Ever watch the TV series, DEADWOOD? Something like that's going on up in the hills above the Knolls. Only its real. I've just now only received 3rd hand info, so you'll need to contact the Sheriff's Dept for more details.

I heard a resident of the knolls was beaton and threatoned for his life, because he would like to keep the knolls as it is. What is this coming to. 3 Men were arrested and put in jail with 1/2 million dollar bail, yet the DA isn't going to prosecute. What is that all about ? It's time we didn't treat the knoll's residents like 2nd rate citizens. Come on Greg Totten, where is JUSTICE ?

Rumor has it Foy would like to open a new dump in Simi and he is eyeing the Knolls.

Does anyone have any details?? Names?? I was told the victim was one of the Dantona workers who had been threatened during the campaign, after catching someone stealing signs. If that's so, then this is a federal crime.

It is an ongoing investigation so we have to be careful not to say anything that may impede the investigation, however, we do need the DA and the Detectives to know that we expect them to go above and beyond the call of duty on this one! We have to protect ourselves in Box Canyon!

Concerned Neighbor!

I hear that others activists in the area were threatened. Is that so? I suggest that you and your neighbors get up to the Sheriff's office and apply for concealed weapon permits ASAP. It's easy to do and all you need to do is show a legitimate reason for needing the protection of a firearm; in this case that might not be so hard to do. Maybe just the act of a few dozen residents seeking permits will get some real attention to the matter.

Sounds nuts. Guns and threats???? Maybe the Knolls needs Gorian to pave it over if all this is really going on.

The blog before me sounds like only a nut would write. On a more important note everyone be careful and my prays and thougths are with Jan and all of you.
I hope the DA does something.....................

I was in DC when the incident occurred and only heard about it yesterday, while travelling. I haven't been able to find anything in the newspapers about it and have only gotten a rough picture from a number of second hand reports. Can anyone give a short summary of what occurred, without naming names? Is the victim OK or still in the hospital?

A neighbor,in his 60's, hiking in the hills of Box Canyon was attacked by 3 people. He was beaten, strangled, kidnapped and taken to a different location in the hills. He was tortured, stripped of his clothes and shoes. He was told that he and his wife would be killed if he told anyone about it. He is doing ok physically now. Some other neighbors names were mentioned during this brutal attack! The detectives need to do a thorough investigation to make sure that these 3 people are held accountable for their actions. Perhaps phone calls to the DA and to the VC sheriff's (Detective Hartkop 494-8201) to let them know that this is a community that feels threatened and that we expect them to follow every lead and go beyond the call of duty on this one. Our concern is that next time they will not leave a witness!!

So the man who was beaten, openly supported Dantona during the election? Maybe we have a "SimiGate" on our hands!

This story seems too wild to be true. Something must be missing. D.A. Greg Totten is a no nonsense guy who is a tougher D.A. than Mike Bradbury. If there is any evidence to any of the serious crimes alleged, the story would be front page news and Totten would be holding a press conference. Ten years to life would be demanded by this District Attorney. This story appears on the surface to be a bit fishy.

I'd forget the detective. E-mail D.A. Totten directly at Greg.Totten@ventura.org. He answers all his e-mail. Reference the case by victim's name and date.

Didn't Totten and Bradbury support Foy in the Supervisor's race? Aren't Totten and Bradbury inner circle members of the VCRCC? Not accusing, just asking.

That would be jumping to conclusions...

The victim was involved with the group that has been trying to get the County to enforce grading laws in the area's hills. So are the other people mentioned and threatened by the alledged attackers. It's alledged that illegal grading and dumping continues there on a large scale and that our former Supervisor and other County officials refused to address the matter for years. It's also alledged that the persons responsible for the grading and dumping are supporters and contributors to the former Supervisor's campaigns and that they have helped support and finance Mr Foy's recent campaign.

It would appear that the County's refusal to address these issues AND a close relationship with the Supervisor's office have encouraged this act of violence. I hope not.

Mr Foy, you have campaigned on a promise to ensure the safety of this community. Do it!

Crime will always be a part of society. What do you expect Foy to do? The Sheriff and Foy both live in Simi Valley. Do you think they want crime when they go for similar hikes, to see a movie or to the local stores? Let's get the victim to hold a press conference with a bunch of residents beside him. Let's send a letter signed by 100 residents to the Grand Jury. This purported crime just seems a little goofy.

Would someone explain to me what happened? I must have missed something.

Barbra, unfortunately this incident occurred in the unincorporated area of Box Canyon. The perpetrators were people that we had approached Judy Mikels about since she became our Supervisor in 2002 (because of redistricting). We had talked to our prior supervisor, Schillo, since March 2000 too! In my opinion, if Judy had done her job as we requested of her, this would never had happened! Maybe now we will be taken seriously and get the representation that we need (before any bodies show up!) If you feel you can be of any help, please let us know.
Thanks!

How can anyone let you know if there are no names left here to contact?

This thread was about all recent events in the knolls.

Is there anything that has been reported that isn't a wild story? Something like the MAC's or whatever GS always talked about?

I am aware of the dumping, but someone said people are getting hurt, that's what I don't understand. Fill me in

Should we call this Simigate or Box Canyongate? Where is Foy given this is in his district?

The three attackers were Charlie Manson grandchildren who have been living in caves since Charlie and the girls were busted on Spahn Ranch. They were searching for Shorty Shea's head at the time of the attack. The victim was hiking and humming the Beatles song Helter Skelter. For some unexplained reason, the trio attacked him.

Needless to say this is not a very important problem since everyone seems to be making a joke of it. So I will write it off as the crazies in the Knolls...ok? maybe that's why no one pays attention to them???

Jokes aside, it may or may not have occurred. The irony of the report is that it hasn't been covered in the news media and those taken into custody have allegedly not been charged with a crime. A crime of this nature could result in a life sentence, if true, so the story is a bit hard to believe thereby incurring the jokes. Nevertheless, if it is real, it is most serious. Strangely enough we have heard from many, but not from either the victim or the police.

Of course this occurred, the victim has been told he and his wife will be killed, and this forum for getting the word out is turning into a joke!!
I will e-mail you directly Barbra so we can have a civilized conversation!
The police won't comment because it is an ongoing investigation, the papers won't write about it because it doesn't involve a celebrity and those of you who think it's funny are living in la la land!

If this incident turns out to be just an out-of-control neighbor dispute or even a cruel hoax, then I can live with the disappointment. But until that's proven anyone who makes light of one of their neighbors being abducted, tortured and threatened with murder is simply encouraging more violence. You ought to be ashamed. Not only for contributing to the escalation of problems up in the hills but for having fun at the expense of some very frightened neighbors.

When you say the "police" aren't talking, Can I assume you mean the Sheriff's Department?

yes, I mean the sheriff. Detective Hartkop.

Now we have Detective Hard Kop entering into the mistery? The plot thickens. The butler did it.

Oh Come On,
Are you an idiot? This is serious. Since you think it's so funny maybe you or one of your family memebers should have to go through it....

Nothing in the newspaper. No charges filed. FBI on every corner of the Knolls. Lead Detective Officer Hard Kop. I still think the butler did it.

Here is a crazy idea. Why don't we wait until we learn the facts before jumping to conclusions. If this is a serious incident, as some people are claiming, then it is a good bet that our local law enforcement will investigate and get to the bottom of it. Until then why don't we tone down the hysteria and wait until we have more information. That way we can all at least have an INFORMED opinion on the topic.

Looks like everyone took your advice Bubba. Not another word on the "incident".

Something Wicked This Way Comes!

As if the threat of overdevelopment on the site of the Knolls Horse Ranch weren't scary enough, developer Colton Lee Communities is now proposing a devastating, ill-conceived road-widening project that would tear through the very heart of the very rural and woodsy Susana Knolls.

Colton Lee's new proposal for the horse ranch site now consists of an ultra-high density manufactured home park. Potential residents would purchase a manufactured home, choose a site in the park, and then pay rent to Colton Lee Development forever, oblivious to the fact that they are living on borrowed time in a high fire zone. And that the soil is within the contamination zone of Rocketdyne!!

It doesn't take much imagination to see what a terrible effect this inappropriate development would have on this rural nighborhood. As many as 300 more cars could be coming and going into the Knolls, across a very busy railroad track. A very dangerous railroad track, complete with Metrolink trains and very long and noisy freight trains, day and night, seven days a week.

Now, add a catastrophic fire in the hills like the one we survived in 2005. A VERY LONG train was stopped on the tracks, because fire was surrounding the track to the east, blocking escape on Katherine Road. Susana Pass Road was shut down because of the fire blazing on the pass. In essence, Katherine Road was shut down on the north and the south.

Three years ago, the Ventura County Supervisors rejected Colton Lee's apartment proposal, citing that it was too dense, unsafe, and that it needed a MANDATORY SECONDARY ACCESS. Now, in a desperate show of greed, Colton Lee is proposing that the secondary access for his square-peg-in-a-round-hold development simply be Katherine Road.

How? Well the developer wants to rip out ancient oak trees, bulldoze driveways and gut the yards of all the residents on Katherine Road from the Horse Ranch, all the way through the Knolls, to the historic Santa Susana Train Depot, just to widen Katherine Road. Instead of providing a MANDATORY, safe, SECONDARY emergency access, Colton Lee is proposing that a widened Katherine Road can suddenly become two roads...the north entrance and the south entrance.

To add insult to injury, rumor has it that the Fire Department thinks that this single road could be called a secondary access in order to meet the needs of this greedy developer!

Since when did the profit of a developer outweigh the lives of the residents who currently call the Knolls home? Since when did one road become two?

I certainly hope that Supervisior Foy honors his campaign pledges and stops this rampant overdevelopment and developer abuse of zoning. I hope that he enforces the General Plan that prohibits destroying a rural area with a clearly city-type development.