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January 5th, 2006

News

June Primary has several local positions up

At least two current Modoc County elected officials will not be seeking re-election in the June 6 Primary Election. The first day to take out nomination papers is Feb. 13.
Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison and Modoc County Assessor Josephine Johnson have told the Record they will not be running again.

Sheriff Bruce Mix said he remains undecided about seeking another term and Auditor-Recorder Judi Stevens said she is also uncertain. In both cases, some personal and professional situations will help make the decision.

District Attorney Jordan Funk said he is weighing his options, but has not yet made a firm commitment.
It is expected that Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch will seek another term in office. Superintendent of Schools Vanston Shaw will seek election. He was appointed to serve out the remaining term of retired Superintendent Carol Harbaugh.

The primary has been moved back to the traditional June date, rather than in March.
County positions up for election in June are: District Attorney, County Clerk, Auditor-Recorder, Sheriff/Coroner, Treasurer/Tax Collector, Assessor and County Superintendent of Schools.

The Board of Supervisor seats of District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw are also up for election.

In the City of Alturas, the council seats of Jerry Smith and John Vass will come to term. City Treasurer Kathie Alves will be seeking re-election.

There is a filing fee for county offices, amounting to one percent of the annual salary. Those figures will be made available prior to the actual filing date.

According to Madison, the nomination papers will have to be returned by March 10.

Lassen College closure leaves county officials with plenty of questions

By Chad Sellmer

A posted notice for a Jan. 11 meeting hosted by the Modoc County Superintendent of Schools advertises a discussion session regarding "community college possibilities for the Alturas/Surprise Valley" areas.

It comes in response to the temporary closure of Lassen Community College's satellite office in Alturas a few weeks ago following more than 10 years in the community.

According to Modoc County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw, the closure came as a surprise and churned many rumors in the community, including one that scheduled classes for the upcoming semester would no longer be offered.

"From what they have told me, there was a realignment of personnel and they are looking at restructuring how they offer classes here," Shaw said. "I haven't heard of them canceling any classes (but) who knows what they may do?"

Karen Grosz, dean of instruction at Lassen Community College, says the school plans to "offer improved services to outreach areas such as Alturas, Bieber, Adin, Westwood and eastern Sierra," including "placement and counseling, things we are mandated to do.

"This is only a temporary closure until we can reassign people and
make sure we have appropriate coverage where we need it," Grosz said. "The Alturas office will open again."
Grosz noted that LCC currently offers 12 scheduled classes for Alturas, most held at Modoc High School and featuring on-site instruction in such areas as horsemanship, business law, administration of justice, and driver training, among others.

In response to questions still needing to be answered about long-term continuing education in Modoc County, Dr. Shaw decided to call a meeting.

"I've had several people contact me about what we are going to about a community college," Dr. Shaw explained. "In listening to the comments, they ranged from we need it in our own district or we need to align…with other counties. It seems like the time is right to gather community members and have a conversation about what to do here. We need to look at what level of service we are currently receiving from Lassen (and) what we want to receive."

The meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 11, is open to the public and will be held from 3-4:30 p.m. in the Modoc County Office of Education Conference Room. Those interested in attending may call (530) 233-7101 for more information. The president of Lassen Community College is expected to attend, though he could not be reached for comment. Grosz said she is planning to join him.

LCC claims an enrollment of 3,600 students in Susanville, with some 400 others taking courses through outreach center in Westwood, Herlong, Big Valley and Modoc, Mono and Sierra counties, according to its website, www.lassencollege.edu.

Dr. Shaw said one of the dilemmas facing those seeking continuing education is that "Modoc and Mono are the only two counties in the state that are not aligned to a community college district.

"Because of that and our distance from any community college, our students receive a maintenance fee (from the state) of approximately $1,000 per year for two years," he said. "Right now there are 45 from Modoc County attending community colleges across the country. Last year we had 18 at the College of Siskiyou in Weed, though most of those are from the Tulelake area. There were also 18 at Shasta College in Redding, while a smaller number attend Lassen."

He noted there are hundreds of Modoc residents who attend four-year colleges and universities, but they receive no maintenance fee.

"In talking with Dr. Homer Cissell (president of LCC), from his perspective he feels committed to providing services to the Alturas area," Shaw said. "At different times, we have had a few hundred students enrolled in their extension program. But since Modoc County is not aligned with Lassen, when they try to increase programming here they get complaints from other outlying areas that are aligned with them. If we choose to align with them, my concern is what is the benefit for us? We might get a member on their board of directors, but are there any economic costs for us, because right now it's all funded by the state. We also have to consider whether we want to stay like we are, or increase our services."

Dr. Shaw spoke with Dr. Mary Retterer, president of Shasta Community College, as well as Dr. David Pelham, president of College of Siskiyou, and he said both schools' offerings are exciting and unique, but with potential drawbacks.

"Shasta offers a pretty extensive online program, so that is one option. The dilemma there is in knowing 18 year old kids and how many of them need face-to-face instruction," he said. "With College of Siskiyou, they have quite a few instruction television classes similar to one Lassen installed at the Modoc County Office of Education, which is a television with a camera on top of it, so as the student is watching the class, the instructor can also see the student. Each college has something to offer.

"We had 10 years of extension outreach here from Lassen, and they offer a well developed correspondence program, where it's all paper and pencil," he added. "For some that works, but if you have the Internet, why do that? Of course, some of our residents in rural areas might not have Internet access."

"I'm hoping we will have a dialogue and let him share with us some of his visions, and folks can ask questions," he said. "We need a clear picture on what our options are. We have a need for community college services and I believe the demand will continue to grow."

Grosz hopes LCC can "do a better job" of mapping out education goals and classes for students in Alturas and other areas.

"I don't know that we've done that," she said. "In order to have better services, it may be possible that we have to streamline our office and personnel services. We reassigned an employee from the Alturas office to the campus here, (and) I think some might have jumped to conclusions about what that means."

She encourages Modoc County residents who are interested in taking classes through LCC this semester to check the website for a complete list of what is being offered.

Snow and rain snarl New Year's traffic, close highway

By Chad Sellmer

New Year's Eve holiday travelers on U.S. 395 received a rude introduction to winter on the morning of Dec. 31 as the California Highway Patrol closed both lanes south of Ravendale and re-routed traffic over to U.S. 139 due to heavy snowfall and severe flooding.

Although most of the vehicles met by the CHP's flashing lights at the Termo junction of U.S. 395 and Termo-Grasshopper Road were trucks headed toward Susanville and points beyond, plenty of passenger traffic routinely passes on the highway between Oregon and Reno, Nev.

"It's flooded just this side of the (Bureau of Land Management) wild-horse corral," said CHP officer, Mike Poindexter, whose vehicle was positioned in the middle of the highway outside the Termo Store at around 10 a.m. Saturday with its flashers on. "We are sending them across Termo-Grasshopper to 139, which also had a rockslide earlier."

As snow fell in a blizzard-like fury in and around Termo, it created slushy, hazardous driving conditions, but it was the flooding from warmer-than-average temperatures and earlier rainfall that closed both lanes of the highway. Further south, Reno experienced its worst flooding in more than a decade.

"From that flooded part south, as far as I know it's open," Poindexter said. "I haven't even made it down there. The snow is pretty heavy up here."

To make matters worse for travelers, U.S. 139 was down to a single lane of traffic, according to motorists.
"We've got a sign up in Alturas," Poindexter added. "The police department has a lit-up sign that says the road is closed, but we still get quite a bit of traffic. People don't see it, they're not used to it, so we are making sure they don't go all the way down there and get stuck."

He said there were no related automobile accidents to report due to the closure.

Postal Carrier Jackie Meyer, living up to her employer's credo of getting the mail out in spite of snow, rain and wind, said this is one of the "wettest" winters she can recall.

"This is very different from other New Year's (and) it's the wettest I've seen in years," Meyer said. "It's turned into this kind of rainy thing, not frozen, but not entirely slushy either.

"I was going up to Oregon but I didn't make it there," she added. "It's my brother's 50th anniversary tomorrow afternoon, and my car is loaded. I thought I might make it, but maybe not."
Poindexter arose before the crack of dawn to begin a long work day.

"First thing out of the gate this morning, we headed in this direction," he said. "The problem was in materializing at six o'clock this morning. We ended up with some people down there who couldn't get back."

Modoc RAC meets Monday

The Modoc County Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) will hold a meeting on Monday January 9th in the Modoc National Forest Supervisors' office at 800 West 12th street from 4 to 6 pm. The RAC is actively seeking applications for projects seeking funding in 2006 and 2007. Projects may include, but are not limited to road, trail and infrastructure maintenance or obliteration; soil productivity improvement; improvements in forest ecosystem health; watershed restoration and maintenance; control of noxious and exotic weeds.

Fifty percent of all approved projects must be for road maintenance and obliteration or watershed improvement and restoration. Projects must take place on or adjacent to National Forest Service lands. Previous projects have included the expansion of equestrian facilities at Pepperdine Campground, the creation of the Cedar Pass Trail including a restroom and well, the purchase of equipment for the expansion of the use of juniper to produce picket fences and hardwood flooring, funding for the completion of an Environmental Impact Statement for the restoration of the Sage-Steppe Ecosystem. At the meeting on January 9th projects will be reviewed for funding and there will be an election to appoint the chairperson for 2006. The meeting is open to the public. For information about Resource Advisory Committee positions available or how to submit a project for consideration contact Louis Haynes at 530-233-8846.

Erin Forrest

Life-time Modocer, Erin Forrest of Alturas, went to the spirit world on December 29, 2005. Erin was 85 years of age and was one of five children born to George and Rose (Baker) Forrest. Mr. Forrest passed away unexpectedly at his home.

Erin attended Fort Bidwell Indian School, grades one through three, Alturas Elementary, grades four through eight, graduated from Modoc High in 1938, then attended Riverside Junior College. He served in the U.S. Army as a Surgical Technician from July 1943 through December 1945 during World War II.

Erin has been active in Indian and Governmental Affairs at both the state and national level for most of his adult life. He was an aide to Alan Cranston, U.S. Senator for eight years and served as an aide in the California Assembly for Pauline Davis for eight years. He has drafted legislation, served on numerous governmental committees and served as an advocate for land based American Indians for many years. He served as Vice Chairman for the National Tribal Chairman's Association and assisted in drafting the legislation for 437 funds under President Johnson. "He created and developed the Modoc Indian Health Project and was the Project Director of Modoc Indian Health Project from 1968 until his retirement in 2002," describes his wife Margaret. He was the Chairman of XL Tribal Council from 1946 to 1961; member of the National Congress of American Indian 1959 to 1962 and 1969 to 1970; Organizer and first chairman of the Inter-Tribal Council of California; appointed by California Governors 1959 to 1967 to Governor's Inter-State Indian Council, Chairman 1967; Special consultant to President Lyndon Johnson's Task Force on Indian Affairs 1967 to 1968; member of California Rural Health Board; Vice Chairman, California State Advisory Commission on Indian Affairs, 1964 to 1969; Chairman, Modoc County OEO Committee, 1966 to 1967; Chairman, Modoc County OEDP Committee 1966 to 1967, Chairman, Modoc County, North Fork Pit River Water Development Committee; Past member Phoenix Area Indian Health Board; Organizer and first President of the Northeastern California Sportsmen's Council, 1965 to 1972; Member of the California-Oregon Inter State Deer Herd Committee,1964 to 1968; Member of California State Democratic Central Committee1960 to 1974 and Chairman of the Modoc County Democratic Central Committee; Kiwanis Club; Director Northern Counties Wildlife Conservation Association; Chairman, Modoc J.O.M. Committee; Member, Board of Regents, Haskell Indian Junior College 1971 to 1973; Member of National Tribal Association Health Committee 1974; Vice President National Tribal Chairman's Association 1975;

Erin received recognition for outstanding achievements in Indian Community Development from Indian Health Service in 1975; awarded for recognition of loyal and distinguished service on behalf of California Indian Tribes Dec. 1979; 1980 award for his gratitude for his advice and concern on behalf of California Tribes, CTCA Board of Directors; Indian Health Service Award of Appreciation April 1995.

His hobbies were collecting Indian artifacts, raising Appaloosa horses, hunting, fishing and wildlife conservation.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 33 years, Margaret Forrest of Alturas; daughters Neneekah Forrest of Davis Creek; Rosemary Nelson of Alturas; Carol Forrest of Ventura; Paula Bryant of Loleta, CA; Julie Anne Tupper of Chiloquin, Or.; Josephine Rahn of Modesto, CA; sons Erin Forrest, Jr. of Kingman, AZ; Poco Forrest of Chiloquin, OR; step-son Steve Ghorley of Orangevale, CA; 15 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews; brother Norman Forrest of Alturas.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father George and Rosie Forrest; his brother Daniel Forrest of Alturas; sister, Francis Forrest of San Francisco; two grandsons, Tim Tucker of Seattle, WA and Shawn Hoover of Oregon; and great-grandson Joshua Forrest of Santa Rosa, CA.

Donations in his memory may be directed to the Modoc Scholarship Fund c/o Plumas Bank, 510 North Main St., Alturas, CA 96101. There will be no services.

Willa Eloise Mills Utt

Willa Eloise Mills Utt was born in Washington County, OK to Clyde and Goldie Mills, on June 13, 1918. She was the middle child of three children. She attended school in Copan, OK, and upon graduation, she attended Emporia College of Business in Emporia, KS. While there she met and befriended Paul Utt.
Willa and her sister Laudine came to California in the early forties where she helped Laudine cook for the Red

River Lumber Company in Westwood and also at the Millwood Fountain in Susanville.
Willa then took a position with Lockheed Corporation in Burbank where she soon advanced to Management Assistant in the Industrial Relations Division. In 1945 she married Paul Utt in Long Beach as he returned from service in the Army Air Corp. They then moved to Herlong, CA, where, Paul had been offered a job in security by the Army at a new supply depot. She and Paul moved to Janesville in 1948 where she remained until her passing. After giving birth to her one child, Paul Eugene Utt Jr., Willa returned to work entering Federal Civil Service in 1947. She soon climbed the ladder to the position of Civilian Personnel Officer. After providing Personnel Management programs for the Commander, she became the Director of Administration for Sierra Army Depot. She enjoyed the distinction of being the first woman Director within the U.S. Army's Material Command Depot System. As director, she was instrumental in forming a credit union for the use by both military and civilian employees at the depot. It is now Sierra Central Credit Union.

Upon retiring in 1972 Willa spent many hours traveling, fishing, laughing and loving the company of her husband, two grandsons, and her sister. Willa said she was not retired but rather "eligible not to have to work." After the death of her husband Paul, Willa became both an active member and volunteer in many organizations. She is a charter member of the Jolly Elders, and the Mt. Tehama chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She has helped many in her journey. Her favorite memories were the antics of her grandsons, Saturday night dances in Termo, the Likely Rodeo, and helping at the Madeline Store owned by her sister and brother-in-law Deana and Earl Allen. Her smile and great sense of humor will be missed.
She slipped away quietly on December 27, 2005. Willa was preceded in death by her husband Paul, her sister Laudine, brother Cecil and brother-in-law Earl Allen.

Willa is survived by her son Paul E. Utt (Gene) of Willows, CA, two grandchildren, Jason and his wife Deana of Elko, Nevada, Tim of Janesville, CA, and one great-granddaughter, Jasmine of Elko, Nevada.
Services for Willa will be held in Susanville at the Walton Funeral Home on January 12, 2006 at 1:00 p.m. Burial to follow in Janesville Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made in Willa's name to the charity of ones' choosing.

Ted Wallace Brown

A memorial service for Ted Wallace Brown of Cedarville, will be held Saturday, January 7 at 2 p.m. at the Surprise Valley Community Church with the Dr. Ben Zandstra to officiate. A potluck gathering will follow at 225 Bonner St, Cedarville. Mr. Brown passed away on January 2, 2006 of natural causes at Surprise Valley Health Care in Cedarville, CA. He was 74.

Born on August 27, 1931 in Houlka, Mississippi, he attended Chamberlain Hunt Academy in his home state and Louisiana State University. He was a veteran having served four years with the U.S. Navy and another four years with the U.S. Air Force. He served during the Korean War and received his discharge in November 1958.

He worked in retail sales for many years. He loved to cook and traveled all over the United States and Europe. He enjoyed outings with his family and spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He had moved to Surprise Valley two years ago.

He was a very unselfish and loving father and will be greatly missed. No one could ever fill his shoes, describe his children.

He is survived by his brother W. Ronald Brown of Douglasville, GA; sister J. Wanda Boudreaux of Baton Rouge, LA; three daughters: Teddie W. Hayes of Rocklin, CA; Teri W. Brown-Riley of Cedarville, CA and T. Winona Brown of Citrus Heights, CA. Grandchildren: Joshua, Christina, Jennifer, Kyle, Danielle, Jeremiah, Jessica, Geoffrey and Brandon. Great-grandchildren: Dylan, Jasmine, Darrion and Malachi.
He was preceded in death by his father, Herbert L. Brown; mother, Lillian S. Brown; brother, J. Donald Brown; sister, D. Marie Hallett, and son, Ted W. Brown, Jr.

Donations in Mr. Brown's memory may be directed to the Surprise Valley Health Care District, P.O. Box 246, Cedarville, CA 96104. Kerr Mortuary in Alturas has charge of arrangements.

Sports

Wood second at Reno

Modoc senior Travis Wood took second place in the huge Sierra Nevada Classic wresting tournament in Reno last weekend.

According to Coach Shaun Wood, father of Travis and freshman Josh Wood, more than 900 wrestlers competed in the event, which draws some of the top wrestlers in the nation. Wood said that most divisions had about 80 wrestlers competing.

Travis pinned his way to the finals in four matches and then "got caught" in the championship match. Coach Wood believes Travis could have won the match and hopes to see the Thurston, Oregon wrestler again down the line.

Tulelake's John Luscombe placed third in the Reno tournament.

Jared Cox went 3-2 in the event, Sheridan Crutcher was 3-2, Brian Weed was 3-2, Josh Wood was 2-2, Chris Buchanan was 1-2, Kevin Richardson, Josue Madrigal and Cain Madrigal were 0-2.
This weekend the Braves travel to another big tournament at Anderson where they'll see most of the top wrestlers in the north section. Several of Modoc's wrestlers should do very well, including Travis and Josh Wood, Cox, Weed, Crutcher, and Ian Jacques.

Richert on USC team
There was a Modoc connection in Wednesday night's University of Southern California versus Texas NCAA National Championship football game at the Rose Bowl.

Jonathan Richert, now a junior at USC walked on and made the Trojan football team this spring as an offensive lineman. Richert graduated from Modoc High School in 2002. He's listed on the USC program roster as 6-4 and weighing 290 pounds.

Richert hasn't seen much playing time this year and is down some on the depth chart. He is the son of Dr Ed, and Carol Richert of Alturas.

January 12th, 2006

News

Wet winter boosts precipitation totals
It's been wetter than normal in Modoc for the past three months, with December well above season averages.
In Alturas for December, the U.S. Forest Service measured 3.98 inches of precipitation, more than three times the average of 1.23 inches for the month. In November, 2.31 inches were measured, well above the 1.37 inches per month average.

The year total (January to December) was 14.17 inches, well above the 12.53 inches per year average for Alturas. In addition, the month of January has started off wet with .50 inches of precipitation falling so far and more projected for the rest of this week.

In Alturas for the water year up to Sept. 2005, the USFS measured 15.33 inches of moisture and the year before that it was 12.65 inches.
To the extent that Alturas has been wet, it pales in comparison with Canby. According to the weather station's Diana McCulley, Canby showed a year total of 23.10 inches of precipitation. That pretty much drowned the average yearly rainfall of 15.5 inches.

Canby had 5.55 inches of moisture in December and 3.85 in November.

And Lake City nearly lived up to its name. Since November more than 10 inches of precipitation has been measured. According to measurements at the Hapgood Ranch, in December over nine inches of precipitation was measured. From Dec. 18 through Dec. 31, an astounding 7.07 inches of moisture fell, causing some flooding in the area.

What worries local weather and water watchers is the fact that the temperatures have also been unseasonably warm, meaning the normal snowpack in the mountains or foothills could be much weaker than normal. The snowpack measurement will be taken this month.

Local people are hoping for cooler weather, in part just to freeze the ground and get rid of what's become a very muddy mess.

Election will bring several new faces to county
One more current Modoc County elected official will not be seeking re-election in the June 6 Primary Election. There will be several new faces in county departments next year.

Auditor Judi Stevens joins County Clerk Maxine Madison and County Assessor Josephine Johnson in saying they will not be running again.
Sheriff Bruce Mix underwent triple-bypass heart surgery in Reno Tuesday morning and has said he remains undecided about seeking another term.

Last week, he said health concerns would play a major role in his decision-making process.

It is anticipated there will be a contested election in the Sheriff's race this year, whether Mix runs again or not.

District Attorney Jordan Funk has not yet made a firm commitment on seeking re-election.

It is expected that Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch will seek another term in office. Superintendent of Schools Vanston Shaw will seek election. He was appointed to serve out the remaining term of retired Superintendent Carol Harbaugh.

County positions up for election in June are: District Attorney, County Clerk, Auditor-Recorder, Sheriff/Coroner, Treasurer/Tax Collector, Assessor and County Superintendent of Schools.

The Board of Supervisor seats of District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw are also up for election.

In the City of Alturas, the council seats of Jerry Smith and John Vass will come to term. City Treasurer Kathie Alves will be seeking re-election.
The first day to take out nomination papers is Feb. 13. There is a filing fee for county offices, amounting to one percent of the annual salary. Those figures will be made available prior to the actual filing date.

According to Madison, the nomination papers will have to be returned by March 10.

No certainty RAC funding will be continued

This year, 2006, may see the end of the funding set aside by the United States Congress five years ago to replace the failing revenue stream to local counties that had historically been generated by timber sales from national forests.

Called the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Stabilization Act, this vital funding legislation represents a substantial portion of the money needed to run schools and maintain roads, in addition to a number of other programs, in rural counties with national forests.

Originally conceived as a safety net, these funds were appropriated to replace timber harvest receipts, which have declined 85% since 1986 and which fulfill a congressional agreement dating back to 1908. Proponents of the legislation insist that the funding is still needed because forest receipts continue to decline.

"The act has been extremely important to not only Lassen County, but to the state and nation," said Lassen County superintendent of schools, Bob Owens, who is actively working to inform the public. "Over the last five years of this bill, Lassen County schools and roads have split more than 12 million dollars. These funds are absolutely critical to Lassen County schools, especially in light of declining enrollment and the subsequent decline in revenues."

"I'm sure every school superintendent in the country that had a national forest timber program in their county is watching this closely," said Sean Curtis, chairman of the Modoc County RAC committee and board member of the National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition, a national umbrella coalition composed of 1300 member organizations in 37 states that is presently lobbying the U. S. Congress to reauthorize this legislation.
Curtis notes that Modoc County, for example, would lose about $3.3 million dollars annually if this funding were allowed to lapse. "It's certainly critical for the health of lots of rural communities," he said, adding that 800 counties nationwide receive funding under the legislation.

"The federal government has a responsibly to keep these counties whole, as they agreed to do a hundred years ago," said Bob Douglas, president of the Coalition, which is leading the fight to reauthorize the legislation and its badly needed funding.

Douglas also emphasized the nature of the contract between the federal government and these rural counties. "One hundred years ago, we agreed to set aside 95 percent of the land in our counties for national forests. Part of that agreement was that removal of those lands from economic development and taxation would be mitigated with a revenue sharing mechanism."

"If the formula that's worked for 85 years doesn't work any more, that doesn't relieve the federal government of the responsibility for compensation," said Curtis. "It just means … that you need to find another way to do it."

Noting that receipts from timber sales have continued to decline in recent years due to the government's policies, Curtis is adamant that a failure to renew the legislation will result in a financial catastrophe for the affected counties. "If its not reauthorized, then we go back to the old formula. … We're going to see … bankrupt school districts, layoffs of teachers and road department employees. Roads will suffer. We're going to see (county) services dramatically shrunk, increased class sizes (and) cutting of (school) programs such as bus transportation."

According to Curtis, county budgets will also be severely impacted, affecting virtually everyone in Modoc County to one degree or another.
"We believe that this bill going away at this time would be devastating for roads and county schools," said Douglas, echoing the sentiments of county officials and school district administrators in several California counties.

Douglas explained the legislation and its three principal funding streams that come to rural, forest counties as a result. "The Secure Rural Schools and Communities Act has been enormously successful. It's public policy at its finest, from our point of view."

He explained that Title 1 of the legislation funds schools and county roads. For about 780 forest counties, this money "has absolutely been a godsend because without the restoration of these funds all kinds of really draconian things would have been happening in the last six years in both public schools and roads in these rural counties," said Douglas.

Title 2 funds the Resource Advisory Councils (RACs) and the projects they select. "We have almost 70 RACs across the country," said Douglas. "We have not had a single one of those disband or fall apart because of conflict. In fact, they have done over 2,500 projects nationwide in the last four years, and not a single project has been litigated or appealed. That's an enormously successful track record."

Typically RAC funding is used "as a catalyst to bring partners together" and as seed money to leverage larger, more complex projects. "Almost 30 percent of the funds that were used in RAC projects came from sources other than Title 2 and the bill," Douglas said. This encouraged outside funding and promoted the "best kind of partnerships" for improving the communities and forests. He believes that Congress should take a hard look at the success of this program.

Title 3 funds go directly to the counties. "It has been an essential piece for wildfire protection planning under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act," said Douglas. "A lot of the work under Fire Safe Councils has been funded using … Title 3 money." It has also helped to fund search and rescue programs.

"Every one of the titles in the bill has had a success story behind it," said Douglas, emphasizing the overarching success of the legislation and its funding streams.

"Considering that we're all aware of numerous federal programs that aren't very successful," said Curtis, "here's one that's currently demonstrated to be successful."

All are agreed that reauthorizing the act at this time will be a bit of an uphill battle due to budgetary constraints.

"Politically speaking, it's going to be a tougher deal than it was five years ago," Curtis said, noting that this legislation was instigated in an era of ample budgets. "Anything (today) that costs money gets closer scrutiny than it may have in an era of surpluses."

"We are cautiously optimistic at this point that the Bush administration has recognized the importance of this bill," said Douglas. "We're hopeful that when the president's budget is released on February 3rd, there will be a clear signal sent to Congress, through that budget, that this act is important and that it is a priority of this administration and that they recognize that this is a historic partnership between the federal government and these rural communities to operate our national forest system."

Coalition member groups hope to awaken the public in affected counties to the necessity of supporting their efforts.
"The public can assist their schools and roads, the local economy, and the environment by becoming further educated about the Coalition, by becoming members, and by promoting the passage of the new bills (HR 517 and 5267)," said Owens.

Curtis encourages everyone to join the Coalition, follow the progress of the legislation through Congress and participate in letter writing campaigns.
"I think we're at a very critical stage," said Douglas of the efforts by the Coalition to have the Act reauthorized. He said that the goal is to have bill on president's desk by December this year, "so that we can maintain the protections of this funding for rural public schools."

He summarizes by saying that if the government fails to renew this legislation, it creates an inequity between the education of children in affected counties and those in the rest of the country. "We're essentially relegating the children in the forest counties of America to a second-rate education," Douglas said. "The country owes them more than that."

Resource Advisory Committee considers projects for '07

The Modoc Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) met Jan. 9 in Alturas to elect officers for the coming year and to review project proposals for 2007.

The RAC is seeking applications to fund projects in 2006-07, including road, trail and infrastructure maintenance or obliteration, soil productivity improvement, improvements in forest ecosystem health, watershed restoration and maintenance, and control of noxious and exotic weeds. All projects must take place on or adjacent to National Forest Service land.

At the Jan. 9 meeting, Sean Curtis was elected RAC chairman for 2006. Curtis is a natural resource advisor for Modoc County. Elected vice chairman was Willy Hagge, a former Modoc County supervisor who holds a range permit for cattle on National Forest land.

According to Louis Haynes, public affairs officer for Modoc National Forest and RAC coordinator, the RAC is part of a large-scale funding mechanism introduced by former president Clinton to help communities recover from the loss of the timber industry.

"The county used to receive 25 percent payment from all timber sales, but since we are no longer selling timber, there is nothing to get," Haynes explained. "In order to make sure schools and communities remain healthy in rural areas, the government gives so much money each year. This year, Modoc County received (approximately) $3.4 million.

"Out of that money, 80 percent (or $2.7 million) goes to schools and roads, and the other 20 percent is discretionary," he said. "That discretionary money is divided between Title II projects on Forest Service land, and Title III, or rural projects, things like search and rescue, and after-school programs for kids, and those types of activities."

Haynes said about $348,000 has been put aside this year for designated projects falling under the Title II classification.
"We usually start looking at funding those around September," he said. "Right now, we are looking to fund projects for 2007. One project came forward (Jan. 9), and that was submitted by the Forest Service for development of a wild-horse trap using a bating system. That project was approved, but the dollar amount was not determined pending going through the allocation process when that money gets here."
Haynes said the "portable" trap "could be used by Forest Service personnel working out in the field.

"What kind of closing system it would use and other issues are still being worked out," he added. "The purpose behind it is, for example, the Devil's Garden Ranger District, where the wild-horse herd is estimated at about 450, and they are hoping for about 300 horses out there. This trap would be utilized there or wherever we have more animals than we are looking for in the management plan. The trapped horses would then be transferred down to the BLM corral at Litchfield."

Other projects funded by the RAC in years past include an expansion of equestrian facilities at Pepperdine Campground in the Warner Mountains, creation of the Cedar Pass Trail including a restroom and well, purchase of equipment to expand use of the juniper tree to produce picket fences and hardwood flooring, and creation of an Environmental Impact Statement for the restoration of the Sage-Steppe Ecosystem.

"At the Pepperdine facility located between Alturas and Cedarville, the RAC funded the entire building, bathrooms, stalls for horses and a new water system," Haynes noted.

Other projects in the works include placement of wildlife guzzlers in remote areas, several trail improvements, and development of a new equestrian facility in the South Warner Mountains near Likely.

"We funded some wildlife guzzlers, or 3,000 gallon water tanks to capture snow and rainfall, so we developed a water supply for wildlife such as antelope, deer and wild horses where there had been nothing before," he said, explaining that the new equestrian facility near Likely "is still in the design process."

The Modoc RAC is actively seeking members for 2006-07, as well as more Title II and III projects. For more information, contact RAC Coordinator Louis Haynes at (530) 233-8846.

Obituaries

Eugene 'Jerry' Palmer

Eugene "Jerry" Palmer of Davis Creek died Sunday January 8, 2006 in El Centro, California of natural causes. Services will be held on Monday, January 16, 2006, at 2 p.m. at the Davis Creek Grange Hall in Davis Creek, CA. Graveside services at the Davis Creek Cemetery, with fellowship to follow at the Grange Hall.

Jerry with his wife and mother-in-law owned and operated the Davis Creek Mercantile for twenty years. With his good friend, John Z and friends put on the famous Davis Creek BBQ's in the summers.

Jerry was not always in the retail business. He was born September 6, 1937 in San Diego, CA. to George and Jean Palmer, his father was killed when he was two years old. His mother remarried Vernon Yates, who was Jerry's Dad until he died in Lakeview in 1990.
Jerry started his careers as a box boy at the corner market in Ocean Beach, CA. Then right out of high school joined the Air Force and was accepted into the SAC Air Police. He guarded airplanes and flight lines all over the U.S. and Spain. He was very proud that he made the "All Second Air Force Baseball All-Star" team for two years and played shortstop and second base all over Europe.

He came back to San Diego in 1960, and with his Mom's help went to work at Mission Bay Golf Course in San Diego. He was a maintenance worker, mowing greens and fairways. This is where he met his wife Beverley Hunter; her Dad owned the golf course. They were married on Feb. 25, 1961 exactly 2 months after their first date and spent almost 45 loving years together. Of course, Jerry got a promotion to Golf Course Superintendent (by his father-in-law). He went on to build and maintain four golf courses in San Diego County. He developed methods to grow turf in "alki" alkali soil.

Jerry was always looking to the future and went into landscaping in 1977 owning with his partner, Tom Jones, Turf Masters, Inc. They provided landscaping for Seaport Village and San Diego redevelopment project, along with many other commercial jobs.
He then decided it was time for a life style change and he and Beverley moved to Davis Creek to own and operate the Davis Creek Mercantile where Jerry became a storekeeper and "Cowboy." He rode his beloved cutting horse Rey Jay, winning many local awards in Modoc, Lake and Klamath counties. Everyone knew when Jerry was doing a good job, as he always laughed and let out a "Whoopi" and when he goofed-up, he did the same. He always had fun.
Jerry was always involved. He was a little league coach and manager even before his son played ball. He was president of the San Diego Golf Course Superintendents Assoc. for many years. He was a commissioner on the Davis Creek Fire District and a member of the Modoc County Sheriff's Posse. He was active with the Modoc County Cancer Society and the grounds-keeper at the Davis Creek Cemetery.

Jerry knew no strangers and could strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere, just about anything. He loved all people and was especially proud of his children and their accomplishments. His grandchildren were the apple of his eye.

He was preceded in death by his father, mother, stepfather, and his mother-in-law.

He is survived by his wife Beverley, of Davis Creek, CA; his son Brett and fiancée Wendy of San Diego; his daughter Sandra Bath and her husband Jerry of Lander, Wyoming. Grandchildren: Rick and Ben Bath, Kaleb, Ryan and Christopher Palmer, Caitlin Hakala, and great-granddaughter Tatum Bath. His sisters, Judy Feade and Patty Geanetta. Brothers-in-law, Kirk Hunter and wife Monica, Brad Hunter and wife Laurie. Nephews Blaine Hunter and Caine Feade and nieces Salina Hunter, Dawna and Kim Cordoza and Sara Feade. His dog Tilly and his horses Charlie, Stoney, and Squirt.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions in the name of Jerry Palmer to the Davis Creek Volunteer Fire Department or the organization of your choice.

Dollie Mayers

Dollie Elizabeth Halsey Mayers, 90, a resident of Alturas for the past 23 years, passed away Wednesday, January 4, 2006 in Lincoln, California. She was born August 7, 1915 in Schell City, Missouri, to Charles and Maud Griffith Halsey. After growing up in Clinton, MO, she married Raymond Mayers on July 3, 1933. They were married by her uncle, Rev. Wade Johnson, who was a well-known Baptist evangelist. In 1938, Dollie and Raymond moved to Lincoln, CA, where their three daughters grew up and where Dollie resided for nearly 45 years. She was a very active member of the Lincoln Assembly of God church. She was preceded in death by her husband Raymond, who died in 1964. She worked for Del Monte for 34 years, and after retirement in the early 1980s, moved to Alturas, to be near her oldest daughter Shirley. Her final years were spent with her daughter Carol Files, in Lincoln and in Alturas. She was a loving and giving mother and grandmother who was always there for her family. She loved life to its fullest, was a devoted Christian, and was a blessing to all who knew her. She will be missed so very much.

Besides her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her daughter Shirley Gooch and her grandson Mike Files, as well as her brothers Earl, George, Jim, and Dick Halsey, and sisters Marie Harrelson, Lola Sersey, and Nellie Kisor.  She is survived by her daughters Carol Files of Alturas, and Charlotte Solander Hertel of Whitewater, CO; 11 grandchildren: Curt Stafford of Citrus Heights, CA, Vanessa Allen of Grants Pass, OR, Teddie Hayes of Rocklin, CA, Teri Brown-Riley of Cedarville, (Traci) Winona Brown of Citrus Heights, Susan Davis of Alturas, Ken Files of Boise, ID, Ray Solander, Frank Solander, and Marilyn Murch, all of Lincoln, and Barbi Fox of Colorado; 24 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren.
 

Graveside services were held Wednesday Jan uary 11 at the Manzanita Cemetery, near Lincoln, CA.

Larry Van Meter

Larry Van Meter of Alturas passed away January 3, 2006 at Modoc Medical Center in Alturas, CA. Memorial services will be held at Kerr Mortuary Chapel on Friday, January 13 at 1:30 p.m. Wake to follow at 410 Chuckar Lane, Alturas. "Larry loved life and all his friends. Please come and help us remember Larry and how much he enjoyed life," encourage family members.

He was born in San Francisco, CA on March 21, 1958, and received his education there. He studied Karate, was a mechanic, truck driver and house mover over the years. He loved to cook and people loved to eat his food. He was always willing to lend a hand whenever someone needed help. He was a fan of WWF Wrestling. Mr. Van Meter had lived in Modoc County for the past three years.
He is survived by his long-time companion and wife, Laurie Sprouse VanMeter of Alturas; daughter Gina Van Meter of San Francisco; son, Chris Van Meter of Alturas, CA; grandson David Anthony Cerna of San Francisco; two sisters, Teresa Van Meter and Lorretta Van Meter, both of San Francisco; numerous friends and relatives.

Gilbert Ellenberger

Services for Gilbert "Gib" Ellenberger, 94, of Adin, will be held today, Thursday, January 12 at 11 a.m. at the Adin Community Bible Church. The Rev. Dave Lambert of Red Bluff and Rev. Ryan Harper of Adin will officiate. Burial will be at the Adin Cemetery. Mr. Ellenberger died Saturday, January 7, 2006, at Mayer's Memorial Hospital in Fall River Mills, CA. He was born December 7, 1911, in Phillipsburg County, Kansas. He was a life-long resident of Adin, CA. He was a timber faller and worked in the lumber industry until he retired.

Survivors include his wife Tommie of Adin; four sons, Dolan of Lakeview, Tommy of Redding, Dearld of Adin and Larry of Adin; eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Adin Community Bible Church. Arrangements are being handled by Kerr Mortuary in Alturas.

Herbert Ivory Dally

Herbert Ivory Dally of Fort Bidwell passed away December 23, 2005, in Fernley, NV at the home of his son Brandon.

Herbert was born November 24, 1928 to Ivory and Olivia Dally in Berkeley, CA. He spent his childhood in Pittsburgh, CA and on the family farm near Oakley, CA. He attended schools in Pittsburgh and Oakley, and graduated from Liberty Union High School.

When the Korean War came, Herbert enlisted in the U.S. Navy, in which he served aboard an aircraft carrier. Upon the death of his father, the Navy gave him an early honorable discharge, and he was sent home to operate the family farm. Eventually the farm was sold.

By the time the farm was sold, Herbert had married and had four children. With his family, he moved to Chicago, where for a time he managed a small business. This was followed by a move to Nevada. In Nevada he worked as a miner for many years, and raised his three sons. When he retired, he moved to the Lake Mead area.

In 2002, he returned to his native California, to Modoc County, where he took up residence in Fort Bidwell.
Herbert's life-long favorite pastime was fishing. After retirement he owned a good-sized boat, and while at Lake Mead he delighted in taking other retirees out on the lake to fish. After moving to Modoc County he quickly located the best fishing spots.

At Fort Bidwell, though, Herbert, a warm, caring, kindly man, found so many ways to help his neighbors and the community in general that he rarely had time to fish. During his brief time in Fort Bidwell, he accomplished many things and made many friends.
Herbert was a life-long member of the Catholic Church and a long-time member of the Knights of Columbus. He joined the Fort Bidwell Volunteer Fire Department and helped with all their activities.

Herbert Dally is survived by his sister, Beverly Dally Kloepfer, his three sons, Brandon, Cameron, and Logan, and two grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughter Shannon.

Memorial services are pending.

Dominique Angelique Forrest

Funeral services for infant Dominique Angelique Forrest, known as "Nikki," will be held at Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas on Monday, January 16 at 10 a.m. Visitation will be the same morning at 9 a.m. at Kerr Mortuary.

She was born on December 15, 2005, in Fall River Mills, CA. She passed away from natural causes on January 7, 2006, in Alturas.

She is survived by her mother, Michele Lee Forrest of Alturas, CA; grandmother Jackie Hansen of Yuba City, CA; grandfather Nathaniel Forrest of Reno, NV; great-grandfather Norman Forrest of Alturas, CA; great-grandparents Harry and Clydene Kightlinger, Yuba City, CA; great uncles, Max and Mike Forrest of Alturas, CA; great aunt, Barbara Spencer, San Leandro, CA; aunts: Josie, Bernie, Rose of Marysville, CA and numerous cousins.

She was preceded in death by her great-grandmother Georgine Forrest and aunt April Forrest.

Sports

Braves split to open SCL

Modoc's varsity boy's basketball team split to open the Shasta Cascade League this week, losing to Mt. Shasta, 49-37, and then traveling to Trinity to beat the Wolves, 58-41.

The Braves were without the services of forward Ross Burgess for those two games, out with a sprained ankle.
Against Mt. Shasta here, Modoc opened with a 19-9 first period lead and then the top of the hoop froze over. The Braves managed just two points in the second period and allowed the Bears to tie the score at 21-21. The Braves didn't warm much in the third period as Mt. Shasta took a 37-28 lead into the fourth period.

"We just went dead as far as shooting goes," said coach Bunk Richardson. "Nothing would fall for us. We did cut the lead to three in the fourth, but they hit a three and that just sucked the wind out of us." Micah Eppler led the scoring with 13 and Zeke Bonham added nine.
On Saturday, the Braves made the arduous trek to Weaverville, where they played a better game.The game was knotted at 14-14 after one and Modoc led 36-22 at the half. The Braves and Wolves fought it out to a 37-34 Modoc lead after three. TheBraves then added 21 points, 10 by Taylor

Dunn, in the fourth for the win while limiting Trinity to just seven.

Dunn led all scorers with 23 points and Eppler added 16.

Modoc travels to Weed Friday and Burney comes to Modoc next Tuesday.

The Braves beat Bishop Quinn 52-33 Tuesday night in Alturas to up their league record to 2-1. Modoc jumped out to a 23-9 first period lead and led 34-21 by halftime. The Braves led 45-28 after three. Bishop Quinn is also 2-1 in the SCL.
Eppler led the scoring with 19 points and Dunn added 14.

Braves stunned at Anderson tourney

Modoc's wrestling team heads to the Burney Invitational this weekend, coming off a disappointing showing at the big Anderson Invitational last weekend.

Modoc will still be the odds-on favorite to win the Burney event, something that has been very common this decade.

In Anderson, Modoc's top wrestler, senior 152-pounder Travis Wood, finished fourth, the highest of any Modoc entrant. Coach Shaun Wood, Travis' father said his son did not have a good outing.

His brother, freshman Josh Wood, did well, placing fifth at 189 pounds. The only other place winner for Modoc was Sheridan Crutcher, who was seventh at 135 pounds.

Wood said several of his wrestlers competed well, even though they did not place and he expects them to win the Burney Invitational. He said it's possible that most of his starters will compete the finals.

Modoc girls open with two wins

Modoc's girls won their opening two games of the Shasta Cascade League loop, beating Mt. Shasta and Trinity.

The Braves had Mt. Shasta at home Friday night, winning 52-45. Modoc led 14-9 in the first and 28-17 in the second. They led after three 36-25.
Catherine Lowry led all scorers with 18 while Sarah Catania added 13. Alysha Northrup added seven and Tacie Richardson had six.
The Braves beat Trinity 54-44 on the Wolves court Saturday. They led 19-2 in the first and 21 14 at halftime. They led 36-25 after three. They added 18 to the Wolves' 19 in the fourth.

Lowry led the team with 28 points, Catania added 12 and Northrup and Richardson each had five.
The Braves lost to Bishop Quinn Tuesday at home 43-29, on a very poor shooting night, hitting just 23 percent from the floor. Northrup led the Braves with seven, Richardson added six and Catania had six.

The loss puts them at 2-1 in league with Weed there Friday and Burney at home Tuesday.

Modoc junior varsity is 1-2

Modoc's junior varsity boys opened the Shasta Cascade loop with two losses and one win. The lost their first two, 45-43 in Mt. Shasta and 77-62 in Trinity. Tuesday, they beat Bishop Quinn 61-57.

Against Mt. Shasta, John Hughes led with 14 points, Dee Hunsaker added 10, Trent Schmidt had seven and Daniel Morgan and Justin Estes each added six.

Against Trinity, Estes led the scoring with 24 points; Morgan added 13 and Hunsaker had 10.
Estes scored 21 to lead against Bishop Quinn, Schmidt added 18 and Hunsaker had 10.

January 19th, 2006

News

Cotta will run for District Attorney

Local public defender Richard Cotta has announced he'll be a candidate for Modoc County District Attorney in the June 6 primary.

It is expected that DA Jordan Funk will seek re-election and another challenger could be local attorney John Lawson.

Cotta, age 52, is currently forming an advisory committee. He is a graduate of Santa Clara University School of Law and has practiced law for 20 years, primarily devoted to criminal law. He holds Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from San Jose State University. Cotta came to Modoc in 2003 as a contract public defender with the firm of John Barker and Associates, of Madera, Ca. He is a veteran and a native Californian.
At least three Modoc officials will not be seeking re-election: Auditor Judi Stevens, County Clerk Maxine Madison and County Assessor Josephine Johnson.

Sheriff Bruce Mix is recovering from triple-bypass heart surgery and has said he has not decided about seeking another term. It is anticipated there will be a contested election in the Sheriff's race this year, whether Mix runs again or not.

Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch is expected to seek another term in office. Superintendent of Schools Vanston Shaw will seek election. He was appointed to serve out the remaining term of retired Superintendent Carol Harbaugh.

County positions up for election in June are: District Attorney, County Clerk, Auditor-Recorder, Sheriff/Coroner, Treasurer/Tax Collector, Assessor and County Superintendent of Schools.

The Board of Supervisor seats of District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw are also up for election. Both are expected to run again.

In the City of Alturas, the council seats of Jerry Smith and John Vass will come to term. City Treasurer Kathie Alves will be seeking re-election.

The first day to take out nomination papers is Feb. 13. There is a filing fee for county offices, amounting to one percent of the annual salary. Those figures will be made available prior to the actual filing date.
According to Madison, the nomination papers will have to be returned by March 10.

Small town life can bring solution closer to home

By Jane S. Holloway
Publisher

The New Year is bringing new and unwanted challenges to many of Modoc's residents, including those who have worked hard as the corner stones of the country- - the senior citizens. But not only are seniors being affected, but working families.

The issue is not just one single thing; heating costs and gasoline prices, food and medical costs have outpaced fixed incomes. The reality of living on a fixed income or a tight budget can leave a person dangerously cold. The cost of living increases, while the resources to pay for them don't.

So much has changed in just one year in the U.S., and organizations are not organized enough, nor do they have the resources to meet the volume of need of people. That means that reaching out to help a neighbor is crucial.

Many who would never dream of asking for any kind of help, grew up in a different time, when being self-sufficient actually allowed a person to manage to make "ends meet." Many of our seniors will not ask for help, even after being told that they qualify.

But, times are harsh and money elusive for the "working poor" and many seniors. Just trying to fend off the cold of the winter in one's own home can be tough. For many, the options are heavily weighed each day, week and month, which bills to pay: whether to buy food, pay for heat or prescription medications. Diets are lean just to be able to get by and pay for medications or to keep the heat on. Frugal living is a way of life.
What, you say, in this country? How can anyone be cold or hungry or be left without help, for something another might consider minor? But, it happens daily and Modoc residents are no exception.

Charities are struggling with limited cash donations, and try to help those who approach them as best they can. But many times, throwing cash at the problem, won't always fix it. Pride often keeps self-respecting people away from asking a charity, family member or neighbor for help. And those without family, wonder how they can make it through the dark, cold winter months.

Some who have very little to give, do as much as they can for others, because they were taught that charity begins at home and comes from the heart. That's when the description, "the family of man" reminds us to look out for the needs of those around us. We all have come to realize there are "givers" and there are "takers."

We need look no further than our own community to find those in need. Often times these people or neighbors go unnoticed, because no one takes the time to ask. Many are falling into the cracks of society- not enough income, yet on a meager budget, but too much to qualify for assistance. Some may live in town, just next door; others are living alone, in more remote areas. Fiercely independent, many will never set foot in a social services agency door to ask for help and they certainly won't ask for government assistance or interference in their lives. And no one wants to be taken advantage of or condescendingly treated by another.

"We just don't see the reaching out, that used to be a way of life," laments one Alturas senior citizen, who wishes to remain anonymous. "I think there needs to be a desperate call to help our neighbors, and we can start right here, at home. It seems we've turned our seniors from the corner stones of society to the stepping stones."

"Sometimes we just have to start with an open heart in our own community to help fill those basic needs of a roof over our heads, warm clothing, a warm place to live and food on the table. Time is of the essence, especially at this time of the year. Helping doesn't require much for someone who is physically capable. A neighbor or a relative may need help by bringing in their wood, shoveling snow off their walk, change a ceiling lightbulb or some small thing, that's easy for one, but not for the one who has the need. But they won't ask."

During the winter, when flu and ill health seems to take hold, and a quick drive to the store is not an option for many, that's when a friend or neighbor can help. And if someone is spending a lot of time curled up under blankets or staying in bed alot, it may be because they can't afford to turn on any heat.

Options do exist and Marie Smith and the staff and volunteers at Modoc Senior Citizens Center say new faces are always a pleasure to see at the Monday through Friday lunches at the Modoc Senior Citizens Center. Transportation to the lunches in the Senior Center dining room on West Fourth Street, can offer a warm atmosphere, an informal outing, conversation and games for those who choose to stay after lunch. Home delivered meals, lunch reservations and transportation can all be arranged by calling the Senior Center in Alturas at (530) 233-4438. Guests are welcome and don't have an age requirement.

Arrangements for Sage Stage transportation can be accessed for a trip to the store, doctor, downtown, to pick up medications or get a lift out of town. Call Sage Stage at (530) 233-3883.

Something in just the past year, which is a pilot program and available to Alturas area home bound residents at this time, with the option of growing to outer areas, is the Senior Peer Counselor program. Volunteers are trained to assist as a friend and an advocate and are able to expand the support system for seniors by connecting them with other available community resources, if necessary. Just call (530) 233-7126 for further information. Such a program is working well in an urban area in the southern part of the state.

"In the meantime, check on your neighbor or a family member living alone. Are you bored?—go to the rest home to visit and learn the meaning of boredom, loneliness and depression. Go, thinking instead that you are giving love and they will teach you how to love," offers one Alturas senior.

"It takes very little to help someone, but the rewards are many," she encourages. Making lives better, one community at a time, with a little care, can really help. People just have to take a moment to care."

Share your suggestions or solutions with us. Please write to us at the Modoc County Record, P.O. Box 531, Alturas, CA 96101; e-mail jane@modocrecord.com or call 530-233-2632.

Transportation Commission pushes Warner Street renovation

For the third time in as many years, the Modoc County Transportation Commission is recommending that state money designated for road repair go to fix Warner Street in Alturas.

The recommendation comes on the heels of the group's public meeting Jan. 12 in city hall. The proposal to allocate $1,927,000 to Warner Street represents roughly one-third of all transportation money available from the state for Modoc County in 2006.

With millions of dollars in State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) funds supposedly available, the local transportation commission is the agency for recommending how state government spends taxpayer money in this arena. However, MCTC Executive Director Pam Couch said a succession of California governors has hamstrung local transportation improvement programs.

"We have had a lot of problems statewide due to the state budget being hijacked," said Couch, who is also executive director of the Modoc Transportation Agency and the county's Sage-Stage bus transit system. "Our last two governors have taken transportation dollars the voters earmarked for roads, and put it to balance the state budget.

"This is the third time we have programmed the Warner Street work," she added, noting the road is in bad shape and serves as a main artery in the county's most populated area. "It should have been done in 2003, and we would have saved a lot of money by doing it then, because there is a one-third increase in construction costs. There will come a point where we can no longer overlay that road, and then the cost will be astronomical."

Modoc County Deputy Road Commissioner Steve Jacques concurs, noting he is "not holding my breath" for funding of projects this year.

"My feeling is they make a lot of promises (but) transportation funding is so uncertain, it seems like a role of the dice," Jacques said. "I know the governor has moved transportation up his priority list lately, but small counties like us don't rate real high on that list."

Provided the money comes through, the MCTC voted on $6,485,000 worth of projects as part of the 2006 Regional Transportation Improvement Program, Couch explained. This includes oversight for state, county and city improvement projects.

"With STIP dollars, 75 percent goes to regions, and each region votes on the projects," she said. "That is a major change since 1998, and the reason we are doing more projects locally than ever before. We keep track of the checkbook balance to make sure everyone is afforded an equal opportunity (and) a fair and equitable split over the long run."

Below is a closer look at the projects voted on by the MCTC:

Warner Street rehabilitation, local-state matching funds of approximately $1,927,000, with construction slated for 2007-08.

County Road 114 rehab, $745,000 for construction in 2008-09 in the Newell/Tulelake area
Replacement of two bridges on CR 61 (Nos. 3C036 and 3C037) deemed "structurally insufficient." Matching funds of $32,000 awarded for each bridge through the Federal Bridge Replacement Program, with construction in 2009-10.

Replacement of two other bridges standing side by side on CR 87A, awarded $19,000 each for preliminary engineering, specifications and environmental documentation phase in 2006-07, and $86,000 in matching funds each for the construction phase in 2007-08 (or roughly 11 percent of the total cost).
CR1 North resurfacing from Cedarville to past Lake City, awarded in two phases for a total of $1,815,000 from 2009-11.

A second rehab is scheduled in the Newell/Tulelake area consisting of CR114 resurfacing to the state highway, with allocation of approximately $2 million for 2009-11.

$400,000 to public transit for purchase of Sage-Stage replacement vehicles.

$206,000 set in reserve for transportation enhancement activities in 2010-11.

Jacques said "structurally deficient" bridges near Canby and Adin will be replaced as part of projects approved last year and in 2006.

"We have a couple of other projects that were approved on CR 1. Those will not affect a lot of people but the road is in real bad shape," he said. "The first phase is the south section to the border, and the other is from Cedarville to Lake City. That will be a big project if we can get the money for it."

Approximately $1 million approved earlier by MCTC is going into a partnership with CalTrans to install decorative lighting along Main Street in Alturas, Couch noted.

"We added those dollars to enhance and beautify our community," she said. "With Main Street being a highway, it will really create some challenges, but there are no other transportation corridors here.
"It should be very interesting as the town gets turned upside down," she added with a knowing chuckle.
Erik Akana of Redding, CalTrans engineer and project manager for Modoc County, earlier noted a "major rehab" of downtown Alturas includes installation of "large drainage trunks" and repaving Main Street for flood control.

The partnership with MCTC for decorative lighting is "a way to get downtown spruced up a little bit, and give people coming through Alturas that hometown feeling," he said. "It should make it really nice looking, instead of those tall, cobra-head lights."

CalTrans work for the upcoming season will involve U.S. 395 in Lassen and Modoc counties, U.S. 299 between Canby and Alturas, and several other areas up to the Oregon border, according to officials.
The MCTC also held a public hearing on its 2005 Regional Transportation Plan Jan. 12. The 20-year plan focuses on "needs, growth trends, and all the things happening in our community, so we know where to put the money when we have it," Couch said. "California law states that every rural transportation commission in the state must adopt and update one every four years."

This document is available for review and open to public comment until Feb 1. To review this plan, visit the MCTC office at 111 W. North St. in Alturas. The commission will vote on the updated plan in the second week of February. The commission's telephone number is 233-6410 for more information.

CVC group aims to create visitor friendly center

Members of the CVC Working Group will meet on Thursday, January 25, to consider applying for newly available funding to help make the dream of building a community and visitor's center in Surprise Valley a reality. The meeting will begin at 3:00 PM in the conference room at the BLM's Surprise Field Office in Cedarville.

The CVC group, comprised of local citizens and representatives of civic, governmental, tribal and community organizations from throughout Modoc and northern Washoe counties, has been meeting over a period of 18 months. Their main objective is to positively channel the current and anticipated impacts from a growing number of tourists who are increasingly discovering the charms of Modoc County and the nearby Black Rock/High Rock National Conservation Area in Northern Nevada.

Preserving the character, history and quality of life people in the area treasure is a high priority for most of the group's members. "So many people come here from some urban 'bedroom community' and tell me how much this area reminds them of how their home town used to be They're sad when they realize what all they've lost", said Susie Bunyard, the group's chairman and owner of the Sunrise Motel in Cedarville. "We all need to step up to the plate and preserve our own special history and culture before it's too late for us as well."

At the urging of NCA Director Dave Cooper, CVC members developed and began circulating a "Memorandum of Understanding" (MOU) last year. To date, it has been signed by twelve area organizations. Forming partnerships with a wide range of community groups is expected to increase chances of receiving grant funds to build the center as well as bring together a coalition to support the planning, building and operating of a community and visitor center in Cedarville.

The impact of increasing numbers of tourists visiting nearby attractions like the Black Rock Desert /High Rock Canyon/Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area (NCA), the pristine northwestern Great Basin region, and the forests of the Warner Mountains that border Surprise Valley, is already being felt in local communities, especially Cedarville. Many in the group see a visitor center as the most important antidote to unrestrained tourism.

"As people grow more 'civilized' at home, the more ignorant they seem to be about how to interact with our natural environment", mused Bunyard. "A Visitor's Center would give us the best opportunity to get helpful material into their hands before they wander out into the wilderness – and we possibly have to go rescue them!" Through the use of educational brochures, a historical museum, or just talking to informative staff, "We'll have the chance to tell them who we are and why we value our surroundings and our heritage so much."

While some business owners happily anticipate an increase in their income from growing tourism, undesirable consequences can include strains on existing services, rampant commercial development, and serious financial impacts on existing infrastructure (police, fire and public facilities).

Apart from the opportunity to provide information to tourists, a multi-purpose visitors and community center would also benefit many residents and community organizations. CVC members have discussed incorporating some or all of the following into a future building project: visitor information, maps, and interpretive displays, a museum, public restrooms, community meeting facilities, a Chamber of Commerce office, commercial space for a gift shop or coffee stand or western-themed business, expanded public library space, archival storage space for historical items, and meeting rooms available for community use.

Video copies of a presentation which served as the impetus to form the group back in the summer of 2004 are available for anyone interested in learning more about the gateway community model. "Gateway Communities: Keys to Success" was hosted by Conservation Fund President Ed McMahon in July 2004. In it, he reflects on the successes he's seen in a career centered on successfully helping small communities preserve their heritage, contain runaway development, and still capitalize on the economic boost that often follows when growing numbers of tourists suddenly discover an area.

Those who have viewed the program enthusiastically agree it stimulates discussions on thoughtful community planning. As towns situated near other national monuments, parks, wilderness and historic sites have found, being a gateway to such destinations can be a blessing or a curse depending on the foresight of community leaders and business owners.

Surprise Valley, situated along the natural route for many who visit the NCA is also becoming a popular choice for those looking for a new travel experience away from better-known and more congested destinations within California. Those factors alone are enough to earn it the distinction of being a "gateway community".
"No one gets to vote on whether they want to be a gateway community. They just are by virtue of their location near a point of interest or their perceived desirability as a tourist destination", said McMahon. He added that such communities are often "ground zero in the struggle between haphazard development and planned growth." Towns near public lands inevitably face challenges when dealing with expansion, tourism, transportation, pollution, and even increased crime.

By beginning to carefully plan now, Surprise Valley is entering a truly exciting era rich with possibilities. In the presentation, McMahon says, "The most important question to ask is 'what should we, as a community, do?'-- and then work toward those goals."

Everyone interested in helping bring a visitor's center to the area or who would like to join in a discussion of planning wisely for a brighter future is welcome to attend the January 25 meeting. For more information, please call Susie Bunyard at 279-2161 or Owen Billingsley at 279-6101.

Forest temporarily close for fuel-wood

Cutting Due to resource concerns and current ground conditions on the Doublehead, Devil's Garden and Warner Mountain Ranger Districts, fuel-wood cutting has been temporarily closed on these districts. Jim Irvin, District Ranger for the Warner Mountain and Devil's Garden Ranger Districts stated, "That due to saturated soils and poor road condition, in these areas, continued use will lead to resource damage.

These areas will be checked regularly and reopened as conditions change and the impacts to the resources can be minimized." Laurence Crabtree District Ranger for the Doublehead and Big Valley Ranger Districts stated," Due to the ground conditions on the Doublehead Ranger District and recommendations from district staff, the Doublehead Ranger District has been closed to fuel-wood cutting. The Big Valley Ranger District will remain open to fuel-wood cutting due to the proximity of the fuels to paved and solid road networks on the district. I would recommend that fuel-wood cutters use caution when cutting on the Big Valley District to prevent resource damage during the wetter periods. If the wetter weather pattern persists the Big Valley Ranger District may close for fuel-wood cutting."

Douglas Dale Dwyer

Douglas Dale Dwyer, 36, passed away on January 11, 2006, in Hillsboro, Oregon, due to complications following a stroke in December. Mr. Dwyer had resided in Hillsboro for the past eight years.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, January 21 at 2 p.m. at the Alturas Baptist Church, 500 West Fourth St., Alturas, CA.

Doug was born to Alfreida and James Dwyer on January 19, 1969 in Ketchikan, Alaska. He spent most of his life in California and graduated from Modoc High School in 1987.

He moved to Seattle, Washington in 1990, then Hillsboro, Oregon in 1997. Doug worked for Wells Fargo where he was a Customer Service Representative in their call center.

Doug will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his mother in 2004, and his father in 1989. Doug leaves behind his brothers and sisters, Dan Dwyer of Everett, Washington, Debbie McGuire of Stockton, Diane Marcuerquiaga of Modesto, CA; Dennis Dwyer of Alturas, CA and Dawn Dwyer of Seattle, Washington. He also leaves behind his nieces Melissa Redding of Lodi, CA and Jessica Dwyer of Alturas, nephews Brian McGuire of Stockton and Cody Helgerson of Modesto.

Erma Kennedy Conley

Services for Erma Kennedy Conley, a member of the Bieber community for her entire life, will be held Monday, January 23 at 1 p.m. at Hillside Cemetery in Nubieber. Pastor and Mrs. Jeff Bidwell will conduct the graveside service.

Mrs. Conley passed away of natural causes on January 16, 2006 at Fall River Mills, CA. She was 94. Survivors include her brother-in-law Joe Potter of Lookout, cousins Bill and Emma Walker and family of Cottonwood; Muriel Brown and family of Redding, nieces and nephews: Jeannine Potter Primorac of Alturas and sons Roger and Kevin and families; Rick and Vicki Potter of Chugiak, Alaska; Sherrell and Don Boyd and family, Klamath Falls; Patricia Kenyon and family of Red Bluff.
Memorials can be directed to the Big Valley Museum, Bieber, CA 96009. Mrs. Conley's obituary will be published next week.

Emma Lucile Stopp

Emma Lucile Stopp, 92 year-old Montague resident, passed away in Meadowlark Assisted Living in Yreka, CA on January 15, 2006.

Lucile was born in lake City, California on December 18, 1913 to Oliver and Ollie Cramton. Lucile is a lifetime resident of Lake City until 1999, when she and her husband Clarence moved off their ranch to Montague. Lucile worked nights as a nurse's aide at Surprise Valley Hospital and days beside Clarence on the ranch. She loved people, but her life was centered around her husband, family and the ranch. She was s member of Surprise Valley Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Survivors include two children, Charlynn Long of Montague and Cynthia Charles of Healdsburg; three grandchildren, Christopher Robertson of Montague, Chester Robertson of Lake City and Leticia Brent of Phoenix, AZ and four great- granddaughters. Lucile was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Clarence Stopp in 2001.

Inurnment will be in the Lake City Cemetery in Lake City. Contributions may be made to Stable Hands, P.O. Box 1852, Yreka, CA 96097. Girdner Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Sports

Braves beat Cougars 64-54

Modoc's boys varsity opened with a 24-19 lead in the first quarter Friday night over the Weed Cougars and never looked back. The Braves led 40-32 at halftime and 51-43 after three periods.

Micah Eppler led the scoring with 26 points, Taylor Dunn added 20 and Jace Wheeler had eight.

The Braves increased the league winning record to 4-1 Tuesday night with a 51-46 win over Burney here.

Modoc led 11-7 in the first and 22-21 at halftime. The Braves used a solid third period to go up 41-31.

Zeke Bonham led the scoring with 16 and Eppler added 15. One of Modoc's starters, Ross Burgess has been out with an injury but is expected back this week.

Modoc faces Etna there on Friday and goes to Fall River next Tuesday.

Wood, Crutcher top local wrestlers at Burney

Modoc's Sheridan Crutcher was named the Most Outstanding Middleweight wrestler and Josh Wood earned the top Heavyweight Wrestler honor at the Burney Rotary Invitational last weekend.

Modoc just missed winning the team title earning 214.5 points, edged by Corning with 216.5 points.

Crutcher won the 135-pound championships when he beat Quincy's Joshua Nolan 10-4 in the finals. Nolan came into the tourney unbeaten and as the number one ranked 135-pound wrestler in the North Section. According to coach Shaun Wood, most of Nolan's points came on escapes and he could not get a handle on Crutcher.
Josh Wood pinned Corning's Curtis Johnson at the 5:54 mark in the 189-pound title match. Wood, a freshman, has been steadily improving this season.

Wood's brother, senior Travis Wood, won the 152-pound championship when he pinned Upper Lake's Robert McCutheon at 3:00 in the final match.

Modoc's Brian Weed won the 130-pound championship with a 8-0 victory over Chester's Billy Anderson.
Modoc's Ian Jacques placed second, losing in the 215-pound finals to Central Valley's Nick Leady. In the 171-pound finals, Modoc's Bill Hammerness lost a tight 3-1 match to Corning's Jared Minnoletti.
Modoc's Chris Buchanan was third at 145 pounds, Cassidy Aarstad was fourth at 130 pounds, and Martin Corns was fourth at 125 pounds.

The Braves travel to Foothill this weekend.

Team scores at Burney were: Corning 216.5, Modoc 214.5,

Pleasant Valley 140, Upper Lake 119, Bonanza 93, Mt. Shasta 8.5, Burney 83, Portola 75, Etna 70, Trinity 60, Central Valley 59.5, Quincy 59, Chester 52, Fall River 51.5, Big Valley 28, Hamilton City 26, Bishop Quinn 11, Tulelake 8.

Girls beat Weed

Modoc's varsity girls' team beat the Weed Cougars in Weed 42-29 last Friday night.

Modoc had a little trouble with the Cougars, leading 9-5 in the first and 18-10 at halftime. Weed fought back to trail 28-25 after three, but the Braves outscored them 14-4 in the fourth. Catherine Lowrey led with 20 points, while Sarah Catania and Alysha Northrup each added six. Tacie Richardson had five steals, four blocks and four rebounds for the Braves.

Richardson led the Braves in Tuesday night's 50-3 win over Burney. She dropped in 15 points and pulled down 11 rebounds for Modoc.

Modoc led 7-6 after one and led at halftime 23-10. Modoc led 33-17 after three. Lowry had 13 points, Kelly Campagna added eight and Catania had seven. Richardson also added four blocked shots to boost her section leading total to 66.

SV boys start 1-3 in league

The Surprise Valley Hornet boys opened the Evergreen loop winning one and losing three.

The Hornets lost to Big Valley Tuesday in Cedarville, 65-58, succumbing to a third quarter drought and turnovers. Big Valley led 17-14 after one and Surprise Valley took a 33-21 lead at halftime. But the Cardinals went up 51-40 in the third. Alex Melgar and Jim Bradford each had 23.

On Friday, the Hornets beat Happy Camp 67-57 after taking a 16-7 first period lead and leading at the half 38-30. By the end of three, the Hornets led 55-45. Melgar had 26 points and Bradford added 21. Jace Indrebo had 12 rebounds and scored 11 points.

Tulelake beat the Hornets 78-42 and they lost their opening game to Dunsmuir.

Modoc junior varsity is 1-2

Modoc's junior varsity boys opened the Shasta Cascade loop with two losses and one win. They lost their first two, 45-43 in Mt. Shasta and 77-62 in Trinity. Tuesday, they beat Bishop Quinn 61-57.
Against Mt. Shasta, John Hughes led with 14 points, Dee Hunsaker added 10, Trent Schmidt had seven and Daniel Morgan and Justin Estes each added six.

Against Trinity, Estes led the scoring with 24 points; Morgan added 13 and Hunsaker had 10. Estes scored 21 to lead against Bishop Quinn, Schmidt added 18 and Hunsaker had 10.

They beat Weed 44-43 last Friday with Hughes netting 19 points and Hunsaker had 14. Tuesday night the jayvees beat Burney 46-37 with Hughes and Hunsaker each netting 12 points.

January 26th, 2006

News

Anklin bound over on felony charges
Modoc County Supervisor Ray Anklin was bound over to trial on four felony and other misdemeanor counts Thursday and a pre-trial conference has been set for Feb. 14.

Superior Court Judge Larry Dier denied a motion from Anklin's attorney Richard Maxion, of Redding, to dismiss one felony charge and reduce the remaining charges to misdemeanors.

During the preliminary hearing Thursday, Modoc Assistant District Attorney Larry Barnes introduced evidence alleging that Anklin, age 26, had sexual contact with a minor female, age 17, at least three times, that he had entered the girl's bedroom through a window to commit a felony (sexual contact) and that he had supplied the 17-year-old and her roommate, a 13-year-old female with alcohol.

Barnes also brought in evidence that Anklin had purchased two cell phones for the 17 year-old-girl, the second one after being advised not to, and had also sent roses to the girl while she was a student at Modoc High School.

Anklin entered a plea of "not guilty" to all the charges.

3rd Annual Home Show gearing up
The Third Annual Modoc Home show is gearing up for its March 25 event with the theme, "Helping the community grow from the inside out."

The first two home shows were outstanding successes, eclipsing what organizers Rendy Cockrell and Brooke Fredrickson imagined. They expect the third edition to be bigger and better and have had a lot of interest early.
The event is held at Modoc High School, with the Griswold Gym, Shirley Oxley Social Hall and the lawn all utilized for the growing number of participants. The Home Show attracts thousands of people and is a great chance for local businesses to show off their wares, crafts, products and talents.

The exhibitors aim to show local people what they have to offer from design, the first part of building or remodeling to the finished product, including home décor, appliances, landscaping and the latest technology, including solar power configurations.

"We expect the participation to be better than last year, when it was amazing," said Cockrell. "We advise people who want to exhibit, to get their application in early, The placement and entry will be on a first-come, first served basis."

Fredrickson said the Home Show is open only to Modoc businesses and this year no "Internet only" businesses will be allowed.

The application period is now open and the deadline is March 13. Pick up applications at the Modoc County Record, Modoc County Title and Altec Engineering. Entry fee this year for exhibitors is $20. The entrants will also be asked to give a door prize of at least $25 value. There is no admission cost for the public.
For more information, contact Fredrickson at 233-8472 or Cockrell at 233-2471.

Education meeting brings issues out into open

A Jan. 11 meeting of Modoc residents and education officials produced numerous community-based opinions on what Lassen Community College should do to improve its relationship with Alturas and Surprise Valley, while the college vowed to continue its "temporary" closure of the local registration office.

In the end, the information session with some 60 in attendance left plenty of questions, so another meeting is set for Feb. 15 from 3:30-5 p.m. at the Modoc Office of Education to choose a course of action: Align with a community college district; form an independent district; or remain part of LCC.

Dr. Vanston Shaw, Modoc Office of Education superintendent, called the meeting to address concerns following the surprise closure of the Alturas LCC office in November.

Faced with declining student enrollment and limited funds, LCC President Dr. Homer Cissell and Dean of Instruction Dr. Karen Grosz remained committed to a "realignment" of administrative personnel that led to the closure, but stressed their intention to continue offering satellite classes in and around Alturas, particularly those already scheduled this semester.

"(Restaffing) the office might be coming down the road, but they are not at the place where they can say yet," Shaw said after the meeting. "I'm not quite sure on that, so we'll have to wait and see."

Dr. Cissell noted at the meeting the state has limited funding for community colleges, and other satellite locales like Westwood and Herlong in Lassen County do not offer a registration counselor. He cited, for example, summer programs such as physical education, which officials discontinued after determining the courses were not legally offered, an issue addressed by community college employees in the past.

"The state will no longer allow us to teach underage kids in the P.E. class, so we have to make changes to the way we offer discounted lift ticket packages and college credit for participation in our program," explained Norm Wilson, a 23-year LCC employee and manager of Coppervale ski resort near Westwood.

The discontinuance dropped Lassen's fulltime, equivalent (FTE) student enrollment from 2,700 to 1,850, according to Dr. Cissell.

Members of the community, meanwhile, stressed the need for better communication, accessibility, and support from the college. Other suggestions included increased offerings in adult education and high school-college preparation, better student counseling and access to registration materials and schedules, certifications, and improved curriculum planning, among others.

Modoc and Mono counties are the only two in California not aligned with a community college, meaning residents under the age of 21 (or veterans below 25) receive a "maintenance allowance" from the state of $1,000 per year if they enroll in a California community college on a fulltime basis. Dr. Shaw reported that 45 students from Modoc received this allowance last year.

"We are considering whether to do some collaboration between community colleges," Shaw said. "Shasta Community College has 30 or 35 instructional television (IT) courses that run all day long and into the evening. College of Siskiyou has some pretty good IT courses, and we have the capacity here to do some of those in our offices. The question is can we expand it into the high school?"

Dr. Shaw said at present, IT sets require high-speed Internet with lots of bandwidth, and each costs around $8,000, an expensive proposition for a cash-strapped rural area. Cost also plays a factor in the question of creating a unique Modoc community college district.

"My understanding is it takes 1,000 full-time, equivalent (FTE) students to be able to have a community college," he said. "It seems unrealistic at this time, but it's something to explore in the February meeting. I think it would be a rough road to hoe."

Dr. Shaw stressed his desire to move forward with a plan and begin opening doors for local college students.
"I'm hoping on Feb. 15 we can talk about which courses are provided, and do we need a different set of classes," he said. "My goal would be to structure (our college offerings) so somebody could finish their associate's degree in Alturas in about two years. I don't know if we can get there right away, but it would obviously be helpful to our community."

In the final analysis, he noted the issue is really about "whether we can get better service from another community college than from Lassen?

"And I'm not sure we can," he added. "If we are to align with another community college, we would lose that maintenance allowance, so we would need to gain something of equal or greater value."

Current LCC registration materials are available at the Modoc Employment Office in Alturas, while the Alliance for Workforce Development offers schedules. LCC's toll-free Modoc County telephone number is (530) 233-4404, and that rings to the Susanville registration office.

No hearing date set for Panner

While the California State Attorney General has filed accusations alleging sexual misconduct against Dr. Owen Panner, of Alturas, no hearing date has yet been set.

According to Medical Board of California officials, the accusations were filed Dec. 20, and it's not unusual that a hearing has yet to be scheduled. The hearing will be held in front of the Medical Board.

Panner had pled no contest to videotaping near naked or naked women, including minors, at Modoc Medical Center and at a private practice office. He has used concealed cameras in each case and he also admitted to installing a video camera in MMC's doctor's quarters bathroom.

He was sentenced here to 60 days in the county jail and was released after serving about 45 days of that sentence. He remains on probation.

The hearing before the Medical Board will determine the future of his license to practice medicine. That license was suspended and remains in suspension until the hearing on the AG's accusations.

Budget cuts facing SV schools
With state funding largely based on enrollment figures, Surprise Valley schools are facing ominous new budget cuts in the future. "We have lost a total of eighteen students since last year", reported business manager Robin Teuscher at the January School Board meeting in Cedarville. "And projections all indicate continued declining enrollment over the next three years at all of our schools."

At the end of the second quarter, there were 48 students enrolled at SVHS, 9 at Great Basin, and 113 kindergarten through eighth graders at the elementary school.

"The time is coming for real hard decisions to be made", warned board member Steve Smith. "We'll have to discuss moving personnel around and tightening our belts, or two years from now we'll be flat broke."
At current spending levels, the district has enough surplus funds set aside to make up budget deficits through the 2007-08 academic year. But Thursday evening's discussion left no one in doubt hard decisions await a district that has taken budget hits from lost timber and mining industry revenue along with declining enrollment. While the federal government instituted a program five years ago to offset some of those losses, its impending renewal is in doubt. That leaves many rural school administrators and governing boards alarmed at the prospect vital funds will not be included in future Department of Education budgets.

Even with Teuscher beating the bushes for every cent the district is eligible to receive under various state and federal programs, the coming years promise to involve major changes. "This board needs to show leadership", said Smith, who represents Fort Bidwell on the board. "Cuts will be tough but I don't know any other way out of this situation."

Within the Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District, fixed personnel expenses make up 76% of the current budget. "And that figure is lower than most school districts", said Superintendent Dr. Mike Sherrod.
Jim Laacke explained that the looming deficit "is due to circumstances beyond our control, not because of past or present mismanagement. The rules have changed along the way." He went on to warn those present, "We've got a real problem, folks and it's not going away. But we have time to make some big, serious decisions because we still have a reserve fund."

Responding to concerns from parents at the meeting, Smith assured, "We're not thinking along the lines of our schools dying. No matter what, our kids and a quality education come first. But we need to open a dialogue within the community. We'll continue to educate our students well as we become more fiscally responsible."

The board directed Teuscher to form a budget advisory committee made up of local community members and staff volunteers. The board will also plan a series of public meetings in the future to explain the district's dilemma and seek input from parents and residents. "The board, administration and community need to set priorities together", said Smith. "What are our bare bone needs? While we wish we could have everything, we just can't."

Teuscher would like anyone interested in serving on a Budget Advisory Committee to call her at 279-6141, extension 21. There will be an organizational meeting today at 3:30 PM in the high school's library.

Other Board News:

Teuscher reported that an updated Justification Study to allow the district to continue collecting Developer Fees has been completed. The state is expected to announce new state-wide rates before the board meets again in February.

The administration and board members have been getting very positive feedback from people who already receive the monthly Hornet Newsletter. The next issue will be not only be the first to include a Spanish edition, but the district has approved mailing copies to every box holder in the valley. "This school system needs everyone's awareness, interest and support. Distributing this newsletter to every household is the best way to do that right now", said Laacke. The extra costs of bulk mailing are expected to be offset by donations and advertising revenue.

A surprise inspection of the high school's kitchen by a team from the public health department would be a frightening prospect for any district. But when Sherrod, on his way to meet the inspectors heard laughter, he knew his facility had passed with flying colors. "They were absolutely ecstatic at the state of our food service operation", he reported. "They said they'd never seen such a squared-away kitchen!" He singled out the efforts of Shana Konz who supervises food preparation for all the district's schools.

Terry Miller, who has overseen the operation of the school's PBS station along with maintaining the broadcast equipment, reported that within two years the transmitters would be obsolete because of a looming federal policy that mandates digital signals. The board will make a decision regarding continued operation of the station at their next meeting.

Ag Sciences Teacher Melinda Sandstrom received permission to apply for a grant that would cover the cost of eight computers and related equipment to be set up in the new shop building.

SVES Student Council officers Garrett Shoemaker, Steven Hattrup, Celeste Yamagiwa, and Hanna Goodwin received the board's permission to accompany advisor Rikki Lee Carey to a Leadership Training conference in San Jose next month. The students have raised enough funds to cover the cost of the trip with the district picking up their mileage expenses.

The board approved Jim Hill to coach basketball at the elementary school. Jenny Grove will take on coaching duties for both the high school and elementary cheerleading squads.
The board decreased the district's mileage reimbursement rate to reflect IRS changes. The new rate is 44.5 cents per mile.

MHS Class of '66 planning reunion

Not wanting to leave out any Modoc High Class of 1966 alumni, the reunion committee has provided the following list of classmates they would like to locate to invite to the MHS Class of '66 Reunion to be held June 30 through July 2, 2006.

The reunion will begin Friday evening, June 30 in Alturas (location to be announced) for a no host social. The class will move out to the Likely Links RV and Golf Course on Saturday, July 1 after Fandango festivities in Alturas. A barbecue dinner, music and gathering will take place under the starry skies at the Likely Links RV Resort. Sunday, the group will gather for a "Bunkhouse Breakfast" mid-morning at the same site.

Anyone who has information about how to contact the following classmates should contact LuRena at (530) 233-4333 or email: lssylva@frontier.net.net. The committee has used various website to try to gain the addresses of the following classmates. They are: Eddie Coonse, Jack Looper, Mark/Nelda (Vernon) Robinson, Doug Hite, Candy Porter, Al Morgan Harris, Gerrie Russell, Bill Ebbe, Belita Melendez, Ronnie Kelley, Shirley (Searway) Carlson, Lee Grove, Martha Newman, Kathy Goulding, Diane Nelson, Victor Mulkey. The following have been contacted, without response: Evaristo Duran, Cindy (Waterman) Bowling, Ronnie Clark, Betty (Hastings) McGinnis, Doug Plemons, Wilma (Shively) Adam, David Parsons, Larry Sykes, Norma Phillips.

Obituaries:

Bill L. Long

Billy L. Long, 74, of Alturas, passed away at Mercy Medical Center in Redding, CA on December 13, 2005, a month after undergoing aortic valve replacement surgery.

Bill was born to Hazel and Herman Long in Lebanon, Missouri on February 23, 1931. When Bill was 12, the family moved to Napa, California, where Bill attended Napa schools. In 1949, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Army, reaching the rank of Sergeant before he was Honorably Discharged in October, 1953.

On December 24, 1952, he married Delores Fontana, also of Napa. They had four sons; Michael, Ron, Terry and Tim. In 1962, Bill and Tip Raneri started Raneri and Long Roofing in Napa, which is now operated by son Tim. He also worked numerous years for Del Webb at the (then) Sahara Tahoe, promoting a card room in Napa and a small casino in American Canyon. He was active in many civic and fraternal organizations and was particularly generous with children. Bill was voted Napa's Man of the Year in 1987 and 1988. Delores passed away in 1997 and Bill began the process of retiring in 1998.

In September of 1998, Bill moved to the ranch of his dreams on the slopes of the Warner Mountains in Alturas, where he was joined by life partner Joann Smithson of Newport, Oregon. They married January 6, 2001 in Minden, Nevada enriching Bill's life further by adding two more sons and two daughters, along with their children to his family. Bill and Joann made a new life for themselves in Modoc County, making new lifelong friends, enjoying family visits, spoiling all their animals and just enjoying each other and their life together.

Bill enjoyed the slower paced life he found in Modoc County having time to "putter" on his ranch, play golf with his buddies, go on hunting an fishing trips, making "friendly" bets on NFL games and having many breakfasts or lunches with friends. Among Bill's greatest joys were his annual trips to Missouri to visit family and friends and explore the old homesteads of his youth.

Survivors include his wife Joann of Alturas; son and daughter-in-law Mike and Nancy Long of Las Vegas, NV; son Ron Long and Isabelle Maclean of Napa, CA; son and daughter-in-law Terry and Gena of Canby, CA; son and daughter-in-law Tim and Karen of Napa, CA; son and daughter-in-law John and Joan Hays of Hermiston, OR; daughter Christine Massingale of Unity, OR; daughter and son-in-law Debbie and Ty Bennett of Baker City, OR; son and daughter-in-law Ryan and Amanda Hays of Oreana, ID; two sisters, Louis Doshier and Jane Sparks of Napa, CA; 18 grandchildren, Jennifer Long of San Francisco, CA; Geno Long of Las Vegas, NV; Nichole Long of Napa, CA; Dorothy Long of Canby, CA; Taylor, Kaitlin, Madison, Meghan, Garrett and Caroline Long of Napa, CA; Mary Hays of Hermiston, OR; Suzanne, Anthony, Elizabeth and John Massingale of Unity, OR; Trevor and Morgan Bennett of Baker City, OR; and Reata Hays of Oreana, ID; one great-grandchild, Toni Gitas of Napa, CA.

A Memorial Service was held Saturday, December 17, 2005, at the Brass Rail in Alturas, followed by a Recitation of the Rosary and a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Apollonaris Catholic Church in Napa, CA December 18 and 19, 2005 respectively. Entombment was at Tulocay Cemetery in Napa, CA.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Boys & Girls Club of Napa, 1515 Pueblo Ave., Napa, CA 94558 or to St. Apollonaris Catholic Church, 3700 Lassen St., Napa, CA 94558.

Erma Kennedy Conley

Services for Erma Kennedy Conley, a member of the Bieber community for her entire life, were held Monday, January 23 at 1 p.m. at Hillside Cemetery in Nubieber. Pastor and Mrs. Jeff Bidwell conducted the graveside service.

Mrs. Conley passed away of natural causes on January 16, 2006 in Fall River Mills, CA.
Born in Bieber, California on September 4, 1911, to Timothy John and Belle Herrick Kennedy, she was the fourth of their five children. Erma was reared, educated and continued to live in Bieber until her death at 94 years of age. Erma made her home with her brother Merlin until her marriage to Robert Francis Conley on December 22, 1956. Frank preceded her in death on August 19,1964.

Again she shared her home with her brother until his death December 20, 1985.

Erma and Merlin had a ranch in Bieber and for about five years, a ranch near Canby.

While involved in the usual work of a cattle ranch, she worked as a cook for the Bieber Elementary School for several years.

After becoming a widow, she was employed as a clerk/Telegrapher for the Great Northern Railroad in Nubieber where she also mastered the "Key" using Morse Code for communicating with the engineers.
Erma had been the curator of the Big Valley Historical Museum for the past 20 years. She truly enjoyed greeting and visiting with all who came in; giving them guided tours through the treasures of local history, genealogy and antiques.

In 1992, she published a cookbook written in her own hand, using both new and old recipes and remedies. There were only 100 copies made and she enjoyed giving them to her family and friends, each autographed to them personally.

She always enjoyed cooking and shared her culinary treats with everyone.

Erma passed away at the Skilled Nursing Facility, Mayers Memorial Hospital in Fall River Mills, CA, where she had been for the last four months.

Survivors include her brother-in-law Joe Potter of Lookout, cousins Bill and Emma Walker and family of Cottonwood; Muriel Brown and family of Redding, nieces and nephews: Jeannine Potter Primorac of Alturas and sons Roger and Kevin and families; Rick and Vicki Potter of Chugiak, Alaska; Sherrell and Don Boyd and family, Klamath Falls; Patricia Kenyon and family of Red Bluff.

Memorials can be directed to the Big Valley Museum, Bieber, CA 96009.

Joseph F. DiVittorio

Joseph Frank DiVittorio, age 91, a resident of Shingletown, CA, died on January 19, 2006, at his home.
He was born on May 12, 1914, in San Jose, CA. He worked as a sheet metal engineer in Sunnyvale and in Mountain View on aircraft and spacecraft. He moved to Alturas, CA, where he operated a cattle ranch for 20 years. He moved to Shasta County in 1979, where he lived in Round Mountain for 20 years, and then in Shingletown. He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed fishing and hunting.

He is survived by his wife, Carolina, at home; sons, Michael of Shingletown, Vincent of Placerville, Joseph, Jr. of Lakewood, Colorado, and Stephen of Shingletown; a daughter, Candid Cabral of Redding; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He is also survived by a brother, Dan DiVittorio, of San Jose; and two sisters, Angie Burriesci, of San Jose and Theresa Chiaramonte, of Arizona.

Recitation of the Rosary will be at 4 p.m. on Thursday, January 26, in the Allen & Dahl Funeral Chapel in Palo Cedro. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, January 27, at 10:30 a.m., at our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Redding. Father Michael Hebda will be the celebrant. Arrangements are by Allen & Dahl Funeral Chapel in Palo Cedro.

Sports

Braves fall at Etna, beat Bulldogs

Etna's Lions were supposed to play like a middle-of-the pack team, but when the Braves let the Lions jump out to a 46-21 halftime lead, it proved Modoc's undoing.

Boys varsity coach Bunk Richardson said the team came out flat and cold, and while they played better in the second half, it just wasn't enough. We couldn't hit on offense, but our defense didn't do much to stop Etna.
Etna took a 27-15 first quarter lead and turned that into the 46-21 halftime advantage. The Braves cut the Lions' lead to 61-45 after three and lost 75-68.

Micah Eppler led with 19 points, Ross Burgess added 15 and Taylor Dunn netted 12.

The Braves won a tough game at Fall River Tuesday night 71-70. Modoc had a nine-point lead with two minutes left, but Fall River cut that to two as time was running out.

Modoc led 18-7 in the first and 37-30 by half. The Braves were up 54-48 after three. Eppler led the scoring with 22, Burgess had 12 and Zeke Bonham added 11.

Modoc faces Trinity Friday night at home and goes to Mt. Shasta Tuesday.

The Braves are now tied for the league lead, which Richardson said has turned into a real shoot-out, with nearly any team capable of coming out on top.

Modoc wins Fall River invite

The Modoc Braves won the Fall River Invitational wrestling tourney last weekend with five individual champions.
The Braves' Josh Wood, a freshman, won the 215-pound title and was named the Most Outstanding Heavyweight for the second time this season.

Wood's brother, senior Travis, won the 160-pound division without difficulty. Brain Weed won the 130 -pound title and Sheridan Crutcher won the 135 –pound title. Bill Hammerness won the title at 171 pounds.

Jose Madrigal took third at 140 pounds; Chris Buchanan was second at 145 pounds. Jesse Harer was second at 215 pounds and Kevin Richardson was third at 112 pounds.

Team scored were: Modoc 121, Mt. Shasta 90, Trinity 68, Burney 53, Fall River 44, Big Valley 25 and Weed, 3.

Modoc now competes at the Central Valley tourney Friday and will travel to the big Corning tourney Saturday.
Two Modoc girls competed in the North Section CIF girl's regional wrestling tourney at Whitney High in Rocklin last weekend.

Over 350 female wrestlers from Northern California competed. Kim Parde, a senior, competed in the 126-pound division, going 1-2, and finished in the top 16. Freshman, Aurora Hall wrestled at 146 pounds and went 1-2 in the event. Both wrestlers competed against some nationally ranked wrestlers.

Turnovers cost Braves at Etna

Modoc's girl's varsity team couldn't keep control of the ball in Etna and 31 turnovers cost them dearly.

The game started close with Etna leading 10-9 in the first and 25-20 by halftime. The game stayed winnable through three, with Etna leading 36-30. But in the fourth, Etna put up 19 points to Modoc's nine for the 55-39 win.

Catherine Lowry had 13 points, Sara Catania added eight and Tacie Richardson had six and nine blocked shots.

Fall River beat Modoc 49-44 there Tuesday night in a good game. Turnovers by guards still remain a problem.
Fall River was up 12-4 in the fist quarter and 29-22 by halftime. Modoc trailed 35-33 in the third and took a lead in the fourth, but couldn't hold on.

Lowry led the Braves with 17, Alysha Northrup had had nine, Catania and Richardson added eight each. Richardson pulled down 10 rebounds and blocked eight shots.

The Braves have Trinity at Modoc Friday.

SV boys even record with wins

Surprise Valley's boys varsity won two games this week, evening their Evergreen League mark at 3-3 and their overall record to 7-7. They play Dunsmuir at home Saturday, with the girls game starting at 1:30 p.m.

The Hornets beat Butte Valley 57-47, using solid first and third periods. They led 17-12 in the first and 27-25 by half. They moved out to a 45-35 lead after three. Alex Melgar led the scoring with 22; Jim Bradford added 13 and Jace Indrebo had 12.

Tuesday night, the Hornets beat Hayfork in McCloud 61-58 with Melgar netting 28, Bradford 22 and Indrebo 11. Surprise Valley fought back from a 15-10 first period deficit to lead 28-27 by the half. Hayfork led 46-45 after three, but the Hornets. pulled it out in the fourth.

Hayfork whips Hornet girls

Hayfork's varsity girl's team proved their unbeaten prowess Tuesday night, beating the Surprise Valley Hornets 58-23. The Hornets trailed just 10-6 in the first, but lost ground from that point. Sarah Teuscher led the Hornets with 13 points.

Last Thursday, the girls beat the Butte Valley Bulldogs 42-40. Miranda Miura led the scoring with 13 and Patricia Soletti added 12. The Hornets beat the Big Valley Cardinals 48-27 with Teuscher scoring 17, Miura 11, Soletti and Tristan Teuscher 10 each.

Kayte Christensen: a globetrotter

Northeastern California's homegrown basketball star, Kayte Christensen, is globetrotting once again—this time in South Korea.

A WNBA athlete who graduated from Modoc High School and University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB), Christensen has most recently been playing professional basketball abroad. "I went to Istanbul, Turkey to play starting September 15, 2005 and was there until the end of December."

Then, late last year, she changed agents. "In this business, your agents can make or break you," said the 6'3" forward, who was the Big West Conference player of the year in 2002. "It's about who you know and my new agent is very respected, well known, and successful."

No sooner did she make the change than a new opportunity presented itself. "While home at Christmas, I got an amazing offer from the team here in Korea and couldn't pass it up," said Christensen, speaking from Seoul. "The contract I signed here was (for) more than eight times what I was making in Turkey as well as this league being more competitive. It was a no-brainer as a career move for me. I will be playing here through the end of this season which ends February 19 and playoffs may go until March 10."

In fact, her new job pays so well that she may not go back to play for Phoenix, where she has been for the past three and a half seasons. "It is quite likely I may forgo playing in the WNBA this upcoming season and (instead) return to South Korea for their summer season which runs from the end of May to about mid-August.  As it is, South Korea pays better than the WNBA, so it makes it very difficult to pass up the opportunity."

Christensen finds the entire living experience in South Korea to be remarkably different than playing the U.S. or in Turkey. Almost everything the players need is provided for them, including incidentals such as practice gear and cell phones. "I've been here since January 1, and I haven't even had money in my wallet yet because there is no need for anything.  If there is anything I want I just ask.

"The whole team lives in the same building. There is a cafeteria that cooks all your meals if you so desire. However, if I choose to cook, which I do more so than not, they do all the grocery shopping. If I eat out, they pay for my meals."

However, if the perks are greater, so is the workload.

"They have two practices a day here and required treatment every night. My treatment at night lasts anywhere from two hours to five hours depending on what issues or injuries I've sustained," Christensen said. "We play games two or three times a week as well, and you could imagine how much that can wear on your body."
The greater level of care and attention given the individual players in Korea impresses her. "In Turkey, our trainer didn't even have a training room or any kind of ultra sound or stem equipment.  It goes to show that when they are paying you what they do to be here, they protect their investment and take good care of you."

Christensen is well aware that the career of a professional athlete is typically quite short, so she's making the most of it while it lasts. "I think I am still playing because I have a plan in life and realize that basketball is a tool I can use to get what I want for later in life," she said. "There are times when I feel burned out and wonder if it's time to throw in the towel. A lot of times that just happens to be when I'm dealing with an injury or something like that."
Recognized as an intense player, Christensen puts her all into the game. "I've always played the same every day at every level because I don't think I really have grasped the concept of (giving) less than 100 percent. This is also why I get beat up a bit more than your average basketball player. I have no problem sacrificing my body during a practice or a game." 

Referring to her height, Christensen said, "I choose my profession because it choose me. I realize that God gave me a talent and right now, I am just taking advantage of it to make a living.  Like every job, there are things that I love about it and things that I don't. I hate that it takes me away from my home, my friends, my family and my boyfriend because these are the things that really matter in my life. But, that is just the nature of the career I'm in right now."

As for the people in her life who gave her the support and direction that led to her remarkable career, Christensen had this comment. "I truly do feel I wouldn't be where I am today without them. I can never say thank you enough. That is a given.  However, I think that of all the places in the world that basketball has taken me and enabled me to see and experience, home is really and always will be where my heart is.  I absolutely love Modoc County and feel blessed that I was brought up there."

In that same vein, she has high praise for her high school coach. "I also know for a fact that if Mike Martin had not come into my life as a coach, I would not be playing today. He pushed me to levels that I didn't know were possible. He guided me through the college recruiting process and not only pushed me on the court but in the classroom. He gave me confidence in myself as a student, basketball player and a person. I only wish that every student athlete could have someone like him in their life." 

In summary, Christensen explains her philosophy and its origins, which may also explain her passion for her game play. "My role models are my parents who instilled in me the work ethic and passion to pursue everything in life with the same level of desire, that no matter what it is that I am doing I do it to my absolute best at all times.  My theory is, if you do everything in life (school work, sports, relationships, etc.) to the best of your ability at all times, there is no way that you'll ever feel disappointment or regret, for you've given it your best effort and that is all you can ever really do."

News

Sheriff Mix will hang up badge

Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix will not be seeking re-election June 6 to a sixth term in office. He said he decided this week to retire. Mix started as a deputy with the Sheriff's Department in 1968, at the age of 21.
Mix is now recovering from heart surgery and said he enjoyed his 20-year term as Modoc County Sheriff, but felt it was time to hand over the reins.

As of this date, at least two people are running to replace Mix, Undersheriff Mark Gentry, and California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Poindexter. Poindexter is set to retire from the CHP in March.
In another contested race, local public defender Richard Cotta has announced he'll be a candidate for Modoc County District Attorney. DA Jordan Funk is seeking re-election and local attorney John Lawson will also be in the race.

At least three other Modoc officials will not be seeking re-election: Auditor Judi Stevens, County Clerk Maxine Madison and County Assessor Josephine Johnson. No one has announced his or her candidacy for those offices.

The Modoc County Board of Supervisors is discussing whether to make the Clerk to the Board an appointed position (it's now covered by the County Clerk) and also whether to combine the County Clerk's Office with the Auditor/Recorder's Office. Those issues are expected to be on Tuesday's agenda.

Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch is expected to seek another term in office. Superintendent of Schools Vanston Shaw will seek election. He was appointed to serve out the remaining term of retired Superintendent Carol Harbaugh.

County positions up for election in June are: District Attorney, County Clerk, Auditor-Recorder, Sheriff/Coroner, Treasurer/Tax Collector, Assessor and County Superintendent of Schools.

The Board of Supervisor seats of District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw are also up for election. Both are expected to run again.

In the City of Alturas, the council seats of Jerry Smith and John Vass will come to term. City Treasurer Kathie Alves will be seeking re-election.

The first day to officially take out nomination papers is Feb. 13. There is a filing fee for county offices, amounting to one percent of the annual salary or candidates may collect signatures in lieu of the filing fee.
According to Madison, the nomination papers will have to be returned by March 10. The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices.

Snow levels not that great

Snow levels in the Warner Mountains are higher than last year, but still below averages, according to the recent snow surveys.

The Warner surveys were completed January 25 by the U.S. Forest Service's Jake Coffey and the Resource Conservation Service's Tom Hill. The Big Valley survey was taken on Adin Mountain January 26.
Snow levels at Blue Lake measured 17.1 inches, containing 4.7 inches of water. That's 68 percent of normal for snow depth (25 inches) and 61 percent of water content (7.6 inches.) Last year Blue Lake had 15 inches of snow in January with a water content of 3.4 inches.

Cedar Pass has 30.8 inches of snow at the 7,100 foot elevation, containing 8.3 inches of water. The annual average for that spot is 35 inches containing 10.7 inches of water. This year the snow level is 85 percent of normal and the water content is 77 percent of normal. Last year in January, the area had 27 inches of snow containing 7.8 inches of water.

Adin Mountain, at 6,200 feet elevation measured 23.6 inches of snow with 6.6 inches of water. That 84 percent of average snow depth (28.2 inches) and 79 percent water content (8.32 inches).

Modoc's low housing costs make the big time

"Housing Bargains, at a Price" read the headline in the January 13 issue of the Los Angeles Times. "Rural Modoc County has California's cheapest real estate. But its remoteness and lack of jobs make ‘affordability a relative concept'."

That article, written by Maria La Ganga, hit the Sacramento Bee and various other state newspapers and as far east as the Boston Globe.

Last Thursday, KPIX Television, CBS, out of San Francisco had a news crew in Modoc interviewing several people. They didn't exactly sneak into town. Political Editor Hank Plante and press photographer Jennifer Mistrot arrived in town in a Channel 5 van, complete with fancy paint, the station logo, and satellite transmitters on the roof.

They were noticed.

Basically, the story is that Modoc's median price for a home has eclipsed the $100,000 mark. Statewide, the median price is $458,000, so the story has gotten out.

It's true that Modoc prices have passed the $100,000 mark, and that they've probably risen about 40 percent in the year 2000. For instance, a three bedroom, two-bath home listed in the Modoc Record this week is priced at $142,000. A similar home listed in the Record in 2003 was priced at $84,500 and other three bedroom homes were priced at just over $65,000.

Local real estate offices are noticing an increase in inquiries since the stories have been published.
"I don't expect to see a land rush here," said Dean Neer. "We've had a lot of calls and interest, but I can't say we've seen an increase in actual sales. I do think we'll have some sales."Neer said his office received more than a dozen calls after the articles were printed, many from California Pines property owners trying to sell their lots – at an increased price.

Neer said the increase in price is probably a good thing for local people who want to sell their property, but it makes it much more difficult for some local people to afford to buy a home. Many of the people buying into Modoc at this time are retired and find the housing prices very attractive, especially on a fixed income.
The problem for some people, who would like to locate here, especially younger working people, is a simple lack of quality employment opportunities.

Some people who can bring their jobs with them are moving to Modoc and are making that work.
Onalee Sweeny of Warner Mountain Realty said she hasn't noticed huge increase in call volume, but there has been an up tick in the real estate market here for the past year as more and more people find Modoc.
"We have received some calls and interest from the Los Angles and Bay Areas," Sweeney said. "But, honestly we've had a lot of interest from those areas before the stories came out. We went through a real boom last year."Sweeney said most of the people she sees are either retired and looking to relocate or are going to soon be retired and are looking for a place to settle. The lower prices in Modoc are certainly attractive."

"They are selling their homes down there for incredible prices, coming up here and buying something for much less," she said. "They've been down there, fighting the rat race for 30 for 40 years and they're looking to get out. Our lifestyle, and what they can buy here, are certainly big drawing cards."

As an example, Sweeney said she put a cute, well cared for two-bedroom home on the market and it was sold for full price within 24 hours. It would not have been unusual for it to take six months or longer in the past.
"I think we're seeing a leveling off, but I believe the market here is going to be strong," said Sweeney. "I'd say right now it's a sellers market in Modoc. The higher prices do make it harder from some of the local people to buy."

Bryar Gullett, of United Country Stevenson Realty, said the office is handling at least one or two calls daily as a result of the article. Once people realize Modoc isn't anywhere near the Bay Area, the quest begins.
"I spend the first part of the calls trying to explain to people where Modoc is located," she said. "If they know where Redding is, it helps, but they are a little amazed when I tell them we're three hours from there."

Gullett said most of the people calling are looking for a very good deal on land, are asking about an acre or so, and for the most part are either retired or are going to retire.

She said she expects some sales to occur because of the articles, and stressed there has been "a lot" of interest in Modoc real estate.

Likely declines to serve Madeline

Shrinking pains, the opposite of growing pains, are largely to blame for the loss of fire and emergency medical services for residents on the north end of the Madeline Plains.

Declining numbers of residents on the Plains in recent years has forced some uncomfortable decisions on emergency services providers in the area.

"I would suggest that the Madeline Fire Department has turned out to be our proverbial canary in the mine, if you will," said Lassen County supervisor for the Plains area, Jack Hanson, referring to the fact that the Madeline department is only the first of many among the county's smaller volunteer fire departments that are struggling with the same issue. "Consequently, Madeline has run out of volunteers to man the fire trucks and has had difficulty in even getting three members of a board together."

"In the past we've done medical response in Madeline to help out our neighbors and to help out the Modoc ambulance, because they go down there—and they're still going to go down there," said Dwayne Matthews, fire chief for the Likely Volunteer Fire Department. "The (Modoc County) ambulance is still running. It's just that they're not going to have our help. They'll still have emergency (medical) services, it's just not quite as fast as it was."

In an effort to provide those vital services for the remaining residents, Likely's fire department approached the Lassen authorities for additional funding to cover their added costs. "We went to the Lassen Board of Supervisors on a couple of occasions and asked for some (financial) help," said chief Matthews.

Because Likely is the closest fire department to many Madeline residences, Likely is the most logical choice to provide those emergency services. Yet, a recent announcement by Modoc officials that the Likely Fire Department will no longer send out first responders to the northern end of the Madeline Plains in medical or fire emergencies, as they have customarily done in the past, is the latest chapter in this ongoing saga.

"We're going to work within our district," said chief Matthews, succinctly, "and not in Lassen County."
"We in Lassen County saw this as a district to district (issue)," said Hanson of the negotiations, adding that he intends to become more involved in order to resolve this problem. "We were trying to put the Madeline Fire District to contract with Likely.

"In December, Likely fire protection wrote us a letter … Modoc County CAO, Mike Maxwell, and county counsel, John Kenney, informed us that they can't extend Modoc County funds to offer medical assistance to Lassen County, and we understand that," said Hanson.

"Mutual aid doesn't really work between the two because they don't have anything to help us with," said Matthews. "They wanted us to contract with the Madeline Fire Department to do both fire and medical aid, and it's just not possible for us to do. For starters, it's just too far to go for any kind of fire. And, we still have our own fire district to protect."

Concerned about trying to stretch the services of one department to cover two districts, Matthews pointed out that his own district must be his first priority.

"Luckily, it hasn't happen to where we have had two calls at the same time, but, you know, eventually that is going to happen. Once we start down the road to Madeline to take care of somebody, we can't turn around (because) we have a call in our own district," said Matthews, explaining that such a situation could become a legal nightmare and calling it "abandonment."

"I think Lassen County needs to get together with their own people down there and try to figure out a way to keep at least one of those fire departments (on the Plains) running," said Matthews. "It's not so much the money reimbursement for us. It's the fact that we're doing a second mission when we're paid to do one. We've decided that it's more important to take care of our district and our taxpayers."

Hanson believes that it may yet be possible to strike a deal that will satisfy the Likely department and assist them with the expense of calls to the Madeline area. "I think we've got some room to negotiate in this thing. It's not as though we do not want to pay them for their services rendered and pay them for some sort of mutual aid agreement," said Hanson, who plans to make contacts with Modoc County and Likely Fire District officials to explore any potential for compromise and agreement. "Obviously, we would very much like to contract with them, utilizing a mutual aid agreement between Madeline and Likely."

Noting that there are some funding options available for a mutual aid agreement, Hanson said, "I am definitely very willing and able to re-open the negotiations on the issue. (Madeline) has some funds that they can expend for that.

"In addition to that, they can, as I understand it, levy a charge on each call they make," Hanson said, indicating that the individuals or their insurers can be charged to defray the costs of emergency medical and fire calls.

Register for Home Show soon

It's time to sign up for the Third Annual Modoc Home show set for March 25 at the Griswold Gym in Alturas. Registration is on a first-come, first served-basis, so it pays to get in early.
The theme this year is "Helping the community grow from the inside out."

Organizers Rendy Cockrell and Brooke Fredrickson expect the third edition to be bigger and better than the first two and have had a lot of interest early.

The event is held at Modoc High School, with the Griswold Gym, Shirley Oxley Social Hall and the lawn surrounding the facilities. The Home Show attracts thousands of people and is a great chance for local businesses to show off their wares, crafts, products and talents.

The exhibitors aim to show local people what they have to offer from design, the first part of building or remodeling to the finished product, including home décor, appliances, landscaping and the latest technology, including solar power configurations.

Fredrickson said the Home Show is open only to Modoc businesses and this year no "Internet only" businesses will be allowed.

The application period is now open and the deadline is March 13. Pick up applications at the Modoc County Record, Modoc County Title and Altec Engineering. Entry fee this year for exhibitors is $20. The entrants will also be asked to give a door prize of at least $25 value. There is no admission cost for the public.
For more information, contact Fredrickson at 233-8472 or Cockrell at 233-2471.

Obituaries:

Melissa (Oxley) Hart-Clayton

Longtime business owner and past Fandango Grand Marshal Melissa Jane (Oxley) Hart-Clayton passed away January 26, 2006 of natural causes at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, CA. Mrs. Clayton had called Modoc County her home since 1934.

She was born Melissa Jane Oxley on April 3, 1909 to Arthur and Adah Oxley, near Tribune in Greeley County, Kansas on the family homestead. She was the fifth of six children: Herzel, Vera, Arta, Clark , Melissa and Kenneth Oxley.

From the homestead, the family moved to Larned, Kansas where they had a wheat farm, living through the Depression and the Dust Bowl. In the early 1920's, Melissa, her mother and younger brother Kenneth moved to Denver, CO. Melissa came to California as a "nanny," arriving in Dunsmuir, where she decided to stay when her employers moved on. She continued to take care of other children, while she finished high school.

She graduated from Dunsmuir High School in 1927.

Melissa went to work as a clerk in the new Sprouse-Reitz variety store where she met Billy Hart, her boss. When Melissa became ill, she returned to Kansas to stay with her sister Arta. Billy sent an engagement ring and proposal of marriage and then followed her to Kansas. Bill and Melissa were married in 1934 in her sisters' home.

Bill and Melissa returned to California and moved to Alturas in 1934, where they bought their own variety store. Billy passed away in 1971 and Melissa continued to operated the business for many years known as Hart's 5 and Dime for a total of over 50 years.

Melissa reconnected with a former suitor, Fred Clayton, who she married in 1973. They continued to live in Alturas while Melissa ran the store. Fred passed away in 1974.

Melissa enjoyed being a business woman with buying trips and working with people. She also loved to fish, walking and fishing streams along with her brothers and husband for many years. When no one else could go, Melissa would go fishing alone and share her catch. She also enjoyed hiking and four-wheeling the hills around Cedar Pass. Melissa enjoyed reading and playing puzzle games. She played the piano and accompanied the family in singing, especially during the holidays. Melissa also enjoyed entertaining friends and strangers alike, inviting folks home for Sunday dinner. She made many of her life-long friends because of her trust, her desire to help and especially to teach others about her loving God and Savior Jesus.

She is survived by one sister-in-law, Cronie Oxley, who is now 103 and the last of the generation. All her brothers and sisters preceded her in death. Melissa is also survived by several nieces and nephews, great and great-great nieces and nephews.

Many years ago Melissa found a poem that she had kept in the family Bible to read on her death. The following is that poem.

Miss me-but let me go; When I come to the end of the road, and the sun has set for me. I want no rites in a gloom-filled room; Why cry for a soul set free! Miss me a little- but not too long. And not with your head bowed low; Remember the love that we once shared. Miss me-but let me go! For this is a journey we all must take, And each must go alone; It's all part of the Master's plan, A step on the road to home. When you are lonely and sick at heart, Go to the friends we know. And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds. Miss me-but let me go. –Author Unknown.

Services for Melissa were held by Pastor Dewey Potter at the Church of Christ in Alturas at 10 a.m. Tuesday, January 31. Burial was at the Alturas Cemetery.Obituary

Jeffery Warren Conger

A memorial service for Jeffery (Jeff) Warren Conger will be held on Saturday, February 11 at 2 p.m. at Truth Tabernacle at 117 West Modoc Street in Alturas. Mr. Conger, 47, passed away on January 28, 2006 at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, CA. He had beaten lung cancer, but was diagnosed with a brain tumor last October, said his bride Jennifer.

Jeff, as he was known to his friends and family, grew up in Lakeview, OR. At one time he owned an auto body shop in Lakeview and owned his own big rig as an independent truck driver. He was a shop foreman and mechanic for Fitch Sand & Gravel in Modoc County for some 13 years until the end of 2003. Over the years, he enjoyed building transmissions, painting and building cars and was an "awesome mechanic," his wife described.

Jeff loved to spend time with his children.

He also had a great lifetime love for flying and building remote control planes, a passion that was fueled by his father. He kept the first plane he and his father built and flew together. Over the years, he amassed a collection of some 30 planes he had built.

Jeff and Jennifer Salsbery were married on May 14, 2005 in Alturas, CA at Truth Tabernacle.
He is survived by his wife Jennifer of Alturas; his parents Warren and Ora Conger of Lakeview, OR; daughter Jordana Conger, Colleville, WA; son Jo Kline, Homer, AK; son Jeffery Conger, Jr. Sandpoint, Idaho; daughter Briana Wallace-Conger, Alturas, CA; daughter Lacey Conger, Alturas, CA; sons Colton and Ethan Conger, both of Alturas, CA; brother Brian Conger, Lakeview, OR; sister Angela Yates, Lakeview, OR; brother, Kenneth Conger, Lakeview, OR; sister Dawnella Riley, Springfield, OR; three grandchildren, with one due in July and nieces and nephews.

Kerr Mortuary in Alturas is handling arrangements.

Jack Marius Patereau

Lookout resident Jack Marius Patereau, 82, passed away at Mayer's Memorial Hospital in Fall River Mills, CA on January 28, 2006, after a long illness. Services were held Wednesday, Feb. 1 at the Lookout Fire Department Hall with his grandson Mr. Matt Patereau as officiant. Interment was at Lookout Cemetery. Mc Donald's Chapel, Burney was in charge of arrangements.

Jr. Patereau was born June 30, 1923 in Mt. Hood, Oregon. He was a U.S. Navy Veteran of World War II, serving on the USS Brown during most of the war. He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans, American Legion Post #163, Alturas and a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #1900 in Ukiah. He had moved from Willits, CA. to Modoc County in June 2002. He retired from Boise Cascade as a truck driver.

He is survived by his wife Chlola Patereau of Lookout; son Rene Patereau and daughter-in-law Jane of Lookout, CA; eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Sports

Braves favored to win 7th straight SCL wrestling title

It's gotten to the point that the only way Modoc's wrestling team losses the Shasta Cascade League title is if the bus breaks down on the way.

The Braves are going for their seventh straight SCL title in Trinity this weekend and their 14th out of 16 years. The only real question will be who finishes second.

The league tourney starts with duals on Friday and moves to the team championship on Saturday. Modoc has the chance to win eight of the 14 individual championships and more top placers.

According to coach Shaun Wood, the following wrestlers should be favored in their eight classes: Travis Wood, 152 pounds; Josh Wood, 189 pounds; Brian Weed, 130 pounds; Sheridan Crutcher, 135 pounds; Jared Cox, 160 pounds; Bill Hammerness, 171 pounds; Ian Jacques, 215 pounds and Jesse Harer, heavyweight.

Other kids to watch include Chris Buchanan, Cain Madrigal, Martin Corn and Josue Madrigal.
The Braves are coming off what was frankly a surprisingly good finish at the huge Corning Invitational last weekend. Wood expected the Braves to finish in the top six, and was quite pleased that they actually came in second with 189 points, to winner Corning's 202.

Travis Wood won the 152-pound championship and was named the Most Outstanding Middleweight at the tourney.

Weed took a second at 130 pounds, Crutcher was second at 135, Buchanan was second at 145 and Josh Wood was second at 189. Hammerness, 171 pounds, Jacques, 215 and Harer, heavyweight were all third. Cain Madrigal was sixth at 119 pounds.

Team scores: Corning 202, Modoc 185, Middletown 121, Live Oak 100.5, Central Valley 99.5, Wheatland 98, Paradise 96, Enterprise 80.5, Corning II 80, Etna 70.5, Portola 54, Trinity 52.5, Quincy 51, Esparto 48, Golden Sierra 46, Mt. Shasta 44.5, Los Plumas 41, Winters 38, Hoopa 33, Chester 26, Los Molinos 16, Burney 13.4, Hamilton City 8 and Big 4.5.

On Friday night, Modoc beat Central Valley in a dual meet there, 48-33.

Braves leave defense in locker room

Modoc's Braves played good on the offensive side of the ball, but apparently left their defense in the locker room Friday night against Trinity, losing, 75-68.

The Braves led 19-12 in the first, but trailed 38-35 by the half. Modoc regained the lead 54-53 after three, then allowed Trinity to hit 23 point sin the fourth to their 14.

"We had been holding league teams to an average of 45 points, but over the past few games that's jumped to 71," said coach Bunk Richardson. "That won't get the job done."

Ross Burgess led the Braves' scoring with 29; Micah Eppler added 15, Jace Wheeler had 11points and Taylor Dunn had 10. Burgess also pulled down 10 rebounds.

The boys beat the Mt. Shasta Bears Tuesday in Mt. Shasta 72-58 behind Dunn's 25 points and Burgess's 24.
The Braves led 21-13 in the first and 33-31 by halftime. Modoc increased its lead with a 18-11 third period and a 21-16 fourth.

The Braves travel to Bishop Quinn Friday and have Weed at home Tuesday. They are 6-3 in the Shasta Cascade League and 12-7 overall.

Fourth quarter buries Braves

The Modoc Braves varsity girl's team played a solid three-quarters Friday night against Trinity, but forgot about the final period, losing 45-37.

The Braves led 10-8 after the first period and 29-10 at halftime. Modoc maintained a 28-25 lead going into the fourth. They allowed Trinity to score 20 points to their nine in the final stanza. The Braves have been plagued by turnovers this season and Friday night was no exception and they gave the ball away 25 times.

Shooting was also a problem for Modoc as they hit just 15 of 39 two-pointers and one of 10 treys for 32 percent.
Catherine Lowry had 16 points and Alysha Northrup had eight points.

The Braves lost to Mt. Shasta there Tuesday night, 52-49, but coach Bill Hall said they played a solid game. The Bears led 14-10 in the first and Modoc responded to take a 24-19 lead at halftime. The Bears outscored the Braves 22-12 in the third but Modoc came back to tie in the fourth, but couldn't get over the hump. Alysha Northrup had 12 points and 11 rebounds in the game, with Kelly Campagna getting12 points and Tacie Richardson and Catania each netting 10. Richardson blocked eight shots.
Modoc travels to Bishop Quinn Friday and Weed comes to Alturas Tuesday.

Tigers beat Hornets

The Dunsmuir Tigers used a 24-9 first period to beat the Surprise Valley Hornet Boys 78-70 at Cedarville Saturday.

The Hornets fought back to trail 41-20 by halftime, but still trailed 63-50 after three.

Jim Bradford led Surprise Valley with 32 points, Jace Indrebo added 15 and Kevin Quick had 13.

The Hornets lost to Tulelake 71-32 Tuesday. Tulelake led 20-11 in the first and 43-16 by half. The Honkers led 63-28 after three. Indrebo had 12 to lead the Hornets who meet Happy Camp tonight.

SV girls split in league

Surprise Valley's girls team beat the Dunsmuir Tigers at Cedarville Saturday 51-44. They lost to Tulelake Tuesday 35-30.

In the Dunsmuir game, Sarah Teuscher had 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 blocked shots. The Hornets led 19-18 at halftime and still led by one after three. They outscored the Tigers 19-13 in the fourth. Patricia Soletti had 11 points; Miranda Miura added 10 and Tristin Teuscher had eight.

The quick Tulelake Honker team started a little slowly and Surprise Valley took a 16-7 first period lead. The Hornets cooled off and allowed the Honkers to get back in the game. Soletti led the Hornets with nine, Sarah Teuscher had eight and Karri DePaul added seven.

February 9, 2006

News

Da Funk will not seek re-election

Justice in Modoc County is going to see some changes following the June 6 Primary Election.

District Attorney Jordan Funk has announced this week that he will not be seeking re-election to a second term. This news follows an announcement last week that Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix will also not be running for re-election.

In addition, Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison, Auditor/Recorder Judi Stevens and Assessor Josephine Johnson have also said they will retire after this term.

"I have been honored to serve the citizens of Modoc County these past three years, but it is time to pursue other career opportunities. Public service and law enforcement is gratifying work, but the time has come to provide for my family's economic security," said Funk. "I came into office determined to improve our standards for investigating and prosecuting crimes in Modoc County, to improve our trial conviction rate and to send more of our serious criminals to prison than was done in the past. I've done all that and will always remain proud of those accomplishments."

Funk said he will complete his term through December and establish a private law firm in Alturas.
"We have a number of important cases pending, including serial child molestation, statutory rape by a County Supervisor and murder," said Funk. "We also have some ongoing investigation into serious matters which are not complete. I think it is important to finish these before leaving office."

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta has announced he'll be a candidate for the DA's office along with local attorney John Lawson.

"I am grateful to my staff and to all those whose hard work and dedicated professionalism have helped us improve our criminal justice system," said Funk. "They have worked for three years now without much public recognition. I am especially grateful to Larry Barnes, my Assistant District Attorney, for his loyal and dedicated service. I am also grateful to those in law enforcement who supported our effort to 'raise the bar' and have responded to the challenge with greater professionalism and dedication than Modoc County has seen in the past."Mix started as a deputy with the Sheriff's Department in 1968, at the age of 21 and will have served 20 years as Sheriff. He is now recovering from heart surgery and said he enjoyed his 20-year term as Modoc County Sheriff, but felt it was time retire.

Two people are running to replace Mix, Undersheriff Mark Gentry, and California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Poindexter. Poindexter is set to retire from the CHP in March.

Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch is expected to seek another term in office. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw will seek election. He was appointed to serve out the remaining term of retired Superintendent Carol Harbaugh.

County positions up for election in June are: District Attorney, County Clerk, Auditor-Recorder, Sheriff/Coroner, Treasurer/Tax Collector, Assessor and County Superintendent of Schools.
Senior Clerk Diana McCulley has announced this week that she'll seek the Clerk's position. The future of that position may change with current action by the Board of Supervisors to consolidate the Clerk-Auditor/Recorder departments.

Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- are expected to run again.

In the City of Alturas, the council seats of Jerry Smith and John Vass will come to term. City Treasurer Kathie Alves will be seeking re-election.

The first day to officially take out nomination papers is Feb. 13. There is a filing fee for county offices, amounting to one percent of the annual salary or candidates may collect signatures in lieu of the filing fee.
According to Madison, the nomination papers will have to be returned by March 10. The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices.

County moves to combine Clerk, Auditor departments

The Modoc County Board of Supervisors Tuesday passed the first reading of an ordinance that would combine the County Clerk and County Auditor/Recorder departments at the end of this year.

The Board will hold a second reading and possible final adoption of the ordinance at the Feb. 21 meeting. If adopted at that meeting, the ordinance would go into effect within 30 days.

The vote to adopt the ordinance was 4-1, with Dan Macsay, David Bradshaw, Mike Dunn and Ray Anklin voting in favor and Patricia Cantrall voting against.

In addition to the ordinance combining the two departments, the county also approved the first reading of an ordinance creating an appointed Clerk of the Board position. The County Clerk has historically handled that position.

While there was some opposition voiced at the meeting Tuesday, concerning the timing, lack of perceived study and lack of consultation with other elected officials, the Board decided it was reasonable and financially prudent to make the change.

"There is not any other time more appropriate to make this decision than now," said Modoc County Chief Administrative Officer Mike Maxwell. "Neither of the incumbents, (Clerk Maxine Madison or Auditor Judi Stevens) is seeking re-election and the change would not be effective until the end of their terms."

Maxwell said the Board considered the action an effort to make both departments more effective, especially if the Clerk of the Board responsibilities are removed from the Clerk's office. Additionally, he said, the action would be taken before the filing period for the June 6 election actually ends.

Candidates, in that case, would know what the position up for election would be and what qualifications would be required.

According to the study the combined department structure would have an elected Auditor with responsibility for Recorder, County Clerk and Registrar of Voters. Under that position would be a Deputy Recorder and a Deputy County Clerk/Registrar of Voters.

Maxwell presented the Board with a study detailing the costs and cost savings involved in the switch which also stressed the number of other counties in the state who have done the same thing.
A more detailed analysis of the study and proposed ordinance will be printed in next week's Record.

22-lot subdivision proposed in Alturas
The Alturas Planning Commission will be hearing a proposal Feb. 15 that would create a 22-lot subdivision south of the Carlos and Warner Street intersection.

The development is planned by Ron Farino, of Windsor, Ca. and includes 22 lots of about 6,000 square feet, on which he plans to build single-family homes with attached garages. The area is part of what's now called the Sunnyside Terrace subdivision.

The area is now zoned TR, which is approved for 27 manufactured homes. Farino cut the number of lots to 22 to meet the size requirement for the single-family homes status of R-1.

According to Alturas Public Works Director Stacy Chase, the developer will pave part of Warner Street south of Carlos and will put Henderson through to Cedar Street in his planned subdivision. There are no plans to improve Cedar Street to Carlos as access. He will also pave and gutter the subdivision streets and will be responsible for utility infrastructure.

Chase said Farino would like to get started on the project as quickly a possible.

The Planning Commission will be asked to approve the tentative map at the Feb. 15 hearing. The hearing will begin at 5:15 p.m. at Alturas City Hall, 200 North Street. The public is invited to attend the hearing.

Medicine Lake geothermal project draws protests

Geothermal energy is often referred to as "green" or "clean" when viewed beside high-polluting and potentially dangerous fossil fuels, but a controversial geothermal project on nearby Native American ancestral land has led to a fierce court battle and organized protests.

Geothermal production involves pumping hot water or steam from underground sources and using it to generate power. Studies conducted since the 1980s suggest that parts of Northern California may contain extensive geothermal reserves, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

However, while California mandates a shift to green energy development and offers tax incentives to see it through, some residents of this area feel exploited by outside energy developers who claim the land for their own purposes, but offer little in return.

Calpine Energy Corp. has two active lease areas in the Modoc National Forest for geothermal exploration and development - Four-Mile Hill and Telephone Flat - but its $200-million plans are on hold pending court litigation initiated by Native American tribes residing around the Medicine Lake Highlands region of Siskiyou County.

This is not the only geothermal proposal in this area. Amp Resources is in the midst of exploring underground temperatures at the Hapgood Ranch in Lake City, according to Modoc County District 1 Supervisor Dan Macsay, who represents Surprise Valley.

The difference is magnitude. Opponents of the Calpine projects fought successfully during the Clinton Administration to have Telephone Flat, a 15-acre site about a mile from Medicine Lake Highlands - declared off limits. Now, they say, intense energy lobbying led to the Bush Administration's 2002 reversal of that decision.

"The strategy paid off, and (this) could be the start of massive geothermal development," states one opposition-group Website http://www.sacredland.org/endangered_sites_pages/medicine_lake.html. "Calpine owns 43 federal leases covering 47,800 acresand can now move forward with plans for clear-cuts, roads, drill rigs, transmissions lines, and at least onepower plant."

According to Forest Service Realty Specialist Jayne Biggerstaff, this development in the Modoc National Forest, a "highly used recreation area," involves a "joint Bureau of Land Management/Forest Service project" because geothermal leasing falls under the jurisdiction of the BLM, while surface management is the purview of the USFS.

She said the agencies have already been through testing phases and environmental impact reports are complete, so "both of these lease areas have been approved for development." The EIRs, she explained, have been "the subject of litigation in the Eastern District Court and the Court of Appeals."
The Medicine Lake Highlands caldera east of Lava Beds National Monument is a collapsed, large-shield

volcano, the largest in the Cascade Range. It rises 7,900 feet above sea level, and inside its bowl shape volcano sits the scenic, 408-acre Medicine Lake.

Calpine's proposal calls for 15 wells with a potential production of 48 megawatts of electricity (one megawatt is enough power for about 1,000 homes). The lease on the other site, Four-Mile Hill, also proposes a 48-megawatt generator.

In 2002, representatives of the Pit River, Klamath, and Shasta tribes joined environmentalists and others on the Telephone Flat Geothermal Project Group Oversight Committee, designed to monitor development activities there. They joined project opponents in a reported demonstration outside Calpine's San Jose corporate offices Jan. 28.

They argue that Medicine Lake Highlands, which received recognition from the National Register of Historic Places as a Traditional Cultural District in 1999, represents more than 10,000 years of use by Pit River, Modoc, Shasta, Karuk, and Wintu tribes for spiritual, religious and healing ceremonies.

"The Pit River people believe that the Creator and his son bathed in the waters of the lake after creating the earth, and the Creator imparted his spirit into Medicine Lake," states information from the opposition Website.

"The water has power to heal and to renew, and the area around the lake is used as a training ground for medicine men from the coast to the Rockies.

"The subsequent recognition of the Medicine Lake Area Traditional Cultural Places District caused one of two proposed geothermal projects to be rejected by the USFS and BLM in 2000," the Website states. "However, in November 2002, the Bush Administration scrapped those protections and approved a $120 million, 48-megawatt geothermal power plant at Telephone Flat."

As an added twist to the ongoing saga, Calpine filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy Dec. 20, but company officials contend the projects will move forward, even while key executives within the company resign (http://www.calpine.com). Calpine's closest active power plant is in Yuba City.

According to a 2002 press release by the U.S. Department of the Interior, "the approval is part of a reconsideration process involving the project. The increased national and state focus on renewable energy, along with the further mitigation measures required, justified approval of the project."

"The power plant will also help California meet its legislative mandate of producing 20 percent of energy supplies from renewable energy sources by 2017," added Assistant Secretary of the Interior Rebecca W. Watson in the statement, projecting enough power for about 50,000 homes from Calpine's Telephone Flat plant.

"Calpine will be required to conduct several mitigation measures, addressing concerns raised by American Indian Tribes and others, including realigning its proposed power line to reduce visual and environmental impacts," the release continued. "The realignment will result in a 13-mile power line for the plant to be built east of the original proposed location (and not across the cultural district or Mount Hoffman inventoried road-less area)."

'Jungle Book' auditions for youths

Auditions for Jungle Book will be open to Kindergarten through high school age students on Monday, February 20 (President's Day holiday), starting promptly at 3:30 p.m. at the A.C.T. Niles Theater in Alturas. All youths are welcome to audition; no experience or advance preparation required.

Auditions will continue until 5:30 p.m. Selected cast members will be asked to stay later. The cast will present two performances on February 25 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. after a week of after school rehearsals. This will be a Missoula Children's Theater production.Among the roles to be cast are Mowgli (the man-cub), his friends Bagheer (the panther) and Akela (the leader of the pack), the entire wolf family, Shere Khan (the tiger) with his side-kick Tabaqui (the jackal), Nag and Nagaina (the cobras), Darzee (the bird), Hathi (the master elephant), Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (the mongoose), Kaa (the rock python), Buck (a buck) and of course, the Monkey-People. Assistant Directors will also be cast to assist with the technical aspects of the production.
Missoula Children's Theatre (MCT) touring productions are complete with costumes, scenery, props and makeup. The MCT Tour Actor/Directors will conduct after school rehearsals throughout the week, each day at the Niles Theater. The Missoula Children's Theatre residency in Alturas is sponsored by Frontier Communications, Modoc County Record and Carstens Motors this year. And presented by Antonio's Cucina Italiana Restaurant, Modoc County Office of Education, Modoc County Arts Council, Inc, Modoc, Surprise Valley and Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School Districts, Alturas Community Theater, and by the California Arts Council.

Tickets for the February 25 shows will be $8 adults; $6 for students and senior citizens. Tickets will be available at the door or in advance from Antonio's. Ken G. Franklin, Director of the Modoc County Arts Council has coordinated this opportunity for Modoc youths, for many years.

Generate excitement with Home Show booth

Something new has been added to the third annual Modoc County Home Show. for the March 25 event in Alturas.

To generate even more excitement, organizers Brooke Fredrickson and Rendy Cockrell are adding a "Best Booth" decorating competition among the vendors. Modoc County Title is sponsoring the prizes with $200 in Modoc Bucks for First Place winner; $150 for second place and $100 for third place. The vendors will be doing the voting.

"We want the vendors to start thinking about their entries and how best to present their business and how they want to decorate," describes Cockrell. "When the vendors show up the day of the Home Show, they will receive their participant badge, so we know who is to be setting up that morning and a "Best Booth" voting sheet. They can judge the entries during the Home Show and turn it in at the end. We'll announce the winners in the Modoc Record.

This year's Home Show theme is "Helping Our Community Grow From the Inside Out."
The Show attracts thousands of people and is a great opportunity for local businesses to show off their products, talents, wares and what they can offer. Exhibitors will range from landscaping and paving design options to roofing, planning, home interior, appliances, existing and alternative heating and cooling options.
Deadline to register is March 13. Booths are available on a first come, first serve basis. Registration fee is $20. Businesses will also commit to providing a door prize of at least $25 value. The event will be held Saturday, March 25 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Modoc High School.

Vendor entry applications are available at Modoc County Record, Altec Engineering and Modoc County Title. For more information please call Fredrickson at 233-8472 or Cockrell at 233-3471.

Obituaries:

Bonnie J. Ford

A memorial service for Bonnie J. Ford of Alturas will be held this Saturday, February 11 at 1 p.m. at Faith Baptist Church in Alturas.

Bonnie Jean Ford passed away of natural causes on January 28, 2006 in Alturas, CA. She was 43.
Born Bonnie Jean Horn on July 19, 1962 in Susanville, CA, she attended college in Redding. She was artistic and loved to draw and read. She also enjoyed playing video games. But most of all, "She was a beautiful foundation for our family, a wonderful companion and a wonderful, loving mother," describe family members. Coming from Redding, Bonnie had made Modoc County her home for the past 13 years.
She is survived by her husband of 17 years, Robert S. Gross of Alturas; son Brandon S. Horn of Alturas; daughter Christy L. Horn of Alturas.

Arrangements are under the direction of Kerr Mortuary, Alturas.

Irene M. Collin

Former Cedarville resident Irene Mayhew Collin passed away in her home near Elk, California, on December 24, 2005, after a short illness. She was 95 years old. Irene was born August 13, 1910, to William and Winnifred Wilson Mayhew, in Moorpark, California, and grew up in Bishop and Ojai, California. She was the youngest of four daughters.

She graduated from California State Teachers College of Santa Barbara in 1931. While visiting her sister, Jessie Ritchie, in Alturas in the summer of 1935, and waitressing at the Niles Hotel, she met Donald R. Collin, a surveyor for the California Division of Highways. They were married in 1936. They both appreciated a rustic lifestyle in many remote locales of various highway surveying assignments throughout northern California. In 1945, they made their home near Redding, where their three children were raised.
Irene began teaching in Shasta County in the 1950's. She pioneered and taught an innovative, living-skills based special education program at Shasta High School until her retirement in 1972. After retiring from teaching, Irene worked as a docent at the Redding Art Museum.

In 1990 Irene relocated to Cedarville where she enjoyed gardening, her animals, and excursions in the desert and mountains. In 2001, she moved to Elk, on the Mendocino Coast, where she enjoyed the ocean, beach combing, and her cottage in the redwoods where she continued to garden and care for her pets.
She is survived by her children: Sara Gooch of Cedarville, California; Pete Collin of Stonington, Maine; Roger Collin of Elk, California; and grandchildren Jeremy Judson of Redwood City, California; Ryan Collin of Stonington, Maine; Walker Collin of Arcata, California, and Seth Tower of Elk. Donald predeceased Irene in 1962.

In keeping with her wishes, no services were held. Donations are suggested to the
High Plateau Humane Society, P.O. Box 1383, Alturas, CA, 96101.

Sports

Braves pin SCL title with 7 champions

Modoc's Braves pinned their seventh straight Shasta Cascade League wrestling title with seven individual champions. They are idle until the Division 3 Championships in Quincy Feb. 17-18.

Modoc won the team title with 254.5 points, well ahead of second place Mt. Shasta with 136, Trinity with 133, Etna 91, Big Valley 57, Fall River 62.5, Burney 55, Bishop Quinn 54, Tulelake 33 and Weed 3.
The Braves put nine wrestlers into the 14 finals spots, and won seven of those.

"I just can't be prouder of the team," said coach Shaun Wood, whose two sons, Travis and Josh, have had outstanding years. "We practice hard and it shows in the end. It was also nice that we were able to take 19 wrestlers to the league meet and all of them contributed."

In the Division III tourney, the top four finishers move on to the Masters Tourney in Redding Feb. 24-25. The top two there will go to the state championships.

Wood expects several of his wrestlers to qualify for the Masters and sees a chance to take more than one to state.
Modoc's league champs were: Brian Weed, 130 pounds; Sheridan Crutcher 140 pounds; Travis Wood 152 pounds; Bill Hammerness, 171 pounds; Josh Wood, 189 pounds; Ian Jacques 215 pounds; and Jesse Harer, heavyweight.

Taking second for the Braves were Chris Buchanan at 145 pounds and Jacob Ketler at heavyweight. Buchanan lost to Tulelake's Jon Luscombe and Ketler lost to teammate Harer.

Modoc's Cain Madrigal was third at 119 pounds, Martin Corn was third at 125 pounds, Kim Partee was third at 130 pounds, David Holloway was third at 160 pounds, Lenny Gladu was third at 189 pounds, Kyle Hartman was fourth at 145 pounds Kevin Richardson was fourth at 103 pounds and Shawn Brownfield was fifth at 189 pounds.

The league championship was Saturday in Trinity and the dual championships were held the day before, also in Weaverville. Modoc had nine wrestlers go unbeaten in the duals: Madrigal, Weed, Crutcher, Buchanan, T. Wood, Hammerness, J. Wood, Jacques, and Harer.

Holloway went 2-1 while Richardson, Corn and Josue Madrigal all went 1-2.
Modoc topped Etna 64-18, Mt. Shasta 56-2, and Trinity 62-6 for the Big School dual title.

Modoc girls crushed by Bishop Quinn

Modoc's varsity girls team allowed Bishop Quinn to jump out to a 34-3 first-period lead and couldn't recover, losing 65-31. Bishop Quinn is unbeaten in the Shasta Cascade League.

The Braves trimmed the lead to 41-19 by half but Bishop Quinn outscored them in the third 18-8 and in the fourth 6-4. The Braves shot just 12 for 56 from the floor. And turned the ball over 22 times.
Sara Catania and Tacie Richardson each scored nine for the Braves.

The Braves beat Weed 57-45 here Tuesday night after taking an 18-8 first period lead and led 30-20 by halftime. Modoc outscored Weed 16-12 in the third.

Catherine Lowry had 15 points, Richardson and Catania added nine each, Marlana Bartram had eight and Alysha Northrup have seven.

Modoc travels to Burney Friday and has Etna at home Saturday.

Hornets lose close one to Cards

The Surprise Valley Hornet girls lost a close game to the Big Valley Cardinals Tuesday, 41-39 after leading the entire way.

The next game will be against the Happy Camp Indians at McCloud Feb. 14.

At the Homecoming game Feb. 3, Butte Valley beat the Hornets 41-32, helped by a 15-3 first period. The

Bulldogs were up 21-12 by halftime.

Sara Teuscher and Miranda Miura led the scoring with 20 and six respectively.

Boys whip Bishop Quinn 64-42

The Modoc boy's varsity beat Bishop Quinn 64-42 Friday at Bishop Quinn.

The Braves started 15-11 in the first and led 30-24 at halftime. Modoc went to 47-33 in the third and outscored BQ 17-9 in the fourth.

Ross Burgess led the scoring with 21 and Jace Wheeler added 10, Modoc only had eight turnovers in the game. Wheeler also pulled down 12 rebounds.

Modoc coach Bunk Richardson has steered the Braves into a 8-3 record and first place in the Shasta Cascade League after a tentative start. Mt. Shasta and Trinity are tied for second at 7-4.

Richardson said that while Micah Eppler has not been scoring a much as in the past, he is doing an excellent job running the floor and on defense and has made a big difference in the overall success of the Braves.

Tuesday night the Braves beat Weed 53-50. They led 13-11 in the first and 31-25 by half. After three, Modoc led 43-32, but allowed he Cougars to make it close in the fourth.

Burgess led the scoring with 20, Dunn added 12 and Eppler had nine.

Alumni gameset for SV

On Friday evening, February 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the Surprise Valley High School gym, an intrepid though aging group of Surprise Valley High School graduates will face off against the Varsity Boys' Hornets in a revived tradition, the annual Alumni Basketball Game. Spectators are sure to be entertained by the action and antics, making the event well worth the $1 admission charge.

"We used to do this every year. We'd like to get it going again", said Charlie Stevens who has taken on the task of pulling together a team on short notice. "When we decided to go ahead this season, we had very few options for the date. We worked with coach and, with the team's schedule and it looking more and more like they'll be going to the playoffs, Friday night was our best choice."

So far, eight alumni have committed to playing. Anyone interested in joining the team should call Stevens at the high school where he is the Maintenance Supervisor. His number is 279-6141, ext. 43.

Modoc JVs split

Modoc's junior varsity boys team split in Shasta Cascade league action this week, beating Bishop Quinn, 54-47, and losing to Weed, 61-58.

Justine Estes and John Hughes each scored 13 points to lead the Braves against BQ. Dee Hunsaker added 11.
Estes and Hunsaker scored 14 each in the Weed loss. Daniel Morgan added nine. The Braves are now 7-4 in the SCL.

February 16th, 2006

News

New faces in races for County, City offices

There are several new faces running for election to local offices in the June 6 Primary Election and candidates started taking out filing papers officially on Tuesday.

In a change of heart, Auditor Judi Stevens has said she will seek re-election. She had announced she would retire, but reconsidered that action over the weekend, she said.

The county is considering combining the Clerk's Office with the Auditor's Office and a public hearing on adopting the enabling ordinance is set for next Tuesday at the Board of Supervisors meeting.

Senior County Clerk Diana McCulley has announced this week that she'll seek the Clerk's position. The future of that position may change if the Board of Supervisors consolidates the departments.

In a new development, Gary Jones, Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator of Business Services, Adult and Alternative Schools, Transportation and After School Program has taken out papers to run against County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw.

Jones began his teaching career in the Modoc Joint Unified School District in 1989 and had held administrative positions as Modoc High School Dean of Students and Tulelake High School Principal.
Shaw will seek election. He was appointed to serve out the remaining term of retired Superintendent Carol Harbaugh.

District Attorney Jordan Funk will not be seeking re-election to a second term and neither will Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix.

In addition, Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson have also said they will retire after this term.

Funk said he will complete his term through December and establish a private law firm in Alturas.
Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta has announced he'll be a candidate for the DA's office along with local attorney John Lawson, who now serves as the counsel for the Alturas City Council.

Mix started as a deputy with the Sheriff's Department in 1968, at the age of 21 and will have served 20 years as Sheriff. Two people are running to replace Mix: Undersheriff Mark Gentry, and California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Poindexter. Poindexter is set to retire from the CHP in March.

Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch will seek another term in office.

County positions up for election in June are: District Attorney, County Clerk, Auditor-Recorder, Sheriff/Coroner, Treasurer/Tax Collector, Assessor and County Superintendent of Schools.
Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- will run again.

In the City of Alturas, the council seats of Jerry Smith and John Vass will come to term. City Treasurer Kathie Alves is seeking re-election.

Alturas resident Rod Gately has announced his candidacy for City Council. Gately is a past manager of the Arrowhead Golf Course and expresses his desire to improve on required research and study in council decisions.

According to Madison, the nomination papers will have to be returned by March 10. The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices.

Public hearing on Clerk/Auditor consolidation Tuesday

The Modoc County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on its proposed consolidation of the Modoc County Clerk and Auditor/Recorders offices Tuesday in board chambers.

The first reading of the new ordinance was last week and it has met with some opposition, but it also has support. The public hearing is Feb. 21, 9 a.m.

Following the second reading the Board could adopt the ordinance and it would go into effect within 30 days. In a change from last week, Modoc Auditor Judi Stevens has reconsidered her retirement and will now seek re-election. County Clerk Maxine Madison will not run for re-election, however Senior Clerk Diana McCulley has taken out papers for County Clerk. If the ordinance passes it will affect that position.

Tuesday McCulley told the Board she didn't feel the consolidation cost savings accurately reflected reality. She said she felt the consolidation issue should be decided by the voters. "I think that is a question that should be decided by the voters of Modoc County, or are you afraid that the voters won't agree with you?" she said. "The position of County Clerk is a public office voted on by the public and I feel it should be left to the voters to decide."

The vote to adopt the ordinance at the first reading was 4-1, with Dan Macsay, David Bradshaw, Mike Dunn and Ray Anklin voting in favor and Patricia Cantrall voting against.

In addition to the ordinance combining the two departments, the county also approved the first reading of an ordinance creating an appointed Clerk of the Board position. The County Clerk has historically handled that position.

"There is not any other time more appropriate to make this decision than now," Modoc County Chief Administrative Officer Mike Maxwell has said.

Maxwell said the Board considered the action an effort to make both departments more effective, especially if the Clerk of the Board responsibilities are removed from the Clerk's office. Additionally, he said, the action would be taken before the filing period for the June 6 election actually ends.

Candidates, in that case, would know what the position up for election would be and what qualifications would be required.

Maxwell said the potential annual savings to the county range from a low of $50,000 to in the low $90,000 range, depending on variables.

According to the study the combined department structure would have an elected Auditor with responsibility for Recorder, County Clerk and Registrar of Voters. Under that position would be a Deputy Recorder and a Deputy County Clerk/Registrar of Voters. The Auditor would receive an additional stipend for the increased responsibilities.

According to the County, Madison estimates that 50 percent of the County Clerk's time is providing service to the Board. With the Board adding an additional meeting on the second Tuesday to handle Modoc Medical Center business, it will increase that workload to about 70 percent.

"With the Board's desire to modernize and make county government more efficient and accessible to the public, it has become evident that an appointed Clerk to the Board will be the most efficient way of accomplishing that goal. Approximately 90 percent of the 58 counties in California have established appointed Clerk of the Board positions," the county states. "With removal of the responsibilities of Clerk of the Board, the remaining responsibilities for County Clerk are very diminished, leaving primarily issuing marriage licenses, filing fictitious business statements and processing passports. With all things considered, it becomes apparent that consolidating the County Clerk office with the Auditor Record office would be an excellent match."

According to Maxwell, the Recorder responsibilities are to file and maintain public documents associated with land transactions, including sale, lien, purchase and easements; file and maintain documents associated with vital statistics, including births, deaths and marriages and maintaining a cumulative record of all official documents for the county.

"I believe the dollar savings will turn out to be much greater if the changes are made," said Supervisor Mike Dunn. "When I researched this issue, I found there are 19 other counties who have consolidated the County Clerk Office with other departments as of 2002."

Madison is retiring after 24 years as County Clerk. "I have enjoyed serving the public and working with the Board of Supervisors as County Clerk," she said.

The Board said it has also been very pleased with Madison's performance.

"As a new Supervisor in 2003, Clerk Madison was of great assistance to me to become an effective supervisor," said Supervisor Dave Bradshaw. "She has continued to support myself and all the board, drawing on her experience and keeping abreast of changes and new programs."

Reality check on FS schools money

Anxiety among north state area school administrators and county officials was reduced recently when President Bush included the reauthorization of the funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Stabilization Act in his recently released budget proposal. Still, they recognize that the bill still must weather the adverse political climate in the United States Congress.

"I'm optimistic that it got included in the budget," said Dr. Vanston Shaw, Modoc County's schools superintendent, calling the inclusion "a good beginning."

"Our position is that this is a very, very important piece of legislation. It's worthy of the congress and the president's support," said Bob Douglas, president of the National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition, the organization lobbying for the reauthorization of the legislation that provides much needed funding for area schools and county governments. "The county commissioners (supervisors), school and business leaders in the rural counties are still deeply engaged in the coalition. We plan to advocate as strongly and powerfully as we know how on behalf of the forest counties of this country.

"Our counties and our rural schools need (this funding) desperately—as much or more so than we did when we passed the original bill in 2000. And, we're going to be pushing for Congress to fully fund it in the next five years, as we called for in the legislation."

The funding provided by this act represents a substantial portion of the money needed to run schools and maintain roads, in addition to a number of other programs, in rural counties with national forests. Dr. Shaw indicates that it represents about 10 percent of local schools districts' budgets.

"This has been a critical component for our county and for other counties. I know that the funding, right now, helps support our schools and helps to make a significant difference in the types of programs we offer," said Dr. Shaw. "If we actually lose the funding, it would be devastating to our local schools. There's no doubt about it."

Due to declining timber harvest receipts in national forests, which have dropped 85% in the last decade, rural schools and counties turned to the federal government to replace that loss in 2000, based on a congressional agreement dating back to 1908.

"Forests are a big part of the economy in Modoc County and have been for years," said Dr. Shaw. "The idea was to help bridge (the gap) as we move, helpfully, towards more forest reserve receipts. (But) I don't know if we'll get back there."

"In Washington, D.C., things can have a lot of different kinds of labels put on, and partisan ones seem to be easy ones to put on there," said Douglas. "We're hoping that this bill will go forward in a bipartisan nature, as it has in the past. We're not going to lean toward one party or another. These counties and these rural schools belong to everyone."

"The good thing is that it's there," said Dr. Shaw of the president's inclusion of this funding in his proposed budget. "If it wasn't put in the budget at all then it would have been much more difficult to get legislators to put it in the budget."

"There is some controversy surrounding the way he's proposing to pay for it," said Douglas, referring to the planned sale of excess public lands by the U.S. Forest Service—about 40,000 acres over the next five years, according to him. "This is not a new idea. These lands have been proposed for sale and/or exchange."
The Forest Service maintains that because of other, ongoing land acquisition programs, this action would result in no net loss of federal lands and yet pegs the potential revenue generated from such a sale at nearly $800 million over the next five years.

While the funding proposal may be getting "a lot of negative publicity," according to Douglas, it is not the only means for paying for the bill. "That's really up to congress. The president did a nice job by prioritizing this and at least identifying a plausible and doable solution. It may not be the only one or even the best one, but if others have better ideas, they need to step forward and put those on the table."

The schools, the road departments, the RACs and the county budgets would be directly impacted by loss of this funding. "Obviously, my concern, directly, is the schools," says Dr. Shaw, adding that the loss would have a profound negative impact on all aspects of the local economy. "It's not just the schools."

Because of the widespread effect of such a funding loss, Dr. Shaw has set a meeting to explain the situation to the general public on Tuesday, March 7 at the Modoc High School Social Hall from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. "I'm hoping we'll have board members and district superintendents attend the meeting and talk about what the impact would be on the programs in the schools." He encourages residents to become knowledgeable about the funding and what it does.

"We need your help to keep this funding to help our kids," said Dr. Shaw. "Without it, it could be a devastating lost to our community. The only way we can keep this is to get out and help influence our legislators."

If the reauthorization effort should fail, "the kids are the ones that will pay the price. There'll be fewer teachers to work with them, larger class sizes and less materials," said Dr. Shaw.

Register for Home Show soon

Registration for the Third Annual Modoc Home show set for March 25 at the Griswold Gym in Alturas is going well and organizers suggest anyone interested get their application in soon.

Registration is on a first-come, first served-basis, so it pays to get in early. The show fills up quickly and space is limited. However, there is still time to get into the event.

The theme this year is "Helping the community grow from the inside out."

Organizers Rendy Cockrell and Brooke Fredrickson are pleased with the early interest in this show and figure it's going to have great and varied exhibitors.

The event is held at Modoc High School, with the Griswold Gym, Shirley Oxley Social Hall and the lawn surrounding the facilities. The Home Show attracts thousands of people and is always a great chance for local businesses to show off their wares, crafts, products and talents.

Local people get a first-hand look at what exhibitors have to offer all the way from design, the first part of building or remodeling to the finished product, including home décor, appliances, landscaping and the latest technology, including solar power configurations.

Fredrickson said the Home Show is open only to Modoc businesses and this year no "Internet only" businesses will be allowed.

The application deadline is March 13. Pick up applications at the Modoc County Record, Modoc County Title and Altec Engineering. Entry fee this year for exhibitors is $20. The entrants will also be asked to give a door prize of at least $25 value. There is no admission cost for the public.

For more information, contact Fredrickson at 233-8472 or Cockrell at 233-3471.

Obituaries:

E. Keith Jacques, Sr.

A memorial service for E. Keith Jacques, Sr. will be held today, February 16 at 2 p.m. in the dining room of the Skilled Nursing Facility at Modoc Medical Center in Alturas. The Rev. Patrick Henry of Sacred Heart Catholic Church will conduct the service. All friends and family of Mr. Jacques are most welcome to attend.
Alturas resident and former Police officer E. Keith Jacques, Sr. passed away February 8, 2006, with his family at his side at Shasta Regional Hospital in Redding, CA. He was 73.

A California native, Mr. Jacques was born in San Francisco on January 20, 1933 and was a longtime resident of Hollister, CA before moving to Alturas in 1974. He graduated from San Benito High School and Gavilan College Police Academy. He and his father operated the butcher department of the Hollister Public Drive-In Market at South and San Benito Streets. His in-laws had operated the grocery department. He was a butcher for most of his life, having worked in the store from high school on. Mr. Jacques became a police officer in 1969 and had worked as First Detective Sergeant for the Hollister Police Department. He moved to Alturas in 1974 and worked with the Alturas Police Department.

Mr. Jacques was a veteran of the Korean War and served with the U.S. Airforce. He loved the out-of-doors and enjoyed bird hunting, especially in Alturas.

His wife Barbara Filice Jacques who passed away in 1968 preceded him in death. He is survived by his daughter Susan Rhyne and her husband Ross of Redding; daughters Bette Carroll and husband Mike of Portland, Oregon; son Keith Jacques, Jr. and wife Teresa of Alturas, CA; daughter Mary Jacques of Susanville, CA; son Stephen Jacques and wife Shelly of Alturas, CA; grandchildren: Rachel, Ross, Matthew and wife Laura, Barbara, Joseph, Gregory, Jennelle and husband Ben, CJ, Daniel, and wife Sebrina, Ian and Filicia; great-grandson, Conner; brother Allan Jacques and his wife Lorraine of Alturas, CA and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation was Sunday with services from the Grunnagle-Ament-Nelson Funeral Home on Monday at 9:30 a.m. then proceeded to Sacred Heart Catholic Church for a funeral mass at 10 a.m. Entombment followed at the mausoleum in Calvary Cemetery in Hollister, CA.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.

Mary Rodman

A Celebration of Life for Mary Jeanette Rodman 82, of Cottonwood will be held at The Depot in Kenwood, CA on Sunday, February 19 at 1:00 p.m. A Celebration of Life will also be held in Alturas on Saturday, February 25 at 1 p.m., at the home of her daughter, Carol Brocco, at 209 N. W. "A" Street.

Mrs. Rodman passed away February 14, 2006 in Cottonwood, CA.

Jette, as she was known to friends and family, was born to Marjorie and Burton Cochrane of Kenwood on January 6, 1924. She graduated from Santa Rosa High School in 1941. Mary Jeanette and Walter T. Rodman were married in San Antonio, Texas in 1942. 
In 1946 they moved to Modoc County and then on to Burlingame in 1952. While spending the better part of her life as a homemaker, Jette also loved her garden and spent a good deal of time volunteering at Stanford Hospital and belonged to the California CowBelles.

After Walt died in 1974, Jette worked at Ah Sam's in San Mateo, belonged to the Children's Home Society and the Woodside Trail Club. She later moved to Oakmont in Sonoma County, returning to enjoy her home town and longtime friends. While in Oakmont Jette enjoyed belonging to PEO and volunteered at the Luther Burbank Center.

Jette is survived by daughters Carol Brocco of Alturas and Nancy Rodman of Cottonwood; sister and brother-in-law Martha and Ed Geib of Kenwood; grandchildren Keith and Beth Weber, Kyle and Gerese Weber, Janet and Michael Morgan all of Alturas; Jeanette and Danny Reagan of Palestine,Texas; Kim and Doug Welander of Fall River Mills and Jon and Heather Arreche of Redding. Also eight great-grandsons and one newborn great grandaughter. 

Donations may be made to Mercy Hospice, 1544 Market St. Redding, CA 96001, or the Luther Burbank Center of Santa Rosa.
 
Leo Donald McFarlan

Leo Donald McFarlan, a resident of Alturas, Ca since 1995, passed away at his home February 7, 2006. Graveside services were held at Oak View Memorial Park in Antioch, CA on February 13.

Mr. McFarlan was born March 18, 1920 to Frank and Celestine McFarlan, on Lone Tree Way, Contra Costa County, Brentwood, CA. He was the youngest of three boys. His brothers Frank and John preceded him in death.

Leo attended the one room schoolhouse at Lone Tree Way, through the eighth grade. His teacher was his aunt, Florine McFarlan. He served as a janitor of the school. He rode a horse to school, having to be there very early to build the fire to heat the building.

Leo graduated from Liberty Union High School in Brentwood in 1938. In 1936, he was honored as the first-ever MVP in football. In April 2002, he was inducted into the Liberty Union Hall of Fame.

On May 30,1939, he married Edith Wightman of Byron, CA in Reno, Nevada. To this union, two children were born: Sharon Lee Carey of Alturas, CA and David Leo McFarlan of Reedley, CA.

He served as Motor Pool Sergeant, 662nd Field Artillery Battalion of the U.S. Army from April 1944 to April 1946. He served in the European Theater of Operations, earning a sharp shooting medal and WWII Victory Medal.

Leo and Edith made their home in Brentwood from the time of his return from military service until Edith's death in 1993.

In 1995, Leo moved to Alturas, CA where he made his home. Leo's passion was hunting and sports. He and his brothers had traveled to Modoc County for hunting since the 1940s. In the late 1930s he played on a family semi-pro baseball team. He watched every ball game that was broadcast on TV and loved to watch them with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Many cousins of his generation and their descendents as well as old hunting buddies will miss his humor and wonderful stories.

Leo is survived by his daughter, Sharon Lee Carey and his son, David McFarlan; grandchildren: Tina Cockrell, Alturas, CA; Jim Carey and Edie DeBoer of Battleground, WA; Ellen Carey, Alturas; Kari McFarlan, Portland, OR; Sean McFarlan, Exeter, CA; sister-in-law Leona Wightman Callahan of Pleasant Hill, CA; 12 great-grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter.

Sports

Hight wins Pomona race

After a very rough start in the Funny Car qualifying rounds, Alturas' Robert Hight came back to win the season-opening CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals in Pomona over the weekend in Pomona.
Hight earned National Hot Rod Association Rookie of the Year last year and is off to a great start this season. But he started to think he was snake-bit in the first rounds.

According to the NHRA, Hight didn't qualify his Auto Club Ford Mustang until the final time trial. He then had to beat teammate Eric Medlen and Del Worsham and Phil Burkart Jr. in the way the final win of Ron Capps, a 4.763 to 4.775 nail biter.

Hight's issues started when he blew-up his engine against Worsham and destroyed his primary car body. He crew managed to find a back up, but the troubles continued when his fire bottles accidentally went off Justas they were pulling the car out of the pits for ht semi-finals.

"We did have a few bad luck things happen today, but my team came though like professionals," said Hight. "It was lucky for us that John Force and Eric lost early because their crew guys cam over and helped us. If the hadn't, we wouldn't have made it up there to the semifinals.

"We blew up the body in the lights in Round 2 and the guys had to get the old one that triple-A had on display. Then the fire bottles went off and those things take forever to change out. Jimmy (Prock, crew chief) was calling us on the radio and when we told him the fire bottles went off, said we were don. But everyone jumped I there and switched them out. It was awesome to see."

After running the quickest pass in NHRA history during qualifying, a 4.664 second blast, 13-time Funny Car Champion John Force fail dot back up the mark and went out in the quarterfinals. NHRA rues say any potential record run must be supported by another pass within one-percent f the original.

The next race is the Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals in Chandler Az Feb. 24-26. It will be broadcast on ESPN 2 Feb. 25, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. and on Feb. 26 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m..

Modoc leads SCL going into final game

Modoc's boy's varsity leads the Shasta Cascade League going into the final game against SCL bottom dweller Fall River Thursday night at home.

The SCL standings are: Modoc 9-4, Trinity 8-4, Mt. Shasta 8-4, Etna 7-6, Weed 6-6, Burney 5-7, Bishop Quinn 4-8, Fall River 2-10.

Modoc lost a game they shouldn't have Saturday night to Etna here 65-60. They led 18-12 in the first and 39-30 at halftime. Etna blew them away with a 26-6 third period and Modoc fought back with a 15-9 fourth quarter.
Ross Burgess led the scoring with 19 and Taylor Dunn added 17.

Against Burney Friday, Modoc had little trouble after started down 14-13 in the first. They came back to lead by halftime 3123, and outscored the aide 32-26 in the second half.

Dunn led he scoring with 26, Burgess added 21 and Micah Eppler had 11.

According to coach Bunk Richardson, he Braves are now ranked fifth in the section and will have a first playoff game in Alturas Feb. 22. Times and particulars will be announced later.

Girls win SCL pair

Modoc's girl's varsity won both games this week, to put them in fourth place in the Shasta Cascade League and face a very tough Fall River team tonight at home to close out the regular season.

Bishop Quinn's leading the SCL with a perfect 12-0 record, followed by Fall River's 10-2, Mt. Shasta 7-5, Modoc 7-6, Etna 6-7, Trinity 4-7, Weed 2-9 and Burney 0-12.

The girls beat Burney 68-51 Friday, there, after a slow start. Modoc trailed 17-12 in the first and at the half, the Braves were behind 40-39. Burney still led 46-44 after three, but Modoc outscored them 24-5 in the fourth period for the win.

Alysha Northrup led the scoring with 18; Catherine Lowry added 17 and Tacie Richardson had 16.
On Saturday, the girls beat Etna 58-56 including a barn-burning fourth period. The Braves trailed 15-12 in the first, but led 23-21 at halftime. They increased their lead to 38-30 at the end of three. In the fourth, Etna score 26 points and Modoc added 20, to win by just two.

Modoc shot just over 29 percent from the floor and turned the ball over 22 times. Their defense did pick up 27 steals.

Lowry led the scoring with 23 and Sarah Catania added 13. In total, 17 of their points came from the charity stripe.

SV boys beat Happy Camp

Surprise Valley's Hornets beat the Happy Camp Indians 71-61 Tuesday night. The Hornets meet Hayfork Friday and a win there will cement a good spot in the playoffs. A loss would still put the Hornets into the playoffs, but at a lower seed.

Against Happy Camp, the Hornets led 17-9 in the first and 35-27 in the second. Happy Camp cut into the lead, 51-47 after three, but the Hornets put up a 20-point fourth period for the win.

Alex Melgar led the scoring with 25; Jace Indrebo added 24 and Kevin Quick had 13.

Hornet girls finish Friday

The Surprise Valley Hornet girls will complete their league basketball season against unbeaten Hayfork at McCloud Friday.

Tuesday, the girls led Happy Camp for three quarters, but the Indians outscored them 14-8 in the fourth for the 30-26 win. The Hornets shot just 30 percent from the line. Sarah Teuscher and Patricia Soletti led the Hornets with nine and eight points respectively. Soletti pulled down nine rebounds and Teuscher had six blocks.

February 23, 2006

News

Family escapes fire unscathed

The Ted and Glenda Botello family was able to get out of their burning home on Warner Street Saturday morning, but the house sustained major damage.

According to the Alturas Fire Department, the fire started in the attic, presumably from a flue fire, and spread throughout most of the roof structure.

Fire crews were able to remove most of the furniture or cover it so that damage was limited. There is smoke damage throughout the house.

Ted Botello, who is ill, was removed from the home and assisted by firemen and ambulance crews, who transported him to Modoc Medical Center.

There were 17 firemen who responded to the 11 a.m. fire with four engines and while they couldn't save the entire roof structure, did managed to keep the fire contained to that area of the home.

A second fire Tuesday night about 8 p.m. caused minor injuries to the home's resident, Jimmy Johnson, at 503 North East Street, and extensive damage to the house.

The AFD reports the fire started in a bedroom and was apparently electrically caused. The blaze spread quickly and went through the roof causing extensive structural and interior damage. The house was in flames when firefighters arrived.

There were 19 firefighters who responded to the blaze with three engines and a rescue vehicle and they stayed on scene for about an hour and a half. Johnson sustained minor burns to his hands, according to the AFD. According to Police, firefighters did save Johnson's cat.

Candidates are filing for local offices

The official filing period is open for the local offices the June 6 Primary Election and people are tossing their names into the ring.

The Board of Supervisors voted not to consolidate the Clerk/Auditor departments on Tuesday. Auditor Judi Stevens has said she will seek re-election and senior County Clerk Diana McCulley is seeking the Clerk's position.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson will not be seeking re-election to a second term.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta has announced he'll be a candidate for the DA's office along with local attorney John Lawson, who now serves as the counsel for the Alturas City Council.

Two people are running to replace Sheriff Bruce Mix: Undersheriff Mark Gentry, and California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Poindexter. Poindexter is set to retire from the CHP in March.

Gary Jones, Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator of Business Services, Adult and Alternative Schools, Transportation and After School Program will run against County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw. Shaw was appointed to serve out the remaining term of retired Superintendent Carol Harbaugh.

Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch will seek another term in office.

County positions up for election in June are: District Attorney, County Clerk, Auditor-Recorder, Sheriff/Coroner, Treasurer/Tax Collector, Assessor and County Superintendent of Schools. In addition, the seats for the county Republican and Democratic Central Committees are up for election.

Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- will run again. David Porter Misso of Tulelake has taken out papers to run against Bradshaw. As of Wednesday, no one had taken out papers to run against Macsay.

In the City of Alturas, the council seats of Jerry Smith and John Vass will come to term. City Treasurer Kathie Alves is seeking re-election.

Alturas resident Rod Gately has announced his candidacy for City Council.

According to Madison, the nomination papers will have to be returned by March 10. In any office where an incumbent does not file, candidates have an additional five days to file. The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices.

It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Supes reverse course, do not combine departments

Modoc County Supervisors reversed course on their plans to consolidate the offices of county clerk and county auditor after hearing from the public in a heated debate that lasted nearly two hours last Tuesday.
The vote to appoint a clerk to the Board of Supervisors, to take that administrative burden off the county clerk's shoulders, was unanimous in favor of the proposal. However, the vote to consolidate the clerk and auditor offices in a cost-cutting measure was defeated in a three to two vote against the proposal.

There was some disagreement over whether or not the clerk's position should be appointed or elected by the people, but other issues overshadowed this question in the end.

Rod Gately observed that the proposed changes would cause undo problems in both offices. "Let's keep the departments the way they are. Let's keep the people who know what they're doing in there doing it."
The arguments that carried the day against the consolidation focused on the timing of the change and the conflict it raised in the procedure for filing for the combined office for county clerk and auditor.

Diana McCulley, presently a clerk in the county clerk's office and a registered candidate to replace the current county clerk, Maxine Madison, spoke emotionally of her desire to run for an office that was about to be consolidated, and she raised the issues regarding the timing of her filing with the consolidation. "No one came to talk to me about it. This board has known for several months that I intended to run for that office," she said. "Yes, I feel like the rug has been yanked out from under me.

"I cannot go in and file for a position that is not there," said McCulley, complaining that her filing will be made null and void if the offices are combined. "I cannot go in and file for auditor/county clerk. For one thing, I don't meet the qualifications of the auditor. Secondly, the position isn't there. I have filed for county clerk. You tell me what you're going to do about it."

"(If) a filing fee must be paid on a percentage of the office set, then, how can you file for a combined office when no salary has been set?" asked supervisor Patricia Cantrall, whose observation brought applause from the audience.

"That is kind of a good point," said Ed Greene. He then went on, speaking to the board. "You've established the people that are going to run for offices; you've established the offices that are going to be on the ballot. But then, six days later you establish a new position that comes into law, how does that get put on the ballot and how do the people file for that? You can't file for a position that doesn't exist."

One attendee, Mark Halverson, threatened a lawsuit if the board proceeded with the proposed ordinance, saying that he felt it was illegal due to the conflict in timing of the change with regard to filing requirements. "All I see here is litigation," he said, " some big time litigation."

"These questions need to be answered," said Cantrall, declaring that the board should not act in haste.
When it became apparent to Supervisor Dave Bradshaw that there were serious questions as to the timing and merit of the proposal, he offered the opinion that the proposal should be more closely examined before enacting it. "There is the perception out there that when we do something with elected office that the public should have something to say about it. When we get rushed into doing something—and not intentionally but when the time is short—we're looking at an election—it really makes the decision tough. And sometimes we make a decision we (later) wish we didn't make. "

In my mind," said Cantrall, "I certainly feel that the whole public of this county was not prepared for this. In my opinion, it is too hasty a maneuver. It still, in my opinion, should go to the voters to decide if they do or do not want one office."

The one supervisor opposed to the proposal from the outset, Cantrall also pointed to a possible conflict with state law governing such changes. She asserted that the proposal was ill advised, and she was voting against it because the constituents from her district were overwhelmingly opposed to it. "I don't think we should do this is such a hasty manner," she said. "Maybe it should be done further down the road.

Speaking of his constituents, Bradsaw said, "I've always had the perception that they were afraid of losing an office without some say. And I think that's a valid perception. It wouldn't bother me to have a clerk to the board and a county clerk"

David Porter Misso spoke to the board against appointing a clerk rather than being an elected position. "I don't think it's right to eliminate a position that I get to vote for. I don't want the person taking the minutes to be directly responsible to you.

"You're eliminating my ability to pick the person who runs the clerk's office. That's my objection."
The most vocal advocate for the change, supervisor Mike Dunn, felt the questions had been adequately answered. "Part of my responsibility is to make county government more efficient and more responsive to the public."

Dunn went to great lengths to explain the justification and the process behind the proposed changes, but to no avail. He also explained the need for a clerk for the board is due to the additional burdens of managing the hospital the board recently assumed. "The only staff that (we) actually have is the clerk to the board. And Maxine (Madison) has done an outstanding job."

He reminded the board members that the opportunity to consolidate the two offices, thereby saving money, would be lost if they did not take advantage of this opportunity now. "Are we timely in doing this consolidation at this time?" Dunn asked, rhetorically. "We've done all the groundwork. We've done all the research into this. You cannot do a consolidation in the middle of a term of office. You can only do it upon the end of a term of office. We have Maxine retiring. This is the idea time to do it."

Seab McDonald, citing "a lot of rumor mills out there" questioned the board's motives behind the proposed ordinance. He also said that he understood the need for a clerk to assist the board.

Supervisor Dan Macsay answered, denying any hidden agenda or attempt to deceive the public. "I think that we've tried to be very, very open in everything we've done. We're not trying to hide anything; I'm not trying to hide anything by any means whatsoever." He also spoke to the added burden the supervisors now have, saying that a clerk for the board was now a necessity. "When we took over the board of trustees for the hospital, we picked up, obviously, a lot of additional duties and extra time that we're now spending with the hospital."

Along with Dunn, Macsay voted for the proposed ordinance to consolidate, saying that it could be rescinded in a subsequent action if any of the questions raised in the hearing were found to have merit. Supervisors Bradshaw, Cantrall and Anklin voted against it.

SV hospital fee increase on June 6 ballot

Following a series of public meetings designed to gauge the level of support of residents of the valley, the Board of Directors of the Surprise Valley Health Care District announced last Thursday that they will seek to increase the special tax assessment for valley home owners to $225 per year.

Board President John Erquiaga and members Sonia Macsay, Sandra Rosendahl, and Carol Willett voted unanimously to ask voters to increase the current $150 levy by $75 per year, assessing the owners of each dwelling within the hospital district. The new assessment must pass by a minimum 2/3 majority of the voters in the June 6 election.

"One thing we heard from one end of the valley to the other was that if you own a dwelling, you should pay the assessment", said Erquiaga. Currently, owners of "homes, rentals, mobile homes, etc" or any other types of shelter not occupied more than ninety days each year are exempt.

While many people who attended the meetings favored doubling the current tax, others were concerned such an increase would be a burden for those living on fixed incomes. "The board decided to split the difference on the recommendations we heard from people attending the five public meetings", said Erquiaga.

Valley residents have overwhelmingly supported the district's requests for funding in past elections, passing the current assessment by 89%. Voters must renew the tax every four years.

If the proposed increase is approved, it is expected to add approximately $73,500 to the $102,000 currently collected each year. Dannette DePaul, the district's Administrator, said the increase will help offset the loss two years ago of annual grant funding amounting to $78,000. At that time, the district became ineligible for a portion of grant funding when the state decided the clinic is not a free standing rural health clinic, but a hospital-based facility.

"There are not a lot of grant dollars out there right now, either at the state or the federal level", pointed out former administrator Joyce Gysin. However, DePaul's assistant Bill Bostic said the district has "leveraged" the income from the public assessment to gain as much additional funding as possible. Because of the willingness residents have shown to tax themselves for the good of their hospital district he said, "From Eureka to San Diego, whenever mention is made of hospitals with community support in this state, they talk first about Surprise Valley!"

Earlier this month during the Greater Surprise Valley Chamber of Commerce's "State of the Valley" presentation, Bostic reported on the challenges faced by the district which will celebrate its 20 year anniversary in May.

While the hospital employs 78 local residents, the skilled nursing facility's 22 beds are currently full, and residents enjoy 24-hour ambulance service, Bostic said the district faces an onerous mandate to retrofit its current acute facilities to much higher seismic standards. "The hospital was built in 1951 and there's no way we can bring it up to current standards with simple renovations. We have to prepare and plan to address these new state compliance laws."

Board members were heartened to hear the near-unanimous view that maintaining the district's services is tremendously important to residents in Surprise Valley. "I wouldn't be alive today if not for the hospital, and I'm not the only one who can say that", declared Ray Page of Cedarville who was recently seriously injured while working with livestock.

Bostic , who is also an EMT, has seen firsthand how essential the facilities and the medical staff are to residents in the valley. He concluded his remarks at the chamber event by commending the top-notch care provided by the hospital's three physicians, "who have all dedicated their lives to country doctoring."
While the board members and administrators appreciate the public support they have experienced in the past, they plan a door-to-door campaign to ensure the new assessment is passed in June.

City mosquito program on June 6 ballot

The Alturas City Council will place an increase in the mosquito abatement program fee to the voters in the Primary Election June 6.

The City is asking voters to approve an increase from the current .50 cents per month fee to $1.50 per month. The issue will raise the yearly amount collected from $6 to $18 and is assessed on the sewer and water bills. It will take a two-thirds majority to pass.

According to City Treasurer Kathie Alves, the current operating budget for spraying is $9,000 per year, including labor, and the increase would be to $27,000 per year.

She said the increase will allow the city to spray more often, getting closer to the zero mosquito target, and will allow for continued maintenance of the spraying equipment.

Crews will be able to keep up with the required pesticides and upgrade the equipment when necessary.

Obituaries:

Beulah Clark Blevins

Beulah Clark Blevins, 90, a life-long resident of Modoc County, CA. and former Alturas City Treasurer, passed away February 18, 2006 in Klamath Falls, OR. Her services will be held today, February 23, at 11 a.m. at Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas. Immediately following the service, friends are invited to gather at the Alturas Elks Lodge on Main Street.

Beulah was born December 6, 1915, in Adin, California, to George Munroe Clark and Edna Wayman Clark. Her early years, with the passing of her mother, were spent with her grandmother, Rilla Taylor, in Adin, CA, and at the family ranch in Fitzhugh Creek, south of Alturas.

Beulah graduated from Modoc High School with the class of 1934, and from the Reno Secretarial School in 1936. In 1937, she married Allen Blevins from Likely, CA. They had two children, Stephen Allen and Robert Dean.

Beulah worked for the California Public Service Company as a secretary for eight years. She then went to work for Lambie and Molatore Accounting for 10 years. In 1960, she was elected as City Treasurer for the City of Alturas, serving for 18 years in that capacity. She retired in 1978.

Beulah was a member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority in Alturas for 45 years. She was also a member of the Business and Professional Women of America, and served as Den Mother for Alturas Boy Scout Troop #32. She enjoyed her yard with her many flower gardens, was an excellent cook, and loved to go camping throughout Modoc County and the Nevada and Oregon desert. Beulah especially enjoyed visiting with her many Modoc friends and also meeting new people. She was a true "people person."

Her husband, Allen Blevins, son Stephen Blevins, and sister Pauline Ash, preceded Beulah in death. She is survived by her son, Robert Dean Blevins and wife Marlene, her grandson Steven Blevins and great-grandson Calvin Blevins, all from Klamath Falls, OR; niece Genie Smith and husband Don, nieces Athena Killenbeck and Eugenia Smith of Alturas, CA.

Memorial donations may be made to the Alturas Elks Lodge or the Modoc County Historical Society, 600 So. Main St., Alturas, CA 96101.

Roland E. Smith

Roland Eugene Smith, known as "Rolly" to his friends and family, passed away on February 11, 2006 at his Alturas home. He was 65.

Born in Alturas, CA to Irene and Gene Smith on August 25, 1940, he was raised in Alturas and graduated from Modoc High School with the Class of 1959. He entered the U.S. Army just out of high school and served during the Berlin Crisis while stationed in Germany.

Rolly began his survey career working with Wickenden Engineering in Alturas. He later worked for McIntire & Quiros where he started in Ukiah, CA and later was sent to Hawaii with the same company. He worked on the Big Island of Hawaii then on Kauai. His son Robert being born on Kauai. Rolly loved Hawaii. His career spanned over 30 years, and he did "very well" with positions that called him to travel and live in other parts of the country, while building such projects as a copper refinery in Texas, a Taconite, iron/ore plant in Minnesota, and a nuclear power plant in Michigan. Mr. Smith spoke "eloquently" as a Bechtel representative before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission explaining an error in the containment building and how it could be corrected at a time when the NRC questions were arising about the facility. Mr. Smith also worked for the U.S. Forest Service in Alturas.

Rolly had always maintained his residence in Alturas over the years, even though he worked in various parts of the United States. Due to poor health, he spent the last part of his life living in Alturas during his retirement. He enjoyed tending bar at he Niles Hotel and the Alturas Lance Lounge.

For the past three years, his wife Carol provided the comfort and care he needed to keep him at home. He was preceded in death by his mother in February 1995, his father in November 2002, in addition to many close friends.

He is survived by his wife Carol of Alturas; son Robert Smith of Hawaii; granddaughter Alexandria Smith of Hawaii and grandson Elliot Smith of Hawaii; step-daughter Sheryl Phillips of Redding; step-grandson George Phillips of Alturas, CA; step- grandsons Lucas Stafford and Marcus Stafford of Portland; and step granddaughter Casey Stafford of Alturas, CA.

At Rolly's request, no services will be held.

Katherine Cecilia Quigley

Graveside services for Katherine Cecilia Quigley, 83, of Oroville, CA will be held Thursday, February 23, 2006 at 10 a.m. at Memorial Park Cemetery in Oroville.

Katherine was born September 1, 1922, in Astoria, Oregon to Orin and Margaret Medley. She married Earl Quigley and the couple lived in Jewell, Oregon, then in Alturas for 15 years, moving to Canby, CA. where they ranched, logged and owned a Texaco gas station.

Katherine worked at Modoc High School while rearing her three sons. They moved to Oroville in 1971. After raising her sons, Katherine returned to college to pursue a nursing degree. She became and Licensed Vocational Nurse and served faithfully at Oroville Hospital for 25 years.

Katherine enjoyed gardening, traveling and was an avid Sacramento Kings Fan. Most of all she loved to spend time with her family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Katherine is survived by three sons: Larry Quigley of Modesto, Jerry Quigley and wife Marsha of Phoenix, AZ and Earl Quigley and his wife Marlene of Oroville; one sister Dorothy Harris of Oregon; five grandsons Dennis, Jeff, Darin, Glenn and Garrett Quigley; one granddaughter Julie Quigley, 15 great-grandchildren
Arrangements are under the direction of Scheer Memorial Chapel. Remembrances may be directed to the Quigley family at 1123 Grand Ave., Oroville, CA 95965.

Valorie Lynn Orner

Services for Valorie Lynn Orner, 32, of Anderson, CA., were held Friday, Feb. 17 at Allen & Dahl Funeral Chapel in Redding.

Valorie died Saturday, Feb. 11, 2006, in Redding as the result of an automobile accident.
Born May 8, 1973, in Los Angeles, she lived in Modoc County from 1998 to 2001, before moving to Redding.

She worked for Cascade Union Elementary School District in Anderson, for the past three years. Survivors include husband Mike; daughters Lilly and Kylie, both of Redding; brother Westly Bentley of Napa; and mother Chrissie Bentley of Napa.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Valorie Orner Memorial Fund at any North Valley Bank branch.
Condolences can be posted at www.allenanddahl.com. Arrangements are being handled by Allen & Dahl Funeral Chapel in Redding. Interment was at Whiskeytown Cemetery.

Sports

Braves third in Small School, head to Masters this weekend

Modoc's Wrestling team placed third in a very competitive North Section Small School Championships in Quincy last weekend, and head to Redding this weekend for the North Section Masters Championship. The top two place winners at Masters qualify for the state tournament in Bakersfield March 3-4.

Modoc's best chances for a state berth are coach Shaun Wood's two sons, senior Travis Wood, who is ranked number one in the north section at 152 pounds, and freshman Josh Wood, who is ranked fourth at 189 pounds.
Wood is justifiably proud of both sons. Travis and Josh both won Small School Championships last weekend.
Travis has been on top of the north section for most of his high school career, winning the small schools title the last three years. He was heavily favored to repeat and is favored at the Master's tourney this weekend. Wood has had an outstanding season and has several colleges very interested.

For freshman Josh, the season is no less remarkable. Coach Wood can't remember a freshman winning the 189-pound small schools title before. The competition at Masters is going to be extreme, but the younger Wood has stepped up and improved all year. Neither Travis nor Josh is easily intimidated.

While the Wood brothers will lead the team into the Masters, coach Wood said he has a host of other top wrestlers who could move on.

"We will do well, overall," said Wood. "Some of the guys have really strong weight divisions, and there are no real pushovers once you get to this level. I expect us to surprise some people."

In addition to the Woods, Jesse Harer won the individual heavyweight championship at Small Schools. He won by injury default over Shane Lezzini of Durham.

Wrestling starts in Redding at 12 noon Friday, and Saturday at 10 a.m. The finals matches are set to start at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Travis Wood pinned Max Struble of Durham and Josh Wood beat Burney's Matt Schottell 13-3 for their titles.
Tulelake's John Luscombe won the 145-pound championship by beating Blake Pulliam of Durham.
Modoc's 130 pound Brian Weed placed second, losing to Tye McDaniel of Durham. Sheridan Crutcher took a third at 135 pounds, beating Evan Deluca of Durham. Bill Hammerness was third at 171 pounds when he beat Hamilton City's Ryan Schimkel. Martin Corns took third at 125 pounds with a win over Josh Payan of Durham.
Ian Jacques took a fourth place at 215 pounds and Cain Madrigal was fourth at 119 pounds.

All of the above wrestlers, by placing in the top four, qualify for the Masters this weekend. Alternates for Modoc are Chris Buchanan and Josue Madrigal, who each placed fifth. The top two finishers in each weight class at Masters move on to the state finals.

Top team scores for the Small School Championships were: Willows 237, Durham 213.5, Modoc 189, Mt. Shasta 98.5, Esparto 61.5 and Trinity 57.

Braves win varsity boys title

Modoc bet Esparto in the first round of the playoffs 78-65 at Modoc. They now play at Quincy Feb. 24. Quincy beat East Nicolaus 77-46 in the first round.

Modoc's Braves won the Shasta Cascade League varsity boys basketball title with a 10-4 SCL mark and a 16-8 overall record. That placed them fifth in the North Section Playoff picture, where they faced Esparto at home, after Record press time last night.

If they won that game, they'll probably be heading to Quincy to face the number four Trojans. Modoc coach Bunk Richardson believes the team should do well in the tournament,

The rankings for the North Section playoffs (with records) for Division V are as follows: Liberty Christian 1 (22-4), Pierce 2 (21-4), Redding Christian 3 (23-3), Quincy 4 (21-5), Modoc 5 (16-8), Etna 6 (14-12), Biggs 7 (15-11), Tulelake 8 (18-6), Weed 9 (14-12), Mercy (11-12), Hamilton City 11 (10-13), Esparto 12 (12-12), East Nicolaus 13 (10-12), Bishop Quinn 14 (10-15), Burney 15 (10-12) and Williams 16 (9-14).

The Braves won their final league game against Fall River 74-64 to win the league title outright. Modoc led 19-14 in the first and by half led 41-29. At the end of three, Modoc led 59-43.

Ross Burgess led the scoring with 22, Micah Eppler added 21 and Taylor Dunn had 11.

Portola knocks Braves from playoffs

The Modoc Braves varsity girl's basketball team came close to pulling an upset at Portola, but was knocked out of the playoffs in the first round, 56-55, Tuesday night in Portola.

Modoc played the number six seeded Portola Tigers tough. The score was knotted at 14-14 in the first and Modoc led 29-21 by half. The Tigers cut into the lead 44-37 after three and went on to outscore Modoc 19-11 in the final period, thanks in part to five three-pointers. They won the game on a free throw in the final seconds.

Catherine Lowry led Modoc's scoring with 26 and had 12 rebounds, Alysha Northrup added eight, Sarah Catania had six and Taci Richardson and Marlana Bartram added five each. Richardson also had 11 blocked shots and pulled down 11 rebounds.

The last league game of the season for the Modoc girl's varsity wasn't even as close as the final score of 49-38 suggests.

The Braves trailed 13-6 in the first and by half were down 29-14. At the end of the third period, Modoc trailed 40-16.

Catherine Lowry had 17 for Modoc; Tacie Richardson added 11 and Alysha Northup had six. Modoc's nemesis all year showed up again as the girls turned the ball over 27 times.

The Braves finished the Shasta Cascade League season at 7-7 and in a tie for fourth place with Trinity. Bishop Quinn won the league with a 14-0 mark, Fall River was second at 12-2, Mt. Shasta third at 8-6; followed by Trinity and Modoc 7-7, Etna 6-8, Weed 2-12 and Burney 0-14.

Modoc managed to sneak into the North Section Division V playoffs as the 11th seed. The seeding in order and with (overall records) is follows: Liberty Christian 1 (26-0), Hayfork 2 (25-1), Fall River 3 (16-6), Hamilton City 4 (18-7), Mercy 5 (14-6), Portola 6 (16-7), Pierce 7 (13-11), Champion Christian 8 (20-6), Williams 9 (14-11), Tulelake 10 (18-7), Modoc 11 (12-11), Chester 13 (11-14), Esparto 14 (9-14), Weed 15 (8-18), and East Nicolaus 16 (6-20).

The playoffs started Tuesday and the title game is set for Shasta College on March 4.

Hornet boys fall at Maxwell 57-52

The Surprise Valley Hornet boys varsity team, seeded 11th, lost in the first round of the North Section CIF basketball playoffs 57-52 to sixth-seeded Maxwell there Tuesday night.

According to coach John Christie, the Hornets played a good game, leading up to the 4:44 mark of the final period. He said 10 traveling calls and unforced turnovers caused some problems.

The Hornets led 13-12 in the first and 23-21 by half. After three, Surprise Valley led 40-38.
Alex Melgar led the scoring with 17, Jim Bradford added 13 and Jace Indrebo had 10,.

The Surprise Valley Hornet girl's varsity met the Westwood Lumberjacks last night after the Record went to press in Westwood in the first round of their basketball playoffs.

March 2nd, 2006

News

Districts voice concerns on rural forest funding impacts

County educators are taking a hard look at their budgets to see what cuts might be needed if the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Stabilization Act is not reauthorized this year.

"It's very important that everyone understands how serious an impact this will have on all the schools in Modoc County," says Bill Figgess, superintendent of the Tulelake Basin district, one of three in the Modoc Joint Unified School District. "Along with declining enrollment, it will have a severe impact."

Funding from this act, which passed in 2000 and expires this year if not reauthorized, represents about 6.3 percent of the Tulelake Basin district's funding, or $254,223. "We're taking a look at our budget, and we're trying to trim as much as possible without impacting personnel," says the beleaguered superintendent, who does double duty, also serving as the high school principle.

The situation is even more dire for the Surprise Valley district, the smallest in the county, which has already taken a substantial budgetary hit due to declining enrollments. "Our funding has been going away for 30 years," says superintendent, Mike Sherrod. "We just keep doing what we do."

Surprise Valley gets $141,923 annually from the act, or about 7.9 percent of its funding.

Taken together, the potential for losing the forest reserve moneys and the recent drops in funding for the Surprise Valley School District constitute a double whammy for that small district. "We'll do what we can to maintain the courses," says Sherrod, dejectedly.

Doug Squellati, superintendent of the Modoc district, says that the future for area schools is uncertain if funding is reduced annually in the reauthorization, as the Bush administration proposed. "It doesn't look good," he says glumly. "It creates a very serious hardship on our district.

"This bill, for rural communities like ours, will have a drastic impact on how schools look and how they operate if it were to pass (as) it's being proposed."

The Modoc district, the county's largest, presently receives $725,004 annually from the act, about 10 percent of its budget. "(The president's budget) is just a proposal; it's not for certain. But, if it were to (pass) that way, it could have a great impact on this district and this community. It can hurt our entire operation to the degree that we will have to downsize and do some things that we really don't want to do," says Squellati. "The president put the bill to get refunded in his new budget, but it depends upon what the congressmen and the senators want to do in terms of how they want to budget."

Noting that the president's new budget decreases subsidies each year for the next four years until there is none, unless forest sales increase, Sherrod says, "But, you would need a magic wand to know what would happen there."

Given what he sees coming down the road, Sherrod says, "We have to let staff go, and we have to have fewer classes."

Part of his solution is to double up on certain courses. For example, freshman and sophomore English would both be offered in one class, and junior and senior English in another. "We're running some double classes in math this year," he says.

But that strategy has limitations. "You just can't double up everything," explains Sherrod. "Obviously, there are classes where you can't do two different things at once. (We will do) as much as we can do and still keep the integrity of the programs."

"As these cuts become deeper and deeper, there comes a point when you can no longer take your money away from things, and you have to take a look at programs and people," says Figgess, citing declining enrollment for forcing recent budgetary belt tightening, say nothing of what looms on the horizon. "Like most school districts, about 82 percent of our budget is programs and people. There's only so much fat you can take out of 20 percent before you run out of fat.

"We will be trimming the technology budget," he says, along with " how we fund our athletics and what kind of field trips we go on."

Squellati notes that anything short of full funding, as in past years, is unfair to students in county schools. "When the legislation was put into effect over a hundred years ago and then the last five years when it was reauthorized, it was to provide rural counties, that have forest areas, money to go into schools.

"Those funds were designed to help schools in rural areas because their resources were very limited. We're real dependent upon those resources to maintain programs, and provide our kids with a well balanced education to prepare them for the future."

In spite of budgetary woes, Sherrod maintains, "We're doing the job. California is above the middle point in testing of the United States, and yet in the bottom three in funding. But, there's no excuse (for it) because we do have the money."

To politicians, he says, "Quit lying and hiding the facts of why we're in this position. We're the sixth largest economy in the world, and yet, we're one of the lowest per capita educationally funded states in the whole union."

Figgess' advice to parents: "Anytime they can visit with their legislators, both in Sacramento and (Washington), I think that would be a good move on their part."

"Please contract our senators and congressmen and encourage them to have their colleagues fully fund this bill to the level it is right now," urges Squellati. "It's an investment in our future, the children of California, and they deserve a good education."

"What I encourage people to do when I talk to them face to face is to get out there and start demanding that we fund our education," says Sherrod. "We want all these results and everything, but we want them on a shoestring budget."

A stakeholders meeting has been set to inform the public of the situation. It will be held on Tuesday, March 7 at the Modoc High School Social Hall from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.

County will reconsider Clerk/Auditor deal

Modoc County Supervisors will reconsider the ordinance to combine the Modoc County Clerk and Modoc County Auditor offices at their meeting March 7.

The County Board voted 3-2 against the consolidation at their last meeting, but Supervisor Mike Dunn asked that the issue be put back on the table for reconsideration.

The Board did vote unanimously to enact an ordinance creating a separate appointed Clerk of the Board, and that issue will not be up for discussion.

Several people in the audience spoke out against the consolidation plan at the last meeting. Supervisors Patricia Cantrall, Ray Anklin and Dave Bradshaw voted against while Supervisors Mike Dunn and Dan Macsay voted in favor.

New faces popping up in election

New faces have entered the races for local offices in the June 6 primary election. Cheri Budmark has filed papers to run for Modoc County Assessor.

She is at yet unopposed in the Assessor's race.

Four people have taken out papers for the two seats on the Alturas City Council, incumbents Jerry Smith and John Vass and challengers Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

The race for Sheriff between current Undersheriff Mark Gentry and retiring California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter could possibly have one more challenger.

The Board of Supervisors voted not to consolidate the Clerk/Auditor departments last Tuesday. However, that question could be on the agenda again next week.

Auditor Judi Stevens has said she will seek re-election and senior County Clerk Diana McCulley is seeking the Clerk's position. If the Supervisors vote to consolidate the departments, the county clerk only position would not be up for election.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta and local attorney John Lawson, who the counsel for the Alturas City Council, have announced they'll run for the DA position.

Gary Jones, Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator of Business Services, Adult and Alternative Schools, Transportation and After School Program will run against County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw.

Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch will seek another term in office.

County positions up for election in June are: District Attorney, County Clerk, Auditor-Recorder, Sheriff/Coroner, Treasurer/Tax Collector, Assessor and County Superintendent of Schools. In addition, the seats for the county Republican and Democratic Central Committees are up for election.

Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- will run again. David Porter Misso of Tulelake has taken out papers to run against Bradshaw. No one had taken out papers to run against Macsay.

In the City of Alturas, City Treasurer Kathie Alves is seeking re-election.

According to Madison, the nomination papers will have to be returned by March 10. In any office where an incumbent does not file, candidates have an additional five days to file. The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices.

It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Hospital debt up to $5 million

While there have been some rather rosy comments from management about the success of Modoc Medical Center since September, Modoc County Auditor Judi Stevens said her figures show an increase in the debt to the county.

According to her records, the debt Modoc Medical Center owes to the county is $5,071,818.73 as of Feb. 27. That's an increase from September, 2005's debt of $4,690,812.46.

The debt is fluid and did drop in November to $4,585,423.21. Month by month the debt looked like this: September $4,690,812; October $4,741,129; November $4,585,423; December $4,867,652; January $4,793,393; and February $5,071,818.

The increase from September to February is $381,006. The Modoc Record will publish the actual debt at the end of each month.

O'Malley named MHS Principal

The Modoc Joint Unified School District has hired Tom O'Malley as Modoc High School Principal effective July 1, 2006.O'Malley will have just completed his first year as MHS Assistant Principal when he takes over the top spot. He was selected after an interview process, including a community panel and the Board of Trustees.

O'Malley is a Modoc High School graduate and graduated from Chico State University. He has taught at both Willows and Corning High Schools in mathematics. In addition, he coached at the junior varsity and varsity levels in both baseball and football.

O'Malley, his wife Julie and their two children reside in Alturas.

Obituaries:

Letha Colton Morley

A Memorial Service for long-time Alturas resident Letha Morley will be held at 1 p.m. today, March 2 at Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas. Dr. Ben Zandstra will conduct the service. Mrs. Morley passed away with heart failure, at the age of 88 on February 25, 2006, at Modoc Medical Center's Skilled Nursing Facility in Alturas.
Born Letha Colton on August 29, 1917 in Kimbal, Nebraska, she graduated from Modoc Union High School with the class of 1937 in Alturas, CA. She married Alturas native, George Morley, in Reno, Nevada in 1942. They were married for 60 years, when George passed away May 5, 2002.

Mrs. Morley was a homemaker, a noted seamstress and an avid fisherman. She served on local Election Boards for many years.

She is survived by her brother Eugene M. Colton and sister-in-law Mary Ann Colton of Condon, OR; nephews Ronald Nichols, Springfield, OR; Byron Nichols, Randell, WA; and Steven Nichols, Springfield, OR; Kessner Funk, Tahoe, NV; Aaron Colton, Morgan Hill, CA; Kevin Colton, Hollister, CA; nieces Ramona Seright and Christine King of Redding, CA; Pamela Groves, Lexington, Kentucky; Julie Britt, and Carrie Cota, Hollister, CA.

Donations in Mrs. Morley's memory may be directed to Warnerview Long-term Nursing Care or a charity of the donor's choice. Kerr Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Claudine Francis Schafer

Alturas resident Claudine Francis Schafer passed away February 25, 2006 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The family will gather for a service at a later date in Salt Lake.

Claudine Morrissey was born on February 11, 1915 in Steiner, Nebraska. She received her education in Nebraska and attended college in Chicago to study to become a nurse, a profession in which she later worked.
Claudine and Edmund Schafer were married November 20, 1946 in Nebraska. He preceded her in death December 5, 2005. The couple had made Alturas their home for the past 25 years, where their daughter Phyliss Miller and son Bob Schafer reside. Mrs. Schafer is also survived by daughter Jeiwie Munoz, Salt Lake; son Larry Durante, Garden Grove, CA and son Jim Schafer, Milomar, CA.

Sports

Late News: Liberty Beats Braves 64-44

The Liberty Christian Patriots, ranked number one in the North Section boys loop proved their mettle, although it took a big fourth period, to beat the fifth-seeded Modoc Braves 64-44 in Redding Wednesday night.

The game was close through three with Modoc trailing 15-14 in the first and 26-24 by half. Liberty increased its lead to 40-34 in the third. In the fourth, they outscored Modoc 24-10.

Ross Burgess and Micah Eppler led Modoc with 11 each. Four of Modoc's players fouled out in the fourth: Burgess, Eppler, Taylor Dunn and Grant Hall.

Travis Wood wins section, heads to state finals

Modoc senior Travis Wood won the 152-pound North Section Championship in the Master's Tournament last weekend in Redding and will compete this weekend at the California State Championships in Bakersfield.

Wood became the first MHS Wrestler to wins the North Section title three years running and he placed fourth as a freshman. His brother, current freshman Josh Wood, matched his brother's feat this week by placing fourth at the Masters in the 189-pound division.

Both wrestlers are sons of Modoc head coach Shaun and Patty Wood. "I'm obviously very proud of both of them," Wood said this week. "We have never had a wrestler win section three years in a row and place in his freshman year. Josh has a shot at the same history."

Travis has a current season record of 40-3 with 35 by pin. He also set the career win mark with 150, breaking Robert Flournoy's 127. He held the freshman win record at 34, but Josh just broke that with his 37-9 season, with 33 by pin.

"Travis wants to improve on last year's eighth place finish," said Wood. "It's certainly possible and I expect him to wrestle well."

He beat Jake Cordona, of Foothill, 6-4 in the Championship match at the Masters. He came back from being down 4-2 on what coach Wood said was a questionable award of points to Cordona in the first round. He opened the tourney by pinning Mt. Shasta's Jeremy Cooper at 2:32, beat Max Struble of Durham 16-0, and pinned Paul Nevarez of Live Oak at 2:57.

Josh Wood opened the tourney by pinning Chax Alexander of Anderson at 2:28, and then beat Shasta's Zach Koutik 6-3. He lost to the top seed Enterprise's Hasem Mirholi 15-6, then pinned Dan Owens of Oroville at 2:45 and lost to second seeded Danny Campos of Winters 10-3.

Ian Jacques had an excellent Master's tourney and placed sixth at 215 pounds. He opened the event by pinning Anderson's Zack Gibbons and was then pinned by second seed Troy Robison of Sutter at 1:56. He then beat Corning's Cory Lamb 6-4, beat Andrew Thurman of Mt. Shasta 13-0; was pinned quickly by Anthony Winn, Foothill and was then pinned by Gibbons.

Tulelake's Johnny Luscombe won the 145–pound championship by pinning each of his opponents: John Ellsmore, Anderson; Kent Thayer, Willows; Jake Pulliam, Durham, and Foothill's Jason Post.

According to Wood, 130-pound Brian Weed wrestled well, but was in one of the toughest weight classes. He lost to fourth-seeded Brandon Livingston of Orland; won by technical fall over Corning's Brent Bickley 18-3 and lost to Mykal Foland, Anderson, 2-1.

Sheridan Crutcher, at 135 pounds, was pinned by West Valley's Nick Brewer; beat Gridley's Deniko Sisk 6-5 and was pinned by Lassen's Drew Lipton.

Bill Hammerness, 171 pounds, lost to Live Oak's Brandon Hammel 7-5; beat West Valley's Chris Beauchman 15-l and lost to Shasta's Austin Myers 4-2.

Martin Corn, 125 pounds was pinned by second-seeded Derke Ellis, Red Bluff; and lost to Mt. Shasta's Robbie Kreowski 8-4.

Cain Madrigal, 119 pounds, was pinned by Quest Cummings, Pleasant Valley and then by Allan Holbrook of Enterprise.

Modoc's Jesse Harer was unable to qualify for the heavyweight division. He had been ill and dropped 10 pounds to about 183. In order to make the minimum weight for the heavyweight division, he had to weigh in at 191, but couldn't regain the bulk. Wood said Harer would have probably placed had he been able to make weight.
For the season, Jacques had a record of 23-14; Crutcher was at 37-12; Weed at 28-10; Hammerness 23-15; and Harer 12-5.

Modoc dominates in first two playoff games

Modoc's Braves met the number one seed in the Division V Tourney last night at Liberty Christian, after Record press time.

The Braves stated strong in the first round of the playoffs, beating Esparto 78-65 at home and followed that with a 80-62 win at Quincy. Liberty Christian had no trouble in their first two games, beating Williams 69-33 and Tulelake 81-47.

"We know Liberty Christian will be tough," said Modoc coach Bunk Richardson. "But, if we keep playing the way we've played the past two games, we should be able to knock them off. We'll put a different defense on them and try to stop their leading scoring. Their players who aren't used too carrying the scoring will have to step up."
Richardson said he's been very please with the team's attitude and believes they're confident going into the Liberty game. "The key is everyone is playing team ball now," he said. "We pretty solid and we probably have the best shot at knocking Liberty out of the tourney."

Having to play at Liberty is a problem, since the gym is small, but Richardson said the team will adjust.
Modoc had little trouble against a quick and solid Quincy team Friday. The Braves took a 23-10 lead in the first and maintained a 42-30 lead by half. Modoc put the game away in the third with a 63-44 lead and cruised through the fourth.

Ross Burgess led the scoring with 24 and Micah Eppler added 23. The defense, led by Taylor Dunn and Zeke Bonham held Quincy's top scorers to one three-point shot in the game an 15 points between them.

In the Esparto game last Wednesday, Modoc took a 22-13 first quarter lead and built that to a 36-20 halftime advantage. By the end of three, Modoc led 64-47 and went on for the 78-65 win.
Burgess led the scoring with 22, Eppler added 17 and Dunn added 14.

If Modoc beat Liberty, they would play in the section title game at Shasta College March 4. The other semi-final match-up has Redding Christian meeting Pierce.

The Modoc girls were knocked out of the playoffs by Portola in the first round. Portola lost in the second round to Fall River 66-62.

Dunn, Wood on All-star team

Modoc's Taylor Dunn and Travis Wood have been selected for this year's Lion's All-Star football game. Dunn is a lineman and Wood, a quarterback. Central Valley Coach Matt Hunsaker is the coach of this year's team. He was formerly the Big Valley Cardinal coach.

March 9, 2006

News

County combines Clerk, Auditor departments

In a reversal of a reversal, the Modoc County Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted to pass an ordinance combining the Modoc County Clerk and Modoc County Auditor/Recorder Departments.

Supervisor Ray Anklin of Canby, was the deciding "yes" vote Tuesday, changing his position from the no side. He joined with Supervisors Dan Macsay and Mike Dunn in favor of combining the offices. Supervisors Pat Cantrall and Dave Bradshaw voted against, consistent with their last vote.

The County Board had voted 3-2 against the consolidation at a Feb. 21 meeting, but Supervisors Dunn and Anklin asked that the issue be put back on the table for reconsideration. In that vote, Cantrall, Bradshaw and Anklin cast no votes.

County Counsel John Kenny was not present during Tuesday's vote, but had sent a memo to the Board outlining his legal opinion that the consolidation of the department was legal and that the timing was appropriate, even if unacceptable to some people.

One of the major issues brought up by those people opposed to the consolidation is the fact that the change is being made during the candidate filing period, which closes March 10, but the ordinance will not be come law for 30 days.

With the change, the elected position of Modoc County Clerk would be absorbed into the Clerk/Auditor position, eliminating the election for Clerk. The elected position on the June ballot would be for Clerk/Auditor only.

""While the timing of the Modoc County ordinance may be inconvenient to some, it does not deprive the supervisors of the authority to consolidate offices," Kenny wrote. "The power to consolidate found in Government code has been found to be consistent with the California Constitution. In my opinion, the filing of candidates for office does not deprive the Board of Supervisors off the authority to consolidate offices. There exists no vested right or private interest in a public office."

He further states that, "The concern was that the ordinance, if adopted, would be effective after the close of the filing date for the June election. The suggestion was that filing by candidates precluded the supervisors from thereafter consolidating the offices. It is to be remembered that if the offices were consolidated, the consolidation would not occur until the beginning of the next term for the consolidated offices." That would be January, 2007.

The issue comes up as Deputy Clerk Diana McCulley has filed nomination papers for the County Clerk position, which would have been in the June 6 ballot. County Auditor Recorder Judy Stevens has also filed for re-election. With the consolidation of offices, McCulley would not be qualified to run for the combined position, because of the requirements for the auditor position.

"I was looking forward to serving the people of Modoc County as their Clerk, but I am truly disappointed for the voters," McCulley said Wednesday. "They have lost their right to vote for the people's elected position of Modoc County Clerk, not the Board of Supervisors' position to do as they want. Obviously, the Board has deprived the people's voice for this elected office.

"The position of Modoc County Clerk has been an elected public office since the county seeded from Siskiyou County in 1874. A part of Modoc history is being abolished. My concern is which elected office will the Board take control of next?"

Local citizen Mark Halverson filed a complaint in Modoc Superior Court Tuesday seeking a preliminary injunction to stop the application of the ordinance. Filing the injunction, in itself, has no effect on the ordinance until a court hearing.

He argues that the ordinance would be in violation of state law and that it has the "potential to change the upcoming June elections and leaves less than three days for individuals to declare their candidacy."
He also argues that the Board did not publicly release in board packet form documents detailing some potential costs savings to the public. Those cost savings estimates were reported in at least two separate newspapers.
Halverson, who is not an attorney, states, "If this ordinance is applied, there are individuals that have already filed nomination papers for the position of County Clerk and others that have filed nomination papers for County Auditor/Recorder. The Board of Supervisors incorrectly believes that they can simply change the printing of the ballot to reflect the ordinance, even though the names and positions were set when those individuals seeking elected offices filed their declaration for nomination...simply put, how can one file for the position of County Auditor/Recorder/Clerk when, in fact, it will not exist for 30 days from March 7, 2006?"

The Board had voted unanimously to enact an ordinance creating a separate appointed Clerk of the Board, and that issue was not up for discussion this week and remains on the books.

Several members of the audience spoke out against the proposal to combine the offices. Some questioned the timing, with the change being done in the middle of a candidate nomination period, whether the board had the legal authority to make the change and whether the issue should go to a public vote.

Supervisors listened, and answered questions concerning the legal issues, and the majority voted in favor. The ordinance is now published in the Modoc County Record and the public has 30 days to comment or take other action before it is formally made law.

Desert bandit was Canadian

The infamous desert bandit, who hit several places in eastern Nevada west of Surprise Valley in 2003-2004 has been identified as Canadian George Robert Johnston.

Johnston, age 43, led law enforcement had a long, mysterious, and arduous chase through Nevada, parts of California, Oregon and Utah that made him near legendary. The massive manhunt ended in July, 2004, just outside Death Valley when, surrounded by police on the ground and in the air above him, Johnston shot himself in the head. His death cleared up the string of burglaries, but since he had no identification, created a whole other investigation.

The Modoc County Record and several other newspapers ran news and feature stories on the "Bandit".
Following the suicide, Inyo County Inspector Dave Van Norman, of the San Bernardino County Coroner's office would spend more than a year trying to identify the remains. His break came when he looked outside the United States into Canada and contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

In turned out that in 1997, a man named George Robert Johnston was arrested for cultivating 4,000 marijuana plants on Prince Edward Island. While he argued the marijuana was for his wife in her struggle with cancer, he was convicted and sent to prison. He jumped parole in 1999 and headed to the Untied States. He surfaced in 2003 in Death Valley and started a string of thefts in and around the ghost town of Ballarat, earning him the nickname of the "Ballarat Bandit". From there the chase led law enforcement through four states for almost a year.

He was tracked on foot, on horseback, using all-terrain vehicles, four-wheel drives and airplanes. The looked for him during daylight and used night vision scopes at dark.

What made him legendary was he managed to elude officers and they marveled at what appeared to be superhuman endurance. It was said he could run five miles uphill at solid speed and would cover 60 miles of snow-covered northern desert on foot in a day.

He was buried in San Bernardino and his family has the right to claim his remains and move them to Canada.

Deadline for some candidates is Friday

The deadline for candidates to file papers for the June 6 primary election is March 10 and some races are being set, while other positions remain unchallenged.

There is interest in the race for the two seats on the Alturas City Council. Incumbents Jerry Smith and John Vass have filed with challenges from Rod Gately, Keith Jacques and Rollie Gilliam also took out papers this week.

The race for Sheriff is currently between Undersheriff Mark Gentry and retiring California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter.

The Board of Supervisors voted not to consolidate the Clerk/Auditor departments last Tuesday. That would eliminate a race for County Clerk.

Auditor Judi Stevens has said she will seek re-election and senior deputy clerk Diana McCulley was seeking the Clerk's position. Stevens remains unopposed.

Cheri Budmark has filed papers to run for Modoc County Assessor.

She is at yet unopposed in the Assessor's race.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term. In those races, the nomination period is extended for five days.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta and local attorney John Lawson, who is the counsel for the Alturas City Council, have announced they'll run for the DA position.

Gary Jones, Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator of Business Services, Adult and Alternative Schools, Transportation and After School Program will run against County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw.

Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch will seek another term in office.

County positions up for election in June are: District Attorney, Auditor-Recorder, Sheriff/Coroner, Treasurer/Tax Collector, Assessor and County Superintendent of Schools. In addition, the seats for the county Republican and Democratic Central Committees are on the ballot.

Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- will run again. David Porter Misso of Tulelake has taken out papers to run against Bradshaw. Macsay remains unopposed.

In the City of Alturas, City Treasurer Kathie Alves is seeking re-election. She is also unopposed.
According to Madison, the nomination papers will have to be returned by March 10. In any office where an incumbent does not file, candidates have an additional five days to file. The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices.

It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Man arrested for DUI following injury accident

An Alturas man was arrested Tuesday afternoon alleging driving under the influence following a two-vehicle injury accident at the County Road 54 and County Road 60 intersection (road to Cal Pines and the turn to the Alturas Landfill).

According to the California Highway Patrol, Amanda Derner, age 21, Alturas, was driving a 1993 Toyota 4Runner eastbound on CR 54 at about 55 m.p.h. approaching the intersection. Danny Fitch, age 34, was driving a 1989 Chevy pickup northbound on CR60 and was stopped at the intersection. Derner saw the Fitch vehicle and slowed to about 45 m.p.h., unsure of what Fitch was going to do.

The CHP reports that Fitch pulled onto CR54 and turned west. He crossed over the centerline into the path of the Derner vehicle. The vehicles struck head on.

Derner and a one-year-old child, Kayla Derner, were transported to Modoc Medical Center by a passing motorist, both sustaining moderate injuries. Fitch was removed from his pickup by ambulance crews and transported to Mercy Hospital in Redding, also sustaining moderate injuries. The CHP reports he was charged with DUI.

The CHP reports that Fitch was involved in another minor accident just minutes before the injury accident. He was driving his pickup on CR60 and had turned into a private residence. He backed out of that driveway and knocked over a fence post. He fled the scene and then was involved in the other accident.

The CHP reports moderate injuries in a single-vehicle accident March 3, 4:50 p.m. west of the Cedar Pass Summit.

According to the CHP James Davis, age 49, Alturas, was driving a 1994 Chevy eastbound on a snow-covered road when he broke traction. He lost control and the vehicle ran off the road and collided with a tree.
Davis had moderate injuries and was transported to Surprise Valley Hospital. A passenger, Leah Davis, 51, Alturas, sustained minor injuries.

There were no injures in a separate accident March 3, 3:35 p.m. on State Route 299 west of Cedarville. The CHP reports that Christina Martell, age 22, Cedarville was driving a 1996 Chevy westbound on a snow and ice-covered highway. The car broke traction, Martell lost control and the vehicle ran off the road and struck a tree, Martell and three passengers were using safety restraints and were not hurt.

Minor injuries were reported in a two-vehicle accident March 1, 12:15 p.m. on SR299 west of Cedarville. The CHP reports that Bruce Blum, age 30, Lake City, was driving a 1998 Dodge pickup eastbound on SR99 west of Cedarville. A 1992 Lincoln Towncar, driven by John Leonard, age 67, Ft. Bidwell, was westbound on SR299. Blum made a U-turn from the eastbound shoulder directly in front of Leonard.

Leonard tried to stop turned right to avoid the collision. He missed the Blum car, but ran off the road and struck a Caltrans sign and a tree. Leonard and a passenger, Charolette Brown, age 66. Ft., Bidwell sustained minor injuries. All parties were properly seatbelted. The collision is under investigation.

There were no injuries in a solo-vehicle accident March 4, 8:30 a.m. on US395, one mile north of County Road 53.

According to the CHP, James. B. MacPhee, age 34, Portland, was southbound in a 2000 Nissan pickup at 45-50 m.p.h. when he lost control on the icy road. The pickup wet off the west shoulder and overturned. The pickup had moderate damage.

No injuries were reported in a single-vehicle accident March 3, 6:51 p.m. on US 395 south of Madeline.
The CHP reports that Steven Humphreys, age 25, Sparks, was northbound on a snow and ice-covered road at about 35 m.p.h. He said he felt he hit a rut and the rear of the truck started to slide across the road. He could not regain control, the vehicle slid of the side of the road and down a steep embankment. The 1997 Chevy rolled three-fourths over and came to rest on its passenger side

Obituaries:

Lois Brundige

Lois Brundige, 85, of McArthur and Alturas, CA, died March 5, 2006
at Applewood Inn care home.

Born on February 25, 1921 in Bremerton, Washington, she was a retired Licensed Vocational Nurse and an accomplished sportswoman.

She is survived by daughters Louise Winn of Kona, Hawaii, Nancy Lively of Reno, Nevada, and Lorraine Haas of Redding, as well as seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She is predeceased by her husband of 65 years, Harold Brundige, and son William.

Arrangements are by the Neptune Society. Memorial services will be held at a later date.

Frederick E. Kauffman

Frederick Eugene Kauffman died in Sacramento, CA on February 23, 2006, at the age of 93. Born in Alturas in 1912, son of Frank and Effie Kauffman, Fred grew up just down the hill from his grandparents', Clarence and Josephine Estes. Fred attended Modoc Union High School and played on the football team. As a young man, he was given the nickname "Sundown," given to him by "Hippie" Burmeister, while working haying on the Flournoy ranch in Likely.

After World War II, Fred attended University of California Berkeley and settled in Sacramento, where he worked for the Federal Housing Administration. His one week of vacation per year he spent in Alturas, at his parents' place, going fishing in the mornings and evenings in the surrounding creeks and lakes. In his life-long absence from Alturas, Fred and his brother Harold, in their retirement, made two annual "pilgrimages"-one at Memorial Day and one on Labor Day-to visit their favorite sites in Modoc County: East side Road, Centerville, Pit River, Jess Valley, the Warner Mountains, Cedarville.
During Labor Day the two Kauffman brothers would join their cousin Ron Smith of Alturas, to help him harvest the delicious Modoc wild plums and turn them into a year's worth of jams and preserves. Old timers being scarce, on their last visit to Modoc, in June 2001, Fred chanced to meet Rob Flournoy, his old friend and a lifelong resident of Likely, where they excitedly caught up and reminisced about old times. Nothing went deeper in Fred's being than his love of home-the meadows and cattle, the sagebrush and juniper, bluffs, canyons, streams, the wide-open spaces, the sweet smell of the air in the summer. His ashes will rejoin Earth in the canyon of the South Fork of the Pit River.

Fred is survived by his brother Harold Kauffman of San Francisco, son Douglas, daughter Terry Davison of Davis, CA; grandchildren Tracy and Mark and four great-grandchildren.

Peggy L. Thomson

Peggy L. Thomson of Madeline, CA passed away in Alturas on March 2, 2006. Funeral services will be held at the LDS Church in Alturas, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 11, 2006. Interment will follow at the Likely Cemetery. Refreshments will follow at the Madeline Fire Hall.

Born Peggy L. McDaniel on April 24, 1927 in Cove, Arkansas, her family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she attended high school and then Portland, OR, where she graduated from high school. She remained in Portland during her adult life.

A warm and loving person, expert seamstress and quilter, Mrs. Thomson was proud to serve as the President of the Relief Society while living in Portland. She was also a genealogy buff. She and her husband of 17 years, Orion L. Thomson, have made Madeline their home since their marriage November 27, 1988 in Sacramento, CA.

She is survived by her husband, Orion L. Thomson of Madeline; her mother, Violet E. McDaniel of Shelton, WA; three children: Yvonne Willers, Sparks, NV; Sharon Danner, Shady Cove, OR; Thomas Thomson, Fremont, CA; eight grandchildren, 10-great-grandchildren; three brothers, Lee V. McDaniel of Madeline, CA; Billie R. McDaniel of Portland, OR; Paul T. McDaniel of Auburn, CA; two sisters Zetta Wike of Sacramento; Mary Radziski of Shelton, WA; many nieces and nephews. Her eldest daughter Eupha Lynn of Alaska, preceded her in death.

Service for Lowell Nelson Jones

A memorial service for Lowell Nelson Jones will be held at the Student Union building on the Oregon Institute of Technology's campus in Klamath Falls, Oregon on Saturday, April 8 at 2 p.m. Mr. Jones was active in Modoc County for more than 50 years and had many friends in this area

Sports

Wood goes 4-2 at state, just misses medal

Modoc's Travis Wood injured his knee in his fifth match at the California State Wrestling Championship last weekend, and wasn't at full strength for his last match.

Wood wound up finishing 4-2 at the tournament just one win out of the medals. He had a tough seeding to begin with, and his coach and father Shaun Wood, was very proud considering the circumstances.

Travis lost his opening match to Jordan Abed, of Alhambra, 6-4 in overtime. He won his next four matches. Coach Wood wasn't overly pleased with the officiating of the match.

Wood then pinned George Lopez, of Calexico, at the :40 mark and beat George Munoz of West Covina 14-3. Travis beat Rio Linda's Robert Caruthers 8-2 and then pinned Greg Ferrer of Colton at the 3:39 mark.
In his final match of the tourney, a knee injury didn't allow him to use his legs effectively and he lost to Nolan Rege of Hillsburg 6-7.

Tulelake's John Luscombe wrestled extremely well and took a second at the state finals.

Modoc opens baseball at Etna tourney

Modoc's baseball team will open the season at the Etna tournament

March 10 against the Burney Raiders. On March 11, they'll meet Tulelake and West Valley.
Modoc travels to Bonanza on March 14 and has a double-bill against Mt. Shasta here March 17.

The weather has been less than ideal for practice and many players are just joining the team following the basketball and wrestling section playoffs.

The Braves are under new coach Tim MacDonnell this year. Seniors on the team include Travis Wood, Taylor Dunn, Tim Cruse, Jered Cox, Landin Hagge, Justin Mason and Danny Guitron.
Juniors out this year are: Bill Hammerness, Garrett Chapman, Arturo Guitron, Michael Gaskey, Brandon Anderson, Jesse Cuevas and Jesse Harer. Sophomores on the team are Trenton Schmidt and Jeremy Anselmi.

Liberty ends Braves' season, 64-44

The Liberty Christian Patriots, ranked number one in the North Section boys loop proved their mettle, although it took a big fourth period, to beat the fifth-seeded Modoc Braves 64-44 in Redding last Wednesday night.

The game was close through three with Modoc trailing, 15-14, in the first and 26-24 by half. Liberty increased its lead to 40-34 in the third. In the fourth, they outscored Modoc 24-10.

Modoc's Ross Burgess, Micah Eppler, Taylor Dunn and Grant Hall fouled out of the game in the fourth period. Liberty hit most of its fourth period points from the foul line an only made three fourth period field goals.
Ross Burgess and Micah Eppler led Modoc with 11 each.

The Braves, under coach Bunk Richardson, won the Shasta Cascade League wan won their first two section playoff games, going farther than any team in recent history.

In the North Section title Game, Redding Christian beat Liberty Christian 58-49.

Redding Christian meets International (of San Francisco in the north state tourney and Liberty Christian moves on to face Branson of Ross, Ca.

March 16th, 2006

News

Races set for June 6 election

The races are set for the June 6 Primary election, with contested races for several offices. The deadline to file for many offices closed March 10, but remained open until yesterday in offices where the incumbent did not file.

In a new development, attorney Gary Woolverton, listing an Adin address, has taken out papers to join the race for Modoc District Attorney. Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta and local attorney John Lawson, counsel for the Alturas City Council, have filed for the DA position.

The race for Sheriff will be between current Undersheriff Mark Gentry and retiring California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter. A possible third candidate chose not to file.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, has filed papers to run for Modoc County Assessor. Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser, has emerged as a challenger.

Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator will run against County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw. Shaw was appointed to fill out the term or retired Carol Harbaugh.

There is interest in the race for the two seats on the Alturas City Council. Incumbents Jerry Smith and John Vass have filed. Challengers are Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

The Board of Supervisors last week voted to consolidate the Clerk/Auditor departments, effectively eliminating a race for County Clerk.

Auditor Judi Stevens has said she will seek re-election and senior deputy clerk Diana McCulley had planned to seek the Clerk's position. Stevens remains unopposed.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor

Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term.

Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch will seek another term in office.

County positions up for election in June are: District Attorney, Auditor-Recorder, Sheriff/Coroner, Treasurer/Tax Collector, Assessor and County Superintendent of Schools.

Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- will run again. David Porter Misso of Tulelake has taken out papers to run against Bradshaw. Macsay is unopposed.

In the City of Alturas, City Treasurer Kathie Alves is also unopposed.

The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices. It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Alturas woman hurt in mishap

Stephanie Northrup, age 24, Alturas, sustained moderate injuries in a single-vehicle accident March 19, 9:55 a.m. on State Route 299.

According to the California Highway Patrol, Northrup was driving a 1994 Jeep westbound on SR299 at between 50 and 55 m.p.h. when she hit a patch of ice and slush. The vehicle started to spin suddenly and she was unable to regain control. The Jeep went off the north edge of the road and overturned in a ditch.

Northrup was transported to Modoc Medical Center in Alturas. A passenger in the vehicle, Joshua Woznack, age 23, Canby, had minor injuries.

There were minor injuries in an accident March 14, 6:10 a.m. on U.S. 395 south of SR 299. Sage Oakley, age 39, Alturas, was northbound in a 1995 Ford pickup at 35-40 m.p.h. when he lost control on the ice and snow covered road. The vehicle left the road and overturned. The driver had minor injuries and a passenger was not hurt.

No injuries were reported in a single-vehicle accident March 14, 11:50 a.m. on US 395 south of Madeline. R. Crew, age 42, Keno, Or., was southbound in a 2004 Dodge Dakota at about 35 m.p.h. when he lost control on the snow and ice. The vehicle slid off the road and rolled onto its top. Both driver and a passenger were seatbelted and not hurt.

Home show set for March 25

The Third Annual Modoc Home Show March 25 is full of exhibitors and the stages are being set for another exciting year.

Organizers Rendy Cockrell and Brooke Fredrickson are putting the final touches on the show are finalizing the map and locations of the variety of exhibitors.

Cockrell reminds exhibitors and helpers that they must stop in at the Home Show booth the morning of March 25 and pick up a participant badge. They will also receive a ballot to vote on the best booth of the show.
The show is filled, and anyone getting in now will be because of a cancellation. There will be as many entrants as last year and there are more than a dozen new businesses in the show.

The show highlights a wide variety of goods and services available in Modoc, all the way from home construction, design and decoration, to landscaping and other necessities. The show attracts thousands of people for the one-day event. It opens at 9 .am. March 25 and closes at 3 p.m.

This year the second annual Kitchen Wars cooking competition will be held in a large tent between the Griswold Gym and Shirley Oxley Hall. Putting the Kitchen Wars under a big top allowed the organizers more space for the remaining exhibitors.

Both the Gym and Social Hall will be full of exhibitors and there are plenty of things to check out and plenty of door prizes. Admission to the show is free.

The Home Show is open only to Modoc businesses and this year no "Internet only" businesses will be allowed.

For more information, contact Fredrickson at 233-8472 or Cockrell at 233-3471.

Consultant tells county Clinic is vital

In a detailed report to the Modoc County Board of Supervisors Tuesday, Dr. Stephen L. Barr, a consultant hired by the county, said the Modoc Medical Center Clinic needs to be treated as the cornerstone of health care.

Dr. Barr, of Susanville, was highly specific in his report, and offered a wide array of findings and solutions. Time restraints will not allow the Record to report everything this week, but a more detailed account of his findings will be published in the next edition.

"The clinic is the cornerstone of health care in the community and sustains the acute and extended care hospitals, and emergency services, another fact not adequately appreciated," Dr. Barr reported. "The real threat to losing all or most of these critical services and resulting impact on the community does not seem fully appreciated. The lack of systems, basic management tools and coherent stable routine creates a paralyzing overload on clinic management and staff which must be corrected."

Dr. Barr pointed to "many signs" that the clinic has suffered "chronic mismanagement" and when misbehavior issues involving one of the doctors surfaced, it added to the problems.

"The present conditions in the clinic make it difficult to recruit and retain stable, qualified support staff and practioners (doctors)," he states. "Nonetheless, by hard work and commitment the clinic staff has continued to serve the community with critically needed primary care. This important fact has not been fully appreciated by many individuals due to recent scandals and chronic operational criticism, some of which may be deserved."
Barr is concerned that treating the clinic as a "mere hospital department" serves to diminish the clinic's overall importance to the entire health care structure.

"Correction and optimum function will take long-term commitment to staff and system development," said Dr. Barr. "A stable, competent management/governance structure with expert assistance is needed for this to occur. Narrow self-interest and the proverbial small town politics must be permanently set aside for the sake of the community's health and welfare. Given with opportunity and proper leadership, the clinic should be able to generate enough revenue and special funding to serve most community health needs well, contributing to longevity and quality of life."

Barr said there have been some positive changes recently and he feels "confident that the inherent and created challenges can be successfully overcome with persistence and community commitment."

"The rural health clinic structure is very well suited to the community needs and should thrive with proper management," he said.

It's been a wet start to March

With March only half over, the precipitation levels are nearing the average of 1.55 inches for the month. And the temperatures have been in the very cold range, although not setting any records.

As of March 15, 1.21 inches of moisture was measured in Alturas, with the full month average being 1.55 inches. The temperatures have dropped into single digits, but the record low for March was set in 1971 when

it dropped to seven below zero. The low so far this month was three degrees.

The forecast for the rest of the week doesn't look good for any spring sports, with snow showers forecast through Saturday.

Dean Francis Gloster

Dean Francis Gloster passed away March 10, 2006 in Carson City, Nevada.

Dean was born in Alturas, CA on January 22, 1928, to Joseph J. Gloster and Kathryn Cloud Gloster. Dean was the youngest of five boys. He joined the Navy at age 16 and served aboard the USS Boxer during WWII, participating in the liberation of the Phillipines. He was released from service with an honorable discharge just before Christmas in 1947. Dean attended the University of Nevada and graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor's degree in Economics. He then worked in various jobs in the gaming industry.

He joined the staff of Harrah's Club (as it was then known) in March 1954. He worked in different capacities from Keno Manager to Vice President in charge of services. He firmly settled in the job he loved--Casino Manager. He worked in that job until 1984, when he went to the Holiday Hotel on the river as Vice President and General Manager. Dean retired in 1992, and spent time on golf, travel and with family.

His favorite hobbies included piloting small airplanes, snow skiing, boating and especially playing golf. Dean managed to get three holes-in-one during his lifetime.

Dean is survived by his wife: Sylvia Russell Gloster of Carson City, NV; four sons: Vance (Kathy) of Arcadia, CA; Dean (Nancy) of Berkeley, CA; Mark (Donna) of Bandon, OR; and Skip (Charlie) of Sparks, NV. He is also survived by two daughters: Cheri Cordova (Paul) of Reno, NV and Stormy Draney (Frank) of Lawrence, KS, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren. A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 20 at Fitzhenry's Funeral Home, 833 N. Edmonds (the street name is changing to Fairview), Carson City, NV.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations sent to: St. Mary's Hospice, 520 W 6th St., Reno, NV 89503; Meals on Wheels, Carson Senior Center (attn: Finance),911 Beverly Blvd., Carson City, 89706 503; Meals on Wheels, Carson Senior Center (attn: Finance),911 Beverly Blvd., Carson City, 89706

Stanley W. Harris

Stanley W. Harris died on December 19, 2005, at the age of 78 years. He was a long-time resident of Belmont, CA, and was born and raised in Sacramento. Mr. Harris served in World War II after enlisting in the Navy. He returned to Sacramento after the war and attended American River College and Sacramento State College, where he received his degree in Chemistry. He went to work as a chemist at Central Valley Scientific and later became a salesman for the company. CVS was acquired by Van Waters and Rogers, and Mr. Harris continued with them for another 30 years, until he retired in 1989, as Scientific Glassware Manager.
Once retired, Mr. Harris was able to devote more of his time to his favorite avocation, horticulture. He joined SIRS (Sons in Retirement) and became an enthusiastic and valued member. During this time, he developed an interest in computers and turned this new skill into a tool for discovering his family history through genealogical research.

Mr. Harris was introduced to Modoc County in the mid-1950s by his wife, Gwen Harris, a descendant of some of the early settlers to Surprise Valley. He enjoyed his time in Cedarville and Alturas, visiting in-laws and listening to stories about the early days in the county. Once involved in genealogy, he began compiling information on his wife's family history and spent many hours at the Modoc County Courthouse, Modoc County Museum, and local businesses gathering information on these families, primarily the Garretts, Fitzgeralds and Bushes.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Gwen Harris, of Belmont; his daughter, Melissa, son-in-law, Doug Kennedy, and granddaughter, Sydna Kennedy, of Lake City, CA; and nieces, nephews, and cousins of California ,and Canada. A memorial was held on January 17th at Crippen and Flynn Mortuary in
Belmont. Mr. Harris' ashes will be interred at Cedarville Cemetery in early June. Donations in his memory may be made to: The International Myeloma Foundation, 12650 Riverside Dr., Suite 206, North Hollywood, CA, 91607-3421, or The Modoc County Historical Society, P.O. Box 1689, Alturas, CA, 96101.

Death Notices

Donna Marie DiSario, 57, passed away at her Alturas home on March 14, 2006. Services are pending. Mrs. DiSario's obituary will be published in a future issue. She is survived by her husband Edward of Alturas and numerous family members. Please call Kerr Mortuary's recorded service message at 530-233-5797.

Gladys Troy, 93, of Cedarville passed away March 14, 2006 at Surprise Valley Hospital, where she had been a resident. Interment will be at the Adin Cemetery on Friday.

Sports

Spring sports stalled by snow

It's not unusual to have a few baseball or softball games rained or snowed out in a Modoc spring, but his year is a bit extreme. The weather doesn't look all that inviting for the remainder of the weekend either.

Modoc's baseball and softball tourney at Etna was canceled last weekend, as was a Tuesday game against Bonanza. The Braves had a varsity baseball game scheduled against Mt. Shasta Friday, but getting that game in is highly doubtful. On March 21, the varsity baseball and softball teams are scheduled in Lakeview and the junior varsity teams are scheduled for Modoc. The teams are set for Weed March 24.

The Braves baseball team is coached by Tim MacDonnell and the softball team by Keith Jacques.

The Record assumes Modoc will have a track team this year, but has not heard from any coach.

Modoc gets in first golf match

Modoc High School's golf team opened with a tourney at Riverview Golf Course in Redding against Enterprise and Chico. Chico won the match with a score of 385, Modoc was second at 452 and Enterprise third at 457.
Individual scorers for Modoc were as follows: Brian Weed 85, Keith Montague 87, Micah Eppler 88, Dustin Philpott 92, Taylor Dunn 100 and Dustin Oates 112.

The Braves open league play March 16 at Eagle Point Golf Course against Fall River, Trinity and Mt. Shasta High. The Braves are also scheduled to host a league match at Arrowhead March 23.

There are 19 people out for the gold team this season. Returning seniors are Dunn, Eppler, Weed and Matt Williams; returning juniors are Montague, Oates and Dustin Philpott; sophomores are Cassidy Aarstad, Jeff Barclay, Josue Madrigal and Daniel Morgan; freshmen are Dee Hunsaker, Sara Jo Montague and Jeff Solomon; newcomers are Dillon Flournoy, Cam Hall. John Hughes, Claire Crenshaw and Jack Veverka.

Braves named to All-league

A pair of Modoc boy's varsity players, Taylor Dunn and Micah Eppler, was named to the Shasta Cascade All-League team. Another Brave, Ross Burgess, missed the first five league games or would have also been eligible. Modoc won the Shasta Cascade League title.

The Most Valuable player for the boys was Jamien Jones of Trinity. Modoc coach Bunk Richardson was named Coach of the Year.

Modoc's Catherine Lowry was the only Modoc girl named to the All-League team. The MVP for the girls was Fall River's Shawna Truan.

Modoc Middle School and Youth Tournament placing

The following are winners of last week from the Modoc Youth Wrestling tourney.

Six and under: First Place

Josh Vieria. Jess Picatte, Jordan Royce, Wyatt Larranaga, Daniel Staton, Dillon Valenna, Case Picotte, Kaden Knight, Jeffery Gouveia, Zack Bickford, Jon Irish, Brandon Hays.
Eight and under:

Kyle Royce, Brandon Hays, Jarrett Royce, Christian Torres, Paden Smith, Alex Valencia, Troy Culp, Marcus Williams, Thane Forrester, Alan Weber, Quentin Bocanegra.Ten and under:

Cameron Johnston, Felicia Torres, Travis Northrup, Jessie Holloway, Matt Weber, Justin Valena, Lucas Bocanegra

Twelve and under:

Riley Larranaga, Ben Bevil, Andrew Culp, Alex Moreo, James Lincoln, Travis Johnston, Trent McQuarrie, Jeff Williams, Wyatt Valena, Brandon Thompson, Ethan Haas.
Fourteen and under:

Alex Moreo, Cody Book, Gabe Fletcher, Kyle Voth, Zach Holloway, Denae Steiger, Tyler Hammerness, Matt Mayes, Tyler Wood, Miguel Torres, Oakley Anson, Jesse Urzua.

March 23rd, 2006

News

Report details strengths, weaknesses of Modoc hospital

A report presented to the Modoc County Board of Supervisors last week gave a detailed account of the strengths and weaknesses of Modoc Medical Center.

Dr. Stephen O'Barr, of Susanville, was contracted by the county to produce the "Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats," SWOT analysis.

He felt the Modoc Medical Center Clinic needs to be treated as the cornerstone of health care. He also later stated that the line staff at the clinic has done a remarkable job under some sometimes adverse conditions.
"The clinic is the cornerstone of health care in the community and sustains the acute and extended care hospitals, and emergency services, another fact not adequately appreciated," Dr. O'Barr reported. "The real threat to losing all or most of these critical services and resulting impact on the community does not seem fully appreciated. The lack of systems, basic management tools and coherent stable routine creates a paralyzing overload on clinic management and staff which must be corrected."

According to Dr, O'Barr, the strengths of the clinic include the fact that it is the only major primary care facility serving the remote region, plus it lacks competition. The hours have also been extended to 7 p.m., five days per week.

"The new Chief Executive Officer has demonstrated the commitment, values and ability to bring about needed changes," O'Barr states. "Positive changes are already evident. The present governing body (Board of Supervisors) has demonstrated the needed political will and commitment to act effectively and enable continued access care via the clinic. Recent actions have demonstrated the ability to recognize the deficiencies and the need to reach out for solutions."

In addition, he says the current clinic staff appears to be hard working and committed to providing good care. He also states that Dr. Ed Richert has high standards for care. He also offers praise for Patty Manzer, the new Clinic manager, who is a Registered Nurse with clinical background.

When it comes to the weaknesses, Dr. O'Barr said the facility itself is: unattractive, dirty, cluttered, disorganized, drab, tacky. But, he points out there have been some recent improvements.

As far as staffing goes, Dr. O'Barr cites "high turnover, discontinuity, loss and skills and knowledge base, inadequate training, lack of teamwork and consistency of process" as problem areas.

"The above factors cause inefficient use and function and excessive friction and frustration and multiplication of workload," he said.

O'Barr also said repeated past instances of profanity, obscenity and serious accusations of malfeasance against other staff in presence of patients create a bad working environment. He also points out there were and are instances of abusive and derogatory statements from clients, both to the staff and public condemnation of the level of care.

"Public media and personal encounters in the community result in feelings of blame and stigma due to association with the clinic and past scandals and alleged failures," he states. He also said there is a lack of an effective computer system.

O'Barr also suggests that clinic employees had perception of being "second class" employees or the "unwanted step child" within county government.

"Perceptions stated by staff appear valid in fact, or at minimum, in appearance," O'Barr said. "Negative work environment is present due to systems failures and personal and public interaction, based on past lack of adequate management performance and unprofessional conduct by some providers and other staff. The medical director is vastly overburdened between responsibilities at all three facilities and physically unable to adequately address these issues personally."

Dr. O'Barr pointed to "many signs" that the clinic has suffered "chronic mismanagement" and when misbehavior issues involving one of the doctors surfaced, it added to the problems.

As far as the operation of the clinic, O'Barr states the productivity of staff is low and workload is high. He says patient care flow is fragmented even though patient clinic time is not excessive.

He also states that paper charts are poorly organized with some patient documents misfiled. He said the computerized record-keeping software is not used consistently or by all the staff.

"There is a widespread lack of community respect and appreciation, based both on fact and inaccurate accusation," he said. "Operational issues have likely caused some valid criticism, and some invalid or self-serving accusations may rise to actionable levels of slander and libel. While there are initial attempts to improve public image, there is presently no highly developed communication strategy is place."

O'Barr also stresses there are serious shortcomings in the billing and possible loss of charges because of failure to document services. He's also concerned with the possible of large Medicare/MediCal payback demands because of a lack of compliance.

In the opportunities area, he suggests expanding services and certification of expert chronic disease management, such as diabetes, respiratory disease and hypertension. He suggests community outreach through public education and informational events. He also said that the clinic and hospital management need to look into and apply for Rural Health grants. He suggests bringing back the dental program that had been removed.

"The clinic is a critical component of county health care, but presently does not appear to be fully appreciated due to a history if internal deficiencies and public scandals," Dr. O'Barr said. "The clinic provides a reasonable level of care compared to similar facilities. The fact the clinic is the foundational institution is not adequately recognized or appreciated. Without it, there will be no physician base for critical outpatient primary care and the acute care and skilled nursing facility cannot exist."

Overall, he said years of mismanagement of the clinic and related facilities has led the county to a point where a near emergency exists to maintain the health care facilities. He said the county's recent action to change management was ‘not only justified, but unavoidable."

"The present conditions in the clinic make it difficult to recruit and retain stable, qualified support staff and practioners (doctors)," he states. "Nonetheless, by hard work and commitment the clinic staff has continued to serve the community with critically needed primary care. This important fact has not been fully appreciated by many individuals due to recent scandals and chronic operational criticism."

Barr is concerned that treating the clinic as a "mere hospital department" serves to diminish the clinic's overall importance to the entire health care structure. He said management must delineate between clinic operations and the two hospitals, acute and long term, and not blend the operations or financial conditions.

"The fact that decent and crucial primary care is being provided doesn't appear to be universally appreciated even though many clients know that," he said. "The past is just that, the only relevant topic should be present and future performance. The community needs to understand the real, potentially rapid, and grave impact of losing the clinic or any of the three health care facilities...The public also deserves to know any major deficiencies and all corrective actions planned and fulfilled."

"Correction and optimum function will take long-term commitment to staff and system development," said Dr. O'Barr. "A stable, competent management/governance structure with expert assistance is needed for this to occur. Narrow self-interest and the proverbial small town politics must be permanently set aside for the sake of the community's health and welfare. Given with opportunity and proper leadership, the clinic should be able to generate enough revenue and special funding to serve most community health needs well, contributing to longevity and quality of life."

Barr said there have been some positive changes recently and he feels "confident that the inherent and created challenges can be successfully overcome with persistence and community commitment."

Campaigns heating up for June election
The June 6 election in Modoc County is set and the campaigns are starting to perk up.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and attorney Gary Woolverton, listing an Adin address, are running for District Attorney.

The race for Sheriff is between current Undersheriff Mark Gentry and retiring California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter. Poindexter will officially retire from the CHP today.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, and Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser are running for Modoc County Assessor.

Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator and County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw are in a race for that office.

The race for the two seats on the Alturas City Council includes incumbents Jerry Smith and John Vass and challengers Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

The Board of Supervisors consolidated the Clerk/Auditor departments, effectively eliminating a race for County Clerk.

Auditor Judi Stevens and Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch are unopposed as is City Treasurer Kathie Alves.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term.

Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- will run again. David Porter Misso of Tulelake is running against Bradshaw. Macsay is unopposed.

The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices. It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Modoc Home Show full of ideas, excitement

Everything is in order and the third Annual Modoc Home Show is set for the 9 a.m. opening at Modoc High School Saturday.

Interest from the business community was high and there are new entries in this year's show, along with most of the businesses and organizations who participated the first two times.

Both the Gym and Social Hall will be full of exhibitors and there are plenty of things to check out and plenty of door prizes. Admission to the show is free.

Organizers Rendy Cockrell and Brooke Fredrickson are both excited about Saturday's event. They expect thousands of people to make it through the exhibits, as usual, and are pleased with the variety of the participants and their booths.

Cockrell reminds exhibitors and helpers that they must stop in at the Home Show booth the morning of March 25 and pick up a participant badge. They will also receive a ballot to vote on the best booth of the show.
The show highlights a wide variety of goods and services available in Modoc, all the way from home construction, design and decoration, to landscaping and other necessities. Door prizes will be awarded throughout the day. The show attracts thousands of people for the one-day event. It opens at 9 .am. and closes at 3 p.m.

This year the second annual Kitchen Wars cooking competition will be held in a large tent between the Griswold Gym and Shirley Oxley Hall. Putting the Kitchen Wars under a big top allowed the organizers more space for the remaining exhibitors.

The following businesses and organizations will be showing their wares and services at the Home Show:
Alturas Chamber of Commerce, Alturas Mini Storage, At Home America, Bank of America, Bethel's Propane, BMW Rentals, Caltrans, Chapman Roofing, Cooper Insurance Services, Cottage Yarns, Creative Printing, Cygnus Mortgage & Investments, Inc., Dean Neer Modoc Realty, Eagle Peak Rock and Paving, Ed Staub & Sons, Fisher-Dubois Accounting and Tax Service/Dubois Photo, Four Seasons Supply Center, Frank's Carpet and Furniture Company, Inc., Girl Scout Troop 491, Guy Williams Construction, Heard Plumbing, Inc. & Modoc Drilling, High Desert Online, High Plateau, Humane Society, Home Interiors, Janie Erkiaga Real Estate, L&B Ranch Supply, Larranaga Construction, Inc., Likely General Store, Main Street Antiques & Collectibles, Maxwell's Nursery, Modoc County Library, Modoc County Public Health Lead Program, Modoc County Title Company , Modoc Independent News, Modoc Insurance Services, Modoc Sanitation, Modoc Steel & Supply LLC, Personally Yours, Phillips Appliance, Plumas Bank, Project Graduation 2006, Romesha Water Systems, Rose's Country Quilts & Crafts, Seab's True Value & Electronics, Soul Creations, Sturdy Built Structures, The Gift Gallery, The Oak Mill, United Country Stevenson Realty, US Bank, Walt Smith Landscaping, Wild Mustard/North State Homes

Secretary of State pays a visit

California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson paid a visit to Modoc County Monday afternoon, stopping in to check with Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison and members of the Board of Supervisors.

McPherson was on a northstate trip to familiarize himself with the various counties and to check on the election status of each clerk's office. He had traveled from Lassen to Modoc and was headed to Yreka Monday evening before turning back south.

According to Madison, McPherson's visit was the first for a Secretary of State in the past 40 years.
One of his main goals was to check on the readiness of the county's election process. Madison assured him, as she has in the past, that Modoc is set up and ready for the June 6 primaries.

McPherson said he certified the Diebold Election System this year after a review of their security and feels confident in their accuracy.

"We have more stringent security controls than any other state in the nation," he said. "We have to insure the integrity of the vote. That's what is most important. I feel comfortable with the systems."

On Tuesday, several groups filed suit against McPherson's certification of Diebold's TSX touch-screen system. Modoc does not use the touch screen system, but at least seven counties are slated to use it this year.
The suit seeks to block the purchase of the TSX systems and a reversal of the Secretary of State's certification. In 2004, Diebold, paid $2.6 million to settle a lawsuit alleging it had provided false information about security and certification to obtain payments for its electronic voting equipment in California.

McPherson said California's voting registration system is undergoing changes and should work to avoid fraud or problems. For instance, the state is instituting a new voter registration data bank that will help county registrars. Voters will be getting a four-digit unique identification number, probably the last four digits of a driver's license or their social security number.

McPherson explained that once the data bank is fully operational, if a voter moves from one county to another, he'll be identified by the voter I.D. number and his voter registration will be canceled in the county he left.
Interestingly, said McPherson, voter registration is up, and the biggest movement is in the Decline to State registration, up to about 18 percent. Madison said she was seeing the same trend in Modoc voters.

Cotta files protest against DA contender

Richard Cotta, a Modoc County Public Defender running for the District Attorney's Office in Modoc has filed a formal protest with Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison, challenging Susanville Attorney's Gary Woolverton's entry into the DA race.

According to Cotta, Woolverton may not be qualified to run for the office because his domicile is not at the Adin address that he claimed when he filed his nomination papers. Woolverton does own that property.
The protest was filed Wednesday afternoon with Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison.
Cotta, local attorney John Lawson and Woolverton are in the DA's race.

Donna Marie DiSario

A memorial service for Donna Marie DiSario will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 25 at Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas. The Rev. Patrick Henry of Sacred Heart Catholic Church will conduct the service.

Mrs. DiSario passed away from natural causes at the age of 57, on March 14, 2006 in Alturas, CA. She had made Alturas her home for the past 24 years and enjoyed sewing, making crafts and dolls and was known as "Donna Mae" to her friends and family.

She was born in Whittier, CA. on February 5, 1949 and completed high school at La Mirada, CA. She also took classes through Lassen College Extension in Alturas. She married Edward DiSario in La Mirada on April 20, 1968 and the two have shared 37 years of marriage.

She is survived by her husband Edward of Alturas, CA; son Eddie DiSario of Alturas; father and mother Paul and Marie Violette of Banning, CA; brother David Violette and sister-in-law Roxanne, Arkansas; sister Mary Violette of Merrill, OR; sister Shari Burpee and brother-in-law Steve of Denver, CO; brother Richard Violette, Banning; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Fred and Sue DiSario of California Pines; step-mother-in-law Sandra DiSario, Anaheim; step-sister-in-law Laurie Morgan, Yorba Linda, CA; step-brother-in-law George Morgan, Yorba Linda; 10 nieces and nephews; 12 great- nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be directed to the American Heart Association.

Howard ‘Les' Welt

Former Alturas resident Howard "Les" Welt passed away January 23, 2006 in Kent, Washington. "Les" was born in Massachusetts on February 26, 1939 to Howard and Gertrude Welt. They moved to Antelope Valley, California, where he later met and married Diane Dickinson. They had five children: Clyde Welt, now of Cottonwood, Arizona; Richard Welt of New Mexico, Edward Welt of San Luis Obispo, CA, Bill Welt of Alturas, Ca and daughter Cindy Welt of Independence, Oregon.

In 1975, the family moved to Alturas, CA where "Les" opened a television repair store called Cinema T.V. and Radio Repair, next to the Niles Theater, until 1984, when he and Diane parted ways and he moved to Kent, Washington. He remarried and was semi-retired and working as an apartment complex manager. Les is survived by his second wife, Kathy Welt of Kent, WA., his five children listed, named above; nine grandchildren, three of which live in Alturas: Alisha Lamez, Candace Welt and Krysten Welt; two great-grandchildren, Hayley "L.C." Lamez and Cierra Lamez of Alturas. A memorial service was held on January 27, 2006 in Kent, WA. In lieu of flowers, donations will be appreciated to the American Cancer Society.

Frank Carpenter

Frank Carpenter, 83, passed away of natural causes on March 18, 2006 in Chico, CA. Frank was a long-time resident of the Big Valley area. Then he lived in Woodland for many years and had been in Chico since 2002.
Frank was a World War II veteran with service in the Asiatic Pacific Campaign. He later worked as a carnival ride operator, in construction, and last as a fire equipment operator for the California Division of Forestry and Fire Prevention. He formerly owned Frank's Lookout Motors and the Bieber Mobile Home Park. He was a member of the Oddfellows and Masonic Lodge in Woodland.

Frank was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Joan. He is survived by his daughter, Ardell Joiner of Durham; son, Dave Carpenter of Oroville and sons, Cliff and Jim Carpenter of Bieber. He had numerous grand and great-grand children.

No memorial services will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Shriner's Hospital. The family is thankful for all the thoughts and prayers during their loss.Bernard J. Palermo
Bernard J. Palermo of Ontario, CA. passed away March 8, 2006 in Ontario, at the age of 85. Mr. Palermo loved visiting Alturas and the family's California Pines property. He loved Cal Pines and had been coming to Alturas every year since 1969, except the past two years while he was ill.

He was born October 17, 1920 in Chicago, Illinois. He is survived by his wife Sara and son Jerry of Ontario.
Services were held at 11 a.m. March 15 at Draper Memorial Chapel in Ontario, CA. Interment at the Holy Cross Cemetery, Pomona, CA. Services entrusted to Draper Mortuary of Ontario.

Kacie Renea Price

Graveside Services for new born Kacie Renea Price of Alturas, will be held at the Lake City Cemetery at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 25. Pastor Destry Campbell will officiate. Kacie passed away from unknown causes at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, CA on March 21, 2006. She was 10 days old. The daughter of Kendra and Jeremy Price of Alturas, was born at Mercy Redding hospital, Redding, CA on March 11, 2006 at 3:31 a.m. She weighed 6 lbs., 9.6 ozs. and measured 19.8 inches long. The origin of her name is Irish Gaelic meaning "Watchful."

She is survived by her mother and father, and grandparents James and Barbara Hill of Cedarville and Karen and Bill Price of Lake City, CA.

Memorial donations may be directed to her family at P.O. Box 456, Alturas, CA 96101.

Sports

Modoc tops SCL golf teams

Modoc's Braves topped the competition at the Eagle Point Golf Course March 16, playing well considering the lack of actual practice time without snow.

Modoc competed in league against Fall River, Trinity and Mt. Shasta.

Modoc shot a 221 on the front and a 217 on the back nine. Mt. Shasta shot 229 on the front and 228 on the back. Trinity shot 322 on the front and 319 on the back. Fall River forfeited.

Brian Weed led all scorers with a solid 77, followed by Micah Eppler's 81, Jeff Solomon's 90, Keith Montague's 923, Josue Madrigal's 98 and Taylor Dunn's 103.

On March 21, the team hosted a 13-team tourney at Eagle Point under cool conditions. The format was to play four golfers and count the best two scores per hole. Eppler led all Modoc golfers with an 82.

Modoc Coach Harold Montague is hoping to get the team out this week and get some practice on the ground without the snow. He expects Modoc and Weed to be the top teams in the league.

The Braves host Burney and Bishop Quinn today at Arrowhead beginning at 12 noon.

Hight watch
Alturas' Robert Hight lost to teammate and boss John Force in the final elimination round of the Gainesville National Hot Rod Association Funny Car race Sunday.

Force ran a 4.752 second quarter and Hight a 4.770. Force then lost to Ron Capps in the final of the event. Hight had come into the final round in fourth position.

Capps leads the PowerAde point standings with 280, Force is second with 249 and Hight is third at 221.

Pair named to All-Star squad
A pair of Modoc Braves, Micah Eppler and Taylor Dunn will represent the Modoc Braves in the Lions North/South All-Star Basketball game March 26 at Shasta College in Redding with game time at 6 p.m.
In addition, Eppler played in the “All the Best” All-Star game sponsored by Adidas in Chico March 19.

Weather still messing with spring sports

The weather just does not want to cooperate with spring sports in this part of the state.
So far, Modoc High School has not been able to get a baseball or softball game in as cold, snow and rain remain the norm. Cold and wet weather is projected to the weekend. None of the MHS fields are playable and it's going to take a week of warmer weather to get them dried out enough for practice, much less a game.

So far, six games have been canceled and a Mt. Shasta game has been rescheduled for April 11. There is a chance that a Weed game set for Friday could be played. That will all depend on what happens during the current spate of storms.

Teuscher named to All-Star team

Surprise Valley's Sara Teuscher has been selected to play in the Lions All-star game Sunday. 4 p.m. at Shasta College.

Tuescher was also named to the Max Preps North State Division V second team. She led the Evergreen League and North Section in blocked shots and was ranked 10th in the state.

March 30th, 2006

News

DA protest forwarded to County Counsel

Last week, Richard Cotta, a Modoc County Public Defender running for the District Attorney's Office in Modoc, filed a formal protest with Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison, challenging Susanville Attorney Gary Woolverton's entry into the DA race.

According to Cotta, Woolverton may not be qualified to run for the office because his domicile is not at the Adin address that he claimed when he filed his nomination papers. Woolverton does own that property.
This week Madison said she has forwarded the complaint to County Counsel John Kenny for an opinion.
Woolverton this week said he used the Adin address it to establish his residence when he registered to vote March 14 in Modoc County. Woolverton contends that he is eligible to run for the DA office and meets the test of the law even though he may never have lived at the Adin home. He also said that he has rented and will be living in a home outside of Alturas.

Cotta's challenge is that Woolverton did not meet the "domicile" requirement to become a registered voter in Modoc; since his domicile was in Susanville at the time he registered to vote in Modoc. Cotta cites Election Code 2032 that states: "if a person has more than one residence but has not physically resided at any one of the residences within the immediate preceding year, the residence not resided in is merely a residence and not a domicile."

Cotta contends that since Woolverton was not legally entitled to register to vote in Modoc, he would not be eligible to run for county office.

"We are confident that we have sufficient evidence to show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Woolverton has committed perjury in his application for voter registration and in his application for candidacy for District Attorney," Cotta charges. "It is entirely possible that Mr. Woolverton and his supporters have attempted to perpetuate a fraud upon your (the Clerk's) office as well as upon the voters of Modoc County by filing false information pertaining to his voter registration and candidacy."

If, in fact, Woolverton's voter registration and candidacy survives the legal framework, Cotta said he "shall look forward to the challenge of his candidacy . . .In light of the facts, however, this seems unlikely."
In his complaint, Cotta has several statements from Adin residents saying that Woolverton never lived at the Adin home.

Woolverton this week said he has homes in Redding, Susanville and now Alturas and is required by his Worker's Comp law practice to attend hearings in Redding and Susanville. His law practice is currently being sold to another attorney.

"There is no question that at 9:00 a.m. on March 14, I was still a voting resident of Lassen County," he said. "There is also no question that by 11:00 a.m. of March 14, 2006, I had filed the necessary papers to change my voting residence from Lassen to Modoc County and designated a mailing address and physical address in Modoc County. This was a deliberate change of domicile and primary residence."

Woolverton said he spoke to Alturas Realtors March 13 to secure a rental home in Alturas, but was unable to find suitable housing so he chose the Adin address to establish residency.

"Not realizing that the Adin house (which I have owned for many years) was run down, I selected it as my residence for Modoc County," Woolverton said. "On March 15, I had one of the staff members (Susanville office) obtain a helper and go to Adin to set up the house. I was not able to do it personally because of conflicting legal business. When she returned, she indicated that they had done the best they could but in her opinion, it would not be a suitable place for a long-term residence. I decided to go ahead and take one of the two available rentals in Alturas."

He said the lease of the Alturas rental was completed March 24 and the move to that rental was completed March 25.

"It has always been my understanding that a change of residence/domicile from one county to another was accomplished if there was an intent to make a change," Woolverton states. "It is largely a matter of intention and there is no waiting period when one is moving from one California county to another and motive or reason is generally irrelevant. In this case, I declared my residence and did my best to establish a residence in Adin, which has been changed to Alturas due to the poor condition of the Adin home. I did not try to hide the fact that I was a voting resident of Lassen County up until 11 a.m. on March 14, 2006. I am not trying to hide the fact that my motive for changing my primary residence and voting residence to Modoc County was to run for District Attorney."Cotta, local attorney John Lawson and Woolverton are in the DA's race. Lawson has made no comment on the issue.

Alturas Rancheria plan for Yreka Casino hits Governor snag

The Shasta Mountain Casino in Yreka, proposed by the Alturas Rancheria was dealt a losing hand by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's office this month.

The Governor's Legal Affairs Secretary Andrea L. Hoch sent a letter to the Rancheria legal counsel alleging they had made false statements concerning the proposed casino and effectively demanding the tribe relinquish any unused gaming licenses.

Alturas Tribal Chairman Phil Del Rosa on Wednesday said the construction of the Yreka facility is on hold, voluntarily by Alturas Rancheria, until the legal issues are resolved.

Del Rosa said nothing going on with the Yreka facility will affect the Alturas Casino.

"The allegations in the Governor's letter are completely false," said Del Rosa. "We have filed a response to that letter that addresses each of the points."

Del Rosa said he would discuss the situation with legal counsel and possibly forward that letter of response to the Record at the earliest convenience. He stressed the Yreka project was not stopped, simply delayed.

The Alturas Rancheria owns and operates the Desert Rose Casino on Rancheria property just east of Alturas. The Shasta Mountain Casino was first scheduled as a Class III operation, but in January, the tribe allegedly told the state it was going to be operated as a Class II casino "at this time." The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act limits the state's ability to regulate a Class II facility. That facility would consist of games like bingo, non-banked card games and games played exclusively against other players. A Class III facility includes slot machines, black jack, craps and roulette.

The state is taking the position that opening the Shasta Mountain Casino as a Class II facility is an effort to "forestall the State's efforts to resolve the Indian lands dispute until after construction of the gaming facility is complete."

In the letter, Hoch states "The Tribe's conduct over the past year gives the state reason to believe that the tribe intends to operate the Shasta Mountain Casino as a class III facility. Beginning in February, 2005, and for the next 10 months, the Tribe repeatedly assured the state that construction activities on the Benter Allotment (where the Casino is planned) were related to a planned pharmaceutical compounding plant and tribal offices and did not include construction of the Shasta Mountain Gaming Facility.

"On December 8, 2005, the Tribe conceded for the first time that what it had repeatedly told the state over the preceding months was false. Specifically, the Tribe informed the state that the construction activities on the Benter Allotment had included the preparation of the casino's foundation and that the casino and pharmaceutical compounding plant would be co-located within the same structure. Moreover, your representation that the Tribe now intends to operate the Shasta Mountain Casino as a class II facility is at odds with the Tribe's actions over the past year, and with the fact the Tribe retains class III gaming licenses that are presently unused at the Tribe's existing gaming facility and were presumably acquired for use in the Shasta Mountain Casino."

The state alleges that since the Tribe plans to operate Shasta Mountain Casino as a class II facility, the unused class III licenses should be relinquished to the California Gambling Control Commission and returned to the pool of licenses available to other tribes.

"If the Tribe does not wish to relinquish the licenses, those licenses that are not in commercial operation within 12 months of their issuance shall be canceled once those 12 months have expired. We understand that a number of the tribe's licenses may be subject to immediate cancellation."

A letter dated March 17 was also sent to Del Rosa from the National Indian Gaming Commission and that letter warns that NIGC does not believe the Alturas tribe is authorized to conduct gaming at the Yreka site. A formal opinion has apparently not been sent to the Tribe. That warning letter, however, urges the Tribe to permanently cease construction of the casino and discontinue plans for future game activity on the site.

Make sure to correct voter registration

During the signature checking on several candidates' nomination papers, Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison discovered several people who needed to make corrections in their voter registration.

In addition, voters who registered before last year may need to contact the County Clerk to insure they have a proper voter identification number. That number could be part of a driver's license number or the last four digits of a person's social security number. Madison asks voters to contact her office before April 14. Voters who do not have a voter ID number may not receive the voter information packets.

The final day to register to vote for the June 6 Primary Election is May 22. That's also the final day to make registration changes. One of the major areas needed attention is voters' addresses matching up with their current registration. If someone has moved or had a name change, he needs to make the voter registration change.

Madison said it's very important for people to make those changes soon, in the next week or two, so that they insure they'll receive their state information pamphlet as well as a sample ballot.

People can make changes at the County Clerk's Office. For more information call 333-6201.
The June 6 election races have been set and the campaigns are well underway.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and attorney Susanville Gary Woolverton, listing an Adin address, are running for District Attorney. Cotta has challenged Woolverton's entry into the race, charging the Adin address does not represent Woolverton's actual domicile.

The race for Sheriff is between current Undersheriff Mark Gentry and retiring California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter. Poindexter will officially retire from the CHP today.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, and Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser are running for Modoc County Assessor.

Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator and County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw are in a race for that office.

The race for the two seats on the Alturas City Council includes incumbents Jerry Smith and John Vass and challengers Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

The Board of Supervisors consolidated the Clerk/Auditor departments, effectively eliminating a race for County Clerk. County Clerk Maxine Madison said the ordinance does not take effect until April 6, so the actual, ballot entry has not yet been decided.

Auditor Judi Stevens and Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch are unopposed as is City Treasurer Kathie Alves.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term.

Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- will run again. David Porter Misso of Tulelake is running against Bradshaw. Macsay is unopposed.

The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices. It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Budget cuts threaten RC&D existence

Proposed cuts in President Bush's budget would see funding for the Resource Conservation & Development Councils drop by about 75 percent across the nation and here at home, according to Terry Williams, chairman of the North Cal-Neva Resource Conservation and Development Council.

"To do that, they've decided that they could eliminate a number of RC&D coordinators and make the coordinators that are left work in two or three RC&D areas instead of one," said Williams, lamenting the proposed cutbacks of the 368 funded RC&Ds across the country. "It's almost an impossible job for them to do."

The Department of Agriculture, inaugurated the RC&D program in 1962 to help people care for and protect the natural resources in their local area. They were also tasked with improving the economy, the environment and living standards at the same time.

Williams believes that cutting the program would not be wise. "The RC&D program is very unique. It's a federal/private partnership—the idea being that these nonprofit organizations would get federal support through coordinators to assist them throughout."

He sees the RC&Ds as very productive for little expense. "A lot of our work is volunteer from every area. People come in and donate their time for any projects that we set up.

"It's local. That's the main thing. It's not a government thing. It's done by local people, and they get the projects done that need to be done locally."

"It's a shame," said Mark Steffek, coordinator for the North Cal-Neva RC&D, speaking of the proposed cuts. He explained that the councils are a real bargain for taxpayers. While the Natural Resources Conservation Service provides some financial and staffing support to the RC&D councils, most of their funding comes from grants received from local, state and other federal agencies.

"The work that the RC&Ds do in this country is just unbelievable," said Williams, emphasizing the profitability of the agency. "I think they figure that we earn nine dollars to every one dollar (of funding) that we get in projects and accomplishments. There's no other government agency can even top that for making money."

The loss of the agency funding would impact five local counties. "North Cal-Neva RC&D includes most of Modoc County, Lassen and Plumas Counties, eastern Shasta County and northern Washoe County," said Steffek. "We're one of the two, two-state RC&Ds in California. Ours is the oldest."

Williams pointed out that this is the second time in as many years that the agency has come under budgetary scrutiny. "Last year they decided to cut our funding by 50 percent by cutting out the oldest RC&D area coordinators—just flat dropping them. Ours is 39 years old, so we were on the hit list."

But he noted that the crisis was averted, thankfully. "We would just cease to exist here," said Williams, "because there would be no funding to support the office or the position.

"I think they just took an arbitrary number," he said, continuing. "And that didn't work. They got a lot of pressure to drop that. So, that's why they came up with the idea to drop 273 coordinator positions."

If the recommend cuts take effect, Steffek's coordinator position is in jeopardy. Williams is quick to point out that without a coordinator, the program would be dead in the water. "He does everything," says Williams of Steffek, who has only one assistant. "He sets up meetings; he organizes everything the council does. He goes out and meets with various groups to find out from the community what needs to be done or what we can do to help get done and he runs the office here."

The planned budget cuts reflect a core difference of opinion as to the mission of the RC&Ds.
The administration sees them as temporary programs, meant to spur local involvement and initiative. But, they reason that if the program has not achieved the desired results after 20 years, it should no longer be funded.
The councils' that guide the RC&Ds believe the program will always be necessary as long as there are unidentified and unfunded projects in the community.

"I think that's one of the big items that congress, the president, whoever They're not looking at that," said Williams. "They're just looking at this little outlay they have for the coordinator, that he's spending to help local groups put together these projects."

Williams sees this move as a shortsighted view of budgeting, and he has dedicated considerable time and effort to lobbying for continued funding. "I've contacted everybody that could possibly help us."

Furthermore, he urges public support. "Write a letter to your member of congress and request that the funding be whole for the RC&D groups throughout the U.S. In particular, contract your local congressmen. That's the person to talk to, and it needs to be done soon," Williams said, concluding. "It's an immediate type thing that needs to be done."

Virgie Rea Meyer

Services for life-long Modoc resident Virgie Rosalind Rea Meyer will be held this morning, March 30, at 10 a.m. graveside at the Alturas Cemetery. Dr. Ben Zandstra will officiate.Mrs. Meyer had been the last living charter member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary to Pete Christensen Post 3327. She enjoyed her 100th birthday party on August 8, 2005. Her unfailing energy well into her 90s, kept her active as a strong, dedicated and patriotic member of her community. Virgie, as she was known to young and old, passed away on March 23, 2006 at the Skilled Nursing Facility at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, CA.

Born Virgie Rea at Parker Creek, Modoc County on August 8, 1905, she was the eldest child and never shunned hard work, working beside her father on the family's Parker Creek Ranch. She preferred outdoor work. Until age nine, she attended Hopewell School at Parker Creek, then the family moved and she attended Alpine School on the old road to Cedarville, then Lindale School in Davis Creek. Nothing is left of either school. She graduated from Modoc Union High School in June 1924. She had planned to become a teacher, but met her husband John Meyer at a New Year's Eve Dance at the old Orpheum Theater, where Frank's Carpets is today. They married June 14, 1924 at the old Baptist Church, where Federated Church is today.

Virgie worked for the PUCC Telephone Co. when Social Security cards were first issue and she received hers. She and John remodeled and added onto their Alturas home. Virgie wanted a fireplace in the kitchen, so she built it herself. Both enjoyed rock hounding as a hobby. An amateur geologist, miner, lapidary artist and gardener, Virgie operated a rock and jewelry shop out of a separate cabin on their property. During war time, when her daughters were in high school, Virgie organized a volunteer ambulance corps through the Red Cross and loved the excitement of being the ambulance driver. She was also allowed to carry a concealed weapon following an incident in 1945 when picking up an escaped convict on an ambulance run. For 10 years, she volunteered to drive patients to San Francisco, Reno and destinations south. She also organized the community blood drives sponsored by the VFW Auxiliary 3327. Virgie earned a silver badge as Deputy Sheriff under Sheriff John Sharp and worked as a Matron under Sheriff Buck Server.

After her husband John retired from the railroad, the two enjoyed traveling for the 15 years that followed, until he passed away Feb. 8, 1983 at the age of almost 81. Virgie continued her work with the VFW Auxiliary, as publicist for the events and blood drives and kept track of the Auxiliary business for years. She started the VFW Auxiliary's giant rummage sale to raise funds to purchase stuffed Teddy bears for local agencies to give to children they come in contact with during emergencies and traumatic situations.

She is survived by her daughter Phyllis M. Olson of Alturas, CA; grandson Richard J. Partin, Lakeview, OR; granddaughter Becky L. Dederick, Alturas, CA; four great-grandchildren, five great-great grandchildren, three nieces and one nephew. She was preceded in death by her husband John Meyer; daughter Betty Meyer Partin; grandson Gary M. Partin; brother Lloyd Kirk Rea; sister Nellie Mildred Haney.

Memorial donations may be directed to the "VFW Auxiliary 3327" at 414 Archer Way, Alturas, CA 96101, for the Auxiliary's Street Flag Fund which helps replace and maintain the many Alturas Main Street flags flown during Fandango and patriotic holidays.

James 'Jim' Ardenel Bagwell

Graveside services were held for James "Jim" Ardenel Bagwell on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 at the Alturas Cemetery. Pastor Curtis Barber officiated. Jim passed away on Thursday, March 23, 2006, at his home in Alturas, CA, after a short battle with cancer. He was 75.

Jim was born April 4, 1930, in Earlsboro, OK. He was a horse trader, worked in floor covering, was an avid hunter in his younger years, and was happiest spending time drinking coffee and talking with his friends. He also served in the United States Army from May of 1946 until December of 1946 when he received an Honorable Discharge. He spent more than 50 years in Modoc County where he owned and operated The Beacon Coffee Shop.

Jim was preceded in death by his wife, Nell Bagwell, his son Scott Bagwell, and his brother Clovis Bagwell. He is survived by his wife Pat Bagwell of Alturas; his mother Recy Hicks of Alturas; son Robert Bagwell of Roseville; daughter and son-in-law Linda and Roy Harris of Toelle, UT; stepdaughter Rita Merino of Roseville; stepdaughter Patricia Merino Griffin of Bethany, OK; stepson and daughter-in-law Butch and Judy Merino of Oklahoma City, OK; stepdaughter and son-in-law Michelle (Merino) and Kendell Ayers of Yukon, OK; 17 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and numerous other friends and family.

Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association.

The family would especially like to thank Leonard Sykes, Karla Yancey, the doctors and nurses at Merle West Medical/Cancer Center and at the Modoc County Hospital for their support and dedication to his care. We would also like to thank all of Jim's friends for their outpouring of love during this difficult time. Services for

Kittie Eades

Pastor Steve Black will officiate services Friday, March 31 at 11 a.m. at the Lookout Church in Lookout for Kittie Eades. Mrs. Eades passed away March 26, 2006 at Mayers Memorial Hospital in Fall River Mills, CA. Memorial donations may be directed to the Bieber Historical Museum.

A potluck will follow at the Lookout Fire Hall. McDonald's Chapel in Burney has charge of arrangements.

Edmund Henry "Bert" Schafer
August 22, 1914 to December 5th, 2005
Claudine Frances Schafer
February 11, 1915 to February 25, 2006

Edmund Schafer, "Grandpa Bert", was born on the family farm Nebraska, August 22, 1914. He was a simple, wise man with an incredible work ethic. He grew up on a farm in Steinauer, Nebraska, after his parents emigrated from Germany in the early 1900s. He was a farmer at heart, always going to bed early and rising with the chickens, working seven days a week.

Bert owned and operated a Chevron service station in Southern California for thirty years, retiring in the summer of 1981, and then moving the family to Alturas, California, where their youngest son, Robert Schafer, was already residing. Their daughter, Phyllis, and her family followed shortly thereafter.

In Modoc, Bert enjoyed fishing, card playing, gardening, sports and watching Fox News. He and Claudine also enjoyed Happy Hours with their Modoc friends throughout the years at Benny's and King Wah. Bert kept himself going through the years by creating special goals to live for including living to see the new millennium, seeing a Republican back in the Presidency, the Angels winning a World Series, and celebrating his 60th wedding anniversary with his sweetheart. The most special and important goal he lived for was to take care of Claudine. He took care of her until the day he died... it was a "labor of love." For this act, he is Claudine's and his family's hero for eternity.

Claudine Frances Schafer, "Grandma Claudine", was born Claudine Morrissey , in Columbus, Nebraska, on February 11, 1915. She and Grandpa Bert both graduated from the same high school in Steinauer. She attended nursing school at St Anthony's, in Sabetha, Kansas, from which she graduated in 1935.
She cherished being a nurse, specializing in Emergency Room nursing and Labor & Delivery. She loved the excitement and adrenalin, and most of all helping put people back together. She was loved and respected by all her colleagues. In her later years of nursing, she worked as an Industrial Nurse for TRW where she later retired and was greatly honored for her career by having her name etched on a plaque which was sent into space.

Claudine married Angelo Durante in 1940 and had two children, Jeannine and Laurence Durante. She later divorced and married Edmund "Bert" Schafer, her childhood friend, in 1946. They had three children, Phyllis, James and Robert. The family left Nebraska in 1951, moving to California, eventually settling in Santa Ana where they both worked and retired.

In the late 1960s, Claudine and Bert took in and reared Matthew and Barbara (Phyllis's oldest two children). After Claudine retired, she spent all her time with her grandchildren...they gave her life! Matt and Barb and all the grandkids were envied by the neighborhood children who adopted Claudine as their own "Grandma Claudine."

After moving to Alturas in 1981, Bert spent the next four years taking care of Matt and Barbara, making sure they woke up for school in time to catch the "yellow bomber," and then greeting them when school was out. "During this time, we really grew to love and respect him for the wonderful person he was."

Besides her grandchildren, another passion in Grandma Claudine's life was to hop into the car and drive, drive, drive...anywhere at anytime. She was the most adventurous, outgoing woman of her time! She carried on this pleasure-seeking tradition until the day she forfeited her driver license in 1996. There are so many adventures to treasure... one special road trip was to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in 1978 when she spent a week with four of her grandchildren tooling around the Tetons, Yellowstone, and Jackson Hole. It was the summer Jimmy Carter was also on vacation with his family out there. With Grandma Claudine's luck, they all met the president, his wife, and Amy. Claudine became friends with the ABC cameraman, David Garcia, and called into a nationally syndicated radio talk show to give the world all the details of the president's vacation. This was one of the most special vacations of her life...she talked joyfully about it for years.

In Modoc, Claudine volunteered for ten years at the Modoc Senior Center. She loved this experience, her co-workers, and meeting all the folks around town.

In the later years, Grandma and Grandpa looked forward to family visits during the holidays and summer vacations. We would all sit around the table, playing cards, gazing out the window at the blue spruce, and arguing over how much longer the turkey needed to be cooked. When Grandma was able, she would stay up all night cooking a feast fit for a royal family. We will greatly miss all the "quirky" family traditions. One of our favorites was turning the corner of Pencil Road and Mountain Quail, honking the horn and looking at the excitement on their faces through the dining room window, or having them greet us on the deck or at the front door. The saddest times were always saying 'goodbye', and wondering if that would be the last time seeing them.

We were all blessed to have had them for so very many years. They lived long full lives, gave lots of love, and were dearly loved in return. They left an impact on each and every one of us, more than they will ever truly know. While they have left us physically, they spiritually remain in our hearts, minds, and photos forever.

I would like to extend a special and deep thanks to all their caregivers in Alturas, and a special thanks to Father Patrick Henry and Rhea Jones for the weekly spiritual commitment and prayers throughout the years. Bert and Claudine are both preceded in death by numerous family members, including their parents and siblings. They are survived by their five children: Mary (Bob) Salt Lake City, Utah; Larry (Suzie) Garden Grove, CA; Phyllis, Alturas, CA; Jim (Joyce) Wildomare, CA; and Robert, Alturas; 10 grandchildren: Mike, Lisa, Matt, Dino, Barbara, Paula, David, Larry, Patrick and Edrie; 11 great-grandchildren and many more family and friends who will miss them dearly. A Catholic service and Mass will be held in their honor on March 31 and April 1, 2006 at Christus St. Joseph Villa Chapel, 451 Bishop Federal Lane Salt Lake City, Utah.

"The longer you live, the more you are loved. The longer you are loved, the more memories you create, and the harder it is to say goodbye." With Love, Barbara Girgen.

Michael Gardell Estis

Michael Gardell Estis, son of Rosalie (Wallbaum) Estis of Alturas, and the late Harold Estis, passed away of natural causes at his home at Dry Creek Basin, outside Alturas, CA on March 26, 2006. He was 47.
Born in Napa, CA on June 1, 1958, at Queen of the Valley Hospital, he attended school in Napa and graduated from Vintage High School in 1977.

He worked for Kaiser Steel in Napa for a number of years and also on a number of other construction jobs in Napa. He was an avid outdoorsman and loved to hunt. He had semi-retired when he moved to Modoc County five years ago. His father Harold passed away in 1995.

In addition to his mother, Michael is survived by his three aunts: Beulah Acarregui of Caldwell, Idaho; June Matisohn of Oakdale, CA and Pat Barton of Napa, CA.; numerous cousins and many loving friends also mourn for him, especially Terry Long of Alturas, Ron Long of Napa and Shane Rossmoore of Alturas.

Sports

Crane Count at Refuge a treat

By Lynda Demsher

Volunteers who take part in the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge's Crane Count Saturday, April 8, will get treated to coffee and donuts, a great day of bird watching, and get a chance to learn about the newly-formed Friends of the MNWR. The Friends will be up early to serve while Refuge Biologist Shannon Ludwig gives a brief overview of the Sandhill crane counting effort and hands out maps of the areas that need to be surveyed. Only breeding pairs will be counted, and those should be easy to distinguish from the juveniles who tend to group together, said Refuge Manager Steve Clay.

"For some reason, the young cranes are sticking around longer than they usually do," he said. "They usually take off by the time we start counting the breeding pairs, but some may be around this year. Shannon will have maps showing where known breeding pairs are though, and since they are very territorial and tend to return to the same nesting grounds year after year, the breeding pairs shouldn't be too hard to spot."

Four large areas on the west side of the Warner Mountains will be targeted, he said. Those include Likely, Canby, Goose Lake and Jess Valley. Surprise Valley will be covered by a separate group of volunteers who will be going out April 1, he said.

Volunteers will be asked to drive their assigned area and count the number of pairs they see. There should be two volunteers per car, and they should bring binoculars or spotting scopes. Lunch, a camera, and a clipboard might come in handy as well. Crane counters will only look for breeding pairs from county roads, but may pull off to the side occasionally to set up a scope or scan with binoculars. If residents of the four targeted areas see people along side the road with binoculars April 8th, they will merely be crane counters, Ludwig said.

Property owners in the four areas are also encouraged to call the Refuge, at 233-3572, and report any nesting cranes that may be missed by volunteers driving by. Sandhill cranes love to nest in Modoc County because agricultural practices here provide them with their favorite habitat, says Ludwig. He said the last survey of breeding pairs on private land was done in 2001, and he would like to find out if there has been an increase in the population. Many people believe that agriculture and wildlife conservation are at odds, but that doesn't seem to be the case here, he said, and he'd like to prove that.

"It's important to find out how private land management contributes to crane habitat," Ludwig said.
Crane counters will be provided with a form for entering the number of pairs they see, and a self-addressed, stamped envelope, so they can take their time during the count without worrying about having to report back at a certain time, Ludwig noted.

Volunteers who join the crane count will also have an opportunity to become a member of the Friends of the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge. Friends groups have been in existence for many years, providing volunteer help with projects that might not otherwise get done, especially in these tight financial times, according to Friends of MNWR President David Mason. The group recently got its non-profit status and can now take tax-deductible donations, he said. With only about 12 members so far, the fledgling group of volunteers has already started a landscaping project at the Refuge entrance, a photo blind project on one of the Refuge ponds, not normally accessible to the public, where photographers can get close-ups of the migratory birds, and has plans for several rustic, wood benches to be placed along the tour route. The Friends will also be a resource for volunteers for the Adopt-A-Watershed program that provides outdoor education opportunities for area students, and will be involved with the annual Migratory Bird Festival held in September.

The Refuge has the potential of drawing "eco-tourists" to Modoc County where their dollars can help local businesses, Mason said. Improvements on the Refuge will make it more attractive to tourists, as well as provide local visitors with more amenities, he added. There are also a number of grants available to Friends groups to help with Refuge projects, so this is one group that won't have to raise all its funds from the community, he said.
Anyone wishing to volunteer for the crane count can call the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge at 233-3572. Those who would like to join the Friends can call 233-5505 and leave a message, or show up for the crane count and pick up an application.

Modoc track team opens March 30

The Modoc High School Track team will start its season at the Mt. Shasta Time Trials March 30.
Coaching the track team is Wendi Lowrey, with assistants Mike Martin, Don Mason, Steve Tate, Loren Ambers and Kathy Hall.

Team members this year are: Travis Wood, Zeke Bonham, Grant Hall, Cam Hall, Catherine Lowry, John Lowry, Rachel Kerbergen, Stacey Parnow, Stacey Main, Merielle Nardoni, Kelly Campagna, Jennifer Joyce, Danielle Moriarity, Michel Funk, John Crnkovic, Rachel Field, Kieran Porter, Lacey Conger, Kyle Hartman, Seth Hartman, Chrissy Abbott-Hall, Kim Partee, Micah Eppler, Amanda Hess, Alisha Hayes, Robert Spedding and Lenny Gladu.

Luscombe is 2-2 at Nationals

Tulelake's John Luscombe, who placed second in the California State Championships at 145 pounds, went 2-2 in the National High School finals at Pittsburgh Pa., last weekend.

Luscombe lost to Mike Haxton of Ohio 4-3, after pinning Florida's Michael Weiss and beating Nevada's Bryce Saddoris 6-4. He lost to Ohio's Andy Lanacusa 6-5.

Modoc's Travis Wood, wrestling at 152 pounds, lost to Minnesota's Michael Rubbena 12-4 in an opening match and lost 1-0 to Louisiana's Matthew Cotaya in the second match.

April 6th, 2006

News

County Counsel says voter residency definition very lenient

Modoc County Counsel John Kenny Friday issued an opinion stating that Susanville Attorney Gary Woolverton is a qualified candidate for Modoc District Attorney.

Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison asked Kenny for an opinion concerning a challenge from local Pubic Defender Richard Cotta, a candidate for DA, to Woolverton meeting the Modoc residency requirement.

Woolverton may have never actually lived in the home at 100 Main Street, Adin, when he registered to vote in Modoc March 14 and used that as his residence.

Cotta had challenged that since he did not live at that residence, he was not qualified to run for office because his domicile was not in Modoc County at the time.

Apparently, according to Kenny's opinion, that didn't really matter.

"For the purposes of election law, domicile and residence mean the same thing and are determined in part by the intention of the party. Registration to vote itself implies an intention to reside permanently," he states. "The courts can be very lenient in determining what is sufficient for residency. A voter listing a park as a residence for purposes of registration was found to be sufficient even though there was an ordinance prohibiting camping in the park."

Cotta had cited election code stating, "Residence for voting purposes means a person's domicile. The domicile of a person is that place in which his or her habitation is fixed, wherein the person has the intention of remaining, and to which, whenever he or she is absent, the person has the intention of returning. At a given time, a person may have only one residence."

Kenny said it would be risky for Madison to disqualify Woolverton and that Cotta would still have court remedies.

In his opinion, Kenny states that the "reason for the proposed disqualification is not expressly stated, but it appears the concern has to do with one party's residence . . . It appears that the concern of the party complaining (Cotta) deals with whether the other candidate is a resident of Modoc County. As such, his complaint would be directed at whether the candidate should be a registered voter.

"A ‘voter' is an elector who is registered to vote. An ‘elector' means any person who is a United States Citizen 18 years of age or older and a resident of an election precinct at least 29 days prior to an election."
While Kenny states that the reason for proposed disqualification is not expressly stated, Cotta had presented a specific complaint and a 28-page investigation report detailing his views and findings.

On Monday, Woolverton said he was please with Kenny's opinion, and it mirrored what he had researched. He has established a residence outside of Alturas as of March 25 and according to the Clerk's office has changed his voting residence to that address. He said he will leave it to Modoc voters as to whether he is a "carpetbagger" in the June 6 election.

Cotta said there are several options open to him, including a lawsuit, but he hasn't made the decision which option to take. He said he is studying case law cited by Kenny.

DA helped Woolverton collect signatures

Modoc County District Attorney Jordan Funk assisted Susanville Attorney Gary Woolverton, and DA candidate in June, in obtaining signatures for his nomination papers, and as such forwarded a complaint by candidate Richard Cotta to the Attorney General.

"Approximately two weeks ago, Richard Cotta tendered to me a complaint alleging election law violations by District Attorney candidate Gary Woolverton," Funk said. "Because I assisted Mr. Woolverton in obtaining signatures on his nomination papers, I deemed it inappropriate for me to act on the matter since my impartiality might be called into question. I, therefore, forwarded the matter to the Attorney General."

Funk said he forwarded Woolverton's response to Cotta's complaint and Friday's analysis and conclusion by County Counsel John Kenny to the AG as well.

"The Attorney General has instructed me to inform interested parties that he is reviewing the matter," Funk said.

February, March snows push levels past normal

A wet weather pattern from February through March pushed mountain snowpack levels to well above averages in Modoc.

The Modoc National Forest snow surveys for April were completed at the end of last week and show a marked increase in both snow depth and water content since the January measurements.

Adin Mountain has 43.5 inches of snow, with 15.4 inches of water content. That's 30 percent higher than the normal snow depth of 33.6 inches and 21 percent higher for water content of 12.8 inches.

Cedar Pass now has 54 inches of snow with 18.9 inches of water. The annual average for Cedar Pass at this time is 44 inches of snow and 16.7 inches of water. The snowpack is 122 percent of normal and the water content is 113 percent of normal.

Blue Lake has 32 inches of snow containing 11 inches of water. The yearly average is 28 inches of snow and 10.1 inches of water. This year snow depth is 116 percent of normal and water is 106 percent of normal.
Medicine Lake is buried under 134.8 inches of snow containing 46.3 inches of water. That's 163 percent of the normal 82.5 inches of snow and 141 percent of the normal 32.8 water content.

The snow survey point at Medicine Lake is at 6,700 feet; it's 6,200 feet at Adin Mountain, 7,100 feet on Cedar Pass and 6,800 feet at Blue Lake.

Last April's surveys showed less snow: Cedar Pass, 44 inches containing 14.2 inches of water; Blue Lake, 18 inches of snow with 5.7 inches of water; and Medicine Lake, 76.6 inches of snow with 30.5 inches of water.

The January surveys showed the following results:

Snow levels at Blue Lake measured 17.1 inches, containing 4.7 inches of water, 68 percent of normal for snow depth (25 inches) and 61 percent of water content (7.6 inches.) Last year Blue Lake had 15 inches of snow in January with a water content of 3.4 inches in January.

Cedar Pass had 30.8 inches of snow, containing 8.3 inches of water. The annual average for that spot is 35 inches containing 10.7 inches of water. The snow level was 85 percent of normal and the water content 77 percent of normal. Last year in January, the area had 27 inches of snow containing 7.8 inches of water.
Adin Mountain, measured 23.6 inches of snow with 6.6 inches of water. That was 84 percent of average snow depth (28.2 inches) and 79 percent water content (8.32 inches).

National Power biomass project moving forward

The proposed National Power biomass power plant project is moving forward, carefully, although somewhat tediously.

National Power is proposed to construct a 20-40 megawatt biomass power plant on city-owned property north of the existing structures at the mill site, near the Alturas airport. The project also includes a small log sawmill.
According to National's Len Wohadto, the biggest issue at this moment is National Power's contract with Sierra Pacific. While the bidding process is complete, the contract still has to be approved by the Nevada Public Utilities Commission, which has about 135 days for approval. He expects that approval to come in June or July.

Once the 20-year power contract is in place, National will start a full Environmental Impact Report on the project and file all the necessary applications with the local planning department. The EIR process will include the required and necessary public scoping meetings and hearings. Wohadto said the process will be transparent and the community well informed and involved.

The City and County have been working on this power plant project in a joint effort for well more than a year.
The entire project is expected to create more than 100 new jobs in Modoc County, from actual plant workers to the logging and trucking industries.

September 7, 2006

News

Interest in Anklin's seat grows

At last two people have made application to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to replace former District IV Supervisor Ray Anklin.

Shorty Crabtree, a local rancher, and Ron McCullough, a businessman and driver for the Modoc Senior Center, have both field the necessary paperwork, although the Governor's office has not actually posted the correct filing papers on its Internet site.

Anyone wishing to fill Anklin's position must file an application with the Governor, who will make the appointment.

Anklin, of Canby, formally resigned his seat in August after entering a "no contest" plea in Modoc Superior Court on charges of having sexual intercourse with a 17-year-old girl last spring and summer.

As a part of his plea deal, Anklin had to resign from the Modoc County Board of Supervisors.
According to County Clerk Maxine Madison, a notice of vacancy to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been sent. Madison said an election is not allowed, and the appointed Supervisor would serve Anklin's remaining term, through 2008. There is no indication on how long the Governor will take to make an appointment.

All registered voters in District IV are eligible to apply for appointment and must make application online at http://www.gov.ca.gov/index.php?/appointments/application.

Government Code 2500 requires each county to have a Board of Supervisors consisting of five members.

Anyone who makes application to fill the vacancy is asked to notify Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison at 233-6201.

Voter registration open for Nov. election

Voters interested in voting in the November 7 General Election have until October 23 to register to vote. Any changes in voter registration should also be made at that time, including name and address corrections.

The November 7 election is shaping up and a pivotal point in national state and local politics. Nationally, U.S. Representative John Doolittle is facing one of his biggest challenges from retired Air Force Officer Charlie Brown. Doolittle has been heavily implicated in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.

There will be local elections in November in the Modoc Joint Unified School District, Tulelake Joint Unified School District, California Pines Community Services District and the Fort Bidwell Fire District.

Incumbent Karen Hays has filed for re-election in the Modoc Joint Unified School District and two challengers have filed, Erin Bevil and Eric Sittig. Incumbent Pat Swanson is not seeking re-election.
There are four seats on the ballot for the Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District. There will not be an election in that four people have filed for those seats and there is no competition. In Cedarville, the seats of Gene Erquiaga and James Laacke expire. Laacke and a challenger, Penny Borghi, have filed, but Erquiaga did not run. Bill Bostic has filed for re-election and Alissa Fee has filed in Fort Bidwell. Ft. Bidwell's incumbent, Steve Smith, did not file.

Incumbent Roy Wright has filed for re-election on the Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School Board. Two challengers, Venencio Hernandez and Randall Bailey have also filed. Incumbent Donald Kirby did not file.

On the County Board of Education: District Two's Rebekah Ingraham; District Three's Dixie Server; and District Five's Marcella Haynes have filed and will not have to face an election.
There will be an election for one seat on the Fort Bidwell Fire District. Incumbent John Drew is being challenged by John Brauner.

An election is also set for the California Pines Community Services District where three seats are up. Incumbent Lola Milliron and Bruce Rodgers are running for re-election, but Robert Lyons has not filed. Three challengers have filed: James Ganoe, Stanley Ehlinger and Hank Drury.

Julie Gagnon has filed for re-election to Big Valley Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees.

Hospital debt goes up nearly $400,000

Modoc Medical Center's debt to the county increased at the end of August to $5,989,192.44, up $387,234 from July's $5,601,957.81 according to Modoc County Auditor Judi Stevens.

That's up from June's $5,355,838.60. The debt from September, 2005 has increased by $1,298,380.
By month the debt looked like this: September $4,690,812; October $4,741,129; November $4,585,423; December $4,867,652; January $4,793,393; February $5,071,818, March $5,366.613 and April $5,531,096.

The Modoc Record will continue to publish the actual debt at the end of each month.

Birdfest takes wing Sept. 15

Ever wish you could go on a safari to a strange and fascinating place? Your wish will be granted Friday, September 15, and you don't even have to leave Alturas. At 7 p.m. Stefan Savides will present his collection of fascinating wildlife photos during the "International Bird Safari" in the social hall at Modoc High School. Savides, a taxidermy artist from Klamath Falls, recently returned from Africa where he photographed many kinds of fascinating birds and animals. After the presentation, the Friends of the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, who are sponsoring the event, will serve coffee and cheesecake with a variety of toppings. The event is free to the public. However, donations for Friends' projects at the Refuge will be welcomed, along with people interested in joining the Refuge supporters.

Saturday, the annual Wings of the Warners Modoc Migratory Bird Festival rolls to a start with a "Birds and Bikes" bicycle ride at 8:30 a.m. Riders will gather in the Modoc Museum parking lot (near the train engine) and ride to the Refuge, around the auto/walking tour route to observe the wildlife, and back to the Veterans' Park where the Festival begins at 9:30 a.m. The First Baptist Youth Group will have Krispy Kreme donuts and coffee available for returning bike riders and early Festival arrivals.

This year's artistic offerings will include Jim Walker's wood carvings, Linda LaNeve's creative gourds, Sandy Higa's jewelry, and Dick Mackey's Canyon Creek pottery. Informational booths will feature the latest happenings from the Alturas Chamber of Commerce, Surprise Valley Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the Library, and Modoc Historical Association, as well as the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, The River Center, and other wildlife agencies. The annual "Tub of Treasures" will also be available at the Information Booth as a fund-raiser to help with Festival expenses.

New at the Festival this year will be music featuring talented local musicians from the Country Jammers. A lunch break has been scheduled so people won't have to worry about choosing between listening to music or attending a workshop. Several food booths will be available so no one need leave the park for a meal. Also new at this year's event is a nature-related scavenger hunt for anyone who wants to participate.

Bird watching is becoming a popular hobby nowadays, and those interested in finding out more about this fascinating pursuit can join a bird-watching clinic Saturday morning, shortly after the Bird Festival opens. Following that, bats have their due as John "The Batman" Ranlett leads a workshop explaining the myths and wonders of the furry fliers. For real live wildlife, catch Redding's Turtle Bay Museum's display of raptors on Saturday afternoon. Owls, hawks, a golden eagle, and a very dignified buzzard are usually featured, with Turtle Bay docents available to give information about each one.

Children's activities include face painting and a variety of hands-on nature craft projects. They can also get their picture taken as an antelope or crane, participate in the scavenger hunt, and make a bird house to take home. The hilarious "Quack Me Up" duck-calling contest winds up Saturday's activities with judges determining who comes closest to sounding like a real duck.

On Sunday, at 7:30 a.m. a Guided bird watching tour begins at the Refuge. At 8:30 a.m. a mist netting demonstration at the Refuge (trained people will demonstrate how songbirds are caught and banded). Those seeking adventure will have a chance to participate in The River Center's annual River Clean-Up Day. Those interested simply show up at The River Center, Henderson Street in Alturas, at 10:30 a.m. for an approximately two-hour escapade along the banks of the Pit River and its watershed area.

Sharon Kormier Blick

Former Alturas resident, Sharon Kormier Blick of Mojave, CA, passed away at her home on September 3, 2006. A memorial service for Mrs. Blick, will be held Wednesday, September 20 at 2 p.m. at Stickel Mortuary in Mojave.

A former resident of Alturas, CA and a 1955 graduate of Modoc Union High, Mrs. Blick was born July 16, 1937 in Reno, Nevada. She attended Reno Beauty College in 1955.

She met and married Morris Blick of Virginia and the couple celebrated their golden anniversary on July 22. Mrs. Blick was a wonderful homemaker and mother, who traveled the world through her husband's Air Force career over the years. She was the daughter of George and Blanche Kormier of Alturas.

She is survived by her husband Morris of Mojave; brother James Kormier of Healdsburg; sons David Blick of Mojave, James Blick of Wyoming and Kenneth Blick of Nebraska.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to any favorite charity of the donor's choosing.

The small log sawmill is an integral part of the project, said Wohadto. In most cases, he said, the power plants were used to generate electricity to run the sawmills. In this case, the sawmill will be the main supplier of fuel for the power plant, and the electricity will be sold to Sierra Pacific. The value of the plant is expected to be above $50 million.

The plant is projected to need about 150,000 tons of fuel per year, but will be operating more efficiently than existing biomass plants and it must meet California emission standards. National Power states the plant will use one-third less fuel to produce the same amount of electricity as existing biomass plants.

National hopes the first draft of the EIR can been finished by the end of this year and all the permitting and land use issues settled and in place by the end of 2007. Construction could start in 2008 with the plant possibly coming on line in 2010.

The current effort to manage juniper in this neck of the woods is one of the driving forces behind the biomass plant project. National believes there is sufficient and renewable fuel resource to meet the long-term needs of the power plant. In addition, the state's move towards more "green energy" sources is a big part of the project.

National Power describes itself as an owner and operator of environmentally sensitive electric generating facilities which has existing facilities in Australia and United States. The company was founded in 1991 and is privately owned.

The site for the proposed power plant is on 103 acres of city-owned property at the mill site adjacent to the airport.

National Power projects include in the Big Valley Mill power plant, which is up and running. That plant had been closed and shut down when Big Valley Lumber Mill was sold and dismantled, but the power plant remained intact. It is a biomass power plant, burning wood products.

The City of Alturas is currently working to resolve a variety of serious sewer plant issues, not the least of which is satisfying a state cease and desist order. Those issues are being addressed and rectified.

The City hired Wendy Johnston of Vestra Resources, Inc., out of Redding, as their project manager. A lot of the work on the sewer project may dovetail with the power plant as plans are to make use of the sewer wastewater for the cooling towers. By using that water, the plant should not have an adverse impact on the available water resources.

Hospital debt up to $5.36 million

Modoc Medical Center's debt to Modoc County increased to $5,366,613.58 for March, 2006 as reported by

Modoc County Auditor/Recorder Judi Stevens Monday. That's up from $5,071,818.73 reported by the Record for February, an increase of $294,794.80.

That's a $665,801.10 increase from September, 2005's debt of $4,690,812.46.

The debt is fluid and did drop in November to $4,585,423.21. Month by month the debt was: September $4,690,812; October $4,741,129; November $4,585,423; December $4,867,652; January $4,793,393; and February $5,071,818.

The Modoc Record will continue to publish the actual debt at the end of each month.

Leah Estill to represent Modoc as Beef Princess

It was a big night for Leah Estill of Eagleville and Claire Crenshaw of Alturas, both 16 who were vying for Modoc County CattleWomen's fourth annual Modoc County Beef Princess title and scholarship at the Modoc District Fairgrounds in Cedarville last Saturday night.

The two young women spoke eloquently before a dinner crowd of 165 people. "It was a very close competition," described Modoc County CattleWoman Sharon Crabtree of the point outcome, in which Leah Estill, daughter of John and Lani Estill of Eagleville, was announced as the new Modoc County Beef Princess for 2006/07.

Both contestants showed their keen interest and knowledge of the beef industry from diverse backgrounds in the beef industry and impressive involvement over the years with FFA and 4-H, as both officers and members. Crenshaw is the daughter of David and Patricia "Patty" Crenshaw of Alturas.

The Beef Princess will represent the Cattlemen and CattleWomen of Modoc County and surrounding areas for the coming year. Estill is required to attend many functions and events to promote public awareness regarding the benefits of beef and the beef industry. She will participate in Ag in the Classroom programs by visiting schools, attending field days and horseback riding in special events.

The purpose of the competition is to educate the public about the industry. Estill received a $500 scholarship, $100 savings bond, silver buckle, impressive hat tiara and sash, a complete western outfit, bootbag and various gifts donated by businesses and members of the CattleWomen's Association.

Surprise Valley FFA provided the steak dinner. Julie McDonell, Modoc High FFA Advisor/Ag teacher, won the grand prize, a guided salmon fishing trip on the Sacramento River by C&A Guide Services from Anderson, CA.

Obituaries:

James Duane Davis

Services for Alturas resident James Duane Davis will be held Sunday, April 9 at the Alturas Baptist Church, 500 West Fourth St., Alturas, with a traditional dinner at 2 p.m. and services to follow at the church. Burial will be at Ft. Bidwell Cemetery following the services.

Mr. Davis, passed away on his fiftieth birthday April 2, 2006, at Mercy Medical Hospital in Redding, CA. He had battled with a lengthy illness.

The well-educated Mr. Davis had a history of helping people and the world around him through his professions as a Fisheries Research Biologist, Legislative Lobbyist, Cultural Consultant, Water Director and Ranger and Defensive tactics instructor and legal advocate. He had also worked in the field of construction and was an independent business owner-operator. He was fluent in and understood the Paiute Indian Language.

Born on April 2, 1956 in Reno, Nevada, he was listed in the "Who's Who" Among American High School students in 1973 and 1974. He earned three scholarship awards toward his college education and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and numerous certificates from University of Nevada, Reno, of which he was an Alumni Member. As a former saddle bronc and bareback rider, he also enjoyed skiing and horseback riding and enjoyed watching the sport of rodeo and air racing. He also enjoyed doing carpentry, fishing, cooking, reading and was interested in computer technology. He had specialized weaponry training and handling skills and was a people watcher.

James was a kind and loving husband, married to Leah Louanne Wyatt on March 4, 1989 in Carson City, NV. Although he had grown up in Nevada, James and Leah moved to Alturas three years ago. He was known as "The Fun Marshall."

He is survived by his wife Leah Louanne Wyatt-Davis of Alturas, CA; stepson James Paul Preston, Oroville, CA; son Jason Davis, Nixon, NV; daughter Marie Davis, Durant, Oklahoma; son James-Adam Davis, Nixon, NV; daughter Rachel Davis, Durant, Oklahoma; grandmother Emmelina Lowry, Nixon, NV; uncle Ferman Lowry, Nixon, NV; uncle Ellwood Lowry, Sutcliff, NV; great-uncle Manuel "Gil" Noneo, Fallon, NV; and his special pets, Kitty and Elvis, Alturas.

His mother Adeline Davis predeceased her son in 2003.

Services are under the direction of Kerr Mortuary in Alturas. Memorial donations may be directed to a charity of the donor's choice.

Stephen David Standart

Services for Stephen David Standart of Lookout, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 7, graveside at the Adin Cemetery. Mr. Standart, 55, passed away of natural causes at his home in Lookout, CA on March 31, 2006.
Born November 2, 1950 in San Jose, CA. he had lived all but four years of his life in Big Valley. He graduated from Big Valley High School, Bieber. Stephen devoted hours to working on cars and enjoyed working on cars entered in Destruction Derbys. He also was passionate about being outdoors and he loved to hunt. He is survived by his soulmate, Kathy Reymer of Lookout; brother Jim Standart of Adin, CA; sons Stephen D. Standart, II of Newport News, VA and Arthur J. Standart of Sacramento, CA. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Services are under the direction of Kerr Mortuary, Alturas, CA.

Sports

Modoc, Weed tied in golf

The Modoc Braves and Weed Cougars are tied at 11-1 for the Shasta Cascade League golf lead this week. Modoc is set to play today at Fall River against Trinity, Fall River and Mt. Shasta.

The golf team, one of the few teams to get any action because of the weather, lost in a practice match with Lakeview April 4 at Arrowhead by the score of 537-494.

On March 30, the Braves split with Weed at Lake Shastina. Conditions were cool and gusty and caused the players some trouble. Modoc scores were: Brian Weed 87, Micah Eppler 85, Jeff Solomon 87, Keith Montague 100, Daniel Morgan 102, Matt Williams 103. Team scores were Modoc 237-218 (455), Weed 235-223 (448).
March 29, the Braves beat Bishop Quinn and Burney at Arrowhead by the following scores: Modoc 211-209 (420), Burney 310-297 (607) and Bishop Quinn (no team).

Individual scores were: Weed 77, Eppler 78, Solomon 89, Josue Madrigal 81, Montague 95 and Dustin Philpott 102.

Braves lose three ball games

Modoc's baseball team has yet to get on the home baseball field, save to shovel snow, which might explain three opening losses at the Etna tournament last weekend.

This week is not turning out much better for the Braves weather-wise as snow and rain are forecast through Saturday. "Overall, I was pleased with how the team played this weekend," said coach Tim MacDonnell. "Once we get in a groove, I think we'll be just fine."

In Etna the Braves lost to Yreka 5-0, collecting just three hits. Cox, Bill Hammerness and Justin Mason each had a hit.

Jered Cox got the loss on the mound. He allowed six hits, gave up a pair of walks and struck out five.
The Braves lost to Tulelake 2-0 with Tim Cruse getting the only hit. Jesse Harer was the losing pitcher, allowing four hits and a walk, while striking out three.

"Tulelake is a solid, well-coached team that plays small ball very well," said MacDonnell. "We were excited to finally get a game in and I was extremely pleased with our pitching."

Modoc lost to West Valley 8-2. Cruse and Harer each had a hit. Cruse got the loss, allowing six hits, walking five and striking out three.

The Braves are schedule to play Trinity here Friday with a 2 p.m. start time.

Reservoir Fisheries Management Meeting April 13, 2006

The Modoc National Forest, Bureau of Land Management - Alturas Field Office, and California Department of Fish and Game will be hosting a reservoir fisheries management meeting on April 13, 2006. The meeting will be held from 7:00 -9:00 pm at the BLM conference room, 708 W. 12th St., Alturas.

This will be an information sharing meeting and will allow public input to reservoir fisheries issues on public lands of the Modoc National Forest and BLM - Alturas Field Office. For more information contact Marty Yamagiwa at 530 233-8833.

April 13th, 2006

News

New Clerk/Auditor Ordinance in effect

The new ordinances combining the Modoc County Clerk's Office with the Auditor/Recorder's Office and establishing an appointed clerk of the Board are now in effect.

In spite of assurances to the contrary, as late as last Thursday, from opponents of the ordinances, Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison said individuals who had taken out papers for a referendum against the ordinance failed to show up. Without the referendum being filed on time, the ordinances became law and will actually become effective when Madison retires in January.

Madison said she is checking with legal counsel for what she will actually place on the June 6 ballot. No one actually filed for the new position of Auditor/County Clerk, but current Auditor Judi Stevens did file and will qualify for both positions. There will not be an election for County Clerk.

Madison reminds voters who registered before last year to contact her office to insure they have a proper voter identification number recorded.

That number could be a driver's license number or the last four digits of a person's social security number. Madison asks voters to contact her office before Friday. Voters who do not have a voter ID number may not receive the voter information packets. It's probable that voters who registered over the last year were asked to include the voter ID number.

The final day to register to vote for the June 6 Primary Election is May 22. That's also the final day to make registration changes. One of the major areas needing attention is voters' addresses matching up with their current registration. If someone has moved or had a name change, he needs to make the voter registration change.

Madison said it's very important for people to make those changes soon, in the next week, so that they insure they'll receive their state information pamphlet as well as a sample ballot.

People can make changes at the County Clerk's Office. For more information call 233-6201.

The June 6 election races are in place and several local races are contested and heated.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and Susanville attorney Gary Woolverton, are running for District Attorney.

The race for Sheriff is between current Undersheriff Mark Gentry and recently retired California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, and Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser are running for Modoc County Assessor.

Incumbent Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw is being challenged for that office by Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator.

The race for the two seats on the Alturas City Council includes incumbents Jerry Smith and John Vass and challengers Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

Auditor Judi Stevens and Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch are unopposed as is City Treasurer Kathie Alves.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term.

Both members of the County Board of Supervisors -- District One's Dan Macsay and District Five's David Bradshaw -- will run again. David Porter Misso of Tulelake is running against Bradshaw. Macsay is unopposed.

The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices. It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Water managers pleased with current picture

While the overabundance of water received this spring is a grave concern elsewhere in the state, causing flooding and levee damage in places, local water officials here are unanimously delighted.

"We're in great shape. My understanding is that most everybody's reservoirs are full. The ground is supersaturated. There's just water everywhere," said Steve Clay, the wildlife refuge manager who closely monitors Dorris Reservoir above Alturas.

As for the reservoir, "it's full," said Clay. "Basically, it's been full since about the beginning of March."
Jerry Wendland, watermaster for the West Valley Reservoir, said, "On the sixth, the reservoir spilled. I shut the diversion ditch off yesterday because it's full." The diversion ditch carries water from the South Fork of the Pit River to the reservoir. "I just put it in the river and let it go down to PG&E. They'll be happy."
"It's been a exceptional runoff year for the reservoir," said Willy Hagge of the Hot Springs district, who manages water in Big Sage Reservoir. "A normal runoff year for Big Sage Reservoir is about 16,000 to 17, 000 acre-feet. This year, we've already received 33,000 acre-feet into the reservoir. So, we're almost double our normal runoff into the reservoir. That shows you what an exceptional year we've had."

None of the managers seemed concerned that there might be too much water for the system to handle.
"I really don't look for that to happen," said Wendland, tersely.

He remembered the swollen streams due to late season storms in May last year. "It was up to the top of the banks," he recalled. Yet, he is apparently confident that a repeat this year would be manageable. "I think the system can handle it."

"I don't see anything on the scope of last year," said Clay, noting that the refuge is a natural flood plain, providing a safety valve for excess flows. "Everything looks very manageable right now. The refuge will probably see some minor flooding at some point this spring, depending upon how the weather goes. But, that's typical for us.

"Because we have the ability to shut off two of the inflows coming into the (Dorris) reservoir—that being Pine Creek and Parker Creek—we have some control," said Clay. "We're trying to keep it so that we can preclude a flooding event by having too much water coming into Dorris that we can't deal with. We've been keeping an eye to the weather and an eye to what's going on in the reservoir so that we can keep ahead of an event."
Noting that the 77,000 acre-feet capacity of Big Sage is not likely to be reached in one season, no matter how wet, Hagge dismisses any potential for flooding in his part of the Pit River system. "We're not even to half full yet with Big Sage. The more water the better. A huge runoff like this is not going to affect us in any way with any kind of potential to hurt our infrastructure. There is so much more capacity in the reservoir still. We couldn't have that much runoff to have Big Sage spill."

All are in agreement that the snow pack will be sufficient to supply downstream irrigators with ample water late into the season.

"I think we have a good snow pack," said Wendland, assessing the situation. "So, unless we get some real warm weather coming up right away, we're going to have a pretty decent flow in the river up until I'm hoping up into the middle of May or longer."

Hagge feels that an ample snow pack promises "a real benefit to the farmers and ranchers. I think the whole country is pretty much in that same category—a lot of water this year with reservoirs filling up nicely. So, it makes it a lot nicer than the drought situations we've been in. That's for sure."

Managers are more concerned with saturated fields that can't be plowed or planted due to excess water. "If people aren't happy, it's not going to be because of a lack of water," said Clay. "It's probably going to be from too much water."

All agree this has been a banner water year. "It's all good news for us," said Hagge, who believes that his reservoir will likely end the season with over 40,000 acre-feet. "It's nice to see Big Sage get back to a situation where it has some reserve built into it."

Only one dry day to start April

April precipitation has exceeeded the monthly average of 1.11 inches. As of Wednesday, only one day of the month was dry.

According to the Modoc National Forest measurements, 1.42 inches of precipitation was recorded from April 1 trough April 11.

Thursday was supposed to clear off and warm up, but the forecast is for another .50 inches of precipitation this weekend. April 7 was the only day so far in the month that did not have measurable rain.

Prepare for higher gas prices this summer

It may be hard to believe, but gas prices are predicted to go even higher this summer. The experts are talking about gas over $3 per gallon. Modoc has already exceeded that price.

On Tuesday, unleaded regular gas in Alturas ranged from $2.95.9 to $2.97.9 per gallon; plus unleaded was $3.05.9 to $3.07.9; premium was $3.15.9 to $3.17.9 and diesel was $3,09.9 to $3.11.9.

The average price of gas in northern California is $2.84, with Redding showing $2.86 and the highest price, according to Triple A, was in South Lake Tahoe at $3.10.

According to the U.S. Energy Department's "seasonal outlook" the projection is that regular grade gas will be about $2.80 nationwide this summer. Gasoline costs have increased about 40 cents nationwide since a year ago. The federal agency says gas prices will vary region to region and state to state and expects some areas to hit $3.00 per gallon during the peak driving season.

In Modoc, several local residents are saying the cost of home heating fuel is creating severe hardships with the budgets. The cost of heating fuel here as of Tuesday was $2.49 for routed customers and $2.59 for others with a 100-gallon minimum. The fact that winter is not loosening its grip is creating more problems.

MHS Jazz Band could be history

The popular Modoc High School Jazz Band program could suffer a fate similar to Katrina's on New Orleans.
MHS Music instructor Jay Jones is faced with the requirement that he have 15 students sign up for the Jazz Band class. If not, school administrators will fill that slot with a different class and Jazz Band will be a fading memory.

Several parents and students have protested the cut of the program. Jones believes it's a valuable program for the music department and especially important for those students who are interested in advancing their abilities and understanding.

MHS Principal Don Demsher said he supports the Jazz Band program, but doesn't feel it can be continued unless there is enough student interest. He said he felt the 15-student minimum was reasonable. There has not been a minimum number of students required for the class in the past.

Demsher said the issue was not a predominately money or budget problem. He said the success or continuation of the program will depend largely upon whether Jones can attract enough advanced students for the class.

Several parents, including Linda Aarstad said the program is invaluable and gives serious music students chance to progress and learn. She said she felt Jones was an "excellent" music teacher.

Parent Robert Haggard said the Jazz Band program has been very beneficial and it's also popular with the public. He also felt Jones had improved the quality of the music program overall, and felt the Jazz Band has been a valuable asset for music students. He said he has been very impressed with the time spent, improvement, energy and talent of the music department.

Demsher said there are some issues surrounding the music department and the Jazz Band's future could well depend on whether Jones can attract the required number of qualified students.

Aarstad said she understands the need for sufficient students, and believes that the students should be able to meet the requirements and level of play at Jazz Band. She doesn't agree that setting an arbitrary number is a good idea.

"If we lose the Jazz Band, it will be especially detrimental to the serious music students," she said. "There may not be 15 students, but there are many who have signed up and who would benefit greatly from the program. Jazz Band is not for every student and it's demanding. Jones expects more from the Jazz Band members. There are times he can be tough. What's most important are the results and the concerts Mr. Jones puts on are incredible. No one can deny that."

Nationally, schools have been cutting programs in the arts and music areas, in order to meet testing requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. That does not appear to be the issue at Modoc High School.

Lions roll out Easter eggs, prizes for Saturday kids' event

The annual Easter Egg Hunt for all children on Saturday, April 15 starts at 1:00 p.m. sharp at Veterans' Park, South Main Street, Alturas. No matter what the weather, the "hunt" is always held.

The Alturas Lions Club sponsors the event and Chairperson Pat Schluter recommends families arrive early to find their child's age-designated location. Lawn signs will help adults and children locate the five, designated age-category areas for the hunt.

Children ages one to 10 years old should bring a basket to join in the hunt. Dozens of colored eggs will be scattered across the lawns, along with 300 plastic eggs filled with candy. Three prize baskets will also be given in each age group.

A dedicated group of Lions Club members will start their Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. at Kelley Hot Springs where they will boil the eggs, then color them in large tubs. The eggs cool as they are transported back to Alturas at noon.

The Leos Youth Club (teen) members will help with crowd control and place the eggs on the park lawns, which takes about an hour.

It doesn't take the young participants long to scoop up the eggs. Seven years ago, the Lions clocked the event as taking one minute and 10 seconds.

Several years ago, the Lions Club members moved the Egg Hunt project from Sunday to Saturday. This allows Lions to celebrate Easter with their own families and also does not conflict with local family celebrations and church services.

Tenor, baritone home to give concert

A special concert Wednesday, April 19, at 7 p.m. at the Niles Theater in Alturas, will be An unforgettable evening of beautiful music, humor and vocal fireworks on Wednesday, April 19 at 7 p.m. at the Niles Theater in Alturas will feature native sons Jeran Micheal Brown, baritone, and Zachary Stains, tenor, with piano accompanist Melissa Johnson from the Nevada Opera in Cantiamo, Opera's Greatest Arias and Duets!
Timeless works of music will be performed from operas by Puccini, Verdi, Bizet, Mozart, Handel, Gilbert & Sullivan and American composers in duets and melodic solos.

Stains, who has been described by the New Yorker, as "A commanding tenor with charm to burn," will travel from his residence in New York, where his 2006 engagements include lead tenor roles in several operas in the U.S. and Italy, with the Virginia Opera, the Green Mountain Opera Festival in Vermont and the lead tenor role of Telamonte in Vivaldi's Hercules in Spoleto, Italy. Handel's Radamisto CD, released in November 2005 on Virgin Classics, features Stains and has won several important awards including the London Times Classical Music CD of the week, and is an Editor's Pick in the March 2006 edition of Opera News.

"Zak" as he is known to family and friends, was born in Alturas to Valerie and Rody Stains and has many relatives in Alturas. "I'm truly excited to finally have this opportunity to sing for my hometown and also to sing with the extremely talented Jeran Michael Brown," says Stains.

Zak attended schools in Seattle, Washington. He studied for three years with bass-baritone John Shirley-Quirk at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, where he received his Bachelor of Music degree and was accepted into the graduate program of the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. A month after meeting eminent musicologist and conductor Alan Curtis in Massachusetts, Mr. Curtis offered Zak the first of several opportunities to sing in Italy and further contracts. He has moved several times and lived in Nashville, Tennessee where he was involved with Nashville Opera; Washington, D.C. where he worked as Assistant to the Director of the National Music Center and Museum Foundation; and more recently to Brooklyn, NY, where he is studying voice with Steven Smith, a faculty member at Julliard School in Manhattan.

Brown will arrive from Fresno, where he is a full-time student at Fresno City College and is active with Fresno Grand Opera. This May, Jeran will sing in Guiseppe Verdi's Otello. He is the son of Teri and Steve Brown of Alturas and a graduate of Modoc High and was involved with Modoc Performing Arts Theater productions while growing up in Alturas. While attending CSU at Humboldt, he studied Vocal Performing Arts.

A reception for ticket holders will follow the performance at the Alturas Elks Lodge. The event is being produced by the Brown family and the Stains family of Alturas.

Tickets are $10 each at the door or in advance from Modoc Farm Supply, Modoc County Record, Antonio's, Main Street Coffee, Hair Dimensions, Country Hearth in Cedarville, Warner Mt. Realty, Top Hat Video.

Obituaries:

Homer Shelby Ward

Long-time Alturas resident Homer Shelby Ward, 72, passed away April 6, 2006 in Alturas, CA., his home for over 47 years. He was born in Almyra, Arkansas on April 10, 1933 and married the former Betty Young on January 27, 1952 in DeWitt, Arkansas. The two have shared 54 years of marriage. They had been married for just a few years, when Homer served with the U.S. Army. He was discharged after two years, as a Corporal on May of 1955, during the Korean War.

He was a professional truck driver for many years, both with local companies and long haul companies. For a time he was owner and operator of his own big rig. After he retired from trucking, he enjoyed spending time fishing.

He is survived by his wife Betty of Alturas, CA; son Richard Ward of Alturas, CA; son Kenneth Ward of Tulare, CA; daughter Lynda Colesworthy, Conrad, Montana; son Dennis Ward, Alturas, CA; sister Iva Jane Maier, DeWitt, Arkansas; Brother and sister-in-law Steven and Sondra Young, Visalia, CA; brother and sister-in-law Don and Beverly Young, Alturas, CA; sister and brother-in-law Vicki and Dave Smith, Alturas, CA; brother-in-law Alfard Johnson, Alturas; 11 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Memorial service was held at Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas, CA on April 12 at 2 p.m. with Pastor Clint Pittman.

Ruth Earlene Conklin

Services for Ruth Earlene Conklin were held Wednesday, April 12 at 2 p.m. at the Alturas Baptist Church. Pastor Curtis Barber officiated.

Mrs. Conklin, 67, passed away peacefully, at Washoe Medical Center, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, Reno, NV on April 4, 2006, due to her heart condition.

Ruth was born in Lake City, CA to Earl and Francis Ruth Vernon (Bachtel) on January 10, 1939. She was reared in Surprise Valley and helped her parents on their dairy farms. She graduated from Surprise Valley Union High School on June 5, 1958 and married Willard E. Conklin, son of Wilson E. and Lucille (Chase) Conklin on November 15, 1958. They had three sons Elzie, Curtis and Willard.

Ruth loved to go camping, fishing and rock hounding. She also loved to crochet, embroider, and do latch hook rug art. She loved taking walks with her sons while she was able to get around.

Ruth loved her little and big dogs. She said goodnight and good morning to her eldest son's snakes, birds and oversized lizards. Ruth was a great homemaker, mother and friend. She loved to keep a neat and tidy house. She was close to her wonderful sister Nelda Robinson and Nelda's husband Mark Robinson of Klamath Falls, OR.

"Ruth was a great mother. She loved her rose bushes. She was also a great friend," describes her husband. She will be dearly missed by her family and many friends.

She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Willard Conklin of Alturas; son Elzie Conklin of Alturas; sister Nelda and brother-in-law Mark Robinson of Klamath Falls, OR.; sister-in-law Lola Rogers of Modesto, nieces Teresa and Paula; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Wilma and Robert Andrews of Alturas; niece Kathy Brown, Alturas; nephew Bob Andrews, San Francisco.

Ruth was preceded in death by her sister Mable (Vernon) Clark of Lake City, CA; her brother E.E. "Sarge" Vernon and her two sons, Willard E. Conklin and Curtis Willard Conklin.

Memorial donations may be directed to the American Heart Association, Diabetes Foundation or to Washoe Medical Center, Reno, NV.

John Anthony Vasko

A memorial service for John Anthony Vasko "Johnny Chop" will be held May 6 at 1 p.m. at The Firehouse in Felton, CA. John was the grandson of Tony and Nancy Vasko who owned the Golden Rule Store in Alturas. The Vasko Family moved to Alturas from Tulelake in 1951.

Johnny's journey began in Roseville, CA when he was born on May 3, 1971. He went to school in Ripon and Modesto, graduating from Davis High in 1990. His love for all things with wheels took him from unicycles to VW's to custom Hot Rods. Surfing and custom rods ruled his time. He found his true calling fabricating custom motorcycles. His unique talent earned him a place among the nation's top custom bike builders. He passed away March 28, 2006.

Johnny's family includes his mother and father Barbara and Mark Vasko of Oakdale, CA; sister and brother-in-law Suzie and Reid Miller, favorite niece Izabell Johnnylu Miller, also of Rough and Ready, CA.; His Texas family, the Bob Densmores and his Oakley family the John Densmores; his dear, special friend Andrea Bradshaw of Jacksonville, FL.; grandmother Nancy Bell of Reno, NV, grandparents Bob and Jeanne Densmore of Ripon. Remembrances may be made to HOME, 1100 Welch Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304. This is a home away from home for critically ill patients and families at Stanford University Hospital.

Wanda Dunn

Wanda Dunn, 76, of Cedarville, CA. passed away April 11, 2006 at Surprise Valley Hospital, Cedarville, CA. She was born November 19, 1929 and was a member of the Paiute Indian Tribe. Kerr Mortuary in Alturas has charge of arrangements, which are pending at this time.

Barbara McNeeley

Barbara McNeeley, 71, of Alturas, passed away April 11, 2006 at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, CA. She was born November 9, 1934 in Des Moines, Iowa. Her daughter is Rebecca Ruiz of Alturas. A memorial service is pending. Kerr Mortuary has charge of arrangements

Sports

Braves beat Trinity, lose to Etna

Modoc's Braves lost a doublebill to Etna April 5, but turned around on April 7 and beat Trinity in a pair.

They lost to a solid Etna squad there 11-0 and 12-3 and beat Trinity 7-2 and 2-0, in a game played at Fall River because Modoc's fields were still under water.

In the second game, the game was scoreless through two and tied at 3-3 in the third. Etna went up 4-3 in the fourth and added a seven-run fourth to take an 11-3 lead. They added one in the sixth.

Tim Cruse got the loss for the Braves. He went four and a third innings, allowing 12 hits, fanned one and walked a pair.

Bill Hammerness led the Braves hitting, going two-for-three with a homerun. The Braves collected eight hits in the game.

"We did a much better job swinging the bats this game," said coach Tim MacDonnell. "The boys are starting to get more comfortable at the plate. Our boys played pretty well, we just have to find a way to stop the big inning, and we also had a lot of scoring opportunities that we just couldn't take advantage of."

In the first Etna game, Modoc was shut out 11-0. Etna scored eight in the third, one in the fourth and two in the fifth. Jesse Harer got the loss. He allowed seven hits, walked five and struck out four.

Harer tossed a no-hit shutout against Trinity in the first game. He walked four and struck out 10 Wolves. The Braves scored two in the second for the 2-0 win. Harer, Hammerness, Michael Gaskey, Jesse Cuevas and Cruse each had a hit.

"Harer did a great job getting ahead of the hitters all day," MacDonnell said. "I was extremely proud of his poise and presence on the mound."

Modoc won the second Trinity game 7-2 with Cruse notching the win. He allowed two hits, struck out five and walked one, Cuevas was three-for-four at the plate, Jered Cox was two-for-three and Mason was two-for-four.
Modoc played at Lost River April 12 and goes to Weed April 18.

Modoc leads SCL golf loop

Modoc's Braves hold the lead in the Shasta Cascade League golf loop with a 17-1 record after four of the six weeks. Weed is in second place at 15-1 and Mt. Shasta takes up third at 12-6.

The Braves next match is today at Mt. Shasta Resort against Bishop Quinn and Burney. Bishop Quinn has yet to win a match and Burney is 4-11-1.

Modoc went 6-0 on the Fall River Golf Course April 6, shooting 216 on the front nine and 217 on the back. Because of the poor weather conditions, the entire league played on the same course the same day.

Modoc's scores at Fall River were as follows: Micah Eppler 77, Brian Weed 81, Jeff Solomon 91, Josue Madrigal 92, Keith Montague 98 and Daniel Morgan 92. Team scores were: Modoc 433, Mt. Shasta 463, Trinity 583 and Fall River 642.

Braves split in softball action

Modoc Braves split in softball action last week, losing to Etna and beating Trinity.

The Braves lost to Etna 2-1 in the first game and 1-0 in the second contest. Megan Thompson got the losses on the mound. Thompson had three hits in game one and Emily Conner went 2-3 in the second game.

Conner got the win against a weak Trinity team. The Braves won game one 12-2 and the second game 11-1. Leading hitters for the day were Sarah Catania 4-4, Jennifer Joyce 3-4, Alysha Northrup 3-4 and Thompson 4-4.

April 20th, 2006

News

Absentee ballots available May 8

Absentee ballot applications should be available May 8 for the June 6 election. Many Modoc voters are now voting permanent absentee and several precincts vote by mail only.

Those mail precincts are: Fort Bidwell, Lake City, Eagleville, Stateline-Willow Ranch, Davis Creek, Parker Creek, South Fork, Canby, Adin, Lookout, Little Hot Springs (Day). Voters will go to the polls in Cedarville, in Alturas A, B, C and D, North Fork, Hot Spring, Cal Pines and Newell.

The final day to register to vote for the June 6 Primary Election is May 22. That's also the final day to make registration changes. One of the major areas needing attention is voters' addresses matching up with their current registration. If someone has moved or had a name change, he needs to make the voter registration change.

Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison said it's very important for people to make those changes so that they insure they'll receive their state information pamphlet as well as a sample ballot.

People can make changes at the County Clerk's Office. For more information call 233-6201.
Candidates are in the midst of campaigns, with rhetoric building. The Record will be sending questions to candidates in the next three weeks, and publishing their responses on a week-to-week basis, beginning the first part of May. The Record will publish responses from separate races each week.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and Susanville attorney Gary Woolverton, are in the race for District Attorney.

Undersheriff Mark Gentry and recently retired California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter are waging the battle for Sheriff/Coroner.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, and Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser are running for Modoc County Assessor.

Incumbent Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw is facing a challenge from Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator.

The race for the two seats on the Alturas City Council includes incumbents Jerry Smith and John Vass and challengers Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

Auditor Judi Stevens and Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch are unopposed as is City Treasurer Kathie Alves.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term.

David Porter Misso of Tulelake is running against incumbent County Supervisor in District 5, David Bradshaw, of Big Valley. District One's Dan Macsay is unopposed for a second term.

The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices. It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues will require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Pair of major court cases moved to August

The unlawful sexual contact trial of Modoc County Supervisor Ray Anklin and a homicide trial of David Brunnemer have been moved to August, according to the Modoc District Attorney's Office.

Anklin is accused of having sex with a 17-year old girl, when he was age 25, last summer.

The case includes three counts of unlawful sexual contact with a minor, providing alcohol to a minor and burglary to a residence. The last accusation is that Anklin entered a home with the intent to commit a crime (the sexual contact with a minor).

Anklin has pled not guilty to the charges. That trial is set for August 15, with a trial management conference July 24.

Brunnemer, age 53, of Malin, Or., is accused of homicide in the death of an infant in 1979. He has entered a not guilty plea in the case. A trial management conference is set for July 31 with the trial in August.
Alturas Police Officers arrested Brunnemer, June 10, 2005 alleging murder in the death of infant David Dickson, which occurred November, 1979, in Alturas.

In 1979, it was determined after autopsy to be a possible SIDs death, but the current investigation ruled that out. The cause of death is now determined to be blunt force trauma. The coroner case had originally been handled by the Modoc County Sheriff/Coroner's Office. The baby had been at the Brunnemer's home for childcare.

Modoc District Attorney Jordan Funk has stated the Modoc County Sheriff's Department failed to investigate the case thoroughly in 1979, then eight years ago and again a year ago. When the case was turned over to the Alturas Police Department, the new information that had been provided by a witness was verified and the autopsy record re-examined.

City annexation of mill site done

The City of Alturas' annexation of the mill property on West Fourth Street was completed through the Modoc LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission) process on August 25, 2005.

Contrary to rumors circulating around Alturas last week, the files for that annexation were not misplaced or lost. They have always been in the hands of LAFCO's Amy Mickelson-Beauchane, the Executive Officer of the Commission.

This week, she said the first filing had a paperwork issue, which is not uncommon, and the filing will be completed within the week. The annexation is filed with the County Recorder and then with the State Board of Equalization for tax purposes.

In addition, a ridiculous separate rumor saying the city never purchased the mill property surfaced. City Treasurer Kathie Alves just chuckled when she heard about that rumor. The deed is in the City's safe.
The rumors centered around the National Power Plant project, which is proposed for the mill property.
National Power is proposing to construct a 20-40 megawatt biomass power plant on city-owned property north of the existing structures at the mill site, near the Alturas airport. The project also includes a small log sawmill.

Once the 20-year power contract with Sierra Pacific is in place, National will start a full Environmental Impact Report on the project and file all the necessary applications with the local planning department. The EIR process will include the required and necessary public scoping meetings and hearings.

The City and County have been working on this power plant project in a joint effort for well more than a year.
The entire project is expected to create more than 100 new jobs in Modoc County, from actual plant workers to the logging and trucking industries.

The small log sawmill is an integral part of the project. In most cases, he said, the power plants were used to generate electricity to run the sawmills. In this case, the sawmill will be the main supplier of fuel for the power plant, and the electricity will be sold to Sierra Pacific. The value of the plant is expected to be above $50 million.

The plant is projected to need about 150,000 tons of fuel per year, but will be operating more efficiently than existing biomass plants and it must meet California emission standards. National Power states the plant will use one-third less fuel to produce the same amount of electricity as existing biomass plants.

National hopes the first draft of the EIR can been finished by the end of this year and all the permitting and land use issues settled and in place by the end of 2007. Construction could start in 2008 with the plant possibly coming on line in 2010.

National Power describes itself as an owner and operator of environmentally sensitive electric generating facilities, which has existing facilities in Australia and United States. The company was founded in 1991 and is privately owned.

The site for the proposed power plant is on 103 acres of city-owned property at the mill site adjacent to the airport.

National Power projects include the Big Valley Mill power plant, which is up and running. That plant had been closed and shut down when Big Valley Lumber Mill was sold and dismantled, but the power plant remained intact.

Economic vitality plan subject of workshop

The draft Modoc Economic Vitality Plan will be the subject of a community workshop April 24, 8 a.m. at the Veteran's Memorial Hall in Alturas. The workshop is open to the public.

The plan is the brainchild of the Modoc Economic Vitality group, which states, in part that: "Growth be orderly, beneficial and complementary to the existing communities, citizens and natural resources of the county that the health, diversity and productivity of public lands are sustained to meet the needs of present and future generations by utilizing natural resources to provide economic benefits to the community that education systems foster our youth and encourage life-long learning citizens are able to enjoy the small town qualities of friendliness, community pride, quality health care, cultural enrichment, nurtured youth and civic involvement that regulatory and economic environments are open and inviting to business an job creation."

The Modoc Economic Development Corporation, MEDC, is the designated lead in the economic development field, but cannot be the only "economic force" in the community, the plan contends.

The theory is to foster more collaboration of local and regional organizations, city and county government and local, state and federal agencies in support of economic development.

Some of the goals are to improve the communication and cooperation between the county's Chambers of Commerce and continue to develop strategies to support tourism and development.

The plan suggests hiring an economic development/grant writer to serve as the point person for economic development and support an environment that encourages business development in "entrepreneurial optimism" in the county. It also suggests the promotion and support of local retail and services businesses to decrease retail leakage. Part of the plan is providing increased customer service training to businesses and their employees.

The plan also calls for more information on the recreational possibilities of Modoc County, and the overall improvement of the visual appearance of the communities. One of the suggestions is a community "clean-up" program.

The plan also emphasizes the need for more marketing of the county's positive elements, including the lowest power rates and real estate prices in the state. Revitalizing communities to make them more attractive to investors is also a key.

The plan also encourages the improvement of health care in the county, as well as enhanced services to provide for the health welfare and social needs of senior citizens.

"The goals are proposed to help provide direction for an expanded economic development program in Modoc County," the plans states. "It is understood that many of these goals may take five years or longer to realize. In some cases, efforts to realize certain goals are never actually ‘completed' because these efforts entail such on-going tasks as the provision of support services or the continued maintenance of valuable community resources."

Obituaries:

Barbara L. McNeeley

A Memorial Service for Barbara Louise McNeeley, 71, of Alturas, will be held today, April 20 at 1 p.m. at Faith Baptist Church in Alturas. Pastor Rod Bodmer will officiate.

Mrs. McNeeley passed away April 11, 2006 at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, CA. She was born Barbara

Louise Scoles on November 9, 1934 in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.

She was a homemaker who loved to crochet and care for her animals. Barbara was also an avid reader. For the past 25 years, she had lived in Modoc County, near two of her children.

She was preceded in death by her son Larry Stafford of Alturas on September 14, 2003. She is survived by her son Bob Stafford, address unavailable; daughter

Rebecca Stafford Ruiz of Alturas, CA; daughter Jennifer Rosen of California; sons Danny Rosen and David Rosen of Idaho and daughter Melissa Meng (Lahr) of California; and one brother in Illinois. She also has many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as close family friends in Alturas and Illinois.
Memorial donations may be directed to Faith Baptist Church.

Roland Lindahl

Roland Lindahl, a resident of Modoc County for the past 25 years, passed away April 16, 2006, at Modoc Medical Center Skilled Nursing Facility, Alturas, CA. He was born in Nebraska on November 8, 1917 and reared there. As a youth, he and his family worked their way from Nebraska to California, laboring as fruit and crop pickers.

Mr. Lindahl later owned and operated a sheet metal business in Los Alamitos, CA, before retiring and relocating to Modoc County.

He and Beverly Jean Hansen were married on December 16, 1972 in Las Vegas, NV.

In addition to his wife in Alturas, he is survived by his daughters Paula Lindahl of Tennessee and Christine Whittle of Las Vegas, NV; granddaughters Varina Whittle of Hawaii and Talia Whittle of Las Vegas; stepsons Scott and Todd Foster of Colorado; sister Lillian Lattin of Grand Island, Nebraska.

Services will be private. Memorial donations may be directed to the Alzheimer's Society of Northern California, P.O. Box 1824, Sacramento CA 95812.

Sports

Braves beat Lost River 10-8

Modoc's Braves beat the Lost River Raiders, 10-8, April 12 there, collecting nine hits in the game. The will play Fall River at Fall River April 21.

Modoc opened with a 1-0 lead against Lost River, and took a 7-1 lead in the third. They got up 9-1 in the fourth, but Lost River scored five in the fifth and added two in the sixth. Modoc added an insurance run in the sixth. Trenton Schmidt got the win for Modoc, going three innings, allowing two hits walking one and striking out four. Jered Cox came in relied and tossed three innings, giving up seven runs on five hits and four walks. He fanned a pair. Leading hitters for the Braves were Jesse Cuevas 2-for-4 and Jesse Harer 2-for-5. Harer and Brandon Anderson each hit a home run for Modoc.

Modoc coach Tim MacDonnell said the team hit the ball really well and he feels the team is getting better with each game. He was pleased with Schmidt's pitching and the overall play of team.

Modoc lost a pair of games to Weed April 18, 9-0 and 8-6. Modoc collected just four hits in the first game, and 14 batters struck out. In the second game, Modoc hit the ball better, getting 14 hits. More details on both games next week.

Braves beat Weed

Modoc's Braves beat the winless Weed Cougars, 15-1 and 10-2, April 18 with Megan Thompson getting the win in each game.

Leading hitters were: Alysha Northrup 4-4, Thompson 3-4, Emily Conner 3-4 and Amy Cruse 3-3.
The Braves had three starters out for spring break and well as a couple on the injured list.

Modoc, Weed will battle for golf lead

Modoc and Weed will square off at Arrowhead Golf Course April 27 for the probable Shasta Cascade League championship. Modoc is in first by one and a half matches, with two matches to play, and both against Weed.
The Braves went 4-0 on April 13 at the Mt. Shasta Resort, shooting 208 and 200 on the front and back nines.
Modoc's individual scores on the par 70 course were as follows: Micah Eppler 73, Brian Weed 75, Jeff Solomon 85, Josue Madrigal 84, Daniel Morgan 93 and Taylor Dunn 94. Team scores were: Modoc 208-200 (408), Mt. Shasta 217-214 (431), and Weed 235-214 (449). Bishop Quinn did not field a full team.

Eppler and Weed finished 1-2 at the event, and Solomon and Madrigal were in the top 10,
The Braves compete April 21 at the Running Y in Klamath Falls in a tournament hosted by Henley High School.
League standings as of this week are: Modoc 21-1, Weed 15-2-1, Mt. Shasta 13-6-1, Trinity 8-14, Burney 5-14-1, Fall River 4-15-1 and Bishop Quinn 0-20.

Hunter Safety classes repeated

A repeat series of the Hunter Safety classes will be offered starting on Monday, May 1 and continue on Wednesday, May 3 and Thursday, May 4 at 6 p.m. each night at the Alturas Elks Lodge, 619 North Main St., Alturas. The class is being sponsored by the Alturas Elks Lodge 1756, for anyone who plans to obtain a hunting license.

Participants must attend all three nights to receive credit for the course, which is required for obtaining a California hunting license.

California Hunter Safety Training materials are certified by the Department of Fish and Game, State of California. A donation of $3 will be accepted to help cover the cost of course materials.

Minors will have a permission certificate which needs to be signed by a parental/legal guardian, prior to the minor's participation in the course. The form allows the Hunter Safety Training Instructors to furnish a firearm to the minor for the purpose of instructing him in the safe handling of firearms and safe shooting.

Hunter Safety materials, booklets and consent forms should be picked up in advance from Belligerent Duck and Sports Hut in Alturas or the first night of classes at the Alturas Elks Lodge. Anyone up to age 18 must have the form signed by the parent/guardian, prior to the start of the class. The class is taught by trained and certified volunteer instructors: Gary Bagnaschi, Phil Vermillion, Paul Bailey, Vern Seevers, Ron Prevette and Richard Wellemeyer.

April 27th, 2006

News

Forest reserve funding blues

The outcome of a recent meeting of the National Forest Counties and Schools Coalition in Reno could have been better, in the view of several Modoc County officials.

The coalition seeks the reauthorization of the 2000 Secure Rural Schools and Communities Stabilization Act, which represents about $3 billion in needed funding for counties nationwide and nearly $3.5 million for Modoc.

The undersecretary of agriculture, Mark E. Rey attended the coalition's annual meeting, representing the Bush administration. Senator Larry Craig (R) of Idaho, who has championed the reauthorization, gave the keynote speech.

"What I heard (them say) was that there will probably be some sort of funding, but it may not be at the level we've been accustomed to," said Doug Squellati, superintendent of the Modoc School District.

"I think there'll be some money, but I think it will be less. What that amount will be, I don't know," said Modoc County supervisor, Mike Dunn, concurring.

"I think funding at 80 percent probably has a fair chance at passage," said Sean Curtis, chairman of the Modoc County RAC and Land Use Committee who is also a member of the coalition's board. "The further you go up from there the less likely that that will happen."

"That was the first time that anybody had heard that from anyone in a position of power," said Squellati, who was surprised at the change of view. "When I heard that, the realization came to me that this is very possible.
"Based on what's going on, it's going to be funded. But, it's probably going to be funded looking differently\ than what it is now. What that means, I have no idea at this point."

Squellati is concerned that even a small reduction will be hurtful. "I was a little disappointed because I'm concerned about us in Alturas and all the other rural communities that are dependent upon these funds to provide quality service to our communities and our students," he said. "It's really going to have an impact on the infrastructure. No matter what the reduction is, it's going to affect everybody."

According to Dunn, the presentation made at the coalition conference represents a change of position by leaders of the movement to reauthorize and in the Bush administration's position, and he is clearly dismayed. "These are the main supporters, movers and shakers of the thing six years ago. Now, they're calling it 'welfare,' or 'entitlement.'"

He noted that these same people who once spoke of the federal government's "obligation" to replace lost income to forested counties are now seemingly less supportive of the idea. "There seems to be a whole different attitude in regards to the funding that comes to the counties," said Dunn, woefully. "It is absolutely owed; it is a compact that the federal government made with the counties."

"The realistic side of me says that there will probably be funding but it may not be at the level that we're used to," said Squellati. "I don't know what that is. Right now, it's just a big question mark. Is it five percent less? Ten percent less? Twenty?

"But what I do know is that any less funding than what we are getting now is going to have an impact on … this county and every rural community that receives funding. Unless it's fully restored, it's going to impact everybody to some degree."

"We're looking at losing one third of our road department budget. … The county would be looking at potentially laying off road department employees, and, of course, road maintenance would slow way down," said Dunn. "I think our road department does a good job for the budget that they have and the manpower that they have. … They're going to be crippled if you take a third of that budget away from them."

Dunn recalled a bit of history that explains the current problem, pointing the finger of blame at politicians and coalition members who failed to work on solving the funding problem, as they promised. "This legislation, that was enacted six years ago, was a safety net to keep the counties afloat while they came up with a permanent fix. They knew the 25 percent timber receipts were not going to work any more; there is no timber industry left in this country. So, they knew at that time that this was a temporary fix; (they) put it place for six years to give them time to come up with a permanent solution for this."

But, that didn't happen, according to Dunn. "No one worked on that! They wanted to lay low. Now, we may end up reaping what they sowed."

Dunn also noted that the reasons given in the meeting for cutting or reducing the act's funding was the extreme cost of last year's hurricane season. "One of the big excuses down there was Katrina. We have all this terrible hurricane damage," said Dunn, laying out his logic. "Granted, but you don't have a compact with those folks. You do have a compact with the forested counties."

Exploring alternatives, Curtis offered, "Funding at … let's say 80 percent of what we're getting now, would fully fund roads and schools. It just wouldn't fund the RAC and the Title III projects."

Speaking of the seemingly unpopular idea, floated by the Bush administration, to fund this act by selling off portions of public land, Curtis laid out the coalition's reason for opposing that idea. "The board's had several lengthy discussions about whether we should become involved in either supporting or opposing a particular funding source or even whether we should get involved in trying to find a funding source. I think we came to the correct conclusion that that's really outside of our expertise. What we know is what will happen if it doesn't get reauthorized. That's our expertise, and we need to stay with that. That needs to be the message that we give to congress along with the fact that this is really important. Therefore, we ask congress to use its expertise to find the funding."

"I'm happy that the coalition is moving forward and fighting on behalf of our district," said Squellati, more optimistically. "There is going to be some more rallying in Washington, D.C. On the political action side, the coalition is really making some great efforts to put some pressure on congress to reauthorize this bill fully."
"We think it's important to try and get some teachers to go back … because they really have the firsthand story to tell from the impacts at the classroom level," said Curtis, who laid out schedule for a strong lobbying effort, including "four or five scheduled trips to Washington" between now and September, "strictly geared towards working the hill."

Smith withdraws from city race

Alturas City Councilman Jerry Smith has withdrawn from the June 6 election.

Smith and fellow councilman John Vass are up for re-election. Challengers are Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.
"The reasons are many, and will be detailed over the next few weeks," Smith said. "It is not because I have lost the drive to serve you. On the contrary, one of my deepest desires was to continue in service to you to improve our job and housing opportunities, transportation and infrastructure, and recreation and education services for our children."

Smith said up until two years ago, he felt the city was on the right track. "Now I believe the Council majority is putting the City in financial and possible legal peril," he said. "Most agendas (and votes) seem to be decided before meetings begin. Contracts are being negotiated without prior authorization from Council, and then being 'rubber stamped' as 'urgency' measures. Hiring decisions are being done in haste, with any consideration of alternatives."

Smith said he will make an effort to inform citizens of other questionable items and actions before the election.
"Please understand that I have been deeply honored by your choice of me to serve you the past four years," Smith said. "That is why I feel a moral obligation to let you know why I will not pursue my re-election. Please feel free to contact me at home of through City Hall."

Absentee ballots available May 8

Don't firget that Absentee ballot applications should be available May 8 for the June 6 election. A large number of Modoc voters are now voting permanent absentee and several precincts vote by mail only.
The final day to register to vote for the June 6 Primary Election is May 22. That's also the final day to make registration changes. One of the major areas needing attention is voters' addresses matching up with their current registration. If someone has moved or had a name change, he needs to make the voter registration change

Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison said it's very important for people to make those changes so that they insure they'll receive their state information pamphlet as well as a sample ballot. For more information call 233-6201.

A new development in the race for Alturas City Council, incumbent Jerry Smith has withdrawn from the race, That leaves incumbent John Vass, and two challengers, Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

Those mail precincts are: Fort Bidwell, Lake City, Eagleville, Stateline-Willow Ranch, Davis Creek, Parker Creek, South Fork, Canby, Adin, Lookout, Little Hot Springs (Day). Voters will go to the polls in Cedarville, in Alturas A, B, C and D, North Fork, Hot Spring, Cal Pines and Newell.

The Record will be sending questions to candidates in the next three weeks, and publishing their responses on a week-to-week basis, beginning the first part of May. The Record will publish responses from separate races each week. The first responses will be from the Sheriff's race on May 4 and the District Attroney race will be featured May 11.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and Susanville attorney Gary Woolverton, are in the race for District Attorney.

Undersheriff Mark Gentry and recently retired California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter are waging the battle for Sheriff/Coroner.

Cheri Budmark, appraiser II, and Ron Imbach, a former Modoc Assessor's office appraiser are running for Modoc County Assessor.

Incumbent Superintendent of Schools Dr. Vanston Shaw is facing a challenge from Gary Jones, a Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District administrator. The

Auditor Judi Stevens and Treasurer/Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch are unopposed as is City Treasurer Kathie Alves.

District Attorney Jordan Funk, Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix, Clerk Maxine Madison and Assessor Josephine Johnson are not seeking re-election to a second term.

David Porter Misso of Tulelake is running against incumbent County Supervisor in District 5, David Bradshaw, of Big Valley. District One's Dan Macsay is unopposed for a second term.

The Primary Election is scheduled for June 6 and will include local, state and national offices. It will also include two local measures, one an increase in the Surprise Valley Hospital Assessment from $150 to $225 per year and another for an increase in the Alturas City Mosquito Abatement assessment from .50 cents per month to $1.50 per month. Both of those issues will require a two-thirds majority to pass.

Public comment meetings on BLM land plan set for late May, early June

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released for public review and comment draft resource management plans/environmental impact statements (RMP/EIS) for nearly three million acres of public land in northeast California and extreme northwest Nevada.

The plans affect lands managed by the BLM's Alturas, Eagle Lake and Surprise field offices in Alturas, Susanville and Cedarville. BLM Planning Team Leader Sue Noggles said the draft plans contain a range of management alternatives, including preferred alternatives for these lands. Each draft plan includes a draft EIS which analyzes the environmental effects of each planning alternative.

The BLM will accept public comments until July 27, 2006. Comments must be in writing and addressed to: Bureau of Land Management, 2950 Riverside Dr., Susanville, CA 96130, attention: Resource Management Plans. Comments may be submitted via email to necarmp@ca.blm.gov.

The draft plans have been mailed to requesters. Copies are also available at www.blm.gov/ca/pa/planning/landuseplanning.html. Printed or compact disc copies are also available by contacting the Alturas Field Office, (530) 233-4666; the Eagle Lake Field Office, (530) 257-0456; or the Surprise Field Office, (530) 279-6101.

The BLM will hold public meetings to enable anyone interested to get more information about the plans and to provide comments. Meetings will run from 7 to 9 p.m. in these locations:

Cedarville: Wednesday, May 31, BLM Surprise Field Office, 602 Cressler St.

Alturas: Thursday, June 1, BLM Alturas Field Office, 708 W. 12th St.

Fall River Mills: Tuesday, June 13, USFS Hat Creek Ranger District Office, 43225 Highway 299 East.

Dorris: Thursday, June 15, Dorris City Hall, 301 South Main St.

Comments will be considered as the BLM considers proposed final plans and final EIS documents for release later this year.

"We will incorporate all comments received into proposed plans and final EIS documents," Noggles said.

"We appreciate the input people have provided during the issue scoping stage of the planning process, and we look forward to continuing this working relationship as we work on development of the final plans."

When completed, the resource management plans will provide broad guidance for management of the public lands over the next 20 years. They address issues including vegetation management, livestock grazing, recreation, wildlife habitat, off-highway vehicle use, wild horse and burro management, energy and mineral development, fire and fuels, forestry, water quality and quantity, scenic values, cultural and historical resources and others.

The new plans will replace several older management plans.

For more information, contact BLM Public Affairs Officer Jeff Fontana at (530) 252-5332.

Obituaries:

James B. Maddox, III

Former Alturas resident James B. Maddox, III, age 28, passed away March 12, 2006 in Pinedale, Wyoming. A memorial service was held in the community of Lansing, Iowa, where he was well thought of as a member of the volunteer fire department there.

James attended schools in Alturas, CA from sixth grade through high school and graduated with Modoc High's Class of 1996. He was a member of MHS Football Team.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after high school graduation and was based in San Diego and Okinawa, Japan. He attained the rank of Corporal and received his discharge in 2000, after four years of service.

James was employed as a mechanic with the Dodge dealership in Pinedale, Wyoming, where he had lived for the past year. He is the father of two young sons. He is survived by his parents, James "Jim" Maddox, Jr. and Bobbie Maddox of Pinedale, Wyoming; and his two sons, Theron Wyatt, age 4, and Kellen James, age 2, both of Lansing, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been set up for his two sons, care of: James B. Maddox Memorial Fund, Kerndt Bros. Savings Bank, 370 Main Street, Lansing, Iowa 52151.

Jerome 'Toge' Young

Remembered as a "real cowboy and all around good man," Jerome Raymond "Toge" Young, 72, passed away at his home in Lakeview, OR on March 2, 2006.

Services were held at the First Presbyterian Church in Lakeview. Interment was at the family plot at Westside Cemetery in Lakeview. Ousley Osterman Huffstutter Funeral Chapel, Lakeview was in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Young was born June 8, 1933 in Klamath Falls, OR to George E. and Phoebe Rachel (Coffer) Young. He was ninth of their 12 children. His family moved to Lakeview that same year from Bly, where his father was employed at a lumber mill. He lived most of his life in and around the Lakeview area.

He was a ranch hand, who worked for Jack Rice in Alturas for a good many years. Mr. Rice, now of Elko, NV. has nothing but praise for "Toge." He was also a timber faller and contract fence builder and in later years, devoted most of his time to his cattle.

In his younger years, he enjoyed participating in rodeo events in which he rode saddle, bareback broncos, bulls and did team roping.

He was a great hand with colts and enjoyed the cowboy life. His grandchildren were the true joy of his life and he always had one of them in the front seat of his truck when he did chores or went for a ride.
He was married twice, first to Nita Joy Walls in November 1961 in Reno. They had one child, Desin Cherane, and Nita brought two sons, Quirt and Quip Risley, from a previous marriage. The two were divorced in 1967.

His second marriage was to Barbara Boone of Klamath Falls. That marriage ended in divorce in 2005.
He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Desin and Derek Riley; stepsons Quirt and Quip Risley; grandchildren Quintin Riley and his special friend Raylene Cooley, Quest Riley and his special friend Amy Collman, Cherlane Young, and Kalsea, Kasea, Talon, Tanel, and Tashyn Risley; great-granddaughter, Keyla Marie Riley; sisters Bonnie Jelley, Loretta Simpson, and Carmen Wilson; brothers Bert and Melvin Young; and many nieces, nephews and lifelong friends.

He was preceded in death by brothers George, Charles, Chet, and Nate Young and isters Ell Young and Emma Huskey.

Memorial donations may be made to Lakeview Home Health and Hospice, 700 S. J St., Lakeview, OR 97630, or the charity of the donor's choice.

Service for 'Norman' Bettandorff

Family and friends of Charles "Norman" Bettandorff will gather Saturday, May 6 at 11 a.m. at the Ft. Bidwell Community Church in Ft. Bidwell, CA to honor his memory. Interment will follow at the Ft. Bidwell Cemetery. The Rev. Dr. Ben Zandstra will conduct the service. Mr. Bettandorff, who died November 21, 2005, in Reno, Nevada, grew up in Alturas and was a rancher in Surprise Valley for many years before becoming a Brand Inspector for the State of California.

Death Notice

Jerry Ellis Gardner

A memorial service for Jerry Ellis Gardner of Alturas, will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28 at Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas. Mr. Gardner, 67, passed away April 25, 2006, in Alturas, CA. He had lived in the Canby and Alturas areas since 1965 and had retired from a career with the U.S. Forest Service. He was born in Westwood, CA August 17, 1938. Private burial will take place in Chester, CA. His obituary will follow in next week's Record.

Sports

Braves beat top-ranked Fall River

Modoc's Braves knocked off the Fall River Bulldogs 3-2 in the first game of a doubleheader here last Friday, giving the Bulldogs their first Shasta Cascade League loss.

The Bulldogs won the second game 12-1. Modoc meets Bishop Quinn here Friday and travels to Burney May 1.
In the win, Modoc scored one run in the first, Fall River took a 2-1 lead in the third and Modoc scored two in the sixth for the win. Jared Cox drove in two of Modoc's runs and Tim Cruse added the third. Jesse Harer got the win for Modoc. Cox had a pair of hits in the game,

"I was very proud of the boys," said Tim MacDonnell. "Fall River was 11-1 overall and 8-0 in league coming in to play us."

The Braves fell victim to six walks in the first inning of the second game and the Bulldogs scored five runs. They added three in the second inning, one in the fourth and three in the fifth. Modoc scored one run in the game, a home run by Harer.

Cox got the loss for the Braves. He allowed eight runs, two hits, fanned two and walked three and hit three batters with a pitch. Travis Wood had two hits for Modoc.

"This game got away from us early," said MacDonnell. "We cannot afford to give up six free passes in the first inning. Overall, though, I'm extremely proud of the kids."

Weed beat Modoc twice April 18, 9-0 and 8-6. The Braves collected just four hits in the opening game while Braves' pitchers gave up a dozen to Weed.

Harer got the loss for the Braves. He went four and a third innings, allowed six runs, and eight hits. Weed's Moser fanned 14 Braves while giving up just three hits.

According to MacDonnell, the first Weed game was "by far" the worst offensive performance of the year. Of the 14 strikeouts, he said eight of them were on called third strikes.

MacDonnell was much happier with the Braves' performance in the second game. Modoc collected 14 hits in the nightcap. The Cougars led by three in the third, but Modoc tied it. Weed added five in the fourth and Modoc added two to trail 8-4. The Braves picked up two runs in the seventh.

Cruse got the loss for Modoc, going six innings, allowing 12 hits, eight runs and he struck out four. Justin Mason and Jared Cox went 3-for-4 at the plate, Jesse Cuevas was 2-for-4 and Garret Chapman was 2-for-3. Mason and Cox each had a pair of RBI. Mason, Cox, Chapman and Taylor Dunn each doubled.

Modoc shoots well at Henley invitational

Modoc's golf team played well in last weekend's Henley Tournament at the Running Y in Klamath Falls.
The team shot a collective 339 with the following individual scores: Micah Eppler, Brian Weed 81, Keith Montague 87, Josue Madrigal 90, and Matt Williams 97.

The team finished sixth, behind Pleasant Valley 306, Henley 311, Shasta 316, Central valley 318, Lakeview 327, Enterprise 338.

The top individual of the tourney was Blaine Corkill of Henley with a 71.

Modoc hosts Weed and Fall River at Arrowhead today and needs to win one of its two remaining matches with Weed to capture its sixth consecutive Shasta Cascade League title.

On May 1, the team travels to Chico to play in a tournament hosted by Pleasant Valley High School. The top 10 golfers in the SCL will meet in league play at Arrowhead May 2 to determine MVP and All-league honors. That match will start at 1 p.m.

Braves drop pair to Fall River

Modoc's softball team battled well defensively in the opening game against the league leading Fall River Bulldogs, but pitcher Shawna Truan tossed a solid game to beat them 2-0.

Truan faced 21 batters in seven innings, didn't allow a run, or walk and fanned 14 Braves. The game was tied at 0-0 though six and Fall River scored two in the top of the seventh for the win. Modoc pitchers allowed just six hits.

Fall River fully dominated the second game, collecting 17 hits and scoring 14 runs. The Braves scored one in the first and one in the sixth. Fall River scored one in the first, four in the second, three in the third, one in the fourth and fifth and four in the sixth. Modoc only had two hits in the game and nine batters struck out.

"Fall River is ranked sixth in the North Section and number 14 in state," said coach Keith Jacques. "Truan is the number two ranked pitcher in the state for strikeouts. We played extremely well in the first game and were tied at 0-0 until the top of the seventh. They scored and we just couldn't catch up with the pitching. They have been blowing teams out and we hung right with them. We were also missing some starters."
Modoc meets Bishop Quinn here Friday with the first game starting at 2 p.m.

May 4th, 2006

News

Late News: An arrest was made Wednesday in Redding in the 1992 murder case involving Betty Lou Parks, who was killed in Modoc at age 13. The California Department of Justice concluded its lengthy investigation. According to Modoc District Attorney Jordan Funk, because the accused was 17 years old when the crime was committed, his name cannot be released to the public. In cases where the charges are serious and an accused was nearly 18 at the time of his crime, it is not uncommon to ask the court to find the person "unfit" to be adjudicated as a minor. "I intend to file such a motion in this case. If the juvenile court grants my request, the accused will be prosecuted as an adult and his identity will no longer be confidential. Further information will be provided as circumstances warrant."

Baby's remains exhumed for investigation

On a bright, cool Tuesday morning, the Alturas cemetery crew of Ed Coronado and Johnnie Northrup began the grim process of digging up David Dickson's remains. The same crew had buried the baby boy 26 years ago.

The crew was respectful of the process, taking care not to damage the coffin as they removed the earth from around the small box. Once the body was removed from the grave, it was placed in the hands of a renowned forensic anthropologist who will try to unlock whatever evidence he can to more fully determine the cause of the boy's death.

David Brunnemer, age 53, of Malin, Or., has been charged with homicide in the death of Dickson. The baby was in child care at the Brunnemer's Alturas home at the time of his death in November, 1979. Brunnemer's trial is scheduled in August and he has pled not guilty.

Alturas Police arrested Brunnemer last June following new evidence in the case. An autopsy in 1979 listed the cause of death as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, but subsequent investigation has determined the death to have been from blunt force trauma.

Modoc District Attorney Jordan Funk has been critical of the Modoc Sheriff's Department handling of the case in 1979, and also when new evidence surfaced eight years ago and as recently as of one year ago.
When the Alturas Police Department took over the case last year, it determined there was enough evidence to request Funk file a homicide charge against Brunnemer.

County puts muzzle on Canine Country

It appears that Judy Ford's Canine Country may be nearing the end of its existence as an animal rescue center. The Modoc County Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved a 30-day period for her to "abate" the public nuisance of barking dogs.

According to Modoc County Planner Joe Hunter, Ford's property is zoned rural residential and that zoning does not permit dog kennels. Hunter said consistent complaints from neighbors prompted the county to require the action that may, in fact, close the facility. Supervisor Ray Anklin brought a tape recording from a Ford neighbor's home to the Board meeting Tuesday. The home was one-half mile from Ford's center, the windows were closed and at 11:30 p.m., the sound of the center's barking dogs was unnerving.

Canine Country has been the subject of board meetings in the past, and was allowed to continue operating under the conditions that the noise levels be lessened. According to Hunter, the issue of the barking dogs has not been solved. He said he understands the need for the facility and what Judy Ford does for animals. But, he said the zoning for her property does not allow kennels and her neighbors have a right to peace and quiet.
Ford may now appeal the decision to the Code Compliance Committee. Hunter is meeting with Ford this week and will be discussing her options with her.

Ford disagrees with the county's definition of her operation as a kennel. "I do not run a shelter," she said. "I run a half-way house. From 80 to 90 percent of the dogs we save are transferred to other humane societies where they have a much larger population base and therefore they get adopted. All of them get adopted. Last week alone, we transferred out 19 animals to the Oregon Humane Society in Portland, the Medford Humane Society and the Klamath Falls Humane Society."

According to Ford, in the past five years, her operation has saved at least 1, 000 animals from certain death. She said two-and-a-half years ago she promised to house no more than 15 dogs at Canine Country. She said she has kept that promise.

Hunter said the county understands the value and the need for the facility, but said it just is not permissible under the zone structure. Ford, he said, simply has too many dogs at one time and people who move into that area have a right to expect peace and quiet.

Ford said she is responding to a need in the community: too many dogs for the local population. And she takes a practical approach at the moment.

"There are two things I want to public to please try and do," she said. "First, please spay or neuter your animals. This is the key to the overpopulation we have here and secondly, please donate whatever you can to the High Plateau Humane Society. We need to build our shelter so the killing of at last five dogs per week, if not more, will stop. We have access to a well, we have the land, and we have almost $85,000, but we need a lot more."

Ford said she is a "very sad lady" at the moment, but won't give up on trying to protect the dogs.
Hunter said that while Canine Country may have to close its current level of operations, the county and the city will have to address the issue of stray and unwanted animals.

Candidates working hard in June 6 election

The local campaigns for the June 6 election are in full swing and absentee ballots should be available next week, said Modoc County Clerk Maxine Madison.

The change in the ballot, which will remove the County Clerk position and replace it with the new combined position of Modoc County Clerk/Auditor/ Recorder has been made. The Board of Supervisors adopted a new ordinance last month combining the offices.

The remaining Modoc County Farm Bureau Candidates' Nights are as follows: for Assessor, District Attorney, Sheriff, Superintendent of Schools and District 5 Supervisor, the second will be May 4, 7 p.m. at the Adin Chamber of Commerce; and the third will be May 9, 6 p.m. at the Newell Elementary School.
The candidates will be given a five-minute opening statement and then will take written questions from the audience. They will also get a five-minute closing statement.

The Record has sent questions to candidates and in the next three weeks, will be publishing their responses on a week-to-week basis The first responses will be from the Sheriff's race this week and the District Attorney race will be featured May 11. The Superintendent of Schools race may also be featured May 11.

The final day to register to vote for the June 6 Primary Election is May 22. That's also the final day to make registration changes. One of the areas needing attention is voters' addresses matching up with their current registration. If someone has moved or had a name change, he needs to make the voter registration change
Madison said it's very important for people to make those changes so that they insure they'll receive their state information pamphlet as well as a sample ballot. For more information call 233-6201.

In the race for Alturas City Council, incumbent Jerry Smith has withdrawn from the race, that leaves incumbent John Vass, and two solid challengers, Rod Gately and Keith Jacques.

Those mail precincts are: Fort Bidwell, Lake City, Eagleville, Stateline-Willow Ranch, Davis Creek, Parker Creek, South Fork, Canby, Adin, Lookout, Little Hot Springs (Day). Voters will go to the polls in Cedarville, in Alturas A, B, C and D, North Fork, Hot Spring, Cal Pines and Newell.

Modoc Public Defender Richard Cotta, local attorney John Lawson, and Susanville/Redding attorney Gary Woolverton, are in the race for District Attorney.

Undersheriff Mark Gentry and recently retired California Highway Patrolman Mike Poindexter are running for Sheriff/Coroner.

CHP captures stolen Porsche driver

The California Highway Patrol arrested a man following an accident on County Road 58 at CR56 April 27, 12:17 p.m. Priot to the crash, he allegedly drove a stolen 1990 Porsche at speeds of up to 180 m.p.h.
The driver, Jayson M. Fraley, age 23, evaded capture for eight-and-a-half hours after he wrecked the Porsche. CHP officers with the use of the Canine unit captured him.

The CHP reports that Fraley was driving at a high rate of speed in an attempt to evade CHP officers. He lost control of the vehicle and the car ran into a ditch when he tried to turn from CR56 to CR58. He left the vehicle and fled on foot.

A Department of Motor Vehicles check found the Porsche was stolen. In addition, numerous stolen identification cards, credit cards and other property were located in the car. Fraley was booked into the Modoc County Jail on numerous felony and misdemeanor charges.

The CHP arrested Gloria Dee Felver, age 30, of Alturas, alleging driving under the influence following a single-vehicle accident May 1, 7:30 p.m. on CR56 at Dorris reservoir.

The CHP reports the Felver was northbound from Alturas to Dorris Reservoir at about 35 m.p.h. when a deer ran in front of her. She tried to miss the deer, and due to her intoxication, lost control of the 2003 Chevy. The car ran off the road, struck a fence and overturned. She was seatbelted and sustained minor injuries.

There were no injuries in a two-vehicle accident April 26, 4:30 p.m. on CR1 just north of Eagleville.
The CHP states that Sean Blom, age 31, Eagleville, was northbound in a 1996 Isuzu and was slowing to make a left turn. A 1993 Peterbilt, driven by Carl Brynin, age 33, Central Point, Or., was behind the Blom vehicle.

Blom failed to make sure it was safe to make the left turn and did not have working turn signals on his trailer. The big rig had started to pass on the left and saw Blom start to turn. He slammed on his brakes when the truck struck the rear of the Isuzu, causing moderate damage to both vehicles. No one was hurt, and Brynin left the scene without exchanging information and was caught several hours later.

No injuries were reported in an accident April 30, 9:45 a.m. on CR54 west of CR60. According to the CHP, Tera Alexander, age 37, Alturas, was driving a 2001 Hyundai westbound on CR54 and was unable to avoid a tree limb dropped in the road. Because of oncoming traffic and a downhill embankment, she was unable to avoid the branch.

Obituaries:

Jerry Ellis Gardner

A memorial service for Jerry Ellis Gardner of Alturas, was held at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28 at Kerr Mortuary Chapel in Alturas. Mr. Gardner, 67, passed away April 25, 2006, in Alturas, CA. Born August 17, 1938 in Westwood, Lassen County, CA., he was the son of Ellison Gerald and Beatrice Bernice Gardner. Jerry graduated from Chester High School in Chester, CA. in 1956. Later that year, he joined the U.S. Army and spent 13-plus months in Korea as a Personnel Specialist. Discharged in November 1958, he returned home and was employed by Collins Pine Company for a short time. Jerry then began a career with the U.S. Forest Service which lasted 27 years, mostly in Fire Suppression. Jerry came to Modoc County in 1965 and has been a resident since that time, first residing in Canby and then in Alturas. He was an avid fisherman and loved to dance.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, and brother Robert Dean Gardner and one daughter Charissa Louise in 1960.

He is survived by four daughters: Bonnie Gardner of Shasta Lake City, CA; Beverly Allison of Kent, Washington; Alisha Grijalva of Alturas, Ca and Amber Gardner of Redding, CA; three grandsons Aaron and Andrew Gardner, Michael Grijalva and granddaughter Kendra Hopkins. Private burial will be in Chester, CA.

Floyd "Smokey" Dowell

Graveside services were conducted for Floyd Dowell, 80, of Bieber, CA on Wednesday, May 3, 2006 at the Foothill Cemetery in Nubieber at 1 p.m. A memorial potluck and service followed at the Bieber Memorial Hall. The Rev. Jeff Bidwell of Grace Bible Church, Bieber conducted the service.

Mr. Dowell passed away of natural causes on April 26, 2006 at Mayers Memorial Hospital in Fall River Mills, CA. He was born on September 27, 1925, in Pomona, CA and moved to Bieber in 1954.

He was a veteran of World War II in the United States Marine Corps and a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, serving in Okinawa, Saipan, Tenyan, and Hiroshima.

Floyd was a warden for the California Department of Fish and Game from 1950 until 1980. From 1980 until 1992, he sold firewood as well as operated the Big Valley Nursery with his wife Ethel which they owned and managed together for 44 years. Floyd was also employed by Big Valley Lumber Co. from 1992 until 1996.

Floyd was very active in the Big Valley community, donating a large amount of his time helping others. Floyd was a photographer for school graduations, individual portraits, events, and once even for a design and for a potential patent in the late 1950s. He was a member of the Big Valley Fire Department Ambulance and Rescue crew in the 1960s and 70s. He was a member of the Big Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Pit River Rod and Gun Club and helped sponsor and teach hunter safety courses for Big Valley residents. Floyd was a board member for the Big Valley Joint Unified School District from 1970 to 1976. He was an ROP instructor for the Big Valley High School from 1976 to 1978 for the Wildlife and Soil Science fields. He was an honorary member of Big Valley and Pomona Chapters of the Future Farmers of America; a Bieber 4-H Club leader and project leader for vegetable gardening, wildlife, sheep and entomology fields. He served on the Fish and Game Commission Board of Directors from 1985 to 1989. Floyd was a board member for the Lassen County Water and Sewer District. He was the coach for the Bieber Farm team and Little League in the 1970s. He also had a long history of well dowsing in the Big Valley area, locating over 300 drilling sites in his lifetime.
Floyd is survived by his wife of 50 years, Ethel Dowell of Bieber; son Daniel Dowell of Sacramento; son Kurt Dowell of Bieber; son Kerry Dowell of Bieber; daughter Cheryl Harris of New Palestine, Indiana; grandchildren Bret Horsley, Jeffery Dowell, Thomas Dowell, Alyson Dowell of Sacramento, Jennifer Dowell, Victor Dowell, Matthew Dowell, Karli Dowell, Evan Dowell of Bieber, Waylon Dowell of Reno, NV. and five great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Pit River Rod and Gun Club (contact: Hellen Wolters, P.O. Box 65, Adin, CA 96006) or Bieber Museum c/o Big Valley Historical Museum, P.O. Box 463, Bieber, CA 96009. McDonald's Burney Chapel was in charge of arrangements.

Andrew Jackson Pearce

Andrew Jackson Pearce passed away on April 30, 2006 at the Surprise Valley Long-Term Care Facility in Cedarville, CA, after a long and painful battle with Parkinson's Disease. He was one month shy of 74. Andy was born May 26, 1932 in Pleasant Plains, Arkansas.

He served in the United States Navy during the Korean War. After his discharge he owned and operated two barber shops in Long Beach, CA until arthritis began attacking his shoulders. He then went to work for the City of Long Beach at the Alamitos Bay Marina. While working there, he received his AA degree in Police Service. Andy transferred to the Harbor Patrol for the Port of Long Beach. Eventually he became a Wharfinger for the Port and retired in 1988 as Assistant Chief Wharfinger.

Andrew is survived by his wife of 52 years, Lois Pearce of Cedarville; his son, Marcus Drew Pearce and daughter-in-law Tracey of Cedarville, CA; his four granddaughters Amber Kovich, Cara Pearce, Jaynie DeKruyf and Victoria Cochran-Pearce; and two grandsons-in-law Richard DeKruyf and Jason Kovich; four great-grandchildren Jacob, Jordan, Jaxson and Austin. He is also survived by six sisters, Mary Hanson of Love's Park, Illinois; Ann Lawson of Battle Creek, Michigan; Betty Cornelison and husband Frank of Portland, OR; Hester Johnson, Lutie Livingston and husband Walt, Faye Wells and husband Doyle, all of Bradford, Arkansas, plus numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Joanna Pearce, his parents George Henry II and Pearl Pearce, his brother George Henry III and wife Waneva, his sister Marge House and husband Sherman.
A memorial service will be held at a later date. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to either Surprise Valley Health Care District, P.O. Box 246 Cedarville, CA 96104 or Surprise Valley Community Church, P.O. Box 187, Cedarville, CA 96104 in remembrance of Andy.

Joseph John Bohdan

Joseph John Bohdan died of natural causes on April 28, 2006, at the Sponseller Ranch in Alturas, CA, while working cattle with his family. He was 64 years old.

Joe was born June 17, 1941 in St. Paul, Minnesota to Joseph Cyprian Bohdan, Sr. and Doris Schreiber Bohdan. He attended high school in Stillwater, Minnesota, then joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was stationed as Camp Pendleton, CA. and served during the Vietnam War.

After his tour of duty, he stayed in Santa Barbara for several years, and then moved to Tuolumne County where he lived for about 10 years, managing the Double C Ranch and framing houses. He then spent about eight years in Plumas County where his daughter Dylan was born and then moved to the Madeline Plains and Alturas areas, where he spent the next 13 years.

Joe had a lifetime worth of construction experience and was well regarded for his exceptional framing abilities. Working in California, Nevada, Arizona and Washington.

He was a proud member of the Sierra Pony Express Riders and a former member of the Tuolomne County Sheriff's Posse. Joe enjoyed people and would travel many miles to help friends in need. Wherever he went he seemed to run into someone whom he'd known from years before. He knew no strangers.
Joe was a wonderful, caring father to his daughter Dylan whom he loved with all his heart.

His passions were old cars, hunting, branding calves and cutting firewood.

He is survived by his daughter Dylan Bohdan Sponseller, her mother and best friend, Dyan Sponseller of Alturas; daughter Dorthy Bohdan of Santa Barbara; brother James Bohdan and sister Elizabeth Bohdan, both of St. Paul, MN; a sister Doris Urbanski of Chaska, MN, a sister Judy Hirdler of Becker, MN; his beloved niece Denise (Bohdan) Henderson of Groveland, CA; nephews Sean and Kevin Bohdan of St. Paul, MN, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at "Repin' for the Lord" Church, 316 West Eighth St., Alturas, CA on May 13, at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to "Repin' for the Lord Ministries" c/o Destry and Shirley Campbell, Box 985, Alturas, CA 96101.

Joe was much loved by his family and many friends and will be greatly missed.

Service for 'Norman' Bettandorff

Family and friends of Charles "Norman" Bettandorff will gather Saturday, May 6 at 11 a.m. at the Ft. Bidwell Community Church in Ft. Bidwell, CA to honor his memory. Interment will follow at the Ft. Bidwell Cemetery. The Rev. Dr. Ben Zandstra will conduct the service. Mr. Bettandorff, who died November 21, 2005, in Reno, Nevada, grew up in Alturas and was a rancher in Surprise Valley for many years before becoming a Brand Inspector for the State of California.

Celebration of Life for Stopps

Friends are invited to a celebration of the lives of Clarence and Lucile Stopp at the Lake City Cemetery, Memorial Day, Monday, May 29 at 1 p.m.

Their immediate family welcomes you to participate in the personal closure of this unique Surprise Valley couple. Expressions of remembrance are welcome.

Tea will be served by Ms. Lynn's Tea of Montague, CA.

Sports

Modoc wins 6th straight league title
Modoc's golf team shot its best nine holes ever as it cemented its sixth straight Shasta Cascade League golf title at Arrowhead last Friday.

Led by Micah Eppler and Brian Weed who had 18-hole scores of 74 each, the team shot a 204 on the front and finished with an 18-hole total of 393. Jeff Solomon shot 81 and Daniel Morgan and Keith Montague each shot 83. Josue Madrigal shot an 86.

Modoc beat the second place Weed team, who shot 222 and 226 for 448 total. Modoc had to only win one of the nine hole match-ups for the title.

On Tuesday, Eppler shot a 70 at Arrowhead to claim the SCL MVP award for the second year. Players earning All-league honors were: Modoc's Brian Weed with a 76 and Jeff Solomon with a 90, Scott Lassen of Weed with an 81, Tom Fox of Bishop Quinn with a 77 and Will Russell of Mt. Shasta with an 87.

The teams from Modoc and Weed will represent the SCL in the North Section Division II championship May 9 at the Likely Links, starting at 11 a.m.

The top two teams from that tourney and top four individuals and anyone who shoots 79 or better will advance to the North Section Golf Championships May 16 at Whitehawk Ranch Golf Course.

Modoc evens SCL mark at 5-5
Modoc's Braves beat Bishop Quinn 16-6 and 11-0 Friday in Alturas to even their Shasta Cascade League record at 5-5. They met Burney last night after presstime and host Mt. Shasta Friday in Alturas with gametime set for 2 p.m.

In the first game, Modoc scored two in the first, one in the second, three in the third and five in the fourth on 11 hits.

Jesse Harer got the win for Modoc, going three innings, allowing one hit and struck out six. Justin Estes pitched two shut out innings in relief, striking out three.

Tim Cruse, Travis Wood and Taylor Dunn led the Braves' hitting, each going 2-for-3 with Wood knocking in three runs, Justin Mason, Jesse Cuevas, Cruse, Jared Cox, Dunn and Garrett Chapman each getting at RBI.
The Braves won the second game 16-6, scoring their runs on 13 hits. Modoc led 3-1 in the first, 6-2 in the second, 11-6 in the third, 13-6 in the fourth and 16-6 in the fifth.

Trenton Schmidt got the win for Modoc, going two-and-two-thirds innings, allowing no runs or hits, and striking out six.

Cruse went 3-for-4 at the plate; Mason and Harer were 2-for-4 and Anderson was 2-for-3. Cuevas knocked in four runs, and Cruse had two RBI.