January 2001 February 1, 2001 March 2001 April 2001 May 2001 June 2001

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January 4, 2001

County asks for more input on Cedarville Post Office location

The Modoc County Board of Supervisors Tuesday agreed to send a letter to the U.S. Postal Service asking for a public meeting or opportunity for more public input on the location of a new Cedarville Post Office.

Following several months of scoping and open comment periods, the Postal Service narrowed four possible locations down to one, but that one location does not have universal acceptance.

The plan is to build the new facility, complete with offstreet parking, on a lot on Main Street across from the Surprise Valley Community Hospital. The plan is to construct the facility with the next year. Some people are concerned that the location across from the hospital will cause some congestion. Many people, said John Schreiber of Cedarville, would prefer the facility remain in the same location or more to a different lot, away from the hospital. One of the lots mentioned is across from the Cedarville Cafe.

However, the Postal Service said the move is predicated on a lack of space in the existing facility and a lack of available parking. The primary reason for a new Post Office is working space.

The Postal Service took a look at four of lots offered, ruled out two because of cleanup costs and settled on the one because it fit their needs. There will be future public meetings where people in Cedarville and Surprise Valley will get a chance to comment on the design and overall look of the new facility.

Vandals hit I'SOT Christmas displays

For the past 21 years, the I'SOT Community in Canby has built and maintained wonderful Christmas displays for the enjoyment of the town and passersby. Each year the displays withstand some vandalism, at some times minor and other times a bit worse. This year was one of the worst in terms of vandalism, according to Beth Mann.

She reported the vandalism to the Modoc County Sheriff's Office this week, which includes damage to mannequins, the theft of a Baby Jesus doll, general damages and the theft of two expensive Roman Centurion helmets. The I'SOT community is offering a reward for the return of the helmets. Anyone with information leading to the items taken is asked to call 233-5200.

Teen Center begins new year with burst of activity

The local Teen Center is gearing up to start the new year with exciting activities for students in grades six through eight. Teens will have a chance to exercise their foos-ball and air-hockey prowess on the center's new game-machines during tournaments scheduled throughout January.

Painting a mural and decorating the inside of the center is another planned activity that will give the teens a chance to personalize the building dedicated to giving them a place to hang out with friends.

"The center is a great place for kids to meet their friends and do fun things together," said De Funk, coordinator of the CLOAK afterschool program. Toward that goal, an organized Scavenger Hunt and various baking projects are planned in January by Teen Center Director, Becky Rouse.

Inside the Teen Center kids will also find a TV room equipped with a TV, VCR, a Playstation game system, couch and chairs and a larger room with a ping-pong table. The center is located at 1000 W. 4th Street, Alturas and will re-open on Saturday, January 6 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. after being closed for the holidays. Subsequent weekends in January will find the center open on Fridays from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Local man forges his art

By Anthony Larson

Even though a blacksmith uses a forge to heat the metal he fashions, it's improper to call him a forger, nor can his work be called forgmetal a smith skillfully fashions with hammer and tongs on the anvil is typically not considered art. But art is the only proper word for what Bob McAdams creates.

"I try to do the artistic side because that's what I like," says McAdams. Using time-honored blacksmithing skills and equipment, McAdams creates works of art in metal while employing some innovative, self-taught techniques. He makes an assortment of wrought iron items, from lanterns to candle holders to candelabra, from key chains to belt buckles, steak turners and barbecue implements.

But the most unique and artistic things that McAdams creates are the bull heads, ram heads and metal roses. They are remarkably true to life, except that they are metal. The roses, his specialty, are truly striking. From stems, leaves and tiny buds to fully opened roses with delicate petals. McAdams makes wrought iron flowers that look so true to life, one is struck with the impression that they were once real roses, changed in an instant to metal by some magician's magic. The workmanship is detailed and exquisitely delicate, a remarkable achievement for any artist, let alone a blacksmith.

McAdams uses a modern, propane fired forge, unlike the charcoal fired forges of yesteryear, because it makes the work go more quickly and there is less delay at startup. He also uses an assortment of electric grinding equipment to finish his work, where hand work was employed in the past. Other than that, he uses all the tools of his time-honored trade.

Since his wife, Carol, passed away about four years ago, McAdam's daughter, Tammy, is his assistant. Living and working on the Madeline plains, they make the most of their solitude. He does the heavy smithing; she does the finishing work, giving it a woman's touch. She is the 'Tam' on their business card and the initial 'T' stamped next to McAdams' first initial 'B' on each piece they create.

Watching McAdams work is entertaining and intriguing at the same time. After firing his forge to a white-hot intensity, he selects about a two-foot length of quarter-inch square iron and thrusts it into the fire. In moments the end of the iron he intends to work is glowing red-hot. Using tongs, he pulls the metal rod from the forge and takes it to the nearby anvil. McAdams moves quickly, but deftly, hammering, bending or twisting the putty-like metal before it cools. Then, he returns it to the forge to heat the metal once again. With just a few seconds to shape the near-molten metal before it cools, a smith must repeat the heating and working cycle, putting his iron in the fire to reheat it many times before he can finish a project. (And yes, that's where the adage "too many irons in the fire" comes from, as did "strike while the iron is hot.")

A smith's work is somewhat tedious and obviously demanding, using a discipline that is not easily acquired.

"You learn to get the feel of the metal," says McAdams as he agilely works the metal into a leaf, alternately using the flat and round ends of his hammer to carefully shape it. Just as in the westerns you've seen, the blacksmith's hammer rings out over the Madeline plains as he pounds the near-molten metal on a massive steel anvil. McAdams' rhythmic pounding takes the onlooker back to a time when every neighborhood echoed with the sound of a smith's ringing hammer on metal. The result in this instance is not a horseshoe or a chain or a hub for a wagon wheel. This time it's sheer art.

Comparing his work to that of an ordinary blacksmith, McAdams notes, "Basically, you do it the same way." But the end result is a far cry from what a blacksmith commonly creates. McAdams' work can only be called artistic blacksmithing. Where does this unique talent come from? "I don't know," replies McAdams as he laughs out loud, "because I can't even draw a picture!"

His enthusiasm for his craft is infectious. "I can't wait to start something new," says McAdams with a chuckle. "When I make something, I try to make it appealing to the eye." Even though most of his creations are functional as well as artistic. McAdams wants them to endure. "I would like people to think of my work as a keepsake that might become a family heirloom," he says thoughtfully. Special orders for McAdams' artistic smithing talents are increasing.

"Now I'm starting to get quite a bit...especially now that they see what I can do," he observes.

Obituaries

Phillip S. Price

Former Alturas resident Phillip S. Price died Thursday, December 28, 2000 at Providence Hospital in Everett, Washington. He was 64 years old. It was a sudden and greatly unexpected death for his family. His entire family was present at the hospital at the time of his death.

Mr. Price is survived by his wife Pamela and his three daughters Laura Price and husband Marc White of Coupleville, Wash.; Julia Price of Everett, Wash. and Heather Price and husband Mac Chavarria of Kirkland, Wash. He will be greatly missed by his new grandson and namesake, Felipe and his 15-year-old granddaughter Savanna.

"He was a wonderful, righteous and generous man who love nature, sailing and fishing," shared his family. "He and Pam did a great many things to enhance the community of Modoc County during the 37 years that they lived there." Some of his contributions in Modoc County included serving as regional disaster relief chairman for the American Red Cross; working with the Modoc County Historical Society; field and stream trout restoration work, restoration of local historical buildings at he and PamÕs own expense, and providing free home repairs for elderly residents.

Mr. Price was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He also sailed in the Trans-Pacific race three times around the world. He will be cremated and his ashes spread over his ranch outside Alturas in the coming spring. A quiet ceremony will be held at that time.

Condolences may be sent to Pam Price, 2122 Crossroads Circle, Oak Harbor, WA 98277.

Sally Susan Hunter

Cedarville resident Sally Susan Hunter passed away December 23, 2000 in Walla Walla, Wash., where she had been making an extended stay. She was 37. No cause of death was provided by her family.

She was born January 18, 1963 in Frenchtown Quebec, Canada to Lois and Robert Beaudoin. She lived all over the world while growing up. Sally loved horses and she obtained her trainers license for training thoroughbred race horses. She also obtained her nurse's license. She had a great love for the elderly. An accomplished musician, she studied music in Europe and loved to play classical piano. Most of all she loved her children and living in the ranching community of Cedarville, where she had made her home for the past year and a half. She was divorced.

She is survived by a daughter Katie Hunter of Mt. Vernon, Ore.; twin infant son Wyatt Bordwell of Mt. Vernon, Ore. and her sister Juli Lott of John Day, Oregon. She was preceded in death by her daughter Emily, son Nathan, infant son Ethan, and granddaughter Brittany.

A private family service was held. Mrs. Hunter is interred at a cemetery in Hermiston, Ore.

Michele Marie Akers

Michele Marie Akers, owner of the Adin Inn in Adin, Calif., passed away Tuesday morning, January 2, 2001 at 5:30 a.m. at Mercy Medical Center in Redding, Calif., from health complications which resulted in internal bleeding. She was 43.

Born Michele Marie Pierce on May 8, 1957, in Utah, she had told friends in later years, that she was raised as a Catholic among a Mormon community. She passed her driver's license test in Montana and worked for the Gallatin National Forest in Montana under the name of Michele Russell, her first husband's last name. She was a commissary manager, injury compensation officer and obligation officer in 1981. After moving to California, she enrolled at Pasadena Community College in the Spring of 1987.

Michele worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratories in Southern California where she met and married Charles Akers, who also worked for the lab. They shared 13 years of marriage and moved to Adin five and a half years ago, when they purchased the Adin Inn. After her husband died on May 19, 1999, Michele continued to operate the business. She hosted pool tournaments at the Adin Inn during Big Valley Days each summer that she owned the business. She also won first place in doubles during the Big Valley Days 2000 celebration.

Mrs. Akers supported many charities including the Leukemia, Lymphoma and Cancer Societies, American Heart Association. She was a member of Adin Chamber of Commerce. She loved her pets and called her two dogs and three cats, her "babies." She would often take her dogs for walks along nearby Rush Creek.

She enjoyed taking photographs and used both black and white and color film. She also wrote poetry and short stories. Her artistic and literary talents impressed her friends and family. Because she loved Rush Creek and its setting, friends have chosen the setting to hold a memorial service. The service will be held at the Lower Rush Creek Campgrounds on the Modoc National Forest near Adin, on Saturday, Jan. 6 at 1:00 p.m.

A potluck and celebration of life gathering will follow at Adin Inn. She is survived by her mother Madeline Pierce of Las Vegas, Nev.; two sisters, Terrie and Jeanie; brother-in-law Ron Akers in Menifeg, Calif. and a stepdaughter Heather Akers Channel, in addition to many friends. Donations may be sent to the Adin Inn, P.O. Box 379, Adin, CA 96006 or to a charity of choice.

Andrew Haskell Parks

Andrew Haskell Parks was born to Phineas and Anna Parks on November 27, 1912, seven miles south of Adin, California on Willow Creek. He passed away on December 26, 2000 at Mercy Medical Center in Redding, Calif. from natural causes, at the age of 88 years.

His whole life was spent ranching on Willow Creek. He began riding the range at the age of nine. He loved the animals, and riding the open range, tracking cows with family and friends. He also took great pleasure in mowing a good field of hay. Mr. Parks was a graduate of Providence Elementary and Big Valley Joint Union High School in Adin.

On October 5, 1937 he married Devona Wolter in Reno, Nevada. Haskell's first love and total dedication was to his family. He and Devona shared 63 years of marriage.

Mr. Parks was a life-long member of the Providence Farm Bureau; a director of the Fall River-Big Valley Cattlemen's Association, a director of the Pit River Soil Conservation District, and the Adin Cemetery District. He served as an advisory board member with the Modoc National Forest, as a school board trustee for Big Valley Joint Unified School District and as an honorary member of the Big Valley Future Farmers of America Chapter. He was also a member of the California Farm Bureau.

He was born one mile from the residence where he lived with his wife Devona. He is survived by his wife Devona Parks of Adin, Calif.; sister Reita Bassett and brother-in-law Earl of Mt. Shasta, Calif.; his children, daughter Darla Mae Bartell and husband Bob of Sprague River, Ore.; son Jerry and wife Inesse Parks of Adin; daughter Belva Kay Landes and husband Tom of Lookout; grandchildren Brynina Coronado of Fairbanks, Alaska; Edward Bartell of Sprague River, Ore.; Julie Gagnon and Buck Parks of Adin; four great-grandchildren Kyle, Brett, Taryn and Natalie Rose; numerous nieces, nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Bertha.

Services were held Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 2:00 p.m. with the Rev. Calvin Godman of Assembly of God, Susanville conducting the service at the Adin Cemetery in Adin. Contributions may be made to the Fall River-Big Valley Cattlemen's Association Scholarship Fund, care of Earnest Bruce, Box 66, McArthur, Calif. 96056 or to a charity of one's choice. McDonaldÕs Chapel handled the arrangements.

Sports

Modoc wrestlers head to tough Anderson Invite

Modoc's wrestling team is heading to the tough Anderson High School Invitational Friday and Saturday and coach Shaun Wood thinks this is one of the best.

Wood will be without the services of his top 125-pounder Robert Flournoy and another top wrestler in Robert Veverka. Both are out this week because of shoulder injuries. He expects Blake Wilson at 215 pounds and Tony Willis at heavyweight to do well, but both will have their work cut out for them. Wilson will have an extremely strong competitor from Wooster High School in Reno to contend with this week.

Wood feels that 189 pound Ross Lundgren will do well figures David Lutz and Jesse Duran will be able to place. He also expects good things from Billy Moriarity, Jaafar Mirholi and Roger Cronley. The following week the Braves will be favored to win the Burney Invitational.

Lack of snow closes ski hill

The Cedar Pass Ski Park is suffering form a lack of snow and will not be able to open the weekend of January 6-7. It will also remained closed the weekend of January 13-14 if it doesn't receive a sufficient amount of snow. The last two weekends had great participation at the hill with over 200 participants. Those two weekends were bolstered by the Health Education About Tobacco program in Modoc who allowed skiers under age 17 to ski free. For weekly status of the snow park, call 233-3323.

Braves start SCL against Weed

The Weed Cougars will be the first team in the Shasta Cascade League the Braves will face, tomorrow night here at home. The Braves aren't expecting Weed to have any teams that will be forces to reckon with, but the same can't be said about the rest of the league. Even though Weed doesn't appear to be a threat "the boy's have their work cut out for them," said Varsity boys coach Lane Bates.

Trinity, Burney and Etna all seem to have well developed teams that will make it hard for the Braves to come out on top. Mt. Shasta looks to be the strongest team in the league so far. The Bears have returned all of last years starters and are at the top of their game.

"Overall this years league is pretty well balanced," commented Bates. Bates is working on conditioning, after the Braves two week winter vacation. Bates is also focusing a lot on full court pressure in hopes that it might stimulate some better results in the first halves.

The Lady Braves, however, won't have such an easy time cruising through this year's basketball season as they have in years past. Defensively the team hasn't lost it's ability to penetrate, but as for it's offense "their aren't many players this year that are consistently making baskets for us," said Mike Martin, "and also the leagues teams have really improved." Etna, Burney, and Trinity are at the top along with the Braves in competition for the league championship. Trinity has a big team which has been doing well so far, under their new coach's leadership. Burney's man power alone might also seem to be a problem for the Lady Braves this season. Burney beat Portola earlier in the season by 10 points, and Portola captured a win over Modoc by 15 points weeks ago. "And both Trinity and Etna appear to be better teams than Burney's," said Martin. Etna, though, might very well be the one team to beat. The Lions had a good season last year, and will undoubtedly do the same this year since they have returned all of last year's players.

Both Bates and Martin don't really know what to expect until the second time around with this year's teams, but they both expect that their teams will have to work hard if they want a shot at the 2001 SCL title.

Youth basketball begins

TFL youth basketball league begins this weekend with scrimmages in all four divisions. Seventh and Eighth boys are set for Friday night from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Fifth and sixth boys are set for 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Fifth through eighth grade girls are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. All scrimmages are at the Middle School gym. Signups are still being accepted.

"If you haven't yet signed up, just come to the gym at the scheduled scrimmage time with a parent, and we will complete your signup before the game begins," said league president Kip Lybarger. "There are sponserships available to cover the $15 entry fee, so we hope that all interested young adults will sign up. We especially need more girls to fill out teams in the two girl's divisions. If you played school ball, or just want a weekend activity, come join the fun and improve your basketball skills."

Scrimmages will take place again next Saturday. The following week, teams will be selected and league play begins. Uniforms are on order, and several adults have volunteered for coaching and officiating duties. If anyone has a question, or would like a signup sheet, please call Kip Lybarger at 233-2453 or Suzie Philpott at 233-5801. League vice president David Nield will be calling all players that have signed up, to remind them of starting times this weekend. TFL Youth Football uniforms are sponsored by the Tobacco Free Program and the gym availability is sponsored by CLOAK.

Top

January 11, 2001

NCA for Black Rock desert signed

NCA for Black Rock desert signed, passed Designation of about 1.2 million acres in Nevada as a National Conservation Area is generally gaining accolades, along with some nay-sayers. But for Susan Stokke, the Bureau of Land Management Surprise Valley Resource Area manager, the designate could work out well for the area.

The U.S. House and Senate passed the Black Rock Desert-High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area Act of 2000 in mid December and President Clinton signed it into law on Dec. 21. The Act establishes a little more than 795,000 acres as national conservation area and about 755,000 aces as wilderness. About 379,000 acres of wilderness is within the NCA.

Stokke said a recent meeting with the Surprise Valley Chamber of Commerce was very positive. She hopes to work with the Chamber to help establish the historic garage in Cedarville as an Emigrant Trails Museum and help to provide for a visitor center and interpretation area. Those items will depend on funding mechanisms in the future.

The new MCA will be administered jointly by the Winnemucca and Surprise Valley offices of the BLM. The BLM will be working over the next three years to establish a management plan for the NCA and wilderness and Stokke said the public will be heavily involved in that process.

The NCA had stiff opposition from area ranchers, off-road enthusiasts and outdoor recreation groups, who were concerned about access and a loss of use. Stokke said there will be some changes in the new wilderness areas since motorized vehicular travel is not allowed in wilderness. But she pointed out, in the case of High Rock Canyon, the road through the Canyon will remain open as it is, with the Wilderness area on either side of the road. And access to private lands within the NCA will be kept open.

While the bill prohibits most mining, geothermal activities and new roads across the land, grazing, hunting and recreational activities could continue on existing roads and trails. Livestock grazing will continue in the NCA and in the Wilderness areas, all 10 of them. In addition, festivals like the Burning Man, which operate under special use permits, will be allowed to continue. While existing mineral development continues, the NCA lands are withdrawn from mineral development. Stokke explained that NCAs offer protection a notch below national monuments and parks.

The author of the bill, Senator Richard Bryan, Nevada, calls the designation "a huge victory for not only every Nevadan, but every American," he said. "This Act will allow countless future generations to enjoy, study and marvel at this unique landscape, as well as maintaining an important part of our western heritage -- the emigrant experience."

The Act protects about 120 miles of emigrant trails, from Rye Patch Reservoir, north through the Black Rock Desert and Mud Meadows, and then west through Fly Canyon and High Rock Canyon, ending near Vya, Nevada. According to the BLM, the resources found in the new NCA and adjacent wilderness areas include segments of historic California Emigrant Trails and trails used by John C. Fremont with settings nearly unchanged from pioneer days, including wagon wheel ruts, historic inscriptions and artifacts along the way, and the Black Rock Desert Playas, one of the largest playas in the world.

The playa is important to off-highway vehicle uses, land sailors, and has been the site of world land speed records, target shooting and the famous Burning Man festival. The area includes hot springs, cultural sites of Native Americans, unique transient dunes and great vistas.

The 10 new wilderness areas created by the act include: Black Rock Desert Wilderness, North Jackson Mountains Wilderness, South Jackson Mountains Wilderness, Pahute Peak Wilderness, North Black Rock Range Wilderness, East Fork High Rock Canyon Wilderness, High Rock Lake Wilderness, Little High Rock Canyon Wilderness, High Rock Canyon Wilderness and the Calico Mountains Wilderness. Forest protection plans don't affect much in Modoc President Bill Clinton's national forest protection plan, announced January 5, really won't have much impact on the Modoc National Forest.

According to Modoc National Forest Information Officer Nancy Gardner, the plan addresses 201,600 acres of the forest's 1.65 million acres, but doesn't change management on those acres. According to Gardner, those acres are in current roadless management areas and she doesn't see any changes because of the Clinton proposal. She said there will be some issues coming up in the near future regarding the overall road management plan on the forest, but those will be open for public comment and information.

The roads plan has created quite a lot of local public interest because of road usage and access questions. Those issues will be addressed during public meetings. Last week, Clinton set his forest policy in place, which effectively bans road building in 58.5 million acres of National Forests where no roads currently exist.

Proponents of logging feel that policy will take those millions of acres of timber off the market. The Modoc County Land Use Committee is looking into the policy, but Gardner said she doesn't see any real impacts on the Modoc National Forest. She said timber harvests in the works now, although few, will continue n present course. Modoc's timber harvest, as with much of the west, has dropped dramatically over the past decade. In 1995, the timber harvest on the Modoc National Forest was 49 million board feet and that bumped up to 58 million in 1996. From that point on timber harvest has been in a steady decline. In 1997 47 million board feet were harvested that dropped to 40 million in 1998 and crashed to 14 million in 1999.

Last year, there were eight million board feet harvested. Carol Sharp, MNF Information assistant said that th forest predicts a 10 million board feet per year harvest over th next five years. Of that total, she said two million board feet are fuelwood. Sharp said timber officials don't believe Clinton's latest policy will have any impact because none of the proposed sales are in roadless areas.

MNF seeks many more firefighters

The Forest Service is aggressively recruiting wildland firefighters, hoping to hire as many as 3,500 nationwide. California will get at least 1,000 additional full-time and temporary workers over the next three years. The Modoc National Forest expects to hire 45 summer temporaries, as hotshot crew and engine crewmembers, and 14 permanent firefighters.

Crews will be stationed in Alturas, Canby, Cedarville, Adin, Tulelake and other fire stations on the Forest. Applications for permanent firefighting positions must be postmarked by Friday, January 19.

Selections for summer temporary firefighting positions will begin in February. The Forest Service is encouraging all interested to apply now. The Modoc National Forest will hold an Open House for interested applicants Tuesday, January 16, in the Conference Room of the Modoc National Forest, 800 West 12th Street, Alturas, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m Forest Service recruiters and firefighters will be available to answer questions and assist applicants.

To apply, one must be a US citizen and 18 years or older at the time of employment and have the ability to pass an arduous physical test. For information contact Barbara Burrows, Human Resource Officer, 233-8711 or Chuck McElwain, Deputy Fire Management Officer, 233-8802.

MJUSD hires new Director of Technology

By Nora Russell

Modoc Joint Unified School District recently hired Jenave Wilson as its new Director of Technology.

Wilson came to Alturas from Alameda, Calif. where she worked teaching customers how to set up technology systems built by Newtech, a company that she and seven partners built together. The company has since splintered with the partners moving in different career directions. "There are still pieces of the company out there with my name connected to them," Wilson said.

Being hired as Director of Technology has allowed Wilson to fulfill her dream of moving to this area. Wilson's mother, Paula Wilson, has lived in Surprise Valley for many years and co-owned the Tumbleweed Cafe. Though it was the tragic death of her brother in a car accident on Cedar Pass that introduced Wilson to Surprise Valley during an extended stay in 1997, the end result was a growing love of the valley and desire to live there.

Wilson's fascination with computers began in high school when she spent summers as a word-processor for a law firm. Following high school, she studied at Heald College in the Bay Area, earning a dual degree in computers and electronics.

Just a few weeks into her job at Modoc County School District, Wilson is in the process of becoming acquainted with the people and technology she'll be working with. Between the time of her interview and accepting the job, Wilson brushed up on her knowledge of Novell, the network system used by the district. She will also attend a two-part intensive training session with Novell in the near future.

Dealing with bugs and glitches and fixing bandaids and patches previously placed on the system are things that have kept Wilson busy since she started her job the end of December. "It's important to do these things now. I need to know that the foundation is solid before we build up," she said. "Besides, I love troubleshooting." Wilson supervises computer technicians, Bert Trevail and Gerry Thomas. "My goal is that we'll work together well as a team," Wilson stated.

Wilson plans to spend the month of January meeting with each of the teachers at all the different school sites. "I want them to tell me what their computer needs are," Wilson explained. "I want everyone to feel good about their computers and be comfortable using them. I want them to know that I'm available to help with whatever questions they may have."

Excitement was evident in Wilson's voice as she described ideas and goals forming in her mind for the district. From building a district-wide website where parents can chat with teachers online to starting an intern program for high school seniors interested in computers.

"I'm very happy to be here," Wilson said. "I love living here; the people are great. Dr. Jolly has been encouraging and our technical team is very hard working."

Old Post Office to deliver new services

The old and vacant Alturas Post Office on Main Street is getting an overhaul, new residents and expects to reopen with a newly-located set of services for the public, possibly by Friday, Jan. 19. As of late Wednesday afternoon, the opening date was not official.

The new Alturas center will provide the "one stop" offices of Alliance for Workforce Development, Inc. and a visible Employment Development Department to the Main Street complex, which is located across from the new Alturas Post Office. The agencies/partners are moving from the New Directions building, owned by Modoc Joint Unified School District, into the new quarters, which offer more space, visibility, ease of access, and plenty of parking for the public.

"The landlord is putting major effort and a considerable amount of money into renovating the building, and it's just the right size - not too large and not too small for us. We feel good about this," said Gary Corderman, Executive Director for Alliance for Workforce Development. A five-year lease agreement has been signed, he added.

The new and prime location has already drawn customers seeking services to stop by the yet, unfinished and unopened center. Phones and computer lines were to be installed in the coming days and only a few desks were on the floor as of Wednesday. When the center opens, Corderman says 10 computers will be open to the public's use, along with an array of workforce development services for the public, job seekers, businesses and organizations, in addition to some other "exciting possibilities," which Corderman said he will discuss with the Record soon. "We will hold an open house for the public, sometime in March," he added.

Obituaries

Norman Albert Schreiber, Sr.

Norman Albert Schreiber, Sr. passed away at the Surprise Valley Hospital in Cedarville, Calif. on December 11, 2000, just eight days shy of his 71st birthday.

Services were held at the Lake City Baptist Church with a military graveside service conducted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars 7888 at the Lake City Cemetery. Family and friends gathered at the Lake City Fire Hall, following the service.

Norman was born December 19, 1929 in Visalia, Calif. to Albert and Frieda Miller Schreiber. He grew up in central California and settled in Clovis where he completed his education. After serving two years in the U.S. Navy, Norman attended Fresno Community College for two years. He married Moyna Hickman in Fresno on Easter Sunday, 1950. They lived in the Visalia, Fresno area until 1963 when they moved to Surprise Valley.

Mr. Schreiber stayed busy working as a mechanic on various ranches in the Surprise Valley area until his death. "He was a bib over-all kind of guy," his daughter Lynit recalled, fondly. He was also an avid fisherman and "potential politician," as a member of the Libertarian Party.

Mr. Schreiber will be sorely missed by his many friends and those family members he leaves behind which include his son Bert of Nampa, Idaho; daughters Lynit Pearce of Cedarville and Arlene Schreiber of Lone Pine, Calif.; brothers Bud and John Schreiber of Cedarville, Calif.; sisters Melinda Kirby of Burney and Elaine Purves of Sparks, Nev.; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren and his special friend Carol. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Moyna of 38 years, who passed away in 1988, and a daughter Cheryl this past July 2000.

The family is grateful to their neighbor, Matt Brown of Heritage Woodworking in Cedarville, who created the beautiful handcrafted solid pine casket for their loved one. Memorial donations may be directed to the Surprise Valley Community Hospital, Cedarville, Calif. 96104.

Sports

Modoc's Willis wins at Anderson event

Modoc's heavyweight, Tony Willis continued his unbeaten string and cemented his number one ranking in the North Section by winning the heavyweight division at the prestigious Anderson Invitational last weekend.

The Braves' Blake Wilson also staked his claim to the number one ranking in the North even though he placed second at Anderson. Wilson lost the finals match to Tony Espinosa, out of Wooster High in Reno. Espinosa is rated one of the top wrestlers in the west. He's ranked number one in the nation in freestyle. Wilson beat all other wrestlers out of CaliforniaÕs North Section. The Braves finished eighth out of 40 teams, mostly big schools, in the invitational. Coach Shaun Wood has said the Anderson Invitational is often tougher than the section tournament. Modoc's 189 pounder,

Ross Lundgren also had a very good tournament, finishing fourth. That moved him up to number four in the section rankings. David Lutz took sixth at 140 pounds and Jesse Duran was seventh at 135 pounds. Landon Brown won the hardluck bracket at 145 pounds. Modoc wrestled without two of its top guys, Robert Flournoy and Robert Veverka, who both had shoulder injuries.

The Braves are ranked number one in small schools and number five overall in the North Section. Wood feels his team has a good shot and small school and a better than average shot at winning large schools sectionals this season. The Braves head to the Burney Invitational this weekend as the odds-on favorite to win the team title. Wood may have his full contingent of wrestlers available for this tourney. If so, said Wood, they will be very hard for any school at Burney to beat.

Modoc varsity whips Weed and Burney

The Modoc Braves varsity teams, brought home wins this week against the Weed Cougars and Burney Raiders, in their opening week of SCL play. The JV teams, however, didn't fare so well in their first SCL game's of the year. Both of Modoc's JV teams suffered close losses.

The Lady Braves didn't have a hard time beating Weed, Friday night. Modoc intimidated Weed with their defense as well as at the basket. The Cougars lack a gunslingers accounted for it's lack of points through out the game, which made it easy for the Braves to take the lead.

The Braves led by two points in the first quarter and went ahead in the second to widen the gap to 23 to 15. The Cougars weren't able to raise their aggression level after the half and fell short to Modoc's demanding offense. Modoc's height underneath the basket led by Stephanie McMaster, Katelyn Tate and varsity newcomer Jennifer Davis, guaranteed a win of 50-27. The Varsity girls team welcomed two newcomers to their team this week, Freshmen, Kristen Taylor and Jennifer Davis who were chosen by Martin to move up.

The Cougars came out and pressured Modoc's varsity boys with a full court press, which resulted in less time at the basket Friday night. That didn't phase the Braves much, they still managed to keep up and by quarter's end the score was 18 - 18.

Modoc remained on the Cougars tail up until Weed began to shoot from the free throw line, where five of Weed's 17 points were made. The Braves did not attempt any shots from the free throw line which is why they fell two points behind by the end of the half. But by the beginning of the third quarter it was obvious that the Braves weren't going to suffer another loss. The Braves toughened up their defense which kept Weed's scoring to a minimum. The Braves on the other hand racked up most of their points that night in the third quarter, 27 to Weed's 8. By period's end Modoc had a commanding lead of 60 to 43.

The Braves kept their lead over the Cougars scoring 17 points in the fourth triumphing over Weed, 77 to 61. The Braves headed on to Burney with one SCL win under their belt.

Girls varsity coach Mike Martin expected Burney to be a tough team but he was proved wrong, Tuesday night on the Raider's home court. "We dominated the game from start to finish," commented Martin. The Lady Braves over powered the ladies of Burney with well played offense and defense. Modoc came out and scored 21 points alone in the first quarter, where as Burney only scored six, four of which were at the foul line.

By half-time the Braves were up 35 to 15. The Lady Braves scored less in the second part of the game but still kept their lead. The Lady Braves proved to be a top SCL team with their win of 59-34. Jessica Kern had the most points of the week totaling up to 28 points. Followed by Stephanie Mc Master who had 24 points through out the week.

Burney was one of a few teams that the Lane Bates thought would be tough for the Braves to overcome for a win. And that was confirmed Tuesday night at Burney. The Braves got a view of what they were up against in the first quarter, where Burney scored 15 points to Modoc's seven.

Bates and his team knew what had to be done in order for the Braves to take a win. And the Braves got in done in the second period when they made eight of ten foul shots plus another 14 points. The Braves caught up to the Raiders by the end of the half and were down by only one basket (29-31).

The Braves cracked down on the Raider's offense while Burney helped out the Braves by playing sloppy defense. The Braves were fouled some 17 times in the second quarter and the Braves gained 14 points alone from free throws.

All that time at the foul line gave the Braves all the rest they needed in order to go ahead and take over the lead by the end of the third period 45-40. Later, Modoc went on to triumph over the Raiders 67-54.

Blake Thorn led the Braves in scoring this week with 43 points. Senior, Kris Server had a good week scoring 31 an led the team in free throws. And Tim Lauppe helped out with 31 points of his own. The JV teams suffered two close losses this week against Weed and Burney. The JV boys led in the first half in both games this week. The boys lost their momentum after the break and went on to lose 47 to 50, to the cougars.

Against the Burney Raiders JV headed into overtime but went on to lose by a mere four points. JV"s Jack Britton lead the team in scoring with a combined score of 40 points.

Girls JV were down by the half, 18-24. Modoc lost the game 42-31. The Raiders also did some damage to the Braves. By the end of the first half the were up by four but only scored eight points in the second half. The girls went on to lose 24-35.

Hornets sting Bulldogs

Surprise Valley's Hornets stung the Butte Valley Bulldogs 70-62 in Evergreen League action last weekend.

The Hornets jumped out to a 15-0 first period lead and then ended the quarter up 23-12. By halftime, the Hornets led 35-28. Both teams played well in the third, scoring 20 each and the Hornets outscored the Bulldogs 15-14 in the fourth.

Joel Ruiz led Surprise Valley with 22 points, Michael Carpenter chipped in 17 and Ivan Rangel added 14.

Butte Valley won the junior varsity boys game 65-34. Loren Harris led Surprise Valley with 14 and Adam Evans added 10. Tuesday night, Big Valley's Cardinals dropped the Hornets in Cedarville 77-50, behind Calvin JacksonÕs 27-point night. The game was close after one with Big Valley leading 18-17, but two of the Hornet starters, Carpenter and Rangel picked up three fouls in the opening period and sat out most of the second and third periods. Big Valley took advantage and led 37-27 by half. A slow third period found the Cards going up 58-34 and going on for the win.

Ruiz again led the Hornets with 17 points, Ryan Burresch added 13 and Rangel had 12. The Cards' David House had 13 points and Chris Blue added 11.

The Hornets travel to McCloud Friday night and come home to meet Dunsmuir Saturday with game time set for 1:30 p.m.

Hornet girls top Butte Valley

The Hornets of Surprise Valley beat the Bulldogs of Butte Valley girls 47-32 Saturday to start a run for the Evergreen League title. The game started slowly, with Surprise Valley up 6-4 after one and 21-14 at the half. The Hornets stepped it up in the third, taking a 37-19 lead and added 10 in the fourth to Butte Valley's 13. Camryn Mullen led the Hornets with 16 points, Traci Reeves added 12 and Cassie Cockrell netted 11.

The Hornets also beat Big Valley in a crucial game Tuesday night, but no details were reported to the Record.

Ski hill to open this weekend

The Cedar Pass Snow Park will open the weekend of January 13-14 and is expecting more snow from this current round of storms. The snow park offers free lift tickets, free rental and a free lesson to first time skiers on their first day. They have plenty of skis, boots and snowboards, but people should bring their own snowboarding boots.

For weekly status of the snow park, call 233-3323, which will be updated daily.

Top

January 18, 2001

Serious accidents at Pencil Road intersection

There were two very serious vehicle accidents over the week at the intersection of U.S. 395 and Pencil Road, about one mile east of Alturas.

The California Highway Patrol reports major injuries in a two-car crash at the intersection Monday at 12:55 p.m. on a cold but clear day.

A 1989 Toyota Camry driven by Judith Porter, 76, of Alturas was southbound and stopped at the Pencil Road stop sign. She apparently did not see a 1997 Honda driven by Martha Morey, 36, of Elverta, Ca. approaching on U.S. 395 and pulled into the path of that vehicle. The Honda SUV hit the front of the Porter vehicle. Porter, who sustained major injuries, was transported by ambulance to Modoc Medical Center and then flown to Redding for further care. Morey sustained unknown spinal injuries and was flown to Sutter Trauma in Roseville.

A passenger in the Porter vehicle, Kieren Porter, age unknown, was not hurt. Three passengers in the Morey vehicle sustained minor injuries, Erika Pinola, 19, Elverta, Marco Juarez, 21, Elverta and Jacob Pinola, age one, also of Elverta.

On Friday, January 12, an accident at the same location resulted in only minor injuries, but heavy damage to one vehicle. The CHP reports that Bruno Block, 71, Alturas was driving a 1999 Ford Ranger southbound on Pencil Road and because of ice on the road slid through the stop sign at U.S. 395, into the path of a 1993 Ford Explorer driven by Sheila Trevail, 48, also of Alturas. Trevail attempted to avoid the Block vehicle, but made contact and lost control, left the road and rolled over. She sustained minor injuries as did a 12-year-old passenger in the vehicle. Block was not hurt.

There were no injuries in a single vehicle accident January 14, 5:45 p.m. on Highway 395 just south of Lyneta Road. According to reports, Kristen Jarvie, 26, Bonanza, Or., was driving 1989 Dodge Ram van and attempted to pass a truck at about 65 m.p.h. He lost traction, ran off the left side of the road and rolled. The van came to rest on its wheels.

Moderate injuries were reported in a single car accident on Highway 395 north of Ash Valley Road Jan. 11, 9:20 p.m. The CHP reports that Bettina Lourenco, 44, Alturas was driving a 1993 Saturn at about 60 m.p.h.. The roadway was icy and she lost control, left the road and struck the perimeter fence. Two passengers in the vehicle, Tammy Trammel, 21, Alturas and Richard Wyatt, 31, Alturas, sustained minor injuries. All were wearing seatbelts. They were treated at Modoc Medical Center in Alturas.

County fares well in Sierra Nevada plan

Modoc County and the Modoc National Forest may have fared better than other counties and forests included in the Sierra Nevada Forest Management plan.

The Record of Decision and Final Environmental Impact Statement on the plan was released last week by the U.S. Forest Service, which covers the Modoc, Humboldt-Toyiabe, Lassen, Plumas, Tahoe, Eldorado, Stanislaus, Sierra, Inyo and Sequoia National Forests and the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.

On Tuesday, Modoc National Forest Supervisor Dan Chisolm told the Modoc County Board of Supervisors that the county's efforts, largely through its Land Use Committee, have proved fruitful. He said Modoc was the only county involved that actually was successful in many of its arguments and stances.

Supervisor Nancy Huffman said the board was very appreciative of the Forest Service and its staff for the assistance and cooperation throughout the process, which has been long and tedious.

Chisolm explained that the county's active stance in the process and its ability to provide logical alternatives served to lessen some of the local impacts of the plan.

Modoc was actually singled out in the Record of Decision in several areas where existing management plans or processes will continue, outside of some of the provisions of the Sierra Nevada plan. Some of the areas include the continuation of the Experimental Stewardship Program, the Big Valley Sustained Yield Unit, continuation of the Hackamore Ecosystem Restoration and Enhancement Project, the Upper Pit River Watershed Restoration Porject, the Warner Mountain Rangeland Management Project, the Devil's Garden Wetlands project and the biological assessment on endangered suckers.

According to the Record of Decision, the Modoc National Forest and Bureau of Land Management's Surprise Valley Resource Area is home to one of three experimental stewardship projects in the nation. The multi-disciplinary, multi-agency and multi-interest committee explores new ideas and practices and develops innovative approaches to grazing. The technical advisory work of the group will be integrated into the adaptive management process of the new plan.

The Big Valley Sustained Yield Unit is one of just three remaining units which are designed to supply a sustained timber harvest to local communities. The MNF, Big Valley Lumber and the communities are working together on a plan to explore stewardship options and development of markets for non-traditional forest products.

Currently, there are four appeals to the Warner Mountain Rangeland Management project, but if the project survives the appeal process, it will continue as planned. That project aims to improve riparian areas on the Warners and manage grazing to protect those areas. Many of the appeals involve lack of current or future monitoring ability.

The Hackamore project includes over 15,000 acres of thinning in pine stands to accelerate development of, and maintain and protect existing late seral old growth habitat. It also includes over 19,000 acres of fuel treatments including prescribed fires to help with restoration of old growth timber.

The Upper Pit River Watershed Restoration Project is one of 11 national pilot projects selected to demonstrate state-of-the-art collaborative approaches to watershed management and restoration, encompassing over a half million acres of the Modoc National Forest. It will be allowed to continue on its course.

The Sierra plan also allows a project on about 15,000 acres of Devil's Garden to use heavy equipment to construct, maintain and enhance small dikes, dams, spillways and artificial islands for wetlands. Sagebrush, juniper and dry man-made meadow will be converted to wetlands. It is the largest wetlands development project in the National Forest System. It will continue.

Also allowed to continue is the biological assessment on the Lost River, shortnose and Modoc suckers, done by the Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service. That issue deals with grazing standards and management activities that ensure the continued existence of those fish.

Modoc's stance from the beginning was the Modoc National Forest should not be a part of the Sierra Nevada Management Plan because the Modoc is not part of the traditional Sierra Nevada range. What would work in the Sierras, or even the environmental issues facing the Sierras doesn't always coincide with Modoc, whose geological traits are not in common.

In addition, the county argued it has shown a good working relationship with the Forest Service and many of the projects identified above were the results of those efforts and were good for both the Forest Service and the communities.

County takes step to move YMCA plan into process

The plan to build a YMCA in Alturas and establish a Parks and Recreation District may soon enter the official, if not long, approval process.

On Tuesday the Modoc County Board of Supervisors took the first step by moving to hold public meetings on the issue, preferably joint meetings with the Alturas City Council. A date for the meetings or hearings has not been set.

Prior to making an application to form the district, the county needs to reorganize LAFCO (the Local Agency Formation Commission) to adhere to new law which became effective January 1. What the County and City want to do now is hold official public meetings to determine whether there is adequate support for the proposed facility and also to address issues where people may not be supportive.

The proponents of the YMCA, led by Gavin Kleiman, Modoc Medical Center Physical Therapist and local veterinarian Joe Catania, told the Board Tuesday that the building of the facility would enhance the quality of life in Modoc and would be a four-season facility. What's in the works is a full YMCA facility of about 30,000 square feet which would contain an indoor 25-meter heated pool, spas, weight room, a new gymnasium, exercise room, kitchen, meeting and conference rooms, and locker rooms. The total cost of the facility is projected at about $3.6 million.

Kleiman said the committee, which has been working on the facility plan for about 10 months, believes it can be built with grant funding or by other means of financing. However, he said, the district needs to be formed and a small assessment passed first.

What the committee is proposing is an assessment of $19 per year, per property owner (not parcel) only within the boundaries of the Modoc Joint Unified School District. That assessment would cover the cost of running the facility each year.

While the issue is a ways off, both the formation of the Recreation District and the tax question will have to go to a vote of the people of the proposed district. In order to pass, the tax issue must receive a two-thirds majority of the voters.

According to Kleiman, the facility will be used by all Modoc residents, from kids to senior citizens and all those in between. The committee expects the tax assessment to bring in $209,000 annually, with other estimated income coming from fees ($50,000), programs ($27,000), rental income ($10,000), sales ($2,000), the city ($21,000), and the hospital ($8,000).

The reason the committee is working towards a YMCA facility, other than one without that connection, is because of YMCA's expertise in planning and blueprints, program development, insurance discounts and its reputation.

A representative from the YMCA has been in Alturas and met with the committee early on. He also toured the community and has offered support and advice to the committee.

Basically, if the county and city decide to move forward on the project after the initial public hearings they would adopt a resolution of application which would be reviewed by LAFCO. Following public hearings, LAFCO, will consider the feasibility of the proposal, the need for the services and so on and prepare the proposal analysis. Another public hearing would be held and the board would decide whether to send the proposal to a vote of the people. According to County Administrative Officer Mike Maxwell, the cost of the initial application and the election would be borne by the city and county. He expects the application process, plus the reorganization of LAFCO to cost as much as $20,000 and a special election between $9,000 and $12,000. The city and county could share in those costs as well as the district, if approved.

Maxwell said the new LAFCO law makes the entity neutral, independent and balanced in representation for counties, cities and special districts. The members would be as follows: two from the county, two from the city, two from special districts and one public member. LAFCO would select its own executive officer and conflict of interest laws would apply to LAFCO members and staffs. Additionally, operational costs are borne jointly and equally by each appointing category.

Mountain lion reported in town

Alturas Police investigated a mountain lion sighting on East 12th Street Tuesday night, but did not find the animal.

The call came in about 8:30 p.m. from two witnesses who reported seeing a lion walking down the street towards the El Rancho apartments. Police and Department of Fish and Game officials were unable to locate the animal or any sign. The ground was frozen. Police are cautioning residents to be aware of the sighting and report any future sighting immediately.

According to police, there have been four mountain lion sightings within the city limits over the past two years.

MJUSD school board gets good, okay news

By Nora Russell

The January meeting of the Modoc Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees opened with a technology update given by Jenave Wilson, district director of technology.

Since accepting the position as director, Wilson and the district's technology team have been dealing with the fall-out from a major system breakdown in November.

Wilson explained that the servers are now up and all data will be maintained on a proxy server while the main server is being rebuilt layer by layer to provide a strong back-bone for the system. "Our goal right now is to create a backup for all district systems," she said. "That will give it stability. If any data is lost, we'll have the back up in a safe place."

An audit report for fiscal year ended June 30, 2000 was presented to the board by John Auman, of the accounting firm Haws, Theobald and Auman from Susanville. "I would like to commend the business office and administration for making the process easy, especially considering all the changes that took place with a new superintendent and business manager coming in during the year," Auman said, "The audit process was smoother than I anticipated."

The board voted unanimously to accept a donation of several hundred mouse pads from Interactive Learning Network and Kodak for use in the classrooms of the district.

Three new textbooks were given preliminary approval from the board for use in classrooms next school year. The books are: "Snow Falling on Cedars" by David Guterson for use as a supplementary text for English 11 and English Honors American Literature.

"The Language of Literature" published by McDougal Littell, was chosen by the Modoc High English Department for the ninth grade anthology. "Several texts were reviewed; McDougal Littell was selected for its timeliness, comprehensiveness, alignment with state standards, interest, and accessibility," stated Marie Neer in the request for textbook adoption to the board.

"Biology, Fifth Edition" has been chosen for use at Modoc High School.

"This is an AP (Accelerated Placement) book," explained Dr. Jolly, MJUSD Superintendent. "So it's college freshman material and we receive money from the state to purchase the textbooks." "It all goes back to test scores. Some people criticize this, but it is leading to good things like new books to meet the increased standards," he explained, referring to the emphasis that California Governor Davis has placed on the Stanford 9 achievement test scores of 1999 and 2000.

All three books will be on display at the District Office for 30 days, so they can be evaluated by the public before the final adoption as District textbooks at the February board meeting.

'Festival of Four,' concert is rare treat at Niles Theater Wednesday

The incredible musical talents of the quartet, "Festival of Four" will combine classical and Flamenco guitar with classical and ethnic flute in a single night's performance at the A.C.T. Niles Theater on Wednesday, Jan. 24. The concert will start at 7:30 p.m.

Arrangements for the award winning artists to appear in Alturas, have been made by Modoc County Arts Council, with numerous sponsorships.

Tickets will be available at the door: $7 for adults; $5 for students and senior citizens.

Area school district students will learn about the "Festival of Four" during assemblies as part of the Arts in Education program from January 24 to 26 Their music can be heard on KCHO-FM, Chico at 103.5 FM now through January 24.

The origins of "Festival of Four" date back to the early 1980s, when classical guitarist and award winning recording artist, Richard Patterson, joined talents with Soviet-emigre Emanuil Sheynkman, the late renowned mandolin and balalaika virtuoso. The two formed the dou, Dvoika, which enjoyed success and toured throughout the U.S., Canada and Asia.

In 1992, Patterson organized a concert featuring Dvoika and invited guest artist Marc Teicholz, a classical guitarist and Guillermo Rios, a flamenco guitarist. The debut engagement produced a collaboration known as "A Festival of Strings."

In 1995, Sheynkman passed away and the musicians moved into a totally new direction and renamed itself "Festival of Four," with the addition of Chilean-born and Julliard School trained flutist, Viviana Guzman. Their unique blend of classical and ethnic music and imaginative arrangements of repertoire have received critical acclaim. Marc Teicholz, the classical guitarist in the group, has recorded for Menus and Music, George Lucas' Young Indiana Jones and is now recording for Naxos and Sugo Music. He teaches at the San Francisco Conservatory, the California Summer Arts Festival and the Weathersfield Music Festival in Vermont. He received a master's degree from Yale School of Music.

Guillermo Rios was a resident of Madrid, Spain for 17 years, where he studied flamenco guitar and spent six years performing in Madrid's flamenco clubs. He has been a featured soloist and lead accompanist with every major Spanish dance company in the U.S. He has performed numerous solo guitar concerts in Spain, Canada and the U.S., including New York's Carnegie Recital Hall. In 1991, he received a Ford Foundation Composition Grant which was the first such grant ever awarded to a flamenco artist.

Viviana Guzman, classical and ethnic flutist, is a native of Chile. She was the Principle Flute for Mikhail BaryshnikovÕs White Oak Dance Project. As a composer, she has worked with electronic music and musical theater productions and recently released a music video. Her degree is from Julliard School and undergraduate degree from Rice UniversityÕs Shepherd School of Music. She has studied with Jean-Pierre Rampal and James Galway.

Richard Patterson, composer and arranger for guitar, recently completed work on the soundtrack for the feature film "Little Odessa." He has been head of the Guitar Department at College of Notre Dame since 1982 and is Director of the Omni Foundation for the Performing Arts Guitar Series in San Francisco.

Instruments used:

The instruments used by the Festival of Four include the transverse flute, a keyed instrument and part of the woodwind family; the Kena or Quena, a vertically played reed flute dating back to the Incas of Central and South America; the Siku, a type of reed panpipe from the Incas, and also referred to as Zampo–a or Antara; classical guitar; flameno guitar, a slightly smaller than the classical guitar with wooden, violin-style tuning pegs.

Sponsors for this special engagement and school assemblies are Modoc County Office of Education, Modoc, Tulelake and Surprise Valley Joint Unified School Districts, Modoc County Arts Council, Alturas Community Theater and funded in part by the California Arts Council.

Obituaries

Jason Heath Boneck

Jason Heath Boneck was an active young man who managed to beat all the odds at the time he pulled through a liver transplant on October 20, 2000.

It was totally unexpected and following a bout of flu that the 26-year-old Jason passed away at his Cedarville, Calif. home on Saturday, January 13, 2001. "He was doing awesome with the transplant and we'd just talked to his doctors," described his wife. Jason had returned recently from the National Finals Rodeo. He lived a full life, for his young years, and was doing what he wanted to do. His plans for the new year included going back to school to get his diesel mechanic license.

"Everybody loved him. He was a great guy, with a great sense of humor," described his wife. "He was a great husband, a good provider and a very, very thoughtful person."

Jason met the love of his life in Luvina Shultz, who was still in high school at the time they met. He was just a year out of high school, having graduated from Surprise Valley High in 1994. The two knew that someday they would marry, which they did on August 8, 1998 in Reno, Nev.

While in high school, Jason was active in Future Farmers of America and participated in high school rodeo competition. He had been a bull rider since his teen years. It was something he loved doing, but was told he had to give up, because of his liver. He stopped riding bulls, but remained very involved around the sport. When Jason graduated from high school, he was honored with a Southern Oregon Kiwanis Club scholarship award.

He was born on November 26, 1974 in Reno, Nev. and was the middle child of the Boneck family. His family had always been very important to him.

He was known as a young man always on the go. Jason enjoyed riding all terrain vehicles on the weekends and was an avid collector of everything from miniature toy tractors to rodeo and Nascar memorabilia. He was working as a ranch manager and mechanic for Brown Farm Equipment in Cedarville.

Jason had made Modoc County his home for the past 12 years. He knew his community and folks he didn't even know, rallied for and cared about him and his family throughout his medical journey. "He was a great guy who would want people to remember him with all smiles and laughter," his wife told the Record.

He is survived by his wife Luvina Boneck of Cedarville; his parents Dave and Sharon Boneck of Lake City; brothers Robin Boneck of Las Vegas, Nev.; KCee, Paul and Josh Boneck, all of Lake City; sister Shawna Fournier of Santa Maria, Calif.; grandparents Lawrence and Dorris Hull of Reno, Nev.; great-grandmother Bonnie Newsom, Paradise, Calif.; and numerous nieces and in-laws.

The Rev. Dr. Ben Zandstra will conduct services at the Cedarville Community Church in Cedarville on Monday, Jan. 22 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at the Lake City Cemetery.

Pearl Barbara Nelson

Pearl Barbara Nelson, age 79, died peacefully on January 13, 2001. Born Pearl Stromme on June 15, 1921 to Samuel and Pearl Stromme in Yale, Oklahoma, she grew up and graduated from high school in Little Rock, Arkansas.

In 1939, Pearl moved back to Oklahoma, where she met and married Horace E. Nelson and they reared their three children. During World War II, the family moved to California, where she and her husband worked in aircraft manufacturing and they decided to stay. Mrs. Nelson was an avid bowler and actively participated in a bowling league until her health began to fail two years ago. She was preceded in death by her husband Horace in 1992, her parents, her brother Ben and grandson Paul.

Mrs. Nelson is survived by her son Charles Nelson of Alturas, Calif.; daughter Joan Houghtby and husband Bob of Likely, Calif.; daughter Carol Fitch and husband Jim of Missoula, Montana; sister-in-law Beatrice of Sulphur, Oklahoma; 14 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Nelson will be placed next to her husband of 53 years, at the Chapel of the Chimes Cemetery in Hayward, Calif.

Sports

Modoc wins Burney mat invitational

Modoc's Braves dominated the Burney Invitational Wrestling tournament over the weekend, winning the event, again, with 199.5 points over second-place Etna's 144. The next event is at Mazama, January 20. That meet will be more intense than Burney and should prove a better test for the Braves. The Braves had four individual champions at the Burney Invite. Top seeded Tony Willis won his heavyweight class, remaining unbeaten for the season. Also, top ranked 215 pound Blake Wilson won his weight class.

Robert Flournoy, back from injury, won his 125-pound division and Billy Moriarity won the 103 pound championship.

Taking second places for the Braves were Roger Cronley, 112 pounds and Jesse Duran, 135 pounds. Third places for the Braves went to Jaafar Mirlohi, 103 pounds, David Lutz, 140 pounds and Ross Lundgren, 189 pounds. Will Sagasser took fourth at 189 pounds, Landon Brown was fifth at 145 pounds and Morgan Dunn was fifth at heavyweight.

Team scores in Burney were: Modoc 199.5, Etna 144, Truckee 140.5, Crane 128.5, Corning 122.4, Quincy 102.5, Bonanza 91, Fall River 90.5, Burney 73, Middletown 72, Trinity 72, Lakeview 62 Modoc II 59, Tulelake 56, Biggs 34, Greenville 23, Bishop Quinn 22, Chester 21.5 and Portola 0.

Hornet boys split in league

The Surprise Valley Hornet boys team split in Evergreen League Action, losing a tough one to McCloud and then dropping one to the league favorites, Dunsmuir.

The Hornets have Tulelake at home Friday night and travel to Happy Camp Jan. 20.

Things were working right for the Hornets against Dunsmuir Saturday in Cedarville. Things started well as Surprise Valley opened with a 15-5 first quarter lead and led 31-18 by halftime. The Tigers tried to fight back in the second half, but the Hornets held them off, winning 54-43.

Michael Carpenter and Joel Ruiz led the Hornets with 14 points each, while Ryan Burresch added 13 and Ivan Rangel hit 11.

Dunsmuir won the junior varsity game 66-31.

In McCloud, the Hornets did well in the first half, trailing just 9-6 after one and 27-20 at the half. But McCloud outscored Surprise Valley 19-7 in the third quarter and held them off in the fourth 19-16 to win 62-46.

Carpenter led the scoring with 18, Burresch added seven, and Rangel and Ruiz each had five.

McCloud also won the junior varsity game, 50-31.

Top

January 25, 2001

Black out not expected in Modoc

While most of California is subjected to rolling blackouts and the situation is expected to get worse as summer's air conditioning season nears, Modoc may avoid those problems. But costs are projected to increase.

According to Surprise Valley Electrification Corporation General Manager Dan Silveria, the fact that the northwest is tied more to northwest generated power grid than the Independent System Operator, ISO, in California makes the difference.

Most of California, especially those areas of Pacific Gas and Electric and Southern California Edison fall under the ISO, which controls that power grid. The ISO has called for the blackouts in the state. Modoc County is not a part of the ISO area, and PacifiCorps generates most of its power in the northwest.

PacifiCorp is called the energy crisis real and is asking that customers do their best to conserve electricity. Turning off uneccessary lights and lowering a thermostat to 68 degreees goes a long way to concerve power, states both SVEC and PacifiCorp.

"If every customer turned off one 60 watt light during the peak hours of 4 to 8 p.m., the regional demand would be reduced 90 megawatts," said PP&L. "That's enough power to supply about 45,000 homes in our region."

SVEC says lowering the thermostat from 70 degrees to 68 degrees would save a customer 3.1 percent on his electric bill. Conversely, setting it to 72 degrees would increase the bill by 6.2 percent.

Silveria said the he feels the problem is not with the amount of power available, but rather the manner in which the system is now run. He said there is plenty of power produced in the state to match the state's needs and that, contrary to some opinions, the usage has not jumped dramatically. He said the difference between power usage in December last year and this year amounts to only a one percent increase.

With deregulation came the separation of generating, transmission and distribution factions of electrical service. In the past, electrical companies handled and owned all three aspects and could made adjustments where needed to benefit the users. Those adjustments no longer happen.

"The generation arm is no longer concerned about the rate payers, they are running their system to benefit the investors," said Silveria. As far as SVEC is concerned, Silveria said he expects rates to increase by about 10 to 30 percent last this year, depending upon water storage in the Bonneville Power Administration area. He explained that the northwest power grid is primarily hydroelectric based while the southern California generation is generally thermally produced (oil, natural gas, nuclear).

The northwest power prices can be impacted, Silveria says, if a dry year continues. Normally, he said, hydroelectric plants produce enough power for the northwest and have extra for the south during good water years. If they donÕt and the northwest suppliers have to go to the power marketplace, rates will go up more than the projected 10 percent.

In the past, electric utility companies would plan for the future and coordinate shut downs of generating plants for repair and cooperate to supply necessary power. That just doesnÕt happen under the current system. The power market price could be on a daily or even an hourly basis, making the cost of power more expensive.

"We will be exposed to that market place if our hydroelectric generation can't keep with demand," said Silveria. "A poor water year will create higher prices in Bonneville's area."

County, FS look to fill new resource advisory committee

Modoc County is seeking members to fill a new 15-member Forest Service Resource Advisory Committee which will propose special projects on federal lands as a part of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Act passed late last year.

The County Board of Supervisors last week took the first step in moving forward on the issue by stating the boundaries the new RAC will deal with county boundaries not national forest boundaries. The committee will actually be appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, based upon the recommendations the county and local forest.

The Act was passed by the federal legislature to stabilize payments to counties, and move those payments away from actual forest receipts. For the next six years, the Act guarantees Modoc County $1.8 million annually, well more than projected forest receipt. In the past Modoc received 25 percent of the receipts generated on the Modoc Forest, dominated by timber harvest. Those funds were split evenly between county roads and schools.

When the timber industry dried up, so did the funding. Modoc was helped by a spotted owl ruling that actually gave the county much more money than was actually being generated. But that rule's time was running out. According to Modoc Land Use Committee's Sean Curtis, the county and forest would like to have the new 15-member RAC appointed by April 1. It must be in place by April 28.

That means anyone interested should contact the Land Use Committee between now and February 14, or come to the February 14 meeting of the Land Use Committee. People may call the Modoc County Farm Bureau at 233-3276 to place their name into the ring.

The RAC will be a very important part of the new system, said Curtis. It will have to ability to advise and propose projects to the forest. What happens under the new act is that 15 to 20 percent of the county's funding goes through the RAC for projects.

"This RAC will have the ability to propose projects that help the forest resources but also will help Main Street," said Curtis. "It could be a real benefit to the economic condition of rural communities. The committee will take a real hands-on approach."

The committee has to have 15 members, in the following three categories and areas: category A, five members -- one who represents organized labor, one for developed outdoor recreation, off highway vehicle users or commercial recreation activities; one for energy and mineral development interests; one for commercial timber or who holds grazing permits; category B, five members -- one who represents nationally or locally recognized environmental organizations; one who represents regionally or locally recognized environmental organizations; one for dispersed recreational activities, archaeological and historical interests or nationally or regionally recognized wild horse and burro interest groups; and category C, five members who -- one who holds state elected office or their designee; one who holds county or local elected office; one who represents American Indian tribes; one who represents school officials or teachers; and one who represents the public at large.

"Although this Act presents a significant challenge to implement, it provides an excellent opportunity for the Forest Service to build better collaborative relationships with communities of place and interest, and local government officials," said Mike Dombeck, Chief of the Forest Service. "In doing so, we will advance ongoing efforts to restore watersheds, manage our roads system, protect our rural and urban communities from unnaturally intense wildfires an reconnect communities to their public lands through consensus approaches to stewardship, restoration and maintenance."

The Modoc Land Use Committee meeting is February 14, 1 p.m.. at the Farm Advisor's Office on West Fourth Street, Alturas.

Co-gen plant in works at Canby

A juniper wood co-generation plant is in the works at Canby and is currently starting through the Modoc County Planning Department.

MacDonald Forest Products of Alturas has been working on the plan for months and the six-megawatt producing facility will be located on their mill property in Canby.

The plant will burn juniper thinnings from the surrounding area and is projected to employ around 18 people as well as a number of people to harvest and supply juniper to the plant. According to Ed Washburn, of Forest Products Consulting of Redding, the plant will add more than $2 million annually to the local economy.

Plans are to have the plant on line by the summer of 2001, Washburn said. It will be constructed primarily from used surplus equipment.

"At the present time, juniper is burned in open fields," said Washburn. "By utilizing it for the co-generaton it helps with two problems. It supplies power for energy-starved Californian and eliminates the air pollution from open field burning." The plan is currently going through the planning department for necessary permits and study.

MJUSD and Alturas PD join forces to hire school officer

By Nora Russell

The Alturas Police Department and Modoc Joint Unified School District are considering a grant that would enable them to hire a full time police officer to be in the schools.

"This would be an officer hired by the Alturas Police Department, but assigned to the school district," Dr. Kevin Jolly, Superintendent of MJUSD, commented. "Many districts pay for police presence on their campuses, but, in the past, the Alturas Police Department has been gracious enough to have a patrol car in the area during games, etc."

Funding for the grant flows through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) which was established in 1994 for the purpose of "increasing the number of community policing officers funded by 100,000; to promote the implementation of department-wide community policing in law enforcement agencies across the country; to help develop an infrastructure that will institutionalize and sustain community policing after Federal funding has ended; and to demonstrate and evaluate the ability of agencies practicing community policing to significantly improve the quality of life by reducing the levels of violence, crime and disorder in their communities."

The grant funding is released in intervals, with another release of funds expected toward the end of February. If the funding is made available Officer Ken Barnes will begin the grant writing process.

According to Dr. Jolly, the grant pays a maximum of $125,000 over a four-year-period and the school district would provide matching funds of approximately $41,600.

"We would basically set aside $10,000 a year toward the matching funds, so it wouldn't hit us all at once," he explained. "The officer would mainly be around the middle school and high school and at after school events,"

Police Chief, Lary Pickett said. Pickett also explained that there is a need for an officer to be present at the schools because the department already receives calls at least once a week asking for assistance.

"I see the presence of an officer as an opportunity for the youth to develop a stronger appreciation for officers and see them in a more positive light," Jolly said. "The officer would also be available to give talks on driver's education, drugs and careers in law enforcement."

Jolly acknowledged that parents and the community may have concerns over the presence of a police officer in Modoc schools.

An example presented to both Jolly and Picket was: A student is caught smoking on campus by the police officer; is the officer bound by school policy or police procedure?

Under the Zero Tolerance - Student Conduct Guidelines the school could take up to a Level #4 Action: Parent conference; possible alternative educational placement; referral to community support service; possible restitution/correction; suspension (5 days); referral to S.A.R.B. (man-datory); possible expulsion referral; S.S.T. meeting mandatory. Under the laws of the State of California smoking is illegal for a minor.

"I would assume that school policy would be enforced in that situation," Jolly responded. "But we need to clarify things like that."

"In that case, the officer would abide by police policy, not school policy," Pickett said in a separate interview.

"There are issues that need to be addressed, that's why we want to have a meeting to receive community input," Jolly said. The school district has scheduled a meeting on February 20 at 7:30 at the district office that is open to the public. Officer Barnes will attend the meeting to answer questions and provide more information about the grant.

One stop job center opens

The new "Modoc Employment Center" on Alturas' Main Street will be a hub of activity connecting employment services, education, training programs and business services with local resources.

Also referred to as a "One Stop," the center has moved from its former location at New Directions to a visible and spacious location on Alturas' Main Street, in what was once the old Post Office. Now open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 221 North Main Street, the Modoc Employment Center houses both Modoc Employment Development Department and Alliance for Workforce Development, Inc. (AFWD).

AFWD is already up and running in the new 3,300 square foot, newly-remodeled center. EDD will have all of its equipment in place by mid-February, when the State of California relocates the necessary equipment.

In addition to the open, but private floor plan, the public will find a newly-renovated center with private interviewing facilities, a classroom with 10 computers linked to a 56 K modem and an Internet service provider based in Chico, which serves the three AFWD centers in Plumas, Lassen and Modoc. Three additional computers are available for anyone who wants to access the EDD's CalJobs internet site for the most current job listings or to post their resume. Employers may review prospective resumes on-line.

The center offers "tutorials" to help residents brush up on skills such as keyboarding, building a resume, several sample tests including employment tests from Modoc County Office of Education and Modoc Medical Center, training videos and a fully-informed staff.

The staff includes EDD's Laura Yeier, Alturas Field Office Department representative with years of experience to aid both the employee and employer; Cloud Schiermeyer, a career development specialist for AWFD; Kelley Poindexter, new AWFD Community Coordinator and Employer Services representative. Poindexter also oversees the new facility. Donna Garcia is the Services Coordinator and Debbie Jeffers is the receptionist.

Because the center is so visible, the staff will be fully informed as to what outside services are also available, many of which are within walking distance to the centrally located center.

Once a month, Pat Landon, the representative from the Small Business Development Center, will meet with clients who may have questions about any aspect of owning and operating a business. The business counseling is free and appointments may be made by calling the center.

The center can be a common point of access for job seekers and employers in Modoc County and provides a wealth of resources for teens to seniors.

The Modoc Employment Center can help a person plan careers, locate job leads, create resumes, prepare for interviews or train for a new career. While a few programs are based on eligibility, the Center services are free of charge and are open for use to everyone.

Although not co-located with the Center, the AFWD works with a myriad of "partners" in Modoc County and will work with newly-locating businesses to meet their hiring needs. As a member of the Northern Rural Training and Employment Consortium, federal and state job training funds are subcontracted to AFWD for local service delivery.

"Customized recruiting" is offered where the center staff can solicit applications, screen candidates and refer the most qualified for an employer interview, which can all save the employer time.

The business resource center offers a wall of reference materials from employment laws and tax assistance to training videos, testing, a computer and personal assistance. The new Center hardly resembles the former post office on the inside.

It will receive new exterior paint in summer 2001, has a new central heating system, a new roof, is handicap accessible and is well suited to meeting the needs of its new tenants.

"The remodel was done at considerable expense by the building's owners, Gayle and Vern Plato of Lakeview, whose father and uncle originally constructed the post office in the 50s. We couldn't be more pleased with the outcome," said Gary Corderman, Executive Director for AFWD. "There were many requirements to meet and they were able to do most of the work themselves because they're in the contracting business."

The partners have signed a five-year lease and began moving in last week. The doors are open during business hours and until EDD is officially moved in, Yeier will be splitting her days between the old location and the new.

"We take our Main Street exposure very seriously and can't see an end to what the possibilities are here," added Cloud Schiermeyer.

One staff commitment will be to work with the local residents to make their skills the best they can be, to be competitive for jobs within their own area. The staff welcomes the public to stop by and urges employers to let the center's staff know what their needs are.

An open house will be planned for March, after EDD has fully moved and set up quarters in the new Modoc Employment Center. Access the Modoc Employment Center by calling 530-233-4161.

Modoc schools fare well in state API

By Nora Russell

The Academic Performance Index (API) scores for all public schools throughout California were released on January 17. This is the second year that the schools have been evaluated for academic performance and progress and received scores based on Stanford 9 test results.

In Modoc Joint Unified School District the Alturas Elementary School score for the year 2000 is 711, down 42 points from 1999. The API score for Modoc Middle School is 703, up 93 points from 610 in 1999. Modoc High School scored a 665, up 45 points from 620 in 1999.

In grades two through eight, the API measures student performance in mathematics, reading, language, and spelling. In grades nine through eleven, the API measures performance in mathematics, reading, language, history/social science, and science. Grades kindergarten, one and 12 are not tested.

The API is the result of the Public Schools Accountability Act sponsored by Governor Gray Davis and signed into law in April of 1999. The law established the first statewide accountability system for California public schools.

The system includes three major components: the API, the Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program (II/USP), and the Governor's Performance Award (GPA) Program. The API score is a numeric index that ranges from a low of 200 to a high of 1000. The state has set 800 as the API score that schools should strive to meet.

According to the California Department of Education the statewide median elementary school API score for the year 2000 is 675, up from 629 in 1999. The median middle school API score is 657, up from 633 in 1999; and the median high school API score is 636, up from 620 in 1999.

The median means that one half of the schools are at or above that number, and half are below. Schools with less than 99 students were not given an API score in 1999, but that changed in 2000 by placing them in a "small school" category. A small school is defined as having between 11 and 99 valid Stanford test scores. APIs based on small numbers of students are less reliable and are more carefully interpreted.

Because of its size, Arlington Elementary was not given an API score in 1999. This year it was evaluated as a small school and received a score of 525.

South Fork Elementary also received a score for the first time this year of 619.

County administered schools, community day schools, alternative, continuation and independent study schools are excluded from the API system. An alternative accountability system is being developed for these schools.

"I am very proud of how all the schools did," said Dr. Kevin Jolly, Sup-erintendent of Modoc Joint Unified School District. "The credit goes to the parents, students, teachers and support staff who work very hard every day to maximize student learning."

Obituaries

Billie Dale 'Dee' Dollarhide

Billie Dale "Dee" Dollarhide, 68, of Alturas, passed away January 19, 2001, at Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nevada due to complications associated with a heart attack.

Billie Dale, known to her friends as "Dee" was born June 15, 1932 in Kansas City, Kansas to Wendell Dale Rookstool and Mariam Stone McKenna Rookstool. She spent her early childhood in and around the Kansas City and Oklahoma City area. She attended high school in Burbank, Calif., before the family moved to Cedarville, Calif. when she was 17. She graduated from Surprise Valley High School.

She met Kenneth W. Dollarhide while living in Cedarville. They were married on September 17, 1949 in Reno, Nevada and shared a marriage of 52 years. Dee worked for the Soil Conservation Service and the U.S. Forest Service for a combined 33 years, starting as a clerk typist in Cedarville, Calif. and retired November 30, 1990 as the Budget and Finance Officer for Modoc National Forest at the Alturas office. During the course of her career, she also worked on other forests including the El Dorado, Tahoe and Plumas National Forests, in Pollock Pines, Downieville and Quincy, Calif.

After her retirement, she was very active with the National Association of Retired Federal Employees. For many years, she and her family enjoyed their cabin at Medicine Lake, fishing, swimming and singing around the campfire.

She and Ken square danced for years, and traveled to many dancing jamborees. Dee always made the time to spend with her family , to whom she was very close and devoted. Dee and Ken enjoyed attending the "Country Jam" sessions on Monday nights in Alturas. On occasion, Dee would perform her Minnie Pearl impersonation or comedy skits.

She will always be remembered for her great sense of humor, quick wit, and her unforgettable laugh. She was always ready for a good joke. The lyrics to the old classic best describe how Dee approached life, appropriately stated, "I Did It My Way."

Dee was preceded in death by her husband Ken on December 1, 2000. She is survived by her two sons Dennis L. Dollarhide and his wife Mary of Reno, Nevada and Kirk Dollarhide and his wife Dawn of Las Vegas, Nev. and one grandson Brent Dollarhide who resides in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Dee was an only child, however has two very close cousins, whom she referred to as being like sisters, Gayle Campbell of Kansas City, Mo. and Jan Hansen of San Antonio, Texas; and special sister-in-law Dorothy Fornero and husband Joe of Mt. Shasta, Calif. Dee is also survived by numerous other relatives and friends.

A memorial graveside service will be held by Minister Curtis Barber at the Alturas Cemetery on Monday, January 29 at 1:00 p.m.

The family would like you to join them that evening at the Monday night Country Jam from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. in honor of Dee. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a donation to the American Heart Association or American Diabetes Association or to a charity/organization of the donor's choice.

Matias Manuel Knapp

Matias Manuel Knapp, a 17-year resident of California Pines, passed away in Redding, Calif. on January 11, 2001, at the age of 85 years.

He was born in Tucson, Arizona on March 7, 1915 and attended high school in Tucson. He served three years with the U.S. Army as a Sergeant during World War II. By the time of his discharge on January 5, 1946, he had received the Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal, the World War II Victory medal, good conduct and sharpshooter medals.

Prior to his enlistment in the military, he had worked for Spreckles Sugar in Salinas and returned to the employment of the company following his military discharge. He retired as a supervisor for Spreckles after 44 years with the company. After his retirement he moved to San Jose, Calif. for almost three years.

He married Phyllis Fernandez in Reno, Nev. on November 9, 1982 and the couple moved to California Pines to start their life together.

Mr. Knapp enjoyed his retirement, woodworking, cooking and gardening. He planted many trees and enjoyed crafting wind chimes from pipe and wood, many of which he gave to friends.

The Rev. Patrick Henry from Sacred Heart Catholic Church said a Rosary at Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas on January 16. Interment was at the Alturas Cemetery.

Mr. Knapp is survived by his wife Phyllis of Alturas; son Bill and daughter-in-law Jan Knapp of Fremont, Calif.; daughter Doris DeNoon of Cameron Park, Calif.; son Glenn Knapp of San Carlos, Calif.; stepchildren Donna Davis of Alturas; Lynn Bennett and husband Colin of Redding; Robert Valencia and wife Sandi of Missouri; 11 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by grandson Edward Boyer.

Sports

Hornet Homecoming-- Butte Valley comes to Cedarville

A shorthanded Surprise Valley Hornet team lost to the Tulelake Honkers Friday at home 85-58. This Friday is the Hornet Homecoming against Butte Valley. The junior varsity game starts at 3:30 p.m., the girls varsity at about 5 p.m. and the varsity boys at about 6:30 p.m.

The Hornets lost two players with four minutes left in the game to disqualification and had to finish with just four players on the floor. Tulelake jumped out big in the opening period 27-16 and by half led 53-33. The went up 71-46 after three.

Michael Carpenter pumped in 28 points for Surprise Valley, half of those in the fourth period and Ivan Rangel added 12. Shawn Cross led Tulelake with 16, Matt McEwen added 15, Che Perez had 14, Kyle Lyman had 12 and David Todd had 10. On Saturday, Carpenter put up 44 points to lead the Cardinals to a 73-64 win over Happy Camp at McCloud. Carpenter hit 17 field goals on the night including a pair of treys.

The game started fast with the Hornets taking a 19-18 first period lead and broke away in the second for a 39-30 lead by half. Surprise Valley went up 60-50 after three and held a 13-12 advantage in the fourth for the win. In addition to Carpenter, Ryan Burresch added 14 and Joel Ruiz had nine.

Wilson, Willis win Mazama mat titles

Modoc's Blake Wilson, at 215 pounds, and Tony Willis at Heavyweight won individual championships at the Mazama Invitational over the weekend, as the Braves came in fourth as a team.

Modoc Coach Shaun Wood was not overly pleased with his team's showing at Mazama, where he felt they could have won the event. But he was without three of his top guys, Robert Flournoy at 125 pounds, Robert Veverka at 130 pounds and Roger Cronley at 112 pounds.

Wilson decisioned Morgan McDonald, of Mazama, 11-4 in the title match. Willis pinned Mazama's Brian Peterson for at the 1:51 mark for the title. Wilson has a record this season of 26-1 and Willis is unbeaten.

"We just didn't wrestle all that well as a team," said Wood. "We were a little flat and didn't do as well as I thought we would. But, it was out first, and hopefully, only, bad tournament of the year. Missing the three wrestlers didn't help either. I am looking forward to a good showing again this weekend. We did have some guys wrestle well at Mazama."

Wood expects Flournoy and Cronley to be back for this week against Durham on Friday and for the big tourney at Corning on Saturday. He expects his team to finish in the top five. He also expects to have at least three individual champions. The Shasta Cascade League tournament is at Chester February 7.

Modoc is the number one ranked small school in the North Section and Durham is ranked number two, so the Friday night dual should prove interesting. Besides Wilson and Willis, Wood said he was very pleased with the performances of Ross Lundgren who placed second at 189 pounds, Landon Brown who took a third at 145 pounds and Doug Wellemeyer who placed fifth.

He was also pleased with Mike Main who wrestled well to take a fifth at 215 and Morgan Dunn who place fifth at heavyweight. Modoc's Bill Moriarity took a third at 103 pounds by pinning Eagle Point's Nick Alexander and Jaafar Mirlohi took a fifth. Jesse Duran pinned eagle Point's Steven Tazioli for third at 135 pounds and Modoc's David Lutz decisioned E.C. Holden of Eagle Point for third at 140 pounds.

Trinity Wolves bite Braves

Trinity's Wolves took a bite out of the Modoc Braves boys varsity Saturday in Alturas, 58-44, in Shasta Cascade League action. Modoc faces Weed away Friday and has Burney at home Jan. 30. Modoc started well, leading 11-8 after one, but Trinity tied the game at 24-24 in the second period.

The Wolves jumped up 38-31 after a good third period and poured in 20 points in the final stanza for the win. Three Trinity players put up double figure, Aikins, 16, Strockman 14 and Powell 10.

Blake Thorn led Modoc with 26. Modoc won the junior varsity game 41-27. The Modoc girls team apparently lost, but the Record received no informatio on the game.

Hornet boys split in league

The Surprise Valley Hornet boys team split in Evergreen League Action, losing a tough one to McCloud and then dropping one to the league favorites, Dunsmuir. The Hornets have Tulelake at home Friday night and travel to Happy Camp Jan. 20. Things were working right for the Hornets against Dunsmuir Saturday in Cedarville.

Things started well as Surprise Valley opened with a 15-5 first quarter lead and led 31-18 by halftime. The Tigers tried to fight back in the second half, but the Hornets held them off, winning 54-43.

Michael Carpenter and Joel Ruiz led the Hornets with 14 points each, while Ryan Burresch added 13 and Ivan Rangel hit 11. Dunsmuir won the junior varsity game 66-31. In McCloud, the Hornets did well in the first half, trailing just 9-6 after one and 27-20 at the half.

But McCloud outscored Surprise Valley 19-7 in the third quarter and held them off in the fourth 19-16 to win 62-46. Carpenter led the scoring with 18, Burresch added seven, and Rangel and Ruiz each had five. McCloud also won the junior varsity game, 50-31.

Top

February 1, 2001

MCTA at impasse over size of wage increase

The Modoc County Teacher's Association and the Modoc County Office of Education are at impasse in their labor negotiations and a state mediator is scheduled in Alturas March 7.

The teachers are unhappy the county office has offered them only a 2.75 percent wage increase, while the MCOE staff received an 8.7 percent increase and Superintendent of Schools Carol Harbaugh received a 15.4 percent increase.

According to MCTA president Pat Swanson, the teachers do not dispute the need for MCOE staff or superintendent raises, but believe the offer for teachers is nearly an insult. Swanson said this week that the MCTA, which represents 26 teachers, will hold firm on an 8.5 percent raise, the same as the county office staff received.

Harbaugh has argued that there are no funds available for a wage increases for the teachers, even though there is an increase in funding from forest receipts guaranteed over the next six years and the County Office of Education has a reserve of about $2 million.

Harbaugh said Forest Receipt funds are not historically used for wages. According to Harbaugh, her offer includes a 2.75 percent salary increase, a 1.53 increase in the employee benefit costs and a step and column increase of 1.73 percent. She considers her offer a total of 6.01 percent increase.

The MCTA states that including the step and column increases are not part of a wage increase, since they would come automatically under the current contract. Harbaugh agrees they are there and would be paid, but insists it still is an increase in cost to the county office. Steps and columns are a normal part of government employee contracts allowing for pay increases for time and service.

The real issue in the impasse is the county is offering a 2.75 percent wage increase and the teachers are asking for 8.5 percent. That's what the mediator will try to deal with in March.

Harbaugh said the county budget for special education increased by 5.46 percent, while her budget for central office increased by more than 11 percent and that's why there is a differential in wage offers.

"First of all, our teachers (special ed) are the highest paid teachers in Modoc County," said Harbaugh. "We have asked their union to look into our increase in special education funding and show us we're wrong about it going up 5.46 percent. So far they haven't done that." She said further that she budgets for true expenses and does not want to dip into reserves for wage increases.

She said the timing of her personal wage increase was not good, but it was a fair increase and supported by the Board of Education. She said prior to the raise she was one of the lowest paid superintendents in the state and the county.

The teachers under the auspices of the County Office work primarily in special education in the Modoc Joint Unified School District, Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District and Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District. They also help with some general education and reading programs.

While Harbaugh has told the teachers she will only use special education funding for teachers' salary increases, the reserve and forest service receipts are unrestricted and can be used for wages.

Dr. Kevin Jolly, Superintendent of the Modoc Joint Unified School District said teachers in that district received a 3.7 percent wage increase, a one percent one time wage hike and 3.0 percent increase in the cost of health coverage. Jolly explained the state released 11.4 percent more funding to the district schools for this year, freeing up some funds for raises. He said the MJUSD is in a declining enrollment situation and lost 10 percent of its students. So the actual increase in funding was negligible. He said the district chose to give a smaller raise, which kept layoffs to a minimum and had the effect of decreasing class size to about 24 students. He said a lot of districts are facing class sizes of 28.

New RAC will be important part of forest receipts

Anyone interested in sitting on the new Forest Service Resource Advisory Committee, in connection with the federal Secure Schools and Roads legislation is asked to contact the Modoc County Land Use Committee before its Feb. 14 meeting.

The committee will actually be appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture, based upon the recommendations from the county and local forest. According to Modoc Land Use Committee's Sean Curtis, the county and forest would like to have the new 15-member RAC appointed by April 1. It must be in place by April 28. Interested individuals may call the Farm Bureau Office at 233-3276 to be considered for the committee.

The Secure Schools and Roads Act was passed by the federal legislature to stabilize payments to counties, and move those payments away from actual forest receipts. Those funds are split between county schools and roads. For the next six years, the Act guarantees Modoc County $1.8 million annually, well more than projected forest receipts.

In the past, Modoc received 25 percent of the receipts generated on the Modoc Forest, always dominated by timber harvest. Had that formula continued, Modoc's forest receipts would have dwindled to near nothing.

According to Curtis, the RAC is an important part of the new system. It will have to ability to advise and propose projects to the forest. What happens under the new act is that 15 to 20 percent of the county's funding goes through the RAC for projects. Those projects, said Curtis, will have the ability to positively impact local economies.

The committee has to have 15 members, in the following three categories and areas: category A, five members -- one who represents organized labor, one for developed outdoor recreation, off highway vehicle users or commercial recreation activities; one for energy and mineral development interests; one for commercial timber or who holds grazing permits; category B, five members -- one who represents nationally or locally recognized environmental organizations; one who represents regionally or locally recognized environmental organizations; one for dispersed recreational activities, archaeological and historical interests or nationally or regionally recognized wild horse and burro interest groups; and category C, five members who -- one who holds state elected office or their designee; one who holds county or local elected office; one who represents American Indian tribes; one who represents school officials or teachers; and one who represents the public at large.

Anyone with an interest or in one of the categories above should contact the Land Use Committee. The Modoc Land Use Committee meeting is February 14, 1 p.m.. at the Farm Advisor's Office on West Fourth Street, Alturas.

Icy highways causing problems

Slippery roads are causing some problems for drivers in the area this weekend the California Highway Patrol stresses the point that people slow down.

An accident January 25, 11 p.m. on County Road 1 north of County Road 15 near Lake City resulted in minor injuries to Lisa M. Townsend, 25, of Ft. Bidwell. The CHP reports Townsend was driving a 2000 Chevy Astro van north bound at about 30 m.p.h. when the Chevy started to slip on the snow-covered road. She applied the brakes but the van started to rotate in a clockwise direction. It left the road and traveled onto the shoulder where the left side tires gained enough traction to stop the van, causing it to roll onto the driver's side. Townsend freed herself from the vehicle and walked to a nearby residence to call for help. She was transported to the Surprise Valley Hospital where she was treated and released.

Fawn M. Crippen, 32, of Medford sustained minor injuries in single vehicle accident January 26, 7:30 p.m. on Highway 395 just south of Termo. The CHP states Crippen was northbound driving a 1993 MX-6 Mazda at about 65 m.p.h. when she entered a curve and applied the brakes. The car went out of control on the ice and spun out of control. The car careened off the road into an open field and came to rest. Crippen and a passenger, Cheyanna C. Slazar, age five, were treated at the scene by Modoc Ambulance crews and released.

The CHP advises drivers to take special care when driving on mountain highways this winter. Make sure to carry traction devices and pay attention to shadowed areas and outside temperatures. In addition, during the winter always allot extra time for the trip and understand that often the posted speed limit will be too fast for conditions. Drive according to what the conditions will allow.

GPA awards for Modoc schools

By Nora Russell

The much anticipated Governor's Performance Awards (GPA) earmarked for distribution among school districts reaching their Academic Performance Index (API) growth targets, have been announced.

A total of $207,299,009 was awarded to 4,502 schools across California. Four schools in Modoc County will receive their award checks the first week in February. Modoc High School will receive $20,072; Modoc Middle School, $14,627; Tulelake Basin Elementary, $11,904 and Tulelake High will receive $16,273.

According to the California Department of Education, award amounts were calculated using a formula that includes enrollment information, IEP exemptions, parent waivers, and student irregularities. Only schools that met or exceeded their school wide 2000 API growth target, met or exceeded their comparable improvement growth target, and had participation rates of 95% for elementary and middle schools and 90% for high schools were included.

The calculation results allocated a figure of $63 per student for eligible schools. The award funds are intended for school-wide use. Decisions for how the funds are used will be made by the school site councils and approved by the governing school board.

"I'm please so many of our schools will receive recognition for improving academic performance," said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin. "More than 67 percent of public schools met their growth targets and qualified for financial awards. That in itself is a commendable achievement."

The final two awards that are part of the Public Schools Accountability Act of 1999 Awards package are yet to be announced. All schools receiving GPA funds are eligible for the School Site Employee Performance Bonus. Those awards will be appropriated in late March or early April. Schools receiving funds for the Certificated Staff Performance Incentive will be required to meet more stringent criteria than the other two awards. School eligibility is still being determined with awards scheduled to be allocated in late April or early May.

Obituaries

Debbie Rae Moniz

Debbie Rae Moniz, 47, of Reno, Nevada, passed away on January 23, 2001 at Regent Care Center in Reno, Nev., due to a long illness.

Debbie was born in Sacramento, Calif. on April 8, 1953 to Althea and Albert Moniz. She moved to Alturas in 1975 and worked for the Citizens Telephone Company as an operator. She also worked at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas. She worked at the Peppermill Hotel Casino in Reno, as a PBX operator before her passing.

She loved spending time with her friends and family and will be missed by all who loved her, both friends and family. She also loved fishing and going camping.

Debbie was preceded in death by her mother and father. She is survived by her two brothers Gary Moniz and wife Donna and their daughters, nieces Shannon Moniz of Grass Valley, Calif. and Kimberly Moniz of Reno, Nev.; Bruce Moniz and wife Billi of Grass Valley; nephew Brian Moniz and his wife of Sheridan, Calif.; nieces Amy Moniz and Chrisy Moniz of Grass Valley; sister Nancy Warren; nieces and nephew Monica Warren of Alturas; Melanie and Justin Warren of Reno, Nev.

Services were held at WaltonÕs Funeral Home in Reno on January 27. She will be laid to rest with her mother and father in Alturas. Donations may be made in memory of Debbie, to the American Lung Association.

Florence L. Fenwick

Former Alturas resident Florence L. Fenwick, 71, a Centralia, Washington resident since 1978, died Saturday, January 20, 2001 at Providence Centralia Hospital.

Born February 22, 1929, at North Platte, Nebraska to Leo and Florence (Jerry) Hoffman, she was reared and attended schools in Nebraska. She later moved to California, where she graduated from high school in San Francisco.

On July 5, 1947, she married Edward Melvin Fenwick in Grass Valley, Calif. She worked as a cook for most of her working career. Her husband preceded her in death on March 12, 1974. The family had made Alturas their home while their son Kevin was young. Mrs. Fenwick enjoyed sewing and crocheting.

Survivors include four sons, Kevin of Bellingham, Wash; Jerry of Lakewood, Wash; Paul of Sacramento, Calif.; and Randy of California; four daughters, Linda Lewis of Fayetteville, N.C.; Diane McAuley of Centralia, Wash; Judy of Plains, Montana; and Karen Walston of Richland, Mo.; a brother, Leo Hoffman of Voluntown, Conn.; two sisters, Charlotte Dockery of Isleton, Calif. and Joyce Jack of Missouri; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A graveside service for Mrs. Fenwick was held Thursday, Jan. 25, at the Alturas Cemetery, where she was laid to rest next to her husband. Arrangement were under the care of Sticklin Funeral Chapel of Centralia, Wash.

Sports

Hornets defeat Butte Valley

The Surprise Valley Hornets used their Homecoming 2001 celebration to beat the Butte Valley Bulldogs 68-56 Friday night.

It didn't start well for the Hornets as Butte Valley jumped out to a 17-10 first period lead and by half led, 27-19. But the second half would belong to the Hornets. Mike Carpenter and Ivan Rangel erupted to bring the Hornets back with a 27-point third period. That onslaught gave Surprise Valley a 46-45 lead and they outscored Butte Valley 22-11 in the fourth for the win.

Carpenter finished the night with 32 points while Rangel added 24, Ryan Burresch had seven and Joel Ruiz had five. Jeremiah Cardwell scored 19 for Butte Valley.

In the boys junior varsity game, the Bulldogs won 46-43 as Paul Boneck scored 28. Surprise Valley is idle until tonight when they travel to Dunsmuir. The Hornets are now 4-3 in the Evergreen League and 9-8 overall.

Wilson earns outsanding heavyweight in Corning

Modoc's Blake Wilson edged out teammate Tony Willis for Outstanding Heavyweight of the Corning Invitational wrestling tournament last weekend.

Both Wilson, at 215 pounds, and Willis, at heavyweight, won their weight divisions at the major tournament. Both Modoc wrestlers are the top ranked wrestlers in their north section divisions. Modoc is the number one ranked small school and is ranked number five of all north section schools.

Modoc finished fifth in the Corning event, with Willows winning at 170 points, Corning second with 157 points, Golden Sierra third with 151 points, Pleasant Valley fourth with 138; Modoc fifth with 132 and the remaining standings: Durham 106, Natomas 100, Central Valley 62, Etna 55, Middletown 50, Quincy 49, Las Plumas 45, Foothill 39, Live Oak 38, Corning B 35, Tulelake 34, Esparto 32, Biggs 21, Enterprise 4, Portola 4 and Greenville 0.

Coach Shaun Wood was pleased with the Modoc wrestle at Corning, after what he considered a disappointing dual meet against Durham the day before. Modoc lost the dual meet, and Wo