South Dakota: Highway Patrol leaves hog farm protest zone

State Highway Patrol officers resumed regular duties Thursday after two days at the site of a protest over a planned hog farm near Wagner, a spokesman for Gov. Mike Round says.

"The Highway Patrol does not have any troopers at the protest site today,'' Mitch Krebs, press secretary to the governor said Thursday by e-mail. "They have resumed the usual patrol schedule in that area.''

As many as 50 patrol vehicles were parked near the protest site Tuesday and Wednesday, near the proposed location of a hog farrowing unit planned by Long View Farms of Iowa. A group of protesters, sometimes including an estimated 100 or more people, stood across the road from the site. Protesters are concerned for the health of their children and the safety of the environment if a hog farm is built. The farrowing unit could handle as many as 3,350 sows and produce up to 70,000 pigs a year.

Source and full story

Texas: Prison taken off lockdown three weeks after rebellion rocked facility

A lock-down at the federal prison in Three Rivers has been lifted, officials said Thursday.

The lock-down was imposed on March 28 following a riot of rival groups that erupted in two housing units. One 38-year-old inmate died and 22 others were injured with makeshift knives in the conflict.

During lock-down about 1,160 inmates were restricted to their residence areas, institution officials said. Now, normal activities have resumed, said assistant warden Abby Harris.

Source and full story

North Dakota: Bosnian man faces deportation after conviction upheld for participating in riot

The North Dakota Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of a Fargo man who jurors found engaged in a riot while armed with what a witness said was a baseball bat.

Thursday’s unanimous decision upholds the 18-month prison sentence of Mevludin Hidanovic, who earlier lost a plea for parole in connection with a melee involving 15 to 30 participants during the 2006 Red River Valley Fair.

Hidanovic, who denied taking part in the riot, said he was at the fairgrounds with his family and was told about a fight, but said the incident was over by the time he arrived at the scene.

Source and full story

Midwest Green Scare: Up to 15 others may have been snitched out by Frank Ambrose

New information has recently been obtained on FBI informant Frank Ambrose. Ambrose has already plead guilty and agreed to help the government and their investigation of ELF/ALF actions in any way.

Court documents reveal that Ambrose was being used by the FBI not only to gather information on ELF/ALF activities but general movement organizing as well. Specifically I-69 organizing and Cincinnati Earth First! organizing.

We have confirmed there is an active Grand Jury out of Grand Rapids, MI. Recently released court documents suggest Ambrose has provided information on "15" other people allegedly involved in ELF/ALF actions.

Source and full story