Untitled Document

January 2002 February 2002 - February 28 March 2002

April 2002 -April 25, 2002May 2002 June 2002

July 2002 August 2002 September 2002 October 2002

State Assembly Candidate Doug LaMalfa, of Richvale, (Butte County) spent New Year's Eve in Alturas during the day and in Likely for the evening celebration. On New Year's Day, he participated in the Davis Creek Juniper Berry New Year's Day Parade.

Through it all, he said he really enjoyed the people of Modoc and was pleased to be a part of the area's holiday.

LaMalfa is a Republican, who bills himself as a conservative and farmer. He vows to represent Modoc County as well as the other counties in the sprawling Second District.

He knows full well that rural counties don't always get the recognition at the state and federal levels they need and he also believes in less government and more local control.

LaMalfa will be running in the March 5 Primary against fellow Republicans Pat Knight, John Byrne and Dan Ryhal.

He's a rice farmer who earned a bachelor's Degree in Ag/Business from Cal-Poly, San Luis Obispo. He was elected as a founding director of the California Rice Commission and is chairman of the Richvale Foundation Boosters, an organization dedicated to maintaining the profitability of the Richvale Cafe, a community meeting facility. He has also been active in the Butte County Republican Central Committee.

LaMalfa believes the state must develop new water storage and make fairer, smarter allocation of existing supplies based upon accurate science, not the "flawed Endangered Species Act."

He's a fourth generation farmer, who believes common sense is lacking in state government. He also understands the challenges facing today's farming industry and communities and vows to be a strong, experienced voice for agriculture in Sacramento.

He said he also intends to stand up for more and better law enforcement for rural counties commits himself to improving and enhancing public safety and homeland security. He believes in maintaining the quality of life rural living provides.

"The tax burden on working families is too high," he states. "Taxpayers do know better than bureaucrats and politicians how to spend and invest their own money. I will oppose any new taxes to cover the state's looming $10-$15 billion budget deficit that has resulted from the mishandled energy crisis. I will say Ôno' to runaway spending programs."

He also holds strongly that the state should not be in the electricity business. "The recent energy crisis highlighted the incompetence of government bureaucrats attempting to run the power industry," said LaMalfa. "We must provide opportunities for the private sector to build the necessary power plant to meet our needs at fair prices for our families and businesses."

LaMalfa believes his agricultural and rural background will serve Northern California well in the State Assembly.

In the last edition of the Modoc Record, we incorrectly identified a Caltans employee who awakened and saved the Michael and Collette Vogel family from serious injury in a house fire.

The Caltrans employee who was driving by the Rattlesnake Creek home about 3 a.m. Dec. 20 was actually Frank "Butch" Chapman, of Alturas. Chapman stopped his Caltrans plow when he saw the smoke coming out from under the eaves of the home and awakened the family inside.

Chapman also stayed to help the family move some of their belongings out of harm's way and was on hand until the Alturas Rural Fire Department arrived. The Vogels credit Chapman with saving their lives as the house was later completely destroyed by fire.

The Record was given the wrong identity of the Caltrans employee and apologizes for the mistake.

The Modoc County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) held its second meeting Dec. 1 at the Modoc National Forest office in Alturas. The meeting was presided by co-chairpersons elect Carol Harbaugh, Superintendent of Schools - Modoc County, of Alturas, and Allen Hurlburt, consultant and project manager, of Tulelake.

A third meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 12 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Modoc National Forest office, 800 West 12th St., Alturas, and is open to the public. Agenda items include consideration of projects on the Modoc National Forest that enhance forest ecosystems, improve land health and water quality and improve the efficiency of the Committee. Projects slated for consideration are as follows: RAC secretary, noxious weeds removal, watershed and Western juniper management, burned fences in the Blue Fire area, South Mountain Reservoir and Boles Meadow project, exclosure construction and monitory baselines, historic aspen project and a public road proposal. Time will be set aside following each proposal for public comment. The RAC will also hear reports from the Noxious Weeds and Project Solicitation and Selection subcommittees, and from the Forest Service.

The RAC is a federally-sanctioned group by the Secretary of Agriculture and was formed as a result of the new legislation "Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000." The group represents a cross-section of county communities, industries, schools, environmentalists, and local government.

A fourth meeting is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 9 at the same time and location.

Andrew F. "Bud" Van Horn passed away December 13, 2001 in Redding, Calif. after a long siege with emphysema. A private "celebration of his life" was held by his family and friends who lived close by.

Andrew was born July 5, 1923 in Alturas, Calif. He was the youngest child and only son of Frank Buckman Van Horn and Arletta Cantrall Van Horn. He attended Alturas schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade with many of the same classmates, who remained life-long friends.

Bud, or "Buddy" as he is universally known in Modoc County, joined the Army Air Corps during World War II and attended cadet training and flight school, becoming a bombardier on a bomber flight crew. Strangely, in his class of cadets, there were three other Modoc'ers, an astounding representation from a small California county.

After the war, Bud returned to Alturas. He owned a Standard Oil service station, and he and his sister Arletta ran a soda fountain in conjunction with the station. His Standard Oil association led to a Standard Oil Distributorship, which he later sold to Ed Staub.

While in Alturas, Bud served as Manager of the Modoc County Chamber of Commerce and served on the City Council one term, becoming Mayor of Alturas. He was active in promoting Modoc County throughout the state, preparing several California State Fair exhibits with a lot of help from friends and associates, and fostering the "Modoc Mike" image.

Active in the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, Bud was the 13th Grand Exalted Ruler of the Alturas lodge. While with the Chamber, Bud was able to arrange to have the train engine moved into the park in Alturas as a permanent exhibit, helped the Alturas Garden Club obtain the old railroad depot for a meeting place, and promoted beautification of Main Street, helping to build and plant flower/tree boxes along the street.

In 1965, Bud left Modoc to become Secretary Manager of the volunteer fire prevention education organization "Keep California Green," first working from San Francisco, then moving that office to Sacramento. Because California is one of the few states which does not get state funding for the "Keep Green" movement, Bud worked through volunteer committees in the various counties, and with funds from the timber industry, becoming active in many of the timber organizations and in the Sierra Cascade Logging Conference and its Equipment Committee. He did promotion work for several of the SCLC annual meetings in Reno, Sacramento and Redding, and was a familiar figure at their various functions.

Following his position with "Keep California Green," Bud worked in warehouse management and sales for Shields Harper and Company, a service station equipment supplier, moving to Redding in 1978 to fill the Northern California sales territory. In 1984, he left Shields Harper and "went on the road," driving a courier route for Aerospeed Delivery Service for several years, then ferrying cars for Enterprise Car Rental with a team of drivers.

Bud will be missed by all of his family and friends. He was a true gentleman, and an inspiration to many.

He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Meta McGilvray Van Horn of Redding; daughters Andrea Piekarz of Milwaukee, Wis. and Laura Gibson of Redding; grandchildren Andrew and Lydia Gibson of Redding; stepchildren from former marriages Fred Hyre of Santa Rosa, Calif., and Jayne Krejci and Dianne Davis of Sacramento; sisters Laura Putnam and Juanita Sowles of Sacramento, and Arletta "Nook" Burrell of Davis Creek, Modoc County; and several nieces and nephews, including Mark Burrell and Karen Blair, who went through school in Alturas.

The family requests donations be made to the American Lung Association of California, Superior Branch, 1108 Sheridan Avenue, Chico, CA, or an organization of the person's choice.

Randal Fitzgerald Bush, a descendent of two Pioneer families who settled in Modoc County in the mid 1800's, passed away December 30, 2001 in Alturas, Calif. .

The Fitzgerald family settled in Alturas and were local business owners. The Garretts came to Lake City in the Surprise Valley to raise cattle for the Army Posts from Fort Bidwell to Fort Klamath. Randal was born in Cedarville, Calif. on January 16, 1910.

Randal "Boy" Bush was reared on a ranch, south of Cedarville, along with his two sisters. He earned his nickname "Boy" at a young age, from his mother.

As a very young boy, Randal found several arrowheads on the creek bank which ran through the ranch. This led to a life-long hobby of collecting Indian artifacts. He later donated a vast collection of artifacts to the Modoc County Museum in Alturas. He graduated from Surprise Valley High School, Cedarville. His lifetime was spent in Modoc County, with the exception of his service to his country. During World War II, Randal served in the U.S. Army for two and a half years, with the 10th Mountain Division in Italy, reaching the rank of Corporal at the time of his discharge on September 24,1945. He and Edwina R. Pedres were married in Carson City, Nev. on August 19, 1949 and have shared 52 years of marriage.

Through the years which followed, Randal was employed with Bank of America, Southern Pacific Railroad and with the Modoc County Sheriff's Department for approximately three years.

Randal was an avid fisherman and hunter. He enjoyed hunting through the last year of his life and got his "buck" last fall. He was a member of the Alturas Elks Lodge, B.P.O.E. 1756.

Randal was a loving son, husband, and father. His many friends will remember him as a loyal friend and a gentle man.

He is survived by his wife Edwina Bush of Alturas; four daughters, Annette Curtis of Bishop; Noreen Millsap of Albany, Ore.; Loretta Gross and husband Ron of Carson City, Nev.; Louise Thompson and husband William of Pendleton, Ore.; daughter-in-law Vivian Bush of Dade City, Florida; 13 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Mr. Bush was preceded in death by his parents Fred and Bess Bush, sisters Barbara Beyerle, Marjorie Lucero and son Alvin E. Noren Bush. A private family service was held.

Lavada Shaw passed away in Alturas, Calif. on December 31, 2001, after a lengthy illness

She moved to Nevada in 1945, where she met and married Blaine Higley. Eventually they settled in Battle Mountain, Nev. in 1960. He preceded her in death in 1967. She then met and married Harry Howell who preceded her in death in 1971. She later married her third husband, Robert Shaw, who also preceded her in death in 1985

After living in various places throughout her life, she retired in 1990 from Stateline Casino in Wendover, Nev., where she had worked for many years. She moved to Alturas, Calif. in 1997 to be close to her daughter, Debra Jeffers. She led a long and loving life and will be greatly missed.

In tribute to her mother, Debra Jeffers wrote the following: "After all your years of suffering the struggle is gone. It will be hard but we must go on. I will miss you each day of my life and remember the loving mother and wife. You saw much sorrow throughout the years. But, we never saw the pain or tears. I just want you to know how much I love you. And, throughout the years, you showed me you loved me too. So, rest in peace and know I will be fine. And eventually my pain will ease with the passing of time."

Mrs. Shaw is survived by sisters Juanita Chapman of Fort Worth, Texas, and Wanda Chiara of Ontario, Ore. She was a loving mother of three, one son, Garry Higley of Burley, Idaho, who preceded her in death in 1990; two daughters, Sharlene Holdeman of Wendover, Nev. and Debra Jeffers of Alturas, Calif. She has seven grandchildren and nine great-.grandchildren, plus many nieces and nephews. Services will be private.

Services for Arlo Weldon Eades will be held at 12 noon at the Lookout Community Church on Friday, Jan. 4. Pastors Steve Black and Kent House will conduct the service

Mr. Eades, 83, passed away of natural causes on December 30, 2001 at his home in Lookout, Calif. A lifetime resident of Lookout, Mr. Eades had worked as a timber faller in the Intermountain area from McCloud and Burney to Lookout, during his lifetime and a scaler for 20 years, before he retired from the logging business. He served his country in the U.S. Army Infantry in the Phillipines during World War II. Mr. Eades was active in his community and was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7144 in Adin, served as a current Board member on the Big Valley Historical Society and as one of the directors of the Big Valley Museum, located in Bieber. He also served on the Lookout Cemetery Board and the Lookout Community Church

He married Kittie Wright in Adin, Calif. on November 22, 1938. The two celebrated 63 years of marriage in 2001. Mr. Eades had been working as the caretaker of the Adin and Lookout Landfill up until two weeks ago. His sense of humor showed when he jokingly referred to himself as a "garbologist," referring to his work, when speaking with his family and friends

Mr. Eades is survived by his wife Kittie Eades of Lookout; sons Lennie Eades of Lookout, Buz Eades of Palo Cedro; three sisters Hope Yeager of Lookout, Fern Morse of Lookout and Amy Speaks of Burney. He has 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. His son Gary preceded him in death, as did his parents Arch and Gertie Eades

Interment will be at the Lookout Cemetery. McDonald's Chapel in Burney is handling arrangements.

Contributions in Mr. Eades' memory may be made to the Lookout Community Church or the Big Valley Museum in Bieber.

Former Alturas resident Ervin Lee Truitt passed away December 29, 2001 of natural causes at Mayers Memorial Hospital in Fall River Mills, Calif. He was 75

Mr. Truitt had moved to Fall River Mills in 2001. He had retired as a truck driver for A.W. Hayes

He is survived by his daughter Betty Peet of Lookout, Calif.; brothers Clarence (Blackie) and Olan (Bud) Truitt of Woodland; sisters Evelyn Connley of Woodland and Mildred Cox of El Reno, Oklahoma; ex-wife Modean Truitt of Dallas, Ore. and stepsons Donald Iott of Sheridan, Wyoming and Frank Iott of Dallas, Ore. He is also survived by 19 grandchildren and numerous great and great-great grandchildren.

McDonald's Chapel in Burney is handling arrangements. A family service will be held at a later date.

Local high school teams are back in action next week, after taking the past two weeks of vacation

January 9, Modoc High boys and girls basketball open Shasta Cascade League play against Burney at home. The junior varsity girls game starts at 4 p.m. with JV boys, varsity girls and varsity boys to follow. January 11, they travel to Etna and Fall River comes to Alturas January 15

The Surprise Valley Hornets boys and girls basketball teams have Butte Valley at home January 11 and go to Big Valley January 15.

Late news: Modoc's Braves took the consolation trophy at the Block F Basketball tournament just before the holidays.

Modoc lost the opening game to Happy Camp, no score available, but beat Burney 46-36 and Big Valley 66-37. Tim Lauppe and Jack Britton were named to the All-Tourney team.

The Cedar Pass Snow Park is running every Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. for the rest of the season.

Beginning families and individuals can take advantage of first time free lessons and rope tow tickets. Also, discounts are available if skiers purchase the season punch card. The warming hut and concessions are also open.

Snow Park officials stress skiing and snowboarding is a great family activity and serves to help keep people in shape during the long winters of Modoc.

The Snow Park is run by volunteers and more people are still needed in concessions, rentals, lift operators and publicity, ski and board instructors. To volunteer, call Debra Chapman at 233-1177. Trade work for a lift ticket. Call 233-3323 for information on the Snow Park and watch for updates in the Modoc Record.

Modoc County Supervisors Tuesday appointed Billi Ayne Taylor as the county's new Veteran's Service Officer, and she assumes the job as of January 22.

The position is halftime at $1,150 per month. Taylor is the daughter of Supervisor Pat Cantrall, who excused herself from the proceedings and vote on the appointment. She was completely removed from the hiring or interview process.

Supervisor Mike Dunn, told an assemblage of veterans that Taylor was hired "in spite of" not "because of" being Cantrall's daughter. He emphasized being Cantrall's daughter actually was a disadvantage, but she was the most qualified and best choice for the position.

There were nine applicants who applied for the job and the interview committee selected four. County Administrative Officer Mike Maxwell, Dunn and Supervisor Terry William's were on the selection committee and all agreed Taylor was the strongest of the candidates.

Lillian Shoenheide, who has been serving in the Veteran's office for years, has chosen to retire this month. The county opted to go to a half time position for the Veterans' Service Office as opposed to a combination with the public guardian. That switch was agreed to by veterans who attended a meeting last spring.

Dick Greene, who has been serving as the volunteer Veterans Service Officer for over four years had also applied for the position. Greene told Supervisors Tuesday he was hurt he had not been given the courtesy of an interview by the county. He was one of the nine applicants. He said he felt his past service to veterans should have been taken under consideration. Maxwell said that Greene had not put forth an application detailing what he had done or accomplished or what services he had provided over the past four years and that his application was "not competitive" with the others. Some veterans in attendance were obviously in support of Greene for the position, but vowed they would support Taylor and the county. They asked for more communication and dialogue between the county and veterans' groups.

In other action Tuesday, the Board approved a $20,000 increase in the budget for Modoc County Jail inmate health care. According to Maxwell, the county had budgeted $15,000 this year for the program, but costs have gone $9,000 above that figure. He's hoping the $20,000 will take care of the rest of the year, as it comes from contingency.

Maxwell said this year has been unusual The number of inmates hasn't increased that much, but the number and types of medical care involved has been going up. He said, for instance, that four MRI's were required on inmates this year to date.

While Modoc has been hit heavily with precipitation this winter, the county voted to continue its local drought emergency status. Supervisors were concerned that effects of the summer drought are continuing and have not shown signs of complete withdrawal.

Allegations that two male correctional officers in the Modoc County Jail have made sexual advances towards female inmates will be investigated by the state Department of Justice.

Sheriff Bruce Mix said he learned of the allegations this week and has asked for state investigation teams to come in. He said he wants to insure there are no appearances of cover-up in the matter.

In addition, said Mix, internal steps are being taken to make sure there are no further occurrences or appearances of sexual harassment in the jail. Mix said the allegations are more of a sexual harassment or flirtation nature, and no allegations of sexual intercourse have been made.

Mix said his department will not take part in the outside investigation, other than to cooperate with investigators.

The City of Alturas opted to join the Nor-Cal Electric Joint Powers Authority Tuesday night, stressing a benefit to local electricity customers if the proposed sale of Pacific Power to Nor-Cal is successful.

The local representative on the Nor-Cal Commission will be current Alturas Mayor Dick Steyer. The city believes a JPA, with local control, would be able to provide less expensive power rates than an investor-owned utility.

Pacific Power has a 29.4 percent rate increase in front of the California Public Utilities Commission currently. Pacific has not had a general rate increase in 1992 and rates were reduced in 1998 by 10 percent below what they were in 1996.

While there is no guarantee the CPUC will approve the rate increase, city officials believe rates under the Nor-Cal JPA would be lower and more likely to remain lower. There is also no guarantee that the CPUC will ultimately approve the Pacific Power sale to Nor-Cal.

The California Public Utilities Commission turned down a similar transaction in December, 2000, so the two entities went back to the drawing board to come up with a plan that would work.

There are several new twists in the new proposal including a $15 million drop in the purchase price and a 10-year, cost-based power sales contract that should stabilize rates for consumers.

Under the terms of the transaction, Nor-Cal rates would be 7.8 cents per kWh, about 15 percent less than the proposed PacifiCorps rate increase request. As a comparison, the current rate for Surprise Valley Electric is 6.1 cents per kWh. SVEC experienced a 46 percent rate increase this year. Pacific Gas and Electric rates in California are 13.8 cents per kWh.

A central key to the entire proposal is the 10-year power sales contract which could stabilize rates for Nor-Cal. Additionally, to insure local governments and special districts are not hit hard by loss of taxes, a fund will be established to maintain tax and franchise fee payments.

Modoc County is taking this current proposal under submission. Under the new proposal, current employees of PacifiCorp will be offered positions with Nor-Cal and will be provided equivalent pay and benefits subject to agrees of the union.

The Modoc National Forest is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Blue Fire Forest Recovery Project.

Public comments are invited and should be postmarked on or before January 28 to receive timely consideration in the draft EIS. Submit written comments to or request information from Doug Schultz, Team Leader, USDA Forest Service, Box 220, Cedarville, CA 96104, (530) 279-6116. Send electronic comments to dschultz@fs.fed.us.

The draft EIS is expected to be available for public review by May. The final EIS is scheduled to be completed in September.

The Blue Fire Forest Recovery Project area is located approximately 20 miles southeast of Alturas and nine miles east of Likely within Lassen and Modoc Counties, Calif., on the Modoc National Forest. The 33,500-acre Blue Fire burned in August 2001.

On October 25, 2001, the Modoc National Forest began a scoping period for a proposed action for the Blue Fire Forest Recovery Project Environmental Assessment. The scoping period closed November 26, 2001. Since the close of the original scoping period, the Forest Service decided to prepare an environmental impact statement. The original proposed action has been slightly modified. Previous comments will be considered as responses to the EIS scoping request, unless respondent submits new comments indicating changes to prior submissions.

As early winter snows cover the scars from last summer's fire season, the Bureau of Land Management is already gearing up to hire fire fighters for next summer. About 45 seasonal positions will be filled in northern California, and officials urge anyone interested to turn in applications as soon as possible.

"Applications received between December 6 and January 31 will receive first consideration," said Paul Whitcome, assistant fire management officer for the BLM's Northern California region. "We have positions open on our fire engine crews, on the helicopter crew, the Diamond Mountain Hotshots, and our hazardous fuels reduction crew."

Applications should be sent to: Bureau of Land Management, California State Office, 2800 Cottage Way, Room W1834, Sacramento, CA 95825-1886. Applicants may submit a resume or federal application form OF 612. Additionally, applicants can use a resume builder application available at www.usajobs.opm.gov.

Full details on available jobs, pay scales and application requirements can be found in the BLM vacancy announcement (No. CA-01-339, titled range technician/range aid/fire seasonal) posted on the Internet at www.usajobs.opm.gov/a9blm.htm. The vacancy announcement and federal job application forms are also available at BLM offices in Alturas, Arcata, Cedarville, Redding, Susanville and Ukiah.

Seasonal fire fighters will be working from northeastern California fire stations in Susanville, Ravendale, West Valley (near Likely), Cedarville, and on the North Coast in Shelter Cove.

In addition to responding to wildfires and conducting fire projects near their home stations, BLM fire fighters can be called to fight wildfires anywhere in the United States during a fire season that typically runs from early June to early October.

The ongoing pattern of wintry weather in northeastern California and northwest Nevada is providing welcome relief from last summer's drought, but it is creating deteriorating conditions on back country roads.

Officials at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) advise people to check on road conditions before venturing onto dirt roads, and to avoid driving through areas of heavy mud.

"People getting stuck in the back country can face a long, lonely wait for help because few people venture into these areas during stormy winter weather," said Tim Burke, manager of the BLM Alturas Field Office. Additionally, Burke said, vehicle travel in muddy areas causes road damage that costs thousands of dollars to repair.

"The problem becomes even worse when drivers leave the road to avoid mud bogs," Burke said. "These little detours become more heavily used, and eventually create bigger and bigger mud holes. It's expensive and time consuming to repair the resource damage."

Areas burned by last summer's wildfires are especially prone to vehicle damage. Driving in these areas can damage restoration projects started last fall, and will hamper plant re-growth.

Information on back country road conditions is available from the BLM Alturas Field Office, (530) 233-4666; the Eagle Lake Field Office in Susanville, (530) 257-0456; or the Surprise Field Office in Cedarville, (530) 279-6101.

Funeral services for Virginia A. Stribling will be held Friday, January 11, at 11:00 a.m. at the Federated Church in Alturas. The Rev. Dr. Ben Zandstra will officiate. Interment will follow at the Alturas Cemetery. Mrs. Stribling passed away at the Lake District Long-term Care Facility in Lakeview, Oregon, early Tuesday morning, January 8, 2002. She was 82. Virginia was born March 28, 1919 in Rowlesburg, West Virginia to Joseph and Anna Stevens Fraley. She was reared and received her education in Mineral Ridge, Ohio.

On September 3, 1966, she married Ed Stribling in Reno, Nev. The two have shared a loving marriage for 35 year.s

Following 17 years of employment at Enderlin's Modoc Pharmacy in Alturas, Calif., Mrs. Stribling retired in 1985. Mrs. Stribling enjoyed her work and was a gracious and kind person who enjoyed helping her customers, as much as they enjoyed her attention. Her passions included flower gardening and cooking for her appreciative family.

She is survived by her husband Ed of New Pine Creek; daughter Colleen Oyler and husband Rulon of Alturas, Calif.; stepson Kenith E. Stribling of Bend, Ore.; two sisters, Josephine Smith of Mineral Ridge, Ohio, and Marion Garrity of Youngstown, Ohio; 10 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Local high this week, after taking the past two weeks of vacation. Last night after presstime, Modoc High boys and girls basketball opened Shasta Cascade League play against Burney at home. January 11, they travel to Etna and Fall River comes to Alturas January 15.

The Surprise Valley Hornets boys and girls basketball teams have Butte Valley at home January 11 and go to Big Valley January 15.

Four of Modoc High School's wrestlers are ranked in the North Section going into this week's tournaments.

Robert Flournoy holds down the third seed at 135 pounds, Jared McGarva holds down number five at 160 pounds, Dave Lutz is sixth at 152 pounds, and J.D. Monroe, sixth at 189 pounds.

In the small school rankings, Modoc is second, with Durham holding the top spot and Fall River ranked third.

There will be a mid-season Cedar Pass Snow Park board meeting January 17, 7 p.m. at Bureau of Land Management building in Alturas. The public is invited to attend.

The Snow Park is run by volunteers and more people are still needed in concessions, rentals, lift operators and publicity, ski and board instructors. Snow Park officials say this has been a great season due to those volunteers' efforts and commitment. Call James Peake at 233-4882 to volunteer.

The Snow Park is running every Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. for the rest of the season.

Call 233-3323 for information on the Snow Park and watch for updates in the Modoc Record.

Jennifer Kern, a leader of Modoc's High School's state championship team, is also excelling in her collegiate career.

Kern is the leading scorer and rebounder for Chico State University, who opened the season at 7-1 this year.

Kern won the Most Valuable Player award at the U.C. Davis tournament this season. She is also a senior this year.

The California Department of Heath Services last year cited several deficiencies of licensing and certification of the Surprise Valley Community Hospital in Cedarville. The hospital has been working to correct those deficiences.

According to the state, those deficiencies were serious and could have placed the hospital's license in jeopardy.v The Surprise Valley Hospital is currently seeking a continuation of its special district and a $150 per property owner tax base. That question will be on the March 5 ballot in Surprise Valley. The assessment must pass by a two-thirds majority and would be a continuation of the current assessment, not an addition to that assessment.

State investigators this month said the SV Hospital appears to have come into compliance with state and federal regulations and may be in line now for its designation of a Critical Access Hospital. It failed that survey in June and has been working to correct those deficiencies. A team will be up in February to resurvey the facility for that designation. A Critical Access Hospital is a new designation at the federal level to help the survivability of rural hospitals.

There were several other complaints filed against the hospital in November, but the state was unable to substantiate a violation of regulations in all of those complaints.

Danette DePaul, assistant manager of the hospital, said the state deficiency reports were just standardized investigation reports and contained no monetary citations. State officials pointed out, however, that there are no monetary citations in the program for acute care facility deficiencies, only for long-term care deficiencies. State officials said the reports and findings of deficiencies should be termed citations.

All of the State's reports are public information and are available at Surprise Valley Hospital.

October report was critical of the facility's management after an a June report where several other deficiencies were initially pointed out by the state. A major deficiency cited in an October report was that the hospital continued to do outpatient surgeries after the June report stated emphatically that those were in violation of its license. At least two minor surgeries were performed in August.

The October report went so far as to state the governing body (The Board of Trustees) "failed to ensure the medical staff accountability for the quality of patient care provided" and that the "the chief executive officer (Joyce Gysin) failed to responsibly manage the hospital."

Concerning the administrator, the state found that Gysin was informed in the June 1 report that the hospital was not licensed to perform outpatient surgeries, which it had been doing. Then, in an October 24 interview, medical and administrative nursing staff stated they were aware of the June report findings concerning outpatient surgeries. However, the state found that the hospital performed two pre-scheduled outpatient surgeries in August "without intervention from the administrator."

Gysin argued the surgeries were "non-evasive" and done under the guise of the clinic's license even though they were done in the hospital emergency room. The state investigators didn't buy that argument.

The state reports: "The facility did not maintain hospital records of outpatient surgical procedures for patients one and two. Outpatient surgery documentation was found in patient one's long term care health record. The procedure was documented on the facility's 'Emergency Care Flow Sheet'. Documentation of patient two's pre-scheduled outpatient surgical procedure performed in the hospital was found in the clinic record. "The outpatient log was reviewed and did not contain the names of patients one or two. A note affixed to the patient entry page was initialed by the administrative nurse. That note states, 'all biopsy's, excisions etc. to be done on clinic record, use clinic nurses notes and supra bill and they do not (underlined) go in this book."

Gysin's response to the state was ". . .documentation on both charts was in clinic charts and was billed through the clinic as we were under the assumption that procedures could be completed anywhere in the facility under the Rural Health Care Clinic Guidelines."

While the physician at the hospital may be wholly qualified to perform outpatient surgeries at the clinic, the hospital is not licensed for such procedures, according the state. The hospital is in the process of applying for that license, according to Gysin's official response.

Some of the recent violations include performing unlicensed surgeries, violating the license concerning prenatal and perinatal services, not having licensed or trained personnel in the operating rooms or administering anesthesia, improper food handling and preparation, and violating patients' rights.

According to the report issued this fall, outpatient surgeries were being performed at the hospital, including carpal tunnel, hernia repair, removal of a breast mass and axillary lymphoidectomy. The hospital was not licensed to provide those outpatient surgical services.

According to the hospital's response to the state report, the outpatient surgeries were discontinued in June.

Gysin has stated on the record that those surgeries were discontinued. That statement was a part of her official response to correct the deficiencies identified specifically in the state report. In October, the state found that at least two more surgeries were performed at the hospital.

The state also found that there were several babies delivered at the facility, which is not licensed for that service. A baby can be delivered at the facility if it is an emergency, but it is not licensed for prenatal or perinatal care. As far as personnel in the operating room, the state found that it was not supervised as required, by an experienced Registered Nurse. In fact, it found that two personnel from central supply assisted in outpatient surgery. The state found that they were not trained in that service. Additionally, the state found that the physicians doing the surgery have not received privileges to perform the surgery and their records or personnel files had not been checked to insure they could perform the surgeries. The report states the nursing supervisor was unable to provide a listing of the doctors' surgical privileges. "She stated that it was assumed if a surgery was scheduled, then the physician must be capable of doing the procedure. . .the Medical Records Supervisor (acting as Medical Staff Coordinator) stated that if a physician requested privileges, it was assumed the physician was competent. No proctoring was done. Competency information was not requested from other hospitals. Education and training was not reviewed."

The hospital was also found deficient in the delivery of surgical services and failed to insure the services were "consistent with the needs of the patients."

"The facility was found out of compliance with the following federal regulations: complete history and physical work-up prior to surgery, proper execution of informed consent in charts before surgery, provision of adequate immediate post operative care, and maintaining a complete and up-to-date operating room register."

The state also found that there was no specific post anesthesia recovery area, staffed and equipped to provide specialized care, nor was there a specific nurse assigned to care for post anesthesia patients. A floor nurse would handle that responsibility. The hospital also failed to provide a qualified practitioner to perform a post anesthesia evaluation for proper anesthesia recovery prior to discharge.

The report also found that drugs, intravenous solutions, irrigation solutions and hypodermic needles were not stored in locked storage areas. The state found deficiencies in eight areas of food safety and handling procedures, from unsafe cool down to improper cooking temperatures, to non-sanitized floors and counters.

According to Gysin, those deficiencies have been rectified and training has been given to staff to improve their drug, food handling safety and knowledge.

The Modoc Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees is proposing a policy implementing random drug and alcohol testing for athletes, which will have a first reading at the February 19 meeting of the board.

The Board's is implementing the policy, said Dr. Kevin Jolly, Superintendent, as a means of safety and reducing student's usage of drugs and alcohol.

According to a draft policy, athletes could be randomly tested at the beginning of each sport season and shall be subject to random testing during the entire year. This policy will only be in effect for athletes. Board President Seab McDonald said he would prefer the policy include all students to be fair, but state and federal law on the issue has not been settled fully.

The proposal would be that each year students must receive a clearance card to participate in sports. The cards will be numbered and a list created for the numbering system. The list will be kept confidential and the random numbers will be chosen by the laboratory conducting the tests. They will know the students by number only.

If a student tests positive, the parent will be notified by the site principal as soon as possible. When a student's first test is positive, a second test will be administered as soon as possible to confirm the results.

A first offense would mean suspension from the sport for the remainder of the school year. A second offense would mean suspension for a full calendar year. Additionally, once a student tests positive, he may be tested randomly when participating in sports again.

The school board will discuss the proposed policy February 19 and parents are asked to comment.

Monday will be the first time in years the Olympic Torch Relay caravan will pass through Modoc County. This time, it will be on its way to the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Games open February 8.

Although no official time has been set for its passage through Alturas, the California Highway Patrol will be prepared. The event is dependent on the weather conditions, the exchange from the Nevada border to the California border and possible rest stops. A guesstimate for arrival in Modoc County may be early evening.

A caravan of 30 or more Olympic Torch support vehicles, will include a motorhome, nine California Highway Patrol vehicles, five of which are specially assigned Chevy Impalas, as Chevrolet and Coke are proud co-sponsors of the torch relay. Several GM four wheel drive vehicles have been assigned in the event of bad weather and will be with the caravan, regardless of weather.

The California Highway Patrol vehicles will meet at the Susanville Area office at 11:30 a.m. January 21, for briefing and final details, then drive to Hallelujah Junction where they will meet with the five Impalas and drivers at 2 p.m. Once the caravan exchange takes place, crossing over state borders, the caravan will be escorted down Highway 395 north to County Road A3 north, then take 395 north to Alturas, where a rest stop may be taken. The caravan will continue on Highway 299 west to Canby, before heading up Highway 139 up to Tulelake, where it will be handed off to Oregon State Police. Times are subject to change depending on the Nevada Highway Patrol's caravan progress to the Nevada/California border.

Before the torch is used to light the flame signifying the beginning of the games, Feb. 8, in Salt Lake City, Utah, the flame will have covered 13,500 miles, carried by 11,500 torchbearers traveling through 46 states. It will have been transported by cars and trucks, airplane, ship, dog sled, horse-drawn sleigh, snowmobile, ice skaters and ski jumpers as well as by train. The torch will be on its 47th day of its 65 day tour across the United States, when it arrives in Modoc County. This year's theme is "Light the Fire Within."

The flame was kindled in a ceremony in Olympia, Greece, on Nov. 19, 2001. It was retrieved and began its journey Dec. 3 from Athens, Greece. The relay in this country started the following day from Atlanta, Ga., the site of the last Olympic Games to be held on American soil.

Each person selected as a torch bearer has either overcome great obstacles or contributed to their community in such distinguished manner that they are an inspiration to others. They are students, teachers, veterans, government workers, business persons, professionals and community leaders.

The last time the torch was carried through the area, Shannon Slinkard of Alturas held the torch high on State Route 139 during her opportunity. Jennifer Watters of Alturas, who was a student at Oregon Institute of Technology at the time, carried the torch through Klamath Falls, Ore.

As a benefit for Surprise Valley community residents, the Surprise Valley Health Care District and Cedarville Fire Department are co-hosting a Benefit Crab Feed and Dance on Saturday night, February 9 at the Modoc County Fairgrounds in Cedarville.

Only 300 pre-sale tickets will be sold at $25 per person. Full service bar, and soft drinks sold separately.

Dinner will be available from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., The menu includes crab, pasta, tossed green salad, bread and dessert. The dance from 8:00 p.m. until midnight, will feature the music of "Nic at Nite" provided by Nick Contaxis.

Benefit tickets may be purchased at Surprise Valley Hospital, Page's Market, Cedarville Cafe in Cedarville and Seab's True Value Hardware in Alturas.

Proceeds will go toward the purchase of emergency fire rescue equipment and bedside cardiac monitor and emergency room equipment for Surprise Valley Hospital.

With her 99th birthday soon approaching, she continues to sell real estate, an accomplished career of 38 years.

"I don't plan on quitting soon," the Arkansas native said. She was going to retire this year on her birthday, but business is picking up so she decided against the idea.

The renewal for her broker's license is coming up in March. When she renewed it four years ago, the representative on the telephone said she would have to be at least 75 years old and have 20 years of experience to renew without completing more college credits. Hicks chuckled, assuring the representative that it wouldn't be a problem. "I told her, 'I've just had my 95th birthday and I've been in business 34 years.' It will be interesting to see what they say this time," she said with a smile.

Hicks became interested in the field of real estate decades ago after she sold two houses she owned. When friends learned about her success, they asked if she would sell their properties. "I thought that would be kind of fun," she recalls, thinking if she could sell her own, then she could probably do the same for others.

When she saw an advertisement in the newspaper for a manager's position at Strout Realty, she decided to answer it. At that time, Hicks explained, licenses were sought after -- not before -- employment.

Chuck Wright, a representative from Strout, came up to Alturas to interview Hicks. He explained that the position would best suit a man and that if the company found a man, Hicks would have to step down from manager to salesperson. She agreed to this condition. But as Wright turned to leave that day, Hicks recalls saying, "I'm going to be good enough that you won't need a man."

Throughout her 20 years with the company, she was awarded two trips to Hawaii, and a number of incentive items for her successful salesmanship. The walls of the realty office she occupied on Main Street were cluttered with plaques and citations for her top sales achievements.

Since the mid-1980's, she has been in business for herself. Today, she sells realty out of her Alturas home. "I have two wonderful sons who are there for me when I need them," Hicks added, mentioning that they provide her transportation.

"I have always sold all types of real estate," she continued, including farms, ranches, homes, and "...anything in the way of real estate." Hicks remembers when the ISOTs bought their first home in Alturas from her. At that time, there were only nine ISOTs in Modoc County, compared to the hundreds who largely make up the community of Canby today.

"I've made a lot of friends through the real estate business," she continued. Time and again her out-of-county customers who she hasn't seen in years will drop by and remind her how she helped them buy or sell land. "It's just a way of making friends."

She was born Recy Esther Hudson on Jan. 20, 1903, the fourth of seven children. Her parents, Andrew "A.J." and Tamzie (Simpson) Hudson, were farmers.

"I was reared in a Christian home by Christian parents," says Hicks. She and her siblings were taught to be honest and to honor God. The Bible, which she described as her family's "textbook to live by," was closely studied.

"We were hard-working people and knew what it was to work hard for a living," she continued. "All us kids worked hard on the farm but we never thought of it as a hardship; that was simply the way things were," she told the Record during an interview in January of 1993. "We picked and chopped cotton and when we were done with our farm work we would hire ourselves out on other people's farms to earn money for our school clothes. We always looked good, too."

When she was 14 her family moved to Oklahoma, settling in the central part of the state.

At the age of 18, she married Dewey Bagwell. "We moved to the oil fields where my husband worked and made more money than we had ever seen," she recalls. "I lived a life of leisure during that time as we had so much money I didn't need to work."

They owned two vehicles: a Model T and a Model A. But in early 1930, they bought a Ford touring car right off the assembly plant in Oklahoma City, paying $800 cash for it. "This was the most expensive Ford on the market at that time, called a Town Sedan," she explained. "My husband also bought me a Maytag washer with a gasoline motor, which was quite a deal after using a tub and washboard for many years."

When the Great Depression hit Oklahoma in late 1930, her husband was laid off work and they returned to farming.

Two years later, he found work with another oil company and was transferred to Michigan, where he planned to send for the family once settled. "This never happened and was the start of our separation," she remembers, mentioning that her sons then were ages five and 13.

"It was hard. It is no easy task being a single parent," she said in 1993. "I feel for all those single mothers these days."

When World War II was declared, airplane factories were built on the West Coast, and then branched out to Oklahoma. While one such factory was being built there, she applied for work. "I was one of six women who went to work before the buildings were finished and all the equipment was set up," she recalls.

Her first job was filing rough edges off airplane parts. Soon, she was promoted to a lead position, using electric shears to cut out parts marked off on pieces of sheet metal. "I worked there three years, making up to $300 a month," she said, adding that it was the first job she had that paid into Social Security.

She saved enough money the next three years to buy and operate a small grocery store.

In 1947, she met a tourist named Richard Hicks who had been in the area visiting family. The couple married that same year, and moved to Klamath Falls, Ore., where he lived. "I hated everything I saw," she said of Klamath, as it was dirty-looking compared to the natural beauty of Oklahoma. "I was 44 and I had never been away from home."

When her husband's boss moved to Alturas a few months later, the couple followed. She found work in the cookhouse of the lumber company where her husband worked.

In time, her sons moved to Alturas to be near their mother. "They've always followed me wherever I've gone," Hicks said.

In 1950, she was hired as head cook and dietitian for the hospital in Alturas. "I'm amazed when I hear people say how busy they are and they have eight to 10 patients," she said. "It was nothing for me to cook for 80-some people." In those days, the overflow was so bad that some of the patients were backed up into the hallways.

She quit the hospital in 1961. That same year, the couple opened its home to five aged residents and owned and operated a laundromat that her son built.

"Mr. Hicks was a wonderful man and worked with me right up to the day he died, in 1966 at the age of 91," she told the Record in May of 1981. "He taught me to love this country and I wouldn't leave here no matter what happens."

Aside from her business life, Hicks has enjoyed traveling. In the mid-1970's, she and fellow senior citizens began taking short road trips on a chartered bus to Reno to see the different shows offered. After a few of these trips, they decided to take longer trips.

Each time, they chartered a bus with the same driver. "He was like a son to all of us," Hicks remembers. He thoroughly enjoyed the trips as well. The group, named "Modoc Tours," traveled all over the United States, and parts of Canada. "We've been everywhere, we've done everything," she said. They stayed in the best motels and saw the best entertainment available. "We were like one big happy family. We had a wonderful time." She stopped traveling after age 85 because it became too difficult for her to stand in line.

When Hicks turned 90, her family threw a surprise birthday party for her at the Brass Rail. This year, she says she has no idea how she'll celebrate, but imagines the day will once again be spent with family. Hicks has seven grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and 15 great-great-grandchildren. A woman who has lived her life without regret, Hicks attributes her longevity to having an appetite for good food, taking little medication and not consuming alcohol, tobacco, sodas and coffee. "The Lord has just let me live this long," she says, keeping the future in mind. "I'll have my license renewed and keep working as long as the Lord wills."

the local economy. It offers casino-style gaming locally for those who don't want to make the long trip to Reno.

It began modestly in September 1999 with only ten employees. The only gaming allowed at the time was bingo. Still, the bingo games were well received and became extremely popular. "We started out being the smallest casino in the state of California," says financial controller, Myra Alexander.

In May 2000, a ballot measure passed allowing Nevada-style gaming in California, according to Indian gaming provisions. This allowed the casino to expand and add a small number of slot machines. Today, the casino offers 88 machines, and has 37 employees, according to Alexander, who adds that there are about 73 new casinos in California.

"We have grown tremendously," says Robert Sloan, general manager, who is understandably proud of the achievement. "We have put a lot of people to work out here, and we have brought additional money into this community."

The newest feature in the casino is a machine-operated, progressive Blackjack game where as many as five people can play at a time. Says Sloan, "We're trying to keep up with the latest games out. We are going with the theme type games as well as the standards. We have the only Blackjack Aces game in the state of California. We were the first to have it." The biggest problem confronting the fledgling enterprise is finding employees experienced in gaming. As a result, the management has invested in extensive training programs that turn local ranchers and housewives into slot machine technicians and casino security officers.

"We plan on continuing to grow. Right now, we are probably one of the larger or the largest private industry employer (locally)," says Alexander. "We plan on keeping that up, and just keep on going and become an asset to the community."

Plans for expansion hinge on the casino's ability to train employees to fill the positions created through that growth, according to Alexander. "You can't just go and put a big building up and then try to fill it. You have to work into that."

"Hopefully, in the very near future we'll be doing some expansion," says Sloan. "The first expansion will be a minor one, but it's going to allow us to double the number of games that we have here and still have the bingo. Hopefully, in the very near future we'll have a permanent facility with all the latest."

The Alturas Casino already has considerable drawing power, bringing tourism into the area. Many casino clients come from out of state to spend a day or two - as much as a week in a few instances - playing in the casino. They stay in local motels, eat in local restaurants. Also, busses filled with gamblers stop in Alturas as part of larger gambling junkets where they tour many casinos in California and Nevada. Many people stop over to play here in Alturas on their way to Reno.

"We have people that actually come here as a destination instead of going on to Reno," says Sloan. He cites, as an example, one couple from Lakeview who used to go to Reno who now come to Alturas to play.

Alturas Casino has a "small-town appeal" that draws customers who are put off by the crowds and confusion of larger casinos. Patrons also enjoy the individualized attention they get from the smaller casino.

Security is a concern with every casino. However, Alturas Casino knows most of their customers, so the problem of fraud is not as great here as in the large casinos. Precautions are taken to make the players' feel secure in the casino.

Alexander points out that the management of the casino is very civic minded. Every attempt is made to contribute as much as possible to the local economy by using area contractors and suppliers for casino needs. In addition, the casino makes generous donations in the community. For example, fifty cents of every bingo pack that is sold goes to a fund from which donations are made to local organizations like the fire departments, the Sheriff's Posse, the Senior Center, Rotary, etc. This same fund has contributed to 9/11 victims, scholarships for local students, as well as TEACH's Wish Tree and toy drives.

"We're filling a real need here in this community," says Sloan. "We have been able to help bring in additional money to this area. I think by the time summer's over, it's going to be a bigger difference where people will actually be able to see it, the businesses will be able to see it."

Bingo, the earliest casino feature, is still its mainstay. "It's been pretty good for us," says Alexander, who points out that they have made many changes since their humble beginnings, adding games, moving up the prizes, and adding specials. When slot machines were brought in, management created a separate bingo hall in the building, away from the casino noise, so the players can easily hear the caller and comfortably socialize with one another.

The casino presently offers live bingo four nights a week: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday is a non-smoking night. Sunday is afternoon bingo. For that personal touch, the casino celebrates the birthdays of regular bingo customers.

Elaine Schreiner, casino special events coordinator and long-time Alturas resident, is enthusiastic about her work. "I feel I have the best job in the casino," she says with a gregarious smile. She speaks to customers to find out what they want from the casino. She is also in charge of creating special events and coordinating them.

Noting that the New Year's Eve party exceeded all expectations, Schreiner lists a number of upcoming casino events such as Super Bowl Sunday where a buy-in of $10 gets a chance at a 20-inch color TV, 13-inch color TV or a VCR. On February 12 at 6 p.m., there will be a four hour slot tournament called a Valentine's Rock 'n Roll when clients are encouraged to wear typical 50s dress. Of course, VIP Bingo on February 14 celebrates Valentine's Day with a candy and cooking contest. "Our customers are fun," says Schreiner.

"They come in here to relax and have a good time and enjoy themselves. And we like it."

Walter "Jim" O. Holcomb, retired Veterans Service Officer and Civil Defense Coordinator for Modoc County, passed away of natural causes at Mayers Memorial Hospital in Fall River Mills, Calif. on January 13, 2002. Mr. Holcomb was 76.

Services will be held Friday, Jan. 18 at 11:00 a.m. at the Lookout Community Church. Pastor Steve Black will officiate the service, with interment to follow at the Lookout Cemetery.

Jim was born in Winchester Bay, Oregon on January 9, 1926. He was a Veteran of World War II, having served as a Quartermaster and in navigation in the Pacific with the U.S. Navy.

When Jim received his military discharge, he was visiting his parents James and Jean Holcomb in Lookout, who had purchased a ranch there. It was in Lookout during that visit that he met Janice Leventon, who turned out to be the love of his life. Jim was living in Garibaldi, Ore. while the two were dating. Following a short courtship, Janice and Jim were married on October 4, 1946 and have shared a marriage of 56 years. It was when they married that Jim moved from Garibaldi, Ore. to Modoc County. He and wife Janice have been residents of Lookout, Calif. since.

Mr. Holcomb served veterans and their families of Modoc County, as Veterans Service Officer, Public Guardian and as Civil Defense Coordinator for 15 years, from the early 1970s until his retirement in 1985. He was publicly commended for serving for 20 years, the maximum possible, on the Selective Service Board for Modoc County.

Upon his retirement he enjoyed keeping busy and continued to provide Public Guardian services to those he had committed to help while he was Public Guardian. He also enjoyed fishing, camping, elk and deer hunting outings and being with his family. He was a person who enjoyed the great outdoors. He was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7144 of Adin, Calif.

He is survived by his wife Janice of Lookout; sons Roland of Melbourne, Australia, Jim of Yreka, Jeff of Klamath Falls, Ore.; daughter Claudia Traylor of Smith River, Calif.; brother Chuck Holcomb in Texas and sisters Barbara Wayman of Arbuckle and Betty Leventon of Lookout. He had eight grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.

Contributions in Mr. Holcomb's memory may be made to Travis Nelson Memorial Scholarship Fund, care of Tri-Counties Bank, Bridge and Market Streets, Bieber, CA 96009.

Maynard Milo Gooch passed away on January 4, 2002 in Jackpot, Nevada at the age of 77.

Born on October 31, 1924 to Guy and Rhoda Gooch in Cedarville, Modoc County, Calif., Maynard was the youngest of four children. After graduating from Surprise Valley High School in 1941, he enlisted into the U.S. Air Corps and became a fighter pilot during World War II.

After the Air Corps, Maynard returned to Modoc County to work for the Laxague Brothers Lumber Company in Cedarville. During his career as a saw-filer, Maynard worked for a variety of lumber mills throughout Northern California and Southern Oregon.

Maynard married Shirley Stafford in 1967. In 1985, they retired to Alturas, Calif., where Maynard was an active member of the American Legion Post 163, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3327 and the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 113. In 199, Maynard and Shirley moved to Citrus Heights, Calif. After Shirley's death in December 2001, Maynard moved to Jackpot, Nevada.

Maynard was preceded in death by his parents, Guy and Rhoda Gooch; brothers Orville and Winfred; and his wife of 35 years, Shirley Gooch. He is survived by his sister, Lois Hughes, of Redding, Calif.; sons Chad Gooch of Jackpot, Nev. and Vance Gooch of Lemoore, Calif.; stepson Curtis Stafford of Roseville, Calif.; and stepdaughters Vanessa Allen of Grants Pass, Ore., Teddie Hayes of Rocklin, Calif., Teri Brown-Riley of Geyserville, Calif., and Traci Winona Brown of Citrus Heights, Calif.; 13 grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; one great-grandson; and numerous nephews, nieces and friends.

Graveside services will be held on Friday, January 18 at 11:00 a.m. at the Lincoln Cemetery in Lincoln, Calif., where Maynard will be buried next to his beloved wife.

Moden Taylor's 28 points, came from behind to beat the Burney Raiders last Wednesday 45-42

The Braves were down by nine points with two minutes left when coach Kenny Demick put in a full court press, led by Taylor, Colleen McElwain and Rachel Gover. Modoc went on a 12-0 run for the win in those final two minutes

Gover finished the night with eight points and Demick said several players including Jodie Freeman and Jamie Kuhn, had strong games

Tuesday night, the Braves lost to Fall River 58-37, when a bad second half came back to hurt them. The Braves started slow trailing 11-5 in the first period, but came back to trail just 23-20 by half. But the Bulldogs dominated the second half of play, going up 40-30 after three and outscoring the Braves 18-7 in fourth

Gover led the Braves with 17 points and Taylor had 13. Fall River's Deanna Senko led all scorers with 19 and Trista Robb added 14

Modoc's junior varsity girls lost to Fall Rver, 38-31, with Allison Campagna scoring 11, Emily Pence getting six and Kelsey Kirwan netting five

Etna beat the Braves 51-21 Friday night. Campagna had seven and Maria Maria Durabn had nine

Last week the Burney Raiders beat the JV 31-18. Danielle Reyes had 11 points for Modoc.

Modoc's Braves varsity boys basketball team played a solid game against Etna Friday night, there, but lost 64-58.

Etna jumped out on the Braves 18-10 in the first quarter and led 37-29 by the half. Modoc stayed close after three 51-43 and cut the winning margin with a 15-13 fourth period.

"We played a great game, all four quarters," said Modoc coach Mike Martin. "We got close and even tied it in the fourth quarter, but could not take the lead. Etna is nails and I was pleased with how well we played."Blake Thorn led the scoring with 32, Tim Lauppe added 12, Jack Britton had nine.

On Wednesday, Modoc beat the Burney Raiders 48-42, thanks to a strong second half. Modoc trailed 14-6 in the first and 31-22 at halftime. They cut the lead to 34-32 after three and outscored the Raiders 16-8 in the fourth. Jack Britton, led the Braves with 27 points and Thorn added 11.

Tuesday night the Braves' press defense completely confused Fall River and Modoc jumped out to a 20-0 first period lead. Then it got ugly. Modoc led 49-14 by half and wound up winning easily 76-41. Thorn led with 26, Lauppe added 15, Britton had 13 and Michael Bates added seven.

Butte Valley's Bulldogs hit a layup at the final buzzer in overtime to win an Evergreen League boys basketball game, 56-55, Friday night in Cedarville. The Bulldogs led 11-8 after the first period and 25-19 by half. They had the game under control through three, leading, 39-27, but the Hornets put together a 20-8 run in the fourth to tie the game. The Bulldogs hit the last second shot, outscoring the Hornets 9-8 in the overtime.

Ivan Rangel led the Hornets with a 29-point effort, hitting seven three-pointers along the way. Paul Boneck added 14 points.

Butte Valley won the junior varsity game 53-43. Loren Harris led the Hornets with 13 and Josh Boneck Added 12.

Big Valley beat the Hornets 67-47 Tuesday night, thanks to a big fourth period. Big Valley led 12-9 after one and the Hornets came back to lead 25-24 at the half. The Cardinals went up 41-35 after three and went on the 20-point run in the fourth.

Rangel led the Hornets with 20, including five threes and Ryan Burresch added 15.

Modoc's junior varsity basketball team played well at Etna Friday night, losing in overtime, 71-64. The downfall was a nine-of-31 shooting rate from the free-throw line.

The Braves fell behind early, 18-7 in the opening period and were trailing 31-22 by halftime. But they fought back to tie the game at 39-39 after three and it remained knotted after a good fourth period, 60-60. Etna outscored them 11-4 in overtime.

Marty Stevens led the Braves with 17 points and Shiloh Pierce added 14. Last Wednesday, the Braves beat Burney 66-49 at home. Modoc wasted no time, leading 16-9 in the first and 40-23 by half,. At the end of three, Modoc led 53-37. Stevens led with 17 points and Pierce added 15.

Modoc survived an anemic fourth period Tuesday night to beat the Fall River Bulldogs 48-46. The Braves led 13-7 after one and 20-14 at half-time. The led by 10 most of the third, but in the fourth, Fall River outscored them 10-2.

There will be a mid-season Cedar Pass Snow Park board meeting January 17, 7 p.m. at Bureau of Land Management building in Alturas. The public is invited to attend.v While the ski area has been open since before Christmas, hard, frozen snow and no recent snows may keep it closed this weekend. The area could use another good dumping for snow to finish out the season.

The Snow Park is run by volunteers and Snow Park officials say this has been a great season due to those volunteers' efforts and commitment. Call James Peake at 233-4882 to volunteer.

When open, the Snow Park is runs every Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. Beginning families and individuals can take advantage of first time free lessons and rope tow tickets. Also, discounts are available if skiers purchase the season punch card. The warming hut and concessions are also open.

Call 233-3323 for information on the Snow Park and watch for updates in the Modoc Record. Also check the sign at the Chevron Station Saturday morning to see of the hill is open.

The March 5 election will open up a whole new experience for Modoc voters as County Clerk Maxine Madison takes the process into a high tech system. Actually, the voting process itself is more low tech, but the counting, results and accuracy are all state of the art. There will be no more punch card balloting and while Madison realizes Modoc people donÔt often like change, she believes this is a good step.

"We believe once people start using this system, they'll really like it," Madison said Friday while testing the machines. "The ballots are easy to read, they're clear, easy to fill out and the counting process is very fast." When a voter goes to the polls, he'll receive a paper ballot where he will fill in the oval opposite the candidate he wants. There will be pencils, instead of the punch card machines in each voting booth.

The new system is called Global Election System, Accu-Voter with TeleResults. The ballots are on legal size paper, printed black on white so they're easily read.

Once a voter completes the ballot, it goes back to the elections officer who will place it in the Accu-vote counter. The ballot is sucked quickly into the computerized counter and the computer tallies the votes. For those people who want to insure their vote remains private, a secrecy sleeve is available at the booth. The system works so quickly, it's doubtful anyone would see the votes in the first place.

The system will be set up before the polls open, and cleared to zero. The election officers will then put each completed ballot into the machine as soon as the voter hands it to them. The machine will tally the vote, then drop the ballot in the sealed bins below the counter. At the end of the day, the election officer will push the correct buttons to stop the election and count the ballots.

According to Madison the counting process is nearly instantaneous and the results should be known very quickly. The machine will print a tape of the results for that precinct. A copy of that tape will be printed and posted at the polling place for voters to check the results.

In past elections the actual results were not known until hours after the polls closed. Madison believes the results of the March election will be known by about 8:30 p.m.. Polls will close at 8 p.m.

A slick feature on the new system is that once the votes are counted, the election officer will plug the machine into a phone line and transmit the results to the main election computer in the clerk's office. Once there, the final results will be computer-tabulated and known almost the instant the votes come over the line.

Madison and Dan Biszmaier, of Global Election Systems, have tested the system and have inspected each polling place to make sure everything they need, including a phone line is in place.

One of the really nice features of the new election is that absentee and mail in ballots will look the same as regular ballots and will be marked with pencil. Once into the clerk's office, they will also be counted on the Accu-Vote machine very quickly.

Madison said the system is full of safeguards and checks and balances to insure the election is both fair and accurate. For instance, if a voter double marks a section (say he votes twice for governor) the counting machine will kick back that ballot instantly with a message of a double vote. The elections officer can then inform the voter and have him re-vote if he likes.

The full cost of the new system is about $98,000. Madison said it will actually pay for itself over the next few years because of cost per ballot is so much less than the old punch card ballots. The cost per ballot on the new systems is 36 cents each, where each punch card ballot was over $1 each.

Great Northern Corporation is hoping to finish the Alturas Housing Element survey, started last summer, by the middle of February.

Great Northern's John Ashton, said the survey is about 50 percent complete and the final push will try to get the remaining half done, probably on weekend evenings.

A team of two people is trying to get to all the homes where residents have not responded to the surveys. A problem, said Ashton, appears to be that the survey asks questions concerning family or household income levels. Even though the survey is private and no names are listed on the income portion, people have been reluctant to participate.

Ashton explains the survey will be a vital part of the city planning process when it comes to applying for grant funding, which is largely dependent on community income eligibility guidelines.

Currently, the city is trying to secure funding for the sewer system and the housing survey is critical for that application. Ashton explained that answering the survey will give the state and federal agencies who distribute or approve grant funding a good picture of the needs of the city.

When the surveyors from Great Northern show up on the doorstep, residents should understand they are there with the city's blessing and are only looking for information. The final report is not available to the public.

The Alturas area office of The California Highway Patrol has noticed an increase in the number of traffic collisions involving local vehicles and residents.

"We would like to remind everyone that winter driving conditions are back and that residents should take precautions," said Officer Pat Green. "Remember to slow down and leave plenty of time to travel and not rush. Remember shady locations and bridges may still be icy when the rest of the road is dry."

Also, check tire condition and air pressure regularly. Carry chains at all times. Use four-wheel drive if you have it. Consider studded tires if you do not have them. Defrost all windows prior to driving. Maintain adequate windshield wipers and put cold weather anti-freeze windshield washer fluid in wash reservoirs.

Take some survival gear in case the worst happens. This can vary with each person and the time of year. Some things to consider are water, a blanket or two, snow boots, coats, cell phone, candles, food, first-aid kit and traffic flares.

California (800)427-7623, Oregon (503)588-2941 and Nevada (877)687-6237. "During times of inclement weather, do not travel unless it is necessary," said Green. "If you do - slow down, pay attention to changing conditions and make sure your vehicle is up to the travel and drive safely."

A long stream of vehicles lit up a cold, but clear Monday night, as the Olympic Torch Relay caravan was escorted into Modoc County.

Two Caltrans snowplows led the way with flashing lights on snow-packed roads, followed by specially assigned California Highway Patrol vehicles and several local CHP vehicles and officers, and a long line of Olympic sponsored vehicles and motor homes. The caravan arrived in Alturas at 7:35 p.m. stopping for a break at north main gas stations, where they were greeted by locals.

Several of the special vehicles passed through Modoc sporadically Monday, stopping to take a break in Alturas, and thrilling some local residents by letting them hold keepsake Olympic Torches, uniquely designed and highly crafted torches with individually blown glass crown.

The caravan left Sparks, Nev. Monday late afternoon, as the last Olympic torch runner in Nevada delivered the lighted Torch to the Union Pacific Olympic Torch Train in Sparks, for its trip to Klamath Falls, Ore. The caravan which came through Modoc was on its way to meet that train Tuesday, Jan. 22 at 4:30 a.m. From Klamath via train, the Olympic Flame passed through Eugene, Salem, Tualatin, Durham, Tigard and then Portland. It is scheduled to arrive in Salt Lake City, Utah Feb. 8 for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

The Winter Olympics flame will have been transported by cars and trucks, airplane, ship, dog sled, horse-drawn sleigh, snowmobile, ice skaters and ski jumpers as well as by train. The support vehicles bear this year's theme "Light the Fire Within."

The flame was originally lighted from the rays of the sun in a ceremony in Olympia, Greece, on Nov. 19, 2001. It began its journey Dec. 3 from Athens, Greece.

Likely was buzzing with excitement Monday in anticipation of the arrival of the Olympic Torch Caravan. Likely residents were not disappointed, as they called together an impromptu "Porch Torch" party on the porch of the Likely General Store about "4-ish." U.S. Flags were waving and back lit by vehicles, so they would stand out in the cold snowy darkness as night fell. The real thrill came when the estimated 25 caravan vehicles stepped on their brakes after seeing the assemblage of residents, U.S. flags and signs and parked to stop at the Likely General Store.

The special visitors were welcomed with hot chocolate with marshmallows and coffee, compliments of owners Rod and Carol Weed. Freshly baked crumpets were offered for the occasion by Lyn Travertini and Annie Hurdle, cook for Likely Land and Livestock.

Tom McDonald invited them over to the Likely Saloon for orange juice and the guests enjoyed having snapshots taken and mingled with Likely residents for a guesstimated 45 minutes, learning more about the special features of an area they couldn't see in the darkness.

Upon their departure, they were given "Where the Hell is Likely" bumper stickers and Likely calendars. The special occasion warmed everyone's hearts and came as a welcome relief from the dark, icy road travel that night.

"We definitely slowed down traffic," said Modoc County Supervisor Patricia Cantrall of Likely. "It was high living at Likely that night and they were truly grateful and very nice people."

Long-time Modoc rancher Robert Louis Schluter, 89, passed away at his Alturas, Calif. home on Tuesday, January 22, 2002. Services are pending the arrival of family members and will be arranged through Kerr Mortuary in Alturas.

Mr. Schluter was born October 22, 1912 in Colorado. His children are Richard and Ronald Schluter of Alturas and daughter Elaine Wolfgang of Sonora. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Erma, 14 years ago on January 27.

Modoc's wrestling team rolled through the competition at last weekend's Burney Invitational Wrestling Tournament, scoring 251 points, more than double second place Quincy's 121.5 points.

This week, the Braves travel to the tough Corning Invitational January 26 where they meet most of the North Section's top wrestlers. On Friday, Modoc will wrestle Central Valley in a dual meet. Next Saturday, the Braves head to Fall River for dual team matches against league opponents. Modoc's performance in the Burney Invite was the third highest team point total in the history of the respected event.

"Our goal was to have eight guys in the finals and win by 100 points," Modoc coach Shaun Wood said. "We ended up with 10 in the finals, and we had a couple of guys who were not at full strength, or we'd have had 12 in the finals. It was good day for us."

Robert Flournoy, Modoc's 135 ponder led the way by winning that championship and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Middleweight. The Braves got a lot of help from other wrestlers who each won championships in their divisions, including James Brogan at 130 pounds, Luke Hammerness at 152 pounds, Jared McGarva at 171 pounds, and Mike Main at heavyweight.

Taking second places for Modoc were Jaafar Mirholi at 125 pounds, David Lutz at 145 pounds, Jeremy Price at 160 pounds, J.D. Monroe at 189 pounds, and Ray Abernathy at 215 pounds.

Robert Veverka took a third place at 140 pounds, David Markson a fourth a 130 pounds, Matt Main a fourth at 145 pounds, Doug Wellemeyer a fourth a 152 pounds, Jason Jones a fifth at 145 pounds, Mark Matt, a sixth at 189 pounds and Scott Buchanan a sixth at 103 pounds

. Team scores were as follows; Modoc 251, Quincy 121.5, Fall River 113, Tulelake 101, Biggs 91, Crane 80, Bonanza 77, Etna 72, Chester 71, Anderson 48, Modoc B 47, Cloverdale 36, Big Valley 33, Burney 29, Greenville 27, Los Molinas 21, Bishop Quinn 18, Mt. Shasta 17 and Portola 10.

Modoc's varsity girls basketball team lost to Trinity in Weaverville Saturday 52-30, their third straight loss.

Coach Kenny Demick said he hopes to get the team out of its slump by Friday when the Weed Cougars come to Alturas. Weed has a good squad, said Demick, but he expects a week's worth of practice to shore up the Braves. He's devoting a lot of this week's efforts at rebounding and outside shooting. The lack of offensive rebounding is hurting, he said.

Against Trinity, the Braves had a cold first period and trailed 12-5, and went into the halftime talks downs 26-16. A weak third period found Trinity up 40-21 and they went on for the 52-30 win.

Kristen Taylor led the Braves with nine points, Jodie Freeman added eight and Rachel Gover had seven. Taylor fouled out in the third and Gover fouled out at the start of the fourth period. The Braves were whistled for 22 fouls in the game.

Modoc's varsity boys team lost to the Trinity Wolves in Weaverville, 59-53, Saturday, after leading through most of the game. They face the Weed Cougars here Friday night.

According to coach Mike Martin, the Wolves hit a big three with about two minutes left in the game to take the lead and then went 10-for-10 from the free throw line for the win.

Modoc trailed 11-10 afternoon and then took a 26-23 lead at half. Modoc led 39-36 after three, but Trinity outscored Modoc 23-14 in the final period. Blake Thorn led the scoring with 21, Jack Britton added 16 and Tim Lauppe had 13.

Modoc's junior varsity came out flat and lost to the Wolves 70-39. Trinity got up 22-9 in the first and led 40-20 by half. By the end of the third, Trinity was up 60-27. Marty Stevens led the scoring with 15 and Shiloh Pierce had seven.

The Surprise Valley Hornet boys dropped a pair of Evergreen League games this last week. They fell to Tulelake, 62-49, and lost their Homecoming game to Dunsmuir, 75-54.

The Hornets started quickly against Dunsmuir, leading 23-19 after one, but trailed at the half, 41-33, and after three, 58-46.

In the Tulelake game, the Hornets fell behind 15-10 in the first and trailed just 26-22 by half. The game remained close through three with the Hornets trailing 39-31. Rangel had 19, with six threes, and Paul Boneck added 12 Surprise Valley travels to Butte Valley Friday and the next home game is Feb. 5 against Tulelake.

"Whiskey's for drinking, water's for fightin' over," is an old adage that's getting new life in the Hot Springs Valley Irrigation District.

Last Thursday, armed with a preliminary injunction and civil protection from Sheriff's Deputies, Hot Springs Water Master Joe Battram went onto Rattlesnake Creek Ranch property owned by Lawrence and Sandi Ray and forced the district's "winterization" of Ray's Rattlesnake Creek dam.

According to Undersheriff Mark Gentry, who was on the scene, Battram said he had to cut the dam apart with a chainsaw because it was frozen. Ray was angered when Battram showed up to enforce the policy in the first place, and according to Gentry made some threatening remarks. Ray also drove his tractor onto his road to block their exit, forcing them to find an alternative route out of the property.

The District is claiming the dam is one of its structures and they have the right to maintain, adjust, repair and inspect the facility. The actual ownership of the dam and a canal is in a lawsuit and has yet to be decided. The preliminary injunction used last week, was agreed to in June by all parties and does give the water master the right to go onto Ray's property to "make adjustments to the dams and diversion works located within and around . . . the 'by-pass' canal."

According to Hot Springs Irrigation District President Willy Hagge, the district water master was just enforcing an order to winterize the dam, since Ray had not removed the dam boards as he was asked. Hagge stressed the boards are removed from dams in the district in case of high water surges to prevent damage from flooding.

Ray's attorney Paul Minasian, of Oroville, contends the district has no right to remove boards outside of irrigation season on Ray's dam and that Battram's action could be deemed harassment of the Rays. Minasian said Ray has a year-round right to divert two cubic feet per second for stockwatering and irrigation out of that creek and dam.

"I know of no basis upon which there is any legal authority to tear down the dam located upon Rattlesnake Creek which is essential for these irrigations and stockwatering," said Minasian.

The water district's attorney, Fritz Barclay, of Alturas, notified the Rays and Minasian by letter January 18 that they had three days to pull all the boards from the dam for winterization purposes. If they did not comply, the district would "undertake the necessary winterization itself."

Minasian countered in a letter January 22, that the Rays' water right allows them to divert the water from that dam year-round under a 1934 Agreement which the Hot Spring Irrigation District is a party to concerning Rattlesnake Creek.

"The placement and removal of boards to keep cattle water moving down the ditch clearly protects the diversion from any possible flood damage and is in accordance with the customs on the creek and in accordance with the Settlement Agreement that Hot Springs Valley Irrigation District itself signed and is not in violation of any preliminary injunction," said Minasian.

Hagge maintains the district had a right to go onto Ray's property and deal with winterization of that dam, as directed by the water master. He denies any harassment was intended and admits there is controversy over the dam. He said the dam remains under pending litigation and the courts will eventually decide the ownership.

Hagge said the district believes it can prove ownership of the dam and feels confident on the outcome of the court proceedings.

Minasian is equally confident that the existing records are proof of Ray's ownership, and that will become clear as the court case continues. Ray has been an outspoken critic of the Hot Springs Irrigation District Board and the manner in which it operates. He also charged that the District sold water illegally, benefiting a few dam holders on the river. He filed a complaint with last year's Grand Jury and has filed other complaints with the California Water Resources Control Board.

The State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights will be in Modoc County next week to look into complaints and the overall operation of the Hot Springs Valley Irrigation District.

Charles Rich, Chief of the Complaint Unit, told the Record this week the department is anxious to look into the operation and to shed some light on the situation.

He said the team coming to Modoc will look at all the issues and complaints and come to determination. He is hoping to file a report on the situation before the irrigation season starts, but said it may take some time to sort out all the issues.

The number of registered voters in Modoc County has dropped from last election's 5,312 to 4,883, according to Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison. That is a loss of 429 voters.

Madison expects the numbers to improve as new and corrected voter registrations come in between now and the final day to register for the March 5 election, which is Feb. 19.

The Clerk reminds voters to make any corrections, including name changes, change of address, etc., by the Feb. 19 deadline. She advises early registration is a benefit to the voter. The first day to apply for absentee ballots is Feb. 4.

As of this week, the county's political party breakdown is as follows: Republican 2,323; Democrat 1,794; 541 No party; 143 American Independent; 10 miscellaneous; 33 Libertarian; 20 Green; two New Law and 17 Reform.

Should the Modoc Joint Unified School campus be closed to student vehicle use during the school day? That's a question the MJUSD Board of Trustees will consider at its Feb. 19 meeting.

While the district had considered a fully closed campus, it felt that would be too extreme and instead would rather insure that once students get to school, they will not be able to leave in their vehicles except under special circumstances. The board considers the action a safety issue.

The proposed policy states that: "Students shall not leave the school grounds in their vehicles at any time during the school day without written permission of their parents/guardians and school authorities. Students who leave school in their vehicle without authorization shall be subject to disciplinary action."

The policy will not preclude students from walking to area business establishments for lunch.

The proposal states that all student vehicles will be parked in the Alternative Education parking lot and will not be driven until after the school day ends. The board may approve other parking areas.

"With the exception of lunch time, students may not return to their vehicles during the day without permission from the Principal's office," the proposal states. "Students may not sit in cars or loiter in the parking lot at any time. Students should lock the vehicles on campus."

The Board will hear public comments at the Feb. 19 meeting, which will be the first reading of the new policy.

Also at the meeting will be discussion on a proposed random drug testing policy for athletic participants.

According to a draft policy, athletes could be randomly tested at the beginning of each sport season and shall be subject to random testing during the entire year. This policy will only be in effect for athletes. The proposal would mean that each year students must receive a clearance card to participate in sports. The cards will be numbered and a list created for the numbering system. The list will be kept confidential and the random numbers will be chosen by the laboratory conducting the tests. They will know the students by number only.

Homicide charges were dismissed Friday in Modoc Superior Court against Sam Brown, who was accused in the death of 94-year-old Alice Beck. Brown had placed Beck's body in a chest, where it mummified over about a two-year period.

According to District Attorney Tom Buckwalter, the Sheriff's Department investigation was unable to prove a cause of death because of the mummified state of Beck's remains. Elder abuse charges were also dismissed because of the lack of credible evidence.

A forensic anthropologist studied the remains, but according to the Sheriff's office, was unable to pinpoint the cause of death.

Buckwalter refiled the complaint against Beck, charging seven counts of forgery on Social Services checks and two counts of voter fraud. He also filed a charge of illegally disposing of human remains.

Superior Court Judge Larry Dier released Brown on his own recognizance, over the DA's objections.

Buckwalter said Brown had cashed Beck's Social Security checks and had actually voted for her in the past two elections.

Brown, age 68, was Beck's' live-in caregiver. While his diary indicated he did not always provide adequate care, said the Sheriff, there is no other evidence to corroborate the evidence.

Beck is alleged to have died in December, 1999, and Brown said he placed her body in the chest. That chest was stored in a shed at the Willow Ranch residence. Sheriff's deputies found the chest and the mummified body in November, after being called by a neighbor who hadn't seen Beck in over a year. Brown contends Beck died of natural causes.

The pair had lived in the Willow Ranch home for the past 14 years, coming to Modoc from Daly City, in the Bay Area. According to the Sheriff, the investigation has not revealed any next of kin. No one reported her missing over the almost two-year period Brown said she had been dead.

The pair had a joint checking account in Lakeview where Mrs. Beck's Social Security checks were directly deposited. Brown had signatory rights on that account and is alleged to have spent some of those funds following Beck's death.

Beck, who would have been 96 this year, was found stuffed in a fetal position in a chest in the old shed at her Willow Ranch residence, on County Road 139.

The investigation into the hidden camera found in a woman's examining room at the Modoc Medical Center Clinic continues to be a priority, but has stalled.

According to Undersheriff Mark Gentry, a suspect has been identified, but the investigation has not yet provided provable evidence.

He said the Sheriff's Office considers the case a high priority and is continuing its efforts to bring the case to closure.

The two hidden cameras were found the first week in November in clinic rooms, used primarily for women's examinations.

According to Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, the first camera was discovered by a woman patient prior to an examination when she noticed a small circular object in one of the vents. She informed medical personnel and hospital administrators contacted the Sheriff's Office for investigation. Mix said two cameras were discovered by investigators. He said the cameras appear to be the type that would transmit images to a computer based somewhere in the near vicinity of the hospital. The transmitter did not have a long range, only from 300 to 500 feet.

Respected, life-long Modoc rancher Robert Louis 'Bob' Schluter passed away at his home in Alturas, Calif. on Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2002 at the age of 89. The Rev. Dr. Ben Zandstra conducted services at Federated Church in Alturas on Monday, Jan. 29. Interment was at the Ft. Bidwell, Calif.

Born in Denver, Colorado on October 22, 1912 to Richard (Louis) and Helena Schluter, he was reared in and around the Greeley and Nunn, Colo. He had to quit attending school to go to work at the age of 12, to help with the family and family expenses. Through the "school of hard knocks" and educating himself through reading, he became a "grassroots" rancher who started from scratch.

He worked as a cowhand on the Wyoming Hereford Ranch, working his way up to supervising the hired hands and the haying. On the recommendation of a friend from Colorado who was in Ft. Bidwell, Bob packed up his 1928 Chevrolet car and the $50 he had saved and moved to Ft. Bidwell in October 1935, where he began work in the Ft. Bidwell Gold Mine for a few months, before landing a job on the Fred Ash ranch.

April 23, 1939 he married Erma Ash, one of Fred's daughters and together they reared their three children. Through his innovative designs, Mr. Schluter was the first to build several pieces of farm equipment in Surprise Valley, much to the amazement of his ranching neighbors. He also rode on the last cattle driver over Fandango Pass to take the cattle from the Valley to the railroad to be shipped and sold.

He and Erma held the contract for driving the last Mail Stage from Ft. Bidwell to Adel, Ore. When Erma's father sold the ranch in the Fall of 1949, Bob drove the stage for a while until Elaine was a few months old and Erma took over the route while Bob became a truck driver traveling the state. He did this until he decided that ranching was his future and leased Etta Conlin's ranch in 1952. The mail route to Adel was discontinued soon after.

In January 1961, the Schluter family moved to Alturas where Bob had purchased a 930 acre ranch east of town and expanded it to over 2000 acres and 800 plus head of cattle over the years. From the beginning, he was always willing to lend a helping hand to other ranchers.

He spent years as a community volunteer, serving as Director of Boy Scouts when it first started in Ft. Bidwell; Master of the Ft. Bidwell and Alturas Granges and member of the State Grange Board; served on the school board committee in Bidwell and as a Surprise Valley School Board member.

His family credits him as the key person in raising donations for the Ft. Bidwell fire hall and department, including picking up an Army surplus fire truck tanker in Portland, Ore. with Walt Lowell. He managed to find time to play fast pitch softball and served on the Modoc County Planning Commission, Modoc Fair Board as a chairman and assisted with 21 fairs. He was acting Fair Manager one year when the Board didn't have a manager.

He was awarded the Lifetime Service Award for his work with the Modoc County Farm Bureau for which he had served in Surprise Valley and later Alturas as a director for several years. He received a hard-earned and well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award from the Modoc County Cattlemen's Association working over the years as chairman for the state and national labor committee for California Cattlemen's Association and CCA State Director, as MCCA Director and 1977 Cattleman of the Year. For three years consecutively he won the Championship Pen of Cattle at the Modoc County Fair. He judged queen contests and parades, supported FFA from which he received a Service Award; served as a director in 1968 for the Modoc Chamber of Commerce and was a member of Modoc County Co-op, the Democratic Central Committee, and CETA, working to get the Headstart Program started in Alturas.

He will always be remembered as a good person who was a good listener and had good rapport with all ages. He was respected for his decisions and always gave his reasons for his decisions, while serving on different committees and boards. He was also a good family man, provider and respected rancher.

He is survived by his sons Richard Schluter, Ron Schluter and wife Lynne of Alturas; daughter Elaine Wolfgang of Sonora; sisters Ruth Muzychuk, Colo.; Kathrine Lawrence, Utah; Helen and Allan Cline, Calif.; Dorothy Schluter, Colo.; brothers Harry and Helen Schluter, Colo. and Donald and Darlene Schluter, Colo.; in-laws Jane and Charles Stevens and Gordon Doss of Alturas; former daughter-in-law Pat Schluter, Alturas; grandchildren Phyllis and Troy Chamber of Redding; Richie and Jane Schluter, Grass Valley; Ronny and Becky Schluter, Alturas; Michael and Kelli Schluter, Arkansas; Katie and David Mason, Red Bluff; Jason Wolfgang, Sonora; Jeff and Zanna Wolfgang, Prescott Valley, Ariz. and 11 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife Erma, 14 years ago on January 27; grandson Randy Lee Schluter; sisters Gertrude Gaddy and Irene McKim and infant brother Elmer.

Former Likely, CA resident Frank Rogers passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 13, 2002, at his home in Smith River, CA. He was born to James and Charlotte Rogers August 15, 1917, in Norway, Kansas.

The Rogers family moved to Likely in 1966 where he worked as foreman on the Southern Pacific Railroad for eight years. The family then to Dunsmuir, CA, where he was promoted to Track Supervisor. Frank retired from the railroad in 1977 after 32 years of service and having achieved the distinguished 32-year safety award.

He and his wife then moved to Smith River, CA, to be close to the Pacific Ocean they enjoyed so much.

Frank is survived by his wife of 63 years, Evelyn, of Smith River, CA, three sons, Jim of Grants Pass, OR, Ted of Brookings, OR, Rex of Crescent City, CA, four daughters, Charlotte Charles of Brookings, OR, Carol Evans of Reno, NV, Norma Scheetz of Milford, CA, and Laura Rogers of Reno, NV. Also, 10 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, and 3 great great grandchildren.

Letters and cards for the family can be forwarded to: Evelyn Rogers, P.O. Box 389, Smith River, CA 95567.

Modoc's Braves go into next week's Shasta Cascade League championships as the favored team, and should not have many problems keeping the banner in Alturas.

The Braves are coming off a good performance at a tough Corning Invitational, where Robert Flournoy took a second at 135 pounds and Jared McGarva took a second at 171 pounds.

Luke Hammerness took a third at 152 pounds, and Mike Main was third at heavyweight. David Lutz took a fifth at 145 pounds. Billy Moriarity took fourth at 112 pounds, J.D. Monroe was fourth at 189, Matt Main was fourth at 145, Casey Poindexter was sixth at 140, and Blake Owens was sixth at heavyweight.

Modoc finished fourth in the tournament with team scores as follows: Willows 185.5, Corning 176, Pleasant Valley 140.5, Modoc 105, Central Valley 101, Foothill 93, Paradise 85, Live Oak 80, Durham 77, Fall River 69, Wheatland 62.5, Middletown 61, Tulelake 50, Biggs 48, and Golden Sierra 47.5.

This Saturday the Braves head to Fall River for the league dual meet against SCL teams. Wood expects his charges to do very well in all the duals and expects to win the dual title.

On February 9, Modoc travels to Etna for SCL League Championships and is expecting to have between nine and 11 wrestlers in the 14 finals matches. Wood figures the team will win the title and move on to the next step. Modoc wrestlers Wood expects to be in the finals at SCL are: Moriarity at 112, Jafaar Mirlohi at 125, James Brogan at 130, Flournoy at 135, Robert Veverka at 140, David Lutz at 145, Luke Hammerness at 152, Jeremy Price at 160, McGarva at 171, J.D. Monroe at 189, Ray Abernethy at 215 and Mike Main at heavyweight.

The video of the Burney Invitational Wrestling meet is now showing on local cable channel 12. Modoc had 10 wrestlers in the finals of that tourney and won by over 100 points.

Modoc will host the Division III Wrestling Championships Feb. 15-16 at the Griswold Gym. Wood expects Durham to be the team to beat and sees a battle between that team and his Braves.

The Modoc Braves meet unbeaten Etna here Friday night in a varsity boys game that should be very tough. Next Tuesday, they travel to Mt. Shasta to face another strong opponent.

The Braves led 18-11 after one and 39-23 at the half. By the end of three, the Braves led 44-31 and outscored Weed 15-13 in the final period. Jack Britton led Modoc with 16 points, Tim Lauppe and Blake Thorn each had 12 and Michael Bates added 11.

Tuesday night, the Braves beat Burney 75-53, taking a 49-23 halftime lead and cruising as Burney had just six players to start.

The Butte Valley Bulldogs beat the Surprise Valley Hornets boys team 70-57 last weekend.

Butte Valley took a 23-10 first period lead and built that into a 35-18 halftime advantage. The Hornets came back in the third, cutting the lead to 44-35 and added 22 fourth period points to Butte Valley's 26.

The Hornets hit 11 three pointers in the game with Ivan Rangel leading the pack with four and 16 points. Jack Minto had 13 points, Evans added 12, both with three treys, and Ryan Burresch added 10.

The Hornets JV lost 61-45. Scott Soletti led the Hornets with 16 points and Loren Harris added 11.

Modoc's junior varsity boys basketball team won a pair of Shasta Cascade League games this week, over Weed 53-43 and over Burney 66-49. In the Weed game, Modoc's Marty Stevens posted 24 points and he hit for 31 in the Burney game.

Modoc led all the way against Weed, 13-10 in the first, 25-19 at half, 40-33 after three. Cam Jeffers added nine points.

Against Burney, Modoc trailed 17-16 after one, but led 31-30 by halftime. Modoc held Burney to 19 in the second half while they added 35 points. Shiloh Pierce had 11 points.

Tuesday, they lost to Burney 39-26, with Maria Duran getting seven, Jamie Fain, Brittany Berchtold and Maggie Baker getting four each.

The girls lost to Weed 43-16 with Baker scoring eight and Duran had five. Trinity beat Modoc 54-30, with Danielle Reyes getting seven, Berchtold and Duran each added three.

Klamath farmers, who claimed federal officials had wrongfully withheld irrigation water last year, have been vindicated by an interim report just released by a committee of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).

In a press release dated February 6, the Academy's National Research Council concludes, "Current scientific evidence does not support the need to require higher water levels in Oregon's Upper Klamath Lake or higher flows on the nearby Klamath River, as proposed by two federal agencies to protect endangered and threatened species of fish."

Working on the issues since last November, the Academy reports, "The committee does not find scientific support for the proposed minimum flows as a means of enhancing the maintenance and recovery of the Coho population .

On the whole, there is no convincing scientific justification at present for deviating from flows derived from operational practices in place between 1990 and 2000."

The Academy's unusually blunt statement that there was no basis for any changes to the status quo in the Klamath Basin represents a major victory for farmers and their supporters. From the outset of this conflict between the government and farmers, the Klamath Water Users Association (KWUA) maintained that the government's decision to deny irrigation water to Klamath Basin farmers was flawed, that it was based on faulty science.

"The report's primary conclusions validate what Klamath Project water users, biologists and managers have said for some time," said Dan Keppen, KWUA Executive Director. "The science supporting high lake levels and increased Klamath River Flows to enhance fish populations is questionable."

Congressman Greg Walden (R-Oregon) was even more emphatic. "Simply put," said Walden, "the government got it wrong."

He went on to add insult to injury. "The National Research Council's independent review of the decisions made in operating the Klamath Project confirm beyond question that the shut-off of irrigation water in the Klamath Basin was not based on sound science. This report exposes flawed decisions that were made in the name of protecting fish, which forced family farmers and ranchers to go bankrupt and brought widespread harm to the economic vitality of the entire Klamath community. Moreover, these same bad decisions, which were not based on sound science, have the potential to cause degradation of endangered species in the basin."

This report is also a major setback for environmentalists, fishers and American Indian tribes who support changes in water management, as well as a major embarrassment to the environmental agencies who routinely fall back on science for their ecological decisions.

Klamath Basin residents seem pleased at this unexpected turn of events. "I never thought they were right in doing this," said Ron Peterson, Tulelake alfalfa farmer, about the government's decision to withhold water last year. "It probably hurt the fish more than it helped."

Peterson and his two sons, each with families of their own, were adversely affected by last year's water shortages. "It was quite a trying year last year. Naturally, our income is way down."....... When asked his impressions of recent developments, Peterson responded, "I'm glad. It sounds like we're going to get water this year."

John Crawford, a Tulelake Irrigation District board member for 21 years, grows potatoes, onions, cereal grains, and peppermint. He is pleased with the report but laments the loss to himself and his neighbors. "It was devastating. There are a lot of things that can't be undone," said Crawford, adding that last year's decisions government agencies have caused "irretrievable damage" to the local economy.

"It's impossible to put a price tag on generations of farmers who have been able to eek out a living here. That's gone. Being able to say 'I told you so' brings very little satisfaction to these people," said Crawford, adding that in the future, "We better take a hard look at the science in this and then apply some common sense."

An additional bitter pill, according to Crawford, is the fact that almost all the emergency federal aid he received as a result of his loss will be sent right back to the federal government to pay the taxes on his land so he can keep it. Referring to the effect of this report, Crawford says, "We've made some big strides forward. We hope that's the way it continues."

Both the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service issued "biological opinions" last year, calling for water levels and flow rates to be increased to protect short nose and Lost River suckers, two fish species listed as endangered in 1988, as well as Coho salmon, which were designated as threatened in 1997. Those decisions ultimately forced Interior Secretary Gale Norton to deny water to the region's farmers during last summer's devastating drought, igniting civil disobedience and numerous, well-attended rallies in support of farmers whose crops were dying in the fields. This unrest prompted the Interior Department to ask the Research Council to review the scientific validity of the biological opinions. In a statement issued last weekend, which was likely designed to blunt the impact of the NAS report, Norton said that she had ordered aids to evaluate the Academy's critique and suggested that changes in water allocations for the Klamath Basin may be on the way.

Even though the report brings hope to Klamath Basin farmers and residents, they may not be out of the woods just yet. William M. Lewis Jr., who chaired the committee that wrote the report, said, "The available scientific evidence does not support current proposals to change water levels or river flows to promote the welfare of the fish currently at risk, although future research may justify doing so." Lewis is a professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and director at the Center of Limnology, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences.

The committee's final report on the environmental requirements of suckers and Coho salmon is expected next spring.Resources Control Board.

Weather watchers are expressing cautious optimism in snowpack at the higher elevations, but will breathe easier if those six weeks of winter forecast on Ground Hog day materializes.

A complete snow survey will be available from the U.S. Forest Service and Soil Conservation Service next week, but preliminary figures are promising.

For instance, on Cedar Pass January 28 there was 37.4 inches of snow, containing 12.6 inches of water and at Blue Lake 26.4 inches of snow covered the ground, containing 8.4 inches of water. Adin Mountain had 31.7 inches with 9.2 inches of water. The whole area was 126 percent of average, which bodes well. The next survey will be reported in April. In the Surprise Valley area on January 30, Barber Creek showed 32 inches of snow and 8.6 inches of water and 49 Mountain had 20 inches of snow at 6.9 inches of water.

The forecast of this remainder of this week calls for small amounts of snow and snow showers.

The Modoc County Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved the purchase of five 10-ton Kenworth dump trucks, at about $90,000 each, for the Road Department.

Road Commissioner Tom Tracy asked the board for permission to purchase the trucks, without going to bid, because the dealer who sold the county five similar trucks in 1996 said he would give the county the same price. Tracy said it was in the county's best interests to take the current deal, without going to bid. Tracy said having the same types of trucks will make maintenance and repair easier and cited an "economy of scale" as far as parts and the ability to maintain the new trucks.

Tracy said the new vehicles will replace five old dump trucks, each about 30 years old. Those trucks, he said, have served their purpose.

The county will go into a lease-purchase arrangement for the new vehicles. Supervisor Pat Cantrall was not impressed with Pacific Power's payment for Veteran's Park tree replacement. The check received by the county was for $1,200, or $120 each to purchase 10 trees.

This fall, Pacific Power had tree trimmers completely take out mature trees lining the lawn at Veteran's Park. The action caused some outrage at the board level and in the city.

Cantrall said Pacific's damage to the community was well more than $1,200 and she was insulted by that small amount to replace those park trees. The county opted to table the issue rather than accept the money and directed Public Works to contact Pacific Power for proof they have an easement for the power lines at the park.

Pacific Power took the trees out completely instead of just trimming the branches away from the power lines. The county is now working on a tree trimming ordinance that will address how trees are pruned.

Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison reminds voters the deadline to register for the March 5 election is February 19. That is also the last day to make any corrections, including name changes, change of address, etc. She advises early registration is a benefit to the voter. The first day to apply for absentee ballots was Feb. 4.

The county's political party breakdown is as follows: Republican 2,323; Democrat 1,794; 541 No party; 143 American Independent; 10 miscellaneous; 33 Libertarian; 20 Green; two New Law and 17 Reform.

Tulelake High School broke a nine-year streak and stole the Academic Decathlon title from Modoc High School in Alturas on Saturday, February 2, 2002.

Tulelake was 2,265 points ahead of Modoc, who took second over third place winner Surprise Valley High School, by a close 248 points.

It was an excited THS team that took the stage following their win, led by junior Ross Macy, who was the highest Tulelake scorer. Macy also captured the highest individual total overall. The THS team was ably coached by English and History teacher, Martha Hurlburt.

There are three levels of competition based on grade point average -- Honor, Scholastic, and Varsity. Each student is then tested in Math, Economics, Science, Language and Literature, Art, Music, Speech, Interview and Essay.

The final event is the Super Quiz. This year the topic was "E-Communication: The Internet & Society". Jeff Wedmore received a bronze medal for his performance in the Super Quiz and Jennifer Bell received a silver medal. The Tulelake team will represent Modoc County in the State Academic Decathlon held this year in Modesto, CA March 22-24, 2002.

Cedarville resident Melvin Theodore 'Mutt' Ellis passed away January 26, 2002 at the Surprise Valley Hospital in Cedarville, Calif. Services will be held in his hometown of Riverside, Calif. on February 15, 2002.

Mr. Ellis is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Donna and Mike Small of Cedarville; grandson and wife Kevin and Lorin Small of Cedarville; grandson John Small, Cedarville; granddaughter and husband Kirstin and Dan Pedersen of Moreno Valley, Calif.; granddaughter and husband Katie and Ken Brandt of Norco, Calif.; great-grandchildren Tammy and Clinton Romesha of Cedarville and Germany; Mitchell and Cassie Small of Cedarville; Elena and Jacqueline Gradillas of Norco; Morgan and Lauren Pederson of Moreno Valley; step grandsons, Burton, Travis and Alex Brandt of Norco; great-great granddaughter Dessirae Romesha of Cedarville and Germany

Mr. Ellis led a colorful life which the Record will outline in a complete obituary next week. Memorial contributions may be directed to the American Cancer Society

Former Ft. Bidwell Postmaster Pansy 'Pat' Ligon passed away on Feb. 2, 2002 at the Sunrise Health Care Center in Roseville, Calif., where she had been a resident for the past year. She was 81

Pansy 'Pat' Langley was one of 13 children born to Robert and Lillie Langley on Sept. 29, 1920 in Loganville, Georgia

Rarely ever going by her name Pansy, she was known as Pat. She attended business college and was working as a secretary in Washington, D.C. when she met Roy Ligon who was serving in the U.S. Navy.

On June 21, 1942, she and Roy were married in Washington, DC. After he completed his service to his country, the couple settled in Surprise Valley in 1957, where Roy's mother and stepfather lived.

Pat worked for 21 years as the Ft. Bidwell Postmaster and retired in 1985 from the U.S. Postal Service. She was active in the Ft. Bidwell Civic Club, served on the Ft. Bidwell Church Committee and was an active member of the Surprise Valley Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary. She enjoyed gardening and bird watching.

She is survived by her daughter Mary Lynn Palmquist of Napa; son Robert Ligon, of Carson City, Nev.; daughter Paula Schlager of Citrus Heights; daughter Jeannie Leighton and husband Brock of Redding; 4 grandsons, Wesley and Timothy Ligon of Colo.; Stephen of Napa and Mark Palmquist of San Jose; two granddaughters

Teri Ligon of Carson City; Erica Schlager of Citrus Heights; great-granddaughters, Courtney Palmquist of Temecula and Hailee Ligon of Colo. and sister-in-law Mary Anne Ligon, Colo., in addition to numerous relatives

Mrs. Ligon was preceded in death by her husband Roy in 1992 and their son Gene Ligon in 1991.

Memorial services will be held in May at the Ft.Bidwell Cemetery. Lambert Funeral Home of Roseville is in charge of arrangements

Memorial contributions may be directed to Sutter VNA and Hospice, 1836 Sierra Gardens Suite 130, Roseville, CA 95661.

Carl Harold Jacob will be remembered as a good and kind person who was independent and enjoyed life. He expressed his happiness through his upbeat manner and helpfulness to many friends and neighbors during his 21 years of living in Modoc County and being of service to his community. Mr. Jacob passed away suddenly at his Alturas, Calif. home on February 4, 2002 at the age of 68. There will be no services per his wishes

Carl was born April 4, 1933 in San Leandro, Calif., to Mildred and Harold Jacob. He spent the longest portion of his life growing up there and then rearing his own two sons in San Leandro, with his loving wife Ruby. He was stationed in Alameda with the U.S. Navy during his four-years of service

He married Ruby Mostert of San Francisco in March of 1956. The two were to celebrate 46 years of a loving and close marriage next month

While their sons were growing up in the Bay area, Carl worked for TRW Business Machines. He could repair anything and was good with people. When a promotion to Supervisor was offered to him after his sons had graduated from high school, Carl opted to retire and leave the security of the company he'd been with for years, for a less stressful, happier life away from the bustle of the city.

He and Ruby were attracted to Modoc County by an advertisement for land available for sale. They checked it out and decided to make the move. The announcement of this lifestyle change surprised his family, but his sons have always respected their father's decision to make the change. "It was so out of character for Dad to do something like that," said both sons in retrospect. "But, if he'd stayed in the Bay Area, he probably wouldn't have lived another year or been as happy and healthy as he was here in Alturas. He valued his independence and made a decision to leave, even without a job, and he was always happy, because he was doing what he wanted to do."

Upon their move to Modoc, Carl was a jack-of-all trades. At first, he cut and sold fire wood, then he and wife Ruby worked as a team securing cleaning and maintenance contracts for many agencies and businesses, including a long-term contract with the U.S. Forest Service Supervisor's Office in Alturas. They worked at the former building site on Main Street, then continued at the new site when the offices were relocated. Carl worked on the lava rock base for the large new USDA/Forest Service highway sign. Carl and Ruby often volunteered their time and skills and enjoyed volunteering at the D.A.R.T. Center in Alturas. The center provides services to developmentally challenged adults.

Carl was always busy doing for others and Ruby was always by his side. He loved fishing and kayaking at Blue Lake. He enjoyed hiking in the back country. He adored his family and pets and his community. He was a helpful and caring neighbor and friend to all. He never failed to offer a cheery greeting and a big smile

He is survived by his wife Ruby of Alturas; two sons Kurt and wife Rosanna of Roseville, and Glen and wife Margarita of Hayward; three grandchildren, Christopher, Traci and Kenny and two great-grandchildren Frances and Nicolas. He also leaves his sister Martha Watkins of Livermore and her family; sister-in-law Linda Martinez of Alturas and his adopted family Blair, Sue, Kyle and Amanda Levy of Hayward. In addition to his family, he will be missed by his many friends

Contributions in Mr. Jacob's memory may be directed to D.A.R.T., 310 West "C" St., Alturas, CA 96101.

Long-time Canby area resident, rancher and former logger David Lee Wright passed away in Alturas, Calif. on January 31, 2002.

He was born December 27, 1911 in Missouri and came out west to Merrill, Ore. in the late 1940s. During the 1950s he arrived in Canby, Calif. to work as a logger at Hilton Spike Camp and Big Lakes Camp, for a few years. When the opportunity to buy the former Dot L Ranch came up in the 50s, he and three partners bought the ranch. Known later as Sage Creek Ranch, it was located west of the SX Ranch. He sold that ranch in 1954, and moved across the valley to the south end, where he bought a smaller ranch near Canby.

His wife Mabel (Gilbraith), was from Saskatchewan and later Minnesota. She passed away at a young age, of an aneurysm in January of 1958.

Mr. Wright continued to work on his cattle ranch and farm in the Canby area, while rearing his son and daughter. He lived in the Canby area, with the exception of a ten year period in the 1970s to 1980s, when he went to live in Los Angeles, after his children were grown and on their own. During the summers, he returned to Modoc County to do custom haying on the Diamond C Ranch. An avid bowler, he enjoyed belonging to a bowling league in Alturas for many years. He also enjoyed hunting

Late in the 1980s, he returned to Canby, where he lived until his death. After a fall curbed his independence in August 2001, he received care at Modoc Medical Center's Skilled Nursing Facility. He celebrated his 90th birthday in December with a visit from his son Charles

Mr.Wright was preceded in death by his wife Mabel and stillborn daughter Marsha Lee in the 1950s

He is survived by his son Charles Wright of Eureka, Calif.; daughter June Ebbe and her husband Bruce of Placerville, long-time friend Delisa Cormier of Canby, Calif.; and relatives Maxine and Charlie Simms of Joplin, Mo. There will be no formal service. His ashes were inurned at the Alturas Cemetery. Kerr Mortuary was in charge of arrangements

Contributions in Mr. Wright's memory may be made to the American Heart Foundation or to Diabetes Research.

Born Alice Gippe in Seattle, Wash. on Sept. 29, 1925, she was one of ten children born to May Martha (Brown) and Frank Adolph Gippe. Mrs. Vindedal was a 60-year resident of Burien, Wash. She had a 25-year career with Great Northern Railroad, with many travels.

Mrs. Vindedal loved being outdoors and loved her yard and flowers. She lived a quiet life and enjoyed going for drives. She loved her dogs, the last being Princey.

In 1981, she married Per Vindedal who was from Norway. Her husband passed away in 1989 and she moved to Tulelake, Calif. to be near her sister Donna Puliz. In 1994 she moved to the Alturas area.

Besides her sister Donna, she leaves many nieces and nephews and Alturas and Canby area friends Shirley and David Van Meter, Louise Hilton, Martha Brown and Chandler Ward.

Graveside services will be private at Riverton Crest Cemetery in Seattle, Wash. on Saturday, Feb. 9. Memorials may be directed to the Salvation Army.

The Modoc Braves had no trouble winning the first Shasta Cascade League dual meet wrestling title last weekend and travel to Etna this week for the SCL individual championships, where they are also expected to win. Modoc hosts the Division III Wrestling Championships Feb. 15-16 at the Griswold Gym. Wood expects Durham to be the team to beat and sees a battle between that team and his Braves.

Modoc won the championship match against Fall River 60-18 and Tulelake beat Trinity 37-30 for third place. No individual results were kept. The video of that meet is now playing on local Channel 12.

Modoc went through the B pool convincingly in the event, beating Etna 61-18, Trinity 66-12, Bishop Quinn 78-0. Modoc's B team did well in Pool A, losing to Tulelake 54-24, Fall River 56-18, Mt. Shasta 42-36.

The Braves go into this week's Shasta Cascade League championships February 9 heavily favored and are expecting to have between nine and 11 wrestlers in the 14 finals matches.

Wood expects several Braves to be in the finals at SCL, including: Billy Moriarity at 112, Jafaar Mirlohi at 125, James Brogan at 130, Robert Flournoy at 135, Robert Veverka at 140, David Lutz at 145, Luke Hammerness at 152, Jeremy Price at 160, Jared McGarva at 171, J.D. Monroe at 189, Ray Abernethy at 215 and Mike Main at heavyweight.

Modoc's boys varsity topped the Shasta Cascade League-leading Etna Lions 72-68 in overtime Friday night in Alturas.

Then on Tuesday, the Braves traveled to Mt. Shasta and beat the Bears 56-49, to secure second place alone in league. The Braves have just two league losses and Etna sits with one.

"The Etna game was huge for us, and we played very well," said coach Mike Martin. "The kids are playing hard and they're playing together without being selfish."

Martin's goal for the remaining four games is to win out and secure a home playoff berth for the Braves. It's possible, but Modoc is going to have to play at a high level in what remains of league. The team is peaking at the right time.

Etna started quickly in that game, going up 16-10 in the first period, but Modoc poured in 23 points in the second quarter to tie the game at 33-33 by half. Modoc went up 50-43 at the end of three. Etna fought back to tie the score at 62-62 by the end of regulation. Modoc outscored Etna 10-6 in overtime for the win.

Blake Thorn led the Braves with 31, Tim Lauppe added 17, Jack Britton, 14 and Eric Miller had six.

Tuesday night, Modoc opened strong, leading 21-14 and led 28-22 after a slow second period. The Braves held the Bears to four in the third period to lead 39-26 and played a good fourth period, even though the Bears outscored them 23-17.

Lauppe led with 21 points, Thorn added 17 and Britton had 14. Martin said Lauppe and Britton have had double-doubles (double digits in points and rebounds) in the past four games.

Modoc's junior varsity beat Etna 58-46 behind a 25-point effort from Marty Stevens. Modoc led 14-5 after one and 36-16 by half. They continued a good pace, leading 48-31 after three. Kyle Madison added 10 points.

The boys fell off in Mt. Shasta Tuesday night, losing 46-29, and never getting on track.

Mt. Shasta jumped on the Braves early, taking a 19-6 first period lead and a 25-14 halftime lead. By the end of three, the Bears led 40-23.

Modoc varsity girls basketball team played a solid game Tuesday night to beat the Mt. Shasta Bears, there, 44-41. They didn't play so well last Friday, losing to Etna 65-44.

"We played strong defense at Mt. Shasta and we out rebounded them," said coach Kenny Demick. "We also turned up the intensity. Two of their starters fouled out."

Mt. Shasta led 8-5 in the first, but Modoc tied the game at 16-16 by half. The score stayed tied at 30-30 after three and Modoc outscored the Bears 14-11 in the final eight minutes.

Kristin Taylor led the scoring with 16, Rachel Gover added 14, Jodi Freeman and Jamie Kuhn each had six.

Against Etna Friday night at home, the intensity level just didn't show up, said Demick. Modoc trailed 11-7 after one and was down 27-18 by half-time. They picked it up in the third, trailing 42-33, but Etna outscored them 23-11 in the fourth.

Gover led with 16 points, Taylor and Freeman each added 13. The Braves are at Weed Friday and have Trinity at home Saturday.

Bieber's Luena Harbert won the girls cutting, out of 27 entrants, during the Feb. 2-3 Interdistrict High School Rodeo in Red Bluff. There were 150 competitors from five of the nine districts in the state competing. Jeremy Price of Cedarville took a second in the bareback riding event and Victor Madrigal was third in bullriding. Harbert also took a seventh in breakaway roping.

Trustees of the Modoc Joint Unified School District will consider whether to institute a random drug testing policy as well as close the Modoc High School Campus to student use of vehicles during the day at its Feb. 19 meeting.

There are a couple of options on the table for the drug testing policy. One of those options would limit the testing to just athletes. The other would include athletes and all students involved in extra or co-curricular activities, such as band and choir.

Some members of the board would prefer the drug testing policy be implemented for all students, but their legal counsel has cautioned against that approach since it has not been upheld in court.

According to a draft drug policy, athletes could be randomly tested at the beginning of each sport season and shall be subject to random testing during the entire year. This policy will only be in effect for athletes.

The proposal would mean that each year students must receive a clearance card to participate in sports. The cards will be numbered and a list created for the numbering system. The list will be kept confidential and the random numbers will be chosen by the laboratory conducting the tests. They will know the students by number only.

While the district board had considered a fully closed campus, it felt that would be too extreme and instead would rather insure that once students get to school, they will not be able to leave in their vehicles except under special circumstances. The board considers the action a safety issue.

The policy will not preclude students from walking to area business establishments for lunch.

The proposal states that all student vehicles will be parked and will not be driven until after the school day ends.

The Board will hear public comments at the Feb. 19 meeting, which will be the first reading of the new policy.

The lawsuit filed by Mary Worley and hospital employees against Surprise Valley Healthcare District is moving forward following the U.S. District Court decision released Feb. 5 to dismiss part of the case and continue the remainder.

Surprise Valley Hospital District attorneys had filed a motion to dismiss the entire case, and some of the complaints were dismissed while others were not.

The court's action February 5 is in response to the SVHD's motion to dismiss, and these rulings pose neither innocence or guilt. What will occur now is those issues remaining to be tried will go into a discovery and deposition stage, coming to trial at a later date.

The District Court did rule to try the cases separately, saying the employees' issues and Worley's issues, while linked, do not meet the necessary legal standards to remain as one case. Basically, the court ruled that Worley's Fourth Amendment claim against the hospital district and Dr. Terence Parr may go forward. The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable search and seizure. Worley has alleged Dr. Parr used narcotics to initiate inappropriate sexual contact with her, sometimes while she was under the influence of medication....... She is also alleging that she was refused treatment for severe headaches at Surprise Valley Hospital, a violation of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act. The court also allowed that claim to move forward. "Worley's complaint alleging sexual harassment and improper sexual contact is enough to sustain a Fourth Amendment cause of action," the court ruled.

Additionally, it ruled that: "Defendants (SVHD) assert that Worley is claiming a simple malpractice suit that does not rise to the level of a constitutional violation. Worley's claim, however, accuses Dr. Parr of purposefully using narcotics and coercion to 'procure a sexual relationship . . .to pursue his sexual gratification.' The court finds this goes beyond inferior medical care and can constitute sexual harassment."

The employees part of the complaint filed by Tracy Glenn, Sandra Manzer and Lorey Carpenter was dismissed in part and other parts will move forward.

The portion that will be allowed to go forward includes the employees' first amendment right (freedom of speech) and other possible violations of employee rights.

The court ruled that "employee expression that can be fairly considered as related to a matter of political, social, or other concern to the community, may be characterized as speech involving a matter of public concern." The court also ruled that the employees "sufficiently laid out factual allegations that the conduct at issue was a matter of public concern. Falsification of medical records, sexual discrimination, and union activities are all matters that concern the community and society as a whole."

The employees will also be heard in court on allegations they were terminated, demoted or otherwise adversely affected because they exercised their protected constitutional rights. "Adverse employment action is broadly defined and as a matter of law includes not only discharges, but also demotions, refusals to hire, refusals to promote and reprimands," the court order states.

A Shasta County jury awarded former Modoc High School Principal Duke Pasquini $75,000 last week, in a lawsuit against former Modoc Joint Unified School District Superintendent Craig Drennan and the MJUSD.

The lawsuit resulted from Drennan ordering a hidden video camera placed in Pasquini's office during the 1999 school year. The Shasta jury found that action was an invasion of Pasquini's privacy and Drennan's action was done with malice, oppression or fraud. The trial lasted two weeks.

Pasquini's attorney James Reed, said he is considering refiling the punitive damages portion of the case.

MJUSD Superintendent Kevin Jolly said the district is now looking into whether it or the insurance company is liable to pay that $75,000 award. According to Jolly, Drennan will not have to pay the damages.

The deadline to register for the March 5 election is February 19. That is also the last day to make any corrections, including name changes, change of address, etc.

Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison reminds voters the last day to make application for absentee ballots is Feb. 26 and those ballots must be turned in to either a polling place or be back to the clerk's office no later than 8 p.m. March 5.

Madison said local sample ballots will be mailed this week. There will be a change in one voting precinct. Those people in the Hot Springs precinct will vote at City Hall. Madison said the change was necessitated to meet state law access for the disabled. The former polling place was the Alturas Rifle Range.

Snow surveys reported this week by the U.S. Forest Service indicate good snow levels in the upper elevations, but reason to worry about lower levels. According to snow surveyors Jake Coffey, U.S. Forest Service and Tom Hill, Natural Resource Conservation Service, the snow depths in all areas at higher elevations are "indicating above average water content, however, the snowpack at lower elevations is not representative of the high water year the snow courses are indicating."

USFS's Ken Romberger, of Adin, reports that Adin's total precipitation for the period July 1 through January 31 was 7.66 inches. That's above last year's totals of 5.0 inches, but below the 59-year average of 8.51 inches of water.

The snow measurements were taken between Jan. 28 and Jan. 31 this year. Blue Lake had 26 inches of snow, containing 8.4 inches of water, representing 99 percent of the all-year average. That snow course is at 6,800 feet elevation.

The Cedar Pass snow level was 37 inches of snow, containing 12.6 inches of water. That's 118 percent average at the 7,100 foot elevation.

Barber Creek, south of Eagleville showed 32 inches of snow with 8.6 inches of water -- 105 percent of average. Barber Creek site is at 6,500 feet.

The snow survey at 49 Mountain had 20 inches of snow with 6.9 inches of water. That's 201 percent of average. The course is at 6,000 feet elevation. Sweagert Flat had 37.1 inches of snow at 6,200 feet, containing 9.2 inches of water. That's 110 percent of the all year average.

Treasurer Kathie Alves is advising the Alturas city council that the sales tax portion of its budget may come in at about a $200,000 less than last year. Alves said the city received about $616,000 last year. She said she just doesn't see anything near than level coming in by July. Currently the city has received about $235,500 for the first half of the fiscal year.

Alves said it appears the overall retail sales volume in the city was down for the past six months. One percent of the state sales tax is returned to the city. Those funds and general fund monies and can be used at the city's discretion.

Alves said hotel and motel occupant tax appears to be remaining at normal levels.

"It appears the city's budget is going to be very tight," Alves said this week. "We are going to have to watch our spending. I'll be giving the council amendments soon and they'll have a better picture of the next six months."

Services for Cedarville resident Melvin Theodore 'Mutt' Ellis will be held Friday, Feb. 15 in his hometown of Riverside Calif. Pastor Bruce Edwards will conduct the graveside service at Olivewood Cemetery.

Mr. Ellis passed away January 26, 2002 at the Surprise Valley Hospital in Cedarville, Calif.

Born December 4, 1915 in Riverside, CA, Mr. Ellis' family say he lived "a very colorful life." He began working at age 12 in his father's butcher shop, and meat cutting was his true occupation his entire life. He graduated from Poly High in Riverside and attended University of California at Davis. In the 1930s, he worked as a movie stuntman and double for John Wayne. He also competed in rodeos. He and Ida Belle Mitchell were married on March 19, 1939 in Las Vegas, Nev.

In the early 1940s, he managed actor Robert Young's stable and accompanied him when he registered for the draft. He worked as a brakeman for the Santa Fe Railroad, managed Huntley Gordon's ranch in Chino Hills; and competed in rodeos.

In the 1950s, he worked as a saddle maker for Schaff's Saddlery in San Bernardino. He reduced his rodeo events to roping only and won the California State team roping championship in 1953, with partner Manuel Moreno. Mr. Ellis began to compete in horseshows and coached young equestrians. He established the Santa Ana River Jr. Horsemen's 4-H Club and served as its leader for several years.

In the 1960s, he was forced to retire from meat cutting and for a few years managed Rasmussen's Western Wear store in Palm Springs. He began to judge horse shows and continued to coach young equestrians. He continued to judge shows and coach young equestrians throughout the 70s, 80s and early 1990s. He always kept horses. He was widely respected for his handling of horses and his knowledge. However, he was most popular for his very entertaining true stories, and the tall tales he told.

Mr. Ellis was a member of the San Gorgonio Lodge #668 of Free and Accepted Masons in Banning, Calif.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Ida Belle on Sept. 19, 1998 in Cedarville. Mr. Ellis had been a resident of Cedarville for the past four years.

Mr. Ellis is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Donna and Mike Small of Cedarville; grandson and wife Kevin and Lorin Small of Cedarville; grandson John Small, Cedarville; granddaughter and husband Kirstin and Dan Pedersen of Moreno Valley, Calif.; granddaughter and husband Katie and Ken Brandt of Norco, Calif.; great-grandchildren Tammy and Clinton Romesha of Cedarville and Germany; Mitchell and Cassie Small of Cedarville; Elena and Jacqueline Gradillas of Norco; Morgan and Lauren Pederson of Moreno Valley; step-grandsons, Burton, Travis and Alex Brandt of Norco; great-great granddaughter Dessirae Romesha of Cedarville and Germany.

Former Lake City rancher and businessman, Clarence "Dodge" Robert Gorzell passed away Sunday, Feb. 10, 2002 at his home in Cottonwood, Calif.

Born on Feb. 4, 1908 in Ojai, Calif. he attended elementary school and graduated from high school in Lompoc, Calif. He married Olive Canada in 1942.

Mr. Gorzell worked as a mechanic and shop leadsman for the County of Santa Barbara and in road construction, plus farmed with his parents in Santa Maria, Calif. He moved to Lake City, Calif. in 1947 to farm and ranch as partners with his father and brother.

In 1964, he began an irrigation and pump business, installing most of the early sprinkler systems in Surprise Valley and Modoc County. He was active in bringing the Soil Conservation Service to Surprise Valley and was also active in the Lake City Fire Department. He retired to Cottonwood, Calif. in 1991.

He is remembered as a loving husband, a fine brother and a wonderful uncle who enjoyed hunting, fishing, building machinery, developing farmland from sagebrush to irrigated crops, and for traveling during his later years.

Mr. Gorzell was preceded in death by his infant son, brother Ernie, infant nephew, father Henry Gorzell and mother Amie Gorzell.

He is survived by his wife Olive of Cottonwood; nephew Richard "Dick" Gorzell of Santa Maria; brother Wilson, and wife Jean of Lake City, CA and their three sons, Keith Gorzell and wife Margie of Belmont, CA; Ray Gorzell of Cedarville, CA; Lee Gorzell and wife Edna of Lake City, CA; son Steve and family and daughter Laura; and numerous nieces, nephews and their children from the Canada family.

Graveside services will be conducted at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Antioch, CA at 2:00 p.m. February 15.

Funeral services for James "Pete" Kimbrough were held February 11, at Allen and Dahl Funeral Chapel in Redding.

Mr. Kimbrough died February 8, at Mercy Medical Center in Redding. He was born February 28, 1920, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and moved to Shasta County in 1987 from Eagleville.

He was a timber faller, a U.S. Army Veteran of World War II and a life member of the Disabled American Veterans.

Survivors include his wife Dorothy, of Redding; son James, of Scott, Ark. and Kenneth of Cottonwood; stepson Michael Kuhnel of Eureka; stepdaughters Paul Van Loan of Yreka and Carol Kuhnel of Anderson; sisters Betty Brockman of Trinity, Texas and Sybil Wilson of Castonia, NC, 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Modoc's wrestling team easily won its sixth Shasta Cascade League Championship out of the past seven years and the third straight with a convincing win at Etna last weekend.

The Braves now host the Division III and IV championships at the Griswold Gym, Feb. 15 and 16. Durham is the team to beat in Division III, with the Braves hot on their heels. Tulelake and Fall River figure to battle it out for the Division IV title.

"Durham's nails and we'll have to have one of our best days to knock them off," said Modoc Coach Shaun Wood. "They're loaded this year and one of the kids to watch to Daniel Price at 160 pounds. He's ranked second in the state. Fall River's Bobby Main comes in ranked fifth statewide. There will be some very good wrestlers here this weekend."

Wood expects his Braves to do very well and to give Durham the best match they've had in division this year. The top four finishers at Division qualify for the Masters tournament Feb. 22-23 and the top two there qualify for the state finals.

Wrestling will start at 3 p.m. Friday and go until five p.m. Saturday morning the event will start at 9 a.m. and should be completed by 4 p.m. There are 18 schools bringing wrestlers to the meet.

Wood had predicted the Braves would have from between nine and 11 wrestlers in the finals at the SCL meet. He was a little surprised and pleased they actually had 12. Five of those wrestlers won championships while seven placed second.

Individual league champions for the Braves were Robert Flournoy, 135 pounds, Robert Veverka 140 pounds, David Lutz 145 pounds, Jared McGarva 171 pounds, and J.D. Monroe 189 pounds.

According to Wood, the big upset of the tourney was turned in by Matt Main at 145 pounds, who beat Etna's Daniel Nelson in the qualifying rounds. Nelson was the top ranked wrestler in that weight. Main met teammate David Lutz in the title match, where Lutz won 17-12.

Taking second places for the Braves were Jafaar Mirlohi, 125 pounds, James Brogan, 130 pounds, Main at 145 pounds, Luke Hammerness at 152 pounds, Jeremy Price at 160 pounds, Ray Abernethy at 215 pounds, and Mike Main at 275 pounds.

Taking third places for the Braves were Doug Wellemeyer at 152 pounds and John Yeier at 171 pounds.

Team scores at the SCL championships were as follows: Modoc 202, Trinity 113, Etna, 106, Fall River 101, Tulelake 89, Chester 61, Mt. Shasta 59, Big Valley 26, Burney 24, Bishop Quinn 20 and Greenville 17.

Modoc's varsity boys lost a pair of games they had to win last week, and are forced to beat the Mt. Shasta Bears tonight for any shot at a home playoff game.

"We didn't do ourselves any favors last week," said Modoc coach Mike Martin. "There is no doubt if we lose the game against Mt. Shasta, we'll be on the road. We can beat Mt. Shasta, but we're going to have to play together and stay focused."

The Braves are coming off a week where they lost to Weed, 60-51, lost to Trinity, 49-46, and just barely beat Fall River, 52-51. Modoc did beat Mt. Shasta 56-49 over there, so being on the Modoc floor should be an advantage. Tuesday night the Braves just got away with a win at Fall River. The game was knotted at 14-14 in the first and Modoc led 25-22 at half. The Braves led 40-36 after three, but going into the final minutes trailed as Fall River outscored them 15-12 in the fourth.

Jack Britton led the scoring with 16, Blake Thorn had 14 and Michael Bates added nine.

Against Trinity Saturday, the Wolves led 11-7 after one, but Modoc took a 25-19 halftime lead. Trinity took the lead after three, 32-31 and outscored Modoc 17-15 in the fourth. Britton led the scoring with 15, Tim Lauppe added 14 and Thorn had 12.

The Weed game was frustrating, according to Martin. Weed started quickly, leading 22-15, but Modoc came back to tie the game at 31-31 by half. The Braves led 45-43 after three. But, the defense fell apart in the fourth and Weed outscored Modoc 17-6 for the win. Britton led with 16 points.

The Surprise Valley Hornet boys wrap up the season this week when they meet Happy Camp at Dorris.

The Hornets lost to Dunsmuir last week 70-61, despite a huge 41-point night from Ivan Rangel. Paul Boneck chipped in with nine and Adam Evans added eight.

Tuesday, they lost to Big Valley 80-43 with Evans hitting for 21 and James Bonderer had 11.

The Modoc Youth Wrestling program under Modoc High School coach Shaun Wood, starts Feb. 20, for students fifth grade and under at 5 p.m. in the high school wrestling room.

Students in the Modoc Joint Unified School District may face some new regulations concerning drug testing and driving their cars during lunch when school opens in the Fall of 2002.

On March 12, two new policies will be heard at a special Board of Trustees meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the Modoc Middle School Gym. Both may be adopted at that time.

Tuesday night, the Board's first reading of a closed campus policy to student vehicles was approved as presented. Basically, the new policy specifies students' cars can be parked anywhere, but cannot be visited or driven at any time during the school day, including lunch, without special written authorization.

According to Board Chairman Seab McDonald, the purpose of the policy is to cut down on drug use and reduce the chance of accidents. The driving policy will not preclude students from walking to area business establishments for lunch.

In a major change of direction, the Board voted to random drug test all students enrolled in grades 9-12 in the district. The original policy earmarked drug testing only for athletes and extra-curricular and co-curricular activities students. McDonald has argued all along that he felt the only fair and effective policy was to random drug test all students. That policy was approved by the Board Tuesday night.

The district's legal counsel has offered an opinion that case law (although not in California) has held against drug testing all students. If the MJUSD Board adopts the all students policy, it may serve as a legal test case in California. That suits McDonald just fine.

"As far as we can tell, there is no case law in California against testing all students," he said. "It just makes better sense to have the testing affect all students, if it's to be effective. I feel very strongly about that."

Superintendent Kevin Jolly, said the policy affecting all students would include every 9-12 grade student in the district, including Independent Study or Alternative Education students.

The Board understands there is a drug problem which needs addressing in the district, said McDonald. He feels these two policies are a step in the direction of deterrence and safety.

The Board had expected a large public turnout on the drug and driving issues, but only about 20 people showed up and many of those were in support of the new policies.

Modoc is not the only school district in the area which has a drug testing policy. Big Valley, Surprise Valley, Tulelake, Lassen and Fall River each have drug testing policies. All of those include athletes and some add extra-curricular and co-curricular students. None have a policy affecting all students

The legal question will involveds an individual's privacy rights, covered under the U.S. Constitution's Fourth Amendment, prohibiting unreasonable searches. The District's legal counsel has opinioned that California state and federal courts place a high value on individual privacy rights

There were a couple of options on the table for the drug testing policy. One of those options would limit the testing to just athletes. The other would include athletes and all students involved in extra or co-curricular activities, such as band and choir. The Board is opting at this point for all students.

According to the first draft drug policy, athletes could be randomly tested at the beginning of each sport season and shall be subject to random testing during the entire year.

Just how the policy will apply to the entire student body has not yet been determined, but will be discussed and modified.

That proposal would mean that each year students must receive a clearance card to participate in sports. The cards will be numbered and a list created for the numbering system. The list will be kept confidential and the random numbers will be chosen by the laboratory conducting the tests. They will know the students by number only. The same policy would probably hold true if all students were included.

The last day to make application for absentee ballots in the March 5 Primary Election is Feb. 26.

County Clerk Maxine Madison reminds voters those ballots must be turned in to either a polling place or be back to the clerk's office no later than 8 p.m. election day, March 5. Polls open on election day at 7 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m.

In addition to the state and federal races, several contested races are on this year's ballot.

The District Five County Supervisor's race has several choices including David Bradshaw, Lookout; David Porter Misso, Barbara Boyd, and Delbert Craig. Their comments on printed in this week's paper.

They are in a race to fill the seat of Nancy Huffman, who is retiring after serving three terms.

David Allan, from Cedarville, and Dan Macsay of Eagleville are running against incumbent District One Supervisor Terry Williams.

Also in Surprise Valley, voters will again be asked to continue the $150 per year assessment for the Surprise Valley Community Hospital.

District Attorney Tom Buckwalter is challenged by Jordan Funk, a former assistant, and John Lawson, a public defender. That race has been the most contentious.

Madison has filed for re-election as clerk and will face a challenge from Patricia Malson, an employee of the court system.

County elected officials who have no opposition include: Sheriff Bruce Mix, Superintendent of Schools Carol Harbaugh, Auditor/Recorder Judi Stevens, Assessor Josie Johnson, and Treasurer Tax/Collector Cheryl Knoch.

The City Council seats of Dick Steyer and John Kerr will be up for election in March. City Treasurer Kathie Alves has filed for re-election.

Jerry Smith and John Vass are running for City Council. Kerr had taken out papers, and will be on the ballot, but because of health reasons has chosen to disqualify himself.

There will be a change in one voting precinct. Those people in the Hot Springs precinct will vote at City Hall. The change was necessitated to meet state law access for the disabled. The former polling place was the Alturas Rifle Range.

The grazing fee for the 2002 grazing year on Western public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will be $1.43 per animal unit month (AUM).

The formula used for calculating the fee was established by Congress in the 1978 Public Rangelands Improvement Act and continues under a Presidential Executive Order issued in 1986.

An AUM is the amount of forage needed to sustain one cow and her calf, one horse, or five sheep or goats for a month.

BLM Director Kathleen Clarke said, "The $1.43 per AUM grazing fee applies to lands in the West administered by the BLM and to national forests and national grasslands administered by the Forest Service. Under the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), by which the BLM fulfills its multiple use mandate, grazing is a recognized and appropriate use of the public lands."

The annually adjusted grazing fee, effective March 1, 2002 through February 28, 2003, is computed by suing a 1966 base value of $12.23 per AUM for livestock grazing on public lands in Western States. The figure is then adjusted according to three factors--current private grazing land lease rates, beef cattle prices and the cost of livestock production. Based on the formula, the 2002 fee is an increase of 8 cents from the 2002 level.

The BLM, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, manages more land--262 million surface acres--than any other Federal agency. Of this, about 164 million acres are permitted for livestock grazing. Most of the country's BLM-managed public land is in 12 Western states, including Alaska.

The agency, which has a budget of $1.8 billion and a workforce of 10,000 employees, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the Nation. The BLM's "multiple use" mission is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The BLM accomplishes this my managing for such resources as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, and energy and mineral development that helps meet the nation's energy needs, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural and other resources on public lands.

The following are the views of the March 5 candidates for election in County Supervisor District 5, including the Tulelake and Big Valley areas.

I have a genuine interest in Modoc County's survival and future prosperity. Although my ranch and home is located near Lookout, I am dedicated to fairly representing the entire 5th District and all residents of Modoc County. I feel my community service has provided excellent leadership experience for the supervisor position. I am currently Trustee of Lassen Community College, past President of Intermountain Hay Grower's Association, Vice-President of Mountain Valley Health Centers (including Tulelake, Dorris and Big Valley Medical Centers), and Board Director of Big Valley Chamber of Commerce, Adin Chamber of Commerce, and Big Valley Foundation. My 33 years of service with the California Department of Forestry has provided me with a background and working knowledge in resource management, fire protection, and fiscal management, which will enhance my performance as supervisor.

Amend the Endangered Species Act to include requirements for peer review of scientific findings. Had the National Academy of Science provided peer review of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife's biological assessment, last summer's water disaster in the Klamath Basin may have been averted. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service developed its biological opinion using limited data and principles of probability rather than empirical data that would correlate previous episodes of low water and its effect on fish. We also need to support the removal of the Klamath Basin coho salmon and sucker from the endangered species list. As farmers and ranchers, we need to educate the public that, indeed, we are equally concerned with our land and natural resources and that we provided thousands of acres of important wildlife habitat on private property, both range and cropland.

2. Closing of Big Valley Lumber and possible loss of "Big Valley Sustained Yield Unit".

4. Loss of average daily attendance in Big Valley and Tulelake schools, which threatens school programs and reduction of teaching staff.

2. Loss of revenue due to loss of population and loss of jobs caused by the Klamath Basin water crisis and the closing of Big Valley Lumber.

3. Loss of revenue due to state and federal budget shortfalls created by the current economic recession and the 9/11 tragedy.

4. Inability to attract new businesses to Modoc County should our County be unable to maintain its infrastructure.

As supervisor, I feel I can, with board support, create new jobs in Modoc County, protect and stabilize our incumbent businesses and help them to grow, and, attract new businesses that would help Modoc County recover and attain slow growth. Also, I feel I can, with board support, accomplish restoration of water to the Klamath Basin by working with Oregon and California and federal representatives to attain a permanent solution that would prevent any reoccurrence in the future.

I feel economic development is critical to Modoc County's survival and future. I support an economic developer working full-time to bring business to Modoc County. My approach would be to encourage small businesses to build on each other and effect slow growth along with growth of infrastructure.

7. Do you believe local government will be hurt by the state and federal budgets? How?

I believe that Modoc County's budget will be hurt by state and federal budget shortfalls. As state and federal revenues fall, so will state and federal contributions to mandated programs, leaving Modoc County with the responsibility of making up the shortfall. This could force Modoc County to look for cuts in other programs or use what little discretionary money there is in the budget or even have to reduce services.

I consider local schools, fire departments and law enforcement very high priorities. I also consider local businesses to be valuable resources that need county support to survive and grow. I will work for policies that allow our agricultural, timber, manufacturing and small businesses to develop and prosper and support economic development that creates jobs in Modoc County. I will make decisions based on facts and information available, and most importantly, with your input and feedback. I would appreciate your consideration on election day and would like a chance to represent you.

I absolutely love living in Tulelake. As the events of last summer unfolded I felt threatened. What? Move? This is our home - farming is what we do and what we do well! I wondered what can I do? When Nancy Huffman announced that she was not going to run I thought, that's it. I can do that! I'm a concerned citizen. I've had lots of experience serving on boards. I know the difference between policy and procedures. I think it's important that the county continue to have a voice in the discussion of any issue that will impact the area

I really think it's important that people tell the truth. And, just as important, I want people to be responsible for their decisions. I think that's an essential part of doing a good job, whether you're an elected official or a government official. Had there been an open discussion about all the species of wildlife in the Basin and had people been willing to stand behind their decisions, last year's water crisis would not have happened. It didn't need to happen then or ever again

Major issues facing the 5th District are closely tied to major issues facing the County. If you live on a road full of potholes your major issue is potholes. If you live close to the dump and people dump garbage on your property, it's the dump that is your issue.

Water is and is going to continue to be a major issue for all the county. Most issues boil down to resources versus restrictions and regulations. If there was enough money in the county budget to pay for all the costs concerning the hospital or to pave the unpaved roads in the county and there were no restrictions preventing using the money for that it would have already been done.

I think the job of supervisor is based on common sense, experience in the community and an interest to sort out the issues. Jim and I used to run a commercial cow/calf operation. I don't miss calving out heifers in February. My dad worked in a mill, my husband served on the board of Modoc Lumber Company, now closed. The best man in our wedding owned a mill in Baker City, Oregon, now closed. Both my daughter and son-in-law are registered professional foresters. They live in Burney and work in the private sector. I know how the timber industry was and continues to be impacted by government regulations.

Open lines of communication is one of the most important aspects of the job of supervisor. I think it's important to listen and then ask the tough questions. I want to make sure that District 5 continues to receive its fair share of the resources of the county. I think there should be room at the table for all opinions to be heard in a civil manner.

When we realized we weren't going to receive water to farm last year, I thought a lot about economic development on a personal level. I'm 57 and my computer skills are marginal at best. When my kids wrote a report they got out the encyclopedia. Today, my grandchildren get on the Internet. Have you looked up Modoc County on the Internet? There is some information about the county on the Modoc County Library web page but we're missing a lot. Modoc County needs a colored web page with information and pictures about things that would entice a person, family or small business to take a look at us - clean air, good schools, a great library system, safe neighborhoods and unlimited recreational activities. There aren't any easy answers to creating jobs in our area. We need to build on what we've got. We're a successful farming and ranching community - let us continue to do that. When the agricultural community thrives all the businesses in the community do too. Should we continue to look at things like coal burning power plants? Yes. Did the people in the county like the proposal? No. Give people the information they need, questions, make the decisions and then be willing to accept the responsibility for those decisions. That's the way I think it should work.

7. Do you believe local government will be hurt by the state and federal budgets? How?

State and federal budgets have a huge impact on local government. When these agencies mandate regulations and don't provide the money to fund them, it is a drain on the county budget. It is important to let our elected officials know how their decisions affect us.

I look forward to the challenges of the job and would like the opportunity to serve as Supervisor of the 5th District.

I am well qualified, have spent a lifetime in Modoc County, have worked in the lumber industry for 17 years and spent 27+ years with Cal Trans. Also, I spent two years in the armed forces in Korea and am currently retired and have the time.

So far, there isn't any guarantee we will get water this year. I have been involved with the Basin water issues since their beginning. We need to all stick together and work with our politicians. Maybe together we can overcome the radical environmental list and bureaucracy agencies.

The need for water in the Basin and jobs, and any new industry and economic development in all of Modoc.

About the same as above. We are losing people, tax dollars and tax land base dollars.

I have been very involved in state and federal government for many years. I am a Modoc Fish, Game & Recreation Commissioner, a member of the Land Use Committee, a member of the Modoc Washoe Stewardship, and most recently, was appointed with 15 other Modoc citizens by the Secretary of Interior to serve on the Resource Advisory Committee. I feel this gives me a background and opportunity to help serve the District 5 voter's many needs.

I will support and strive to develop any form of economic development that will enhance the economy of the county, including, clean-up timber harvest juniper biomass, electrical and co-generation plants, gas, coal or any biomass fired. Also, dairy industry and many others I can help promote.

7. Do you believe local government will be hurt by the state and federal budgets? How?

Yes, somewhat as we see less state and federal dollars and less tax revenue of our own.

I would like to be your next District 5 Supervisor. I will strive to get the best out of your tax dollars, to all the voters in District 5 - Big Valley, Tulelake Basin and Day Bench.

I'll make sure the voters in District 5 are informed of all important issues that come before the Board of Supervisors. I have the energy and stamina to take on all the challenges that confront me. I've been an outspoken supporter of our rural way of life and won't shy away from the issues.

When the National Academy of Science Committee ruled in favor of irrigators, there was a bittersweet taste of satisfaction. However, the battle was not won. The people of the Klamath/Tulelake Basin must keep the pressure on elected officials. We must vote for candidates that will fight to guarantee irrigation water now and for decades to come.

Our rural way of life has come under constant attack by outside groups that want to control our lives. Lawsuits filed on behalf of misguided folks to control our water will be a major issue. That we can be sure of.

The lack of jobs and the failure to attract business and industry to Modoc. The entire county is also under attack by outsiders who want to end ranching and farming.

I believe changing the times of Supervisor's Meetings from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. will giver Modocers a better opportunity to attend and participate in local government. I believe holding Supervisor's Meetings outside of Alturas at least twice a year will help build a feeling of belonging to county government in those communities outside the city limits. The residents of Adin, Canby, Cedarville, Davis Creek, Eagleville, Fort Bidwell, Lake city, Newell, New Pine Creek, Likely, and Lookout need to be heard in their hometowns. I would work to have the minutes of each Supervisor's meeting printed in local newspapers and online. The Modoc Board of Supervisors should have a website also.

Without economic development, Modoc County could not survive. I would push for a full-time grant writer who would seek grants and other funding sources that would help Modoc attract new business.

7. Do you believe local government will be hurt by the state and federal budgets? How?

Certainly. Local governments have always been at the mercy of state and federal funding. If there are major spending cuts in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., we are sure to feel the pinch in Modoc.

This is my 28th year as a Modocer. I've learned much from the people of Modoc and would put that knowledge to work for the people in District 5 as well as all Modocers. I have the energy and drive to tackle all the issues. I will keep you informed of the business of our district and county. My only promise is to be an activist Supervisor who will fight for our rural way of life.

Over 50 local students from Kindergarten through high school have been rehearsing all week to present the musical adaptation of Red Riding Hood 2 on Saturday, Feb. 23 at the A.C.T. Niles Theater, Main St., Alturas. Performances will be given at 1:00 p.m. and again at 5:00 p.m., complete with props and costumes provided by the Missoula Children's Theater. Tickets will be available at the door: $7 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens.

The week-long residency of Missoula Children's Theater actor/directors, the nation's largest touring children's theater, arrived in town Feb. 18, with a set, lights, costumes, props and make-up, everything it takes to put on a play...except the cast. All MCT shows are original adaptations of classic children's stories and fairy tales, but with a twist on the classic stories.

The Red Riding Hood production was written and conceived by Michael McGill with music and lyrics also by McGill.

Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother;s house she goes. Red Riding Hood, to be played by Christina Worley, is not so little anymore, and her pre-teen pals try to stay on the straight and narrow in Red Riding Hood. The Big Bad World, who is not so bad after all, and a friendly neighborhood Forest Ranger urge the heroes to stay true to the path, for in The Shadows lurk diversions and a sinister surprise or two. A pack of woefully nasty young wolves and a handsome Woodsman, too good to be true, are a must for the story. No wolf tale would be complete without Three Little Pigs and even a Boy Who Cries. With help from her family and loyal young Locksmith who carries the key, Red finds her Grandma and a whole lot more. Now, if only she could retrieve her picnic basket from those rascally Raccoons. Life is no picnic when you stray from the trail.

MCT actors/directors Kimberly Katz as Ranger Rooney, Mother and Granny and Thomas Goodrich as the Big Bad Wolf, have worked with the youths throughout the week.

The opportunity has been made possible by the sponsorship of Modoc County Arts Council, Inc., Missoula Children's Theatre, Modoc County Office of Education, Antonio's Cucina Italiana Restaurant, Alturas Community Theater and funded in part by the California Arts Council (CAC), a state agency.

A memorial service for former Alturas business owner, Darwin "Presty" Prestesater, 70, of Chico will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, February 22 at Bidwell Memorial Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Prestesater died Friday, February 15, 2002 in a Petaluma hospital. He was born on February 23, 1931 in Lanesboro, Minnesota, to Otto and Benita Lyngen Prestesater. He moved to Southern California and graduated from Citrus High School in Glendora in 1949.

He served with the United States Air Force as a radar technician. Mr. Prestesater married Shirley Tehan in Carson City, NV, January 1, 1979.

He owned and operated Presty's Barber Shop in Chico, Presty's Market in Alturas and Sister's Motor Lodge in Sister's OR. He was Past President and Charter Member of Sons of Norway, Viking 89, Chico Lodge.

He enjoyed bowling, jogging, travel, gardening and his 1934 Ford hot-rod. Survivors include his wife, Shirley, of Chico; two sons, Duane of Santa Rosa and Derek of Chico; two stepdaughters, Norma Pieper of Artois and Kate Holmes of Chico; a stepson, David Tehan of Cohasset; a sister, Sherryl Cahill of Escondido; a brother Gary of Claremont; and nine grandchildren. Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Private burial will take place at Glen Oaks Memorial Park. Memorial contributions may be made to the Sons of Norway, Viking 89, or Mountain Caregivers Resource Center in care of Newton-Bracewell Chico Funeral Home.

William Jay "Pop" Lynch, 90, of Boise, passed ways Wednesday, February 13, 2002. Memorial services were held on Tuesday, February 19 at 1:00 p.m. at Cloverdale Funeral Home with Karen McConaughey officiating. Inurnment followed in Terrace Lawn Memorial Gardens.

William was born on a homestead ranch south of Cedaridge, Colorado on the South Slope of the Colorado Rockies on September 16, 1911, to William J. and Elizabeth Lynch. William attended Cedaridge High School until he left school to work on a ranch to help support his family. He worked on a reservation in Arizona for the Bureau of Indian Affairs until 1941. In May of 1941 William joined the Army Air Force; he was discharged after World War II. He received the Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal and the Meritorious Conduct Medal. After the war, he worked as an automotive mechanic through the fall of 1945.

William opened his own body shop after he moved to Alturas, CA. He married Fern English in 1966. He owned a black angus cattle ranch in Modoc County, California, and also was the Union Oil distributor for the Northeastern California area. Fern and William moved to Boise in 1990 to be near their children and grandchildren.

Mr. Lynch was a solid individual, with strong values and morals. He was the type of individual who, seeing a job that needed done, would not ask who's responsibility it was, but rather, would just do what was needed. He married into a "ready-made" family, including grandchildren, and became the patriarch of the family. He was a loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He instilled a sense of ability and a good work ethic in his family and was deeply loved and respected by all.

He is survived by his son, Barry, and daughter in law, Alice; grandchildren Bill and Barbara English and their son, Jack; Donn and Amy English and their daughter, Emma Paige; Kelly Hatch and her daughter Anna Grace and sons, Kevin and Brandyn and Tract English, all of Boise; and Stacy Urroz and sons Devin and Tanner and daughter Corinne, of Alturas, CA. He was preceded in death by his wife Fern.

The long-time, well-known owner of Walt's Market in Alturas passed away February 16, 2002 at his home in Alturas, CA. He was 78.

The Rev. Patrick Henry will conduct A Mass of Christian Burial today, February 21 at 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Alturas. The committal will follow at the Alturas Cemetery. The rosary was recited at Sacred Heart on Wednesday.

Walter Joseph Gysin was born on April 7, 1923 to Jake and Catherine Gysin of Alturas, CA. He was the youngest of four children.

One of his earliest memories was standing on a box and cutting up lard with one of his father's knives.

He attended school in Alturas along with his brothers, Emil and Leo and sister Loretta, and graduated from Modoc Union High in 1942.

He served in World War II on a troop transport ship with the Coast Guard, on the General A.W. Brewester. He was discharged in 1945 as an electricians mate, second class.

He returned to Alturas and worked with his father and brothers Emil and Leo. In 1947 they expanded the family business to include a slaughter house located near Dorris Reservoir. While Leo and his father worked the butcher shop, Walt took over learning the new operation from Herb Wood and Art Rochford.

During the 16 years he operated the slaughter house, he always bought local livestock. He had been known to say that, in order to be a butcher you have to be wide between the shoulders and narrow between the ears. In 1953 Jake Gysin died, leaving his sons in partnership. Three years later, the business in town grew from a butcher shop to a full grocery, and so it went until 1962, when Walt and Leo ended their partnership. At that time, Walt renamed the business that's now located on the corner of Main and Carlos to "Walt's Market".

He married Virginia Conlan on October 4, 1953. Of that union there were four children; Warner, Hydie, Jacob and Adele. His wife Virginia preceded him in death in 1968.

On January 6, 1971 he married Della Pace of Alturas. Added to that union was daughter, Artie Stripe and her two daughters Ronda and Janet. His wife Della preceded him in death on October 20, 1993.

In 1981, Walt's youngest son Jake got involved in the family business, with Walt running the butcher department and Jake the grocery. That partnership lasted 20 years.

He loved history, books, getting wood, watching television and a cold beer. He was not quick to judge, but was a good judge of character.

He is survived by his sister Loretta Kolpakoff of San Francisco, CA; children from his first marriage, sons Warner Gysin and wife Jenny of Walnut Creek, CA, Jake Gysin and wife Ronda of Alturas, daughters Hydie Varner and husband Marcus of Texas, Adele Mitchell and husband Paul of Alturas, daughter Artie Stripe from his second marriage; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Donations may be made to the leukemia foundation or the cancer society. Kerr Mortuary will be handling the arrangements.

Roberta Pauline Gilliland of Alturas passed away February 9, 2002 of natural causes at Modoc Medical Center in Alturas, Calif.

Born Roberta Kistmiller on June 17, 1918, in Fletcher, Oklahoma, she graduated from Lawton High School and Lawton College in Oklahoma. She married Roy Lloyd Gilliland in Caruthersville, Missouri on June 3, 1941.

Mrs. Gilliland worked as a bookkeeper at the shipyards during the war and then as a bookkeeper at B.F. Goodrich, before going into the sewing machine business with her brother in North Hollywood, Calif. The business was known as Crescent and Miller Sewing Machines. The company worked closely with MGM studios with sales and repair of machines and offered sewing classes. Mrs. Gilliland's specialty was teaching lingerie sewing classes to such notables as "SuperWoman" actress Lindsay Wagner and other stars. She taught sewing until she retired 10 years ago at the age of 72, when she moved to Alturas, to join her many family members already living in Alturas. Mrs. Gilliland was very devoted to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband Roy on March 22, 1977, and her mother and father.

She is survived by her daughter Judy Breiner and son-in-law Ray Breiner of Alturas; brother Budge Kistmiller of Bakersfield; nieces Sharon Cervants of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Debbie Barth of Oregon; three grandchildren, Lonnie Breiner and wife Karolyn; Gregg Breiner and Jack Breiner, all of Alturas; three great-grandchildren Monique, Brad and Tiffany, all of Alturas and numerous cousins.

Memorial services were conducted by Pastor Rod Bodmer at Faith Baptist Church in Alturas on Tuesday, Feb. 12

Catherine Cecila Rachford died of natural causes in Klamath Falls, Ore. on February 19, 2002. She was a long-time resident of Alturas and the wife of Donald Rachford, who preceded her in death.

Funeral services are pending with arrangements being made through Kerr Mortuary in Alturas.

Mrs. Rachford was born February 28, 1921. A complete obituary will be published at a later date.

The Modoc Braves couldn't top a loaded Durham team last week, and finished second in the CIF North Section Small Schools Wrestling finals held at Modoc High School. They've been runners-up four of the past five years.

Durham and Modoc were well ahead of the rest of the pack. Durham won with 270.5 points and Modoc finished second at 219. The remainder of the field scored as follows: Live Oak 132, Fall River 111, Etna 103, Tulelake 94, Esparto 86.5, Quincy 69, Chester 63.5, Biggs 59, Mt. Shasta 28, Hamilton 27, American Christian 17.5, Greenville 16, Big Valley 14, Bishop Quinn 11, Portola 7 and Burney 6.

The top four finishers at small schools qualify to move on to the Masters tournament Feb. 22-23 in Redding. The top two at Masters qualify for the state finals the next weekend.

Modoc's Braves were led by David Lutz who took the 145 pound championship, beating Daniel Nelson of Etna.

Robert Flournoy, the Braves favorite at 135 pounds, sustained a concussion in the semi-final match and could not wrestle in the finals. He ended up taking a second place, but will not be able to advance because of the injury. Flournoy had a shot at qualifying for the state meet.

Bill Moriarity took second at 112 pounds, losing to Tulelake's Victor Garcia. James Brogan was second to Durham's Jonathan O'Neil at 130 pounds. Jeremy Price took a second at 160 pounds, losing to the topped ranked wrestler at the meet, Daniel Price of Durham.

Taking third for the Braves were Jaafar Mirlohi at 125 pounds, Luke Hammerness at 152 pounds, J.D. Monroe at 189 pounds, where Tulelake's Andy Tompkins won, Ray Abernethy at 215 pounds and Mike Main at heavyweight.

Jared McGarva had one of the toughest weight classes at 171 pounds and finished fourth. Robert Veverka took a sixth at 140 pounds.

Modoc's girls and boys basketball teams entered the CIF Division V North Section playoffs this week, with the girls playing Tuesday and the boys playing last night, after presstime.

Even though the Braves boys lost three of their last four games, they wound up getting the sixth seed out of 16 teams. The last loss was 66-46 at home to Mt. Shasta.

The Modoc girls got the number 12 seed and traveled to Redding to face number five, Liberty Christian Tuesday. They lost 56-33.

Modoc was without their leading scorer, Rachel Gover, who suffered a broken collar bone against Fall River. Her scoring and quickness was missed, said coach Kenny Demick. He also said Liberty Christian has a very good team.

The Patriots opened with a 15-4 first quarter lead and led 29-16 by half. Liberty Christian led 40-25 after three and scored 16 to Modoc's eight in the final quarter.

Kristen Taylor led the scoring with 15, Jodi Freeman had 10 and Danielle Gaskey added five.

Modoc's boys played host to Quincy's Trojans last night in Alturas and if they won, would face the winner of the Pierce (3)--Westwood (14) game. They would be on the road against Pierce, home against Westwood, on Friday.

Big Valley's girl's varsity team got the number two seed and Big Valley boys team was seeded number eight in Division VI.

Modoc's varsity girls basketball team lost to Mt. Shasta last weekend in their final game of the regular season, 36-27.

The Braves were without starter Rachel Gover, who sustained a broken collar bone at a previous game against Fall River.

Mt. Shasta led 8-7 in the first and 21-16 by half. The Bears maintained a 25-21 after three and won the fourth quarter, 11-6.

The Surprise Valley boys varsity fell to the Happy Camp Indians 83-40 to finish the season last weekend.

Happy Camp took a 22-6 first period lead and led 42-24 by half. At the end of three, Happy Camp led 64 to 30.