:: :: Our Legal Fund is Finally in the Black Again!

As of this weekend, our legal fund is no-longer operating in the red! That is a long way from the $17,748.02 behind that I reported at the end of October!

For everyone out there who was able to pitch in some help, I want to thank you very much!

Here follows a list of winners from the special prize drawing which we did on the morning of 1 February:

Herbert Miller: Tesoro Compadre Metal Detector
Dave Preston: Whites GMT Gold Master
Pete Downey: Blue Bowl Kit
Dean Fogh : Minelab X-terra 50 Metal Detector
Mont Pierce: Fisher 1225-X Metal Detector with 8” coil
Daniel Dresow: Fine recovery 2-inch High-banker/dredge combo
Gerald & Judy Shirey: Garrett Ace 150 Metal Detector
Ronald Cooke: Garrett metal detecting head phone and tote bag
Richard Jensen: Garrett metal detecting tote bag and head phone
Bob Keith : Garrett Gold Pan kit
Sharon Kilmer: Garrett Gold Pan kit
Chad Gretzner: Garrett Gold Pan kit
Debra & Ron Oliver : Silverado Recovery System
Joe Wyse: Minelab pin and pen
Don Gavette: Garrett Metal detecting Hat

Congratulations to all the winners! Montine (530 493-2062) is in the process contacting each winner to arrange shipment of the prizes.

I especially want to thank and acknowledge the efforts of Jim Yerby in arranging many of these prizes, and for pretty-much heading up our fund raising effort!

In case you are interested, from 1 October through today (3 February), our legal fund has received $20,880.82 through 384 separate contributions. Of those, we received 25 contributions in excess of $100, and we received 2 contributions that were $1,000 or more. As much as I would like to, for reasons of privacy, I will not provide a list of individual contributors.

But I would like to specifically acknowledge the following businesses within our industry that pitched in and helped us catch up our legal fund: Louie’s Welding, “Fine Recovery Mining Equipment Manufacturing,” Jobe Wholesale, Pioneer Mining, White's Electronics, Minelab Metal Detectors, Fisher Metal Detectors, Garrett Metal Detectors, Proline Dredge Manufacturing, Silverado Recovery systems, American Placer Supply, Miner’s Cache, Armadillo Mining Shop and Pro-Mack Mining Supplies. Since these are the companies who are directly assisting us to overcome attacks upon our industry, I encourage you to please support the products of these companies whenever possible. We must support those who stand with us!

Please note that there may be other businesses within our industry that are supporting the efforts of other organizations, such as PLP. I have listed here only the companies that have helped us directly. If I missed anyone, please let me know?

There have been some legal costs since we started pushing to catch things up. As of the first week in January, we have also retained our lobbyists in Sacramento. It's good that we did!

Litigation with the Karuk Tribe is heating up again because California Fish & Game does not have funding to update our suction dredge regulations. In Court, the Department of Fish & Game DFG has told the judge that, while they are doing the best they can to comply with the Court’s Order, lack of funding is not allowing them to contract the full environmental review process (of existing dredging regulations in California) to an outside firm. Consequently, the Karuks are once again asking the Court to impose emergency restrictions upon suction dredgers. We are arguing in favor of the Court’s earlier decision that further restrictions cannot be imposed upon our industry without a full contested hearing on the evidence. Chances are, we will be find ourselves in a full contested hearing (trial with expert witnesses) pretty soon. We are already in preparation for this.

Once again, thanks so much for helping to bail us out of those past legal costs!!

So now we can begin moving forward in preparation for the upcoming contest over our suction dredge regulations in California. Contributions can be directed to New 49’er Legal Fund, P.O. Box 47, Happy Camp, CA 96039. You can also call in a debit or credit card contribution to our office at (530) 493-2012. Or you can make a contribution through Pay Pal by clicking on the “legal” link on our home page at www.goldgold.com.

What we need most at the moment is donated prizes for our next big fund-raising effort. Since we began pushing for more prizes on our Internet communication forum a short while ago, here is what has been donated so far: Mike Higbee of Armadillo Mining Shop donated 2 pennyweights of placer gold; Don Espey donated 2 beautiful gold nugget display cases; Paul Herndon donated 9.5 pennyweights of placer gold; Joe Toffton donated 2.29 pennyweights of 14K gold jewelry filings (58 % pure gold); Jeff Butcher donated 1.5 pennyweights of placer gold and 2 nantan iron meteorites; Inspector Tom donated 5.4 pennyweights of chunky gold nuggets; Chip Hess of Miners Cache donated $500 in gift certificates; and Pro-Mack Mining Supplies has donated a necklace made from a beautiful pink sapphire that I brought back from Madagascar.

I am now going to donate 2 more, similar necklaces in hopes that you guys (and gals) will be inspired to join in!

Note: Smaller-sized prizes are easier and less expensive to pack up and ship to winners. Please coordinate prize donations either with Montine in our office at (530) 493-2062, or with Jim Yerby at <GRIZZWAG@CHARTER.NET>.

Thanks for whatever you can do to help!