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Jackson rumors abound; none confirmed

By Samantha Yale Scroggin and Raiza Canelon/Staff Writers/sscroggin@syvnews.com

With major media outlets reporting Tuesday morning that a motorcade was planned for today to bring Michael Jackson’s body to Neverland Valley Ranch — for a public viewing Friday — local emergency-response agencies and businesses began bracing for the tidal wave of people that could descend on the Central Coast.

The news reports all cited anonymous sources and said they couldn’t be confirmed, and Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol said all day Tuesday that no one had contacted them to make arrangements.

And by Wednesday morning the Associated Press had begun reporting that an unnamed person familiar with the situation was saying that no public memorial was planned at Neverland and it was more likely that a funeral and burial would take place in Los Angeles.

The person, who was not authorized to speak for the family and requested anonymity, said Wednesday that nothing is planned for Neverland at least through Friday, though a private memorial service for family and friends could take place at the ranch, most likely after the funeral.

However, Santa Barbara County sheriff, fire and other emergency-response officials met extensively Tuesday to discuss planning and logistics should a funeral or memorial service be held for Jackson in the area — particularly at the late pop star’s Neverland Valley Ranch near Los Olivos, according to a written statement released by the county.

Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital was also put on alert for the possibility of huge crowds descending on the Valley in addition to those already coming for the Fourth of July weekend.

“Although the county has no official confirmation of an event here for Michael Jackson, county departments are preparing to accommodate a large event that is likely to occur should a memorial service be announced,” read the statement.

Those meeting Tuesday included representatives from the Sheriff’s Department, Fire Department, Executive Office, County Counsel, Public Works, Public Health and others, according to the county.

Both CNN.com and the celebrity-focused tmz.com reported Tuesday that the motorcade would occur this morning, Thursday, with up to 30 vehicles traveling from Los Angeles to Neverland.

Citing unnamed sources, the two Web sites indicated that a public viewing of Jackson’s body would occur Friday, and a private memorial service for the singer was planned for Sunday, according to CNN.

Santa Barbara County spokesman William Boyer said officials had begun discussing planning for the possible Jackson memorial event Monday night.

As for who would pay for the extra resources necessary should Jackson’s body be brought to Neverland, Boyer said he didn’t know.

“We’re meeting internally to try to figure out some of this stuff as we speak,” he said late Tuesday afternoon.

Boyer said he could not confirm that the county had any official contact with the Jackson family regarding any memorial plans.

Having Jackson’s body brought to the Santa Ynez Valley would be “very similar to what a large disaster or emergency would be,” he said, speaking in terms of planning and response.

The Public Health Department has been alerted should there be health-related issues, Boyer said.

“It’s going to be hot out there,” he added.

Boyer said there would also potentially be issues concerning keeping the roads open, and law enforcement and legal aspects to deal with.

Sheriff’s Lt. Ugo “Butch” Arnoldi said all kinds of public issues would arise should there be a memorial service for Jackson at Neverland Valley Ranch.

“They’re astronomical, believe me,” Arnoldi said.

There would be traffic-control and fire concerns because of all the vehicles traveling on the narrow rural roads, he said.

“There’s no bathroom facilities out there,” Arnoldi added.

Wende Cappetta, vice president of Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, said that with any influx of people to the valley, the hospital has extra staff on hand and makes sure enough intravenous fluid is stocked in the emergency room.

“Our biggest concern is maintaining clear access to the ER. With the combination of hot weather and being a holiday weekend, we are concerned people will be coming in with dehydration or heat exhaustion,” Cappetta said.

Local businesses were already seeing signs Tuesday of the crowds to come.

Mary Harris, executive director of the Santa Ynez Valley Visitors Association, said her group had notified its members that there would be an event.

“We were expecting a lot of business anyways with the holiday weekend, but it looks like it’s going to be even busier,” she said. “The hotels are filling up quickly. We are trying to see how many rooms there are left, and it doesn’t look like many.”

Within 15 minutes of the announcement from CNN that a public memorial service might be held at Neverland, Fess Parker Wine Country Inn & Spa on Grand Avenue in Los Olivos was full.

According to front desk clerk Cammy Pinoli, people had been calling from as far away as Japan, France and Germany inquiring about vacant rooms. The 20-room hotel began the day with a handful of vacancies, she added, but once full she began referring people to the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott in Buellton.

The Ballard Inn and Restaurant, just south of Los Olivos, had been expecting a very slow Fourth of July weekend, but as rumors spread about Jackson’s service it became completely full through the weekend.

“The locals have been saying they are going to hide for the weekend because of the impending traffic,” said Postmaster Laurie Oakley at the Los Olivos Post Office.

The Los Olivos Caf/ said Tuesday it would quadruple its staffing for the weekend, and was preparing to have one of the busiest weekends of the year.

The impact of the impending crowds was being felt as far north as Santa Maria.

Bob Hatch, president and CEO of the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce, said Tuesday that the Historic Santa Maria Inn had been receiving calls, primarily from members of the media, looking for a place to stay for the event.

“I think that the main impact, of course, will come from the need for hotel rooms,” Hatch said. “I’m relatively certain of that, if history is any judge of that.”

Santa Maria is within the distance that people would be willing to travel for hotel rooms while visiting the Santa Ynez Valley, Hatch added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

July 3, 2009