SJV Water called J.G. Boswell Company Vice President Jeof Wyrick and ended up getting a warning from the cops.

SJV Water left a recorded message asking Wyrick why the J.G. Boswell Company was planting tomatoes in areas expected to flood and had placed a low dam at the confluence of the South Fork of the Kings and Tule rivers slowing that water down.

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Wyrick never called back.

Instead, a sergeant with the Kings County Sheriff’s Office called SJV Water to say it had received a call from Boswell and the company didn’t want anyone on its land.

Hmm. Okay.

In order to report this story, SJV Water used levee roads where numerous other vehicles were traveling. They were apparently open to public use without restriction.

The sergeant then noted the levees were getting waterlogged and weren’t always safe.

Understood, but Penal Code 409.5(d) says journalists cannot be kept out of disaster areas in order to provide the public with information, even at the risk of their own safety.

Wow! Sounds like the Boswell company has a very cozy relationship with the Kings County Sheriff. Can you imagine any other Kings County residents getting this kind of “service”from the sheriff? https://t.co/yKCOWqSzpO

— Jim Boren (@jboren4507) April 3, 2023

When asked about the warning from his office, Sheriff Dave Robinson texted that his office regularly receives allegations of trespass from Boswell and his deputies go to the area to tell people if they’re on private land.

“I don’t give this (call) anything more than the prior calls,” he texted. “This was a little unusual in that they knew your name.”

Yeah, just a little.

In case anyone wanted to see a time lapse of how fast the Tulare Lake has grown since March 17th.

And it’s only the beginning… pic.twitter.com/ljjuDvvgTt

— Martín Chávez (@ChavezMartinJr) April 3, 2023

About SJV Water

SJV Water is an independent, nonprofit news site dedicated to covering water in the San Joaquin Valley. Get inside access to SJV Water by becoming a member.