Welcome to Prime Off the Grid newsroom, your source for news and commentary, mostly commentary in wild places.

I'm Tara and I'm Nancy.

Hey, we got a lot of stories.

Say, by the way, before we get started here, just like to say we realize that by the time some of you are listening to these stories, it may be old news, but it's still interesting news, I think.

And so whether you're listening to it a year from the time we've recorded it or a week from the time we've recorded it, it's still some interesting stories.

We try to stay up to date with stuff going on, and we try to find some stories that aren't just in the news.

So anyway, Federal Cruz removed two three hundred and seventy seven marijuana plants and nearly one ton of trash from Sequoia National Park by Bonnie Chu Fox News, published August twenty four, twenty twenty five.

Officials last week dismantled a sprawling illegal marijuana cultivation site hidden deep inside Sequoia National Park, hauling out thousands of plants and nearly a ton of toxic debris that had scarred the wilderness.

Crews removed three hundred seventy seven full grown marijuana plants and nearly two thousand pounds of trash and infrastructure from the site that damaged roughly thirteen acres in the protected California parkland the National Park Service set on Thursday.

Much of the material was removed by hand and lifted out by helicopter by MPs law enforcement rangers as well as the Bureau of Land Management special agents.

Authorities said the cultivation bore the hallmarks of a well organized drug trafficking operation, the kind that has plagued Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks for nearly twenty years.

In that time, officials eradicated close to three hundred thousand plants with an estimated eight hundred and fifty million dollars inside the two parts.

Isn't that amazing.

That's got to really be bumming out those criminals.

Yeah, it does.

And when they say organized, they are definitely organized.

I've been on some of these grows and it's incredible what they do there.

Wow.

Authorities first discovered the marijuana farm in twenty twenty four, and while they rated it at the time, they did not remove it entirely until this year due to the presence of dangerous chemicals.

This was according to MPs.

When crews returned this year, they found a semi automatic pistol, makeshift campsites with kitchen areas and chemicals, including approximately a gallon of insecticide meta Idophus methadophis, which was banned in the United States more than fifteen years ago.

Rangers also found far more than just the marijuana plants, documenting that they observed evidence of poaching, the clearing out of natural vegetation, nearly two miles of illegal trails, terraced grow plots carved into the hillside.

This is amazing because they can doesn't matter how steep the hillside is.

They terrace it so that it looks like steps that they go up and down, and large pits that appeared to have been created to store water that was diverted from a nearby creek.

Officials said the impact of the illegal growing operation extends far beyond the thirteen acres it occupied.

Runoff from the site may have been contaminated by a large variety of pesticides that were used in growing marijuana, potentially exposing both part of the visitors and wildlife to toxic materials.

Creek siphoned to supply water from both for both the crops and camps would have otherwise nurtured wildlife and park visitation.

MPs said, did you say visitation?

Oh, I might have, I thought, I said, Okay.

A creek siphoned to supply water for both the crops and camps would have otherwise nurtured wildlife and park vegetation.

MPs said each marijuana plant can consume six to eight gallons of water per day, The agency added, citing the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, no arrest have been made and the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about illegal cultivation on parkland is asked to call the MPs tip line at eight eight eight six' five three zero zero zero.

Nine if you see, something say, Something.

Oh my, Gosh SO i really want to know what the actual backstory is on.

This who discovered?

THIS i, mean you've seen think something this huge of an operation that would have been observed by, helicopters probably fighting fires other.

PLANES i, mean even at high high, altitude you're gonna notice a big difference flying Over, Sequoia, LIKE i don't, know maybe that's not on the route of any any major.

Airline maybe that's why they choose a place like, That BUT i don't know How, YEAH i think.

You would see the, terraces, ESPECIALLY i mean thirteen, akers that's kind of.

Large you, know it used to be In california that they'd find these open areas and then they plant all the marijuana.

Plants well then they started getting caught doing, that so then they'd do, like you, know twenty or thirty plants, here and then they go over here under these trees and do thirty or forty.

More so they were splitting them, up so you couldn't see it all that well from the.

Air but, yeah this is this is quite a.

Bit, yeah, well since marijuana cultivation is legal in the state Of california in some other states as.

WELL i, mean there's like some documentary On.

NETFLIX i THINK i started to watch.

IT i forgot what it was, called but talk about the illegal, cultivators the cartel and whoever else is in charge of.

That you are at Big big having big disputes with the legal, cultivators and it still sounds like it could be kind of a deadly competition between you, know who's.

Growing AND i just don't understand why they have to go into a national park and do, this because it does seem, like can't you find better, areas easier, areas legal AREAS i don't, understand like with the money they would probably even put into, this that just doesn't make sense to.

Me, yeah it.

Doesn't and even though it's legal in the state Of, california anywhere on federal, land it's still.

Illegal so you're, right why don't they go out and find a piece of land that's not federal and go ahead and do what they're gonna.

Do but, yeah the, cartels that's big.

Business so, yeah it's.

Interesting effort to go into a national park and hike in two, miles haul in all of your equipment and building, things and that's some effort going.

On and oh, wow too bad that they're not GONNA i don't know how much this is gonna be worth to, somebody but they're not going to get, it.

So, no, no they're.

Not and uh, yeah to collect all those, PLANTS i, mean that's that's a lot of plants to gather up and take out of.

There at least they were able to fly it out of, there which was.

Nice, yeah because you, know you put it in a central area and then that's it's hauled.

Out but, right, yeah it's it's interesting that they're still still doing that like, that especially in places where it's legal to do it.

Elsewhere, yeah, anyway that just makes me madge just tearing up a national park like.

That So i'm glad that at least this has been, discovered And i'm sure they have some ideas as to who it, is but they've probably fled across the border or, something and maybe they can't ever be.

CHARGED i don't.

Know, Okay but also you would, THINK i wonder if there were any booby traps around this cultivated, area or you would just think there would be somebody minding the, crop so to, speak the, farm that's, Right, yeah AND i didn't maybe there, WAS i don't, know but that seems like that whole thing sounded like a very very dangerous operation for people who did have to go in there and then eradicate this or get rid of.

This, yeah and usually they're in, that you, write and then once a bunch of people come in law, enforcement they just, RUN i, mean they just scurry like rats on a, ship and so they leave.

Everything so, yeah you, know it's not a surprise that they found weapons and things like that in the, camp you, know the pesticides and stuff like.

That that's that's not.

GOOD i, mean especially when it's seeking into the.

Water, yeah things like that that people may be.

Consuming that's the hard part, too, right.

All, Right, well the next story headline, reads suspect pleads guilty in heinous murder Of alabama woman kidnapped and pushed off a.

Cliff and this is from al dot.

COM i think That's alabama publication From august twenty, fifth twenty twenty.

FIVE a twenty four year Old pennsylvania woman has pled guilty to the twenty twenty one death of a woman who was kidnapped and pushed off a.

Cliff and before we get, started let me just pause for a.

Second all of the news articles THAT i found on this just say pushed off a cliff Into Cab.

County this Is.

Alabama, okay this happened In Little River National.

PRESERVE i don't know why that is that they didn't mention that it came from a national.

Park maybe The Park service didn't want it out, there WHICH i don't know that that would stop somebody reporting about, it or the media just didn't want to recognize this as a national.

Park, anyway that's just kind of my pet peeve WHAT i was reading when this came, up that one person had pled.

Guilty so, Anyway Jesse kelly Of Union city pled Guilty monday to the murder of thirty seven year Old Mary Elizabeth isabel SB E l L Indicap.

County according to court, Records kelly was initially charged with capital, murder but pled guilty to a lesser charge of murder under the condition that she provides assistance in the prosecution of her, Mother LORETTA.

K.

Carr so this was mother daughter effort.

Here the plea requires That kelly testify against her mother truthfully during her capital murder.

Trial according to its, TEXT i don't know what that.

Thinks, well, anyway there's a, whole, big, full crazy story of this.

Case it's got tons of twists and.

Turns if you want to know the.

Details we did a full episode on it and that was published On august, fourth twenty twenty, Four so a whole year ago Called Little River Canyon National, Preserve What happened To?

Beth that was a good, podcast by the, WAY i don't say so.

Myself, no it was this what it was so.

Interesting it was you just mother daughter in what was you, Know i'm interested in the.

MOTIVE i don't think that we ever learned of the motive and why they did this to this.

Woman sounded like that had something to do maybe with.

It maybe it was a love interest kind of.

Thing but hopefully the mother goes through with her trial and maybe she, doesn't please because it'd be nice to get to the, details you, know people testifying and see what the evidence, is because SOMETIMES i feel like we get robbed when, everybody, please you, know makes a you, know.

Everybody open from.

Everything, yeah, yeah.

Yeah and like we never really get to know or understand why they did what they did or what the details.

Are and, so you, know HOPEFULLY i THINK i might try to see IF i can't find a date for the, trial but it's probably still way, out who.

Knows, yeah, yeah.

Definitely it was interesting.

Though ONE i saw That i'm like right, away, oh, hey we did a podcast on this.

ONE i, know uh, yeah it was In Little River.

CANYON i remember her mom blamed the, daughter so it was kind of a family.

Feud what a what a lovely?

Family, yes, exactly.

Exactly well FROM Cbs NEWS Cbs colorado On august twenty, fifth twenty twenty, Five Jefferson county investigators say stabbing Of colorado park ranger an elaborate.

Hoax colorado authorities have spent the last two days trying to piece together what happened after the park ranger was stabbed On.

Tuesday now law enforcement has determined that the stabbing was a.

HOAX i just this is, crazy this is.

CRAZY i can't even fathom this one H a warrant arrest affidavit was obtained BY Cbs colorado and it said volunteer seasonal park Ranger Callum, haskett twenty, six was reportedly near The Old Male trail in The Staunton State park around nine thirty am when he radioed for.

HELP A cpw employee reportedly Heard hasket saying get, back and he's fighting me over the state radio.

System, okay that's.

What so this is the first Time i'm hearing some details and for him to be like out in the woods on a trail fighting, himself screaming get.

Back he's fighting me over the state park radio.

System and did he?

Did he did he make noises of the other, Person somebody Saying i'm gonna kill you man and change his voice or did HE i, mean did it sound like there was more than one person there if he, was you, KNOW i don't, know that's just.

Crazy, yeah, Yeah and can you imagine kind of just hearing that over the radio as you're, working go, on.

WHAT i know and you know what THIS i don't think this this guy was.

LAUNCH i don't think he was a law enforcement park ranger.

THERE i don't know if they even have him in that.

Park but when somebody hears, that especially you have an, employee the cavalry is gonna and then people put themselves in.

Jeopardy sometimes they might drive a little faster when one of their own is being.

Attacked, yeah oh absolutely they would.

WELL A Jefferson county deputy responding to the, Area Herd haskett state over THE jcso radio channel that he had been stabbed and was on the side of the.

Road the deputy directed him to call nine more months so dispatchers could record his phone's.

Coordinates, basically they're trying to ping him to see where he's.

At.

Yeah the deputy said he Found hasket kneeling in a grassy area south of the service, road holding a pocket knife that had impaled him in his lower left abdomen haske go, Ahead, no you go.

AHEAD i might have forgotten WHAT i was going to.

Say i'm wonder how?

Long?

No oh.

Yeah the blade of that, knife was it like little baby pocket knife or was it a you, know, uh three or four inch?

Blade and what kind of items might he have hit or was, it you, know if it was just one of like a little beaty baby pocket, knife you, know just gone through your, secutaneous you, know and in some Fat but, ANYWAY i don't.

KNOW i don't.

Know haskett told the deputy an unknown man was hunched over near a tree when he approached in his.

Cheek he said that when he went to check on the, man his attackers said f the police and charged at.

Him they reportedly fought on the ground before the man Took haskett's pocket knife and stabbed him with.

It haskett told the deputy he pepper sprayed the, man who then ran.

Away he was airlifted To Saint Anthony's Medical, center where he underwent.

Surgery park staff closed the park and multiple law enforcement aid agencies launched a manhunt for the, suspect which was called off Later tuesday.

Night authorities said that when an investigator spoke To haskett in the, hospital he gave them a description of his alleged, attacker but said he wasn't sure if he would be able to identify.

Him while interviewing, him the investigator reportedly heard him tell medical staff he was on medication for post traumatic stress disorder after he was run over while serving as an officer with The Lafayette Police.

Department wonder if that's.

True, YEAH i don't.

Know, initially authorities reported that the stabbing was a targeted attack and asked the public for help in locating the.

Suspect although two potential suspects were, interviewed they did not match the Description hasket provided and were.

Released despite a thorough search of the, park authorities did not find anyone who matched the.

Description officials provided an Update thursday stating the stabbing was found to be an elaborate.

Hoax according to The sheriff's, office when the responding deputy reviewed their body camera, footage they noted that the back Of haskett's uniform was free of dirt and.

Grass Although haskett told authorities the suspect struck him on the back of the.

Head there was no head wound visible in the footage.

Either, yeah if you're in a ground, fight as he, said you're gonna have dirt and pine needles and stuff stuck on your.

Back it's gonna look like there was a ground.

Fight, yeah, exactly it's gonna look like you were in a.

Fight the footage also Showed hasket texting on his cell phone with one hand while holding the knife with the other and taking footage with his cell.

Phone he reportedly shared videos depicting the knife wound and parts of the helicopter ride with other cpw's staff and his.

Parents little show and.

Tell there looks like the AFF i, know.

Right the affidavit.

Says haskett also took a video of his injury before law enforcement arrived at the scene of the, stabbing and told investigators he believed the video would be.

Helpful after he was asked for A dna, sample he told investigators that the suspect was wearing a single black latex glove because they were to.

That they all do, that don't.

They, Yes, well a, single a single.

One i'm picture In Michael jackson like with one.

Glove that's.

True but The affidavid Said haskett thought the painkillers he was given were the reason he didn't recall that.

Sooner authorities received written consent and Searched haskin's, iPhone where they found numerous search history, results including how deep are arteries in the poor?

ABDOMEN i, know arteries in the in abdomen map he looked at a map of the sea where they, are and the abdominal.

Anatomy oh my, gosh so this is all phouned on his.

Phone, okay STILL i don't.

KNOW i, MEAN i cannot imagine stabbing myself on purpose anyway that would.

Hurt but the, ABDOMEN i, MEAN i guess he didn't really want to die because he wanted to make sure he didn't hid anything.

Important that's WHY i was wondering how long his.

The pocket knife?

Was, yeah.

Exactly well that's true because like you, said you, know it seems three or four.

Inches that's one of the bigger.

Ones So i'm my guess is he didn't have that size with him BECAUSE i could have done more.

Damage.

Yeah.

Well haskett was arrested and is facing multiple, charges including attempt to influence a public, servant, tampering with physical, evidence false reporting to, authority these reckless, endangerment obstructing government, operations and second degree official.

Misconduct so this, guy this this one was.

INTERESTING i bet there's a whole lot more in this.

Background if he used to work for a police.

Department and this guy's, young he's not, old, right this is not some forty five fifty year.

Old he's.

Young so he did not have a long career working in law.

Enforcement and something happened AND i don't know what this what did you, say get ran?

Over got ran over?

Before when he was.

Right he was on medication FOR ptsd after he was run over while serving as an, Officer so it doesn't elaborate what that, means, RIGHT.

I, mean even if that's, REAL i, MEAN i can see why somebody's, Saying, Okay i'm, Out i'm not going to be a police officer.

Anymore but still there are probably some, issues and he's probably got some probably some mental health.

STRUGGLES i would, assume like you, SAID, ptsd BUT i MEAN i wonder before that he's probably had some.

ISSUES i, mean this is people WITH ptsd don't usually SAY i am going to, calculatedly.

Premeditatedly is that our.

Work yeah Might, yeah.

Well premeditatedly ish ish figure out make sure THAT i don't really hurt myself WHEN i stab.

Myself SO i don't know what that.

IS I i AND i don't know why he did.

THAT i, mean wasn't where the goal?

Was, yeh what was the what was the end end goal for that?

ONE i don't, know you know.

WHAT i bet it was a girl.

Well or you, know.

RETIREMENT i, MEAN i don't, know you, know could he get paid for?

DISABILITY i don't know how that would, work you, Know.

BUT i say sympathy from a love.

Interests it could be my only made up opinion with absolutely zero.

EVIDENCE i said.

That, Okay, well here's an interesting.

Story the headline, says shoes, stealing fox wanted after campground crime.

Spree what FROM rv The Four Legged.

Time yes FROM Rv, News august, first twenty.

Five over the last several, months the summer campers at The Lizard creek campground In Grand Teita National park have reported a series of crimes that appear to be the work of a local criminal and that came From Jackson Hole news And.

Guide, mysteriously shoes have been stolen from outside tents and.

Campers as Of july, eleventh the count of missing shoes rose to thirty.

Two that's a lot of.

Shoes that is a lot of shoes.

Amid this crime, Wave the perpetrator or perpetrators remain at, large but park officials believe the primary suspect to be a shoe stealing fox or possibly a crime ring of.

Foxes.

Already visitors to the park have given the thief or thieves several clever.

Names some of the catches have been Sneaker snatcher or The Midnight, mismatcher And swiper The.

Fox Remember dora The.

EXPLORER i do Remember dora The Explore AND i think Sneaker snatcher is the coolest one that you've.

Said, well, yeah that's whatever they gave them, to you.

Know but then if you Say swiper The, fox then you can Say swiper no swiping like On.

Dora that's, right, yeah, Yeah, well the shoes themselves have not been stolen in, pairs but rather just individual.

Shoes park officials have urged campers to keep their shoes in a secure location to prevent further.

Theft in a keeping shoes inside a bare, box wow, vehicles or at the very least in your.

Tent those are things that they offered as.

Precautions you know what That's if that's one, fox that is one busy fox because you can't carry he can probably only carry one shoe at a, time, Right, yeah and that's thirty two.

SHOES i want to.

See there's got to be a cache of these.

SHOES i hope somebody finds it and they take a picture of.

It but you know, WHAT i wouldn't be.

Surprised at my, house there have been more than one occasion Where i've come one of us has come to the house from being in the mud or whatever or stepped in, something and we've taken our shoes off and set them on, there or hose them down and set them on our, porch and they've gone.

Missing can think of two times that's happened to me over the last but twenty something.

Years i'll bet it was a.

FOX i BET i met it was a four legged.

Something but both shoes went.

Missing it wasn't just one shoe went.

Missing both shoes each time went.

Missing, well like they, said it could be a ring of.

Foxes that's.

True, like, okay you get the one on the, LEFT i get the other.

One, no that's the mightiest.

ONE i don't.

Know visitors to the area seemed to have taken advice opposite of what's being, recommended of, course instead that people are coming To tea times now bringing their old, shoes And i'll bet you they are leaving their old shoes because they don't want to get rid of their good hiking, boots but they don't want to lose.

Them but many lee are leaving their shoes out in order to get a glimpse of the furry.

FELON a park spokesperson says that warnings have been put out to educate, guests not encourage interaction with the shoe stealing.

Fog so come, on we're not telling, You we're not trying to encourage you to do.

It we're giving this to you as a.

Warning, nonetheless the playful wanted posters in The Lizard creek campgrounds seem to foster the opposite.

Approach everybody seeing so like if there was a missing child, poster you wouldn't set your child outside your.

TENT i guess that's probably not a very good, no but that's WHAT i was.

Thinking.

Anyway there's a video On Grand Teton National Park's instagram page showing campers putting out shoes as.

OFFERINGS i guess.

That's kind of.

Funny that's a kind of a cute, story affinitely at, first.

But, yes, yes they figured it.

OUT i wonder if he's got a little.

Hoodie he's coming in the dark and he's wearing like a little dark hoodie.

Or a, mask a, mask a little bandit mask.

On.

Yeah and, lastly we have somewhat of an.

Update remember the story that's been all over the news this, summer and we did an episode on it as it was unfolding About Travis.

Decker if you, recall he was a man who murdered his daughters in a campground in a national forest In.

Washington this is FROM Usa today On august, thirtieth twenty twenty, five and the headline reads bones found in search For Travis decker near campsite where daughters were found.

Dead nearly three months since the search for Fugitive travisdecker, commenced officials are now working to determine whether recently discovered bones belong to The washington man wanted in the murder of his three young.

Daughters bones were located around the Rock Island campground In Sheelan county earlier in the week as part of an ongoing.

MANHUNT Fbi seattle spokesperson said in a Statement august twenty, Nine, however it is not yet clear whether the bones belong To decker or if they are even.

Human these bones will be further analyzed to determine if they are animal or.

Human the, Girls, Peyton evelyn And Olivia, decker were found near The Rock island campground Near, Leavenworth, washington On june, second three days after they were reported missing by their mother following a planned custody visit with their.

Father the FORMER Us army member is wanted on three counts of first degree murder and three counts of kidnapping in connection to the death of his.

Daughters THE Us Marshall Service Greater Idaho Fugitive Task force has taken over the search For decker deploying personnel while overseeing in depth, investigations, interviews and.

Assessments law enforcement has been scouring across rugged terrain and harsh, conditions among other environmentalis challenges for three months.

NOW i, wonder being so close to the campground where the girls were, found did he circle back to see.

You, That'sird, yeah because you would think if he had killed, himself you, know which that would explain if if his body was there and then.

Bones surely they they deployed so many people looking for him and tracking.

Him multiple.

AGENCIES Us Marshal service was, Involved they had.

Dogs you would think if he was there, deceased somebody would have found.

Him so, yeah, maybe like you, said he was gone a, while did he circle back to the site and just decide if those are his?

BONES i, mean it just seems odd that it's just.

Bones BUT i, mean except that it's in the it's in a big national.

Forest there's pre there's coyotes and.

Everything predators is the WORD i was looking.

For there's.

Predators, no not.

Predators what do you call, uh what do you call?

It, well there's wild animals or.

Scavengers there's.

Scavengers you, know there's.

Kyles there's probably, wolves mountain, lions bears and all of that.

Stuff, yeah is, there so it'll be.

Interesting it kind of is interesting when they said whether they're human bones or not.

Or an you know, Right i'm guessing they were probably long bones because you, know if there were bones involving hands or you, know other extremities or something like.

That then you certainly would have been able to determine.

That but for them not to, know they're probably just involved like a long bone or some long bones or.

Something, yeah that's, true that could, be and they can't say anything till they're for sure who were what it.

Is, yeah it's it's, interesting like we've checked for updates fairly regularly to see if you, know there's anything come, up and they just really hit this search with just as much.

Manpower of, course there's no way they could have kept that going for very, long so they scaled back and then sometimes there would be, people you, know In montana saying there was a.

Sighting of, course they put everything out.

There this was all the way To canada and all over the, country and this is what he might have, well there were you know, images this is what he could have looked like or might look like now if he did his hair this, way or if he shaved his beard or had a beard or.

Whatever and so there were a lot of tips coming, in you, know people thinking there were, sightings and they tracked as many of them, DOWN i think as they, could but most of them turned out to be, Nothing but there was a fairly positive sighting that right initially after this.

Happened what highway was?

THAT i don't.

Know you can people can go back and search and find the full, stories or you could listen to our episode and we kind of lay out as much of the full story as we.

Can but there was a pretty good sighting which it sounded like to me he could have gotten a ride and he would be, gone, Gone but.

RIGHT i don't.

Know, YEAH i just couldn't have been out in the open too long because, it like you, said it was just spread so, fast you, know for everybody to be looking for this.

Guy so, yeah but, yeah we'll have to stay on top of this one and make sure that we find out what those what that actually.

Was if it's hum or.

Not, RIGHT i don't know what to, hope you, Know like IF i was the, family what do you hope?

For do you hope, that, yeah that's, him or do you hope that one day they could still actually catch him alive and then he could face some.

Justice it's hard to know what's hope.

For, yeah.

Exactly, well that's.

All the news stores we have for.

Today stay safe in all, places and watch out for the company keep and

If you see, something say, something