BLM meeting Moss Mill Road

Last Friday, there was a meeting held at the Riverside BLM office concerning reasonable and safe public access in the Deep Creek area. The meeting was audio taped.

In attendance was the interim District Manager, Linda Hansen, Ranger Barry Nelson, Tim Read, myself, Joe Baucum and three other members of the public.

The main topics of the meeting were the establishment of a parking area for use by horse riders to unload their stock and the opening of Moss Mill Road or reasonable safe access to the Deep Creek area.

Two years ago on May 12, 2000, the BLM requested a solicitor's (legal) opinion on Moss Mill Road. The BLM are still claiming that since the physical location of the road and the legal description do not match that the Moss Mill Road easement is flawed.

My legal research supported that Moss Mill Road is a legal easement despite the error in the legal description.

The BLM are to finally insist on their solicitor's opinion. I reminded them that two years was sufficient time to receive this information.

Anyway, in the meantime, the County of San Bernardino passed a resolution through their board of supervisors asserting their right to access public lands across existing roads.

The County is moving toward asserting their right to assess on Moss Mill Road causing the road to be opened.

During the meeting with the BLM, the subject of the Bowen Ranch and Mike Castro was brought up.

Ranger Nelson purported that there have been no credible witnesses who have come forward about Mike Castro's violence, that there have been concocted stories and that everyone who made complaints about Mike Castro has an agenda, a vendetta.

I calmly said that credible witnesses could be brought forward, that I do not have a vendetta and that what I have said is true. Joe Baucum stated that he had seen Mike Castro pull guns on people out there.

Basically, Ranger Nelson was directing these comments towards me. I highly object to his unfounded allegations. We have provided over 25 witnesses concerning the violence conducted by Mike Castro and others. Some of these witnesses are members of law enforcement from other cities.

We attended this meeting with the support of our County Supervisor. We are working with our County Supervisor to resolve these issues in the Deep Creek area. I anticipate more meetings in the future.

It was also brought up that the property no longer belonged to Fred Moss and that Mike Castro along with Kevin and Tanya were the new owners. I had heard this rumor before so it did not surprise me. However, I was able to confirm the change ownership.

I will post the transfer deeds to the website soon so that you may see that Fred Moss excepted the buildings or improvements acknowledging the fact that he did not own them.