. “I hit the ground immediately, she was butchered. She was murdered,” the son told FOX 26. “Nobody should ever have to go through that and see what I seen.” Goldie had been stabbed in the chest, according to police. After bleeding to death, the horse’s backstrap, and front and hind quarters were removed — cuts that lead police to believe Goldie was killed for her meat. Police discovered the two latest killings Saturday. The owner called police after noticing the animals were missing, and that fencing along their property had been cut. The horses were found half a mile away, butchered just like Goldie. Two more horses have been reported slaughtered in nearby jurisdictions, Pearland police says. One on May 22, the earliest known incident, and another June 29. Given the similarity and proximity of the killings, police told KHOU that the same person or group of people is likely responsible for all five deaths. To read the entire article click on the following link: Read more here: https://www.star-telegram.com/news/nation-world/national/article244866042.html#storylink=cpy BUTCHERING PROCESS MIMICS BIG GAME HUNTING PROCESS OF: “FIELD DRESSING AND BUTCHERING IN REMOTE WILDERNESS AREAS” The butchering process described by the author, is the same process big game hunters use to pack large downed animals such as deer, moose, and elk out of remote wilderness hunting areas. The method is quick, simple, and productive. The entire operation is performed without entering the interior body cavity of the animal. The skin of the animal is laid back, the choice meat is removed, e.g., front shoulders, tenderloin, and hindquarters and placed in game bags for transport, by pack animal, or human transport - leaving the remaining carcass and remnants for the scavengers. Remote wilderness hunting is usually performed on horseback and using mules, donkeys, and Llamas as the transport animals. EXTREME CAUTION IS ADVISED FOR TODAY’S HORSE OWNERS Today, it’s advisable for the recreational or professional horse owner to implement safe guards and prudent security practices to ensure the safety of their horses. If at all possible pastured horses should be stalled in a barn at night. Horses located on remote property should be checked on regularly. If possible, Closed Circuit TV security cameras should be installed in order to monitor the horses on the property as well as capturing the identity of any trespassers. CCTV cameras can be purchased over the internet and the installation instructions are readily available to the purchaser. Also, posting signs, on perimeter fencing and gates, stating “Premises under CCTV surveillance” or “Premises secured by Security Surveillance Cameras” is another good method of deterring would-be violators from crossing the fence and stealing your horses and butchering them for meat. Having dogs on your premises to alert you to the presence of an intruder is another way to secure your property. Another security method, is to contact law enforcement when your going to be out of town and ask them for periodic security checks. Another excellent security method, is to organize a neighborhood watch service where neighbor takes care of neighbor, or your horse may be the next victim. “UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE” PERSONAL DEFENSE FIREARMS
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP August 5, 2020 © August 2020 All Rights Reserved GOVERNMENT BACKGROUND-CHECK DATA SHOWS STRONG AND GROWING DEMAND DRIVING NEW 2020 FIREARM SALES. The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are reporting: As of July 13, 2020, or in the first six months of 2020, 19 Million firearms have been sold in the United States. The Brookings Institute reports: “There are more guns than people in the United States ( 400 million are in circulation for a population of 330 million people.) This represents, 1 firearm for every 20 Americans.” The types of self-defense weapons designs include: Long guns (rifles and shotguns), revolvers, and semi-auto pistols. Basically, any weapon type which can be used for self-defense purposes. Black powder weapons, were excluded. As the run on firearms purchases continues and increases – ammunition, on dealers shelves is either non-existent or in short supply. The vast number of firearms and ammunition purchases are directly attributable to the uncertainty of individual safety existing in our society, and the fear gripping the average American due to the Covid 19 pandemic. An uncertain future, is being driven by the news media’s ever constant - daily and hourly reporting, of anarchy and instability in the United States. Rioters, looters, and anarchists, are burning buildings, taking over government buildings – including Police Precincts, and assaulting, maiming, and killing American citizens and Law Enforcement officers. Extremist groups like Black Lives Matters (BLM) and ANTIFA as well as their members are terrorizing the general populous of the United States under the guise of protesting racial inequality. An example of BLM’s violent extremist intentions can be realized in one of their promoted slogans: “KILL A WHITE ON SIGHT, THEIR SILENCE IS VIOLENCE,” However, their actions and violent extremist slogans are having a reverse effect. Instead of cowering in fear, American citizens are arming-up to protect themselves, their property, and loved ones. AMERICAN CITIZENS FEAR FOR THEIR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF THEIR LOVED ONES Another factor driving the upsurge of firearms and ammunition sales can be contributed to various government members, in control of the Democratic run cities and towns, who are unwilling to control its lawlessness by refusing to arrest rioters, looters, and anarchists. Instead of enforcing the rule of law, politicians are instructing law enforcement personnel to stand-down, during rioting and looting events. Citizens are no longer resolute, law enforcement can protect them. In simple terminology, these criminal actions can only be described as “mob rule” and are nothing more than domestic terrorists activities. It’s also being reported, these individuals are being paid for their lawless actions, by individuals, and organizations with an ominous agenda for the USA. The emerging sad commentary is: common criminals are martyred and revered while law enforcement personnel are vilified. The daily news cycles are filled with Democratic politicians and members of these domestic terrorists groups, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, demanding the defunding of police agencies across America and siding with lawless anarchists. In major U.S. cities; like Portland, Oregon, large swaths of real estate are being over-run and taken over by these self-proclaimed anarchists. Makeshift self-established rogue governments are replacing existing legal authority with anarchists, to occupy and govern these areas - known as, autonomous zones. In reality, autonomous zones are nothing more than anarchist operated crime infested areas where the rule of law is ignored, business owners and residents are being extorted and citizens are being assaulted, raped, and murdered. Today, our country more aptly resembles a third world country than the United States of America. Democratic leaders identity the anarchists as peaceful protestors and elevate their stature to “hero status. However, rioters, looters, and anarchists promoting violence aren’t – peaceful protestors, no matter how hard Democratic politicians and the news media promotes this false narrative. SELF-DEFENSE FIREARMS CLASSIFICATIONS Self-Defense firearms come in a myriad varieties: Double and Single Action Revolvers, Double and Single Action Semi-Auto Pistols, Single Shot, Semi-Auto, Pump Action, and Fixed Breech shotguns, and bolt, pump, single shot, and semi-auto rifles. Revolvers are chambered in either rim fire or center fire ammunition. Centerfire revolvers are capable of being loaded with 5 or 6 shots. Rim fire revolvers and semi-auto pistols are capable of holding significantly more rounds. The black rife or the AR 15 is the most popular rifle in America and is a favorite among citizens, for self-defense. SELF-DEFENSE AMMUNITION TYPE, CALIBERS, AND GAUGES Revolver and pistol calibers range from the diminutive 22 caliber rim fire cartridge, to the centerfire pistol cartridges capable of firing a myriad popular calibers ranging from: 5.7 X 28, 25 ACP, 380, 9MM, 32 Special, 38 Special, 357, 41, and 44 magnum cartridges, 10 mm auto, 44 special, 45 ACP, and the time tested 45 Long Colt. Other, more powerful cartridges are available but they are hard to shoot and may not be practical self-defense choice. In addition to the foregoing, some revolvers are also capable of firing 410 shotgun shells. The difference between a rim fire cartridge and a centerfire cartridge is: the primer to ignite the powder charge in the case, of a rim fire cartridge, is located in the rim. The primer to ignite the powder charge in a centerfire handgun cartridge is located in the center of the cartridge case itself. Overall, the center fire ignition system is more reliable than the rim fire version. The rim fire is capable of firing a lead projectile of either the hollow point or solid lead configuration. Centerfire handgun cartridges are capable of firing lead, jacketed or semi-jacketed hollow points, wad cutters, or soft nose projectiles. Shotgun gauges range from 410, 28, 20, 16, 12 and 10 gauge configurations. Shotgun shells are designed to propel lead, steel, or rifled slug projectiles. Shotguns and buck shot are a favorite among self-defense users, law enforcement, and the U.S. Military. A single load of buckshot is designed to propel a myriad shot pellets with a single firing. At close range a shotgun loaded with buckshot is devastating. In the law enforcement community it’s known as, the “Fight Stopper.” MILITARY, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SELF-DEFENSE AMMUNITION DIFFERENCES Ammunition for law enforcement is vastly different from ammunition for civilian self- defense purposes. Ammunition for military purposes is vastly different from either law enforcement or civilian self-defense purposes. Military ammunition is designed for tracer capability as well as piercing armor, barriers, and individual protective vests with steel plate inserts – body armor. Law enforcement ammunition has to perform a myriad functions. It must have barrier piercing capability while maintaining a sufficient amount of mass and energy to successfully dispatch a bad guy on the other side. Personal protection or self-defense ammunition is designed to protect an individuals health and welfare by quickly dispatching an aggressor, at close range. In the Military and Law Enforcement, I was designated a small arms expert and I served as a sniper on a law enforcement Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team as well as the pistol team. On the pistol team, I specializing in fast draw and multiple target acquisition and engagement. Between the military and law enforcement, I’ve fired just about every conceivable small arms combat round ever designed and in use today. In law enforcement, I carried the 38 Special, 9MM, and 45 ACP along with a 12 gauge shotgun loaded with either number 4 lead shot, 00 buckshot, or rifle slugs. The required shotgun round depended on the environment I was working in. In the Military I carried the M14 and the M16. The civilian version of the M16 is the AR 15. During my professional career, and as a combat veteran of many gunfights, I’ve witnessed individuals shot with a myriad ammunition types. I was Police Officer Standards and Training (POST), in the mid 1970’s. Today, in the private security sector operating as a Certified Protection Professional (CPP), or (Body Guard) I carry a variety of self-defense weapons to include: A Sig 226 15 shot 9MM, a Kimber 45 ACP, A Smith and Wesson 9MM Shield, and a 12 Gauge Benelli semi-auto shotgun. Each firearm is loaded with quality ammunition for its intended purpose. The pistols are loaded with Sig Sauer V Crown hollow points and the 12 gauge rounds are either 00 buckshot or rifled slugs. SELF-DEFENSE CARTRIDGE KNOCK-DOWN POWER One of the misnomer’s promoted about various self-defense handgun cartridges is: most shooter are under the impression that one shot from a handgun will completely incapacitate an aggressor. This is another fallacy. The human torso is in the same class as a deer, i.e., a light thin skinned animal. In order to completely incapacitate an individual with one shot, the shooter must hit the brain or the spine. If a brain or spine shot isn’t accomplished, the shooter must have a handgun cartridge which carries enough energy to create hydrostatic shock. Hydrostatic shock is the concept that a penetrating projectile (such as a bullet) can produce a pressure wave that causes “remote neural damage,” “subtle damage in neural tissues” and/or “rapid incapacitating effects” in living targets. Therefore a projectile with enough velocity and energy to produce sufficient expansion to creat a hydrostatic shock, makes the hollow point varieties the most preferable and desirable in self-defense handgun use. CHOOSING THE RIGHT SELF-DEENSE FIREARM Choosing the right firearm, for self-defense is an individual preference. My best advice is to go to a firing range where the shooter can rent self-defense firearms to try them out. Caliber is also an individual choice. Over-all, the best philosophy to adopt is to shoot a firearm and caliber the shooter is most proficient with, and has the most confidence in. There’s really no need in buying a 45 caliber pistol, if the shooter can’t handle the recoil and isn’t proficient with the firearm. After all, if the shooter is afraid of the firearm or can’t hit what he or she is shooting at, it’s a waste of money buying it in the first place.The apprehensive shooter won’t practice with the weapon enough, to become proficient. For senior citizens and small stature shooters without a lot of hand grip strength, I always recommend a revolver. Pushing a button and opening a cylinder is a lot easier that pulling back the slide on some semi-auto pistols. Another reason I recommend a revolver over a semi-auto is: a person shooting a semi-auto has to possess the hand grip strength necessary to pull the slide back and clear a jam in an emergency situation. Whichever, firearm a shooter chooses for self-defense the main recommendation is for the shooter to practice with the firearm enough to become proficient. FIREARM LAWS Each State as well as the Federal government has laws governing firearm possession, storage, and transportation. Before purchasing a firearm for self-defense the rule of thumb is to familiarize yourself with the firearms laws in your State of ownership. If the firearm owners intent is to qualify for a concealed carry permit, this information and requirements is readily available on the the internet. One mistake I see being made with firearm owners is mistaking owning a self-defense firearm automatically provides an individual to brandish a firearm and threaten a citizen with it. This philosophy, is a total fallacy. A rule of thumb to remember is, never pull your firearm unless your life, or the life of another is in eminent danger. FIREARMS SAFETY The most important aspect of being a responsible gun owner is to practicing safe firearms handling each time the firearm is picked up. The practice becomes more important when firearms are stored at home with young adults or children. It only takes a few seconds to ensure a firearm is safe and unloaded. “UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE” BOB BAFFERT
THOROUGHBRED RACING LEGEND SUSPENDED FOR DRUG VIOLATION By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP Freelance Writer and Author July 18, 2020 © July 2020 – All Rights Reserved Posted On All About Cutting Online Magazine. Glory Ann Kurtz - Editor BOB BAFFERT SUSPENDED (15) DAYS FOR DRUG POSITIVES The Thoroughbred Racing Industry and the New York Times are reporting that Thoroughbred Racing Legend “Bob Baffert” has been suspended for (15) days following two of Baffert’s top Thoroughbred Race Horses testing positive for a numbing agent. In the New York Times July 15, 2020 article, by Joe Drape, Drape reports: Two top horses, including an Arkansas Derby winner, were found to have a numbing agent in their systems. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/15/sports/bob-baffert-suspended-charlatan-gamine.amp.html The Arkansas Racing Commission suspended the Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert for 15 days on Wednesday and vacated the victories of two of his horses after they tested positive for a banned substance. One of the horses, Charlatan, won a division of the Arkansas Derby on May 2. The colt’s owners will forfeit the $300,000 in prize money for finishing first. The owner of the other horse, a filly named Gamine, must forfeit a $36,000 first-place check won in an allowance race earlier that day. The suspension will run from Aug. 1 to 15. On June 20, Gamine won the Acorn Stakes at Belmont Park in New York by nearly 19 lengths in a stakes-record time of 1 minute 32.55 seconds, a performance that inspired talk of the filly taking on males in the Kentucky Derby, which is scheduled for Sept. 5. Baffert is America’s pre-eminent active trainer. He has won the Kentucky Derby five times. In 2015, he trained American Pharoah, the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978. Baffert won his second Triple Crown in 2018 with the colt Justify.Baffert has also caught the attention of regulators over the years. BAFFERT’S PREVIOUS DRUG TEST POSITIVES These are his 26th and 27th drug violations, according to public records compiled by the Association of Racetrack Commissioners International and the Thoroughbred Regulatory Rulings database maintained by the Jockey Club.Charlatan and Gamine had two samples test positive for lidocaine, a local numbing agent, according to a person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the case had not been fully adjudicated. The Times reported on the positive tests of their first samples in late May. Lidocaine can be used legitimately for suturing wounds or as a diagnostic tool to determine if horses are sound enough to compete. The drug may also be present in ointments or creams used on cuts or abrasions. It is regulated because of its potential to mask lameness in an unsound horse. In a hearing, Baffert and his representatives argued that the horses were accidentally exposed to the lidocaine by an assistant trainer, Jimmy Barnes, who had applied a medicinal patch to his own back. Barnes had broken his pelvis, and the brand of patch he used, Salonpas, contains small amounts of Lidocaine. The drug was transferred from his hands through the application of a tongue tie, they said. A lawyer for Baffert, W. Craig Robertson, said the trainer was disappointed in the ruling and planned to appeal. In a statement, he said, “This is a case of innocent exposure and not intentional administration.” Four days after Charlatan’s runaway victory in the Arkansas Derby, the colt’s stallion rights were sold for an undisclosed sum to Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms. The colt missed the Belmont Stakes with an ankle injury, and Baffert has said he will miss the Kentucky Derby, as well. Charlatan may be able to come back in time for the Preakness on Oct. 3. Baffert-trained Justify failed a drug test after winning the Santa Anita Derby, nearly a month before the 2018 Kentucky Derby. Justify wound up winning the Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont that year for the Triple Crown. The rule on the books when Justify failed the test required that the horse be disqualified, forfeiting both his prize money from the Santa Anita Derby and his entry into the Kentucky Derby. California racing officials investigated the failed test for four months, allowing Justify to keep competing long enough to win the Triple Crown. In August, after Justify’s breeding rights had been sold for $60 million, the California Horse Racing Board — whose chairman at the time, Chuck Winner, had employed Baffert to train his horses — disposed of the inquiry in a rare closed-door session. The board ruled that Justify’s positive test for the banned drug scopolamine had been the result of “environmental contamination,” not intentional doping. Baffert has denied any wrongdoing, but the quantity of the drug found in Justify suggested that it was present not because of contamination in his feed or his bedding but rather because of an effort to enhance performance, according to Dr. Rick Sams, who ran the drug lab for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission from 2011 to 2018. Mick Ruis, the owner of the second-place horse in the Santa Anita Derby, is in litigation with California officials to have his colt Bolt d’Oro declared the winner and awarded the $600,000 first-place check. Mick Ruis, the owner of the second-place horse in the Santa Anita Derby, is in litigation with California officials to have his colt Bolt d’Oro declared the winner and awarded the $600,000 first-place check. THOROUGHBRED RACING HAS LONG HISTORY OF HORSE DOPING It’s a known fact, the Thoroughbred Racing industry has a long and established history of trainers and owners doping horses, in order to enhance performance, to win Thoroughbred horse races. It’s also a know FACT, these Sports-Enhancing-Drugs are directly related to a significant number of horses being crippled on the racetrack at a very early age. Still another known fact is: A large majority of these Thoroughbred race horses; crippled or not, end up in the horse slaughter pipeline destined for horse slaughter plants in Mexico and Canada. THOROUGHBRED RACING INDUSTRIES - SMOKE AND MIRRORS Whenever, the Thoroughbred Racing Industry is under extreme scrutiny, by the public, its propaganda campaign kicks into high gear. There’s always an investigation – without resolution, it’s always someone else’s fault, or it’s bad track dirt that’s causing the on-the-track Thoroughbred Race Horse deaths. In truth and reality, it’s the Thoroughbred Racing Industries fault and lack of meaningful action - nothing more, nothing less. The Thoroughbred Racing Commission acts tough but in truth and reality, their actions can be seen as an appeasement to the public and nothing more. Sure, Thoroughbred Race Horses have positive drug test results, in some instances trainers are suspended, and in some cases they pay fines. However, the reality of the drug test positives are: No one goes to prison for these law violations which are nothing more than animal abuse, no one, if ever, is suspended from the industry for life, Thoroughbred Race Horses are still being crippled, the horse slaughter pipeline is still full of Thoroughbred Race Horses, and the betting public is still being fleeced out of their money, by unscrupulous trainers and owners. SMOKE AND MIRRORS. FEDERAL INTERVENTION It’s this authors opinion, that in order for the Thoroughbred Racing industry to be cleaned up it’s going to take Federal Intervention. Owners and Trainers have to go to prison and sustain hefty fines and penalties for their infractions as well as life suspensions from the industry. What’s happening now is nothing more than a slap on the wrist and an appeasement for the general public, without meaningful effective change being incorporated in the industry. “UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE!” HAL PARKER ACCEPTS PLEA AGREEMENT
WITH THE LOUISIANA ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE (LAG) By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP Freelance Writer and Author June 17, 2020 © June 2020 All Rights Reserved Posted on allaboutcutting.net Glory Ann Kurtz – Editor, and Wind River Company LLC.com/Blog “Purveyors of Truth, and the Rule of Law” TERMS OF HAL PARKER’S NEGOTIATED PLEA AGREEMENT WITH THE (LAG). On June 3, 2020 Hal Parker - Haile, Louisiana, assisted by his legal team: The Amado Leija Law Firm, entered into the following negotiated “Plea Agreement” with the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office: Hal Parker plead guilty to eight (8) counts total of the original sixteen (16) counts of animal cruelty filed against him, by the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office (UPSO) – six (6) aggravated and two (2) simple. 1. Parker plead guilty to six (6) Felony Counts of Aggravated Animal Cruelty and 2. Parker plead guilty to two (2) Simple Counts of Cruelty To An Animal. (LAG) SENTENCING AND ACTIVE PROBATION GUIDELINES For the record and according to Louisiana Law, Parker could’ve been sentenced to a maximum of sixty (60) years, in jail, for the Aggravated Animal Cruelty charges and a maximum of one (1) year, in jail, for the (2) counts of Simple Animal Cruelty – six (6) months each, or a total of sixty one (61) years in prison. However, on the six (6) counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, the (LAG) stipulated a split sentence of ten (10) years at hard labor, suspended all but the first eighteen (18) months, with three (3) years supervised probation plus a $10,000 fine. All counts shall run concurrent. Parker shall be given credit for time served, first to go towards his eighteen (18) month jail sentence. Further stipulations of Parker’s probation include: · Parker shall not own, care for, manage, supervise, or control horses or any other animals. Parker can retain possession of his pet dog. · Should Parker wish to continue “shoeing” horses for profit or giving riding lessons, he must do it in the presence of the owner or caregiver of the horse at their property or designated property, but never at his property. · Parker shall never be left alone with or as the sole caregiver of a horse during Parker’s probationary period. · Should the defendant wish to lease any of his land for pasturing horses, he must execute a legally binding “for profit” lease and shall not lease it to any household or family member. However, in accordance with the sentencing guidelines and in consideration of Parker’s previous time-served, Parker will only serve an additional (8) days incarceration in order to fulfill the terms and conditions of his negotiated (LAG) plea agreement sentencing guidelines. The additional eight days fulfills the terms and conditions of his plea agreement. The remainder of Parker’s sentences were suspended with time served, except for the (8) days. Today, Parker has served his additional (8) days incarceration, has reported to his probation officer, and is serving out his three (3) years active probation - as stipulated in his plea agreement. DISMISSALS As a result of the Attorney General’s investigation and review of the case, the following charges were dismissed against Parker: 1. The “Theft of A Horse Charge” instituted against Parker, by MAGGI MOSS; an IOWA Attorney, former Prosecutor and close associate of Victoria Keith; The National Thoroughbred Welfare Organization (NTWO) and Ray Paulick; owner of THE PAULICK REPORT magazine, was “DISMISSED”. From a Risk Analyst’s perspective, opinion, and point of view, MOSS’s allegation of the “Theft Of A Horse Charge” or the “Theft of Felonious Friend,” against Parker with the UPSO was highly suspect and highly vulnerable to a credibility challenge, by the defendants legal team. Nonetheless, it was Moss’s allegations of a ‘Theft” which was the “Catalyst,” starting the investigation of Parker and subsequently led to his arrest. Moss used the word “Catalyst” referencing Parker’s dismissed “Theft Of A Horse Charge” in a Twitter Tweet. Another issue, instituting the investigation into Parker included an article by, Victoria Keith – (NTWO). This revelation; concerning “Keith’s” article, was acknowledged by the (UPSO) as the main precursor for instituting their investigation into Parker. 2. However, as previously reported, this isn’t the only investigation instituted, by Moss. The other Moss instigated investigations include: The ones against Dina Alborano; owner of ICAREIHELP; Hamilton, New Jersey with the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office and the New Jersey Racing Commission. According to Alborano’s Attorney, Alborano’s settlement with the State of New Jersey was on amicable terms, between the parties, and only pertained to procedural issues. 3. For the record, the curious nature of Moss’s instituted investigations are: They came pursuant to the establishment of the National Thoroughbred Welfare Organization (NTWO); a 501 C 3 Non-Profit Horse Rescue Organization. Moss reports being affiliated with (NTWO). (NTWO) was a direct competitor with two existing animal rescue services operating in Louisiana: ICAREIHELP; owned and operated by Dina Alborano; Hamilton, New Jersey and SOUL HORSE TEXAS; owned and operated by Randi Collier, Beaumont, Texas. Hal Parker was the quarantine provider for both organizations. Further, Moss’s promulgated complaints; resulting in investigations, by various law enforcement agencies, came after: An article written by Victoria Keith about Parker and Alborano was published and a $50,000 Moss negotiated donation for (NTWO), from Boyd Gaming Corporation, was consummated, by Moss. Boyd Gaming Corporation is a Nevada Gaming Corporation and owner of (2) Thoroughbred Race Horse Tracks in Louisiana – Evangeline and Delta Downs. The alliance between (NTWO) and Boyd Gaming as well as the $50,000 Boyd donation, to (NTWO), is well documented and was reported in a PAULICK REPORT article. 4. Also, pursuant to the LAG’s investigation and review, the remaining counts of animal cruelty against Parker were DISMISSED. The named horses therein are: a. Romeo, Sinatra’s, Horse photo #1 partial tattoo – 2748, Horse photo # 2, Tucker Horse Photo # 6 from Bastrop, Daisy horse photo # 8 injured mouth from Bastrop and Tommy Horse photo # 9 from Bastrop. For the record, the Daisy Horse was returned to Alborano, by the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office (UPSO), pursuant to a request, by UPSO. Further, it’s been reported the horse; upon return, was suffering from a hole in its jaw as well as suffering from a “puss-oozing - life threatening infection” The horse and other seized horses were previously seized from Parker and placed in the care of the UPSO’s designated caregiver - The Red River Facility. The horse was seized, from Parker, in February 2019 and was returned to Alborano, by the UPSO, in June 2019. It should be noted: From February 2019 until June 2019 the horse was in the care, custody, and control of the UPSO’s designated caregiver, or the Red River Facility. According to Alborano, this rescue return cost her approximately $3,000 “out-of-pocket” money constituting fees to: The UPSO, emergency veterinary care, quarantine, and shipping cost to the horses final delivery to a horse rescue in Colorado. EXPUNGEMENT OF FELONY CONVICTIONS Expungement Definition: Expungement of a felony conviction record in Louisiana essentially does two things: 1) It prohibits the state from disclosing records to the general public (as in almost all other states, the record remains available to law enforcement, prosecutors and courts); and 2) it relieves a person of any obligation to disclose the record, or the fact of the record’s expungement. The Louisiana law does not have a restorative effect on any rights lost (most basic civil rights are otherwise restored. Under The New Louisiana Law; pertaining to Felony Expungement Guidelines, Parker may be eligible to have his Plea Bargaining Agreement Convictions expunged under the provisions of the Non-Violent First Offender provisions of the new Louisiana Expungement Law. Expungement is only possible upon Parker completing his three years active-probation, with all fines paid. Thereafter, Parker may be subject to the terms and conditions of the States new law. “Until Next Time, Keep Em Between The Bridle NEW WYOMING LAW LETS RANCHERS SELL CUTS OF MEAT DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS
By Richard E. “Rick” Dennis CPP Freelance Journalist, Writer, and Author April 26, 2020 © 2020 All Rights Reserved WYOMING’S FOOD FREEDOM LAW 2020 seems to be a year that keeps on giving. Recently, I was sent an article by a Wyoming client alerting me to a little known law that Wyoming passed some five years ago which contains a recent amendment. The law is designed to form a co-op so-to-speak among cattle ranchers where consumers can purchase shares in beef cattle and once the animal is slaughtered, the owner can take possession of the meat and bypass the middleman seller and the grocery store corporations. In a recent article published, by REASON, Wyoming’s first-and- best-in-the-nation food freedom law just keeps getting better, by BAYLEN LINNEKIN | 4.4.2020 8:30 AM the author explains the law in detail. Wyoming's groundbreaking Food Freedom Act has served as a national model for how states can deregulate many in-state food sales. The five-year-old law opened up many previously illegal food transactions in Wyoming, and has delivered on its promise to benefit ranchers, other food entrepreneurs, and consumers alike. And it's done so without a single case of food - borne illness being tied to any foods sold under the law. The law also keeps getting better. As I detailed a column just last month, an amendment to the Act will allow low-risk foods such as homemade jams to be sold in grocery stores and sold and consumed in restaurants. That was great news. But yet another new amendment to the law, passed last month and set to take effect in July, could further bolster the fortunes of ranchers and consumers in the state. A new animal share amendment will let consumers buy individual cuts of meat directly from ranchers though an animal-share agreement, completely outside of the typical U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection regime. That's something that's still illegal in the other 49 states. It's also why the Wyoming law could be a game changer for ranchers in the state and—should other states follow suit—a valuable new revenue stream for farmers and ranchers across the country. The new amendment was introduced by Wyoming State Rep. Tyler Lindholm (R), who co- sponsored the bipartisan Food Freedom Act five years ago. "The idea for the bill is simple," Lindholm—a rancher with whom I serve on the board of the nonprofit Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund—told me this week. "Let ranchers and farmers sell herd shares for their animals. That way the entire herd is 'owned' by all of the customers before slaughter, thereby meeting the exemption standards of the federal law, and now the rancher does not have to jump through the hoops of the Federal Meat Inspection Act and can utilize the smaller mom and pop butchers that still [exist] in most of our small towns." The premise behind animal shares isn't new. For example, some states which prohibit raw (unpasteurized) milk sales allow distribution to people who've purchased shares in one or more of a farmer's dairy cattle. These "herdshare" agreements let a farmer raise and care for the herd-shared livestock in exchange for providing some of its (typically unpasteurized) milk to share owners. Meat sharing has been a bit more complicated. As I detail in my book, Biting the Hands that Feed Us: How Fewer, Smarter Laws Would Make Our Food System More Sustainable, a consumer may buy a significant portion of a living cow—say one-quarter or one-half its post- slaughter weight—and take possession of its meat after it's been slaughtered in a non-USDA approved facility without running afoul of USDA rules. But that can mean buying more than 100-200 pounds of beef. Until the new Wyoming law, consumers who weren't quite that hungry (or who wanted only a particular cut of meat) have had little option but to buy from farmers who'd had their animals processed under the USDA's rules or to go to the grocery store for similarly inspected cuts. The Wyoming amendment takes advantage of an exemption created under § 623(a) of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, which governs interstate and even most intrastate livestock slaughter and meat sales in this country. The FMIA exemption allows custom slaughtering of livestock by and for an "owner" of the animal. The Wyoming law clarifies who is or may be an owner of livestock in that state. It does so by defining an animal share as "an ownership interest in an animal or herd of animals created by a written contract between an informed end consumer and a farmer or rancher that includes a bill of sale to the consumer for an ownership interest in the animal or herd and a boarding provision under which the consumer boards the animal or herd with the farmer or rancher for care and processing and the consumer is entitled to receive a share of meat from the animal or herd." Since the Food Freedom Act's passage five years ago, Lindholm has sought ways to improve the law. Meat sales were always at the top of the list. "The sale of processed meat, except poultry, is not allowed under the Food Freedom Act," Lindholm explained to me in 2015. Even five years ago, though, he was already busy at work figuring out a fix. "We have to find a workable solution to this issue and you can expect to see legislation in the future dealing with this issue so that ranchers and farmers can also sell beef and pork directly to consumers also," he told me. "This is just the beginning." He meant it. Still, the new amendment has its limits. It still doesn't allow for the resale or donation of meat obtained under the law; for third-party retail or restaurant sales; or for sales taking place off of a farm or ranch. It also requires, among other things, that ownership shares be established prior to an animal's slaughter. While it's difficult to ascertain right now who might be taking advantage of the law—given it doesn't kick in until July—Lindholm learned after the bill's passage of one such person. That would be his sister Bonita Carlson, who runs Persson Ranch near Gillette, Wyoming, with her husband Drew Persson. Bonita told me this week that the law could be a game changer for ranchers and consumers in the state. "It's caught quite a few people's attention in the state," she tells me. "It's pretty exciting news for sure. Even with social distancing, I've spoken with probably twenty people personally who are interested in using animal shares." Carlson tells me the fact the Wyoming law lowers costly barriers to entry for ranchers like her— for example, she won't have to transport her animal-share cattle to an out-of-state feedlot— will help her high-quality grass-fed beef compete on price with larger competitors. "We will be selling 93% lean ground beef for much cheaper than they're selling 80/20 at the grocery store," Carlson tells me. "We should be competitive enough that a single mom can purchase ground beef from us, too." More than five years after Wyoming passed the Food Freedom Act, the law has benefited farmers and ranchers, small entrepreneurs, and consumers throughout the state. And it just keeps getting better. To read the entire article click on the following link: https://reason.com/2020/04/04/novel-new-wyoming-law-lets-local-ranchers-sell-cu “UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP EM BETWEEN THE BRIDLE” |
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