2012 Archives

January 2012 January 5th January 12th January 19th January 26th March 2012 March 1st March 8th March 15th March 22nd March 29th May 2012 May 3rd May 10th May 17th May 24th May 31st July 2012 July 5th July 12th July 19th July 26th September 2012 September 6th September 13th September 20th September 27th November 2012 November 1st November 8th November 15th November 22nd November 29th

February 2012 February 2nd February 9th February 16th February 23rd April 2012 April 5th April 12th April 19th April 26th June 2012 June 7th June 14th June 21st June 28th August 2012 August 2nd August 9th August 16th August 23rd August 30th October 2012 October 4th October 11th October 18th October 25th December 2012 December 6th December 13th December 20th December 27th

January 5th, 2012

News

Odd weather still on play, no change soon

The Alturas area ended December with one of the driest months on record, with just .10 inches of precipitation measured, well below the average of 1.56 inches.
And there has been no moisture in January, with none expected through Monday. Normal January precipitation is 1.54 inches, but last year only .43 inches was measured. In addition, this week, the forecast was calling for daytime temperatures in the 60’s. The record high for January was 69 degrees in 1961.
Since July, only 1.69 inches of precipitation has been measured, well below the normal of 5.5 inches. The area was actually very wet from March through June when 7.2 was measured. Normal precipitation for that period is 4.72 inches.

Proposed amendments to SRA fee regulations

A more defined State Responsibility Area fire protection fee structure has been proposed by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, according to the Regional Council of Rural Counties.
The amendments include a change in the definition of "habitable structure" which now includes only structures for residential use (i.e., government buildings are now excluded), as well as a clearer definition of "dwelling unit."
The “Dwelling Unit” for purposes of this implementation is a unit providing independent living facilities for one or more persons, including provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation. Mobile and manufactured homes and condominiums are considered as dwelling units.
The Fire Board will be hearing the amendments at its January 11, 2012 Board meeting, which will be held at 8 a.m. at the California Resources Agency building. 1416 9th St., Sacramento, CA. Comments should be sent to the Board before the hearing at Board.public.comments@fire.ca.gov.
The Board has been directed by the legislature to impose a
$150 fee  per habitable structure that will provide funding necessary for fire prevention activities on July 1, 2013 and at its June meeting prior to each
subsequent July 1.
Property owners of habitable structures within SRA and also within the boundaries of a local agency that provides fire protection services may receive a reduction of thirty-five dollars ($35.00) per habitable structure.

Hospitals continue to bleed money

Both local hospitals in Modoc, Surprise Valley and Modoc Medical Center in Alturas continue to struggle to make a profit.
Both are in hospital districts, with each collecting property taxes to help offset operating costs.
For November 2011, MMC reported a loss of $102,988, better than November 2010 when it lost $170,347. The facilities’ year to date loss is $694,377.
Surprise Valley Hospital reports a loss of $19,951 for November 2011, compared to a profit of $24,894 in November 2010. Their current year to date loss is $163,547.
MMC reports an overall decrease in patient revenue of $70,088 for the month, with in-patient down from $999,251 in November 2010 to $908,781 for November 2011. Outpatient revenue increased by $20,381.

Modoc will have a 2012 Fair

There will be a Modoc Fair this year, but it will depend more on local support and contributions as it’s running on reserve funding.
“California is in dire straights financially and the very existence of our Fair is in jeopardy,” said Fair Manager Dannette DePaul. “Public funding has been cut to the bone and completely eliminated. The Modoc District Fair will be operating on reserve funds for 2012, however, the loss of state fair funding has significantly impacted daily operations.”
She said in spite of California’s deep recession, fairs collaboratively proved a source of economic growth and stability for the state.  Attendance during the 2011 Fair season rose to an estimated 14 million statewide – about a 10 percent increase from the previous year and Fairs generated a record $165 million in tax revenue to state and local governments. 
“In spite of this, without traditional state funding sources our revenue stream will be seriously affected,” said DePaul. “Our continued success relies on the success of our Fair and revenues derived through interim events and the rental of our facility year round. We are fortunate to have incredible community supporters and are confident that our community will continue to show their support through these challenging economic times. As always, we sincerely appreciate everyone’s support and all of our volunteers.  If you would like to learn more about opportunities for giving, please give me a call or contact me via email.” 
People may contact the fair office by telephone:  530-279-2315, Fax 530-279-2555, e-mail: mdocfair@frontiernet.net or mail: P.O. Box 26, Cedarville, CA  96104.

Obituaries

William “Bill” Benner
Major William D. Benner, USMC (Retired), passed away peacefully at his home in Eagleville, California, with his beloved wife by his side on December 29, 2011.
Bill was born June 23, 1938, in Reno, Nevada to Elwood E. Benner and Cleo (Parker) Benner. He was the youngest of their three children.
Memorial services will be Friday, January 6, 2012, 1:00 p.m. at the Eagleville Church. A wake will follow at the Eagleville Community Hall. Interment will be with military honors, Cedarville Cemetery at a later date.
Donations may be made to the Dr. Roberts Fund or the Surprise Valley Hospital, PO Box 246, Cedarville, CA 96104.

Robert R. Reeves
Robert Richard “Bob” Reeves, 86, of Eagleville, California passed away at Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nevada on December 20, 20ll, after suffering a stroke three days earlier.
Bob was born May 12, 1925, in Alameda, California, the only child of William Achel and Ramona Margaret Haymond Reeves.
Services will be held on January 7, 2012 at 2:00 pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Cedarville, CA.  A private consecration of the grave and interment was held previously at the Eagleville Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to a charity of your choice.  Contributions to the Surprise Valley Healthcare District or the Humane Society would be especially appreciated.

Luther Philip “Phil” Rychard
Former Alturas resident Luther Philip Rychard, 71, of Corning, CA passed away on December 12, 2011 from complications from lung cancer.
Phil was born April 22, 1940 in Yoncalla, OR to Cash and Kate Rychard.
A Celebration of Life service for Phil will be held on January 7, 2012 at the Westside Grange at 11:00 a.m., with private interment in the Westside Cemetery. A potluck dinner will be served in the Grange hall following the services.
Contributions in the memory of Phil may be made to the Westside Cemetery District, 15188 Westside Road, Lakeview OR 97630 or Nor Cal Engine & Tractor Club, 21670 Rusty Lane, Palo Cedro, CA 96073 or to a charity of the donor’s choice. Desert Rose Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

Jeanne E. Brooks
A service to honor the life and love of Jeanne E. Brooks of Alturas will be held at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 310 North St., Alturas on January 7 at 11 a.m. Mrs. Brooks passed away Dec. 22, 2010 in Alturas. Memorial donations may be directed to St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 310 W. North Street, Alturas, CA 96101.

Sports

Modoc wrestlers head to Anderson

The Modoc wrestling team heads to the 50-school Anderson Invitational this weekend after a tough 96-school tournament in Reno last weekend.
Modoc Coach Shaun Wood said the Reno invite always has some of the toughest wrestlers in the region and Anderson will attract some of the top state wrestlers from the Sacramento area.
In Reno, Modoc heavyweight Jeremy Brandsted went 3-2 and was just out of the medals. Colton Reed also did well, going 2-2 and Zack Ratliff also had a good tourney going 2-2.
Wood explained that in Reno, the brackets had 64 wrestlers each and the top eight placed. “Pretty tough competition,” he said.
While no Modoc Brave placed in Reno, Wood said they gained some valuable experience. He expects some of his wrestlers to place in the top seven or eight at Anderson.
Going into the Shasta Cascade League season, Wood expects Chester to win the league, but figures the section race will be between Modoc and Durham.

Basketball enters league play

Modoc basketball enters Shasta Cascade League play against Fall River Jan. 10 here and travels to Weed Jan. 13.
The Brave girls come into the SCL in second place with a 7-3 record, behind Weed’s 9-1 mark. Fall River is at 6-4, Etna 3-7, Mt. Shasta 2-6 and Burney 0-6.
In Division Five, the Braves are ranked sixth behind Hamilton, East Nicolaus, Weed, Portola, and Colusa.
“Our first week will tell a lot,” said coach Bill Hall. “We are home to Fall River and then travel to Weed. Weed has only lost one game, but did not face a very tough pre-season. They are coming off a junior varsity championship. Fall River is tough while the others are just average with Burney not having won a game yet.”
Modoc will be without Ashley Hoy who is lost for the season with a knee injury. Hoy started and was a key player on both the offensive and defensive ends.
He said the Braves junior varsity still looks strong and for the first time in years Modoc could be looking at dual SCL championships.
Modoc’s varsity boys start the league season with a 7-5 record, behind Fall River at 9-2 and Mt. Shasta at 8-4. Weed is at 406, Burney 3-7 and Etna 0-7.
Modoc is ranked seventh in Division Five, behind Liberty Christian, Fall River, Chester, Mt. Shasta, Colusa, and Durham.
Modoc Coach Keith Weber expects to challenge for the SCL title, but has to open against Fall River Jan. 10 here. He hopes the home court advantage will give his team the edge.
Modoc is also blessed with a very strong junior varsity boy’s team which came out of pre-season with an 8-1 record.

January 12th, 2012

News

MJUSD seeks public input on budget issues

The Modoc Joint Unified School District is now at about $1 million in deficit spending, and there will be some serious discussions started at the January 17 meeting. That meeting will be held at the Modoc Middle School Gym.
According to MJUSD Superintendent Mike Martin, there are one-time funds that will cover about three-fourths of the deficit, but there are going to be some changes in programs and the district wants to hear from the public concerning the public’s priorities. Any changes would be implemented in the next school year.
An early retirement package was offered to teachers this year and five long-time teachers took advantage of the program, said Martin. That means some programs may need to be changed if the positions aren’t replaced. One of those programs involves the elementary school music program and another could be the future of South Fork Elementary School in Likely. There could also be some changes in the works for alternative education programs.
Martin said he sees two priorities governing the district’s forward planning: first, that educational services to the students are maintained and second, that fiscal management of the district is solid.
“We have to do what’s best for the kids,” Martin said. “We need the public’s input, and we want the public to tell us what they think. We want to be able to manage the district to do the right thing, and we want to continue to provide a high quality education program.”
Martin stresses that some funding from the state and federal levels will probably be diminishing, and some of the future funding will depend on a November proposition offered by Governor Jerry Brown. The voters will have the chance to vote for an increase in sales tax to cover the state budget projection.

Bullock leads Supervisors 2012

Modoc County Supervisor Jeff Bullock will serve as Chairman of the Board for 2012, elected Tuesday by a 3-2 margin. He was nominated by Shorty Crabtree and that nomination was seconded by Patricia Cantrall.
Geri Byrne was selected as vice-chair.
The nomination of Bullock apparently surprised some members of the Board, and the confusion was palatable. Crabtree said he felt it was Bullock’s turn to have the gavel. Generally, the Board changes chairpersons each January.

County, city positions on June 5 election

The June 5 primary election will have a majority of seats open on the Modoc County Board of Supervisors and on the Alturas City Council.
The County Supervisor seats opening are those of Shorty Crabtree, Patricia Cantrall and Jeff Bullock. City Council seats up this year are those of John Schreiber, Bobby Ray and Cheryl Nelson.
In addition, Alturas City Clerk Cary Baker will be up for election.
None of the incumbents have stated definitively whether they will run for re-election, although several are expected to seek another term.
Candidates have between now and February 23 to collect signatures for the signature in lieu of filing fee period and the candidate nomination period is between Feb. 13 and March 9. If an incumbent does not file for re-election, the nomination period is extended to March 14.

New hospital plan not under contract

While there appears to be some consternation about the plan and cost to build a new hospital to replace Modoc Medical Center, there has been no contract signed.
A cost of $42 million was discussed at a Last Frontier Hospital District Board meeting, by the consultants.
“There is no contract at this point,” said Chief Executive Officer Monica Derner. “The $42 million number came from Sanderling’s presentation when they were here in December presenting the schematic drawings they were engaged to do with the grant funds. In their opinion, the $42 million was the optimal option. The board has yet to agree to that floor plan, much less committing to the cost of that option. There are places we can scale back and reduce costs. We haven’t even picked a site yet. So this is all very premature.”

Obituaries:

Vondalee Milton

Vondalee Mulroney Milton has always been one to keep her family and friends close to her heart and has never forgotten her Irish roots. Born to Merlyn E. Mulroney and Wanda Mae McClelland in Susanville, CA on December 1, 1939, Vondalee, who came to be known as Vonda, graduated from Lassen High School in 1957 and Reno Business College in 1960.  She married high school sweetheart Russell E. Milton on April 30, 1960 in Reno, NV
Vonda passed away peacefully on January 9, 2012 in Alturas with her husband by her side. She will be dearly missed.
Services will be held on January 21, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 310 North St, Alturas, CA 96101.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to High Desert Hospice, 112 E. 2nd St, Alturas, CA 96101 or Alturas Community Theater, 127 S. Main St, Alturas, CA  96101
Vonda’s family so appreciates all your kind actions, thoughts and prayers during this time.

Gordon Heughen

Gordon Heughen, Jr. died January 2 at Modoc Medical Center in Alturas. He was born April 26, 1926 in Portland, Oregon.
The Alturas Veterans will hold a full military honors memorial service on Saturday, January 14, 11 a.m. at the Veteran’s Memorial Hall in Alturas. He will be interred in the Northern California Veteran’s Cemetery in Igo, Ca. Gordon will be greatly missed.

Mae Walz

Mae Elizabeth Smith Walz, age 94, went to be with Our Lord January 1, 2012. Mrs. Walz passed away in Alturas, CA, her home since 1977.
Mae was born May 20, 1917 in Altoona, PA to the late John B. and Susan Smith.  She was married to Charlie M. Walz on July 13, 1942.
Burial will be at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California. A graveside service will be held on January 10. Reverend Harold Peterson is to officiate.
A memorial Service for Mae will be held at the Faith Baptist Church in Alturas, CA on January 14 at 10:00 a.m. with Pastor Rod Bodmer officiating.

Linda Plumer Mathis
Linda Sue Plumer Mathis born January 25, 1965 in Alturas, CA was killed in a tragic accident in Reno, NV on December 30, 2011 along with her husband Robert Mathis. They were residents of Incline Village, NV.
No services are planned at this time. A memorial run will be held at a later date.

Winifred Mendiboure
Winifred Mendiboure, matriarch of the sprawling Mendiboure Ranch on Madeline Plains, passed away at the age of 81 on January 5, 2012 at Surprise Valley Hospital, Cedarville. Born on July 3, 1930 in Placerville,
Mrs. Mendiboure’s obituary will be published at a future date.

Ardis Sweeney

Ardis Zetave Wilkerson Sweeney, 85, of Winnemucca, NV passed away Thursday December 29, 2011.  She was born on April 18, 1926 in Reno, Nevada to Louis and Mary Wilkerson.  She was raised in Midas, Nevada and lived the majority of her life in Winnemucca with stays in Bidwell, California
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday January 7, 2012 at the Albertson Funeral Home in Winnemucca, NV. Those wishing to leave condolences for the family may do so at www.albertsonfuneralhome.com.  A graveside service and burial will take place at the Fort Bidwell Cemetery at 11:00 a.m. Saturday January 14, 2012.

Tamara Chace Howell
Tamara “Tammi” Chace Howell of Cedarville, passed away January 4, 2012 in Cedarville. Born on Nov. 14, 1955, in Alturas, CA, Tammi attended Modoc High School and spent most of her years in Modoc County.
A Memorial Service will be at a later date to be announced. Her ashes will be scattered by family and friends. She is survived by her daughter Michelle Love of Benington, Vermont; brother Dr. Stan Chace, Lake Shastina, CA; sister Cheryl Chace, Alturas, as well as several nieces and nephews. Also survived by her good friend and longtime companion Doug Warrens of Cedarville, CA. Donations may be directed to Surprise Valley Hospital. Tammi’s wish was granted, to be a tissue donor, in order to help others with medical needs.

Sports

Braves lose openers to Bulldogs

Modoc’s boys and girls varsity basketball teams lost their Shasta Cascade league openers to Fall River here Tuesday night. They head to Weed Friday night.
Fall River hit a game winning show with three seconds left to drop the boys 59-57. The Bulldogs led 15-13 in the first and Modoc took a 26-24 lead by half. The Braves increased the lead to 43-39 after three, but Fall River won the fourth period 20-14.
Cam Anderson led with 15 points; Brett Boudreaux added 12 and Riley Larranaga 10.
Modoc’s girls got off to a slow start, trailing 15-9 in the first and 30-17 by halftime. They put up 14 to Fall River’s four in the third and both teams scored eight in the fourth.
Cheyenne King led the Braves with 18 points, Monicah Eppler added eight and Courtney Knoch seven.
Modoc’s junior varsity boys beat Fall River 50-40. They took a 13-4 first quarter lead and led 25-12 at the half. The score after three was 37-28.

Modoc wrestlers head to Lassen

After three very big and tough wrestling tournaments, the Braves will head to Lassen this weekend. While it will be a smaller tourney, it will still have some strong competition.
The Braves participated in the 50-school Anderson tourney last weekend, with about 40 wrestlers competing in each weight class. In order to place, a wrestler had to win at least five matches. The Braves team placed 25th out of 50.
Colton Reid took an eighth place in the 170-pound bracket and Jeremy Brandsted took eighth at heavyweight. While no other Brave placed, Modoc coach Shaun Wood said he is pretty happy with the progress the team is making individually and sees them getting much better week to week.
“I’m very happy with the way the kids are working,” he said. “They’re improving, they’re fighting hard and they don’t get gassed (winded) in a tough match.”
Wood expects Reid, Brandsted, Basileo Hernandez, Ethan Dunn, Benny Bevil, Zack Ratliff, Matt Froeming, Matthew Server, Cory Hall and several others to do very well this weekend.

January 19th, 2012

News

No ‘backroom deals’ in sale of County buildings

While the sale of some county buildings is a big part of County Chief Administrator Officer Chester Robertson’s plan to deal with the county’s $13 million “debt,” the issue remains largely in the shadows.
Some people have expressed concern that “backroom” deals may be in the works, but Robertson said this week that the details will be forthcoming in the near future. He said the issues are complicated, but progress and more light should be shed on the project soon.
In addition, not everyone is on wholly board with Robertson’s plan, including some county officials and at least one Supervisor. The plan does have support in other arenas and with most officials, and once the actual details are opened in a public meeting the discussions will crystallize.
“The sale of public buildings will be publicly noticed via California government code, and require public hearings,” Robertson said in response to a backroom deal question. “You may choose to call it backroom deals but we simply have drummed up public interest anywhere possible by putting the word out there that the county intends to sell buildings in its plan. Pretty much ask anyone around me, and they will tell you I am always telling people to let us know if they know any potential buyers and to send 'em our way. Never know who may be out there. We've tried to compile a list of interested parties, so that if or when they're put up for sale, we have someone to send bid forms besides the newspapers. I would call this doing my job.”
He also welcomes anyone interesting in the buildings to contact him for information.
Robertson said one of the first things that has to happen is an appraisal of the buildings in question. Those include the Belli Building (Social Services) the Fourth Street Complex and perhaps some Oak Street properties. Robertson is hoping to raise between $2.5 and $3 million from the sale of the buildings. His view is that will reduce the amount the county has to finance with bonds to solve the debt issue.

State Fire fee facing opposition, change

The Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has adopted the State Responsibility Area fire fee, including some changes.
According to Board Executive Officer Eric Huff, the Board adopted the regulation in December, but was withdrawn to make substantive changes to address some of the Legislative Analyst Office’s concerns.
These changes include: striking out “non residential structure” from the definition of a habitable structure; striking out references to “state fire plan” and $125 fee for multi-dwelling structures.
During the public comment period of the hearing the following issues were noted: fee level of $150 may have adverse impacts on local governments; concerns about mis-designation/ misclassification of SRA areas.
In addition, there are several agencies opposed to the fee itself.
The County Supervisors Association of California opposes the fee and emergency regulations. It has concerns about its effect on local programs and mutual aid and needs clarification of definitions of habitual structures.
The Regional Council of Rural Counties is also opposed, wanting greater definition of habitual structure and dwelling units.
  State Assemblyman Jim Nielsen has introduced Assembly Bill 1506 as a principal coauthor, which would eliminate the SRA fee, a 'Fire Tax' of up to $150 per structure as determined by the Board of Forestry, imposed in rural areas. 
 “Besides being unnecessary and potentially unconstitutional, the Fire Tax is also unfair,” said Nielsen. “Many homeowners already pay extra property taxes for fire protection and now they will be taxed twice for the same level of service.”

City Council, Supervisor election on June 5 ballot

Three seats on the Alturas City Council and three seats on the Modoc County Board of Supervisors are up for election this year.
The County Supervisor seats opening are those of Shorty Crabtree, Patricia Cantrall and Jeff Bullock. City Council seats up this year are those of John Schreiber, Bobby Ray and Cheryl Nelson.
In addition, Alturas City Clerk Cary Baker will be up for election.
Cantrall said she is undecided at this time, while Crabtree has indicated he may not run. Bullock has said he will seek re-election.

Dahle to run for state office

Lassen County Supervisor Brian Dahle has announced his candidacy for the California First Assembly District.
“I could not stand idly by and let Sacramento continue down the path of self destruction,” he said. “Our children and families are currently saddled with an unbalanced state budget, a bloated bureaucracy, and one of the largest tax burdens in the nation.”
Supervisor Dahle’s campaign promises to sponsor a balanced budget amendment, reduce the size of state government, and remove state regulations that stifle economic freedom.
“The state of California has placed shackles that have restrained you and your family’s ability to prosper. I want to change that and give hope and prosperity to all Californian’s,” he said.

Obituaries:

Vondalee M. Milton
Services for Vondalee Milton will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 310 North St., Alturas.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to High Desert Hospice, 112 E. 2nd St, Alturas, CA 96101 or Alturas Community Theater, 127 S. Main St, Alturas,

Delphine DeHaven
Delphine DeHaven, age 67, passed away January 14, 2012 in Reno, Nevada. Delphine lived in Alturas, CA with her husband of 48 years, Larry DeHaven. She was born October 22, 1944 to Willie and Irene Fletcher in Portola, CA.
A private family memorial will be held at a later date.

Jed Parkinson
Jed Burnell Parkinson, 54, of Alturas, CA, passed away unexpectedly January 12, 2012 at Renown Medical Center in Reno, NV. He was born in Logan, Utah, on June 26, 1957 to Burnell C. and Rhonda Parkinson. He was raised in Wellsville, Utah and made his home in Alturas in 1997. 
A memorial service will also be held in Alturas on Sunday, February 12 at 4:00 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, Main St.  In lieu of flowers Tammy and her two daughters are requesting that donations be made to the Alturas Elks’ scholarships fund, after which an annual scholarship will be established in Jed’s name c/o Alturas Elks Lodge BPOE 1756, 619 N. Main St., Alturas, CA 96101.

Mary Bunyard
Mary J. Bunyard, 82, of Cedarville, CA passed away January 17, 2012, at the Surprise Valley Hospital Nursing Home. Services will begin with a Rosary on Sunday, January 22, at 6 p.m. at St. James Catholic Church in Cedarville. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. James Catholic Church on Monday, Jan. 23 at 11 a.m. Burial to follow at the Cedarville Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Surprise Valley Hospital. Mrs. Bunyard’s obituary will follow in a future issue. Arrangements by Kerr Mortuary.

Sports

Braves top Weed

Modoc’s boy’s varsity basketball team beat the Weed Cougars 48-34 Friday night, using a 17-point fourth period to cement the win.
The Braves led 23-16 at halftime and 31-25 after three, but blew it open in the fourth while holding Weed to just nine points.
Brett Boudreaux led the scoring with 18, Cam Anderson added eight and Riley Larranaga seven.
Modoc beat Mt. Shasta here Tuesday night 57-52 in a tight game. The Bears led 16-14 in the first and Modoc took a 28-25 lead by halftime. Modoc increased its lead with a good third period 44-34, but the Bears cut into the lead with an 18-13 point fourth period advantage.
Anderson led the Braves with 17 points and Boudreaux added 15.
Modoc’s varsity girl’s team lost to the Cougars 40-31. The game had Modoc up 20-16 at halftime and 28-22 after three. Weed blew it open with an 18-3 fourth quarter. Cheyenne King led with 11 points.
The Braves lost to Mt. Shasta Tuesday night 38-30. The Bears led 19-13 at halftime and 29-21 after three. Each team scored nine in the fourth. Jodi Boudreaux led with 12 points and Courtney Knoch added nine.
Modoc junior varsity girls lost to Weed 28-23 in a low scoring game. Weed led 13-10 at hafltime and 19-16 after three. Kelsey Clay led the Braves with seven points and Jordon Marquardt added six.
The JV girls beat Mt. Shasta 39-34 in a tight game. The Bears led 10-8 in the first and Modoc took a 20-19 lead at halftime. The Braves got up 27-23 after three and won the fourth period 12-11. Clay had 12, Marquardt 10 and Lily Hallmark eight.
Modoc’s junior varsity boys team lost to Weed 50-39, suffering a poor first half shooting effort. They played a good defensive game, but shot just 4-for-27 in the first half scoring 13 points. They picked it up in the third quarter and trailed 35-30 going into the fourth, but Weed added 15 to Modoc’s nine in the final stanza. Tristan Axelrod and Ben Jones each scored 11.
The boys also lost to Mt. Shasta 69-40 on Tuesday. The Bears buried Modoc 21-5 in the first period and led 34-14 at halftime. The score stood at 47-28 after three.

Pair of Braves take Lassen titles

Two of Modoc’s wrestlers won the Lassen Invitational tournament last weekend in Susanville. The team is idle this weekend and heads to Durham next Friday and then to Corning on Saturday.
Colton Reed won his 170-pound division and Zack Ratliff won the 195-pound bracket.
Jeremy Brandsted took a third at heavyweight and Basileo Hernandez snagged a fourth. Ethan Dunn took a fourth at 126 pounds. Matt Froeming took sixth at 220 pounds and Steve Aceves was fifth at 106 pounds.
Overall the team placed seventh out of 17 schools, most of which were large schools.
“Overall, I was very happy with how the team wrestled,” said coach Shaun Wood. “A lot of the guys won matches and are showing real improvement.”

January 26th, 2012

News

New Supervisor boundaries used for election

The June election will be based upon the new Supervisor District boundaries, which are different following the reapportionment approved last year. Maps of those new boundaries will be reprinted in the Record next week, and are available from the County Clerk’s office.
Three seats on the Alturas City Council and three seats on the Modoc County Board of Supervisors are up for election this year.
The County Supervisor seats opening are those of District Four’s Shorty Crabtree, District’s Three’s Patricia Cantrall and District Two’s Jeff Bullock. City Council seats up this year are those of John Schreiber, Bobby Ray and Cheryl Nelson.
In addition, Alturas City Clerk Cary Baker will be up for election.
Cantrall remains undecided at this time, while Crabtree has not made an official announcement on his intentions. Bullock has said he will seek re-election.

Storms improve water picture

The series of storms over the past week have improved the water picture in this area, but levels remain below seasonal averages.
As of Wednesday, .74 inches of precipitation had fallen in Alturas, still below the average to date in January of 1.12 inches. The monthly average for January is 1.54 inches. More rain is expected Thursday, but clearing is expected for the weekend. The wettest day was Jan. 20 with .34 inches of moisture and Jan. 23 with .21 inches.
While Alturas experienced about four inches of snow on Monday, an overnight rainstorm on Tuesday melted most of the snow.
Still, some of the mountain snow pack showed improvement. By Wednesday, Cedar Pass had 16 inches of snow at 7,100 feet, Adin Mountain had 11 inches, and Dismal Swamp had 31 inches. Those are all below averages.

Modoc facing major jump in solid waste fees

While there were no actual figures approved during Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, a major increase in dump fees is on the way,
Public Works Interim Director Rick Hironymous told the Board the solid waste program is facing over a $150,000 deficit and will have to make substantial changes to hours of operation at transfer stations, as well as increases in user costs.
Chester Robert, County Chief Administrative Office said the biggest fee increase will probably be seen by curbside customers for Waste Management. As it is now, he said, people who take their own trash to the dump are paying about twice as much as people who utilize curbside pickup.
Simply, the County is going to have to increase the costs for Waste Management to dump its compacted trash truckloads at the transfer station in Alturas. That increase in cost will be transferred to WM customers.

Wandering wolf continues to move through area

Officials from the California Department of Fish and Game and Federal Fish and Wildlife Service updated the Modoc County Board of Supervisors on the movements of gray wolf OR7, which is apparently still in Lassen County.
Supervisor Patricia Cantrall popped up with the statement that it had better stay out of Modoc. “If I see it, it’s dead,” she said. That might not be such a good idea, since it’s a federally protected endangered species, and killing it could carry a fine of up to $100,000.
The main concern of Supervisors and many in the audience Tuesday was whether the wolf could be killed if it was chasing or attacking livestock. The chilling answer they got from the wildlife officials, was no. The only time it could be killed is if it was attacking a human, which they said is very rare.
That answer didn’t please Supervisors or the public. Actually, several members stated they were a little upset that the wildlife officials seemed happy to have the wolf population increasing.
Basically, wolf OR7 came from one of four wolf packs in eastern Oregon. Those wolves are descendents of wolves introduced into Yellowstone Park area in the 1990s. They have increased their territory, moving through Idaho and into eastern Oregon where about 25 wolves make up the four packs.
OR7 is a two-and-a-half year old male formerly from a pack about 200 miles north in Oregon being monitored through various means, including with a Global Positioning System (GPS) device that periodically transmits its location. It left the pack in September. It was collared in February. It is not possible to predict his next movements, but he has remained in eastern Lassen County for approximately one week.

Modoc jobless rate jumps to 14.4 percent

The unemployment rate for Modoc County in December 2011 jumped to 14.4 percent, up from November’s 13.4 percent. The December rate is lower than the 15 percent in December 2010.
For last month, the civilian labor force numbered 3,860 with 560 unemployed and 3,310 employed. That compares to a civilian labor force of 4,090 in Dec. 2010 with 620 unemployed. That represents a drop of 230 people from the labor force in a year and 170 fewer people employed.

Obituaries:

Thomas J. “Tom” Moore
Thomas John Moore of Alturas will continue to be loved, but will be missed tremendously by many, due to his unexpected passing last Thursday in Alturas, CA at the age of 61. Known as “Tom” to his family, friends and his many customers in and surrounding Modoc County, all feel he was taken too soon, when he died of a massive heart attack on the morning of January 19, 2012.
Tom was born in Philadelphia, PA on November 1, 1951
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 507 East Fourth St., Alturas, CA 96101 on Saturday, January 28 at 10 a.m.

Mary Jane Bunyard
Mary Jane Bunyard, 82, passed away on January 17, 2012. at the Surprise Valley Hospital, Cedarville, CA.
Mary was born on December 26, 1929 to Martin and Jean Lartirigoyen at home in Cedarville
Services were held Jan. 22 with a Rosary at St. James Catholic Church in Cedarville and a Mass of Christian Burial at St. James Catholic Church on Monday, Jan. 23 at 11 a.m. Burial was at the Cedarville Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Surprise Valley Hospital.

Rebecca K. Lee
Rebecca K. (Lee) Cloud Lee passed away at her home in Lakeview, Oregon on January 17, 2012. She was 60 years old
Memorial services are Saturday January 28, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Western Villa Recreation Hall at 1800 North 4th Street in Lakeview, Oregon.
Donations may be made to the society of your choice.
Arrangements by Huffstutter Funeral Chapel, Lakeview, OR.

Hope A. Burris
Hope A. Burris, 83, of Alturas, CA passed away January 25, 2012 at her Alturas home. A resident since March of 2004, the Burris’ relocated from Woodlake, CA. Mrs. Burris was a retired teacher. A memorial service will be held at a future date. Kerr Mortuary is handling arrangements.

Thomas E. McMahon
Thomas Earl McMahon, 57-year old Siskiyou County native, passed away on Sunday, January 22, 2012 at Mercy Medical Center in Redding. Tom was born January 1, 1955 in Weed to Vernon and Earlene McMahon and was raised in Tulelake, graduating from Tulelake High School.
A memorial service will be held at the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Tulelake on Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 3:30 p.m., with a reception to follow. Girdner Funeral Chapel is assisting the family. On-line condolences may be made at www.girdnerfuneralchapel.com.

Sports

Braves beat Burney Raiders

Modoc’s Braves girls’ and boys’ varsity teams beat the Burney Raiders Jan. 20 and travel to Etna Jan. 27 and to Mt. Shasta Jan. 31.
The Boys beat the Raiders 43-28. The Braves pretty much cruised though the game, opening up a 14-3 first period lead and led 24-11 at halftime. By the rend of the third, Modoc led 34-17.
Cam Anderson and Brett Boudreaux led with 10 points each and Randy Schmid added seven.
The girls team took a 14-13 first period lead and built that to a 25-20 halftime advantage. Modoc increased the lead to 33-25 and outscored the Raiders 12-9 in the fourth.
Cheyenne King led the Braves with 15 points and Alex McQuarrie added eight.
Modoc’s junior varsity boys’ beat Burney 50-26. They started with a 12-2 first period and led 24-10 at halftime and 34-24 after three. Ben Jones led with 22 points and Fernando Alcala added seven.

February 2nd, 2012

News

Cantrall says she won’t run for re-election

Modoc County District Three Supervisor Patricia Cantrall has said she will not seek re-election to another term. Cantrall has served four terms as Supervisor.
Recently retired Alturas City Treasurer Kathie Alves has taken out papers to run for that seat.
District Four Supervisor Shorty Crabtree told the Record Thursday that he will be seeking a third term. Two potential challengers have taken out papers, Pamela Owens and David Naylor.
District Two Supervisor Jeff Bullock will run for second term and is facing at least one challenger in Michael Conrad.
The June election will be based upon the new Supervisor District boundaries, which are different following the reapportionment approved last year. Maps of those new boundaries are in this Record, and are available from the County Clerk’s office.

January doesn’t boost moisture levels

December was incredibly dry and January didn’t make much of a dent in the precipitation picture either.
In addition, snow levels in the high mountains remain anemic.
Combining December’s .10 inches of precipitation with January’s .81 inches meant the area received just .91 inches of moisture over the two months, well short of the normal 3.25 inches. December’s average is 1.71 inches and January usually measures 1.54 inches.
The snow pack in the mountains Jan. 31 shows only 14 inches at Cedar Pass’s 7,100 feet; eight inches on Adin Mountain at 6,200 feet, two inches at Crowder Flat at 5,100 feet and 30 inches at Dismal Swamp’s elevation of 7,000 feet.
By comparison, this time during last year’s wet winter, Cedar Pass had 43 inches of snow, Adin Mountain had 36 inches, and Dismal Swamp had 75 inches.

County Super not optimistic on secure schools funds

Modoc County Superintendent of School Gary Jones is not overly optimistic about the Secure Rural Schools and Community Act making it through a dividing U.S. Congress.
He sent the following statement to district Superintendents this week: "I will summarize the discussion concerning Secure Rural Schools (Forest Reserve) at last week's meeting by stating that there are three "great divides" to overcome: 1) House/Senate disagreement; 2) partisan politics; and 3) pre-presidential politics. Remember nothing in Washington happens until it has to happen, and sometimes nothing happens at all. The headlines from the Klamath paper last Friday: ‘This is a desperate situation.’  We are in a difficult position today, hopefully that changes soon. In the mean time, only Tulelake can project SRS revenues for next year. (Siskiyou County pays one year after receipt of SRS revenues.)"
The SRS Act of 2000 expired Sept. 30, 2011 at the end of the federal fiscal year and provided between 15 percent and 20 percent of operating revenue for California rural schools. Oregon Schools face the same if not bigger problems than California Schools.

MMC shows gains for December 2011

Modoc Medical Center showed an $82,876 net operating income gain in December 2011, as opposed to a $77,331 loss in November.
The hospital also received $1,449,630 in its December Property Tax apportionment, 49 percent of the amount charged of $2,936,310. Another apportionment is due later in the year.
According to the financial report, there was a $50,124 increase in in-patient revenue and an increase of $84,348 in outpatient revenue.
There was an increase of $48,327 in emergency room with visits up by 51, $14,466 in ambulance, $15,171 in pharmacy, and $23,305 in physical therapy.

Obituaries:

Peggy Toney Page
Peggy Toney Page, 72, passed away January 27, 2012 in Cedarville, CA.
Services will be held today, February 2, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. at the Surprise Valley Community Church in Cedarville, followed by burial at the Lake City Cemetery and a social gathering at the Modoc Fairgrounds in Cedarville.
Donations can be made to the Surprise Valley Community Hospital, the Surprise Valley Community Church, PO Box 187, Cedarville, CA 96104 or a charity of your choice.

Hope Burris
Hope Burris, 83, went peacefully home to her Heavenly father on January 25, 2012, in Alturas, California.
Though the family lived in Elderwood, CA, she was born Carolyn Hope Ainley on Mother’s Day, May 13, 1928, in Los Angeles, CA. Hope was the fourth of five children born to Ralph and Jessie Ainley
Memorial services were held on Saturday, January 28 at Faith Baptist Church with Pastor Rod Bodmer officiating.

Wendell Cordeiro
Services for Wendell Cordeiro, 73, of Alturas, will be held Monday, Feb. 6 at 10 a.m. at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, 300 West Second St., Alturas. Visitation will be at the church at 9 a.m. Mr. Cordeiro passed away in Klamath Falls, OR on January 3, 2012. He had made Alturas his home for the past four years. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on July 13, 1938. Mr. Cordeiro’s obituary will be published in a future issue.

Winola Faulstich
Winola Faulstich, a native of Lake City,  passed away in Fair Oaks, CA, on January 25, 2012, at the age of 93 years old.
Mother of Edwin (Averill) Geus, Georgia (Russ) Lile, Dorothy (John) Johnston and James (Naoma) Faulstich; Grandmother of Jeannie, George, Lisa, Joni, Marcia, Alex, Jerry, Jason, Jeanette, Nicole, Elizabeth and Kelly and Great-Grandmother of Benjamin, Julia, James, Daniel, Michelle, Jimmy, Michael, Jordan, Ashlyn, Mia, Cole, Melisa, Dilan, Megan, Marina, Sam, Sloan, Sophia, Secily, Journey, Jessica, Jenna, Juliet, Emily and Tyler and sister of Fern Negri. Services were held Saturday, January 28 at Price Funeral Chapel, 6335 Sunrise Blvd., Citrus Heights, 725-2109.
Interment was at Lake City, CA.

Sports

SCL wrestling title a tussle between Modoc, Chester

The Shasta Cascade League Wrestling Championship Friday and Saturday in Dunsmuir will come down to a battle between Chester and Modoc.
According to Coach Shaun Wood, the Braves are peaking at the right time and have a good chance at winning the title. He expects it to be close saying Chester has some great kids, but perhaps not enough of them to win the title. He expects three of Chester’s wrestlers to make it to state this year. Modoc also has some top wrestlers.
“It’s going to be a bit of a chess match,” said Wood. “Some of it will depend on which weights each of us covers. Chester has a really good team, but I expect we could win half the weights.”
Wood’s increased optimism comes from a very solid performance at the Corning Tournament last weekend. The Braves placed sixth out of 31 teams, beating every team of its size in the section. Chester, however, was not at Corning.
“I’m ecstatic with our tourney performance,” Wood said. “We did very well.”
Jeremy Brandsted dominated the heavyweight division, pinning every opponent he faced, including three section-ranked wrestlers. He moved up in the ranking from sixth. Basileo Hernandez took a fourth place at heavyweight.
Colton Reed continued a solid year by placing third at 172 pounds. Zack Ratliff took fifth at 197 pounds, while Ethan Dunn took fifth at 128 pounds. Alan Clark placed seventh at heavyweight, while Benny Bevil took an eighth at 135 pounds and Matt Froeming an eighth at 222 pounds.
Orland won the Corning tourney going away with 280 points, followed by Anderson 126, Corning 104, Gold Beach 102, West Valley 96.5, Modoc 94.5, North Valley (Reno) 93.54, Antelope (Sacramento) 93.5, Red Bluff 84, Durham 80 and the others.
Wood will start the Modoc Middle School and youth wrestling programs at the end of the month.

Boys beat Etna, girls lose

Modoc’s varsity boy’s basketball team beat the Etna Lions Friday 67-45 in Etna, while the girls lost 61-49. They have Weed at home Feb. 3 and head to Shasta Cascade League-leading Fall River Feb. 7.
A strong first half set the tone as Modoc led 21-10 in the first period and 35-17 by halftime. They outscored the Lions 30-28 in the second half.
Brett Boudreaux led with 18 points, Cam Anderson added 14 and Brandon Bains had 10.
The boys beat Mt. Shasta 68-54 Tuesday. Modoc used a 17-6 first period lead to set the tone and led 34-23 at halftime. They outscored the Bears 34-31 in the second half. Boudreaux led with 23 points, Anderson added 18 and Brandon Bains had 13.
Modoc’s girls led Etna 17-11 in the first quarter and 32-29 at the half. Etna buried them with a 15-6 third period and a 17-11 fourth quarter.
Courtney Knoch led the scoring with 15; Monicah Eppler added 14 and Cheyenne King eight.
The girls dropped unbeaten Mt. Shasta 41-24. The Bears led 18-16 at halftime, but scored just six points in the third and none in the fourth quarter, while Modoc pumped in 19 in the final stanza. Jodi Boudreaux and Eppler led with 13 each and Knoch had eight.
Modoc’s junior varsity boys led Etna through three-and-a-half quarters, but fell apart at the end. Etna took a 14-12 first period lead, but Modoc led 27-26 by halftime. A good third period put Modoc up 43-33 when the fourth period started. Etna poured in 22 points to Modoc’s 11 for the 55-54 win.
Ben Jones scored 23 points; Zack Delette added 10 and Fernando Alcala had nine.
The JV girls lost to Mt. Shasta 35-34 in overtime. They led 14-10 in the first but the Bears tied it with a 7-3 fourth period and outscored them 6-5 in overtime. Jordan Marquardt led with 11 points.
The JVs lost to Etna 52-33, falling victim to a 26-9 third period. Lily Hallmark led with six points.
SCL varsity standings for boys: Fall River 5-0; Modoc 5-1; Mt. Shasta 3-2; Etna 2-3; Weed 1-5; and Burney 0-5.
SCL varsity standings for girls: Fall River 4-1, Mt. Shasta 4-1; Weed 4-2; Etna 2-4; Modoc 2-4; Burney 1-5.

February 9th, 2012

News

New State BLM Director tours Modoc County

Recently appointed Bureau of Land Management State Director Jim Kenna visited the Surprise Resource Area office in Cedarville and the Alturas BLM office while on a state-wide tour. He also met with concerned residents of the area, discussing issues of importance in the local area.
Kenna is familiar with the area having been stationed in the Lakeview BLM office several years ago. He is the former Arizona State Director.
“I want to focus my tenure as director on sustainability, heritage and community support,” said Kenna.
He looks on his position as being a multi-faceted job with long and short term goals.
Kenna believes in keeping an eye on the water, soil and vegetation to keep the environment healthy. He believes that wild horses are important as people like to see them and they create interest in the area. Yet he cautions that they also need to be managed to avoid overpopulation.
Kenna states that staying on top of the permits and evaluation of how they are being managed is also a priority in maintaining sustainability.
He believes that the handling of the sage grouse situation was a success, even to the point of being able to export sage grouse to other areas.

State rules fire departments must do audits

The State Controllers Office sent a letter to Modoc County Feb. 1 stating that Auditor Darcy Locken was correct when she said local Fire Departments were not exempt from independent audits.
The letter was in response to a county request sent Oct. 7, seeking clarification on the issue. At least one department, Likely Fire, this week has voted that they will not pay for an audit. Other departments will be discussing the situation now that the decision has been clarified by the state.
“Our understanding is that this issue arose as a result of a letter from Darcy Locken, the County Auditor to all fire districts,” Richard Chivaro, Chief Counsel to SCO wrote. “Apparently, Ms. Locken issued the letter in response to a finding and recommendation in the 2007-08 independent audit report of the County of Modoc prepared by Vavrinek, Trine, Day and Co., LLP. As noted in the Legislative Counsel's Digest for AB 2510, the revision to Section 26909 was intended to provide special districts with alternatives to an annual audit. Ms. Locken's letter to the fire districts appears to accurately describe both the previous and new alternatives and the actions that a special district, and in some cases the Board of Supervisors, must take to qualify for each alternative.”
Modoc County Supervisors took a stand in support of area volunteer fire departments and special districts last fall. The Board voted unanimously to submit the letter to the State Controller’s Office seeking its opinion on whether additional audits ordered by Locken would have to be performed.

No new candidates in June election

There is still plenty of time to take out nomination papers for the June primary, but no new candidates have shown up as of this week.
County Candidates have between now and February 23 to collect signatures for the signature in lieu of filing fee period and the candidate nomination period is between Feb. 13 and March 9. If an incumbent does not file for re-election, the nomination period is extended to March 14.
District Three Supervisor Patricia Cantrall will not seek re-election after four terms as Supervisor. Foremr Alturas City Treasurer Kathie Alves has taken out papers to run for that seat.
District Four Supervisor Shorty Crabtree will run again. Two potential challengers have taken out papers, Pamela Owens and David Naylor.
District Two Supervisor Jeff Bullock will run for second term and is facing at least one challenger in Michael Conrad.
The June election will be based upon the new Supervisor District boundaries, which are different following the reapportionment approved last year. Maps are available from the County Clerk’s office.

Eagle Lake pipe shut off by BLM

On February 2, Bureau of Land Management Eagle Lake Field Office Manager Ken Collum shut off and locked the valve on an eight-inch pipe that runs through the Bly Tunnel. That pipe drains Eagle Lake Water into Willow Creek.
On Dec. 21, 2011, the State Water Resource Control Board issued a request to turn off the valves.  The water board also said all historic water rights had been revoked long ago. The California Department of Fish and Game also recommended shutting off the valve.
Shutting down the valve was a contentious issue, especially as the lake water levels continued drop over the past few years. While the entire issue may not be resolved, this first step was cheered by the Eagle Lake Guardians, a group organized to protect the lake.

Obituary
Laura M. (Van Horn) Putnam
Laura M. (Van Horn) Putnam passed away on February 6, 2012 in Sacramento, CA at 96 years of age.  She was born on June 1, 1915 in Alturas, CA, lived in the Golden State all of her life and was a Native Daughter of the Golden West. Viewing will be Wed. and Thurs., Feb. 8 and 9, from 4-8 p.m. and services will be held at East Lawn Elk Grove Memorial Park, 9189 E. Stockton Blvd., Elk Grove, CA on Fri., Feb. 10 at 2 p.m.

Harold Fielding Tollett
Harold Fielding Tollett passed away peacefully at his home in Millville, CA on February 1, 2012.  Harold was born in San Luis Obispo, CA on April 9, 1912.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Millville Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 32, Millville, CA 96062.     

Jed B. Parkinson
A memorial service for Jed B. Parkinson will be held in Alturas on Sunday, February 12 at 4:00 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, Main St. In lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Alturas Elks’ scholarships fund, after which an annual scholarship will be established in Jed’s name. Alturas Elks BPOE 1756, c/o 619 N. Main St., Alturas, CA 96101.

Sports

Braves wrestlers pin SCL title for 16th time

The Modoc Braves wrestling team, which had a slow and uneven start for the season, dominated and won the Shasta Cascade League title in Dunsmuir last weekend.
The Braves are off this weekend and head to the Division III Tournament in Etna Feb. 18.
For Modoc coach Shaun Wood, the win makes the 16th SCL wrestling during his tenure. This is one he really didn’t expect.
“I really didn’t know how well we’d do; I figured we’d be in the hunt for the title, but we had a really good weekend,” Wood said Monday. “I can’t say enough about how much the team improved.”
The Braves won the title going away with 183 points, followed in order by Etna 123, Chester 100, Dunsmuir 56, Burney 42, Tulelake 34, Fall River 23 and Big Valley 16.
The Braves also won the dual matches in Friday, beating Chester 48-30 and Etna 45-33.
Modoc put 10 wrestlers in the finals and had five SCL Champions.
Ethan Dunn, at 125 pounds, won that division and was named the Most Valuable Lightweight at the tourney and Zack Ratliff won the 195-pound division and was named the Most Valuable Heavyweight.
Modoc’s Jeremy Brandsted won the 285-pound division and Colton Reed won the 160-pound title. Benny Bevil won the title at 132 pounds.
Cody Tiffany, a 106-pounder, took a second in the division while Destry Tiffany, at 120 pounds, took a second in his weight. Matt Server was second at 170 pounds, Matt Froeming was second at 225 pounds and Basileo Hernandez was second at 285 pounds.
Jesse Silva took a third at 152 pounds and Phillip Thompson took third at 138 pounds. Allan Clark was fourth at 285 pounds and Jack Pineo was fourth at 113 pounds. Bradley Widby took a fifth at 145 pounds.

Brave boys trounce Bulldogs for SCL tie

The Modoc boy’s varsity basketball team trounced the Fall River Bulldogs 48-27 in Fall River Tuesday night to earn a share of the Shasta Cascade League lead, with each team having one loss.
Modoc Coach Keith Weber said his team travels to Burney and has Etna here while Fall River still has to play Mt. Shasta. Weber is hoping the Bears can knock off the Bulldogs, giving the Braves the full title.
Modoc’s defense simply stymied the Bulldogs Tuesday, and the offense did its part. The Braves blanked Fall River with an 18-0 first period and the Bulldogs did not recover. Modoc led 25-8 at halftime and 40-21 after three. Modoc scored eight and Fall River six in the fourth.
Brett Boudreaux led with 18 points, while Cam Anderson, Drew Culp and Riley Larranaga each had six.
The varsity basketball team beat the Weed Cougars 56-44 here Friday night. They are at Burney Feb. 10 and Etna comes to Modoc Feb. 16 to round out the Shasta Cascade League season.
Modoc led only 9-8 in the first period but built that to a 26-17 lead by halftime. They led 39-28 after three and held off Weed with a 17-16 fourth quarter.
Brett Boudreaux led with 10 points; Alex Torres added eight while Cam Anderson and Randy Schmid each had seven.
Modoc’s girls jumped out to a 7-1 first period lead against Weed and maintained a 17-13 lead by half. But, historically, they have slumped in second halves, getting outscored by Weed 28-16 and losing 41-33.
Courtney Knoch led with 10 points and Monicah Eppler added nine.
The girls got into foul trouble early against Fall River and lost 51-47. They led 12-10 in the first, but got outscored 20-7 in the second quarter. They topped the Bulldogs 28-21 in the second half but couldn’t make up the difference. Cheyenne King led with 13 points, Jodi Boudreaux added 12 and Jakea Ratliff had 10.
Modoc’s junior varsity boys lost to Weed 65-43. Weed blew the game open with a 24-point second period and led 35-24 at half. The Cougars scored 30 in the second half while Modoc scored 19. Fernando Alcala led with 10 points.
Modoc’s JV girls beat Weed 35-30 with the teams tied at 14 by half. The Braves went up 26-19 after three and held off Weed in the fourth. Kelsey Clay led with 12 points.
The JV girls also beat Fall River 39-22 after taking a 19-7 halftime lead. They outscored Fall River 20-15 in the second half. Clay led with six and Valerie Traylor added five.

February 16th, 2012

News

Sheriff, Auditor draft letters to Board critical of County governance

On Tuesday, Modoc County Auditor Darcy Locken and Modoc County Sheriff Mike Poindexter presented letters to the Board of Supervisors highly critical of county governance.
Specifically, both were concerned about the lack of transparency, apparent backroom deals and teamwork in the county, primarily since the change in administration.
“The Board of Supervisors has made a number of decisions over the past eight months, sometimes as individuals, sometimes collectively, that increasingly prohibit me from performing my job duties,” Locken stated. “As the Auditor I am, by law, the Chief Accounting Officer of the County. I oversee and monitor all of the Board-governed funds and the special district funds held in the treasury. I issue all checks, including accounts payable and payroll. I monitor the departments’ budgets and cash balances in all funds, and disallow checks that would exceed those limitations.
“In these difficult times I monitor and manage cash flow to ensure sufficient funds are available to run County programs. One of my main purposes is to enforce state and county laws as well as Board policies and procedures. My position and my office provide a crucial check and balance that protects the funds held in the treasury. If the Board does not allow my participation in financial matters, then that check and balance does not exist.”
Poindexter was equally as blunt. “I was catapulted into office just two days after the 2010 primary election nearly seven months early. At that time I found a very cooperative and transparent County Governing Board, albeit in dire straits financially, that Board was willing to trust my judgment and plans to move forward and professionalize the Modoc County Sheriff's Office,” he said. “Beginning around June or July of 2011, I noticed a change in the style and nature of the Board’s view toward transparency, cooperation and willingness to communicate with not only my office but others in the county as well. I noticed a shift toward secrecy, non-transparency, and mistrust which began to breed distention, double standards and eventually arriving where we are today in my opinion, which is generally a divide and conquer attitude.”

Auditor working with fire departments on audits

Modoc County Auditor Darcy Locken told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday that she was working with area fire departments on the options available to them for their state required audits.
She said she will provide some proposals publicly, and while the audits are required, she is trying to make them the least impacting to the fire departments.
One issue is whether the Board of Supervisors decides the County should pay for the audits. That may not be financially feasible. Locken said one option is for the districts to do five-year audit rather than once each year.
Locken will be holding workshops in three areas of the county with the fire districts and seeing what would be the best avenue for the county and the districts to handle the situation. She explained that as County Auditor, she cannot give an independent audit of their audits.
The State Controllers Office sent a letter to Modoc County Feb. 1 stating that Locken was correct when she said local fire departments were not exempt from independent audits.
The letter was in response to a county request sent Oct. 7, seeking clarification on the issue.
Last week the Record reported that Likely Fire had voted that it will not pay for an audit. In fact, their membership was united in opposition, but a formal vote was not taken. Other departments will be discussing the situation now that the decision has been clarified by the State. Locken stressed that refusing to do an audit was not a valid option.

One new candidate for Super in Dist 2

One new candidate has taken out papers to run for Modoc County Supervisor in District Two, John Pederson. Incumbent District Two Supervisor Jeff Bullock will run for second term and another challenger is Michael Conrad.
County Candidates have between now and February 23 to collect signatures for the signature in lieu of filing fee period and the candidate nomination period is between Feb. 13 and March 9. If an incumbent does not file for re-election, the nomination period is extended to March 14.
District Three Supervisor Patricia Cantrall will not seek re-election after four terms as Supervisor. Recently retired Alturas City Treasurer Kathie Alves has decided to run for that seat.
District Four Supervisor Shorty Crabtree will face two challengers, Pamela Owens and David Naylor.
The June election will be based upon the new Supervisor District boundaries, which are different following the reapportionment approved last year. Maps are available from the County Clerk’s office.

SV Hospital issues aired in meeting

The Surprise Valley Hospital Board of Directors held a special board meeting to follow up on the strategic planning retreat held by Philps and Assoc. During the seminar, Philps helped the audience identify problems existing and facing the hospital.
Starting the meeting, and not following the public posted written agenda, SV Hospital Administrator Wanda Grove gave a lengthy presentation discrediting the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ national hospital rating system (CMS) and minimizing the complaints filed against the hospital. Since the presentation wasn’t on the agenda and most of the standing-room-only audience had come to the meeting in order to suggest and work out solutions, the audience grew restless and after approximately 45 minutes, about a quarter of the audience walked out.
One well respected member of the community stated of Grove’s lecture, “I smell less manure in the middle of my corral.”
Many in the audience agreed, as one person stated, “It was a lame presentation to excuse poor behavior.”
The confusing of annual inspections with written complaints and the denial of any serious problems at the hospital by Grove was countered by 30-year career nurse Kathy Zandstra, a former employee at the hospital.

Modoc Library sets target on survival, future

A series of four public meetings held around the county concerning the Modoc County Library’s future brought several things into focus, and firmed up a conclusion that the public wants to keep its libraries open and operating.
Those meetings were held at the libraries in Cedarville, Alturas, Lookout and Adin and were well attended by the public. In some cases generous donations were offered and their acceptance will help keep the facilities operating.
A public meeting of the Library Advisory Board is scheduled for Feb. 29, 3:30 p.m. at the Alturas Library.  A Help Keep Libraries Open meeting will be held at 1 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend both meetings. The public and its involvement will be integral in the future solvency and continuation of the Library system.
One of the major issues coming up at the community meetings was a desire for more communication from the Libraries to the public. Other topics, included more volunteer help, donations, taxes, sales tax effort, fundraising efforts, short, medium and long range planning, and more.
The Library advisory Board is appointed by the Board of Supervisors and has seven members, all off whom serve as volunteers. They serve in an advisory capacity for library policy and public liaison for the Board of Supervisors. Supervisors make the final decision on Library issues.
That Board includes Mark Steffek, Dick Mackey, Phillis Martin, Matt McCandless, Terry Williams, Carol Sharp and Larry Ludwig.
The Friends of the Library is a volunteer group that helps support the Library with fundraisers and help anywhere they show a need. They are an active group led by President Glenn Lantz. The next Friends meeting is Feb. 21, 5 p.m. at the Alturas Library and Lantz said more members are needed and welcomed.
Librarian Cheryl Baker said its important for residents to know that despite the current fiscal crisis, the library will survive and continue to operate, using funds generated by the $18 tax assessment.
“The question is, what level of services can be provided with that amount of funding and what level of services does the public want?” she said.

Obituaries:

Robin McDonald Greer
Robin McDonald Greer passed away February 11, 2012 at the age of 51.
Robin was born in Fortuna, CA to Robert and Ramona McDonald on February 20, 1961.  Robin and her family relocated to Canby, CA at the age of 7, and then moved to Adin with her famil. Services will be held Saturday, February 18 at the Alturas Cemetery at 11:00 a.m.

Margaret Woodin Gard
Margaret Woodin Gard entered into rest Thursday, February 2, 2012, in Sacramento, California at the age of 96. Born August 6, 1915 in Bieber, CA, Margaret lived her entire life in Northern California and was a long time resident of North Highlands.
By her request, no services will be held. A gathering of family and friends will be held at the VFW Hall located at 3300 U Street, North Highlands on Sunday, February 26 at 1:00 p.m. To sign guest book and offer condolences please visit www.reichertsfuneral.com.

Sports

Modoc boys tied for SCL title

Modoc’s boy’s varsity team plays its last Shasta Cascade League game at home against Etna tonight, and a win guarantees them no worse than a tie for the league title.
The Braves are tied with Fall River, each with one league loss (to each other).
The boys had no trouble beating Burney last Friday 60-29 at Burney. They led 25-14 by halftime and buried the Raiders with a 16 point third period and a 19-point fourth. Burney scored just 15 in the second half.
Brett Boudreaux led Modoc with 16 points and Jonathan Jones added 13.
SCL standings for the boys are: Modoc 8-1, Fall River 8-1, Mt. Shasta 4-4, Etna 3-6, Weed 3-6 and Burney 0-9.
Modoc’s girls varsity also controlled Burney 47-34. They led 18-8 in the first and 30-17 by half. They took a 43-21 lead after three. Jodi Boudreaux and Cheyenne King each had 12 points, while Monicah Eppler added eight.
The SCL girls standings are: Mt. Shasta 7-1, Weed 7-2, Fall River 6-2, Modoc 3-6, Etna 2-7 and Burney 1-8.
Modoc’s junior varsity boys beat Burney 58-48. The game was tied at 12 in the first and Modoc led 31-25 at halftime. The Braves put in 15 to take a 46-33 lead after three. Burney scored 15 to Modoc’s 12 in the fourth.
Ben Jones led with 18 points, while Fernando Alcala had 17.
The girls JV Beat the Raiders 37-34. They built a 10-6 first period lead into a 19-15 halftime advantages. Burney came back and tied the game at 26-26 after three and Modoc outscored them 11-8 in the fourth. Kelsey Clay led with 11 points and Jordan Marquardt had eight.
Modoc’s boys are certain to make the CIF North Section Division Three playoffs, where the top two teams are Liberty Christian (19-1) and Tulelake 20-3. Fall River is third at 18-4; Chester fourth at 18-5 and Modoc fifth at 17-6.

Braves battle for section title

Modoc’s wrestling team heads to the Division III section finals this Saturday in Etna, where coach Shaun Wood sees a battle for the title between favored Durham and Modoc.
Wood believes Durham will be the toughest, since they are able to cover more of the weights and have talent in those areas.
Modoc has several wrestlers who can win the section title including heavyweight Jeremy Brandsted, Colton Reed at 160 pounds, Zack Ratliff at 195, Ethan Dunn at 126 pounds and Benny Bevil at 132 pounds. Also in the hunt will be Matt Froeming at 220 pounds. Matt Server can also do very well.
The top four finishers at Division III will qualify for the Masters (all school) Section finals in Redding Feb. 24-25.

Youth wrestling starts next week

The Modoc Youth Wrestling Program will start next Wednesday at the Modoc High School Gym.
Middle School students will begin at 3:30 p.m. and younger students will start at 5:30 p.m.
Wrestlers will sign up at the first practice and wrestlers should show up ready to practice.

February 23rd, 2012

News

Board removes Bullock as Chair

In a highly questionable and contentious manner, the Modoc County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to remove Supervisor Jeff Bullock as chair, based on a vague notion of “conduct unbecoming.”
Those voting for his removal were Geri Byrne, Dave Allan, Shorty Crabtree and Patricia Cantrall.
The Board refused to respond to several requests from the audience that more detail was needed on the allegations against Bullock. The Board refused to state any specifics. The vast majority of the public at the meeting was in support of Bullock remaining as chair and the meeting became very heated.
The Board voted Cantrall as the new chair and Byrne as vice chair.

Interest in June Primary grows

The race for Modoc County Supervisor seats is still in flux, but coming to near the end of the candidate filling period.
The candidate nomination period is between Feb. 13 and March 9. If an incumbent does not file for re-election, the nomination period is extended to March 14.
Incumbent District Two Supervisor Jeff Bullock will run for second term and has two challengers, Michael Conrad and John Pederson.
District Three Supervisor Patricia Cantrall is not running and former Alturas City Treasurer Kathie Alves has decided to run for that seat.
District Four Supervisor Shorty Crabtree will face two challengers, Pamela Owens and David Naylor. Another candidate has expressed interest in running for that seat.
The June election will be based upon the new Supervisor District boundaries, which are different following the reapportionment approved last year. Maps are available from the County Clerk’s office.
City Councilpeople John Schreiber, Bobby Ray and Cheryl Nelson are up for re-election this year and all have decided to run.  No challengers have filed. The dates for filing papers in the City are from Feb. 13 through March 9. In addition, Alturas City Clerk Cary Baker will run again.
In addition to the local seats, the June 5 Primary includes the Presidential election, the United States Senate election, the U.S. Representative for District One, and election for State Senate District One and State Assembly Member, District One.
The last day to register to vote in the election is May 21, and May 7-29 is the vote-by-mail application period.

Gas prices hit over $4 in Modoc County

The price of gas is again becoming a problem for America, and Modoc generally is a leader in the nation about getting above the curve. Early predictions are for gas at over $4.00 a gallon by spring and some analysts, even locally, are expecting $5.00 gas this summer.
In Modoc, we’ll probably be there for regular a lot sooner than that. The County is already over $4.00 for mid-grade. The national average price for regular unleaded Wednesday was $3.549.
On Wednesday in Alturas, the following were the prices for a gallon of unleaded regular: Chevron $3.999; Shell $4.099; Alliance $3.969; Modoc Mini Mart $3.969. The prices for supreme were: Chevron $4.199; Shell, $4.199; Alliance $4.169; Modoc Mini Mart $4.169.
Rabbit Traxx in Cedarville had by far the lowest price for regular at $3.809 on Monday, but increased to $3.90 on Wednesday.
The prices for diesel were: Chevron $4.24; Alliance $4.23; Modoc Mini Mart  $4.23.
According to Gasbuddy.com, the lowest price for regular in Redding Monday was $3.81 and $3.85 on Wednesday; in Klamath Falls, $3.59 Monday and $3.65 Wednesday; and $3.51 in Reno Monday, going up to $3.56 on Wednesday.

Obituaries:

James Eaustace (Jim) Wolter
Even when reaching 86 years 339 days of age and poor health suggested the passing of a dearly loved one was on the horizon, Jim E. Wolter's death on Valentine's Day, 2012, still came as a shock.  
Born March 10, 1925, in Pacific Grove, CA to Joseph Eustibio Wolter and Mary Grace Wilmont, Jim was raised in Carmel Valley, CA.
Jim was buried at the Adin Cemetery, Adin CA on Feb. 21, 2012.
Contributions in memory of Jim Wolter may be made to the Big Valley Endowment Foundation, (Adin Ambulance Fund), P.O. Box 365, Adin, CA 96006 or to the California CattleWomen’s Scholarship Fund, c/o Millie Krause, 8806 Wamble Road, Oakdale, CA 95361 or to the charity of the donor’s choice.
           
LeRoy Hoffman
LeRoy Hoffman, age 78, died on February 19, 2012, in Alturas, CA. He leaves behind his wife April and his eight children, Rene, Daniel, David, Gerry, Kathy, Garrett, Cory and Wendy; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
LeRoy requested no services. Just remember him in the good times.

Service for Dale E. Albaugh
Dale E. Albaugh passed away at home on Saturday, February 18, 2012. He leaves behind his wife Barbara, daughters Patti Ellison and Nancy McClaufflin, sons Aaron and Andy Albaugh, his sister Jean Walker and brother Ron Albaugh.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Adin Community Hall. Obituary to follow next week.

Sports

Reed, Ratliff lead Braves at Division III

Colton Reed and Zack Ratliff led the Modoc Braves to a third place finish at the North Section Division III Championships last weekend.
Durham won the team title with 188 points, Trinity was second with 143, Modoc had 135, Etna 109, U-Prep 95, Willows 54, Los Molinas, 49, Fall River 36, Burney 31, Biggs 25, Mt. Shasta 19, Tulelake 18, Dunsmuir 10, Big Valley nine and Esparto zero.
Ratliff won the 195-pound division and Reed topped the 160-pound division.
Modoc took 10 wrestlers to the finals and six of them made it to the championship match.
Taking second place for the Braves were: Jeremy Brandsted, heavyweight; Matt Froeming, 220 pounds; Benny Bevil, 130 pounds; and Ethan Dunn, 126 pounds. Cody Tiffany took a third place at 106 pounds.
The top four placers at sections qualify for the Master Tournament this Friday and Saturday at the Redding Convention Center. The top three in each weight class qualify for the California State Finals in Bakersfield, March 3-4.
Reed and Brandsted go into the Masters seeded at number three, while Bevil is seeded sixth and Ratliff seventh.
Modoc Coach Shaun Wood believes Brandsted and Reed have a good chance to qualify for state and Ratliff could also go.

Braves in Division V hoop playoffs

Modoc’s boy’s and girl’s varsity teams are both in the CIF North Section Division Five basketball playoffs, even though the girls finished with a 4-6 Shasta Cascade League record.
The girls upset East Nicolaus Tuesday 45-28 there and have a game scheduled for tonight against Durham, probably there. Modoc took a 25-17 lead at halftime and led 32-19 after three. They won the fourth quarter 14-9. Cheyenne King led with 13, Jodi Boudreaux and Courtney Knoch each had nine and Jakea Ratliff added eight.
Modoc’s boys tied for the SCL crown with Fall River at 9-1 and earned the number six seed in the tourney. Modoc’s girls finished fourth in league and get the number 13 seed, out of 16.
The top eight seeds in the boys division are: Liberty Christian, one; Fall River, two; Durham, three; Quincy, four; Tulelake, five; Modoc, six; Chester, seven; and Portola, eight.
The top eight in the girls tourney are: Hamilton, one; Portola, two; Colusa, three; East Nicolaus, four; Biggs, five; Liberty, six; Tulelake, seven; and Mt. Shasta, eight.
The boys hosted Pierce, number 11, here Wednesday night after presstime, while the girls traveled to number four East Nicolaus. The boys will face Durham, there Friday if they beat Pierce.
Thursday night the boys beat Etna 53-47 to finish the SCL. They led 16-9 in the first and 28-17 by halftime. Etna made it close with an 18-9 third period and Modoc won the fourth 16-12. Brandon Bains led with 20 points and Brett Boudreaux added 17.
Final SCL standings for the boys were: Modoc 9-1, Fall River 9-1, Mt. Shasta 6-4, Weed 3-7, Etna 3-7, and Burney 0-10.
Modoc’s girls beat Etna in a tight one, 42-40. Etna was on top 10-6 in the first and the game was knotted at 18 by half. The Lions went up 31-26 after three, but Modoc came back to win with a 16-9 fourth period. Knoch led with 14 points and Ratliff added eight.
Final league standings for the girls were: Mt. Shasta 9-1, Weed 7-3, Fall River 7-3, Modoc 4-6, Etna 2-8, and Burney 1-9.
Modoc’s junior varsity boys beat Etna 65-59 in a strong final. They led 20-12 in the first and 37-30 at halftime. Etna came out tough in the third and led 52-45. Modoc won it with a 20-7 fourth quarter.
The JV girls lost a tight game to 19-1 Etna 47-45. They led 25-18 at halftime and 36-28 after three. Etna won the fourth 19-9. Kelly Schmidt led with 10 points, Kelsey Clay and Jordan Marquardt each had eight and Kelsey Sphar had seven.

Antelope numbers released

The Modoc Winter Antelope survey was completed by Department of Fish and Game Biologist Richard Shinn recently.
According to the survey, there are 1,767 antelope in Zone Three, 887 in Zone Two and 89 in Zone One. The Zones are counted every other year.

Shinn is currently working on a study proposal to gain more knowledge of pronghorn behavior and distribution. They hope to put GPS collars on some antelope to help with the collection of the data.

March 1st, 2012

News

CAO’s financial plan tweaked, in flux

The key to Modoc County getting out of its financial problems continues to be a work in progress, with some tweaking along the way.
On Tuesday, Modoc County Chief Administrative Officer Chester Robertson presented the Board of Supervisors with an update, which cast some doubt on the original plan to sell at least two county buildings, the Road Department Complex and Social Services.
Selling those assets is still on the table to raise cash, but some new quirks have popped up. For one, the permanent transfer of those buildings cannot exceed 99 years without voter approval.
In addition, there is some question about just how much funding is needed to meet perceived obligations for the next future.
In a layer presentation, Auditor Darcy Locken said the cash balance in the Treasury currently, at about $18 million, is pretty healthy and should carry the county through 2012-13.
“The primary objective of the sale of fixed assets (buildings) is to minimize the cost of financing to the taxpayers and general fund,” Robertson said. “The proposed sale of the Oak Street shop facility is not likely to be plausible with a beneficial outcome with the above objective. An outright sale of the Belli Building would lead to increased revenue to the county while reducing transaction costs, but lead to higher long-term costs due to permanent transfer of the asset . . . the sale of the Fourth Street Complex would have varying impacts on different departments under the cost plan.”
He said based upon the new information, the recommended next step “will be to solicit legal advice on how sale lease back contracts should be structured. The sale of fixed assets should continue to be pursued, but will not likely lead to timely enough transaction to meet near term cash flow needs.

Bones found at Cooley home are human, trial set

The Modoc County Sheriff Office arrested Rochelle Cooley in August 2011, alleging murder in the disappearance of Timothy Cooley, her father.
During the investigation, some bones were found on the Cooley property and sent to Chico State University Anthropology Department for analysis.
Modoc Sheriff Sergeant Ken Richardson reports that the remains in this case have been identified as human. The remains were sent last week to the Department of Justice Laboratory in Richmond, California for DNA testing, along with related DNA samples taken from family members.
The Cooley case has been set by the Modoc Superior Court for Jury Trial in last week of April.

District 4 has three challengers

The race for Modoc County Supervisor seats is coming to near the end of the candidate filing period.
The candidate nomination period is between Feb. 13 and March 9. If an incumbent does not file for re-election, the nomination period is extended to March 14.
Incumbent District Two Supervisor Jeff Bullock will run for second term and has two challengers, Michael Conrad and John Pederson.
District Three Supervisor Patricia Cantrall is not running and former Alturas City Treasurer Kathie Alves has filed for that seat.
District Four Supervisor Shorty Crabtree is facing three challengers, Pamela Owens, David Naylor and Jim Wills.
The June election will be based upon the new Supervisor District boundaries, which are different following the reapportionment approved last year. Maps are available from the County Clerk’s office.
City Councilpeople John Schreiber, Bobby Ray and Cheryl Nelson are up for re-election this year and all have decided to run. Jim Irvin had filed papers as a challenger. The dates for filing papers in the City are from Feb. 13 through March 9. In addition, Alturas City Clerk Cary Baker will run again.
In addition to the local seats, the June 5 Primary includes the Presidential election, the United States Senate election, the U.S. Representative for District One, and election for State Senate District One and State Assembly Member, District One.
The last day to register to vote in the election is May 21, and May 7-29 is the vote-by-mail application period.

County studies plan to fund FD audits

Modoc County Supervisors on Tuesday opted to study the possibility of funding volunteer fire districts’ state-mandated audits.
After a long-winded discussion, the end result was to obtain a probable cost of the audits, as well as asking each fire department to provide documentation proving they would have a hardship in funding their own audit.
There is a vague estimate of each audit costing between $2,000 to $6,000, which would have to be done once every five years. There are an estimated 10 fire districts in the county that would be affected.
One of the keys to Tuesday’s discussion was the desire to actually get a firm, or at last solid estimate for the costs. Auditor Darcy Locken will seek requests for proposals from auditors and Chester Robertson, County Chief Administration Officer will draft a letter to the fire districts explaining the county’s position and requirements.
Supervisor Patricia Cantrall and citizen Jeff Solomon were under the impression that the County needed to simply say they would support the Fire Districts and take care of these audits.
Supervisor Jeff Bullock said he was concerned that county departments were being cut to the bone, and asking to fund the fire district audits would require further cuts in those departments. He was also concerned that the Board would be setting a precedent without including other special districts.
Supervisor Geri Byrne wanted to insure that the Board only vote on the issue once there were firm costs on the table.

Obituaries:

Richard Irvin Myers
Richard “Dick” Myers passed away on February 8, 2012, at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, CA.
Dick was born on December 21, 1936 in Salamanca, New York to Madelene Iola Widrig Myers and Paul George Myers. Dick spent most of his childhood in New York, Arizona and Texas before settling in Canby, California.
Those wishing to donate in his name may do so to the Modoc County Historical Society, High Plateau Humane Society and TEACH, Inc.
Private services were held by the family.

Bonnie Patterson
Bonnie moved on from this life to her next stage of eternal progression on February 15, 2012. Bonnie was born July 23, 1932, in Cedarville, California to Harold and Lily Bell Hess. She grew up in Canby, CA until the family moved to Oroville in 1944, where she attended school in Thermalito and at Oroville High School. Funeral services were held Saturday, Feb. 18 at 2 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Oroville. A private burial was held Feb. 21 at Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements were entrusted to Ramsey Funeral Home 530 534-3877.

Marella Stigall
July 31, 1936 - February 16, 2012
Marella was born on July 31, 1936 at Butte 40 (Lookout Rancheria). Marella was the oldest of three daughters born to Johnny and Nadine (Arnett) Craig. Marella passed from this life at the age of 75 at Warnerview Convalescent Home in Alturas, California.

Robert A. Avers
Robert Allen Avers of Alturas passed away at his home on February 28, 2012. Services are pending, with arrangements by Kerr Mortuary. Mr. Avers is the husband of Patricia Avers.

Henry C. Foster
A graveside service for former Modoc County resident Henry C. Foster will be held on Sunday, March 11, at 3 p.m. at the Ft. Bidwell Cemetery in Ft. Bidwell, California. Henry died February 12 at his Eugene, OR home of age-related causes. He was 94.
He was born March 11, 1917, in Concord, CA to Ernest and Myrtis Mashburn Foster. He attended schools in Plains, GA. One of his classmates was former president Jimmy Carter.

Dale E. Albaugh
Dale Edwin Albaugh passed away February 18, 2012. Dale was born on September 4, 1935 in Baker City, Oregon to Ed and Orma Albaugh. In 1937 he moved to Adin, CA when his parents purchased the Frosty Acres Ranch.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Fall River/Big Valley Cattlemen’s Association Scholarship Fund or a charity of your choice.

Sports

Brandsted heads to state finals

Modoc Braves heavyweight wrestler Jeremy Brandsted capped a very successful year by placing second at the Masters Tournament in Redding last weekend and earning a berth in the California State Championships this weekend in Bakersfield.
“Jeremy had a great tournament, he pinned his first opponent in seven seconds and the second one in 32 seconds and then pinned the third in 2:11,” Modoc Coach Shaun Wood said. “He lost to a tough kid from Orland by pin in 1:32 in the finals.”
Colton Reed placed fifth in the 160-pound division, getting a technical fall in the first match and pinning the second opponent. He lost in the third round, and for third place, but won the fifth place match.
Wood said Reed just got caught in a cradle in the third round, and otherwise had a very good tournament.
Wood was also pleased with Zack Ratliff at 195 pounds and Benny Bevil at 130 pounds, who placed in the top eight, just out of the medal round.
In addition, Ethan Dunn, 126 pounds, Matt Froeming, 220 pounds and Cody Tiffany, 106 pounds, all finished in the top 12 and made it into the second day of the tourney. The team finished in a respectable 13th place at the Masters.

Braves bounced from section hoop tourney

Both the Modoc Braves basketball teams were beaten by Durham last week and were eliminated from the CIF North Section Division Five basketball tournament.
The boys lost to the number three seed, Durham 61-54. The Braves led 10-9 in the first and the score was knotted at 18 by halftime. Durham used a big third period to outscore Modoc 23-16 and take a 41-34 lead. Each team scored 20 points in the fourth period.
Brett Boudreaux led Modoc with 20 points; Cam Anderson added 13 and Brandon Bains had 10.
Modoc opened the tourney with a 53-45 win over Pierce. The tight game saw Modoc trail 8-6 in the first, but took a 22-21 halftime lead. The Braves went up 36-31 after three and won the fourth 17-14.
Boudreaux led with 16 points, while Riley Larranaga added 11 and Anderson nine.
Modoc’s girls upset east Nicolaus in the opening round 45-28, but couldn’t keep pace with Durham in the second game, losing 38-18.
The Braves were icy in the first period and Durham took a 9-0 lead. They led 18-6 by half and Modoc’s third period was also cold, leaving them behind 27-8. Durham added 11 and Modoc 10 in the fourth.
Jodi Boudreaux and Monicah Eppler each scored six for the Braves.

March 8th, 2012

News

Marijuana issue on March 13 Board agenda

An interim ordinance imposing a 45-day moratorium on outdoor Medical Marijuana cultivation in Modoc will be on the March 13 agenda of the Board of Supervisors.
The urgency ordinance will require a four-fifths vote by the Board for passage.
It would prohibit the outdoor cultivation of marijuana in Modoc; but shall not apply to the cultivation of 12 or fewer Medical Marijuana plants per qualified patient, with a maximum of two patients on any assessor’s parcel.
The main cause of concern is the unregulated and large-scale marijuana cultivation that has been occurring in Modoc, especially in, but not limited to the California Pines area. People have been buying empty lots and setting up marijuana farms on those lots.
Modoc Planning Director Kim Hunter will present the ordinance next week after several meetings with law enforcement and a study of other marijuana ordinances throughout the state.

Temporary change in MMC admin

There will be a temporary change of responsibilities in the administration at Modoc Medical Center.
According to current Chief Executive Officer Monica Derner, there are some serious needs in the financial department that require more of her time and expertise. To that end, she will be concentrating on finalizing audits, estimated to require about six weeks.
During that time Chief Operating Officer Kevin Kramer will assume the position of acting administrator. Derner said she and Kramer will be meeting daily to review issues and that once that work is done she will return to the CEO position.
“I will be redirecting my time for the next few weeks to Finance to focus on finishing up audit work and updating processes,” Derner wrote in a staff memo. “During this time, Kevin will relocate to the Administration office and work from there.  We expect this change to last for about six weeks.”

Candidates nearing end of filing period

March 9 is the final day to file papers for both the Modoc County Supervisor and Alturas City Council races and the contests are shaping up.
The candidate nomination period ran from Feb. 13 and March 9. If an incumbent does not file for re-election, the nomination period is extended to March 14.
Incumbent District Two Supervisor Jeff Bullock has two challengers, Michael Conrad and John Pederson.
District Four Supervisor Shorty Crabtree is facing three challengers, Pamela Owens, David Naylor and Jim Wills.
District Three Supervisor Patricia Cantrall is not running and former Alturas City Treasurer Kathie Alves has filed for that seat.
City Councilpeople John Schreiber, Bobby Ray and Cheryl Nelson are up for re-election this year and all have decided to run. Jim Irvin had filed papers as a challenger. The date for filing papers in the City ends tomorrow. Alturas City Clerk Cary Baker will run again.
In addition to the local seats, the June 5 Primary includes the Presidential election, the United States Senate election, the U.S. Representative for District One, and election for State Senate District One and State Assembly Member, District One.
The last day to register to vote in the election is May 21, and May 7-29 is the vote-by-mail application period.

Wolf OR7 decides Oregon over California

After drawing much public attention for his historic trek into California, the gray wolf designated as OR7 has turned north and crossed back into Oregon.
 Originally part of a wolfpack in northeastern Oregon, OR7 wandered more than 1,062 miles in Oregon in September through December of last year before crossing into California last December 28. Gray wolves were extirpated in California the 1920s, leading to speculation that OR7 might be the first wolf to reestablish roots in the Golden State.
 While in California, the wolf trekked south through eastern Siskiyou County, traveled through northeastern Shasta County and then resided in Lassen County for a few weeks. On Feb. 11 he re-entered Shasta County and then, about a week later, he crossed north into Siskiyou County. The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has continued to monitor his whereabouts through the use of a satellite tracking collar, and has been updating his status on our website at www.dfg.ca.gov/wolf/.

Obitiaries:
Arthur "Art" Brown
Art Brown of Alturas passed away Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Reno, NV. He was 66. Arthur was born in Cedarville, CA September 25, 1945, to Ossie and Mae Brown.
At Art’s request there will be no funeral services but will be a Celebration of Life and Military honors given by Alturas Veterans and Northern California Veterans Cemetery Honor Guard, which will be held at 10:00 a.m. March 17 at the Veterans Memorial Hall, So. Main Street in Alturas. Anyone who wishes to share memories of Art is welcome.
Donations may be made in memory of Art to the American Diabetes Assn., P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312.

Warren Ray Dunn
Warren Ray Dunn of Modesto died February 28, 2012 in Modesto, CA. Mr. Dunn was a native of Alturas, CA, and lived in Modesto since 1959. Mr. Dunn was raised on a ranch near Alturas and graduated from Modoc Union High School in 1949 in Alturas.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Franklin and Downs Funeral Homes. A visitation was held Monday, March 5 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Franklin and Downs Colonial Chapel at 704 12th Street in Modesto. A graveside service was held on Monday, March 5 at 2:00 p.m. at Acacia Memorial Park at 801 Scenic Drive in Modesto. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association.

Sheryl A. Matulewicz
Sheryl A. Matulewicz of Joseph Creek, CA passed away unexpectedly at the age of 59 on February 20, 2012 in Alturas, CA. She was born Sheryl Hooper in Waco, Texas on March 14, 1952.
A private family service will be held at a later date. Condolences may be addressed to the Matulewicz family at HC02, Box 25013, Alturas, CA 96101.

Henry C. Foster
A graveside service for former Modoc County resident Henry C. Foster will be held on Sunday, March 11, at 3 p.m. at the Ft. Bidwell Cemetery in Ft. Bidwell, California. Henry died February 12 at his Eugene, OR home of age-related causes. He was 94.

Anna Marie Blevins Wallace
Anna Marie Blevins Wallace, age 36, a former resident of Modoc County, died in Klamath Falls on Feb. 27, 2012. She was born Nov. 9, 1975 in Fall River Mills.
Graveside services were held at the Picard Cemetery in Dorris, CA on March 3.

Earl W. LaLone

Earl William LaLone, 86, of Sierra Madre, California, passed away at County Villa Health Services in Duarte, California, at 7:30 pm on Sunday, February 12, 2012, after a nearly one year battle with cancer.
Earl was born to Fred LaLone and Marguerite Vega LaLone on May 5, 1925 in Sierra Madre; he was the youngest of 11 children A private service will be held for immediate family members only.
Donations may be made to the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue team in honor of Earl LaLone at P.O. Box 24, Sierra Madre, CA 91025.

Laura F. Bell
Laura F. Bell entered this life on July 15, 1916 in New Iberia, Louisiana. She departed this life on February 18, 2012, in Alturas, California. The Memorial Service will be held Saturday, March 17, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. at the Church of Christ, 400 2nd Street, Alturas, California.

Jeanne Brooks
An interment service for Jeanne Brooks of Alturas will be held at the Alturas Cemetery on March 24 at 11 a.m. Friends and family welcome.

Sports

Brandsted has good state tourney

Modoc’s heavyweight Jeremy Brandsted had a good State tournament, said coach Shaun Wood, winning his first match, but dropped the final two.
He opened with a 1:20 pin of the Los Angeles Section’s top seed Quevedo Warner.
He lost his second match against Robert Chism of Downey High, getting pinned at the 3:10 mark. Chism wound up placing fifth in the state tourney.
Brandsted lost his final match to John Roa of Lemoore after leading 13-6 with 40 seconds left. Roa managed to flip Brandsted and got the pin.
“Overall I was very pleased with Jeremy and how he wrestled,” said Wood. “Once you get to the State Finals, there are no easy matches and Jeremy represented Modoc and our section really well. He was our only heavyweight to win a match.”
Brandsted has only wrestled for two years and getting to the State is no easy task. He knew how tough it was gong to be.
“It was a one-of-a-kind experience, there were no push-overs,” Brandsted said Tuesday. “I think I would have had a pretty good chance of placing if I had wrestled smarter, I just never understood how to stall.”
While he lost the second match to the wrestler who placed fifth, he said he at least got some points scored and lasted much longer against him than anyone else in the tourney did.

Modoc softball opens this weekend

Modoc’s softball team heads to the Anderson Cubs Classic Small Schools Tournament March 9-10.
They meet South Fork at 9:45 a.m. Friday, followed by a 1:15 game against Hayfork and a 4:45 p.m. tilt against Portola. On Saturday the tournament will go into bracket play.
“Due to our usual softball weather, we haven’t got to spend a lot of time on the field, but these girls are naturally talented enough that I expect them to be ready,” said coach Jodie Larranaga. “We return a strong team and our newcomers are loaded with talent. I look for the girls to finish strong in league as we will still be facing some stiff competition.”
Tex Dowdy also serves as coach for the team.
The roster includes: returning seniors Cheyenne King, Monicah Eppler, Telese Dowdy, Dorothy Long; juniors, Courtney Knoch, Jodi Boudreaux; sophomores, Morgan Bagwell, Kristen Reed, Valerie Froeming and Lilly Hallmark. Newcomers this year are senior Allie Berryessa, sophomore Leah Berryessa and freshmen Pricilla Madrigal, Kelsey Sphar, Kelly Schmidt, Lydia Vass, Kirsten Jones and Lynzie Malcolm.
The team would like to thank Alturas Ranches for their very generous $400 donation to cover motel rooms for the Anderson tournament.

Braves head to Etna tourney

The Modoc Braves baseball team opens the season at the Etna Tournament Match 8-10 and is at Tulelake March 13.
Coach Tim MacDonnell has 12 players on the roster: seniors, Grady Server, Wyatt Valena, Brett Boudreaux, Jonathan Jones and Tre Hawes; juniors, Alex Torres; Blake Williams, Patrick Danley, Colby McAdams; sophomores, Arthur Delette, Ben Jones; and freshman Dillon Egle.

March 15th, 2012

News

Lafferty acquitted in Konz death

A Modoc County jury deliberated two-and-a-half hours Monday before acquitting Craig Lafferty of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Kevin Konz. The trial took four days.
Konz was shot at about 3 a.m. on the night of June 24, 2011 after he had reportedly climbed onto a deck 23 feet in the air at the rear of a residence in Lake City.  Mr. Lafferty, who was represented by former Modoc District Attorney Jordan Funk, argued that the shooting was justified because, under the totality of the circumstances known to Mr. Lafferty at the time, he reasonably feared for his safety and the safety of his two young daughters and the children’s mother, who were inside the residence when the shooting occurred.   

Board adopts marijuana ordinance

Following a very detailed and sobering presentation by the Modoc County Narcotic Task Force’s Tex Dowdy and Mike Klassen, the Board of Supervisors adopted a 45-day emergency moratorium ordinance aimed at regulating large-scale marijuana cultivation in Modoc.
A similar ordinance will be going before the Alturas City Council in April.
The ordinance will prohibit the outdoor cultivation of marijuana in Modoc; but shall not apply to the cultivation of 12 or fewer medical marijuana plants per qualified patient, with a maximum of two patients on any assessor’s parcel. It will also set up a working group to come up with a solid ordinance in the near future.
The ordinance will not impact people who have a physicians’ recommendation and who are growing marijuana within the state’s medicinal marijuana use guidelines.
The issue surrounds the unregulated and large-scale marijuana cultivation that has been occurring in Modoc, especially in, but not limited to the California Pines area. Dowdy explained and showed photos of what the large grows actually do to the environment, the public lands, the roads and also explained their dangerous nature.

Board’s Cal Fire issue may go up in smoke

The “ridding this county of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection” was actually tabled by its sponsor Supervisor Patricia Cantrall on Tuesday, but was discussed for over a half hour.
In the end, following some sane comments and explanations from a variety of people, including Modoc-Lassen Division Chief Brad Lutts, the Board opted to sit down and work out areas where there was obvious misinformation and confusion.
Several people spoke in support of what Cal Fire brings to the community, in terms of employment, financial and community support and fire protection. The financial impact of losing Cal Fire would be devastating to Modoc.
One of Cantrall’s major issues concerned local ranchers’ inability to burn their fields whenever they want and another was the proposed State Responsibility Area fire fees proposed by Governor Jerry Brown.
Those fees will go into litigation as soon as the Department of Equalization attempts to collect them, according to most sources. Opposition to those fees, up to about $150 per parcel in SRAs, is widespread.
After listening to the conversations on Tuesday, Lutts said there was obvious confusion as to what an SRA actually was and just what responsibilities Cal Fire has in those areas.
He offered to sit down in the near future and explain fully the realities and definitions that determine Cal Fire’s operation.

Search on for missing person

On March 3 at about 3:30 p.m., a Surprise Valley Resident Deputy on routine patrol with the Modoc County Sheriff's Office located a black 2000 Chevrolet pickup, known to be routinely driven by Dewey McGarva on County Road 1 and in the area of Lake City, California. McGarva has been reported as a missing person.
The vehicle was located in the roadside ditch and appeared stuck in a snow bank. An immediate search of the surrounding areas for the driver by the Sheriff's Resident Deputy was unsuccessful. The Sheriff's Office began looking for the registered owner, McGarva, to check on his current welfare. The California Highway Patrol was called to the scene for further investigation into that matter.
An area check with local residents found that a resident observed the black pickup in the ditch with its headlights on at about 2 a.m. hours March 3. A local rancher stated that he had observed the black pickup in the ditch at about 7 a.m., while feeding livestock in the area and observed no one around the vehicle at that time.

Modoc jobless rate at 16%

The Modoc unemployment rate for January, 2012 went up to 16 percent, from December’s 14 percent, according to the California Employment Development Department.
The January rate is the latest resale by EDD.
In January, 2011 the county’s jobless rate was 18.5 percent with a civilian labor force of 3,770 with 700 unemployed. The labor force in January 2012 numbered 3,790 with 610 unemployed.
Of the employed, 1,200 are local, about 38 percent, state or federal government.
Modoc ranked 42nd of the state for highest unemployment. Lassen County ranked 31 at 13.9 percent and Siskiyou ranked 53rd at 18.6 percent. The lowest unemployment rate was in Marin at 6.6 percent and the highest was in Colusa at 27 percent.

Obituaries:

Dolores “Dee” Russell
Dolores Ann (Dee) Russell passed away peacefully at her Alturas home, with family on March 9, 2012. Memorial services will be conducted by the Rev. Dr. Ben Zandstra on Saturday, March 17 at 1:00 p.m. at the Federated Church in Alturas, with a potluck fellowship to follow in the Federated Social Hall.
Dee was born February 2, 1938, to Elmer and Irene (Hayes) Reese in Klamath Falls, OR.
Donations may be made to the Hugh Currin House, 2601 Daggett Ave., Klamath Falls, OR 97601.

Audre’ M. Jones
Audre’ M. Jones, a longtime resident of Alturas (1954-2001), passed away peacefully on March 2, 2012 in Roseville, CA after a short illness.  She was 81.
Audre’ was born in Grainger, Alberta, Canada to Peter and Mary Poffenroth on June 26, 1930. Upon graduating from high school in Calgary, Alberta, she moved to Lakeview, Oregon to live with her aunt and uncle, Jessie and Vern Troxell, where she met her future husband, M.W. “Mick” Jones.
Per Audre’s wishes, no services will be held.  She will be buried next to her parents and her brother in Queen’s Park Cemetery in Calgary, Alberta.
Those wishing to make a contribution in her honor are encouraged to do so with the Alturas Rotary Club.

Cynthia Mendoza
Alturas resident Cynthia Dolores Mendoza passed away March 3, 2012 in Redding, CA at the age of 65. Born Cynthia Dolores Carter on October 22, 1946 in Tarrant County, Texas, she made Modoc her home for at least 13 years.

John Franzen
Former Alturas resident John Fransen, 69, of 1316 North Jefferson, Mason City, Iowa, died at his home on Friday, March 9, 2012.
John Fransen was born June 28, 1942 to Howard and Clara (Grein) Fransen in Mason City, Iowa. 
A graveside service for John with full military honors conducted by members of the Mason City Veterans Memorial Association will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 16, 2012 at Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City, with Reverend Kenneth B. Gehling officiating.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 15, 2012 from 4 to 7:00 p.m. at Hogan Bremer Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 3rd St. NE, Mason City, where a rosary will be recited at 6:00 p.m. and a scriptural wake service will be held at 6:30 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be designated to the John Fransen Memorial Fund in care of his daughter Becky.

Kathy Murch
Kathy Murch passed away at her Alturas home on Friday, March 2, 2012. She was 58.
She was Born January 12, 1954.
A celebration of Kathy’s life and a potluck will take place on Sunday, March 18 at 4 p.m. at the Brass Rail in Alturas. Please bring photos and memories to share. Kathy will be missed.

Laura Bell
Laura Fuselier Bell entered this life on July 15, 1916.  She was born in New Iberia, Louisiana.  Laura was the oldest of two children born to Katie and Clarence Fuselier. Laura departed this life on Saturday, February 18, 2012 at Warnerview Skilled Nursing center in Alturas, California.
The Memorial Service for Laura Fuselier Bell will be held Saturday, March 17, 2012 at 2 p.m. at The Church of Christ, 400 West 2nd Street, Alturas California.

Arthur ‘Art’ Brown
A Celebration of Life and Military honors for Arthur “Art” Brown of Alturas, will be given by Alturas Veterans and Northern California Veterans Cemetery Honor Guard at 10:00 a.m. March 17 at the Veterans Memorial Hall, So. Main Street in Alturas. Anyone who wishes to share memories of Art is welcome.
Donations may be made in memory of Art to the American Diabetes Assn., P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312. Arthur “Art” Brown of Alturas passed away Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Reno, NV. He was 66.

Karen Hunt
Karen Hunt of Cedarville passed away March 10, 2012 at Mercy Medical Center in Redding, CA. She was 50 years of age. At present, no services are planned, per her husband David Hunt. Allen & Dahl Funeral Chapel handled arrangements.

Sports

Braves softball 2nd in Anderson tourney

The Modoc Braves softball team placed second in one of the biggest tournaments of the year in Anderson last weekend. There were 16 teams involved.
They won six straight games before falling to Anderson in the Championship game 5-0.
Modoc opened the tourney with an 11-2 win over South Fork. They beat Hayfork 7-0 in the second game.
Modoc crushed Portola 18-3 in the third game and had no trouble with Weed, beating them 16-1 in the fourth..
Modoc won a tight battle with Quincy 7-2 in the fifth game and got the win in the sixth game against South Fork 6-3.

Braves drop 4 in Etna tourney

Modoc’s varsity baseball team dropped four games last weekend in the Etna tournament.
They opened with a 12-4 loss to Central Valley.
The Braves lost the second game 13-3 to Etna.
Modoc lost the third game 17-0 to Yreka. Central Valley beat the Braves 12-2 in the fourth game.
Modoc has a home game against Lost River March 17. The Braves will face Tulelake March 29.

Modoc runners dominate at Nor-Cal Mile Championships

Nearly 150 runners from the age of third to eighth grade competed at the Nor-Cal Mile Championships in Redding, California on Saturday March 3.
Modoc Elementary and Modoc Middle Schools were represented by 30 runners. These runners competed for team titles in three separate divisions plus $1,300 in prize money. These divisions were K-2, 3-5 and 6-8 grades. Modoc won all three divisions becoming the first school to ever win all three divisions since the competition started over 10 years ago. In addition, Modoc won $1,000 of the $1,300.
The overall mile race was won by Modoc eighth grader Anthony James with a time of 5:43. He also won the race last year becoming the first runner to ever repeat as the first place male. He was closely followed by Modoc seventh grader Ruben Orozco with a time of 5:47. Other team members were Jordan Wade (seventh), Hailey McPeek (second place girl at eighteenth), Emily Lowrey (third place girl at twenty-second) and Beth Derner (third palce girl at twenty-fifth). Other six-eighth grade runners were Sean Anderson (thirteenth), Marlee Pervette, Cindy Cohen and Michael Bratton.
In the third-fifth grade race, Modoc again was the top team. Tucker Lowrey and Logan VanSickle went one, two while Chance Galvin finished fourth in the boys division. Nicole Yasumi was the second place girl followed by Hailey Hopkins third place girl and Alena Vickerman fifth place girl. Jaclyn VanSickle led the team to another win with her first place finish. Kaleb Hill was the first place boy in that division followed by Tre Larranaga, Joshua Bratton and Ryan Weber. Baylee Hughes, Max Blankenship, Cameron McCarty, Hiedi Luna, Mackenzie Hughes, Julia Luna, Khyli Mason, Kayleen Minor and Joshua Bratton also competed. With 30 individual medals available, Modoc runner’s won 16.
The day was not done for some of the runners as they also competed in the three-mile race. Ruben Orozco led all local runners with an outstanding time of 18:32 (second place in his age group) and Paden Smith (fourth). Other runners who placed in their age in the three-mile race were Stephen Bratton (third), Bill Gouveia (second), Don Mason (second), Jaclyn VanSickle (second), Rachel Miner (fourth), Haley McPeek (second), Emily Lowrey (third), Madelyn Binning (fourth), Gerese Weber (second) and Heather Chace (third). Other local runners that competed in either the three or ten-mile were Kayleen Miner, Monica Miner, Cindy Cohen, Stephanie Gouveia, Mike Blankenship, Patrick Bratten, Logan VanSickle, Tucker Lowrey, Jeff Gouveia and Jordan Wade.

March 22nd, 2012

News

Auditor, Treasurer offer option to restore finances

There may not be a need to borrow money or sell county buildings to restore the Modoc County treasury and pay off the hospital debt.
Modoc County Auditor Darcy Locken and Treasurer Cheryl Knoch presented the Board of Supervisors with an option last week that centers around the County paying itself back over time. It’s not a new concept, but it’s one the two officials believe could be feasible now.
The Board did not discuss the options last week, but Locken is putting it on Tuesday’s agenda, asking the Board to set up a workshop to discuss this option and the options presented by County Chief Administrative Officer Chester Robertson. She would like that workshop to be open to the public and include the entire board.
The big difference is that Modoc County’s cash position is much healthier now and many things have changed. Locken, who had been steadfastly in favor of a loan to pay off the entire debt, believes the current situation can be handled without borrowing, at least for the next three years and probably longer. Knoch agrees with that assessment, as she has tracked the cash position over the past three years and has projected a positive cash flow over the next three.
The two explained that in January 2009, the County’s cash balance stood at negative $4,907,121. In January 2012, the cash balance stood at positive $8,248,482.
Locken said that a number of the variables have changed over the past three years. 

Local election set for June 5

The June 5 Primary Election slate of local candidates has been set and registration is now closed. Campaigns are hitting the ground running.
Former Alturas treasurer Kathie Alves will be unopposed in District Three, where incumbent Patricia Cantrall has chosen not to seek re-election. No challenger to Alves filed papers.
District Two Supervisor Jeff Bullock, the first-term incumbent, has two challengers, Michael Conrad and John Pederson.
District Four Supervisor Shorty Crabtree has three challengers: Pamela Owens, David Naylor and Jim Wills.
City Councilpeople John Schreiber, Bobby Ray and Cheryl Nelson are running for re-election. Jim Irvin will be a challenger. Alturas City Clerk Cary Baker is also unopposed for re-election.

Trash collection fees jumping 30 percent

There’s one thins certain following the Modoc County Board of Supervisors’ decision last week to raise rates for waste management – the public is going to pay much more for the service.
The public will pay more whether using Alturas Disposal/Waste Management service or taking the trash to the transfer stations themselves.
Alturas Disposal sent a letter to its customers March 16 stating, “On March 13, 2012 Modoc County approved a new overall rate structure, increasing Waste Management’s disposal fee by 133 percent. Due to the significant disposal fee increase, coupled with the annual collection rate increase upon our operations, Waste Management must increase customer rates by more than 30 percent.”
The compacted waste fee for Alturas Disposal goes up from the current $10.50 per cubic yard to $24.50.
The new rate will be reflected on residential customers’ bills in April and commercial customers will see an additional 24 percent increase on their April billing. Commercial customers received the annual collection rate increase of six percent on February’s billing.

Schools funding held up in U.S. House 

A one-year renewal of Secure Rural Schools and Communities Act has passed the U.S. Senate as part of the major transportation bill.
The Senate voted 74-22 in favor of the bill, sending it to the House, where prospects for renewal of county timber payments remain uncertain. 
Oregon Democrat Sen. Ron Wyden says passage of the timber payments renewal will give counties breathing room while long-term solutions are found for funding schools, law enforcement, roads and other services.
The amendment attached to the transportation bill would distribute $346 million to 700 counties in 41 states. It represents a 5 percent reduction in the 2011 payments under the Secure Rural Schools Act and the Payment In Lieu of Taxes program.
“As many of you know a one year reauthorization of SRSCA that was attached to the Senate Transportation Bill passed the Senate late last week with a strong vote of 74-22,” said Jim French, President, National Forest Counties & Schools Coalition. “The components of the amendment that included SRSCA reauthorization costs $800,000,000 for one year, and consequently Budget offsets for one year of funding were all that could be found. We are now waiting for the House of Representatives to take action on the Transportation Bill, and to date we do not believe that they have crafted a House version, and consequently may adopt the Senate version. That would be good news for us.”

Obituaries:

Richard A. Crist, Sr.
Richard Allen Crist, Sr., formerly of  Surprise Valley, CA, passed away on Dec. 31, 2011 at his home in Jay, Florida. Burial was on Jan. 5, 2012.
Richard was born on May 30, 1944 in St. Helena, CA.

Jeanne Brooks
An interment service for Jeanne Brooks will be held at the Alturas Cemetery on Saturday, March 24 at 11 a.m. Friends and family welcome.

Sports

Spring sports—

All of Modoc High’s baseball and softball games were cancelled this last week because of Modoc’s normal spring weather – snow and rain.
Both teams are scheduled for the Maxwell tourney this weekend.

Modoc golfers win at Trinity

Modoc’s golf team won at the Trinity Alps Golf Course March 15, shooting a combined 192 on the front nine and a 193 on the back nine.
Number two Trinity shot 195 on the front and 200 on the back, while Weed shot 222-204 and Mt. Shasta 225-225.
Matt Weber shot a 75 for the Braves best score, and tied for third overall. Jonathan Morgan and Bradley Widby each shot 77, tied for fifth; and Trent McQuarrie shot 79 to tie for eighth. Alex McQuarrie shot 81 and Alan Weber shot 82.
“Our team played well considering the very wet conditions,” said coach Harold Montague. “It became increasingly difficult for them to maintain a good grip as the round progressed. All players improved upon their scores from last week at Eagle Point. I knew Trinity would be tough on their home course and the scores reflect that assumption. We are scoring too many holes over bogey and as soon as we get a chance to practice more I see us improving quickly as we eliminate the double and triple bogies from our rounds.”
Newcomers to the team this year are freshmen David Burns, Austin Cook, Travis McCulley, Kelly Roberts, Phil Thompson, Alan Weber and sophomore David Buckley. Returning from last year are sophomores Damian English, Ryan Jacques, Garrett Larsen and Justin Valena, juniors Alex McQuarrie, Jonathan Morgan and Matthew Weber and seniors Trent McQuarrie and Bradley Widby.
“We have a large squad this year and I am excited not only for the opportunity to repeat as league and section champions, but also in the development of the abilities and attitudes of our younger and improving players,” said Montague.
In a non-league match at Riverview Golf and Country Club in Redding Tuesday the Braves placed second to Enterprise, 406 to 458. U-Prep shot a 460.
Trent McQuarrie led Modoc and was second overall with a 78, followed by Matt Weber 85, Jonathan Morgan 86, Alan Weber 92, Phil Thompson 117 and Ryan Jacqudes 143.
The Braves are in Weed today at Lake Shastina.

March 29th, 2012

News

Supervisor will hold workshops on financial restoration plans

Modoc County Supervisors on Tuesday agreed with County Auditor Darcy Locken’s request to hold public workshops on the financial restoration plans.
The first of those will be held April 3, 1 p.m. in the Sheriff’s Annex. The second is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 17.
Locken and Treasurer Cheryl Knoch had presented a financial plan two weeks ago that differed from those offered in the past or more recently by Chief Administrative Officer Chester Robertson.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a discussion on it and I think it’s a good opportunity for everyone to participate and ask questions,” she told the Board Tuesday.
The financial picture of the county has changed dramatically over the past two years, Locken explained. The workshop would be a good chance to put all of the options on the table for discussion and debate, as well as give the public, department heads and the Board a chance to see things from different points of view.
Since the two workshops are not formal meetings of the Board, no action can be taken at either.
Locken and Knoch’s proposal stresses there may not be a need to borrow money or sell county buildings to restore the Modoc County treasury and pay off the hospital debt.
Robertson’s recent proposals have suggested short term loans or the sale of County buildings to raise cash to cover operation costs and upcoming restricted fund projects.

Future uncertain for Main Street Diner

The future of Main Street Diner in Alturas is uncertain as insurance adjusters are now investigating a fire last week that caused massive damage to the popular restaurant.
Whether the building at 5th and Main Street can be repaired and the restaurant reopened remains in doubt as there was major fire damage to the roof structure and the interior was destroyed.
The fire alarm sounded about 3 a.m. after Super 8 Motel Manager Marlene Vierra called to report the blaze. Alturas Fire Department firefighters were on the scene shortly thereafter, but found the interior of the restaurant ablaze and it had already sustained major damage. Flames were shooting out of the roof when firefighters arrived on scene and heavy smoke had to be exhausted by fan. Several breathing apparatus tanks were used by the AFD as they fought the inside fire.
It appeared the fire might have smoldered for quite some time after the Diner was closed about 8 p.m.
The cause of the fire was suspected to be electrical, but the investigation may indicate spontaneous combustion.

County will study transfer stations for 6 months

Modoc County’s waste Management Departments has been ordered by the Modoc County Board of Supervisors to do a six-month review of all activity at all the County’s Transfer Stations.
The review will let County residents know if it is cost effective to keep certain transfer stations open.
The following is a sample of data collected currently, and shows may transfer stations are losing money. The County is pointing out that if the public does not use certain stations they will probably be closed.
In February, 2012, the activity looked like this: Alturas, open three days per week, 339 users with revenue of $16,799.25 and a cost of $5,038; Lake City, open two days per week, 70 users with $1,028 in revenue and a cost of $2,586; Eagleville one day per week, 29 users, with revenue of $293.75 and costs of $1,922; Lookout, open one day per week; 52 users with revenue of $476.50 and a cost of $3,264; Newell, open one day per week, 68 users with revenue of $836.50 and a cost of $3,264; Adin, open two days per month, 30 users with revenue of $152.38 and a cost of $1,155; Davis Creek, open two days per month, 10 users with revenue of $57.50 and a cost of $1,532; Ft. Bidwell, open two days per month, 13 users with revenue of $94.25 and revenue of $1,138; Willow Ranch, open two days per month, eight users with revenue of $87.75 and costs of $1,532; Likely, open one day per month, six users with revenue of $42 and costs of $604; Canby, open one day per month, one user with revenue of $3.25 and costs of $600.

Fire district audits still unsolved

Should the Modoc County Board of Supervisors obligate County funds to help pay for required special district audits?
That’s a subject that was batted around like a super ball at Tuesday Supervisor’s meeting, coming back to rest in auditor Darcy Locken’s hand.
The special district audit issue, primarily concerning fire districts, has been debated over several months without resolution. Locken had presented a plan Tuesday, but by the end of the discussion nothing was decided other than more study. It did appear that Supervisors were inclined to help pay for some of those audits.
Locken had offered a tiered plan, basically stating that some districts could not afford to pay for the audits while others certainly could. She was seeking the Board’s desire on whether some districts could pay while others could use the county’s help financially.

Obituaries:

Shirley (Greiner) Flournoy
Shirley Jean Greiner was born February 28, 1920, in Alturas, California to Bill and Ora Greiner.
The last four months of her life were spent at the Lake County District Hospital, Lakeview, Oregon, where she received excellent care until her death on March 20, 2012.  She was preceded by her parents Bill and Ora Greiner and her baby brother Billy. 
Celebration of her life will be held at the Likely Fire Hall at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 31, followed by a potluck with meat and drinks provided by the family. Guests are welcome to bring a side dish or dessert. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Modoc County Cattlewomen or a charity of your choice. 

Todd M. Porter
Memorial services for Todd Martin Porter were held Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at Christian Life Assembly, Alturas, California, with Pastor Clarence McCarty officiating.
Todd Porter was born March 3, 1958 and died March 14, 2012, in Honeydew, CA. where he had lived for many years.
Interment will be private at a later date.

Bernetta Rickards Nichols
Former Surprise Valley resident and business owner Bernetta E. Nichols of Solana Beach, CA, passed peacefully on March 10, 2012, in Hospice. She celebrated her 95th birthday in January.
She was born to Erik and Ellen Hedlund on January 23, 1917, in Oregon City, Oregon.
A family memorial will be held in the near future. She will join Jack in Willamette National Cemetery in Portland, OR. Arrangements were made by El Camino Memorial. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to Odyssey Hospice, 9444 Balboa Ave., Suite 290, San Diego, CA 92123 or a charity of your choice.

Sports

Modoc golfers sweep league match

Modoc’s golf team had its best round of the year and swept a Shasta Cascade League tournament at Lake Shastina March 22.
Modoc shot a front nine of 207 and a back nine of 206 for a 413 total. That was well ahead of the other schools: Trinity 448; Weed 450; Mt. Shasta 486 and Anderson Tech Prep and Fall River did not field a full team.
Trent McQuarrie led all golfers with a 75, Jonathan Morgan shot 79 and Bradley Widby shot 81, both season lows. Alan Weber shot 88, Alex McQuarrie shot 90 and Matt Weber had a 99.
“I was very pleased with the scores this week,” said coach Harold Montague. “ We set a goal to play under 420 by the end of the month and it was great to see us accomplish that goal in our second league match. The strength of this team is their consistency and their drive to improve. We are seeing statistical gains each week in both individual and team goals.”
The Braves have a non-league match in Fall River today and a league match in Fall River April 5.
Shasta Cascade League standings are Modoc 20-0; Trinity 15-5; Weed 13-7; Mt. Shasta 8-12; Anderson Tech Prep 0-10 and Fall River 0-10.

Braves drop one to Maxwell, others rained out

While not unusual, Modoc’s baseball and softball teams are having a difficult time getting games in this spring. Both got one game in at last weekend’s Maxwell tourney, but the other two were rained out.
The baseball team lost its opener to host Maxwell 14-6 after spotting them a 10-3 lead in the second. Modoc added two in the third and one in the sixth while Maxwell added one in the third, one in the fifth and two in the sixth.
Patrick Danley got the loss for Modoc, going five innings, allowing 13 hits, 10 earned runs, struck out four and walked four.
Wyatt Valena was 3-4 at the plate with two doubles, while Drew Culp was 2-3 and Brett Boudreaux 2-4.
“We jumped out against Colusa (second game) early with doubles hit by Valena, Culp and Boudreaux and a home run by Jonathan Jones,” said coach Tim MacDonnell. “Boudreaux was also pitching well and we were playing solid defense. Unfortunately the rains came in the third while we had the bases loaded and nobody out.”
The game was called at that point.
Modoc faces Tulelake there today and is at home against Fall River March 30.

Modoc drops game to Maxwell

Modoc’s softball team did not play up to its potential Friday and lost to Maxwell 13-1 there.
“The girls came out very flat and we had a lot of unusual errors,” said coach Jodie Larranaga. “Six of their runs were unearned. It was definitely our Bad News Bears game and if we have to have one, now’s the time to get it done with.”
Morgan Bagwell was on the mound for three innings, walked four, struck out four and allowed five hits. Cheyenne King came in for one inning, allowing two walks and seven hits.
Larranaga said King, Monicah Eppler, Telese Dowdy and Dorothy Long played well defensively. Lydia Vass, Courtney Knoch, Dowdy, Long, and Bagwell each had a hit.
The Braves started the second game Saturday in a storm and only got through three innings before it was called for safety reasons. The game was tied at 5-5 when called. In that game, Jodie Boudreaux and Long doubled, while Kristen Reed, Knoch and Eppler each had a hit.
The Braves are scheduled to play Tulelake today there and have a home game against Fall River Friday.

April 5th, 2012

News

Financial plan receives warm reception in workshop

The revised fiscal restoration plan was discussed during a Modoc County Board of Supervisors workshop Tuesday afternoon with overwhelmingly positive reactions.
The plan was presented and signed on by Modoc County Auditor Darcy Locken, Treasurer Cheryl Knoch and Chief Administrative Officer Chester Robertson.
Knoch opened by explaining the plan: “Modoc County plans to continue operation at present level to provide mandated services to the public and residents based on financial information accumulated from the past three years of operation.”
The keys to the plan include applying $1,050,000 from the General Fund to pay down the hospital debt in 2011-12 as budgeted for debt service.
The plan calls for budgeting $800,000 from General Fund for debt repayment/contingency starting in 2012-13 until hospital debt is paid in full – just about $13 million; a $550,000 commitment to pay hospital debt each year and $250,000 budgeting as contingency for unforeseen expenditures; amount not needed will be applied to hospital debt payoff.
In addition, the plan will go to other financial avenues if needed and feasible, including monitoring cash flow and acquire an operating loan if needed; selling county assets, buildings; and continue pursuing legal remedies.
There will also be a report of the plan’s progress to the Board of Supervisors and the State Controllers office on an annual basis.

Local election off and running

The June 5 candidates for local offices are starting their campaigns in earnest.
Modoc County District Two Supervisor Jeff Bullock, a first-term incumbent, has two challengers, Michael Conrad and John Pederson. Conrad says he’s running as a write-in.
District Four Supervisor Shorty Crabtree has three challengers: Pamela Owens, David Naylor and Jim Wills.
Kathie Alves will be unopposed in District Three, where incumbent Patricia Cantrall has chosen not to seek re-election.
City Councilpeople John Schreiber, Bobby Ray and Cheryl Nelson are running for re-election. Jim Irvin is seeking to unseat one of them. Alturas City Clerk Cary Baker is unopposed for re-election.

Warner Street project starts next week

The long-awaited Warner Street Project in Alturas is set to start next week, as snow and cold delayed it from its original start of this week.
Assistant City Public Works Director Joe Picotte said residents should expect the contractor, J.F. Shay, to start moving equipment into the area and they will start with the storm drain portion.
The project goes from about the Second Street Intersection all the way to State Route 299.
“Residents should expect delays when traveling on Warner Street, and also some possible closures,” said Picotte. “The City plans to keep the community informed through the newspaper and water bills.  We will try to keep everyone up to date on the progress of the project and also let drivers know what to expect as far as street closures and traffic delays.”

Tribe offers $5,000 reward in McGarva case

The Pit River Tribe is offering a $5,000 reward for “information leading to the whereabouts of Dewey McGarva.” He is a Pit River Tribal member with the Hammawi Band.
As of this week, McGarva remains missing with no credible leads. A search party held last Sunday from Fort Bidwell was hampered by the weather, and no sign was McGarva was discovered.
The Surprise Valley Resident Deputy located a black 2000 Chevrolet pickup March 3 at about 3:30 p.m., on County Road One and in the area of Lake City. The vehicle was located in the roadside ditch and appeared stuck in a snow bank. An immediate search of the surrounding areas for the driver by the Deputy was unsuccessful. The Sheriff's Office began looking for the registered owner, McGarva, to check on his current welfare.

Obituaries:

Emma Fae Stanley
Former Alturas resident Emma Fae (Smith) Crew Stanley passed away in Nampa, Idaho on March 29, 2012. Memorial services will be held at a later date.
Mrs. Stanley, widow of L.R. Stanley, was just two months shy of her 89th birthday, having been born on May 29, 1923, in Indian Valley, CA. Donations in her memory may be directed to The Art Center, 317 So. Main St., Alturas, CA 96101, where she participated in classes over the years and had her own work exhibited. Her obituary will be published at a future date.

Sports

Braves split league games with Bulldogs

The Modoc Braves baseball team split a double-header with Fall River to open Shasta Cascade League play last Friday. Burney comes to town tomorrow.
Brett Boudreaux got the 4-3 win in the first game, going all seven, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks. He fanned nine.
Fall River won the second game 7-4 with Blake Williams getting the loss. He went seven, allowed seven runs, two earned, nine hits, five walks and he struck out four.
The Braves won a tough double-header against Bonanza Tuesday, taking the first 9-6 and the second game 5-4.
Modoc took extra innings to win the second game with Williams going five innings, allowing no runs on one hit, striking out six and walking just one.

Braves continue golf dominance

Modoc’s golf team is off to a quick start, and continues to dominate as they go along in the early season.
In a non-league match March 29 in Fall River, Modoc shot its lowest score to date with a 408. Leading the way were Trent McQuarrie and Bradley Widby, each with 78; followed by Jonathan Morgan 84, Matt Weber 82, Alan Weber 86 and Alex McQuarrie 103.
On April 3 at Arrowhead, the Braves shot 403, their best yet, beating Mercy who shot 581 and Greenville who shot 583.

Modoc sweeps opening SCL games

Modoc’s softball team opened the Shasta Cascade League loop by sweeping the Fall River Bulldogs here Friday. They have Burney here tomorrow.
The Braves won the opener 9-1 with Morgan Bagwell getting the win. She allowed two hits, struck out seven and walked five.
The Braves won the second game 10-5 with Bagwell again getting the win. She allowed seven hits, walked six and struck out one.
On Tuesday, the Braves took a doublebill from Bonanza 11-7 and 17-2.
Bagwell was on the mound in the opener, allowing just one hit, struck out four and walked one. Bagwell also got the win in the second game going three innings and allowing one hit while striking our four and walking four. Lynzie Malcolm relieved for two innings, and didn’t allow a hit while striking out two and walking one.

April 12th, 2012

News

Weak snow pack revealed in survey

While it comes as no surprise, the just released snow survey in Modoc County shows a very weak water picture. Early spring snows have helped, but not enough to avoid a pretty dry summer.
According to the U.S. Forest Service there is one bright spot, Medicine Lake. The April 4 survey found 82.1 inches of snow containing 33.1 inches of water. Those are above the normal average of 78 inches of snow with 30.85 inches of water.
The other survey spots were not positive.
Cedar Pass had 25 inches of snow March 28, containing 7.4 inches of water. That’s well off the normal 43.9 inches of snow containing 16.3 inches of water, or 57 percent of snow and 45 percent of normal water.
Blue Lake Ranch on March 29 had 7.2 inches of snow, 26 percent of the average of 27.2 inches. The water content was 2.2 inches, or 22 percent of normal.
Adin Mountain had 17 inches of snow April 2, well off the 33.5 inch average at this time. The water content was less than half of average with 6.2 inches compared to 12.7 inches.

County extends moratorium on large-scale marijuana operations

Large-scale marijuana growers are going to have to practice their “farming” outside of Modoc County.
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to extend a moratorium on large-scale marijuana operation for another 10 and a half months. The moratorium does not apply to personal grows for medicinal marijuana, if those planting conform to state requirements.
The extension was necessary, said Modoc Planner Kim Hunter, to give the county time to study and consider zoning ordinances “to protect the public health, safety and welfare from impacts associated with use of private property for medicinal marijuana cultivation.”
The ordinance will not impact people who have a physicians’ recommendation and who are growing marijuana within the state’s medicinal marijuana use guidelines.
The issue surrounds the unregulated and large-scale marijuana cultivation that has been occurring in Modoc, especially in, but not limited to the California Pines area. Modoc Drug Task Force’s Tex Dowdy explained what the large grows actually do to the environment, the public lands, the roads and also explained their dangerous nature.
For the most part, those grows are “for profit” operations, said Dowdy and the marijuana is generally sold down south, often as part of the Mexican drug trafficking organizations.

BLM investigating apparent shooting deaths of two wild horses

Officials from the U. S. Bureau of Land Management are investigating the apparent shooting deaths of two wild horses in the Newland Reservoir area, near the Nevada state line in northeastern Lassen County, Calif.
The BLM is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Members of a BLM crew working on a prescribed fire discovered the remains of the horses on April 3 in an area about 12 miles southeast of Eagleville, Calif.  An initial investigation by BLM law enforcement rangers revealed the horses most likely had been shot.  Officials said the animals had been dead for several weeks.

County jobless at 16.7%

Modoc County’s unemployment rate went up to 16.7 percent in February, according to the Employment Development Department. It was 16 percent in January.
February is the latest figures released by EDD.
While the 16.7 percent is high, it is actually better than the 18.1 percent in February 2011. The labor force numbered 3,720 this February with 3,100 employed and 620 unemployed. That compares to last year when the labor force stood at 3,750, with 3,070 employed and 680 unemployed. Government makes up 1,200 of the jobs, about 39 percent.
The 16.7 percent jobless rates ranks Modoc 44th out of the state’s 58 counties for highest unemployment, with Lassen 36th at 15 percent and Siskiyou 52nd at 18.8 percent. Marin has the lowest rate at 6.6 percent and Colusa was 58th at 27.1 percent.

Obituaries:

Patsy Steward Matthews
Patsy Darlene Steward was born in Fort Bidwell, CA on February 26, 1951 to Brucie and Jane Steward of Lake City, CA. She died in her sleep at home in Likely, CA on April 6, 2012 at age 61.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 14 at 11 a.m. at the Likely Fire Hall. Private family burial at the Lake City Cemetery will take place at a later date.
Memorial donations may be madeto the Likely Fire Dept., P.O. Box 515, Likely, CA 96116.

Richard Taylor
Richard Percy Taylor was born in Woodland, CA, on July 5, 1959 and passed away on April 4, 2012, in Reno, NV, at the age of 52. A lifetime resident of Canby, CA, Richard was the second to the youngest of eight children of Inez Crawshaw (deceased) resident of Williams, CA and Percy Watson Taylor (deceased), of Canby, CA. 
There was a viewing on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. at his residence across from The Kelley Hot Springs, in Canby, CA.  Memorial and wake will be held at the Canby Fire Station Hall on April 12, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.  Richard will be laid to rest at The Kelley Hot Springs Indian Cemetery in Canby, CA. with the setting of the family’s traditional burial on April 12, 2012.

Kenneth D. Fuller
Kenneth Dean Fuller passed through the veil on March 28, 2012 in Boise, Idaho. He was born October 31, 1930 in a farmhouse in Franklin, Nebraska; the fourth child of William Henry Fuller and Velma Agnes Barry Fuller, pioneer settler families of Kansas.
Services will be held Saturday, April 14, 10:00 a.m. in the Latter day Saints Church on North Main Street, Alturas with burial of ashes with full military honors at Alturas Cemetery.

Ronald Friberg
April 8, 2012, Ronald Dean Friberg died peacefully at his home in Tucson, Arizona. Born Sept 16, 1948, graduated from MUHS 1966. Vietnam Veteran. Leaves behind wife Bobbi, daughter Natalie, son Darrel, two brothers Ed and David and sister Maureen Hopkins.

Sports

Weather takes toll on sports events

This may be spring sports time, but it certainly feels a whole lot like winter. Actually, snow and cold this time of year is not unusual, but several sporting events have had to be canceled, including all of last weekend’s games.
On tap for the future:
Baseball and softball: April 20 Mt. Shasta here, 2 p.m.; April 27 at Etna.
Track: April 28 Sterling Bank Invitational at OIT, Klamath Falls.
Golf: April 19, Arrowhead, 1 p.m. Of course, everything depends on the weather.

April 19th, 2012

News

Supers adopt financial plan Tuesday

Modoc County Supervisors unanimously adopted the “pay ourselves back” financial restoration plan at Tuesday night’s special meeting. The plan targets the approximately $13 million hospital “debt” which was partially built by the use of restricted funds.
The “debt” was accrued when the county opted to continue to fund Modoc Medical Center operations over several years, covering its operational losses.
In 2009 the State ordered the County to pay that money back as soon as possible and the County has been trying to find a vehicle to accomplish that goal. This idea comes to the forefront after researching several other paths, including possible revenue bonds or selling county assets. This new option seems the most feasible.
The plan, put forward by Auditor Darcy Locken, Treasurer Cheryl Knoch and Chief Administrative Officer Chester Robertson had been presented at a previous workshop and was met with overall support. The plan now will be forwarded to the State Controller’s Office.
The plan calls for budgeting $800,000 from the General Fund for debt repayment/contingency starting in 2012-13 until hospital debt is paid in full – just about $13 million; a $550,000 commitment to pay hospital debt each year and $250,000 budgeted as contingency for unforeseen expenditures; with the amount not needed applied to hospital debt payoff.

Cooley faces murder trial April 30

The Modoc County Sheriff’s Office arrested Rochelle Amber Cooley in August 2011, alleging murder in the disappearance of Timothy Cooley, her father. She will face those charges in a Modoc Superior Court jury trial April 30.
During the investigation, some bones were found in a burn barrel on the Cooley property and sent to the Chico State University Anthropology Department for analysis.
The remains in this case have been identified as human. The remains were then sent to the Department of Justice Laboratory in Richmond, California for DNA testing, along with related DNA samples taken from family members.
While the DNA tests have not yet come back, District Attorney Chris Brooke said that Cooley’s defense has stipulated so the trial will go on as scheduled.

AG interviewing officials in Modoc County

On Tuesday, investigators from the California Attorney General’s Office took up shop in Alturas, in an investigation of the county’s near three-year-old financial situation.
While the AG’s office would provide no official statement as to the intent of the investigation, Modoc District Attorney Chris Brooke said it certainly is aimed at investigating potential wrongdoing with regard to the County’s financial troubles.
Several local officials questioned the timing of the investigation, since Tuesday evening was also the time set for the county to approve a “pay ourselves back” plan on the finances and submit that to the State Controller’s Office for consideration and possible approval.

SV woman dies in Cedar Pass wreck

A Cedarville woman died in a single-vehicle accident April 13, 3:30 p.m. on State Route 299 east of County Road 58 on Cedar Pass.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Vida Perry, age 61, was eastbound in a 1999 Dodge Durango and snow had covered the road. The vehicle began to spin out of control toward the south embankment of the highway. It went over the steep embankment and continued down impacting several areas. It came to rest on its top in the creek at the bottom of the embankment.
Perry was unresponsive and was treated at the scene by first responders and paramedics, but never regained consciousness.

MJUSD votes to close South Fork School

Another small school in the Modoc Joint Unified School District will fall victim to the budget woes and be closed at the end of this school year.
The Board of Trustees voted in favor of closing South Fork Elementary School in Likely at its Tuesday night meeting and consolidating it with Alturas Elementary School.
The district closed Arlington School in Canby a few years ago. The closure leaves just State Line School in New Pine Creek as the only small school left in the District.
The fact that AES has the capacity to handle more students without adverse impacts or without having to add more classes is part of the decision-making process on this issue.
According to the School Consolidation Task Force Committee, consisting of nine members were split on whether to close the school. There are nine members of that committee and four voted to close it while four voted to keep it open and one was absent from the vote.

Obituaries:

Ronald Friberg
Born September 16, 1948, in Reno, NV to Morris and Vivian Friberg, Ronald Dean Friberg passed away peacefully at his home in Tucson, Arizona on April 8, 2012.
A Celebration for Ron will be held in Reno, NV on May 5, 2012, at the home of his brother Ed.

Berneice Seward Pratt
Berneice M. Seward Pratt of Alturas, known as Nana to her loving family, passed away April 13, 2012 in Klamath Falls, OR, at the age of 92.
Services will be held on Saturday, April 21 at 10 a.m. at Church of Latter-day Saints in Alturas with graveside to follow.
On Saturday, April 28, a Memorial Service and potluck will be held at 11 a.m. at the Art Center, 317 South Main St., Alturas, where Berneice was an active volunteer and artistic contributor for several years.
Donations in memory of Berneice may be sent to the High Plateau Humane Society, P.O. Box 1383, Alturas, CA 96101.

Vida L. Belding Perry
Vida Lynn Belding Perry passed away on April 13, 2012. She was born April 18, 1950 in Redding, CA to Benjamin Emmett Belding and Olive Marvine Morley Belding.
Services will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Cedarville on April 28, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. Fellowship will follow at the fairgrounds restaurant. Meat will be furnished by the family. Please bring a side dish of your choice.

Billie May Musfelt
Former Alturas resident Billie Faye Musfelt passed away March 24, 2012 in Spokane, Washington. She was 86.
Billie Faye was born July 11, 1925 in Electric City, Texas. On December 3, 1943. Private graveside burial at Alturas Cemetery.

Sports

Baseball, softball games reset for Friday

Today’s Modoc High School baseball and softball games against Mt. Shasta here have been rescheduled for April 20, starting at 2 p.m. in the Modoc fields.
Modoc has had to cancel several games or postpone them do to the weather this season.
They travel to Etna April 27.

MHS hosts ball clinic

Modoc High School baseball and softball coaches and teams are hosting a baseball and softball clinic for players ages T-ball and up Sunday, April 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The cost is $25 per person, which includes lunch and a T-shirt. Players should meet at the Little League Concession stand. If the weather turns bad, the event will be held in the MHS Gym.
For more information, contact softball coach Jodie Larranaga at 530-233-5482.

Modoc wrestlers compete at Reno

Several Modoc wrestlers competed at the huge Reno World of Wrestling Tournament last weekend. There were 2,800 wrestlers in the event, which required 30 separate mats.
Ethan Dunn had a solid day, winning four matches and losing two, but didn’t place. The California State Champion was also in his weight class. Titus Christensen went 2-2 in the event.
Coach Shaun Wood said he was pleased with his wrestlers who competed. Colton Reed and Zach Ratliff each ran into the top seeds in their weights.

Football camp deadline nears

All Modoc High School football players wishing to go to the University of Nevada, Reno football camp need to make arrangements with coach Shaun Wood now.
The camp for players age eighth grade through senior is scheduled for June 14-17 and Modoc usually has a solid contingent of players participate.
Contact Wood at MHS.

April 25th, 2012

News

Cooley murder trial starts Monday

Breaking: While not confirmed yet, reports are the District Attorney Chris Brooke has offered a plea deal to Cooley dropping the murder charge. More later.

Rochelle Amber Cooley is facing murder charges in the August, 2011 disappearance of Timothy Cooley, her father. She will face those charges in a Modoc Superior Court jury trial April 30 starting at 9 a.m.
During the Modoc Sheriff’s investigation, some bones identified as human were found in a burn barrel on the Cooley property. The Chico State University Anthropology Department for analysis confirmed they were human.
The remains were then sent to the Department of Justice Laboratory in Richmond, California for DNA testing, along with related DNA samples taken from family members.
While those DNA results have not yet come back, District Attorney Chris Brooke said that Cooley’s defense has stipulated as to them being Tim Cooley’s so the trial will go on as scheduled.
The murder investigation into the disappearance of Cooley, who had apparently been missing since the previous November, ended in the arrest of Cooley August 8, 2011.
At that time, the Sheriff said witnesses provided clearer information on the alleged crime and the investigators helped piece information together in an effort to determine exactly what happened to Cooley.
A forensic team from the California Department of Justice investigated the Cooley home and property on Saralane in Daphnedale in August.
Assistant Sheriff Mike Crutcher has said early suspicions were that Cooley was killed and then his remains disposed of on the property.

Team of six will present financial plan to state

There will be a team of six people presenting Modoc County’s “pay ourselves back” financial restoration plan to the State Controller’s Office.
While an actual date for that presentation has not been set, Board Chairperson Patricia Cantrall appointed a committee on Tuesday consisting of Chief Administrative Officer Chester Robertson, Auditor Darcy Locken, Treasurer Cheryl Knoch, herself, Supervisor Geri Byrne and County Counsel John Kenny to make the presentation.
While there was some discussion as to how many and who should present the proposal, in the end, Cantrall chose to simply appoint a committee. The initial proposal was to send Locken, Knoch, Robertson and Kenny. Knoch and others pointed out that since the Board had approved the plan unanimously and it was recorded in the minutes, a Supervisor’s presence would not be necessary to prove the Board’s support.

Jobless rate up to 16.9%

The March unemployment rate for Modoc edged up to 16.9 percent, from 16.7 percent in February, according to the latest release from the California Employment Development Department.
The rate was down from 17.9 percent in March 2011. This March the labor force numbered 3,740 with 630 unemployed. That compares to last March with a labor force of 3,780 with 680 unemployed. In February 2012, the labor force numbered 3,720 with 620 unemployed.
Total government employment amounted to 1,210 jobs, or 39 percent of the jobs in Modoc.
The 16.9 March rate ranked Modoc 44th out of the state’s 58 counties for highest unemployment, with Lassen ranked 37 at 15.5 percent and Siskiyou 52nd at 18.7 percent. The lowest jobless rate was in Marin County at 7.0 percent and the highest was in Colusa and Imperial Counties at 26.2 percent.

Meteor seen in Surprise Valley

Ever have a memorable cup of tea? Bunne Hartmann and her husband Tim Sachak of Surprise Valley each had their most memorable cup of tea ever on Sunday morning just before 8 a.m.    
Their home overlooks southern Surprise Valley from north of Cedarville to Eagleville. They were sipping their tea while watching the changing early morning light and shadows on the snow covered Warner Mountains when suddenly a huge fireball appeared in front of them.
“It was glowing white like a welding torch, and was about the size of a house. It looked like a giant sparkler with a green tinge and had a tail of white smoke. It wasn’t just falling, it looked to be propelled and was traveling faster than anything we’ve ever seen,” said Hartmann.
The couple estimates that they saw it for about four seconds.
The fireball was traveling at an approximate 45-degree angle downward and they could see it drop below the Warner Mountains in the background. They lost sight of it when it disappeared behind some trees. There was no smoke or noise.

Obituaries:

James Picotte
Former Cedarville rancher and electrician James A. Picotte passed away April 11, 2012 at the Oak River Rehab in Anderson, CA. He was 91. He was born April 7, 1921.
A Memorial service was held April 20 at the Northern California Veterans Cemetery in Igo. The family gives special thanks to the kind folks of the Oak River Rehab for their gentle and loving care that Jim received throughout his residency.

Dottie Escue
Former Alturas resident Dottie Escue passed away on April 16, 2012, at home in Red Bluff, California after a lengthy illness and a valiant fight.  She was born on June 17, 1936 in Cherokee, Iowa to Lawrence and Lealdra Adolf.  Dottie married Albert Escue on September 4, 1955 and had four children:  Juanita Marie, James Brian, Nanci Anne and Bruce Craig. 
The family would like to express deep appreciation to St. Elizabeth’s Hospice staff for their care, understanding and support. They cared for our mother with dignity, gentleness and compassion. 
Per her request, no services will be held. 

Susanne S. Ross
Susanne S. Ross born Susanna Sieglinde Rosenkranz in Linz, Austria January 13, 1929.
During the mid 1970s she was divorced and became close to co-worker Dick Brooke. She later retired as Production Control Analyst. He retired also and in 1997 they moved together to Modoc’s Jess Valley Road out of Likely where they were living “happily ever after” until the inevitabilities of life intervened and her life was taken by congestive heart failure on Sunday, April 15, 2012.

Vida Perry & Olive Lasater
Memorial Services for Vida Belding Perry and her mother Olive M. Lasater of Cedarville will be held jointly at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Cedarville on April 28, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. Fellowship will follow at the fairgrounds restaurant. Meat will be furnished by the family. Please bring a side dish of your choice.
Vida Lynn Belding Perry passed away on April 13, 2012. Her mother, Olive Lasater, 89 years young, passed away April 20, 2012.
Mrs. Lasater’s obituary will be published next week.

Larry DeHaven
Larry DeHaven, age 74, passed away April 14, 2012, at home in Alturas, CA, after suffering from a long illness. Larry passed peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. Larry’s wife of 48 years, Delphine DeHaven, preceded him in death, unexpectedly, exactly three months earlier, on January 14, 2012.
 Larry was born April 11, 1938 in Wieser, Idaho, to George and Edna DeHaven..
Memorial services will be held May 12 at 1 p.m. at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 310 North Street, Alturas.

Bayse Robinson
Bayse Paul (Tuffy) Robinson passed away April 18, 2012 in Sacramento, CA. He was born Feb. 22, 1932, in Surprise Valley, CA. He grew up on the Robinson Ranch in Lake City, attended grade school in Lake City and high school in Cedarville.
Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. Services will be private.

Berneice Pratt
On Saturday, April 28, a Memorial Service and potluck will be held at 11 a.m. at the Art Center, 317 South Main St., Alturas, for Berneice M. Seward Pratt of Alturas. Berneice was an active volunteer and artistic contributor for several years at the Art Center.
She is survived by her sister Rosanna Griffiths, Hemet, CA; daughter Louan and son-in-law Knute Walter, Klamath Falls, OR; grandsons Mark Anderson, Susanville and Douglas Pratt, Idaho; granddaughters Holly Stains, Alturas, CA and Catherine Stevens, Oregon; eight great-grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren. Donations in memory of Berneice may be sent to the High Plateau Humane Society, P.O. Box 1383, Alturas.

Sports

Modoc golf team wins ninth SCL title

The Modoc High School Golf team has won its second consecutive Shasta Cascade League championship and its ninth out of the past 12 years.
“Winning our second league championship in as many years and our ninth in 12 years of the SCL golf existence is very satisfying,” said coach Harold Montague. “We travel to play at the Henley Invitational on Friday where we will get a peek at several teams we will most likely see in the North Section CIF Masters Championships in three weeks. This will be a great opportunity to see how we compare to the top teams in our section and see how we handle this type of competitive atmosphere.”
The team shot its best nine-hole score of the season at Arrowhead in an SCL match April 19, with a 200. They added a 207 back nine to score 407. That was well ahead of Weed with 461, Trinity with 465, and Mt. Shasta 476.
Matt Weber and Jonathan Morgan led everyone with a score of 76. Trent McQuarrie shot 84, Brian Widby shot 86, Alan Weber shot 86 and Alex McQuarrie shot 98.
Other scores for the event were as follows: Justin Valena 92; Phil Thompson 97, Austin Cook 97; David Buckley 98; Garret Larsen 106; David Burns 124; Ryan Jacques 125; Travis McCulley 127 and Damian English 149.
Modoc was unbeaten in SCL play coming in with a 40-0 record, followed by Trinity 29-11, Weed 22-18, Mt. Shasta 19-21, Fall River 4-36 and Anderson Tech Prep 0-40.

Braves drop pair to Bears

Modoc High’s baseball team played tough, but could not overcome errors in a loss to the Mt. Shasta Bears in a double bill Friday here.
Mt. Shasta took the opening game 4-2 in extra innings with Brett Boudreaux getting the loss. He went nine innings, allowed eight hits, four runs, struck out three and walked a pair.
The Braves lost the second game 7-5 with Blake Williams getting the loss. He went all seven, allowed seven runs, nine hits, struck out six, and walked just one. Modoc meets Etna there Friday.

Girls drop pair to Mt. Shasta

Modoc’s girl’s softball team dropped a double-header to the Mt. Shasta Bears Friday afternoon in Alturas. The Braves travel to Etna Friday.
The Braves lost the opening game 8-3 with Morgan Bagwell getting the loss. She allowed five hits, walked two and fanned four. Only one of the eight Bear runs was earned.
Modoc lost the second game 7-0 with Bagwell again getting the loss. She was relieved by Lynnzi Malcolm after five. Bagwell allowed two hits, six walks and struck out one. Malcolm allowed a hit and walked one.

May 3rd, 2012

News

Cooley released, pled to voluntary manslaughter

On April 26, 2012, Rochelle Cooley, of Alturas, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of her father, Timothy Cooley.
Cooley contends she shot her father after he had tried to sexually assault her in his bedroom the week prior to Thanksgiving 2010.
Last week, Cooley was released from the Modoc Jail on her own recognizance, with no supervision requirement. According to District Attorney Chris Brooke, the plea deal agreed to by Cooley involves credit for time served since last August when she was arrested and three years formal probation. There is no additional prison or jail time involved.
That sentence differs from voluntary manslaughter terms of between three to 11 years and does not apparently include the firearm enhancement. The Modoc County Probation Department is preparing a sentencing report for Superior Court Judge Fritz Barclay and formal sentencing is scheduled for June 26.

Major injuries in DUI accident on Cedar Pass

There were major injuries in a two-vehicle crash, caused by an alleged drunk driver, on State Route 299 just east of Cedar Pass April 29, 5:35 p.m.
According to the California Highway Patrol, Patrick N. McCormack, 49, Dunsmuir, was driving his 2003 Ford F-250 eastbound on SR299 at about 55 to 60 m.p.h., while under the influence of an alcoholic beverage.
At the same time, Abbey Joy Keys, 28, Fall River Mills, was westbound on SR299 in a 1999 GMC Sierra.
“Due to Mr. McCormack’s level of intoxication, he allowed his vehicle to travel from the eastbound lane, across the double yellow centerlines and into the westbound lane,” the CHP states. “The left front of Mr. McCormack’s Ford collided with the left front of Mrs. Keys’ GMC.”
Both vehicles came to rest in the westbound lane with major damage. Mrs. Keys sustained major injuries in the accident and was flown from the scene to Sky Lakes Hospital in Klamath Falls and then to Mercy in Redding.
Zed L. Keys, 30, a passenger in the GMC’s right front seat also sustained major injuries and was flown to Mercy. Two children, Wyatt L. Keys, age nine, and Cole Michael Keys, age seven, who were rear passengers in the GMC sustained minor injuries and were transported by ambulance to Surprise Valley Medical Center.
McCormack sustained only minor injuries and was placed under arrest for felony DUI and transported to Modoc Medical Center. The accident remains under investigation.

MJUSD solvent going into next school year

It took some difficult and creative ideas and decisions, but the Modoc Joint Unified School District will go into the 2012-13 school year financially stable.
MJUSD Superintendent Mike Martin said the District had to cut $377,984 from its budget, with almost every department taking a 10 percent cut. They anticipated a state cut of nearly $320,000. The District still maintains a healthy $4 million reserve.
“We picked on everybody,” Martin said. “We cut department budgets across the board. We’re happy, it could have been a lot worse. We are still able and do offer the kids a quality education.”
One of the major, and more difficult decisions, Martin said, was the closure of South Fork Elementary School in Likely. The district had several public meetings, established a study committee and came to a decision after considering the pros and cons of the closure. In the end, it came down to finances.
The MJUSD enrollment picture has stabilized at about 850 students, said Martin. The declining enrollment problem seems to have leveled out. In addition, the district is showing about a 95 percent attendance rate, well above the state average.
The District loses five experienced teachers this year: Karen Siegel, Susie Younger, Donna Johnson, Barbie Read and Janice Lauppe. They have hired three and transferred one teacher to the elementary school.

MMC shows loss for March 2012

Modoc Medical Center realized a net loss of $204,387 for the month of March, down from February’s loss of $289,738.
There was an overall increase in total patient revenue of $149,665 with inpatient up $9.863 to $726,408 from February’s $716,545. Outpatient revenue was up $139,803 to $1,464,784, compared to February’s $1,324,981.
Some of the factors showed an emergency room increase of $34,820, ambulance increase of $10,762, surgery increase of $17,479, lab increase of $32,984 and physical therapy increase of $25,044.
Utilization was up in several areas as follows: acute inpatient up four, patient days for Warnerview up 41, clinic visits up 43, ER visits up 15, ambulance runs up 10, CT scans down five, physical therapy visits up 104, EKG up 19 and lab tests up 442.

Obituaries:

Stanley Biggs
Former Alturas resident Stanley P. Biggs of Redmond, OR was born on January 11, 1934, in Greensburg, Kentucky to Carl and Emma Bloyd Biggs and passed away April 24, 2012 at 78 years of age. There will be a private memorial service at a later date. 
He and Katha lived many years in Marysville, Alturas and Lodi, CA before moving to Huntington, OR upon retirement.  Then, desiring to be closer to family, they moved to Redmond, OR.

Josephine Chadwell
Josephine Lane-Green-Chadwell, age 93, of Oakdale, CA passed away April 26, 2012, at Mayers Memorial Long Term Care facility in Fall River Mills, CA, after a long illness. Born in Ceres, CA on March 11, 1919, the third of four children to Maggie and Reuben Lane, Josephine lived as a child in Ash Valley and Adin, graduating from Adin High School in 1938.
Josephine will be laid to rest at Lakewood Memorial Park in Hughson, CA. There will be no services by her request.

Olive Marvine Lasater
Olive Marvine (Morley) Lasater passed away on April 20, 2012. She was born on September 14, 1922, to Marvine A. and Violet B. (Finley) Morley on the Morley Homestead on the “Morning Side” of Granite Mountain near Gerlach, Nevada. She was 89 years young.

Janet Futterman
Janet Tannenbaum Futterman passed away on April 25, 2012 at age 95. Born in New York City on May 3, 1916, to Rebecca and Jacob Tannenbaum, Janet grew up in the country in upstate New York, later moving back to New York City.
She will be interred Thursday May 3, 2012 at 12:00 p.m. at Mount Sinai Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills in the Court of Psalms.
The family thanks the Eldorado Heights Assisted Living Community and Klamath Hospice for the kindly and caring assistance they extended to Janet.

Sports

Modoc shoots best round at Running Y

Modoc’s golf team shot its best round of 401 at the Henley Invitational on the Running Y Resort April 27.
The Braves finished second, the best ever, and had four players shoot 80 or better for the first time this season. Team scores were: Paradise 309, Modoc 312, Enterprise 323, Shasta 333, Chico 340, Foothill 346, Ashland 352, Phoenix 369, Klamath Union 379 and Henley 390.
“We have been waiting all year for this kind of performance,” said coach Harold Montague. “We also got to compete against several large schools we hope to see at the NSCIF Masters Championship on May 15. We competed extremely well and only finished out of first place by three strokes. Jonathan Morgan tied for fifth overall. We now know that we are very competitive with the Northern California large schools and are excited about our chances to advance deep into our playoff possibilities.”

Braves lose to Etna

The Modoc Braves baseball team lost a doubleheader to the Etna Lions in Etna last Friday and travel to Weed this Friday.
Etna won the first game 6-0, scoring one in the fourth and five in the fifth. Modoc collected just one hit in the game, by Drew Culp, and the Braves struck out 11 times.
Brett Boudreaux got the loss, going six innings, allowing six runs on eight hits, fanned four and walked four.
Etna’s pitching controlled the Braves in the second game as well with the Lions winning 4-0. Boudreaux had a pair of hits and Culp had one.
Blake Williams got the loss, going all six, allowing four runs on five hits, fanning five and walking five.

Modoc beats Etna in wild games

If one thing can be said about the Modoc-Etna softball games last Friday, it’s that they were not boring.
Modoc won the first game 11-6 and took the second run-fest 25-14. Both games were in Etna. Modoc travels to Weed Friday.
In the opening game, Modoc’s Morgan Bagwell got the win, allowing seven hits, while walking seven and striking out five. Cheyenne King led the offense going 4-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles, with Monicah Eppler going 2-3 and Lydia Vass 2-4.
There was no problem in the second game as the Braves came out and scored 10 runs in the first inning. They held a 15-2 lead in the second inning, but ran into some pitching trouble with walks and passed balls, and Etna cut the lead to 15-14 by the end of the third. Modoc scored nine in the fourth, with two of those on Eppler’s home run.

Few track meets for Braves thinclads

Modoc High’s track team has had some practice, but getting meets in this year has been hampered, dampened or downright rained out.
They compete in the Shasta Cascade League Championships May 10, but the site is still unknown.
According to coach Wendi Lowrey, the athletes to watch in league this year are Jeremy Brandsted, Allie Berryessa, Courtney Yamagiwa, Stephanie Gouveia, Brandon Witherspoon, Jesse Holloway, Jordan Marquardt and Claudia Serrano.
Some results from a meet in March are as follows:
Varsity boys: Jeremy Brandsted, fifth in the shot at 39-03, junior varsity boys, Witherspoon second in 400 meters in 58.16, third in 100 meters, Allen Clark, third in shot at 31-9, Holloway, third in triple jump at 34-9.
Varsity girls: Yamagiwa fourth in 100 and 300 hurdles; junior varsity girls, Jordan Marquardt first in 300 hurdles in 60.7 and second in 110 hurdles, Gouveia fourth in 400 at 75.8 and in 800 at 3:20.5, Madelyn Binning fourth in two-mile at 14:49 and sixth in mile, Serrano fourth in the shot at 23-1.

May 10th, 2012

News

Rural Post Offices taken off the chopping block

A decision this week rescinds the closure of several of Modoc’s Small Post Offices, which had been on the chopping block this year.
The U.S. Postal Service announced a new strategy Wednesday that could keep the nation’s smallest Post Offices open for business, while providing a framework to achieve significant cost savings as part of the plan to return the organization to financial stability.
The plan would keep the existing Post Office in place, but with modified retail window hours to match customer use. Access to the retail lobby and to PO Boxes would remain unchanged, and the town’s ZIP Code and community identity would be retained.
The details for local Post Offices have not been released, but most are breathing a sigh of relief this week. There were several meeting in Modoc’s communities, and those meetings showed serious opposition to the closure of the Post Offices.

Secure Schools funding may be victim of U.S. House politics

The Secure Rural Schools and Communities funding may end up as another victim of the dysfunctional U.S. House of Representatives. At this point, its reauthorization is doubtful to remotely possible.
Modoc’s Resource Analyst Sean Curtis told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday that there may be one hope, and it’s a long shot.
A one-year reauthorization of Secure Schools funding was attached to the Senate Transportation Bill passed by Senate in March with a strong vote of 74-22. The House has not passed the entire bill, which could put millions of people back to work, and secure the school funding. Instead, the House passed a 90-day extension of the transportation bill that did not include the school funds.
Curtis told the Board that their only hope is that once the two bills get to conference committee, the Secure Schools funding in the Senate bill might survive. But in what form is highly uncertain. The compromise may come out of conference before the June recess. Curtis felt if the compromise is not reached in conference, its approval would not happen this year.

County favors special white goose hunt

White geese may be in for a shock if local farmers have their way, with support from the Modoc County Board of Supervisors and other agencies.
On Tuesday, the Board approved a letter supporting the Modoc Fish, Game and Recreation Commission efforts to establish an early winter/spring white goose depredation hunt in Northeastern California. White geese are defined as either snow geese or white-fronted geese.
Approval of that hunt would have to come from state or federal agencies before implementation.

Dewey McGarva still missing; reward offered

Dewey Dink McGarva is still missing.  There is a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the discovery of Dewey MaGarva's whereabouts.  According to Modoc Sheriff Mike Poindexter, Dewey was reported missing on March 2, 2012. His vehicle was found abandoned on County Road One just north of Cedarville.
Poindexter says there is no solid evidence of foul play, but the case is being treated as very suspicious.
McGarva is described as a Native American male, 36 years old, 5'11”, weighing about 175 pounds. Dewey has a tattoo of a Buffalo Skull on his left arm and “Pit River” on his back. The Fort Bidwell Indian Tribe, the Pit River Tribe and the Modoc County Sheriff’s Office, all to no avail, have conducted several exhaustive searches.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the Modoc County Sheriff's Office at 530-233-4416 or call Yogi McGarva at 530-722-7570. Callers can remain anonymous.

Obituaries:

Dean Neer
Dean Neer was born October 18, 1933, to parents John C. and Katie Steele Neer. He was 78 when he died May 3.
Services were held Wednesday, May 9 at Kerr Chapel in Alturas. Burial followed at the Alturas Cemetery.

Kathleen A. Borovac
Kathleen Ann Borovac, 55, of Cedarville, CA died in Portland, OR on May 6, 2012, from liver cancer. She was born May 4, 1957. Kathleen was a resident of Modoc County for the past six years and she loved the open space, solitude and beautiful vistas of Surprise Valley. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the High Plateau Humane Society.

Service for Larry DeHaven
Memorial services will be held May 12 at 1 p.m. at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 310 North Street, Alturas. Larry DeHaven, age 74, passed away April 14, 2012, at home in Alturas, CA.

Sports

Brave golfers win second CIF title

Modoc High’s Golf Team won its second consecutive NSCIF Division II Section Championship yesterday at Grizzly Ranch near Portola.
Bradley Widby had a personal best score and led all team and individual players with a 76.  Jonathan Morgan and Matthew Weber both had fine performances with a 79 each.  Alan Weber played very well for his first time in playoff competition. 
“We defeated Weed High School by 43 strokes and both teams advance to the NSCIF Masters Championship next Tuesday at Lake Shastina Golf Course near Weed,” said coach Harold Montague.
The Division II results are: Modoc-410, Weed-453, Trinity-460, Sutter-468 and Durham-553. Modoc Team Scores: Widby-76, Jonathan Morgan-79, Matthew Weber-79, Alan Weber-87, Trent McQuarrie-89 and Alex McQuarrie-100

Brave girls make playoffs

The North Section CIF Softball Playoff seeding meeting is Saturday. Coach Jodie Larranaga expects the Braves will host a first round game May 15. That has yet to be confirmed.
Modoc’s softball team won the first game against Weed last Friday but lost the second.
In the opener, Morgan Bagwell got the win 8-5, giving up five hits, striking out four and walking three. Modoc made just one error in the game.
Errors and walks cemented the Braves loss in the second game 6-5. Modoc gave up just one earned run.
The Braves beat Lakeview 8-1 in a non-league game May 2.
The Braves beat Burney Tuesday 18-3 in the first game with Bagwell getting the win
King got the win in the second game allowing three hits, struck out five and walked none.

Baseball team takes pair from Weed

Modoc’s baseball team qualified for the North Section Playoffs with an away game Friday. Coach Tim MacDonnell said the Braves were seeded five and travel to East Nicolaus Friday, with game time set for 4 p.m.
The Weed Cougars fell victim to the Modoc Braves baseball team 17-5 and 7-2 last Friday. Those wins vaulted the Braves into the playoff picture.
They beat Lakeview last week 5-1.
In the first game against Burney, the Braves had no trouble winning in five innings 15-0.
Modoc had to go seven to win the second game, 12-6.

May 17th, 2012

News

County meeting with state controller goes well

Monday’s meeting between Modoc County officials and the State Controller’s Office in Sacramento on the County’s “pay ourselves back” financial restoration plan went well, according to County Auditor Darcy Locken.
“They, of course, made it clear that they don't have the authority to approve or disapprove the plan, but that they thought it was reasonable,” Locken said. “They commended us for having a comprehensive solution as opposed to the push for what they considered a one-sided plan.  They asked some questions about the amount and how we got to it, and lots of questions about the audits and when the next one was coming.”
A team of six people presented the plan to the State Controller’s Office: Board Chairperson Patricia Cantrall, Chief Administrative Officer Chester Robertson, Auditor Darcy Locken, Treasurer Cheryl Knoch, Supervisor Geri Byrne and County Counsel John Kenny.
More information is expected from Robertson next week.

Gas prices going down? Not here

While gas prices nationally are trending down, there was a .13 cent increase in Alturas last week with regular unleaded at $4.45 to $4.49. That compares to the national average of $3.73.
Filling up with 20 gallons would now cost $74.60 nationally, but Modoc that cost goes to $89.
The latest survey by gasbuddy.com show gas prices have risen more than 13 cents per gallon in the last week in several parts of the northstate. The average now stands at $4.24 a gallon.
But the national average is dropping, down about 3.3 cents per gallon in the last week. The national average has dropped from $3.89 a month ago and from $3.93 last year at this time.

Building slow for April

Overall building activity in Modoc County and the City of Alturas remained slow for the month of April.
The City issued 10 building permits worth an estimated $47,700. A new garage amounted for about half of the value.
The County issued nine permits in April with an estimated value of $118,719. A one bed, one bath home amounted to $72,000 for the total and an addition to a home accounted for nearly $29,000.
In March, the County issued seven permits valued at $54,000.

Wolf OR-7 finds way to Modoc, hangs with coyotes

The wandering and somewhat famous gray wolf OR-7 has been in southwest Modoc County near Adin since April 27, and he’s been hanging out with a group of coyotes.
Department of Fish and Game Biologist Richard Shinn, who is stationed in Modoc, snapped what’s believed to be only the second picture taken of the wolf as it was rushing through the hillside sagebrush.
Shinn’s photograph has gone nationwide, as it has appeared in major newspapers and on national websites.
DFG experts said that wolves running with coyotes is unusual, but it’s not unheard of for transient gray wolves to befriend coyotes or domestic dogs, possibly because they’re lonely.

Obituary

Emma Fae Stanley
Memorial services for Emma Fae Crew Stanley of Alturas, will be held May 20, 2012 at 12 noon at the Seventh Day Adventist Church on Second and Rine Streets, Alturas, CA. A dinner and time of fellowship will follow at about 1 p.m.
Mrs. Stanley passed away on March 29, 2012, in Nampa, Idaho. She was just two months shy of her 89th birthday.
She was born Emma Fae Smith to Francis Marie (Green) and Gerald Alfred Smith in Taylorsville, CA on May 29, 1923.
Donations in her memory may be directed to The Art Center, 317 So. Main St., Alturas, CA 96101.

Robert H. Riley
Robert H. Riley passed away on May 14, 2012, in Alturas, CA. A Rosary for Bob will be held on Monday, May 21 at 7 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Alturas. A service will be held Tuesday, May 22 at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Alturas. Following will be a graveside service and a reception at the Church Parish Hall on East Fourth Street.
Mr. Riley was born in Durand, Wisconsin on August 20, 1920, to Peter Riley and Ann (Pittman). 

Sports

Braves third in Golf Masters

Modoc’s golf team finished in third behind Pleasant Valley (Chico) and Enterprise (Redding) high schools. 
“Our players didn’t perform as well as we had hoped for shooting a 425, a score about 20 strokes higher than we are accustomed to playing,” said coach Harold Montague. “Matt Weber played very well and missed out on a playoff for the final individual selection to advance to the NorCal Championship next Monday.  Although the players were disappointed in their final match score we had a wonderful season and saw a lot of improvement along the way.”
Modoc loses Trent McQuarrie and Bradley Widby to graduation this year, but look to return a strong team next year.

Braves beat Weed, head to Mt. Shasta

Modoc’s softball team beat the Weed Cougars easily 12-2 Tuesday, but now head to a tougher animal in the Mt. Shasta Bears.
Morgan Bagwell got the win, going five innings, allowing three hits, walked five and struck out seven.
Courtney Knoch went 4-4 with a double and two triples, while Telese Dowdy was 3-4 with a double and two triples. Cheyenne King and Valerie Froeming were each 2-2.
Mt. Shasta is the number one seed in the tourney and sports some of the best pitching in the northstate.
“I’m very pleased with where the Braves are at right now and if they come out and play ball like they have been, we will do very well,” said coach Jodie Larranaga.

Braves lose opening round game 6-3

The Modoc Braves baseball team had trouble hitting against East Nicolaus May 11, and lost the opening North Section CIF playoff 6-3.
East Nicolaus took a 1-0 lead in the second inning and after Modoc tied it in the third, added another run. East Nicolaus scored two more in the fifth and the sixth while Modoc added a pair of runs in the seventh.
The Braves managed just two hits in the game, one by Brett Boudreaux and the other by Jonathan Jones. As a team they struck out 13 times and earned seven walks.
Boudreaux got the loss for Modoc, going five innings, allowing six runs, two earned, on five hits, two walks and he struck out three. Blake Williams relieved, going one inning and allowed no runs, no hits and no walks.
“I’m extremely proud of these young men,” said coach Tim MacDonnell. “They came a long way this year. Even though the season did not end the way we had hoped, these guys showed a ton of pride and dignity the entire way.”
The Braves finish the season with an 8-11 overall record and a 5-5 Shasta Cascade League mark.

May 24th, 2012

News

Cattle truck tries High Grade, cows killed

Anyone who has driven the road from Fort Bidwell to High Grade or Lily Lake can truthfully say it is a challenge to navigate. Many believe that driving to Cedarville and then up highway 395, almost a hundred miles, is faster than attempting the 17 miles of steep, one lane dirt road. Driving a cattle truck up the road is not advised.
Backing up the mountain side road in order to pull the cattle truck out requires great skill.
On Saturday May 19 one of three trucks carrying Texas Longhorn cattle from Soldier Meadows Ranch in Nevada to Ontario, Oregon missed the turn onto State Highway 299 in Cedarville. Continuing north through Fort Bidwell the cattle truck took County Road Two which leads to High Grade, Lily Lake and New Pine Creek. It is a one-lane dirt road and apparently the driver did not see the two signs that said it was not a truck route or the sign stating there were sharp curves ahead.
The driver encountered mud and snow on the road but continued on until he could not make a sharp turn. The road gave way and the loaded cattle truck slipped off the road’s edge. The wheels on the right side of the truck and trailer were more than two feet in the air and the left side’s wheels were over the edge toward the canyon.

Man drowns in Blue Lake

A Petaluma man, Nicolas Wells, 20, drowned in Blue Lake May 18, according to the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office.
According to Lassen Sheriff Sergeant Kevin Jones, his department along with emergency medical resources responded to a report of a possible drowning at Blue Lake May 18, about 9 p.m.
Upon arrival, Sheriff’s personnel discovered Wells had been pulled from the water after being discovered completely submerged in the lake. Sheriff’s personnel pronounced Wells deceased at the scene.

Modoc National Forest campgrounds open

Campgrounds across the Modoc National Forest are scheduled to open for Memorial Day weekend, except for those in the Medicine Lake area and Willow Creek Campground in Big Valley.   These campgrounds are scheduled to open for the July 4th weekend, but could be delayed by weather and water system repairs.
Most of the campgrounds on the Warner Mountain, Devil’s Garden and Big Valley Ranger Districts are now accessible to vehicle traffic. Changes in weather conditions may cause some of the more remote campgrounds to be inaccessible.
 Please check conditions prior to traveling to these sites and use caution, as the roads are still soft. Vehicles pulling trailers often have early season issues and may be difficult to maneuver or create resource damage in the more remote campgrounds.
Blue Lake, Mill Creek, Soup Springs and Howard’s Gulch campgrounds have drinking water available and fees are $6.00 to $7.00 per night. Please check campground kiosks for current water advisories. 
 For more information on recreation and current road conditions, please call any of the following Forest offices: Supervisor’s Office, 530-233-5811; Warner Mountain Ranger District, 530-279-6116; Big Valley Ranger District, 530-299-3215; Doublehead Ranger District, 530-667-2246.

Firewood season opens on MNF

Fuelwood season on the Modoc National Forest opened May 16. Fuelwood permits are available at Ranger District offices in Cedarville, Adin and Tulelake. Permits are also available at the Forest Supervisor’s office in Alturas.
Recent weather patterns have dried roads and soils sufficiently to allow use by fuelwood cutters. However, heavy local precipitation can result in muddy roads and soft soils, which should be avoided to protect resources.

Public meeting set for SR299 upgrade in City

The long studied and long-waited renovation of State Route 299 (12th Street) in Alturas is getting nearer the construction phases.
Caltrans, the City of Alturas and the Modoc County Local Transportation Commission are holding a public workshop at City Hall June 5, 1:30 p.m. on the project. The actual project goes from the city limits near Mill Street to Main Street.
The timeline for the project is as follows: environmental approvals August 2012; design completion August 2013; right-of-way certification August 2013; begin construction April 2014; construction completed November 2014.
Public comments may be addressed to Caltrans District 2, attention Eric Akana, Project Manager, P.O. Box 496073 Redding, Ca. 96049-6073.

Obituaries:

Robert Riley
Robert H. Riley passed away on May 14, 2012, in Alturas, CA. A Rosary for Bob was held on Monday, May 21 at 7 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Alturas. A service will be held Tuesday, May 22 at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Alturas. Following will be a graveside service and a reception at the Church Parish Hall on East Fourth Street.
Mr. Riley was born in Durand, Wisconsin on August 20, 1920, to Peter Riley and Ann (Pittman).

Geneva Hess Barlese
Geneva Hess Barlese was born April 21, 1921, in Likely, Calif., to Ed and Ethel Hess. She made heaven her home on May 9, 2012, in Klamath Falls, Oregon, with family at her side.
A Celebration of Life Service was held at 1p.m. on Monday, May 14, 2012, at Klamath Full Gospel Church with Christian Lent officiating at 3206 Onyx Ave. Following, a traditional wake at sundown at the Modoc Full Gospel Church in Alturas, Calif. with services at 10 a.m. on Tuesday with Maynard McCloud officiating.
Interment at the Likely Cemetery in Likely, Calif.  Funeral arrangements managed by Davenports Chapel of the Good Shepherd.

Sports

Braves fall to Mt. Shasta Bears

Modoc just couldn’t put their bats on the ball against Mt. Shasta’s pitching last week, losing the second North Section CIF playoff game 10-0. The Bears were favored to win the section Division Five title, but lost to Colusa 4-3 in a 12-inning game.
Modoc’s Jodi Boudreaux, Kristen Reed and Cheyenne King each had one hit for the Braves. King got the loss on the mound, giving up six hits; four walks and struck out two.
“Unfortunately this just wasn’t our game,” said coach Jodie Larranaga. “We played a decent game, but our errors were unusual for the players who made them and they came at the worst times. In the first inning our defense got their first batter out and we intentionally walked Mt. Shasta’s homerun hitter, Kayla Spini. We had an infield error on the next hit and the third batter hit a ball between our fielders, scoring both of those girls.”
The Braves held tough the next two innings, but in the fourth there were several errors that allowed Mt. Shasta to pull away.
“We were hitting the ball, but right at someone and just couldn’t catch a break in the game,” said Larranaga. “I was disappointed simply in the fact that I knew we could have given them a way better game, but overall I’m very pleased with our season. Mt. Shasta was a strong team. Our overall record was 17-6 finishing second in league.”
Modoc will lose some of its key players to graduation this year: King, Monicah Eppler, Telese Dowdy and Dorothy Long. Larranaga expects next year’s squad to be very tough as well.
Modoc’s King, Eppler, and Lydia Vass earned All-League honors with Courtney Knoch receiving honorable mention. The Most Valuable Player award went to Mt. Shasta’s Spini and the Coach of the Year went to the Bears Joe Spini.

Modoc league track results

The junior varsity girls and boys both won Shasta Cascade League titles at the league meet this month.
Individual placing and times are as follows with varsity included:
 Brandon Witherspoon-JV
1st in the 100 with a time of 11.54
1st in the 200 with a time of 25.03
1st in the long jump with a jump of 18-00
1st in the 400 with a time of 57.06
Jeremy Brandsted-V
1st in the shot put with a throw of 41-6
1st in the discus with a throw of 120-0
Jesse Holloway-JV
1st in the discus with a throw of 107-0
1st in the triple jump with a  jump of 40-0
1st in the high jump with a jump of 5-4
2nd in the long jump with a jump of 17-5
Claudia Serrano –JV
1st in the shot put with a throw of 24-5
1st in the discus with a  throw of 80-07
1st in the 200 with a time of 32.54
 Stephanie Gouveia-JV
1st in the 1600 with a time of 6:40
1st in the 800 with a time of  3:16
 Madelyn Binning-JV
1st in the 3200 with a time of 15:38
2nd in the 1600 with a time of 6:58
2nd in the discus with a throw of 59-0
2nd in the shot put with a throw of 21-01
Casey Burns-JV
3rd in the 200 with a time of 33.96
Courtney Yamagiwa-V
2nd in the 110 hurdles with a time of 19.25
3rd in the 300 hurdles with a time of 59.27
 Michael Blankenship-JV
1st in the 1600 with a time of 5:52
3rd in the 800 with a time of 2:40
Tim Prisco-JV
2nd in the 1600 with a time of 6:09
1st in the 3200 with a time of 13:29
Daniel Martin-V
3rd in the 3200 with a time of 11:47
Allen Clark –JV
1st in the shot put with a throw of 33-7
3rd in the discus with a throw of 79-0
Taylor McPeek-V
2nd in the 110 hurdles with a time of 21.8
2nd in the 300 hurdles with a time of 58.95
Jose Perez-V
3rd in the 300 hurdles with a time of 59.95

May 31st, 2012

News

Primary election to decide local, state, fed spots

Voters in Modoc will go to the polls June 5 to decide three Modoc County Supervisor, three Alturas City Council positions and several state and federal offices in the primary election.
There are three candidates challenging incumbent Supervisor Shorty Crabtree in District Four: Jim Wills, Pam Owens and Dave Naylor. In order to win the seat Tuesday, a candidate will have to win 50 percent of the vote plus one. If no one wins a majority there would be a run-off between the top two in November.
In District Two, incumbent Jeff Bullock is facing a challenger from John Pedersen. Mike Conrad is running as a write-in.
Retiring District Three seat of Patricia Cantrall will be taken by Kathie Alves, who was unopposed in the election.
Incumbent City Councilpersons Bobby Ray, John Schreiber and Cheryl Nelson are all running for re-election with Jim Irvin challenging for a seat. The top three in that election will win seats. City Clerk Cary Baker is running unopposed for another term.
While much of Modoc is now mail-in ballot, there are several areas where the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 5. The polling places are Cedarville Fairgrounds Restaurant for Cedarville; Surprise Valley Electric for North Fork; Alturas City Hall for Alturas A, B and D, and Hot Spring; the Eighth Street CDF Station for Alturas C; Cal Pines Lodge for California Pines; the Newell Caltrans Yard for Newell.

BLM names Burke acting manager of Cedarville Office

The U. S. Bureau of Land Management has announced that Tim Burke, manager of the agency’s Alturas Field Office, has been appointed acting manager for the neighboring Surprise Field Office in Cedarville, Calif.
Burke will fill in behind Allen Bollschweiler, who left the Surprise Field Office manager position to become manager of the BLM Grants Pass, Ore. field office.  Burke will retain his responsibilities managing the BLM Alturas Field Office while he provides management support in Cedarville.
Initially, Burke will be in the Cedarville office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and in the Alturas office during the same hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Public meeting set for SR299 upgrade in City

Caltrans, the City of Alturas and the Modoc County Local Transportation Commission are holding a public workshop at the Sheriff’s Annex June 5, 1:30 p.m. on the State Route 299 (12th Street) project. The actual project goes from the city limits near Mill Street to Main Street.
What’s proposed is adding eight-foot shoulders from Bonner Street to Oak Street to accommodate bikes and pedestrians and widen the roadway for a future turn pocket between the Department of Agriculture and Bureau of Land Management offices. Placing asphalt concrete within the Caltans right-of-way from Juniper to Main Street to improve drainage and installing two new culverts, extending existing drains and adjusting existing drains is also in the plan.
In addition, the proposal calls for installing new LED type warning heads and new concrete panels at the railroad crossing and upgrading the intersections as needed. The road would be widened for installation of a left turn pocket at Thomason Street and a pedestrian crossing would be added. The entire section of road would get an asphalt overlay.
The timeline for the project is as follows: environmental approvals August 2012; design completion August 2013; right-of-way certification August 2013; begin construction April 2014; construction completed November 2014.
Public comments may be addressed to Caltrans District 2, attention Eric Akana, Project Manager, P.O. Box 496073 Redding, Ca. 96049-6073.

CAL FIRE declares fire season

The Lassen-Modoc-Plumas Unit (LMU) of CAL FIRE will officially declare the opening of wildfire season Monday, June 4th.  This announcement is made each year to remind residents that as the weather warms, fire risks increase.
CAL FIRE is prepared for emergencies year round, but during the summer months there is an increased threat and workload driven by wildfires. On June 4th, CAL FIRE will bring back their first round of seasonal firefighters and staff additional engines to meet the increasing fire threat.  By July 2nd all fire stations in LMU will be fully staffed.
CAL FIRE encourages residents to continue working to create 100 feet of defensible space around their homes.   Defensible space is essential to improve your home’s chance of surviving a wildfire.  It’s the buffer you create between a building on your property and the grass, trees, shrubs and any wildland areas that surround it.
This space is needed to slow or stop the spread of wildfire and for the protection of firefighters defending your home.
Though fire restrictions are not currently in effect, residents need to be safe with fire and pay attention to conditions that will begin drying out as we move into the summer months.  Permits for outdoor burning have been required since May 1st.  Those permits will be suspended on July 1st which is just around the corner.
Additional safety steps and information on how to improve the survivability of your home during a wildfire can be found at www.ReadyforWildfire.org.

Sports

1st Sportsman’s Expo runs this weekend

The first Modoc Sportsman’s and Outdoor Expo is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the Desert Rose Casino Event Center, and it’s attracting plenty of interest.
Admission is free to the event, which runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Modoc Outdoor Recreation and Tourism (MORT) group is running the event.
“Every federal agency, outdoor type group and organization, plus many private individuals are exhibiting at this expo,” said Lorissa Soriano, the MORT organizer.
The Expo is billed as free fun for the entire family and coincides with the Alturas Rotary Fish Derby, which is held Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Pine Creek Reservoir.
There will be demonstrations and contests such as: Ducks Unlimited duck calling contest, inflatable BB gun shoot by the National Wild Turkey Federation, an Iron Horse packing demonstration by the Back Country Horsemen, an atlatyl throwing contest by the BLM, a portable cave from the Lava Beds to explore, an archery shoot by the Fish and Game, a bird walk by the Modoc Public Health, drunk goggles from the CHP, a star lab by the RISE/MESA group, fly fishing demonstrations and other events.
Prizes will be donated by various groups.
There are several booths and organizations which will be represented at the Expo and all are designed to promote Modoc County’s wealth of unspoiled outdoor recreation and tourism possibilities.
Some of the other entities involved are the Surprise Valley Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Forest Service, California Department of Fish and Game, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Modoc Sheriff, High Plateau Humane Society, Pit River Rod and Gun Club, the River Center and Modoc Museum, Alturas Rifle and Pistol Club, and many local businesses.

Braves make All-star softball team

Telese Dowdy, Cheyenne King, and Monica Eppler have been selected to the North team for the 7th annual George Hibdon Classic high school all-star softball game to be played in Chico's Hooker Oak Recreation Area on Saturday, June 2 at 6 p.m.
The game, along with a boys all-star baseball game the next day at noon in the same complex, is sponsored by the Chico Breakfast Lions Club. Each team has 18 players. North coach is Joe Spini of Mt. Shasta. North players come from Red Bluff to the Oregon border. South players come from communities south of Red Bluff and through the Yuba City-Marysville area.

Modoc National Forest campgrounds open

Campgrounds across the Modoc National Forest were open for Memorial Day weekend, except for those in the Medicine Lake area and Willow Creek Campground in Big Valley.  
These campgrounds are scheduled to open for the July 4th weekend, but could be delayed by weather and water system repairs.
Most of the campgrounds on the Warner Mountain, Devil’s Garden and Big Valley Ranger Districts are now accessible to vehicle traffic. Changes in weather conditions may cause some of the more remote campgrounds to be inaccessible.
 Please check conditions prior to traveling to these sites and use caution, as the roads are still soft. Vehicles pulling trailers often have early season issues and may be difficult to maneuver or create resource damage in the more remote campgrounds.
Blue Lake, Mill Creek, Soup Springs and Howard’s Gulch campgrounds have drinking water available and fees are $6.00 to $7.00 per night. Please check campground kiosks for current water advisories. 
 For more information on recreation and current road conditions, please call any of the following Forest offices: Supervisor’s Office, 530-233-5811; Warner Mountain Ranger District, 530-279-6116; Big Valley Ranger District, 530-299-3215; Doublehead Ranger District, 530-667-2246.

June 7th, 2012

News

County incumbents lose in June 5 election

There will be three new people on the Modoc County Board of Supervisors in January as incumbents Jeff Bullock and Shorty Crabtree lost heavily in Tuesday’s election and Patricia Cantrall chose to retire.
The results released Wednesday are unofficial, and there are some provisional ballots remaining to be counted. The official results will be out in about a week.
In Crabtree’s District Four, a November run-off election will be held between front-runner Jim Wills who got 48.8 percent of the vote with 264 votes and Pam Owens who received 29.21 percent of the vote, 158 votes. Wills needed 50 percent plus one vote to avoid a run-off. There were 541 total votes, so he would have needed 272 to win outright, an eight-vote margin.
Crabtree picked up just 81 votes on Tuesday, 14.97 percent, and Dave Naylor received 36 votes, or 6.65 percent.
In Supervisor District Three, John Pedersen bested incumbent Jeff Bullock with 350 votes (67.83 percent) to Bullock’s 157 (30.43 percent). Pedersen will be seated in January.
In District Three, Kathie Alves was running unopposed for Cantrall’s seat and received 427 votes or 95.74 percent. She will also be seated in January.
The Alturas City Council will get a new face as Jim Irvin was elected. Incumbent councilmember Bobby Ray led the pack with 463 votes, incumbent Cheryl Nelson received 422, Irvin 401 and incumbent John Schreiber 313.
City Clerk Cary Baker was unopposed and received 99.15 percent of the vote, 586. They will all take their seats at the next City Council meeting June 12.

Telehealth now enhances MMC’s services

The new state-of-the-art digital telehealth equipment has arrived at Modoc Medical Center. 
Following special staff training from UC Davis and Connecting to Care, Telehealth services are now being used at MMC’s Family Practice Clinic and will soon be in service at Warnerview, MMC’s Emergency Room and Acute Care Services. 
“We had our first telehealth consult last week,” said Monica Hays, Clinical Site Coordinator and Discharge Clerk.  “The new equipment allows the specialist and the patient to see each other over a large monitor screen and discuss the patient’s health issues in real time.”
The new telehealth equipment works over medical grade broadband and uses the latest software technology.  “We have the capability to set up a connection to any specialist who has an IP address,” added Hays.  “To make a connection with a specialist, we simply dial in a number and patch into them.”
The new equipment replaces the older outdated equipment that MMC has had since the early 1990’s.
The California Telehealth Network (CTN) is an enterprise of health care sites connected through a broadband network.  These sites were started in a large part by the University of California Office of the President and UC Davis Health System.  In 2007, the Federal Communications Commission provided the university with a $23 million grant to improve health care access in rural and underserved communities in California through a medical-grade telecommunications system.

Modoc sucker under endangered review

The Modoc sucker now listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as endangered is being considered for reclassification under the Endangered Species Act.
A status review will be done over the next year to determine if the fish could be downlisted to threatened or possibly delisted. A downgrade or delisting would be greeted as welcome news by much of Modoc and Lake County’s agriculture communities.
Modoc suckers are small, usually less than six inches standard length, with short heads and small eyes. The elevational range of the Modoc sucker is from about 4,200 to 5,000 feet in the upper Pit River drainage (Ash and Turner Creeks) and from about 4,700 to 5,800 feet in the Goose Lake sub-basin. Cover consists of overhanging banks, larger rocks, woody debris, and aquatic rooted vegetation or filamentous algae. Larvae occupy shallow, vegetated margins and juveniles tend to remain free-swimming in the shallows of large pools, particularly near vegetated areas, while larger juveniles and adults remain mostly on, or close to, the bottom.
The Fish and Wildlife Service has announced a 90-day finding on a petition to delist the Modoc sucker under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended.

RAC meets in SV June 13

The Bureau of Land Management’s Northeast California Resource Advisory Council will discuss wide-ranging natural resource conservation issues, June 13 and 14, in Cedarville.
On June 13, the council will convene at 10 a.m. at the BLM Surprise Field Office, 602 Cressler St., and depart for a field tour of public lands.  Members of the public are welcome.  They must provide their own transportation in high clearance vehicles suitable for off-highway travel.
On June 14, the RAC meeting convenes at 8 a.m. in the Catholic Church Parish Hall, corner of Bonner and Garfield Streets.   The meeting is open to the public, with time for public comment at 11 a.m.  Anyone is welcome to address the council.  A time limit could be established to accommodate all speakers.
Agenda items include an update on wild horse management plans, information on geothermal development proposals in the Medicine Lake Highlands, discussion about the BLM’s draft socioeconomic strategy, a report on major projects in the Eagle Lake Field Office and a discussion about public land access policies as described in the BLM’s resource management plans.

Obituary:

Beverly “Sugie” Cox
Ft. Bidwell resident Beverly “Sugie” Laverne Cox passed away on May 29, 2012, in Redding, CA. Services will be held on Saturday, June 23 at 10 a.m. at the Ft. Bidwell Community Church with a celebration of life and potluck to follow at the Ft. Bidwell Civic Center.
She was born August 23, 1951, to Bud and Betty Whetzel in Southern California.

Sports

The fish were biting, big turnout for Kids’ Fish Derby

The fish were very hungry during the Alturas Rotary’s 63rd Annual Fish Derby with about 100 youngsters providing plenty of food for them.
The weather cooperated for the morning of June 2 during the two-hour event at Pine Creek Reservoir. Eighty-five fish were caught with youngsters happily running back and forth from their favorite spot to the weighing station. The first boy to catch a fish was Dakota Evangel, reeling in a nice 12 inch, 10-ounce beauty. He was quickly followed by the first girl to catch a fish, Haley Stout who landed a very nice one pounder, measuring 14 inches long.
Seth Cabarlo caught the largest fish for a boy weighing a whopping one pound, six ounces and 15-1/2 inches long. Jayla Howard was proud of her catch, largest for a girl, coming in at one pound, four ounces and 15-1/2 inches long.
Several children limited out, with Quentin Tramontanas reaching his limit first, followed by Kelly Mitchell, who was the first girl to reach her limit. When asked what bait she used, Kelly said it was Garlic Power Bait.
Tickets were drawn for new bikes with Shaun Warren winning the boy’s bike and Lilyana Lauppe, the proud winner of the girl’s bike.

Outdoor Expo highlights massive Modoc potential

Nearly all of the 800 people attending the 1st Annual Modoc Outdoor Sportsman’s Expo stepped into the building and gasped. Dominating the center of the building was the Wall, 64 feet long and a magnificent reminder of what, through the years, has made Modoc County a destination point for thousands. Approximately 40 trophy sized deer and antelope mounts were on display.
“These hunters were gracious enough to share their prize mounts and then hang around to talk about them,” said Lorissa Soriano, coordinator of the event.
Vendors, primarily of the outdoor sports variety, lined the room selling their wares or booking guided hunts and trips. Government agencies displayed their materials and talked about special points of interest.
Outside there were events for young and old throughout the days. A horse packing clinic with camping and cooking demonstrations, archery lessons and target practice, a ‘real hunt’, spear and atlatyl throwing, a drunk goggle demonstration, cave exploring, duck and elk calling and more vendors.
The casino set up an outdoor restaurant next to the activities.
 “This event was a huge success and next year it will be even better. We had lots of volunteers and participants helping to make this event one to remember. Visitors came from several different states just to see what we had to offer in the way of recreation,” said Soriano.

June 14th, 2012

News

County will get through year financially

Modoc County will get through the fiscal year in relatively good shape, according to Tuesday’s report by Auditor Darcy Locken.
“Overall the numbers look substantially better than last year at this time,” she said. “I especially like the change in the General Fund cash balance compared to this time in 2008/09.”
The General Fund showed a negative $1,783,832 in 2008-09, while this year the balance ass a positive $1,228,838. In addition, this year is even better than last year’s balance of $944,596.
Locken said there were some department budgets that are on the edge, but overall she feels the County will get through this year in better shape.
“I’m not panicking, and if I were panicking, you’d know it,” she told the Board of Supervisors.
She said what the County has been doing since the budget crisis unfolded is working, and the staff and Department heads should take some solace in the fact that all of their sacrifices have not been in vain.
“This shows that what we’ve been doing has been effective,” she said. “Everyone knows we’re t--- but it’s working and we’re going to have to keep doing what we’re doing.”

SV soldier wounded in Afghanistan

Cedarville’s Sue Harmon got the call the evening of Thursday, June 7.
Her son Jon, a 2011 graduate of Surprise Valley High School serving with the 82 Airborne, 473 Cavalry, had been severely injured by an IED while on foot patrol in the Maiwand District in the Kandahar Valley of Afghanistan.
Private First Class Jonathan Harmon, 19, was quickly evacuated to an Army hospital where his right leg was amputated just above the knee. Following a second surgery to repair significant damage to his left leg, he was quickly evacuated to a military hospital in Germany where a third surgery was planned for Wednesday.
“The first time we talked, he told me ‘I lost a leg, Mom, but I still have another one, so don’t worry about me’,” said his mother. “One of his nurses later told me she’s never had a patient with such a positive spirit!”
The explosion shattered bones in Harmon’s left leg and damaged a major artery, but Army surgeons hold out hope the leg will be restored. “He was able to move his toes and actually has some feeling in the leg now,” said Sue on Monday. By Tuesday, the color in his lower leg had pretty much returned to normal.
Harmon was part of a foot patrol setting up a perimeter in a village outside a remote outpost in the Kandahar Valley when the incident happened.

County aims to take tough stand against wolf

The Modoc County Board of Supervisors heard an impassioned plea from Big Valley ranchers Gary and Nancy Monchamp Tuesday, asking the County to help stop any thought of reintroduction of the gray wolf into Modoc.
The discussion was sparked by a gray wolf, OR7, that was in the Adin area May 21. He moved into Lassen County May 23 and continued into northern Plumas County May 30 and the Western Plumas June 1. On June 4, he was back in southwestern Lassen County, and still on the move.
OR7 is the only known gray wolf in California and came from Oregon on his zigzag trail across the northeast corner of California. The wolf has gained notoriety over the past few months as news media from across the nation picked up the story of the wandering wolf.
The Monchamps were adamant in their stance that Modoc should take action to stop any possible plan to establish a wolf population in the county, citing environmental organizations and federal and state agencies, who they believe are intent on reintroducing the wolf. Agencies deny that allegation.
At one point in the conversation, a suggestion was made that the County pass an ordinance prohibiting establishing a wolf population or even against any wolf being in the County. How that would jell with state and federal law is a major hurdle since the wolf is considered an endangered species.

Fight ends in serious stabbing injuries

A fight during a June 9 party at a residence at 509 South Main Street, Alturas resulted in one person arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and another in the hospital with serious stab wounds.
While witnesses, the perpetrator and the victim gave similar but conflicting stories about what happened, Alturas Chief of Police Ken Barnes said there was little doubt as to who did the stabbing and who got stabbed.
Barnes said there were some apparent racial tensions during the party, which led to Eduardo Guerrero and Arlen Gonzales getting into a physical fight, with others involved, about 3:30 a.m. outside the residence.
Barnes said the whole incident involves mutual combat, but Guerrero allegedly pulled a knife during the fight and stabbed Gonzales five times in the back, three times in the chest and cut him in several others areas.

Obituaries:

Ruth (Jay) Holloway
Long time Alturas resident Ruth Naomi (Jay) Holloway, 81, passed away peacefully Sunday evening, June 10, 2012, with loved ones near her bedside at Warnerview Skilled Nursing Facility in Alturas, CA, where she had been a resident since the end of November 2011.
Inurnment by her husband Charlie will take place at 11 a.m. July 13 at the Alturas Cemetery. A celebration of life and time of  fellowship will begin at 4 p.m. Friday, July 13 on the Alturas Elks Lodge patio/barbecue grounds.
The family appreciates the compassionate care given Ruth by Warnerview staff. Contributions may be directed to Warnerview Skilled Nursing Facility @ Modoc Medical Center, 225 W. McDowell, Alturas, CA 9610 (this is Warnerview’s address) for the benefit of current and future residents.

Marilyn Wilson-Draper
The Wilson/Draper family lost their beloved matriarch Marilyn (Sloss) Louise Wilson-Draper, 79 years old of Placerville, California on May 29, 2012. She passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by loved ones.
Originally from Modoc County, born to Maude and Warren “Butch” Sloss in Alturas, California on April 30, 1933.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on June 14, 2012 at the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS at 3275 Cedar Ravine Road, Placerville, CA 95667.

Sugie Cox
Services for Beverly “Sugie” Laverne Cox will be held on Saturday, June 23 at 10 a.m. at the Ft. Bidwell Community Church, with a celebration of life and potluck to follow at the Ft. Bidwell Civic Center.

Sports

Special Olympics had good results
By De Funk for Special Olympics

The second annual Modoc Special Olympics was held at Modoc High Carver Stadium football field on Thursday, May 31. Persons with special needs from Modoc County were invited to participate. Thirty-eight athletes from the Modoc Work Activity Center and Modoc, Tulelake and Surprise Valley School Districts participated. 
This year, Modoc County Public Health and Early Head Start provided activities and tricycle races for children 0-5 years of age. The older participants competed in the 50, 100 and 200-yard dashes, softball throw and long jump. 
The event was sponsored by the following: Don Mason, TEACH, CAC, Modoc County Prevention Collaborative, Modoc County Office of Education, Alturas Ranches, Likely 4-H, Antonio’s, Plumas Rural Services, High Country Performance, Cutting Edge Windshield, California Highway Patrol and KALT Radio Station.
This event was a success because of the following volunteers: Jennifer McCulley and Laura Ward, Alturas and Susanville Head Start; Nicole Vickerman, Basil and Alena Vickerman, Wesley Williams, Madelyn Binning, Parissilla Madrigal; Audrea Larsen; Sam Rose and Chanze and Sage Albrecht Tyler Froeming, California Highway Patrol; Modoc High students: Jesse Holloway, Ashley Hoy, Kenna Funk, Whitney Vieria and Kelsey Sphar; Modoc Public Health: Stacy Sphar, Holly Stains, and Terry Sides; TEACH: Kathleen Harris, Tammy Urban and Sondra Ramsey; Early Head Start: Karolyn Breiner; Modoc County Office of Education: Rhonda Haselip and De Funk and Community Advisory Committee (CAC): Debbie Reynolds.

Cops taking on firefighters in softball

A softball game between the area’s cops and firefighters is scheduled for July 28, 10 a.m. on the softball field at 8th and West C Street, Alturas.
Both teams are looking for players who would like to participate. Any cop interested in playing should call Bill Engel at 530-640-0222 and firefighters should call Erick Kinney at 530-708-0409.
The game is a fundraiser for the Sexual Abuse Response Team and Domestic Violence Response Team, and a barbecue will be held during and after the game.

June 21st, 2012

News

MJUSD looks for more belt tightening

If there’s been at least one consistent in the budget-making process for California schools, including the Modoc Joint Unified School District, it’s that state funds are inconsistent.
Unfortunately, the Governor’s 2012/13 budget projections rely on the voters passing a quarter-cent sales tax and a tax on upper income earners in November. Not many people are giving good odds on either of those passing.
On Tuesday night, the MJUSD Board was presented with its July 1 budget assumptions for 2012-13, and there’s not a lot to smile about in the document. However, the District will be able to operate and remains fiscally sound. Voters passing the tax initiatives in November would be an extreme help.
“The state budget situation deteriorated between January and May, resulting in the state deficit increasing from 9.2 billion to 15.7 billion,” the document states. “The Governor modified his budget projection for 2012/13 through cuts along with a temporary quarter-cent sales tax, and tax on upper income earners that will go to the voters in November. The Governor’s tax initiative would ‘flat fund’ education for 2012/13, reduce cash deferrals, and implement a new Weighted Student Funding, WSF, formula. If this tax initiative fails, mid-year trigger cuts of about $441 per student would take effect on January 1, 2013, the WSF would not be implemented and the repayment of cash deferrals would not happen.”

Harmon loses second leg

Surprise Valley’s Jon Harmon, 19, who was seriously injured in an IED explosion in Afghanistan June 6 has lost his second leg, according to family members.
Harmon, a 2011 graduate of Surprise Valley High School serving with the 82 Airborne, 473 Cavalry, was wounded while on foot patrol in the Maiwand District in the Kandahar Valley of Afghanistan.
Harmon was quickly evacuated to an Army hospital where his right leg was amputated just above the knee. Following a second surgery to repair significant damage to his left leg, he was quickly evacuated to a military hospital in Germany where a third surgery was performed. That surgery proved unsuccessful and his left leg was amputated Sunday.

Modoc jobless rate dips to 14.1 percent

The Modoc unemployment rate dropped to 14.1 percent in May according to the state Employment Development Department. That was an improvement over April’s 15.7 percent and March’s 16.8 percent.
It was also a little better than the May 2011 rate of 14.4 percent. The California unemployment rate for May was 10.4 percent and the national rate was 7.9 percent.

Alturas one of top 20 towns

The April/May issue of the American Cowboy magazine featured Alturas as one of the twenty “Great Rural Towns” in the western United States in which to live. The magazine features stories on Western Lifestyles, Travel and People.
The article entitled, “Home of the Range,” examined towns with populations of less than 3,000, mostly less, which are ranching communities. A criteria being that they embody the big country, are remote and surrounded by beautiful rangeland and wilderness.  
The magazine states, “Small towns form our nation’s heart. Whether you already live in a place like this or want to – we honor and celebrate American community values. These are the doorways to the Cowboy Way. Move here now!”

Burn permits suspended by Cal Fire

Cal Fire will suspend all dooryard burn permits with Modoc, Lassen and Plumas Counties effective midnight June 30.
The burn ban will continue until formally cancelled by Cal Fire. Dooryard burn permits will not be issued and dooryard burning is not allowed during this period of time.
The ban means no burn barrel burning and no yard waste or slash pile burning. The order comes because of the extremely dry conditions in northern California.

Obituaries:

Lois Louise Thomason
Lois L. Thomason was born September 11, 1918, in Chatsworth, Georgia and entered into rest June 8, 2012, in Alturas, CA. She was 93.
Private graveside services were held June 14, 2012, and internment followed in the Alturas Cemetery.
The family asks that any donations be made to a charity of choice.

Lorene Marie Hererra
Lorene Marie (Lowther) Hererra of Alturas passed away June 8, 2012 at Sky Lakes Medical Center, Klamath Falls, OR. She was 64. Her services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 30 at Veterans Park in Alturas. Pastor Rod Bodmer will conduct the service. A potluck will follow.
Lorene was born in San Bernardino, CA on August 8, 2012 and was reared in Southern  California.
Donations designated to the Activity Dept. at Warnerview Skilled Nursing Facility, would have made Lorene happy. Donations may be sent to Warnerview at 225 W. McDowell, Alturas, CA 96101.

Service for Sugie Cox
Services for Beverly “Sugie” Laverne Cox will be held on Saturday, June 23 at 10 a.m. at the Ft. Bidwell Community Church, with a celebration of life and potluck to follow at the Ft. Bidwell Civic Center.

Sports

Derner Heads Down Under

Jac Derner, a Modoc High School student athlete who has never had the opportunity to compete overseas, will get to enjoy the experience of a lifetime this summer as he was invited to participate in the 2012 Down Under Sports Tournaments held in Australia.
Derner will represent California North on the Western Conference Cross Country Team and run two 5K races against 3,500 other student athlete runners.
He has run cross-country all three years that he has attended high school. Last year, he qualified for the NCIF State Championship race in Fresno, CA. At the race, Derner ran his personal best race in 18:23.
Derner is scheduled to leave for Australia on June 24th.

Modoc hosts Little League All Star tourney

Modoc Little League is hosting the District 48 Junior All Star Tournament June 28-July 1.
The Junior Boys Baseball portion is sponsored by Four Seasons Supply Center and will start on the Modoc High School Field June 28 with Intermountain, Susanville and Modoc competing.
The Junior Girls Softball Tourney is sponsored by Alturas Ranches and starts June 28 on the MHS Softball Field with Intermountain and Modoc playing. The Little League Concession Stand will be open for each game.
The Major Boys Baseball Tourney starts in Chester June 28 at 5:30 p.m. when Modoc takes on Quincy. Basco Concrete is the Modoc sponsor.
The Modoc Major Girls Softball team will take on Chester in Burney June 28, 2 p.m. in Burney. The sponsor is Wilson Ranches.

Sign up for Youth Soccer

Soccer Sign Ups will be accepted on Wednesday, June 27 from 5-7 p.m. and Tuesday, July 10, 5-7 p.m. at Plumas Rural Services Office 301 East 12th Street, Alturas for players four years old and older who want to play on Modoc Youth Soccer Leagues teams come fall. Games will begin after Labor Day. Cost is $35 per player plus $40 for those who have never played and need a uniform. Players must be four years old by August 1.
Coaches and referees are needed and training is provided.
Camp sign ups will also be accepted on the two nights.
UK Camp is August 6-10; cost is $99 half day; $149 full day
for more information call Candace Deaton 708-1674Soccer Sign Ups will be accepted on Wednesday, June 27 from 5-7 p.m. and Tuesday, July 10, 5-7 p.m. at Plumas Rural Services Office 301 East 12th Street, Alturas for players four years old and older who want to play on Modoc Youth Soccer Leagues teams come fall. Games will begin after Labor Day. Cost is $35 per player plus $40 for those who have never played and need a uniform. Players must be four years old by August 1.
Coaches and referees are needed and training is provided.
Camp sign ups will also be accepted on the two nights.
UK Camp is August 6-10; cost is $99 half day; $149 full day
for more information call Candace Deaton 708-1674.

MHS athletes need info cards

Modoc High School athletes, prior to participation in fall sports, must have a current, completed athletic card with proof of insurance. A couple other forms are also included in the packet and must be submitted with the athletic card.
The packets can be picked up at the high school or district office this summer and must be completed and turned in prior to the first practice.

Cops taking on firefighters in softball

A softball game between the area's cops and firefighters is scheduled for July 28, 10 a.m. on the softball field at 8th and West C Street, Alturas.
Both teams are looking for players who would like to participate. Any cop interested in playing should call Bill Engel at 530-640-0222 and firefighters should call Erick Kinney at 530-708-0409.
The game is a fundraiser for the Sexual Abuse Response Team and Domestic Violence Response Team, and a barbecue will be held during and after the game.

June 28th, 2012

News

Judge stiffens penalty in Cooley case

Modoc Superior Court Judge Francis Barclay approved a conditional plea bargain in the voluntary manslaughter case of Rochelle Cooley Tuesday, but increased the penalties.
Barclay sentenced Cooley to six years in state prison, but suspended the sentence, and placed her on five years formal probation.
He admonished Cooley that a violation of her probation would send her to state prison to serve her term.
District Attorney Chris Brooke, Defense Attorney John Lawson and Cooley, agreed to the terms set forth by Barclay.
The Modoc County Probation Department had opposed the original plea deal, arguing, in part, that since Cooley used a firearm in the shooting death of her father Timothy Cooley, she was not eligible for probation. They had filed a long, detailed report in the case.
Barclay said he had to consider the “unusual circumstances” involved in the bizarre case as well as the serious and violent nature of the crime in allowing probation. He said the evidence was “balanced” and he could go either way to deny the plea bargain and impose a prison term with no probation, or accept the plea and allow probation. He did not agree with the original sentence of no prison time and three years probation. He felt the seriousness of the crime fit the middle term of six years for manslaughter.

Modoc gas prices higher than most in north state

Gas prices in Modoc are higher than other areas in the north state, but are not the highest priced gas in the state.
Regular unleaded gas prices here were still above four dollars at $4.07 per gallon this week. That compares to $3.59 in Chico, $3.85 in Susanville, $3.65 in Redding, $3.95 in Standish, $3.60 in Burney, and $3.93 in Yreka.
The average price of gas this week in California was $3.80, while in Oregon it was $3.73. Reno regular gas was $3.69. The average price of regular unleaded nationally was $3.44.
Regular gas at Rabbit Traxx in Cedarville was $3.78 with cash or $3.83 with credit card. Rabbit Traxx is owned by the Cedarville Rancheria.
The highest priced gas in California was in Bridgeport at $4.99.

Four suspects arrested in major metal theft

Four Alturas residents were arrested this week in a cooperative investigation by Alturas Police, the Modoc County Sheriff’s Office and others concerning the theft and sale of railroad equipment.
According to Alturas Chief of Police Ken Barnes, the four were allegedly stealing rail switch plates and other items from the rail yard just south of Alturas. They were then selling those items to Russell’s Recycling in Alturas, under false documentation. Barnes said the stolen items had an estimated value of about $20,000.
Barnes said the thefts started May 31 and continued through June 14, with 12 pickup loads of material taken to Russell’s. He said about $16,000 of the material has been recovered.
Arrested by the APD June 24 were Dillon Dean Fieguth, on a felony arrest warrant for conspiracy to commit a crime, false document of ownership, grand theft, receiving known stolen property, possession of shortened barrel shotgun, possession of ammunition by prohibited person, carrying a loaded firearm in public and Joseph Christopher Randall, alleging conspiracy to commit a crime, false document of ownership, grand theft, receiving known stolen property, possession of shortened barrel shotgun, possession of ammunition by prohibited person, carrying a loaded firearm in public, and possession of firearm by prohibited person.
On June 25, the Sheriff’s Office arrested Lauren Nicole Malcolm, on an in-county felony warrant alleging conspiracy to commit a crime, false documentation of ownership, grand theft, and receiving stolen property.
On June 26, Derek Boissineau was arrested, while in Court for another matter, on an in-county felony warrant alleging conspiracy to commit a crime, false documentation of ownership, grand theft and receiving known stolen property.

No real impact seen from prison realignment

While there is no doubt large counties are facing major jail inmate housing problems with the state prison realignment program, small counties including Modoc, are not actually expecting large numbers of those inmates.
Part of the reason Modoc is less impacted is the fact that the County simply doesn’t send that many people to state prison, especially non-violent or less serious offenders.
According to Modoc County Probation Officer Leo Fernandez, who chairs the local AB109 committee, only a few state prisoners are expected to be returned to Modoc this year for supervision.
It’s also important to note that those parolees do not directly impact the Modoc Jail population. Those parolees report to the Probation Office and are under that office’s supervision. The only time the jail would come into play is if the parolee violates the conditions of parole, Fernandez said.
The probability of a major inmate population explosion in the Modoc Jail is pretty remote, he said. He said there were only four Modoc offenders sent to state prison in 2009, only four in 2010, four in 2011 and so far two in 2012.
According to Fernandez, those parolees come back to Modoc to complete their sentence, generally a limit of 180 days. If they violate parole, Fernandez said the jail sentence could be 10 days imposed by him, or up to the 180 days if the case goes to the Courts.
There is, of course, impact to both the Alturas Police Department and Sheriff’s Office when it comes to interaction with those parolees, especially if they are caught and arrested for a parole violation or another crime.

Obituaries:

Charles I. Spear
Alturas resident Charles Isaac Spear, 53, passed away in Alturas on June 24, 2012. Memorial services will be announced at a later date. Mr. Spear was born in Maywood, CA on November 30, 1958. He had been battling Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) for several years. For the past five years, he had returned to live in Alturas.
Kerr Mortuary and Mr. Spear’s family will make arrangements.

Dorothy Purcell
Dorothy Purcell, a long-time resident of Eagleville, passed away Friday, the 22nd of June, 2012, at Surprise Valley Hospital in Cedarville, CA.
Born December 14, 1928, in Eagleville, CA, Dorothy grew up on her family’s sheep ranch with her sister Lavelle. She graduated from Surprise Valley High School in 1947 and moved to Sacramento where she met her husband Gilbert “Buck” Purcell.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Doctor Roberts Foundation through Surprise Valley Hospital.
Funeral services will take place Friday June 29, at 1:00 at the Eagleville, Cemetery. A potluck will follow at the Eagleville Hall.

Lorene Marie Hererra
Services for Lorene Marie (Lowther) Hererra of Alturas will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 30 at Veterans Park in Alturas. Pastor Rod Bodmer will conduct the service. A potluck will follow. Mrs. Hererra passed away June 8, 2012, at Sky Lakes Medical Center, Klamath Falls, OR. She was 64.
Lorene was born in San Bernardino, CA on August 29,1947, and was reared in Southern  California. Donations designated to the Activity Dept. at Warnerview Skilled Nursing Facility, would have made Lorene happy. Donations may be sent to Warnerview at 225 W. McDowell, Alturas, CA 96101.

Sports

Saddle up for Super Bull

It's time to saddle up for the 16th Annual Super Bull Rodeo in the Grandstand Arena at the Modoc District Fairgrounds in Cedarville!
A night of “buckin’ broncs, and bull ridin’ thrills” starts at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 30. A Barn Dance afterwards will round out the evening.
The Super Bull features some of the best rodeo entertainment in Northern California. Twenty bull and another 20 ranch bronc riders will compete for handsome purses, huge silver belt buckles and priceless bragging rights.
Les Schwab Tires is sponsoring the prized silver belt buckle awarded to the Bronc Champion while Modoc Motor Parts of Alturas is donating the top bull rider’s buckle.
Tickets are $12 if purchased at one of many local outlets including Page’s Market, Woody’s Saloon or Surprise Valley Motor Parts in Cedarville and at Modoc Motor Parts and Seab’s True Value in Alturas.
Those from out of the area may still order pre-sale tickets by calling (530) 279-6383 before tomorrow evening.
Tickets are $15 at the gate.  Children 7 and under enter free if accompanied by an adult. Parking is also free.
The fairground gates open at 5:00 p.m. so come early and come hungry.  Lake City Volunteer Fire Department members will be serving hot dogs and hamburgers, gooey nachos and a variety of snacks from the concession stand near the arena.
The Surprise Valley Chamber of Commerce will have their cotton candy machine humming as well, churning out towering cones of that irresistible pink spun sugar.
Cedarville Volunteer Firemen have become experts at quenching the thirsts worked up from all the cheering for the night’s competitors. They’ll have a beverage stand featuring cold beer and wine set up just outside the grandstand.
This year’s opening act starts at 6:00 p.m. and involves small kids, fast sheep and lots of laughs. The Mutton Bustin’ contest is open to children 4-8 and is sponsored by the Modoc Veterinary Center.

Modoc hosts Little League All Star tourney

Modoc Little League is hosting the District 48 Junior All Star Tournament June 29-30.
The Junior Boys Baseball portion is sponsored by Four Seasons Supply Center and will start on the Modoc High School Field June 29 with Intermountain, Susanville and Modoc competing. First game time is 5 p.m.
The Junior Girls Softball Tourney is sponsored by Alturas Ranches and starts June 29, 5 p.m., on the MHS Softball Field with Burney and Modoc playing. The Little League Concession Stand will be open for each game.
The Major Boys Baseball Tourney starts in Chester June 28 at 5:30 p.m. when Modoc takes on Quincy. Basco Concrete is the Modoc sponsor.
The Modoc Major Girls Softball team will take on Chester in Burney June 28, 5 p.m. in Burney. The sponsor is Wilson Ranches.

July 5th, 2012

News

Man’s body found in Surprise Valley

A deceased man’s body was found in Surprise Valley July 1 and the Modoc Sheriff’s Office is now trying to identify the remains. Early indications suggest, but do not prove it is Dewey McGarva, who has been missing since early March.
According to Sheriff Mike Poindexter, at about 6:19 p.m. July 1, the Modoc County Sheriff's Office received a phone report from a local rancher stating they had located the remains of a deceased person in the Surprise Valley area of rural eastern Modoc County.
Sheriff’s personnel located the fully clothed remains of the unidentified person northeast of Cedarville, California. On July 2, the remains were transported to the Shasta County Coroner’s Office for a forensic examination by a criminal pathologist to assist in the determination of identity, cause, manner and time of death.
Poindexter said the preliminary investigation shows no signs of trauma to the remains and the external post examination which was also attended by an anthropology intern in Shasta County corroborated the initial investigation, which showed no obvious signs of trauma. The examination was able to conclude that the remains are male.  The investigation continues today into the identity and cause of death although it may take months to get a conclusive 100 percent identity confirmation via dental records and/or DNA. 
The found human remains will also be examined to see if they are those of reported missing person, Dewey McGarva, who was reported missing by his brother, Russell McGarva on March 4 in the Surprise Valley area of Modoc County.

1-year extension of Secure Schools

On June 29th, a one-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Act was included in the Transportation Bill passed by both branches of Congress. That’s good news for Modoc schools and roads, which split the funding.
“Good news is rare for schools in California,” said Modoc County Superintendent of Schools Gary Jones. “Since the budget act of 2009, the state government has continued to cut school revenues and hold school cash for multiple months, paying us next year for operating schools in the current year. The school money held by the state, that should be used to educate students, is used for state cash flow purposes and to fund new state priorities.”
 Jones expects President Obama to sign the Transportation Bill, which contains good news for our local schools. The one-year funding of the Secure Rural School and Communities Act (a.k.a. Forest Reserve) will provide unanticipated and unbudgeted revenues to schools.
 The Modoc County Office of Education and the Modoc, Tulelake, and Surprise Valley school districts will receive approximately $747,000. The current estimates, without knowing the official allocations, indicate $14,000 for MCOE; $446,000 for Modoc; $218,000 for Tulelake; and $69,000 for Surprise Valley.

Fandango celebrations open this weekend

The Alturas population is steadily growing as the traditional Fandango Days activities near for July 6 and 7, celebrating Independence Day. The Alturas Chamber of Commerce presents the annual Fandango Days celebration.
Events open with the Little Mr. and Miss and Junior Mr. and Miss Fandango contests Friday night, July 6 at 7 p.m. at Veterans’ Park Pavilion, So. Main Street, Alturas. Public welcome to watch the event. Polish up a classic car for Friday night’s Main Street Cruise starting at 7:30 from Veterans Park. Then, dance under the stars from 8 p.m. until midnight at the Park Pavilion. The Chamber will offer a beer garden and food will be served to keep the crowd dancing. Music will be provided by D.J. “Mr. B” Harry Boulade of Golden Rose Productions.
Saturday, join the 8th Annual Loop Bike Race for an early morning ride through Modoc Wildlife Refuge. Register at 8 a.m. July 7 at the Locomotive next to the Modoc County Museum, So. Main St. The ride starts at 8:30 a.m. and includes prizes for the first, second and third place finishers. The 12.5-mile ride is marked and water is offered midway. Entry fees: $10 per adult, $5, age 13-19; $1 for ages 12 and younger. Proceeds benefit the fund to repair the roof at the A.C.T. Niles Theater. Modoc Parks and Recreation District sponsor the ride. Riders will be finished in time to join the parade.
Fandango Parade entries will be lining up Saturday at 9 a.m. on West Eight Street at AmeriGas. The Fandango Parade will kick off at 10:30 a.m. from north to south on Alturas’ Main Street. Parade announcer Craig Flournoy will kick off the parade. Karlie (Bodmer) Blair of Alturas will sing the National Anthem. Alturas resident Phyllis Dustman, nominated by the Alturas Garden Club, will serve as Grand Marshal.

Grand Jury hits some high points

The 2011-12 Modoc County Grand Jury report hits some strong notes in several departments, including the Surprise Valley Hospital, Modoc Public Health, itself, and others.
The full report is published as an insert to this Modoc County Record for local area readers and is available online on the Record’s free site at www.modocrecord.com. Or Click HERE

Correction on MMC loss

Last week, the Modoc Record printed that Modoc Medical Center showed a loss of $440,057 for the month of May. That was incorrect.
The hospital loss for May was only $60,192. Sorry about the error in reading the report. MMC shows a year to date income in the black of $499,412.
According to the MMC financial summary, part of the decreased income was the fact that no property tax installment was made in the month.
In other news, Chief Executive Officer Monica Derner said the transition from the County to the District has been competed with full settlement of $234,659.38 closing out the books. The amount was determined by Derner and County Auditor Darcy Locken and approved last week.
Derner said Warnerview Convalescent Hospital was the subject of an annual survey by the state last week, and passed with very high marks.
The hospital is also continuing its search for a Chief Nursing Officer, Physical Therapist and Lab manager.
Derner also met with Dr. Mark Fay, of Klamath Falls, and Dr. Tom Krauel of Alturas about the possibility of doing cataract surgeries at MMC. Both doctors were receptive to the idea.
In addition, Derner is working with the MMC Auxiliary to iron out some issues and put the organization’s gift shop back in the lobby of the hospital.

Obituaries:

Ruth Holloway
Inurnment services for Ruth Naomi (Jay) Holloway, 81, of Alturas, will be held July 13 at 3 p.m. at the Alturas Cemetery. A celebration of life and fellowship will follow at the Alturas Elks Lodge garden patio area off North Main Street. Mrs. Holloway passed away passed away June 10, 2012 in Alturas.

July 12th, 2012

News

Body found in SV was McGarva

The body found July 1 in a field in Surprise Valley has been identified as Dewey McGarva, of Likely, according to Modoc County Sheriff Mike Poindexter.
“The remains have been positively identified as Dewey, we have a verbal confirmation and should be receiving their report next week,” Poindexter said. The DOJ lab forensic expertise came in handy; they were able to photograph one of the palms and match the print with previous latent prints from our files. The cause of death is still pending the written report from the Pathologist.”
McGarva was reported missing in early March.

Hays named SVEC boss

The Surprise Valley Electrification Corporation Board of Directors named Jim Hays as General Manger following an executive session on Tuesday.
The Board interviewed three well-qualified employees for the position and agreed to hire Hays.
Hays have been with SVEC for 39 years, serving as Operations Manager and Assistant Manager. He replaces Dan Silveria, who retired.
“We are pleased to welcome Jim as the General Manager effective July 10,” the Board stated.

SV Hospital making changes to comply with state findings

A special board meeting was held at the Surprise Valley Hospital on Monday afternoon to discuss wage increases, adjustments, developing and adopting salary schedules for employees.
The wage increases will be implemented in four stages and be completed by April 2013. Many of the employees have worked at below average wages for years. Previously Bill Bostic, assistant administrator, would hire and determine salaries. At times a new hire would make more money than a similarly qualified employee who had worked at the facility for years.
Board member Bunne Hartmann suggested that a public consideration of the recent in depth and somewhat negative Grand Jury report’s findings and recommendations be discussed at the next regular board meeting. The hospital has a deadline of eight weeks to respond to the report or be in violation of Penal Code 933.05. For example, one of the fourteen findings, plus recommendations was to adopt a salary schedule that is fair to all employees. This recommendation was accomplished at Monday’s meeting.
Another more important deadline is looming for the hospital district in the wake of a routine, but devastating, inspection by the state. More than 50 pages of deficiencies were found by the inspectors, ranging from elder abuse to stating that the current administration is incapable of managing the hospital in a safe manner. Each of these deficiencies must be addressed and a plan of corrections developed to assure they won’t happen again. It appears that the plan of corrections prepared by Administrator Wanda Grove and her assistant Bostic, with Bostic hand delivering the documents to the state offices, was not accepted.

Warnerview aces state survey

State officials arrived on site for Warnerview’s annual survey on June 25, 2012.  They spent about three-and-a-half days with staff, observing and testing the care provided to the residents at the skilled nursing facility. 
“The surveyors were very focused on the resident’s perspective of the care that they receive.  They met with the residents in a confidential group setting to discuss any concerns that they may have.  They continued their inquiries with more in-depth private interviews with several of the residents,” said Jeanette Duncan, Manager of Resident Activities. 
Despite the pressures and anxieties of being scrutinized, Warnerview staff proved their skill sets with minimal deficiencies. 
The exit interview, which lasted less than 10 minutes, led off with notification that there were zero medication errors.  There were just a few infractions and management will have three minor changes to make in their written policies.  In all, it was a very successful survey.
The day the surveyors left Alturas, Michele McQuillan-Hill, Warnerview’s Director of Nursing, stated, “Congratulations to my great team at Modoc Medical Center Warnerview! We passed our annual state survey today with flying colors. I could not have done this without the support of my strong group of managers, awesome nursing and CNA staff, and of course, the support from a great Administrative team.  This is what providing healthcare to our community is all about: teamwork, respect, professionalism, and integrity -- everyday.  We are going to continue to strive for that five star status. This is a great big step in that direction! Thank you all.”

Obituaries:

Ruth Naomi Holloway
Graveside services for Ruth Naomi Holloway, age 81, will be held July 13, 3 p.m. at the Alturas Cemetery, with a Celebration of Life following at the Alturas Elks Lodge garden patio.
Mrs. Holloway was born March 31, 1931 in Spokane WA, to James M. and Virginia Frances Jay. She died June 10, 2012 in Alturas, CA.
She will be laid to rest with her husband of nearly 60 years, Charlie Eugene Holloway, who died April 17, 2007. They will be inurned together next to their youngest son, Chuck Holloway who died in 1983.
The family would request donations in Ruth’s name to the Warnerview Convalescent Hospital Activities Department.

Charles Spear
In loving memory of Charles Isaac Spear, born on November 30, 1958 in Maywood, CA and passed away in Alturas, CA on June 24, 2012. He was the first born child to his father and mother.
Memorial services will be held July 20 with Pastor Ed Allen conducting services under the Alturas Veterans Park Pavilion at 11 a.m. A potluck fellowship will follow on site until 5 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations sent to Donna Moeschler, P.O. Box 2114, Alturas, CA 96101, will help with memorial and unforeseen expenses upon his sudden passing.

David Ivers
Former Modoc Undersheriff David Paul Ivers died in Alturas, CA on July 4, 2012. His services are pending. His obituary will be published at a later date. Mr. Ivers was born on Nov. 16, 1943.

Gary Royall
Gary Owen Royall, a resident of Alturas, passed away April 23, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA. He was born April 8, 1957. Services are pending. Mr. Royall’s obituary will be available at a later date.

Kathlene Maria Lovell
Tulelake resident Kathlene Maria Lovell, age 53, died June 21, 2012 in Tulelake, CA. She was born in Lodi, CA on March 1, 1959 and graduated from Lodi High School.
Services will be private.

Sports

Morgan wins Fandango tourney

Daniel Morgan shot a low gross score of 76 to win the Fandango Golf Tournament last weekend.
Donald Bailey scored a net of 63 to win that section, with Alan Weber firing a net 68 for second, Bob Webb and Jim Bates tied at 69 for third and fifth went to Dan Parker with a net 71.
The closest to the pin on hole number four went to Brad Widby and on hole 13 to Jim Bates. The long drive was won by Donald Bailey.

MHS athletes need info cards

Modoc High School athletes, prior to participation in fall sports, must have a current, completed athletic card with proof of insurance.  A couple other forms are also included in the packet and must be submitted with the athletic card. 
The packets can be picked up at the high school or district office this summer and must be completed and turned in prior to the first practice.

July 19th, 2012

News

Crash destroys baler, pickup

A 5:58 a.m. accident last Friday on U.S. 395 north of Bowman Road destroyed a pickup and hay baler belonging to Brett and Tina Dolby’s business.
According to the California Highway Patrol, a juvenile employee of Dolby was driving a 2004 Food pickup towing a 2006 Massey Ferguson Baler northbound at between 55 and 60 m.p.h. He allowed the truck-trailer combo to drift off the road and onto the east shoulder. An unsafe steering input to the left caused the vehicles to travel out of control across the northbound and southbound lanes and onto the west shoulder where both vehicles rolled.
The Ford came to rest on its side, narrowly missing a power pole and the baler came to rest on its top on the west side of the railroad tracks in that area.
The driver was medically released with no injuries at the scene, but was determined to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident.
Both vehicles sustained major damage in the accident.

SV Hospital working to correct state cited problems
There were several areas in two recent state surveys that found the Surprise Valley Health Care District out of compliance, and under threat of possible closure. Those issues are in the process of being corrected.
According to new Hospital Chief Executive Office/Chief Financial Officer Kelly Gentry, the hard work of getting back into the good graces of the agencies is moving forward.
In May 2012, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Licensing and Certification Division (L&C) performed two on-site surveys at the Surprise Valley Health Care District facilities in Cedarville.  One survey covered the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and the other survey covered the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF). 
L&C is responsible for ensuring health care facilities comply with state laws and regulations. In addition, L&C cooperates with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to ensure that facilities accepting Medicare and Medi-Cal payments meet federal requirements. 
The CAH survey found the hospital was not in compliance with all of the conditions required for participation in the Medicare program.  Specifically, there were four main categories cited by the State: Emergency Services; Provision of Services: Periodic Evaluation and Quality Assurance Review; and Organ, Tissue, Eye Procurement. 
On July 13, 2012 the CDPH completed a second on-site survey for the CAH.  SVHCD reports that the Hospital is now in compliance with the major Conditions of Participation in the CMS programs for the Critical Access Hospital.  There are still a number of “Standard Level” deficiencies that are being addressed as part of the Plan of Correction. 
The SNF survey found that the facility was not in substantial compliance with nursing home participation requirements – which resulted in the Board terminating the employment of two staff members. 
There were three main categories cited.  The most critical issue was centered on patient/resident abuse incidents and the policies/procedures for mandated reporting to the State. On May 11, 2012 the nursing home deficiencies identified by the State surveyor constituted immediate jeopardy to the residents’ health and safety. SVHCD Administration quickly implemented appropriate corrective actions; as a result, the “immediate jeopardy” status was removed later the same day.  The other two main categories were connected with patient care plans and psychotropic medicines. SVHCD has incurred a civil money penalty of $6,500 plus an additional $400 per day until the corrections have been documented.  The final amount due will be subject to the review and determination of CMS.  

Sunset provision for the Last Frontier Healthcare District tax invalid?

On August 31, 2010, the majority of the voters agreed that a healthcare district is essential to the welfare and viability of our community and, therefore, passed the special tax of $195 per unique parcel owner to ensure that healthcare services remain available and that the hospital does not close.
What was not in agreement at that time was whether the special tax was subject to a sunset provision or not.
A sunset clause is defined as a statutory provision providing that a particular agency, benefit, or law will expire on a particular date, unless it is reauthorized by the voters.
The Save Our Hospital Committee acted in good faith based on legal opinions obtained at the time that there is a sunset provision. A new legal opinion obtained by the District, states there is no sunset provision.
Because of this difference of opinion, the Governing Board of the Last Frontier Healthcare District deemed it necessary and prudent to perform additional research and seek its own legal opinion on this matter. Therefore, the decision reached by the District is that the measure did not contain a sunset provision and was not enacted pursuant to a statute requiring a sunset provision.
Dick Steyer, the District’s Board Chairman has stated, “In the light of this determination, the Board of Directors unanimously believes that it should ask for the opinion of the District voters as to their preference in resolving the sunset provision issue.”

Extreme drought affecting cattle grazing

A large percentage of the Bureau of Land Management Surprise Valley Field Office area in western Nevada is under extreme drought conditions, which is bringing a large percentage of livestock off the grazing allotments early.
Much of eastern Modoc County is suffering through a severe drought, with absolutely no snow pack in the Warner Mountains.
According to SV BLM Range Management Specialist Steve Surian, even though the precipitation levels are at about 70 percent of normal, the forage growth production on the range is very low. There has been no moisture and very hot weather over the past couple of weeks. Springs in the high desert just haven’t seen enough moisture to recharge at normal levels.

Obituraries

Frank Robert Matherly 
October 21, 1929 – July 01, 2012 
Frank was born October 21, 1929 in Grand Forks, British Columbia to Edward and Hazel Matherly. At the age of six weeks he entered the United States where he was raised on a small farm in Springdale, Washington.  In his teens, Frank was sent back to Canada until he could become a United States citizen
Frank passed away at home after a wonderful and loving day on July 01, 2012 in Reno, Nevada.  At this time a celebration of life will be held the first week in October in Washington State where Frank grew up.

David Paul Ivers
David Paul Ivers was born November 16, 1943, in Lewisville, Lafayette County, Arkansas, to Bessie Clark and Paul Ivers. David passed away July 4, 2012, in Alturas after a battle with an illness he could not overcome.
For the ones who knew Dave, you know he was not a man of many words and did not like to draw attention to himself. He asked the family to not have a service for him. His wishes were to be cremated and his ashes spread at some of his favorite places in Modoc County. There will be a celebration of his life at a later date. David will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Gary Owen Royall
Gary Owen Royall was born April 8, 1957, in Alturas, CA to Irene Webb and Gary Wheeler. Gary passed away April 10, 2012, in Los Angeles, CA, after a long, hard battle of complications caused by a vehicle accident that paralyzed him from the waist down at the age of 21.
A celebration of Gary’s life will be announced at a later date.

Roderick Carr Cameron
Roderick Carr Cameron was born on October 13, 1928 in the state of Washington and died on June 10, 2012 in Alturas, California, succumbing to pneumonia. A memorial service will be held at the Alturas Veterans’ Hall on Saturday July 28, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. with a potluck to follow.

Daniel A. Purcell
Daniel Purcell, a resident of Eagleville and Manteca, CA passed away Friday, June 29, 2012. He was caretaker and beloved son of Gilbert and Dorothy Purcell. Born January 8, 1954, in Sacramento, CA, Dan grew up in Auburn.
Memorial gifts can be made to the Doctor Roberts Foundation through Surprise Valley Hospital. Funeral services will be August 4, 10 a.m. at the Eagleville Cemetery.

Dewey Dink McGarva
Services for Dewey Dink McGarva will be held today, Thursday, July 19, 2012 at 11 a.m. at the Likely Fire Hall. Burial will be at Likely Cemetery. Mr. McGarva, age 37, died March 2, 2012, in Surprise Valley, CA.
He was born August 27, 1975, in Fall River Mills, CA.

Adelys E. Sutfin
Adelys E. Sutfin, 81 of Lakeview, went home to be with her Lord on Tuesday, July 10, 2012.
Adelys was born in Westwood, California on March 5, 1931, to Ellis and Adelyn (Stout) Minshall.
Funeral Services were held on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Lakeview. Interment followed at New Pine Creek Cemetery. A potluck luncheon followed at the Church Fellowship Hall. 
Contributions in memory of Mrs. Sutfin may be made to Stateline Elementary Outdoor Education Fund, PO Box 99, New Pine Creek, OR 97635.

Bernice D. Smith

Former Cedarville resident Bernice Douglas Smith, 89, of Newport, Oregon passed away June 29, 2012 in Newport, Oregon.  She was born September 3, 1922 in Portland, Oregon, the daughter of Roy O. and Roberta Vinson.
Bernice’s family held a private service at Willamette National Cemetery.
Bateman Funeral Home handled final arrangements.

Patricia Jones Madison

Patricia (Jones) Madison passed away July 7, 2012, in Spokane, Washington. Pat was a previous resident of California Pines and was known as an excellent Bridge player and golfer. Services were held July 13 at the Riverview Chapel in Spokane.

Jimmy Jamison
Jimmy Jamison, age 70, of Adin passed away July 13, 2012, in Redding, California at the Northern California Rehabilitation Hospital. McDonald’s Chapel of Burney is handling arrangements.

Anita Barnes
Former Cedarville resident Anita Barnes passed away on July 13, 2012 peacefully at home in Cottonwood, CA.
She was born Anita Gertrude Hale in Glen Rose, Texas on December 31, 1930.
A celebration of Anita's life will be held in early September in Cottonwood.   

Charles Spear
Memorial services for Charles Isaac Spear of Alturas will be held Friday, July 20 with Pastor Ed Allen conducting services under the Alturas Veterans Park Pavilion at 11 a.m. A potluck fellowship will follow on site until 5 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations sent to Donna Moeschler, P.O. Box 2114, Alturas, CA 96101, will help with memorial and unforeseen expenses upon his sudden passing.

Omar F. Gaylord, Jr.
Omar F. Gaylord Jr., 85, of Adin, Modoc County, California passed away at his daughter's home in Sparks, Nevada on July 17, 2012.  Services are planned for July 28, 2012, 5:00 p.m. at the Adin Community Hall with a potluck meal following. A complete obituary will be printed at a later date.

Sports

Fly-in had variety of planes, vehicles

Last Sunday’s SV Rotary Fly-In Breakfast featured a wide variety of aircraft and old cars that showed up to enjoy the festivities.
From home-builts and trainers to an amphibious aircraft, from people who flew in to locals, everyone enjoyed eating the hearty breakfast inside one of the hangers at the Cedarville Airport.  The leisurely time was enriched by talking to the 20 plus pilots attending, sharing stories, and learning about their craft.
Perhaps one of the crowd’s favorites and most unusual looking aircraft was a 1947 Seabee US Navy Warbird. It is an experimental amphibious aircraft combining modern power-plant and extensive electromechanical technology into a proven vintage flying boat/seaplane configuration. It has had its original engine replaced with a souped up V-8 engine and took eight years to restore.
In 2011, this Seabee Warbird won the highest and most distinctive Aviation Award: the Oshkosh Grand Champion Gold Lindbergh trophy.

Cross Country sign-ups

Cross Country sign-ups: Those students interested in running cross country for Modoc High or Modoc Middle School this fall should contact Coach Mason at 530-233-2201. Pre-season training has already started.

Elks Golf Tourney winners

The team of Harold Montague and Bob Webb shot a low gross 109 to win the Elks Golf Tournament at Arrowhead last weekend.
Low net at 102 was a tie between the team of Jon Morgan and Alan Weber and Jose Madrigal and Trent McQuarrie.
Third place went to Bunk Richardson and Larry Estes at 103 and a there was a fourth place tie at 104 between the team of Brad Widby and Gary McClellan and Stacy Callaghan and Alex Bagnaschi.
Closest to the pin on hole number four was Steve Riley and on hole 13, Donald Bailey.
The tourney earned $500 for the Elks National Foundation.

Modoc runners still competing

Modoc High School Senior Jac Derner ran in Queensland, Australia at the 
Gold Coast Marathon recently. He placed 58th out of 3,586 finishers, placing him in the 98th percentile. He was 55th out of 1,221 male finishers and 41st out of 143 male/age division.
Also, Daniel Martin finished 112 out of 517 runners, running a 19 minute, 57 seconds race at the Nike Bowerman Athletic Club 5k in Beaverton Oregon at the Nike World Headquarters on July 14th.
Ashley Hoy has almost completed her recovery from major knee surgery by working out at the University of Oregon Track Camp in distance and discus.
Cross-Country Coach Don Mason has youth running year round and his dedication to running is helping the Modoc Track and Field and Cross-Country Programs.

July 26th, 2012

News

Modoc assessed value up 2.74%

Modoc’s secure property assessment roll shows an increase of 2.74 percent for 2012-13, that’s up over a decrease of 2.49 percent last year, according to Modoc County Assessor Cheri Budmark.
The total secure roll value was $847,636,431 compared to last year’s $825,010,424. The unsecured roll went up from last year’s $33,540,381 to $34,201,172. The total roll showed an improvement from $858,550,805 in 2011-12 to $881,837,603 for 2012-13, an increase of 2.71 percent.
Budmark said that 12.24 percent of all parcels in Modoc still retain a 1975 land base value, per Prop. 13. In addition, 13,415 of the 27,669 parcels (48.48 percent of total parcels) reflect a decline in value. Many of those parcels are in the California Pines area.
There were 3,108 documents recorded in calendar year 2011 with 1,557 documents processed in the Assessor’s Office with 663 requiring reappraisal. There were 271 parcels reappraised for new construction and 1,140 parcels were reappraised for change of ownership.

Fire restrictions start August 1 on National Forests, BLM Public Lands

Seasonal restrictions on outdoor use of fire and firewood cutting begin Wednesday, Aug. 1, on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the Lassen and Modoc National Forests in northeast California. The restrictions apply to all forest lands and to public lands managed by the BLM Alturas, Eagle Lake and Surprise field offices in Modoc, Lassen, Plumas, Sierra, Shasta, Siskiyou, and Washoe counties. The South Warner and Thousand Lakes Wilderness Areas are exempt.
Use of chainsaws for woodcutting will be allowed until 1 p.m. daily. On the Modoc National Forest only, chainsaw use will be regulated daily in conjunction with daily project activity levels posted at the office.  Daily woodcutting information is available at (530) 233-8819.
Under the restrictions: open fires are not allowed outside of posted, developed campgrounds and recreation sites, even with a campfire permit; portable stoves and lanterns using gas, pressurized liquid fuel or jellied petroleum may be used outside of developed recreation sites, but a campfire permit, available at all BLM, Forest Service and CAL FIRE offices, is required; smoking is not allowed, except within developed recreation sites, inside buildings or in enclosed vehicles; motor vehicles must remain on established roads and trails; target shooters may not use tracer, metal jacket, incendiary or exploding ammunition or targets, or any targets that could emit sparks.
As fire dangers increase through the summer firewood cutting could be suspended in some areas. Fire officials urge woodcutters to cut firewood early in the day, to be sure chainsaws have spark arresters and to have a shovel and fire extinguisher handy.

County jobless rate dips to 13.4%

While it’s nothing to write home about, Modoc County’s unemployment rate dipped from May’s 14 percent to June’s 13.4 percent, according to the state Employment Development Department.
The June 2012 rate is near the June 2011 rate of 13.9 percent, but there is a major difference in the total civilian work force and those employed. According to EDD the June 2012 workforce was 3,790, compared to last June’s 4,020. The number of people employed last June was 3,460 and the number unemployed was 560. This year the number of people employed was 510 and unemployed was 3,280. There was an improvement of employed people from May 2012 at 3,190 to June 2012 at 3,280.

Wandering wolf now in Tehama County

The wandering and somewhat famous gray wolf OR-7 has spent most of the last two months in Lassen, Plumas, Butte and now Tehama Counties.
He was in southwest Modoc County near Adin April 27 to May 21, but took off to Lassen County and hasn’t returned.
He was tracked in Butte County July 18 after leaving northwest Plumas County and headed into Tehama on July 23.
Modoc County Supervisors held a hearing on the wolf’s presence in Modoc and are reportedly formulating a plan, through committees to prevent wolves from settling in Modoc.
At one point in the June hearing, a suggestion was made that the County pass an ordinance prohibiting establishing a wolf population or even against any wolf being in the County. How that would jell with state and federal law is a major hurdle since the wolf is considered an endangered species.
The County suggested working with its Land Use Committee, its Fish and Game Commission and other departments as part of the coordination effort.
There is little doubt that the Supervisors stand steadfastly against any wolf population in the County and will work to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Obituaries--

Juanita Bowden, May 2, 1931- July 1, 2012
Juanita Mae (Dunkin) Bowden was born on May 2, 1931 in Hontubby, OK to Floyd Henry Dunkin and Grace Ona (Pickle) Dunkin. She attended schools in Heavener, OK and graduated from Heavener High School.
Memorial services for Juanita were held Saturday, July 7, 2012, at Eastwood Baptist Church, 675 N. Keene Way Dr., Medford, OR with the Rev. Randolph Miller officiating.
Memorial donations to Rainbow Acres may be sent c/o 675 N. Keene Way Dr., Medford, OR.

Carolyn Joines
Anna Carolyn Joines, a 31 year resident of Las Vegas, NV and a loving wife, mother, and grandmother was killed July 11, 2012, in a vehicle accident near Hawthorne, Nevada en-route to a family reunion. 
She was laid to rest on July 21, in Las Vegas, NV.

Daniel A. Purcell
Funeral services for Daniel Purcell will be August 4, 10 a.m. at the Eagleville Cemetery. Mr. Purcell, a resident of Eagleville and Manteca, CA passed away Friday, June 29, 2012. Dan is survived by his brother Michael and wife Ann of Chandler, AZ, their children Tyler and Jessica, Aunt Ruth of Walnut Creek, CA, her daughter Wendy, husband Ken, and cousins Wayne and Nancy Dollarhide of Grants Pass, OR and Eagleville CA. Memorial gifts can be made to the Doctor Roberts Foundation through Surprise Valley Hospital.

Roderick Carr Cameron
A memorial service for Roderick Carr Cameron of Alturas will be held at the Alturas Veterans’ Hall on Saturday July 28 at 11:00 a.m. with a potluck to follow.
Roderick Carr Cameron was born on October 13, 1928 in the state of Washington and died on June 10, 2012 in Alturas, California.

Richard “Ricky” Clark, II
Richard Morris Clark, II, passed away in Alturas, CA on July 16, 2012. He was born on Dec. 27, 1982 in Concord, CA to Valerie Marquardt and Richard Clark. He moved to Modoc in 1986. There will be a small get together in the near future; date not yet set.

Omar Gaylord
Omar Francis Gaylord Jr, 85 of Adin, California passed away peacefully at his daughter's home in Sparks, Nevada on July 17, 2012 of natural causes. He was the first born of Omar F. and Julia May (Donnell) Gaylord on July 2, 1927 in Los Angeles, California. Joining the family later were two sisters Gay (Gaylord) Hanks and Virginia (Gaylord) Rotramel.
A celebration of life will be held on July 28, 2012 at 5 p.m. at the Adin Community Hall in Adin, California, with a potluck meal to follow.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, 5705 Grant Creek Road, Missoula Mt 59808, Attention: Sarah.

Sports

Horsemen improve facilities in forest

The Back Country Horsemen and the Modoc National Forest continue to promote "Gentle Use" techniques and help with trail clearing and packing supplies for trail crews.”
Last week, the Back Country Horsemen replaced corral poles at Soup Springs horse camp with help from the MNF’s Student Conservation Association Wilderness and Trail Intern crew. The next day, three teams of Back Country Horsemen packed in 8,000 fish to lakes in the Warner Mountains.

MHS athletes need info cards

Modoc High School athletes, prior to participation in fall sports, must have a current, completed athletic card with proof of insurance.  A couple other forms are also included in the packet and must be submitted with the athletic card. 
The packets can be picked up at the high school or district office this summer and must be completed and turned in prior to the first practice.

Volleyball tryouts August 16-17

Modoc High School Volleyball try-outs will be August 16-17 at 6:00 - 8:00 a.m. for varsity (incoming 11 and 12 graders) and 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. for junior varsity (incoming 9 and 10 graders).  
Participants must have all paperwork (a current MHS Athletic card, a drug consent form and a concussion form) submitted to Modoc High School by Wednesday, August 15 by 3:00 p.m.  Forms can be picked up at Modoc High School beginning on August 1st.  
“We look forward to seeing all hopeful volleyball participants at try-outs,” said coach Harold Montague.

August 2nd, 2012

News

Modoc RAC reinstated, deadlines critical

Modoc’s Resource Advisory Committee has been reinstated by the federal government, but is faced with a critical deadline to get projects presented and approved.
According to Modoc County Resource Analyst Sean Curtis all projects must be fully approved by the Board of Supervisors by Sept. 25. That leaves just six weeks from project application to approval.
Curtis said projects should be presented within the next three weeks, and
sooner if possible. The Modoc RAC has meetings scheduled for August 6, August 20, and September 10 at 6 p.m. at the Modoc National Forest Headquarters.
The project applications will be done in a two-step process with the first step being a short form concept and if that’s approved by the RAC, the second step would be a fully detailed description.
Curtis said the RAC is encouraging community generated projects, but stresses the timeframe is incredibly tight.
For more information, contact Curtis at 233-3276 or Steve Riley at 233-5811.
The deadlines were put into force when a one-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Communities Act included in the Transportation Bill was passed June 29 by both branches of Congress.  
The bill provides major funding for Modoc County Schools and Roads, which was not counted on in the upcoming budgets. In Total Modoc Roads and Schools will receive about $1.6 million with about $280,000 going to Title II and III.

District elections will be in November

Several district elections are consolidated with the November 6 General Election in Modoc County. People interested in running for office in those districts need to file nomination papers soon.
According to the Modoc County Clerk, the nominating petitions can be picked up now and must be filed no later than August 10, 5 p.m., unless an incumbent doesn’t file, which would give candidates until 5 p.m. August 15 to file.
There are elections scheduled in each of the school districts in Modoc. Three seats are open in the Modoc Joint Unified School District; three seats are open in the Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District, full terms in Eagleville and Lake City and a short term in Cedarville; three seats are up in the Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District and the Modoc seat is open for the Big Valley Joint Unified School District; two seats are open on the Modoc County Board of Education; three seats are up in the Lassen Community College District and four seats are open on the Shasta College District.
Candidates must be a voter in the district where they are running.

Modoc Fair entry deadlines are August 10

Entry deadlines for the upcoming Modoc Fair are fast approaching and exhibitors and participants are urged to get their forms in now.
Livestock, Junior Rodeo and 4-H Record Book entries must be received in the Fair Office by Friday, August 10.  All Floriculture, Horticulture & Pee Wee Showmanship entries must turned in by Friday, August 17. People can also enter the Parade, Demo Derby and for the more adventurous, there’s the Youth and Adult Greased Pig Contests.
Entry forms can by mailed, dropped off at Seab's True Value and Plumas Bank in Alturas or the fair office in Cedarville.
Fair premium books are now available online at www.modocfair.com, numerous local businesses and the fair office in Cedarville.

Medicine needs forest treatment

The Modoc National Forest will begin implementation of two projects within the Medicine Lake Recreational Area to reduce the effects of the current mountain pine beetle infestation.
Packets of Verbenone will be hung on trees within the Medicine Lake campgrounds and administrative sites. Verbenone is a man-made pheromone that mimics the one produced by the beetles; it tells other beetles an infested tree is too full for them to enter. This treatment is expected to inhibit additional tree infestation by confusing the beetles into believing there are no longer suitable host trees within the area. No campground closures will be needed during the implementation of this project.
The second project is continuation of the work that was started last year. It involves the removal of infested trees to reduce the population of mountain pine beetle within stands along the east, north and western boundaries of Medicine Lake. Trees will be felled and removed using mechanical equipment. Campground closures will be needed to implement this project; however, not all campgrounds and day-use sites will be closed at the same time. Only sites being treated will be closed.

Obituaries:

Carolyn Jean Mulholland
Our dear loved one, Carolyn Jean Mulholland, went to be with our Lord Jesus on Wednesday, July 18, 2012. Carolyn was born in South Gate, CA on April 1, 1946.
There will be no services at her request. Please mail any correspondence to Tamara Rhoades, HC4 Box 49008, Alturas, CA 96101.

Omar Francis Gaylord Jr.
Omar Francis Gaylord Jr., 85, of Adin, California passed away peacefully at his daughter’s home in Sparks, Nevada on July 17, 2012, of natural causes. He was the first born of Omar F. and Julia May (Donnell) Gaylord on July 2, 1927, in Los Angeles, California.
Dad/Omar will be greatly missed by all who had the opportunity to know him. He was the best dad; grandfather, brother, uncle, cousin and friend.  A celebration of life was held on July 28, 2012 at 5 p.m. at the Adin Community Hall in Adin, California, with a potluck meal to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, 5705 Grant Creek Road, Missoula Mt 59808, Attention: Sarah.

Daniel A. Purcell
Funeral services for Daniel Purcell will be August 4, 10 a.m. at the Eagleville Cemetery. Mr. Purcell, a resident of Eagleville and Manteca, CA passed away Friday, June 29, 2012. Dan is survived by his brother Michael and wife Ann of Chandler, AZ, their children Tyler and Jessica, Aunt Ruth of Walnut Creek, CA, her daughter Wendy, husband Ken, and cousins Wayne and Nancy Dollarhide of Grants Pass, OR and Eagleville CA. Memorial gifts can be made to the Doctor Roberts Foundation through Surprise Valley Hospital.

Sarah E. Cooley
Services for Sarah Elizabeth Cooley of Alturas will be held August 10, 2 p.m. at Deegan Memorial Chapel, 111 S. Palm Ave., Ripon, CA. Mrs. Cooley, wife of the late Donald Cooley, passed away of natural causes on July 17, 2012 in Reno, NV. Her obituary will be published next week.Sports

Sports

Modoc football practice starts Aug. 13

Modoc High School football practice for both junior varsity and varsity will start August 13, 5:30 p.m. on the practice field.
Coach Shaun Wood reminds players they must have their sports information forms filled out and turned in before they are eligible to practice. Pick up those forms at the District Office on 4th Street.
Any player needing football equipment should contact Wood at the weight room well prior to practice.
Modoc’s first game is at Yreka August 31, for both varsity and junior varsity.

Pheasant hunts set in Big Valley

Two apprentice pheasant hunts are scheduled on the Ash Creek Wildlife Area in Big Valley in September.
The junior hunt is set for Sept. 8 with two choices -- an 8 a.m. to 12 noon hunt and a 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. hunt. The hunt is open to all juniors with current 2012/13 hunting license and accompanied by an adult.
The women’s hunt is Sept. 9 with only one hunt set for 8 a.m. to 12 noon. It’s open to all women hunters with current 2012/13 hunting license.
The hunts are sponsored by the California Department of Fish and Game and the Pit River Rod and Gun Club. The deadline for application to both hunts is August 15.
Applications are available online at: http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/GameBirdHeritageHunts/Default.aspx. For more information, contact Ash Creek Wildlife Area at 530-294-5824.

Volleyball tryouts August 16-17

Modoc High School Volleyball try-outs will be August 16-17 at 6:00 - 8:00 a.m. for varsity (incoming 11 and 12 graders) and 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. for junior varsity (incoming 9 and 10 graders).  
Participants must have all paperwork (a current MHS Athletic card, a drug consent form and a concussion form) submitted to Modoc High School by Wednesday, August 15 by 3:00 p.m.  Forms can be picked up at Modoc High School beginning on August 1st.  
“We look forward to seeing all hopeful volleyball participants at try-outs,” said coach Harold Montague.

August 9th, 2012

News

Lost Fire remains out of control in Nevada

The Lost Fire in Nevada, which was started by lighting Aug. 5 about 10 p.m., is putting up large plumes of smoke and was no where near controlled as of Wednesday afternoon.
The fire had grown from 10,000 acres on Tuesday to 40,898 acres on Wednesday morning, with the Interagency Incident Management Team stating it was 25 percent contained.
The fire is burning through incredibly dry sagebrush, juniper, pockets of mountain mahogany and tall grasses. 
According to fire officials, a large air tanker had made several drops on the fire area and was successful in steering the fire away from a major 500 KVDC power line. The fire crossed State Route 24 and is burning northeast into the National Conservation Area. Resource concerns in the area include critical habitat for sage grouse, and other wildlife, federally protected wild horses, and multiple cultural and historical sites.
Minimum Impact Suppression Tactics (MIST) are being employed in Wilderness Areas. Fire managers are working closely with area resource protection staff to mitigate fire damage.
The public has been advised to leave recreation areas in the High Rock Canyon area and to be advised of fire activity and personnel. Fire Camp is located at the Modoc County Fairgrounds in Cedarville 
 Update: Although the area is very sparsely populated there is a major concern with the huge direct current (DC) power line that has and may still be threatened. The 3,100 MegaWatt line provides electricity to two to three million homes in Los Angeles. LA Department of Water and Power has men and equipment on the scene and are monitoring the situation.
 “Because of the line’s importance to the Los Angeles area, the power line has remained energized. Normally the power lines would be shut down,” said Rebeca Franco, public information officer.
The steel towers won’t burn and the lines are too high to catch fire but there is a chance of arcing in the smoke.

Fires on the Modoc National Forest

The Modoc National Forest reported over 16 new fires since 11:30 a.m. August 5. Ten of the fires make up the Lake complex, which was approximately 1,600 acres in size Tuesday. It was 80 percent contained at Wednesday, still at 1,600 acres. There are 207 fire personnel assigned to that fire and full containment is expected today.
The fire is burning in timber, grass and brush as is very active with torching and spotting still a problem.
The fire is 12 miles southwest of the Blue Mountain lookout, and is being managed by a local type three firefighting crew. All other fires are in the initial attack phases, from on-scene to contained. Local and out-of-area resources are continuing the initial attack, and working to contain the fires as soon as possible.
New fires have been starting daily from lightning that occurred in the morning and afternoon on August 5.

Oregon fires still burning

Firefighters are working to control a lightning-sparked wildfire 22 miles southwest of Lakeview on the Fremont-Winema National Forest and private lands. The Barry Point Fire was about 1,500 acres Wednesday and was producing significant smoke and fire growth.
“This holdover fire from Sunday’s lightning storm grew quickly in size late Monday due to high temperatures, gusty winds and heavy fuels,” said Fred Wray, Forest Supervisor. “Today, high temperatures, low relative humidity and heavy fuels after creating extreme fire behavior. Firefighters are observing single and group tree torching, crown runs and short and long distant spotting.”

School districts drawing candidate interest

School district elections consolidated with the November 6 General Election in Modoc County are drawing some candidate interest.
According to the Modoc County Clerk’s Office, the nominating petitions can be picked up now and must be filed no later than August 10, 5 p.m., unless an incumbent doesn’t file, which would give candidates until 5 p.m. August 15 to file.
There are elections scheduled in each of the school districts in Modoc.
Three seats are open in the Modoc Joint Unified School District where incumbents Fernand Larranaga and Alan Hopkins have taken out papers. Current challengers are Don Mason and William “Barry” Fanning. Incumbent Jerry Hall has decided not to seek re-election. Five days will be added to the nomination period.
Three seats are open in the Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District, full terms in Eagleville and Lake City and a short term in Cedarville. Only one person, Douglas Schultz, has picked up nomination papers so far.
Three seats are also up in the Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District. Four people have expressed interest: Eric Scanlan, Penny Velador, David Porter Misso and Dan Orr.
Incumbents Jim Hays and James Harris will file for the two seats on the Modoc County Board of Education.

Obituaries:

Sarah “Betty” Cooley
Services for Sarah Elizabeth “Betty” Cooley of Alturas, CA will be held August 10, 2 p.m. at Deegan Memorial Chapel, 111 S. Palm Ave. in Ripon, CA. Burial will be at the Alturas Cemetery. Mrs. Cooley, 81, passed away of natural causes on July 17, 2012, in Reno, NV.
Born Sarah Elizabeth Middlebrook on March 18, 1931, in Little Rock, Arkansas, she married Donald Cooley, a native of Alturas, on December 24, 1946 in Alturas, CA, after his discharge from the U.S. Navy in 1946.

Sports

Modoc football practice starts Aug. 13

Modoc High School football practice for both junior varsity and varsity will start August 13, 5:30 p.m. on the practice field.
Coach Shaun Wood reminds players they must have their sports information forms filled out and turned in before they are eligible to practice. Pick up those forms at the District Office on 4th Street. There are no exceptions, if a player does not have forms in place, he can’t practice.
Any player needing football equipment should contact Wood at the weight room well prior to practice.
Modoc’s first game is at Yreka August 31, for both varsity and junior varsity.

Volleyball tryouts August 16-17

Modoc High School Volleyball try-outs will be August 16-17 at 6:00 - 8:00 a.m. for varsity (incoming 11 and 12 graders) and 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. for junior varsity (incoming 9 and 10 graders).  
Participants must have all paperwork (a current MHS Athletic card, a drug consent form and a concussion form) submitted to Modoc High School by Wednesday, August 15 by 3:00 p.m.  Forms can be picked up at Modoc High School beginning on August 1st.  
“We look forward to seeing all hopeful volleyball participants at try-outs,” said coach Harold Montague

Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls coming to the Fair

The Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls have cemented their reputation as an international trick riding, trick roping and Roman riding troupe.  
They have made quite an impression on the professional rodeo trail with their choreographed one-of-a-kind dance and trick roping routines and their thrilling trick riding stunts. 
They have appeared at rodeos across the United States such as Reno, Salinas, Pendleton, Wrangler National Finals in Las Vegas, Reno Rodeo, Pendleton Round Up, Salinas, Dodge City and many more around the country.  They have traveled to 18 countries on four continents building their reputation as world-class performers.

August 16th, 2012

News

Modoc getting hit from all sides

Modoc County has been under a heavy smoke cover from surrounding fires this week, and no relief is in sight.
The Lost Fire east of Eagleville has been 100 percent contained at 61,541 acres, according to the NorCal2 Interagency Incident Management team.
The Barry Point Fire, burning in timber about 22 miles west of Lakeview had charred about 25,000 acres Monday, and it moved into the Modoc National Forest about 12:30 p.m. on Monday. It had been listed as 25 percent contained at that time.
As of Wednesday, that fire had burned 59,259 acres and remained at 25 percent contained. The fire had a major run Tuesday resulting in 18,000 more acres burned and continues to burn south aggressively. The growth potential is high and the estimated containment is August 23. It is expected to continue to burn south into Modoc.
An evacuation order was given for residences and ranches on the west side of Goose Lake early Monday afternoon and continued Wednesday.
The fire was burning in timber, brush and grass and was very active including group torching, short and long range spotting and pockets of high intensity fire.
Smoke from the fire will continue to be a major problem for Lakeview and into Modoc over the next couple of days.
The fire was started by lightning August 6 about 22 miles southeast of Lakeview. The Fire Management team has been holding public regular meetings in Lakeview.
Another major fire is burning out of control east of Ravendale on the Madeline Plans. The Rush Fire grew from 69,000 acres Tuesday to 96,239 acres by Wednesday morning and was only 40 percent contained.
The fire is located 15 miles southeast of Ravendale and is burning in sagebrush, grass and junipers. The fire is expected to continue to burn hot with extreme potential of spreading quickly.

Modoc air quality worsens with fire

Most people understand that air quality conditions have worsened in the area due to the recent fire activity creating poor air quality conditions throughout Modoc County.
Currently, the poor air quality persists throughout the County, as well as Lassen and Lake counties. The Modoc County Air Pollution Office is expecting the air quality in all areas of Modoc County to range from moderate to unhealthy on the Air Quality Index, impacting mostly sensitive populations such as those experiencing health conditions that are worsened by exposure to smoke and unhealthy air. It is especially important during this time for residents to remain in an indoor environment with air conditioning to avoid exposure to poor air quality.
Edward P. Richert M.D, the Modoc County Public Health Officer and Joe Moreo, the Modoc County Air Pollution Officer advise residents to take precautions to protect themselves from the poor air quality by: staying indoors; avoid outdoor activities and any strenuous workouts; keep pets indoors as much as possible; keep windows or doors closed in your house and car; keep air conditioning running in the home and in the car on “re-cycled” air so that smoke is not drawn in from the outside.

November election has several contested local races

There will be contested elections in several districts in the November 6 General Election. Candidates had until 5 p.m. last night to register, after Record press time.
In Modoc County Supervisor District IV, Jim Wills and Pam Owens will meet again in a run-off from the June election where Wills had the most votes, but failed to get the 50 percent, plus one majority. There were four candidates in the June election.
There are elections scheduled in each of the school districts in Modoc.
Three seats are open in the Modoc Joint Unified School District where incumbents Fernand Larranaga and Alan Hopkins have taken out papers. Current challengers are Don Mason, William “Barry” Fanning and Jan Ross. Incumbent Jerry Hall has decided not to seek re-election.
Three seats are open in the Surprise Valley Joint Unified School District, full terms in Eagleville and Lake City and a short term in Cedarville. Douglas Schultz and Bill Bostic have filed papers and will be appointed. No election will be held because there are no challengers.
Three seats are also up in the Tulelake Basin Joint Unified School District and there are several candidates. Eric Scanlon, Penny Velador, David Porter Misso, Dan Orr, Darcy J. Walker, and Gary Fensler will go to election to fill the three full terms available.
There will be an interesting and contested election in the Last Frontier Healthcare District where Michael Anderson, incumbent Jim Cavasso, Lau Miller, and Carol Callaghan are running.  Guy Martin Young filed for the short term, and as he was the only one, he will be appointed to that position. The others will go to election to fill the two full terms available.
There will also be an election in the contentious Surprise Valley Health Care District where Kim Salazar, Carl Quigley, and incumbent Jason Diven will go to election to fill the two full terms available. Incumbent John Erquiaga chose not to run again.

Modoc RAC reinstated, deadlines critical

Modoc’s Resource Advisory Committee has set up a tight list of meetings to meet the Sept. 25 deadline for getting proposals approved.
The first meeting to accept short-form proposals will be August 20, 6 p.m. at the Modoc National Forest headquarters on 12th Street in Alturas. The short form is simply an idea or outline of what the proposed project entails.
The long-form meeting will be held Sept. 10 at the MNF, 6 p.m. That meeting will require a full detailed account of the project and successful projects will be forwarded for Board of Supervisor approval Sept. 25.
Modoc County Resource Analyst Sean Curtis said project proponents should have their form into the Forest Service no later that Aug. 17 for the short form meeting. People can also submit the long form at the first meeting if they desire.
The Modoc RAC held a first meeting August 6.
The project applications will be done in a two-step process with the first step being a short form concept and if that’s approved by the RAC, the second step would be a fully detailed description.
Curtis said the RAC is encouraging community-generated projects.
For more information, contact Curtis at 233-3276 or Steve Riley at 233-5811.

Obituaries:

Patricia Ann Butters
Patricia Ann Butters went to be with her dearly departed loved ones in Heaven on August 11, 2012, after a year-long battle with cancer. Patricia was born to Bill and Rose Kennedy on November 30, 1924 in Inglemine, CA. She married Albert Butters on January 2, 1945 and they had two children. Albert and her parents preceded her in death.
There will be a Celebration of her life at the Brass Rail on Saturday, August 18, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, she would like donations made to the Lassen High Alumni Association, 1110 Main Street, Susanville, CA 96130.

Shane Sheld
Shane Sheld of Alturas, CA passed away at the age of 40 at home in Alturas, Ca on July 28, 2012, of a possible heart attack. Born in Hemet, CA on January 14, 1972, he attended schools in Hemet and had lived in the Modoc area for the past 15 years.. Services will be private.

Jerry Roy Hoover
Jerry Roy Hoover was born in Visalia, CA, but lived the majority of his 58 years in Modoc County. Mr. Hoover passed away on August 7, 2012 in Alturas, CA.
He was born July 13, 1954, in Visalia.
Out of respect for his wishes, no services will be held. Condolences may be sent to the family, care of Mary Hoover, 310 E. McDowell St., #41, Alturas, CA 96101.

Lodena J. “Deanie” Weldin
Lodena Jane Weldin passed out of this life in Elko, Nevada on July 27, 2012 and into the next. She was 90 years old, born on October 1, 1921. Services were held on Monday, August 13 at 11 a.m. at Alturas Cemetery.

Sports

MMC athletes need sports forms

Modoc Middle School football and volleyball athletes need to have their sports information forms turned into the school prior to the first practice, scheduled for Sept. 4.
Athletes need a completed athletic card with proof of insurance.  A couple other forms are also included in the packet and must be submitted with the athletic card. Pick up the packets at the Modoc Joint Unified School District Office or at the MMS Office.
MMC’s first game is scheduled for Sept. 8.

Rotary Golf tourney draws 13 teams

On Saturday August 4, 2012, Alturas Rotary held its fourth annual golf tournament at Likely Place RV Resort and Golf Course in Likely. This year 13 teams participated in this annual event.
Two teams tied for first place and a putt-off was used to determine the number one team. After the putt-off, the first place team was determined to be Mike Mason, Dean Winfree, Terry Dunn and K.C. Riley. 
The second place team was Mike Poindexter, Mike Crutcher, Brett Boudreau and Jason Barcia.

August 23rd, 2012

News

Fires continue to burn, foul Modoc air

Forest and wildland fires from all directions continue to foul Modoc air quality, and local public health officials are reminding residents to take necessary precautions.
The Barry Point Fire which started by lightning August 6 about 22 miles west of Lakeview on the Fremont National Forest had burned into the Modoc National Forest past Crowder Flat Guard Station and consumed about 93,000 acres. It was burning on public lands and in private timber. Of the burned ground, 38,367 acres are in Modoc County.
Fire crews has constructed a perimeter around the entire fire and called it 65 percent contained Wednesday. High winds were a major concern on Tuesday and crews were aggressively attacking any new starts.
On Tuesday the mandatory evacuations at Drew’s Lake were lifted, however evacuation remained in place for three residences on the west side of Goose Lake.
Total personnel working that fire numbered 1,256 and included four hotshot crews, 24 hand crews, seven helicopters, 90 engines, 15 dozers and 34 water tenders. Three Oregon National Guard Blackhawk helicopters were mobilized to assist with water drops.
Full containment is expected by August 25.
The Rush Fire on the Madeline Plains had burned 313,911 acres as of Wednesday. It was started by lightning August 12 and is burning in sagebrush, juniper and grass. There were nine structures threatened, including six residences. Tuesday was a critical fire day with "Red Flag" conditions predicted to occur from 1-9 p.m. due to low humidity and winds gusting to 35 miles per hour. Firefighters concentrated on mop-up and holding containment lines and working to slow the spread in uncontained areas.
The most troubling area was the northeast corner of the fire around the Buckhorn Road/Buffalo Hills Wilderness Study area. Ground and air forces concentrated on flanking and minimizing the northeastern and eastern spread in this area.
Area and Road Closures in effect: On August 17, the BLM issued a closure order for public lands in the fire area to protect public health and safety. The closed area is bounded by Highway 395 on the west, the Sand Pass Road on the east, and the Wendel Road on the south. The new northern boundary for the public land closure is the Juniper Ridge, Tuledad, Stage Road, Marr Road, and Buckhorn Road extending to Nevada Highway 447 in Washoe County. Routes closed within this closure area include the Ramhorn Springs, Rye Patch Road, Buckhorn, Shinn Ranch, Stoney, Deep Cut, Smoke Creek, Skedaddle Ranch, Dry Valley, and Brubeck roads. The Ramhorn Springs Campground and the Dodge Reservoir Campground is also closed.
Travelers along the Highway 395 corridor, please use caution where fire crews and equipment are working in the fire area.
Use of chainsaws on public lands managed by BLM in NE California and far northwest Nevada is suspended effective Monday, Aug. 20, due to extreme fire danger. Fire officials remind residents and visitors that fire restrictions are in effect for public lands and national forests in northeast California and far northwest Nevada. Campfires are permitted only in posted recreation sites.
On Tuesday afternoon a new fire was spotted on Devil’s Garden near Jack’s Butte, east of Big Sage Reservoir. The Antelope Fire is about 12 miles northwest of Alturas. It covered about 250 acres by Wednesday and was 10 percent contained. Agencies responded to the fire quickly with air and ground units. Popular reservoirs C and F were under evacuation orders.
The Nelson Fire close to Likely burned 3,661 acres but was 100 percent contained Wednesday.
In addition, the Ponderosa Fire has started near Shingletown in Tehama/Shasta Counties and had burned nearly 24,323 acres quickly. There were 3,000 homes threatened and several residents in and around Manton and Shingletown were under mandatory evacuation orders. According to reports, 50 buildings have been destroyed, many of them homes.
The Chips Fire in Plumas County was still largely out of control and had burned more than 50,000 acres while the Reading Fire at Lassen Park was nearly contained but has charred 27,887 acres.
CAL FIRE reports a huge increase in fire activity across the state this year, with nearly 1,400 more wildfires than last year for he same time period. Resources from private, volunteer, federal and state are being stretched this fire season. An incredibly dry winter across the state predicated the fire hazards.

Adin Ambulance changes spark cooperative effort

A public meeting was held last week in Adin concerning the future of the Adin Ambulance and focuses on options to the health safety issue. It is costing Modoc Medical Center about $150,000 annually to have that Adin ambulance and Adin is not in the MMC hospital district.
“The meeting was an informative and productive one,” said MMC Chief Executive Officer Monica Derner.  “The Adin and Lookout Fire Districts did an excellent job to set the tone of the meeting at the onset of the agenda item, so nothing got out of hand. Lots of dialog and information was shared that was not known by the community as a whole.”
 Mayers Memorial Hospital, in Fall River, was also present to explain what they have going on in their District and representatives from Lassen County were also at the meeting. 
“Mayers explained that their  focus was on getting Measure D passed for their seismic retrofit, and that redistricting to include the community of Adin was taken off of their ballot for now,” said Derner.  “Mayers also indicated that they would not be able to base an ambulance in the Big Valley area without financial assistance from the Counties to offset the costs.”
Derner stressed that while no one was happy about the topic at hand, the community is setting up a committee to see how viable it would be to create its own special district for EMS.  Lassen Supervisor Brian Dahle said he would approach the Lassen County Board for financial assistance in a LAFCO study to determine details of a special assessment.
MMC discussed the possibility of providing a response vehicle, supplies and training to the Fire Districts to act as First Responders until either MMC or Mayers arrived on scene when dispatched to do so. 
MMC also indicated that the process would take at least six months for any transition to occur. 

Obituary

Roland B. Baldwin
Roland Burton Baldwin, 41, of Alturas was born in Lakeview, Oregon November 21, 1968, to Mickey and Charline Baldwin. He lived in Davis Creek and Alturas. Roland went to go be with his loved ones who preceded him, when he passed away on August 14, 2012 in Alturas, CA.
At the family’s request, there will be no services. Condolences may be sent to Chelsea Baldwin and the Baldwin Family, 1311 W. Eighth St., Alturas, CA 96101.

Sports

Braves open football at Yreka August 31

Modoc’s Braves will open the football season at Yreka August 31. Modoc Coach Shaun Wood expects a tough outing from the bigger school, but figures his team will be ready.
Wood starts the season with 21 players, but may end up with 24 for the year. He will be defending last year’s North Section Championship and going for the fifth straight Shasta Cascade League Championship.
Modoc will be playing in CIF Division Three this year, with an enrollment actually meant for Division Four at 230 students. The enrollment figures are based on last year’s enrollment of 252.
The Shasta Cascade League will be fairly weak again this season. Weed has cancelled its football season, leaving only Modoc, Burney, Fall River and Etna in the SCL. Modoc is heavily favored to repeat its title, which would be the fifth in a row.
The Braves toughest games will be non-league, starting with Yreka, then Lakeview comes to Modoc Sept. 7, Trinity comes here Sept. 14, Mt. Shasta visits Sept. 21 and the Braves travel to Lost River Sept. 28. Wood is trying to replace the scheduled Weed game with Bonanza Oct. 12. They start league at Etna Oct. 5, go to Fall River Oct. 19 and Burney comes to Modoc Oct. 26.
In the preseason MaxPreps rankings for Division Three, Modoc sits eighth, with Esparto number one, Trinity two and Mt. Shasta five. Playoffs begin Nov. 9.
“We are very good at the skilled positions and I expect our line will also be very strong,” said Wood this week after the first week of practice, curtailed by smoke from the area fires. “Our preseason is going to be tough, but I’m pretty confident going in. Our kids worked hard in the summer and I see improvement. In addition we have good speed.”
Modoc’s roster this season includes: seniors Cam Anderson, Jonathan Morgan, Drew Culp, Riley Larranaga, Benny Bevil, Alex Torres, Destry Tiffany, Anthony Vaughn, Blake Williams, Colby Mcadams, Garret Padgett, Ben Correa, Matt Froeming, and Hector Hernandez; and juniors, Brandon Witherspoon, Tristan Axelrod, Austin Kresge, Ethan Dunn, Correy Hall, Devon Wade, Matt Server, Javier Walker, Justin Valena and Jose Correa.

Hunter Ed class set Sept 8, 15

A Hunter Education class will be held at the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters on two consecutive Sundays, Sept. 8 and 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day.
Individuals interested in taking the class must pick up a student packet and sign the class roster before Sept. 8 at the Sports Hut, 231 North Main Street in Alturas. Sports Hut hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday and closed Mondays.
There is neither an age requirement nor fee for the class. The reading material is about fifth grade level and handling and firing of a provided firearm is required.

August 30th, 2012

News

AG declines to file charges in county budget investigation

The California Department of Justice has closed its investigation into Modoc County’s financial dealings in keeping the hospital open and has declined to file charges against anyone.
“Our office declined to file charges against anyone in connection with this matter,” said Deputy Attorney General Cliff Zall in an email dated August 24. “Our investigation is closed. The file is confidential.”
Modoc County Treasurer-Tax Collector Cheryl Knoch, who had queried the AG for a response on the issue, presented Zall’s email to the Board of Supervisors during Tuesday’s meeting. It was greeted with muted  satisfaction.
While the AG’s decision probably won’t silence all the people calling for legal action against some county officials, it does exonerate those County officials and any further legal action would be difficult if not impossible.
The county budget crisis involved an estimated $12.5 to $14 million negative balance in the hospital fund, and most of those funds came from other restricted fund departments in the county. The hospital deficit grew over several years as the county kept paying hospital bills as they came in, but dipped heavily into funds that they should not have legally touched. Some of those restricted funds belonged to the Schools, Modoc County Road Department, Public Health and others.

Rush Fire 2nd biggest ever in state

Firefighters were busy Tuesday and Wednesday finding and quelling hot spots and putting out burning islands of vegetation. These are scattered in the interior of the fire, especially in the northeast flank, about 25 miles northeast and east of Ravendale, Calif., and in Nevada. 
As the fire has quieted down, firefighters have been able to more accurately map the fire with global-positioning equipment. The acreage figures reported on Tuesday evening show that the Rush fire will go into the record books as the second largest in modern California history, having burned 271,911 acres in California and another 43,666 acres in Nevada.  Only the 2003 Cedar fire in San Diego County, which burned 273,246 acres, was larger. 
Hot spots continue to pose a risk of new fires should winds blow embers out of the burned area.

SV Hospital survey showed major problems

On May 8 through May 16 Surprise Valley Hospital received their Skilled Nursing Facility inspection by the California Department of Public Health. The inspection’s findings and summary of deficiencies was 59 pages long.
“The report on the inspection was shocking. But it revealed what certain board members have been trying to deal with for months. It’s good because there will be no more cover-up, the state will get us back in compliance and acquaint the staff about how things should be run,” said Bunne Hartmann, board member.
The deficiencies listed included elder abuse, not reporting this abuse to the state, patients being placed in the immediate jeopardy status by the state, several thousand dollars in fines to the hospital, plus $400 per day until corrections are made, and threat of closure to the hospital.
The state wrote in their report that the administration failed to manage the hospital in a manner that enables it to use its resources effectively and efficiently to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical, mental and psychosocial well-being of each resident.
Twenty-two pages of the first deficiency report were devoted to the investigation and documentation of ongoing elder abuse to a single resident.

Some roads still closed on forest

The Barry Point Fires is now 100 percent contained. Containment indicates fire line has been completed around the entire fire with no expectation of fire spread. 
Firefighters continue to mop up the fires edge; cooling down all hot spots that could become a threat to the fire line should weather conditions change.
A Burned Area Emergency Response Team is currently assessing the burn severity of the Barry Point Fire in order to make recommendations to the Fremont and Winema and Modoc National Forests about restoration needs with the goals of protecting life, property, water quality, and deteriorated ecosystems from further damage after the fire is out.
While area residents will continue to see smoke within the fire perimeter as unburned fuels on the interior of the fire burn out, several large fires burning in California are the major contributors to the smoke impacts in the area.
Even though the fire is now contained, area and road closures in California and Oregon are still in effect to provide public and firefighter safety due to heavy fire traffic as crews and equipment continue to work in the area.
Road closures are in effect on the Modoc National Forest entire area, including all roads, from the Oregon/California border south to the Big Sage Management Area, to the west of the 73 Road and east to Goose Lake. Also, on the Modoc NF the Janes Reservoir Camp Ground is closed due to inaccessibility and proximity to the fire area.

Drone mapping SV for faults, fractures

By Jean Bilodeaux
Special to the Record

The skies over Surprise Valley will have an unusual looking aircraft flying from Fort Bidwell to Eagleville from Sept. 1-13. The craft, called SIERRA, is an unmanned aerial system (UAS).
A team of geoscientists and engineers from the U.S. Geological Survey, NASA-Ames, Central Washington University, and Carnegie Mellon University will be headquartered at the Cedarville Airport. Their project will be to collect magnetic field data using the UAS that will help them to map faults and fractures below the surface of the valley and their relationships to the locations of hot springs.
“We are interested in better understanding both the geothermal system and the long-term earthquake hazards in Surprise Valley. We’ve collected a lot of data over the years on foot and via ATV, but with these two methods, our access is still limited: we can’t walk around in the hot springs themselves, for example, but these are some of the most important places to collect data!” said Anne Eggar, Assistant Professor Geological Sciences and Science Education Central Washington University.
The scientists will be collecting data from the air, using the state-of-the-art small, lightweight, unmanned aircraft that will be flying at about 500 feet altitude. This way the pilot and crew will not be endangered and cattle will not be frightened. The SIERRA will be specially equipped with a magnetometer in its wing to aid in the project.

Obituaries:

Susie Fee

Former Ft. Bidwell resident Susie Fee passed away on Wednesday, August 22, 2012, at 6:30 a.m. in her home in Magalia, CA. Services will be held at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Paradise, CA between 10:30 and 11:00 a.m. on September 5, 2012.
Susie was born on December 15, 1946, in Alturas, CA to Melvin and Mary Stevenson
Donations may be directed to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation in care of Newton Bracewell Funeral Home, Paradise, CA.

Charles Myers

Former Adin resident Charles Benjamin Myers was born August 30, 1927 in Susanville, the last of six children born to James and Edith (Dunbar) Myers
Ben Myers died in Pensacola on August 17, 2012
Following funeral services in Pensacola on August 22, Ben was laid to rest at Bayview Memorial Park with full military honors.

Sports

Modoc football opens Friday night in Yreka

The Modoc Braves football teams will open the 2012 season at Yreka against the Miners Friday night.
Yreka’s a bigger school and beat Trinity 20-13 last weekend to open its season. Modoc plays in Division III and is ranked fifth, while Yreka is in Division II and ranks fourth.
Trinity trailed 13-8 at halftime against Trinity, but held them scoreless in the second half while scoring 12 points of their own for the win. The Miners had only 99 yards passing, but managed to rack up 334 yards rushing on 52 carries.

Hunter Ed class set Sept 8, 15

A Hunter Education class will be held at the Modoc National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters on two consecutive Saturdays, Sept. 8 and 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day.
Individuals interested in taking the class must pick up a student packet and sign the class roster before Sept. 8 at the Sports Hut, 231 North Main Street in Alturas. Sports Hut hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday and closed Mondays.
There is neither an age requirement nor fee for the class. The reading material is about fifth grade level and handling and firing of a provided firearm is required.
More information is available with the student packet or call California Department of Fish and Game volunteer instructor Mike Wolter at 233-3632.

September 6th, 2012

News

MHS rises and dips in 2012 STAR tests

Modoc High School students showed marked improvement in some areas of the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) results released at the end of August. They also showed some areas of decline.
One of the good areas was Summative High School Math where 84 percent of 11th graders showed at basic, proficient or above. In 2011, only 45 percent were at the level and 54 percent were below basic or far below basic.
There are five levels in the STAR test: advanced, proficient, basic, below basic and far below basic.
One of the areas where MHS 10th graders did not do well was Algebra I, were 76 percent were in the below basic to far below basic group. That’s better than 86 percent at those levels last year. In addition, in 2011 there were no students who scored at proficient or advanced and this year 10 percent did.
The freshmen did well in the geometry portion of the test with 90 percent scoring in the top three levels, but that was down from 100 percent last year. The juniors did not do so well, with 88 percent scoring at basic or below basic. Only 13 percent were proficient, compared to 32 percent last year. None scored far below basic in either year.

State clears SV Hospital plan

The Surprise Valley Health Care District is now in good standing with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), Licensing and Certification Division.
On August 28, 2012, the CDPH performed a follow-up on-site visit at the Surprise Valley Health Care District nursing home facility in Cedarville.  The State survey found the facility was in substantial compliance with the participation requirements in the Medicare and/or Medi-Cal programs, with no deficiencies.  
“Achieving this goal took a strong team effort among all of the department supervisors, their staff, the Interim Director of Nursing, all the nursing staff, working with the direction of Administration and our healthcare consultant,” said Kelley Gentry, CEO of SVHCD. 

Smoke coming from area fires

Most of the smoke filtering into Modoc County over the past week is thought to come from fires in Klamath and Siskiyou Counties. The Barry Point Fire on Devil’s Garden and the Rush Fire on the Madeline Plains have been contained and are only smoldering.
The Rush Fire was contained at 315,577 acres as of last Thursday. It had burned through sagebrush, juniper and grass and one barn was destroyed. On Friday, all roads and areas closed were reopened.
“It’s important that people driving through the area keep a watchful eye for fire crews and equipment, especially in the areas along Buckhorn Road in the northern part of the fire,” said Ken Collum, BLM Eagle Lake Field Manager.
He also asked visitors to keep vehicles on roads and trails and out of the burned areas to avoid damaging soils that have lost their protective plant cover. Fire danger remains high.
Crews are completing the mop-up phase of the Barry Point Fire and the focus is on ensuring that the fire lines, suppression damage and roads used to contain the fire are repaired to a state that will provide public safety and protect the land and resources.

Motorhome fire closes US395

A motorhome was destroyed by fire near Likely Wednesday about noon, requiring response from local rural fire departments and state and federal firefighting units.
U.S. 395 was closed by the California Highway Patrol in both directions as the fire spread quickly across the highway on both sides. It was estimated to have burned about 15 acres and was still blazing.
No official report on the fire has been released and units were still on the scene by about 1:30 p.m.
                                                                        
BLM to reopen roads, campgrounds closed during Rush Fire

High desert roads and campgrounds in northeast California and northwest Nevada that were closed to public access during the Rush Fire northeast of Susanville will be reopened to the public Friday, Aug. 31.
The Dodge Reservoir and Ramhorn Springs campgrounds and all roads through the fire area, including the Smoke Creek Ranch, Buckhorn, Rye Patch, Horn,  Garate,  Ramhorn, Shinn Ranch, Stoney, Deep Cut, Skedaddle Ranch, Brubeck, Buffalo Meadows and Dry Valley roads will reopen, said officials from the Bureau of Land Management’s Eagle Lake Field Office in Susanville.
The fire, started by lightning Aug. 12, was expected to be contained today at 315,577 acres.  Fire crews will remain in the fire area over the coming week or more.
Campfires are not allowed except in posted, developed recreation sites and campgrounds, smoking is not allowed except inside buildings or enclosed vehicles, and use of internal combustion engines is allowed only on roads and trails.  Chainsaw use is prohibited.

Obituaries:

Phillip Olsen
Phillip James Olsen, 81, of Alturas, formerly of Madeline, Likely, Lookout and one or two other places, was born in Susanville, CA December 31, 1930, to Carl and Dolly Olsen. He passed away in Alturas, CA on August 29, 2012.
There will be a memorial service and catered fellowship at the Likely Fire Hall on September 22 at 4 p.m. His final resting place will be where he spent happier times with Mike and Eric camping and hunting in the mountains surrounding Nelson’s Corral. Rest in Peace Phillip.

Sports

Braves test Yreka in 21-14 loss; Lakeview comes to Alturas

Modoc’s varsity football team gave the Yreka Miners all they could handle Friday night in Yreka, losing 21-14.
Modoc has long-time rival Lakeview here Friday night with the junior varsity game starting at 5:30 p.m. and the varsity to follow.
Lakeview will be good, sporting a solid team with good players in skilled positions, but Modoc Coach Shaun Wood sees his Braves as ready for the task.
“Lakeview will be tough,” said Wood. “Our first three games are going to be tough, and I think the league may be a little stronger this season. I expect a good game Friday night.”
In Yreka, Modoc trailed 8-7 in the first period and 21-7 at halftime. But the defense held Yreka, a much bigger school, to no points in the second half and Modoc added seven in the fourth to cut the score to 21-14.
The Braves moved the ball in the final minutes to the Yreka 25-yard line, but could not convert a final pass play to tie the game. Quarterback Cam Anderson, who completed 15 of 31 passes for 155 yards on the night, had his final pass picked off in the endzone as time ran out.

Sports this week

The following are the games on taps for Modoc High School.
Sept. 7: Football, Modoc versus Lakeview in Alturas, JV 5:30 p.m., varsity to follow.
Sept. 8: Volleyball, at Lassen Tournament, Sept. 11 Big Valley here, JV, 5:30 p.m. varsity 6:30 p.m.; Sept. 13, at Surprise Valley JV 5:30 p.m., varsity 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 18: Soccer, Weed here, JV 5:30 p.m. varsity 6:30 p.m.; Sept. 20 at Mt. Shasta.
Sept. 14: Cross Country, at Mt. Shasta Invitational.

September 13th, 2012

News

Likely Fire roars up Tule Mountain nears containment

On Sept. 5 about noon a motorhome caught fire and was destroyed on U.S. 395 just south of Likely. The hot fire ignited the dry landscape quickly and the fire, pushed by strong winds, roared up Tule Mountain.
According to officials, the fire started with one of the inside rear dual wheels going flat and catching fire. It’s thought that the fire burned into the propane supply, which erupted, igniting the brush and grass on both sides of the highway, Both occupants of the motorhome got out of the vehicle safely.
By evening the fire had covered thousands of acres, even though area rural fire departments with state and federal units responded quickly. The fire could be seen that night as a red-orange glow from Alturas. And it didn’t slow down.
Fire crews were assisted by helicopters and air tankers but it burned about 6,700 acres of sagebrush and juniper that night.
It was burning in the Bureau of Land Management Tule Mountain Wilderness Study Area. The fire forced evacuations of campers at West Valley Reservoir, and was threatening 18 homes, two commercial properties and five outbuildings. No structures have been damaged or destroyed.
Three members of an inmate firefighting crew suffered burn injuries Sept. 5.  They were treated and released at Modoc Medical Center.
As of Wednesday, the fire had consumed about 10,000 acres and was 80 percent contained. Containment was projected as of yesterday, and control was estimated for Sept. 16.
The cost of fighting the fire as of Wednesday was estimated at about $2.7 million.

County forms local advisory team

Some apparent miscues in communication during this fire season prompted the Modoc County Board of Supervisors to form a Modoc County Local Area Advisory team on Tuesday.
The new group is formed under the Modoc Office of Emergency Services and has the goal to assist local Forest Ranger Districts and Incident Management Teams in providing local knowledge during an incident.
“We want to increase communication between the agencies and help with local coordination so that people who know this county will be on hand at the start of an incident,” said Modoc Sheriff Mike Poindexter. “It will keep the Sheriff’s Office in the loop from the start and should be helpful for the agencies.”
Poindexter stressed the need for local people to be involved early in an emergency because they know the lay of the land, and generally can offer solid advice to the incident commanders.

SVEC Directors re-elected at meeting

A record number of member/owners of the Surprise Valley Electric Corp attended their 74th annual meeting held at the Modoc County Fairgrounds.
Of special interest and concern to members was the theft of $5,971.98 worth of copper wire, the board’s handling of the theft, other illegal or unethical practices, and the consequent $184,000 plus benefits early retirement package offered General Manager Dan Silveria.
When the knowledge of the theft became known throughout the corporation, the board hired Kritzer Investigations to look into the matter. Copies of the investigator’s report are available to members at their Alturas office.
Lynn Culp, Member Service Manager of SVE gave a report on the progress of the co-op’s Paisley Geothermal Project. The plant will be binary in design with the water being piped through a heat exchange liquid, never being exposed to the open air, and then being re-injected into the aquifer. After the production well was drilled, the re-injection well was also drilled and yielded even hotter water. A third well was drilled for re-injection and had 332-degree water, even hotter than the first two. After switching production wells, the project is moving along and it is planned to sell this renewable power at market price.
The corporation re-elected Duane McGarva and Wes Cook for new terms on the board of directors.

Barry Point road closure lifted

The road closure in the Barry Point Fire area has been lifted. However, fire traffic and logging operations continue in the area.
The public is encouraged to avoid the fire area. There are potential hazards from trees weakened by the fire, snags (dead, standing trees), burning stump holes, pockets of unburned vegetation, and deteriorated roadways. Many motorists are using the roads, so drivers should therefore be aware of their surroundings, reduce their speed, and drive carefully.
The Forest Service will conduct a public meeting in Alturas during the week of September 17 to 21 to give further information about the fire and to answer questions. Date, time, and place of the meeting will be announced.

Obituaries:

Frances Johnson
Frances Marie (Chimenti) Johnson died August 30, 2012 at her Visalia home surrounded by compassionate friends and family around her at Magnolia Park. Surviving Frances are her two daughters, Linda LeNeave (John) of Davis Creek, CA and Diana Pearcy (Bob) of Visalia, CA.  She loved her six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
She was born on January 27, 1920 in Menlo Park, California to Charles and Violet Chimenti and graduated from San Francisco’s Galileo High School in 1938.
Fran’s Memorial Service will be held at 1 p.m.  on September 30, 2012 at  Lakewood Memorial Park  in Hughson, CA. At 2:30 p.m.  family and friends will gather at Bel Piatto at 1000 Kansas Ave, Modesto.
In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate friends to donate to their favorite charity or donate to Annie Pearcy Memorial Scholarship, Woodlake High School Foundation, PO Box 475,Woodlake, Ca 93286.

Cheryl Thorne
Alturas resident Cheryl Darlene Thorne passed on September 5, 2012. A memorial service for Cheryl will be held at 2:00 p.m. on September 22, 2012, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 1400 W. 4th St., Alturas, CA. Donations may be made to the Alturas Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, at that location.

Phillip Olsen
A memorial service for Phillip James Olsen and catered fellowship will be held on September 22 at 4 p.m. at the Likely Fire Hall.
Mr. Olsen is survived by his sons Mike of Missouri, Eric of Madeline, grandson Cody of MO, his brothers John of Alturas and Lynn (Sharon) of Klamath Falls, his twin sister Phyllis Brazeton currently in a rest home in Burney, Elberta Jensen (Jim) of Klamath Falls and Vera Zeller of Madeline.

Sports

Braves crush Honkers in home opener

Modoc used a strong second half to crush the visiting Lakeview Honkers 28-6 here Friday night in their home opener. They meet a tough Trinity team here this Friday night with the junior varsity game starting at 5 p.m. and the varsity to follow.
Trinity comes in off a 45-19 drubbing of Hoopa, but in direct comparison, Yreka beat Trinity 20-13 and Modoc lost to Yreka 21-14. Currently Trinity is ranked third in Division III and Modoc is ranked fifth.
“Trinity’s going to be good, they come in with a good running back and they’re bigger than us up front,” said coach Shaun Wood. “But, our team speed is faster and I think we match up well in most areas. I expect a very good game. They’re going to come in and try to pound the ball. I don’t expect to see a lot of passing from them. We just need to keep them from mounting and sustaining long drives.”
Wood is also putting a lot of emphasis on his defense, which held a very good Lakeview team to 59 yards offense in the second half Friday night. Modoc gave up 129 yards rushing in the first quarter, but 95 of those yards came on one touchdown run early in he first quarter. Running back Lane Hadley ended up with 185 yards rushing, but Modoc held the entire team to 152 yards for the entire game. Several of Lakeview’s runs were from negative yardage.

Modoc netters split in volleyball tourney

Modoc’s varsity volleyball team had three wins and three losses in the Lassen High School tourney last weekend.
Modoc is at Surprise Valley Thursday and at the Red Bluff Tournament Sept. 14-15.
In pool play in Susanville they beat Portola 17-25, 25-18 and 15-8; lost to Westwood 22-25, 25-21, and 10-15; beat Surprise Valley 25-9, 25-13, and lost to Lassen 15-25, 13-25.
In bracket play, the Braves beat Westwood 25-22, 25-16 and lost to Lassen 25-22, 26-27 and 5-15.
On Tuesday Modoc beat Big Valley 20-25, 27-25,19-25 and 12-25.
Modoc’s JV Volleyball team placed second out of seven teams on Saturday at the Lassen Tournament in Susanville.  After placing first in pool play against Quincy (25-16 and 25-19) and Lassen Gold (25-20 and 25-14), the girls went on to defeat Quincy again (25-22, 20-25, and 15-11) and Westwood (25-17 and 25-18) before losing to Lassen Purple (16-25 and 18-25) in the championship match. 
Tuesday night the JV Lady Braves met the Big Valley Cardinals at home.  Playing against a team that covered the floor well, the Braves fell 17-25, 25-23, and 13-15.

Brave JV beat Lakeview 18-8

Modoc’s junior varsity football team used a passing attack to beat the Lakeview Honkers 18-6 Friday night in Alturas. They face Trinity this Friday with game time at 5 p.m.

September 20th, 2012

News

County budget hearings create controversy

This week, the Modoc County Board of Supervisors has been in budget hearings, and those hearings have not gone without some controversy.
On Monday, in a hastily conceived plan, the Board heard of the Budget Committee’s recommendation to consolidate Public Works into a new Community Development Department including Planning and Public Works.
That plan was hatched during Committee meeting last Friday, but came as a shock to both Public Works Director Rick Hironymous and Planning Director Kim Hunter when it was announced this week.
While there had been some discussion, there was not a full-fledged agreement or consent from either department. Actually, Hironymous found out the night before the Monday meeting that the plan called for him to retire. That wasn’t in his plans and he expressed his displeasure with the way it was done.
Hunter said she did not ask for the change and was concerned about its implementation. There apparently was some serious disagreement with the plan at Public Works.
County Chief Administrative Officer Chester Robertson said the plan was brought forth by the committee as its recommendation to the Board.
Robertson was also facing an angry Modoc County Sheriff Mike Poindexter at this morning’s meeting concerning the Sheriff’s budget. We’ll have the results of that hearing next week, since it occurred

City receives grant for biomass heating study

The City of Alturas was notified Sept. 6 that it had received a $75,000 Sierra Nevada Conservancy pre-engineering study grant for a biomass-based district heating project.
The grant was submitted by the city with widespread support and both City Public Works Director Chester Robertson and Planning Director Kim Hunter call the project life changing for the City.
According to the City’s application, the project would provide a pre-engineering study for a biomass-fueled district heating system in support of the Forest Health Sage Steppe restoration project on the Modoc National Forest to include: a preliminary design of the biomass heat generation facility for district wide heating; a preliminary design of a heating district distribution system with utilization of existing infrastructure, a fuel-cost comparison study for customer conversion; design alternatives to incorporate the use of combined biomass heat and power generation and existing geothermal wells to augment the district heating system; and identification of overall project needs for phased development;  financing requirements for construction and operation, project schedule requirements, permits and licenses, safety plans, development of supplier and customer contracts, recommended ownership and management structure, initial operation and management plan requirements.

Likely Fire contained at 9,838 acres

The Likely Fire has been contained at 9,838 acres, with full control expected Sept. 21. The fire was started by a motorhome, which exploded on U.S. 395 on Sept. 5.
According to the Bureau of Land Management, the estimated cost of suppression totals just over $4.2 million at this time. The BLM reports seven injuries on the fire with six hand crews, two engines, one dozer and five water tenders doing the mop up, patrol and work in suppression repair.
“The southern California Incident Management Team Two would like to take this opportunity to thank the communities of Likely, Madeline and Alturas for their patience, hospitality and cooperation during this event,” the BLM states.

Grand Jury confirms no DOJ prosecution

The Modoc County Grand Jury on Monday confirmed that the California Sate Attorney General will not be filing criminal charges in a case involving Modoc’s use of restricted funds.
“The State Attorney General stated that a great number of people were interviewed and, although poor judgment was displayed, the general effort to divert monies to the Modoc County Hospital to keep it open was deemed to be with good intention,” Grand Jury spokesperson Pat Wood stated in a official press release. “No one person benefited financially from these monies.”
Wood noted that the Grand Jury had looked into the use of restricted funds and the 2010-11 Grand Jury sent a written request to the AG’s office for an investigation into possible law violations, which is required by law when a Grand Jury becomes aware of possible malfeasance.
On August 9, Deputy AG Cliff Zail reported to the 2012-13 Grand Jury that there would be no criminal prosecution as a result of the County’s financial problems.

Obituaries—

Marie Smith Morris
Marie Smith Morris went to be with her Lord August 24, 2012. Marie was born to Forrest and Mildred Youman Smith December 7, 1929 in Nampa, Idaho. She was the second oldest of nine children.

Rev. Ronald Barr
Born May 28, 1933 at the Fort Bidwell hospital in Fort Bidwell, Rev. Ronald Barr, a 60-year-old Bishop resident, went to be with the Lord Tuesday, September 4, 2012 at Renown Hospital in Reno. He was 79.
Funeral services were held Saturday, September 8 at 10:00 a.m. at Brune & Buck Mortuary in Bishop, CA. Rev. Dave Barns of Snowflake, AZ officiated. Final resting place at Sunland Indian Cemetery, next to his wife Anita. They were married 51 years.  Fellowship followed at Barlow Lane Community Center. Condolences and memories will be welcomed and may be sent to the family of Ronald Barr, P.O Box 73, Bishop, CA 93515.

Wilma Marie Cannon
Wilma Marie (Porter) Cannon passed away on September 16, 2012, at Banner Hospital, Susanville, CA after a courageous battle with cancer.
Wilma was born in Portland, Oregon on October 6, 1926 to Cline K. and Nellie S. (Griffith) Porter.
Memorial services will be held at the Methodist Church on Saturday, September 29 at 11:00 a.m. and burial will be at the Alturas Cemetery by the side of her husband. No services are planned at the graveside.

Service for Phillip Olsen
A memorial service for Phillip James Olsen and catered fellowship will be held on September 22 at 4 p.m. at the Likely Fire Hall.
Mr. Olsen is survived by his sons Mike of Missouri, Eric of Madeline, grandson Cody of MO, his brothers John of Alturas and Lynn (Sharon) of Klamath Falls, his twin sister Phyllis Brazeton currently in a rest home in Burney, Elberta Jensen (Jim) of Klamath Falls and Vera Zeller of Madeline.

Cheryl Darlene Thorne
Alturas resident Cheryl Darlene Thorne passed on September 5, 2012. A memorial service for Cheryl will be held at 2:00 p.m. on September 22, 2012, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 1400 W. 4th St., Alturas, CA. Donations may be made to the Alturas Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, at that location.

Sports

Trinity field goal tops Braves

Modoc came back against a good Trinity football team Friday night, but a Wolf field goal with 2:50 left in the game iced it for Trinity 23-20. Modoc has Mt. Shasta here this Friday with junior varsity game time at 5:30 p.m.
Modoc opened the Trinity game with an Alex Torres touchdown run in the first period. Trinity answered with a pair of touchdowns in the second period and led 14-7 at half.
The Braves could not move the ball to open the third period and Trinity added another score to go up 20-7. But Modoc had to quick answer on two touchdown runs by Brandon Witherspoon in the third period to tie the game at 20-20. A couple of fumbles in the forth allowed the Wolves to set up and kick a final winning field goal.
Witherspoon had 103 yards rushing on five carries, while Torres had 21 on 13 and Drew Culp 23 on 16. Cam Anderson was 7-13 passing for 103 yards. Riley Larranaga caught three for 70, Torres one for 18, Tristan Axelrod one for 20. Anderson was 2-3 on PAT kicks.

Netters had tough weekend in Red Bluff

Modoc’s varsity volleyball team had a tough weekend in the Red Bluff Tournament last weekend. They opened with a win over Mercy, and then lost to West Valley, Willows, Eureka, Yreka, Weed and Fall River.
The Braves are at Mt. Shasta Sept. 20 and host Etna Sept. 22.
Last Thursday, Modoc beat Surprise Valley 25-7, 25-20 and 25-16. On Tuesday, Modoc lost to Weed in a Shasta Cascade League opener in five sets: 20-25, 25-13, 21-25, 25-21, and 15-10.
Modoc JV Volleyball kicked off their opening game of league with a win on Tuesday night.  They beat the Weed Cougars at home 25-17 and 25-22. 

September 27th, 2012

News

Murder, suicide suspected in Alturas shooting

A shooting Sept. 20 in Alturas is being described as a murder-suicide by the Alturas Police department.
According to APD Lieutenant Sid Cullins, Jim Sims III, age 53, is suspected of shooting and killing his wife, Marilyn Sims, age 51, at their West 9th Street home, and also shooting her 14-year-old son when he came to help her.
She was transported by ambulance to Modoc Medical Center in Alturas and died at the hospital. Her son was also transported to MMC with non life-threatening injuries. He has been released and is recovering.
Cullins said the boys apparently called 9-1-1 twice and reported a shooting at the residence. When the APD patrol car arrived and turned from Warner Street to Ninth Street, Jim Sims was in his pickup truck turning from Ninth onto Warner Street. The officer was told by one of the sons that Sims was the shooter.
The officer made a U-turn and initiated a pursuit south on Warner Street. Sims continued on Warner, turned left on Carlos Street, crossed Western Street and then pulled into the parking lot of the Faith Baptist Church.
The officer followed him into the parking lot and Sims got out of his pickup with a .25 caliber handgun in his hand. He started walking toward the police car, asking the officer to shoot him. After about a minute, Sims turned away and shot himself in the head. He was transported to MMC, and later flown to Mercy Medical Center in Redding where he died.

Sheriff will take County to Court over budget

Modoc County Sheriff Mike Poindexter is done with trying to work with the County Administrative Office and the Board of Supervisors on his budget. He’s now taking steps to bring a legal action against the County.
Poindexter said a lawsuit was the last option he wanted to take, but CAO Chester Robertson and the Board have forced his hand. He said he will not allow the Board to determine how he runs his department.
In a letter to County Counsel John Kenny sent Sept. 24, Poindexter wrote: “As you are aware, the Board of Supervisors has told me that due to a revenue shortfall, I need to reduce my operating budget. I informed them and the CAO that I am prepared to re-work my budget in an attempt to accomplish that task, but I have now discovered that the Board adjusted my budget without my input. The ‘cut’ they imposed would significantly impact my investigative and administration function and that, obviously, creates a problem for me.”
That letter was in effect asking for legal representation from Kenny, which Poindexter acknowledges Kenny would probably not be able to provide because he represents the Board.
“I am first asking you to inform the Board that you cannot represent me and that they are obligated to allocate funds for me to secure independent legal services,” Poindexter states in the letter.

Modoc jobless rate dips to 12.8%

The unemployment rate in Modoc County for August 2012 dipped from July’s 13.2 percent to 12.8 percent, according to the California Employment Development Department.
That’s an exact rate seen in August 2011 when the jobless rate was 12.8 percent. There is a marked downward trend in the civilian labor force, from August 2011’s 4,110 to August 2012’s 3,760. The number of people employed also dropped from 2011’s 3,580 to 3,280 this year. There were 530 people listed as unemployed in 2011 and 480 for 2012.
According to EDD figures, 37.8 percent of the jobs in Modoc are government positions: 840 local government; 80 state; and 280 federal.

Biomass heating project could be real boon

The City of Alturas Biomass Heating District project could be a real boon to the community, and could eventually progress from providing heating for public buildings and businesses to residential units.
A good step up in the process was the City receiving a $75,000 Sierra Nevada Conservancy pre-engineering study grant for the project. That grant approval was official on Sept. 6.
The plan is to use the Sage Steppe Ecosystem Restoration Strategy, which Modoc County, the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management adopted. Basically, that plan calls for the “treating” over a million acres of juniper-encroached areas and using that wood to provide energy. The woody biomass generated from the harvesting of juniper has primarily been sent out of county.
The major change would be building a new biomass power plant on the Alturas Mill Site, cutting down the long haul distance to make use of the wood chips. Having that plant local would be an economic as well as environmental advantage.
Another big twist in the plan would be making use of the existing geothermal wells in Alturas. One well at Modoc High School is in use, while another between Alturas Elementary School and Modoc Middle School has been drilled, but is capped. That well is considered very viable. In addition, the schools adjacent to that well have already been plumbed for the geothermal heating system.
According to City-County Planner Kim Hunter, the combined biomass and geothermal energy sources could prove to be very efficient and productive and substantially reduce heating costs for several entities.

Canyon Ridge senior apartments plan approved

On Tuesday, the Alturas Planning Commission approved an amended site plan for the Canyon Ridge Senior Apartment Complex north of State Route 299 and west of the U.S. Forest Service complex.
The project had been in the works a couple of years ago, but several major changes in design and financials have been made. The original plan was for federally subsidized apartments, but that plan has been scrapped. The 200-unit project now will be “market-based” rents for one and two bedroom apartments for seniors over 55 years of age.

Obituaries:

Marilyn Sims
Marilyn “Mare” Ann Manca-Goulden-Sims will be forever missed by her family, friends and the community where she lived and served. Mare was born December 6, 1960, in Reno, NV to William Louis and Willy Jacquelyn (Plessman) Manca.  Mare was the youngest of three children. She died September 20, 2012 in Alturas.
A Memorial Service for Marilyn to be held at the Alturas Veteran’s Hall on Saturday September 29, 2012 at 10:00 a.m., reception immediately following. Minister Curtis Barber will conduct the service and provide the music.
A Candlelight Vigil to remember Marilyn and mourn her loss, will be held at the Veterans’ Park Pavilion in Alturas on Monday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. Candles will be available.
Condolences and Memories are welcome and can be sent to the Family of Marilyn Sims at 9980 Moccasin Ct., Reno, NV 89521 and Helen Goulden, 900 Mill Street, Alturas, CA 96101.
Those who wish to make a donation in honor of Marilyn to help care for her sons, may do so to a Trust account now established at Bank of America in the name of “Helen Goulden in Trust for Zach Goulden and Jesse Bradshaw.”

James Conant
James Robert Conant, 80, a veteran of the U.S. Navy and an Alturas resident, passed away August 27, 2012, at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, CA. Mr. Conant was born Feb. 10, 1932. He retired from 22 years with the Navy and an additional 22 years in civilian work with the Navy.
James took up membership and offices with the local veterans posts including Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3327, American Legion Post 163 and AmVets Post 2003. He was preceded in death by his wife Cynthia in January 2009. He was laid to rest at the Alturas Cemetery.

Edith Addington Root
Edith Lucille Addington Root passed away in Redmond, OR on September 15, 2012. Born in Alturas, CA on June 4, 1926, she was the fourth child born to Jesse and Sadie Addington.
Edith had cooked and managed several restaurants in Nevada, California, Oregon and Alaska.

Wilma Marie Cannon
Wilma Marie (Porter) Cannon passed away on September 16, 2012, at Banner Hospital, Susanville, CA after a courageous battle with cancer.
Wilma was born in Portland, Oregon on October 6, 1926 to Cline K. and Nellie S. (Griffith) Porter. She started the first grade in White Salmon, Washington, but due to her mother’s poor health, the family moved to Alturas, CA. Wilma finished the first grade and went on to finish high school in Alturas. After graduating high school, Wilma moved back to Portland and worked as a secretary.
Memorial services will be held at the Methodist Church in Susanville on Saturday, September 29 at 11:00 a.m. and burial will be at the Alturas Cemetery by the side of her husband. No services are planned at the graveside.

Sports

Braves pummel Bears; head to Lost River

The Modoc Braves dismantled the Mt. Shasta Bears 42-12 Friday night in Alturas and will hit the road to take on 3-1 Lost River there this Friday.
Modoc started with a 20-0 lead in the first period, scored eight in the second, none in the third and 14 in the fourth while Mt. Shasta scored its 12 points in the fourth quarter.
Modoc JVs lose
The Braves junior varsity lost to the Bears 28-16, after leading 16-14 with about five minutes left in the fourth quarter.
“It was just a mental breakdown on our part,” said coach Dominic Budmark. “We held them to a fourth down and 15, but on that play they completed a 32-yard pass.”
They went on to score and on the ensuing kickoff, Modoc mishandled the ball and the Bears scored again to seal the win.

Braves split in SCL volleyball

The Modoc Braves varsity volleyball team lost to the Mt. Shasta Bears and beat Etna in Shasta Cascade League action. They face Tulelake today and are at Fall River Oct. 4.
Last Thursday, the Braves won the opening game 25-23, but dropped the next three 22-25, 22-25 and 21-25 to lose the match.
On Tuesday, the Braves beat Burney 25-11, 25-17 and 25-19 limiting the errors to single digits.
JV volleyball
Modoc’s junior varsity team lost to Mt. Shasta 25-15 and 25-18. The young Braves beat Etna 25-17 and 25-22.
They beat Burney 25-22, 25-21 Tuesday.

October 4th, 2012

News

Sheriff serious about suit, but offers way out

Modoc County Sheriff Mike Poindexter is dead serious about bringing a lawsuit against the Modoc County Board of Supervisors concerning his budget and staffing.
Last week, Poindexter said a lawsuit was the last option he wanted to take, but CAO Chester Robertson and the Board had left him no other choice. He said he will not allow the Board to determine how he runs his department.
In a new letter to the Board this week, Poindexter writes: “As you know, County Counsel John S. Kenny, in his letter dated September 25, 2012, declared a conflict and his inability to provide the Sheriff’s Office representation regarding the current legal dispute between the Board and the Sheriff s Office. As such, I must now inform you that I am invoking my rights under California Government Code Section 31000.6 which provides that the Board must provide the Sheriff with independent legal representation and the cost is to be borne by the county.”
He also stressed that if the Board upholds “its promise to allow the Sheriff to look into the possibility of restructuring and developing long-range planning strategies in a cooperative effort to save precious general fund dollars, and accept by reconsideration the Sheriff's Office allocation list and final proposed budget, the Sheriff would consider the disagreement settled and there would be no need for me to secure legal representation.”

Derner resigns at hospital CEO

Modoc Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Monica Derner has resigned from the position, effective December 31. Derner has led the hospital through the district election process and through the transition stages.
“I sincerely hope that the future of Modoc Medical Center continues to have the backing of the community and wish the hospital a very successful future,” she wrote in a letter to the hospital board. “I would consider providing contractual services should you determine you need further assistance from me.”
For all practical purposes the hospital is moving forward and is in much better financial shape than in the recent past. Derner points out that the hospital recently paid off the Medicare debt, $978,000 which will save $72,000 in interest for the remainder of this fiscal year and a total of $144,000 for the remaining term.
“I am thankful for the opportunity I was afforded to be involved in the transition to a District and becoming our own entity,” Derner said. “I have met so many wonderful people along the way, both in the community and all the way to Sacramento.  I will always have a special place in my heart for the staff and the hospital. Admittedly, this industry has its challenges, but the staff here is very talented and I am confident you won’t find a more committed group of people that want this hospital to succeed.”

Child molester gets eight years

Benjamin Zaragoza, 33, of Alturas was sentenced to eight years in state prison Tuesday on two counts of committing lewd acts upon a child under 10 years of age. 
Zaragoza sexually molested a female victim who was eight years old at the time. Upon his release from prison, Zaragoza will also be required to register as a sex offender. This case was investigated by Alturas City Police and the District Attorney’s Office. 
According to the DA, due to the seriousness of the offense, Zaragoza will serve 85 percent of his sentence. The State requires most felons to serve only fifty percent of their prison or jail sentence.

Chainsaw use allowed until 1 p.m.

With cool nights and shorter days helping to ease wildland fire dangers slightly, the Bureau of Land Management announced that beginning Saturday, Oct. 6, firewood cutters can again use chainsaws on public lands until 1 p.m. daily.
This restriction, commonly known as “hootowl,” will be in effect on public lands managed by the BLM Northern California District in northeast California and far northwest Nevada, and will remain in place until rain reduces  reduce fire dangers significantly.
 “While we are again allowing chainsaw use, wood cutters and other public land users need to be aware that forests and rangelands are critically dry,” said BLM Fire Management Officer Paul Whitcome.  “Small sparks can still start large fires and people need to use extreme caution outdoors.”

Obituaries

Loren Bucher
Loren Alvin Bucher, 79, of Alturas, died at 8:40 a.m. on September 26, 2012, doing what he loved best, working as a Foreman, Equipment operator. Mr. Bucher had been operating a D-8K Dozer at Eagle Peak Rock and Paving North Pit, Alturas, CA. when the dozer experienced trouble with the engine throttle. Mr. Bucher exited the cab and was standing on the left track when the dozer moved forward and ran over him.
He was well-known to his community, his years with the U.S. Forest Service from 1956-1989, when he retired and his long-time involvement with the Alturas Elks Lodge 1756. He was laid to rest October 2, 2012 at 11 a.m. at the Fort Bidwell Cemetery. A reception followed at the Elks Lodge, Alturas.
Memorial donations may be made to the “Loren Bucher Sports Scholarship Fund” at Plumas Bank, 510 North Main St., Alturas, CA 96101. Mr. Bucher’s obituary will be published in next week’s issue. Services were under the direction of Kerr Mortuary, Alturas.

Lavene Luehrs
Lavene Bernice Royce Dixon Luehrs was born in Davis Creek, California on September 28, 1922. She was one of five children born to Everett and Ruth Royce
Lavene passed away September 21, 2012 in Medford, OR. Services were conducted by clergyman Steve Schmelzer in Medford, OR on September 28 at 2 p.m., which would have been Lavene’s 90th birthday.

Sports

Braves top Lost River; open SCL at Etna

Finishing the pre-season with a solid 3-2 record, after facing some very strong teams, sits quite well with Modoc football coach Shaun Wood. The Braves open Shasta Cascade League play at the Etna Lions Friday night as a heavy favorite.
“Overall, I’ll take this 3-2 record, we played some very good teams,” said Wood. “We head into league play in good shape and I feel pretty good about the team.”
Modoc is coming off a good win against a very strong Lost River team Friday night 26-10. Lost Rover knocked off Etna convincingly, 42-13, earlier this season.
JVs beat Lost River
The Modoc junior varsity won a defensive battle 12-6 against Lost River Friday.
Coach Dominic Budmark expects a good game against Etna as the Lions beat Lost River 6-0 this year.

Soccer off to rocky start

The Modoc Braves soccer team is operating with no seniors, and is looking to develop the skill as much as possible.
Considering the loss of players, the coaches, Kevin Haggard and Jay Jones, are very proud of the first few matches; 10 players have never played varsity soccer before.
The Modoc Braves are juniors: Claudia Serrano, Benjamin Jones, Michael Blankenship, Howard Lin, and Nando Alcala; sophomores Madelyn Binning, Kirsten Jones, and Steven Aceves; and freshmen McKenzie Blankenship, Jose Hernandez, Daltyn Jones, Sammie Dicus, Ramon Zavala, Michael Bratton, Eden Steiger, and Destiny Carillo.

October 11th, 2012

News

Gas prices going out of sight

Yes, gas prices in the State of California and Modoc are high, actually setting records no one wants to see.
The state average of $4.88 on Monday set a record for highest price. On Tuesday it dropped to $4.65. Modoc, meanwhile, was doing its share to drain wallets as the gas prices went to $4.69 at Chevron. Modoc Mini-Mart had the lowest in Alturas at $4.60, with Shell at $4.65 and Alliance at $4.65. Rabbit Traxx in Cedarville has the cash price of $4.45 and $4.50 for credit card purchases.

County counsel will respond to Sheriff suit

Following a closed session on Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors announced that County Counsel John Kenny will draft a response letter to Sheriff Mike Poindexter concerning his threatened lawsuit against the County.
There was no indication given by the Board as to what that response would entail. Poindexter is asking the Board to allocate funding to pay for the Sheriff’s legal counsel in the dispute involving staffing at his department.
The Sheriff has obtained the services of the public sector law firm of Jones and Mayer, Attorneys at Law.
Poindexter has said a lawsuit was the last option he wanted to take, but Chief Administrative Officer Chester Robertson and the Board had left him no other choice. He said he will not allow the Board to determine how he runs his department. He said he understands the County can cut the department’s budget, but holds firm that neither the Board nor CAO can dictate his staffing makeup.

Fort Bidwell murder case goes to trial Feb. 4

The ongoing homicide case which occurred in Fort Bidwell April 9, 2011 will be going to jury trial Feb. 4 in Modoc County Superior Court.
Two suspects in the case, Sasha Leton Cress and Alden Alan Contreras, face murder charges. Two others involved in the case, Miguel Guerrero Zarate and Crystal Denae Wilson pled to battery charges and were sentenced on July 28, 2011 to three years summary probation, with the condition that they testify truthfully in February trial.
The victim, Francisco Iracheta from Oregon succumbed to his injuries on August 31, 2011, according to Modoc County Sheriff Mike Poindexter.

Modoc’s 9,686 population shows its age

According to the 2010 U.S. Census Modoc County is populated by 9,686 individuals, with males outnumbering females 4,878 to 4,808. And it is a county where older men and women seem to thrive.
Of the total population, 3,539 people are above age 55. Actually, the two biggest population groups are those in ages 60 to 64 years with 827 and ages 55-59 years with 807. The senior population also shows 634 people ages 65-69; 474 people ages 70-74; 351 people ages 75-79; 219 people ages 80-84; 153 people ages 85-89; and 74 people 90 years and over.
The County has a school age population of 1,770, with 1,206 ages 10-19. There are also 545 kids under five years of age.
Modoc has a population of 3,832 in the 20 to 54 year old age group. The biggest section of that group is age 50-54 at 736 and the smallest is 20 to 24 years of age at 422.

Obituaries:

Loren Alvin Bucher
Loren Alvin Bucher, 79, of Alturas, died in Alturas, CA on September 26, 2012, doing what he loved.
Loren was born in San Francisco on June 8, 1933. He attended school in Surprise Valley and graduated from high school there in 1951. Loren joined the Navy that same year and was honorably discharged in 1955. He went to work for the US Forest Service in 1956 and retired in 1989.
Mr. Bucher was laid to rest October 2, 2012, at 11 a.m. at the Fort Bidwell Cemetery. A reception followed at the Elks Lodge, Alturas.
Memorial donations may be made to the “Loren Bucher Sports Scholarship Fund” at Plumas Bank, 510 North Main St., Alturas, CA 96101. Services were under the direction of Kerr Mortuary, Alturas.

Lester Porter
Lester Howard Porter, age 61, passed away at his home in Alturas, October 6, 2012. He was born December 6, 1950 in Alturas to Floyd and June Porter.
Please join the family for a celebration of life at the Brass Rail on Friday, October 12, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. For those inclined, in lieu of flowers, Lester’s desire would be donations to the Alturas Volunteer Fire Department, 103 So. Howard St., Alturas or the Modoc County Sheriff’s Posse.

Deborah McCaffrey
California Pines resident Deborah “Debbie” Lynn McCaffrey, 55, passed away in Alturas on October 7, 2012. A memorial services will be held at a later date.
Mrs. McCaffrey moved to Modoc County in 1989. She was born November 21, 1956. Mrs. McCaffrey’s obituary will be published in a future issue.

James Delbert Myers
A few months after his 90th birthday, James Delbert Myers became so ill he was hospitalized, dying on September 15, 2012, only 29 days after the death of his younger brother Ben. 
James Delbert Myers was born on May 17, 1922, the fifth of six children born to James and Edith (Dunbar) Myers.  At the time the family was living on Rush Creek, north of Adin, where Jim Myers had a sawmill.
Delbert’s funeral was graveside in the Adin cemetery with full military honors.  The family asks that any donation in his memory be made to the Adin Veterans of Foreign Wars, c/o Dearld Ellenberger, Commander, Adin, CA  96006.

Sports

Braves top Etna 29-7; Homecoming has Bonanza here Friday

Modoc’s varsity will face Bonanza for Homecoming Friday night, while the jayvees will take on Weed. Weed cancelled its varsity program because of lack of players.
The Braves beat Etna 29-7 Friday night to open Shasta Cascade League play. Neither team scored in the opening quarter, but Modoc added 15 in the second, while Etna scored seven. The Braves added 14 points in the third period and neither team scored in the fourth.
“We did not play that well, and definitely brought a ‘C’ game, not the ‘A’ game to Etna,” said Modoc coach Shaun Wood. “Etna actually has a pretty good team, but we could have played much better.”
Turnovers were a problem and the game started with a fumble at the Etna 20. In addition, Modoc receivers dropped three touchdown passes in the first half.

Braves knock off tough Fall River netters

The Modoc Braves volleyball team knocked off the unbeaten Fall River Bulldogs last Thursday in five 25-10, 23-25, 25-23, 21-25 and 15-13. Modoc travels to Weed today to face the league-leading Cougars. They host Mt. Shasta Oct. 16 and head to Burney Oct. 18.
“We played extremely well against the defending league champions on their home floor,” said coach Harold Montague. “Our team offense and execution was the best we have seen all year and we made several defensive plays to prolong rallies that previously would have resulted in points for the opposing team. We served 94 percent as a team, and returned more than half of their spikes and ended a quarter of all our attacks with a kill.”

Modoc runners making positive strides

Modoc High School Cross Country team competed at Foothill High School this past Friday at the Cougar Invitational. Both the varsity boys and girls teams finished third overall while competing against 10 other schools.
Modoc was the first place team in both the girls and boys division at the Division V level. Several runners PR’D on the 3.1 mile course. Jac Derner led the team with a ninth place finish with a time of 18:24 while Patrick Bratton was 10 with a time of 18:25. Daniel Martin was 16 with a time of 18:49. All three of those runners PR’D. Martin was followed by Jose Perez in 20, Mike Bratton 21, Mike Blankenship 23, Tim Prisco 24 and Matthew Weber 26.
In the girls’ race, Modoc’s Casey Burns led the team with a 13 place and a PR of 21:53. She was followed by Stephanie Gouveia in 20, Cindy Cohen 23, Madelyn Binning and Courtney Yamagiwa in 24. Claudia Serrano did not run because of an ankle injury.

October 18th, 2012

News

Operation Street Pharmacy nets 10 arrests

Last Thursday, the Modoc County Inter-Agency Narcotics Task Force Agents conducted “Operation Street Pharmacy,” which was the culmination of a six-month long investigation with the primary focus of the investigation being the sales of prescription medications. 
Search warrants for three locations and arrest warrants for 10 suspects were obtained for charges including sales of controlled substances, conspiracy to sell controlled substances, sales of marijuana and child endangerment.
Agents from the Task Force served three search warrants at three different locations and ten arrest warrants at various locations throughout the City and County. The Task Force was assisted with the sweep by personnel from the Modoc County Sheriff's Office, Alturas Police Department, Modoc County District Attorney's Office, California Highway Patrol, California State Parole, Modoc County Jail and Modoc County Social Services. 
Arrested during the sweep were: Ramiro “Coco” Munoz, Jr. 58, Donna Munoz 45, Stephen Groeschel 48, Janice Periera 40, Edrie Miller 36, Tammie Mobley 33, Teresa Yasumi 42, Kimberly Derner 46, Freddie Baca 51, and Jeannie Klerk De-Vries 55, all of Alturas. 
All were booked at the Modoc County Jail with bails ranging from $40,000 to $90,000. Agents seized evidence as well as personal property in the form of cash, gold and silver coins and bars during the search warrants.  The exact value of the property seized for Asset Forfeiture has not yet been determined.
During the course of the investigation, agents purchased 164 narcotic pills and Fentanyl Patches and seized another 1,564 narcotic pills and 27 Fentanyl Patches during the service of the search warrants. The narcotics purchased and seized included Dilaudid, Morphine, Fentanyl Patches, Norco, Kadian, Oxycontin and Klonapin.  The estimated value of the pills taken during the investigation is between $15,000-$20,000.

Absentee voting begins in Modoc

Absentee ballots have been mailed and are being voted and returned this week for the November 6 General Election.
The candidates for County Supervisor District IV, Jim Wills and  Pam Owens, have their views in this paper. Next week, the candidates in the Modoc Joint Unified School District and Last Frontier Healthcare District will have their statements published.
Many of Modoc precincts are mail-in ballots and many voters use absentee ballots, and many are waiting to vote.
October 22 is the final day to register to vote in the election. Registering is easy, free and can be done online or by several other methods.
To register to vote online go to the Modoc County website at www.co.modoc.ca.us/ and click on the register to vote information under elections.
Voters can also pick up a voter registration form at the county elections office, library, or U.S. Post Office. It is important that a voter registration form be filled out completely and be postmarked or hand-delivered to the county elections office by Oct. 22.

More info on Fire Tax issue

Residents of Surprise Valley, as well as other residents of Modoc County, are upset about the new $150 Fire Tax being assessed by the state of California.
It is especially disturbing to people who live on County Rd. 1 where the west side of the road must pay the tax and the east side does not. All pay for local fire protection already, plus Cal Fire has entered into an agreement with the BLM to provide the fire protection in Surprise Valley in the Cal Fire designated areas.
The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (HJTA) has filed a class action lawsuit to provide relief to nearly one million California property owners who received bills from the State for a new “fire prevention fee” which the lawsuit claims is illegal.
The class action complaint seeks to overturn the fire fee, which costs property owners an additional $150 per year for each habitable structure on their property.
The HJTA cautions that you must pay the bill on or before the due date.  If you are late, steep penalties and interest are compounded monthly.  Moreover, the fee is a lien on your property, and failure to pay can result in foreclosure.

Modoc Fair may get saved by Del Mar

The Modoc District Fair may get life-saving help from one of the most successful Fairs in the State, in the form of a loan.
Modoc Fair Manager Danette DePaul is working on a business plan packet to present to the Del Mar Fair Board in the San Diego area soon. While the money is not in the bank, there is at least a chance for success.
According to an article in the Del Mar Times, the board that oversees the state-owned Del Mar Fairgrounds is considering extending a lifeline — consisting of a loan of up to $200,000 and staff support — to Modoc’s Fair which is in danger of closing its doors.

Deaths—

Susan Larson

Susan Parry Larson of Alturas passed away at her home on October 11, 2012. She was born Susan Parry in San Francisco, CA on January 8, 1947. Memorial services will be held at a later date. Arrangements are with Kerr Mortuary.

Sports

Modoc blanks Bonanza 42-0; heads to Fall River

Modoc’s Braves had no trouble in a non-league Homecoming game against Bonanza Friday night, winning 42-0. They head to the Fall River Bulldogs’ grass this Friday in what could be their toughest Shasta Cascade League game. They go into the game as solid favorites, even though Fall River has shown marked improvement this year.
“Fall River has a pretty good team, with some good backs,” said coach Shaun Wood. “They run a lot of misdirection and cutbacks, but I think we’ll be able to control them. We can also throw the ball well, and we’ll see what defense they use. I expect a good game.”
Wood said the game with Bonanza started off really well for Modoc with quick scores and got out of hand early. The first team had one possession in the second half and scored on the first play. A running clock was used for the bulk of the second half.
Modoc started the Homecoming game quickly, scoring 15 in the first, 13 in the second, seven in the third and seven in the fourth period.

JV explode in 4th period

Modoc’s junior varsity football team played a listless first half against the Weed Cougars in last Friday’s Homecoming preliminary. They exploded for 45 points in the second half to win the game 51-31.
The Braves head to Fall River for their last game of the season Friday. The Bulldogs are coming off a 21-0 win at Etna. Burney has canceled its junior varsity team, which had been scheduled as the last game.
Modoc coach Dominic Budmark said he really didn’t say much to the team as they went into the Weed halftime talks trailing 25-6, but apparently the team had a jolt of competitiveness.

Braves beat Weed in SCL

Modoc’s varsity volleyball team avenged an earlier loss to Weed by beating them in four games Oct. 11, 25-10, 23-25, 25-13 and 25-21.
Modoc faces Burney there tonight and heads to Etna Oct.20.
The Braves beat Mt. Shasta in five sets Tuesday 25-20, 25-18, 25-19, 16-25 and 12-15.
“This was a pivotal match in the league championship run,” coach Harold Montague said. “We were tied with Mt. Shasta and Weed for second place at the beginning of the evening and helped secure out second place position. This was our sixth consecutive win and we are peaking at just the right time.”
Modoc’s junior varsity beat Weed 25-14 and 25-19.
They lost to Mt. Shasta Tuesday 25-21, 0-25 and 12-5.

McQuarrie shoots well in league golf

Modoc High School Senior Alex McQuarrie has topped the leader board for four of five golf matches in the Northern Athletic League.  The girls league plays nine-hole matches for five of the six regular League matches, with the 6th being an 18-hole match prior to league play-offs, which is also an 18-hole match.  

October 25th, 2012

News

Slow mail delivery concerns elections office

There appears to be a problem with the U.S. Postal Service in getting mail-in and absentee ballots to people on time and the Modoc Elections Office officials are concerned that voted ballots may not get back on time, November 6, if mailed.
The Elections Clerk is suggesting that people bring their voted ballots into the office or turn them in to a polling place on Election Day to avoid any possible mail delay. Those ballots must be into the office on Election Day by close of polls.
Many of Modoc precincts are mail-in ballots and many other voters use absentee ballots.

Sheriff declares County emergency for fire area

Modoc County Sheriff Mike Poindexter has declared a state of emergency in connection with the remnants of the Barry Fire on Devil’s Garden. That Emergency Proclamation was signed by Poindexter on Oct. 18 and ratified by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday.
“I consider this a serious threat to the safety and welfare of Modoc County citizens and visitors utilizing their public lands,” said Poindexter. “The primary and immediate concern being the dead and dying trees along County Roads, 73, Crowder Flat and 181 Low Main. I have advised Modoc National Forest Supervisor Kimberly Anderson that I was going to be declaring an emergency proclamation in the hope that we can work together by developing a stewardship program to eliminate that threat through the removal of those trees along both sides of the roads beginning immediately.”

Sheriff miffed by County Counsel letter

So much for finding an easy way out of the budget issue and potential lawsuit involving Modoc County Sheriff Mike Poindexter against the Board of Supervisors and County Chief Administrative Officer Chester Robertson.
This week, Poindexter received a letter, ordered by the Board two weeks ago, from County Counsel John Kenny addressing the budget issue. The letter was dated Oct. 22, and was sent by email. The Sheriff was not impressed and said it certainly does nothing to resolve the issues.
“Quite frankly, it says nothing,” Poindexter said. “Needless to say, I'm just a little miffed as to his response. I question just how much time he put into his response based upon his question at the very end of that letter. Basically he says that I have not made myself clear as to just what my dispute is. In my e-mail on October 1, I was clear.  The following are the last two sentences of that letter: ‘I want to make it clear that our dispute is not in these areas. The basis of the dispute is in that I disagree that the Board has the ability to direct the Sheriff as to where to make those cuts’.”

Watershed meetings to be held on locally developed Regional Plan

A series of public sub-watershed meetings will be held starting the week of October 29th. The meetings should be no longer than one to two hours, and will give local project proponents an opportunity to explain their projects and have discussion with interested parties. Anyone interested in watershed level planning and projects is invited and encouraged to attend at least one of these upcoming Sub-watershed meetings:
Fall River: Monday, October 29 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Heritage Room, Intermountain Fairgrounds.
Hat Creek: Tuesday, October 30 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Hat Creek Volunteer Fire Hall Community Room.
Burney Creek: Tuesday, October 30 from 4 to 5:30 p.m., at the Burney Fire Hall.
Upper Pit River: Wednesday, October 31 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the USFS Office at 800 W 12th Street in Alturas.
This watershed planning process is a collaborative effort among the Northeastern California Water Association (NECWA), the Pit River Watershed Alliance and the North Cal-Neva RC&D, who worked together to secure the funding, and will involve input from stakeholders across the region.  It has involved many local stakeholders working during the past year to identify worthy projects.

Obituaries –

Rebekah (Larson) LaLancette
Services for Rebekah LaLancette of Alturas, CA will be held Saturday, Oct. 27 at 10 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Alturas. President Carl Hubble will officiate. Rebekah, age 33, passed away unexpectedly on October 20, 2012, at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, CA.
She was born in Provo, Utah on September 8, 1979.

Jim Frank Sims, III
A Celebration of Life for Jim Frank “Joker” Sims, III of Alturas, CA will be held at Baptist Church on West Fourth St., Alturas on Saturday, October 27 at 1 p.m. A potluck to follow.
Mr. Sims was born on July 8, 1959 in Los Angeles, CA and passed away in Alturas, CA on September 20, 2012.  

Patricia A. Roope
Patricia Ann Roope, age 62, of Lookout, passed away unexpectedly at her home on October 15, 2012. Services will be held at a later date.
She was born Patricia Whitcomb on August 28, 1951, in Santa Rosa, CA.

Alvan “Ed” Perkins
Alvan Edwin "Ed" Perkins, age 84, of New Pine Creek, Oregon, lost his valiant battle with prostate cancer on Sunday, October 14, 2012 at the Lake District Hospital in Lakeview, Oregon. He was encompassed in the love of family, friends and caregivers in his final days,
Ed was born in Oswego, Kansas on August 12, 1928 to William and Edna (Kirby) Perkins.
The family wishes to bestow a deep felt thank you to the staff of Lake District Hospital and Long Term Care Facility for the compassionate care given to Ed during the final days of his life.
A Celebration of Life Service for Ed Perkins will be held on Tuesday, October 30th at 10:00 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Lakeview, OR. A reception for friends and family will immediately follow the services in the Fellowship Hall.   
Memorial contributions may be made to the Lake County Library Building Fund or a charity of the donor's choice. Library address 513 Center St,  Lakeview, OR 97630.
Ousley Osterman Huffstutter Funeral Chapel has charge of the arrangements.

Micheala Gladys Wishart
Former Alturas resident Micheala Gladys Wishart, 72, died at the Lake District Hospital on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012.
She was born to Michael and Annie (Lewis) Barry in Paisley, OR on Feb. 1, 1940.
Recitation of the Holy Rosary was held at St. Patrick Catholic Church at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 followed by the funeral service at 11 a.m. Committal at the Sunset Park Cemetery. Following the services a potluck luncheon was held.
Memorial contributions may be made to Lake District Hospital, 700 S. J St., Lakeview, OR 97630; American Cancer Society, 2350 Oakmont Way #200, Eugene, OR 97401-6108; Arthritis Foundation, 4445 SW Barbour Blvd., Portland, OR 97201 or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Deborah “Debbie” Lynn McCaffrey
Debbie Lynn McCaffrey, a resident of California Pines, passed away on October 7, 2012, due to lung cancer that spread to her brain. Debbie was born on November 21, 1956 in Rich Lands, Virginia.  Memorial services will be November 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the California Pines Lodge. All are welcome.

Sports

Modoc squeezes out overtime win at Fall River

Modoc used two blocks of extra point kicks and one final successful PAT kick of their own to beat the Fall River Bulldogs in three overtime periods 50-49 Friday.
“We played a terrible first half, but played well in the second half and finally won it in the third overtime,” said Modoc coach Shaun Wood, who said he’d never coached an overtime game in his 20 plus years. “It was one of those games where Fall River got all the breaks and we just couldn’t get one. It happens and the officials called a good game.”

Modoc volleyball on 8-game streak

Modoc’s varsity volleyball team is on an eight-game winning streak, coming off a 25-20, 25-10, 25-17 defeat of Burney Thursday and a 25-23, 25-17, 25-6 win at Etna Saturday.
Modoc’s junior varsity squad also beat Burney 14-25, 25-12 and 15-9 and Etna 23-25, 25-13 and 15-9.
Modoc plays Trinity here on Saturday, Fall River here on Tuesday and then travels to Trinity the next day (Wednesday).

November 1st, 2012

News

Modoc polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Modoc’s physical polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Many of the county’s precincts are mail-in only ballots and can be voted up until Election Day Nov. 6. But those ballots need to be in to the Clerk’s office by close of polls.
The Elections Clerk is suggesting that people bring their voted ballots into the office or turn them in to a polling place on Election Day to avoid any possible mail delay.
The following are the precinct polling places: Cedarville, at the Cedarville Fairgrounds Restaurant; North Fork at Surprise Valley Electric; Alturas A and D, at Alturas City Hall; Alturas B and Hot Spring, Alturas City Hall; Alturas C at the CDF Station on Eighth Street; Cal Pines at the Cal Pines Lodge; Newell at the Caltrans building.
In addition to the election of a President, there are a number of national, state and local races on the ballot. There are also several Propositions on the ballot.

Board votes to pay for Sheriff’s legal counsel

The Modoc County Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted to negotiate a contract with the legal firm of Jones and Mayer to provide legal counsel to Modoc County Sheriff Mike Poindexter in his budget dispute with the Board.
While the Board seeks to place a $5,000 limit on the expenditure, it’s not clear whether that amount will cover the costs. The Board had no legal way of refusing to pay for the Sheriff’s legal representation according to state law.
While Poindexter has offered, several times, to come to terms on his budget cuts, the Board remains steadfast that they and County Chief Administrative Officer Chester Robertson have met his requests and negotiated in a fair manner.
Poindexter finds that laughable, even though Supervisors Geri Byrne and Dave Allan reiterated that stance again at Tuesday’s special meeting. His stance, which the Board has ignored, is that they can cut his budget, but they cannot dictate to him how to staff his department.
Even County Counsel John Kenny, on a conference call, has perpetuated the Board’s cloudy stance by saying he wasn’t sure what the dispute was about. He also said that in a letter to Poindexter last week. Kenny stressed he hoped they could work things out without spending a lot of money.
Poindexter has offered and continues to offer a solution to the issue, which would avoid going to court and spending any money for legal counsel. That offer is simply to give him the budget number they want his department to meet, stay away from dictating staffing, and let he and his department meet that limit.

Public pushes County to advertise road position

Several members of the audience during Tuesday’s special meeting of the Board of Supervisors convinced the Board to advertise for the position of County Road Commissioner.
The item on the agenda called for the Board to modify the personnel allocation table, by changing the title of Director of Transportation to Road Commissioner, and to run the position “in-house” to fill that vacancy.
The public commented that it would be wiser to advertise the position outside of the county structure, with the possibility of attracting more qualified applicants. In addition, it would not look like the Board had already handpicked the person to take that job.
While the County had opted to go with the “in-house” plan initially to fill the position more quickly, the Board agreed that opening the job to outside candidates would be a better idea.
With the current tough employment market, there could very well be some highly qualified individuals in the mix. Nothing in the new plan preclude the County from hiring “in-house.”

Task Force nabs pair with 84 pounds of pot

On Wednesday, October 24, 2012, Modoc County Inter-Agency Narcotics Agents arrested two people, Kevin Drake, age 20, of Farmington, New York and Patrick Jones, age 26, of Redding, on suspicion of transporting marijuana and conspiracy to transport marijuana.
Drake was stopped on Hwy 395 near Pencil Road on Wednesday at approximately 11:40 a.m. by a California Highway Patrol Officer for a mechanical violation.
As the officer was conducting his traffic stop investigation, the officer detected an odor of marijuana emitting from the travel trailer that Drake was pulling with his truck. Upon further inspection of the travel trailer the officer discovered several pounds of marijuana within the trailer.
Jones arrived on scene in a separate vehicle and claimed ownership of the marijuana. Based on the quantity of marijuana located in the trailer, the CHP officer requested the Modoc County Inter-Agency Narcotics Task Force respond.

Obituaries--

Andrew G. Johnston
Services for Andrew Garrett Johnston of Alturas will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, November 10 at Faith Baptist Church, 810 Carlos Street, Alturas. Pastor Rod Bodmer will conduct the service. A potluck brunch will follow.
Andrew passed away October 14, 2012 at Warnerview Skilled Nursing Facility in Alturas. He was 25. Andrew was born in Redlands, CA on September 20, 1987.

Mary Ann (Steward) Smith
Mary Ann Smith passed away at her home in Fort Rock, Oregon on October 5, 2012, where she had resided for the last 15 years after marrying William L. Smith of Fort Rock in 1998. She was laid to rest in Lake City on October 13, 2012, with a graveside service attended by family and close friends.  Pastor Leon Baker from Silver Lake, Oregon performed the service.
Mary Ann was born to Brucie and Jane Steward on March 25, 1941 in Lake City, CA. 

Marvin Kroepelin
Word has been received from friends of Marvin “Stub” Kroepelin, that he passed away September 6, 2012. He had been residing in Browns Valley, CA. A memorial service was held at the family plot in Cherokee Cemetery, Oroville, CA on September 29, 2012. Mr. Kroepelin has a twin sister Mary Robinson in Fallon, NV. He was a longtime Alturas resident.

Morton E. Miller
Morton Eugene Miller of California Pines passed away October 29, 2012 at Alturas, CA. Mr. Miller was born May 5, 1925 in Miami, Florida. Services will be held Monday, Nov. 5 at 11 a.m. graveside at the Alturas Cemetery. Minister Curtis Barber will conduct the services, which are under the arrangement of Kerr Mortuary. Among survivors is his wife Bernice. Mr. Miller’s obituary will be published at a future date.

Debbie Lynn McCaffrey
Memorial services for Debbie Lynn McCaffrey will be November 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the California Pines Lodge. All are welcome.

Sports

Braves win 5th straight SCL title, playoffs next

Modoc’s Braves beat the Burney Raiders 49-20 last Friday night to clinch their fifth straight Shasta Cascade League football title and the 11th under coach Shaun Wood.
Modoc is currently seeded fourth in the North Section Division III playoff picture. Pierce is ranked first, with Willows second, Hamilton City third, Modoc fourth, East Nicolaus fifth, Colusa sixth, Trinity seventh and Durham eighth.
Some of the top teams play each other this Friday night so some of those rankings may change. Regardless, Modoc will host the first playoff game on November 9, but the opponent will not be decided until Saturday.
“I’m sure we’ll have at least one home game,” said coach Shaun Wood. “I’m not sure who’ll we get, the top teams are playing each other Friday. We could slip into the number three spot.”
The Braves took care of the Burney Raiders without difficulty here Friday, taking a 14-0 first period lead and a 28-0 halftime advantage, they increased their lead to 35-0 in the third and added 14 in the fourth. Burney scored 14 in the third and six in the fourth period.

Volleyball needs win for league title

Modoc’s varsity volleyball team beat Trinity Saturday in five sets: 25-20, 21-25, 25-13, 20-25, and 10-15. They met Trinity again last night in Weaverville and a win there would give them the Shasta Cascade League championship.
 On Tuesday the Braves beat Fall River in five sets: 25-20, 24-26, 26-24, 17-25, 9-15.
 Playoff seeding meeting will be this Saturday and Modoc is hopeful to host at least one playoff game.  Playoffs begin Tuesday, November 6th.
The Modoc junior varsity volleyball team beat the Trinity Wolves 25-21 and 25-20 Saturday.

November 8th, 2012

News

Wills wins District IV Supervisor seat

Jim Wills won the Modoc County District IV Supervisor seat vacated by Shorty Crabtree in a close election with 392 votes (51.58 percent) to Pam Owens’ 368 votes (48.42 percent).
Wills will take the seat in January, along with new Supervisors John Pedersen and Kathie Alves, forming a new majority on the Board.
In the race for three seats on the Modoc Joint Unified School District Board of Trustees, Don Mason led the field with 1,604 votes, followed by Fernand Larranaga with 1,571 and Alan Hopkins with 1,259. They were elected. Challenger Barry Fanning received 1,030 votes and Jan Ross got 773.
Jim Cavasso and Carol Callaghan were elected to the two seats on the Last Frontier Healthcare District Board (Modoc Medical Center) with 1,736 votes and 1,279 votes respectively. Michael Anderson got 761 votes and Lau Miller got 353 votes.
In the Surprise Valley Healthcare District incumbent Jason Diven was re-elected with 428 votes and Carl Quigley was elected with 391. Kim Salazar received 241 votes.
In the race for the Tulelake Joint Unified School District three seats, including Siskiyou County votes, David Porter Misso was elected with 302 votes, Penny Velador was seated with 286 and Dan Orr won with 277. Also running were Darcy Walker who got 263 votes, Eric Scanlon with 268 and Gary Fensler with 120 votes.

Cooley violates probation, back in court

Rochelle Cooley, who pled guilty this summer to voluntary manslaughter in the death of her father Tim Cooley, was arrested Oct. 26 by Modoc Probation on a violation of her probation for testing positive for methamphetamine.
According to Modoc County District Attorney Chris Brooke, Cooley indicated that she inadvertently ingested the methamphetamine by eating a piece of candy at a baby shower in Redding.
“An investigation was conducted by the District Attorney’s Office where statements were obtained that told a different story,” said Brooke. “The District Attorney’s investigation found that Ms. Cooley smoked methamphetamine in Redding and asked two of her friends to lie for her.”
According to the DA, when faced with the new information, Cooley admitted to the allegation of using methamphetamine and is scheduled for a sentencing hearing December 12 in Modoc Superior Court. The matter was referred to Probation for a pre-sentencing and recommendation report.
Modoc Superior Court Judge Francis Barclay approved a conditional plea bargain in the voluntary manslaughter case of Cooley in June, but increased the penalties from just probation.
Barclay sentenced Cooley to six years in state prison, but suspended the sentence, and placed her on five years formal probation.

Day to honor all veterans – local events Sunday

Veterans Day in Modoc will dawn on Sunday, Nov. 11 with a Veterans Day Pancake Breakfast for everyone. Clifford Harter American Legion Aux #163 will sponsor their annual Veterans Day Pancake Breakfast at the Veteran’s Memorial Hall, So. Main St., Alturas serving the public from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Bring your family and enjoy pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, orange juice, coffee, tea, milk and this year, fresh fruit.
Tickets at the door: Adults, $5.00, children 12 and under $3
Veterans Day Service
Alturas Veterans groups will hold Veterans Day Services on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Hall, So. Main St., Alturas. All veterans are welcome along with the public. The Alturas Elks Lodge will be serving a free spaghetti dinner to all veterans at 11:30 a.m., following the services. The dinner will be offered at the Alturas Elks Lodge on Main Street, Alturas. Non-veteran guests may dine for $7 per plate. There will be no charge for any veteran, as a thank you for their service.

Townhall meetings set by Sheriff

Modoc County Sheriff Mike Poindexter has scheduled several Townhall meetings in November to discuss issues in each area, the Rural Neighborhood Watch Program, and the Emergency Proclamation of the Barry Point Fire and how it may affect Modoc County.
The first meeting is at the New Pine Creek Cabins, 675 Stateline Road on Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. That meeting covers New Pines Creek and Davis Creek.
A second meeting will be held Nov. 13, 6 p.m. at the Eagleville Community Hall.
The third meeting for Adin, Lookout and Ash Creel will be held Nov. 14, 6 p.m. at the Adin Fire Hall. The public is encouraged to attend.

Obituaries:

Morton Miller
A good and gentle man passed from this life and Alturas, CA on October 29, 2012. His name was Morton (Mort) E. Miller. He was born in Miami, Florida to Hazel May and Eugene Gardner Miller.
Services were held Monday, Nov. 5 at 11 a.m. graveside at the Alturas Cemetery. Minister Curtis Barber conducted the services.

James Leventon
James (Jim) Winfield Leventon, 80, passed away at his home in Lookout, on November 1, 2012.
He was born in Manteca, CA on September 3, 1932, to Elwood and Mary Edith Sanford Leventon.
Graveside services will be held Friday, November 9, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. at the Lookout Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, any donations may be made to Intermountain Hospice at Mayers Memorial Hospital District

John L. “Jay” Eppler
John Loren “Jay” Eppler of Alturas passed away in Redding, CA on November 3, 2012. Jay was born to Betty and Don Eppler in Elyria, Ohio on April 26, 1953.
A Memorial Service will be held in the Spring.

Edgar Schaefer
California Pines resident Edgar N. Schaefer passed away peacefully November 3, 2012 at Modoc Medical Center, Alturas, CA.
Born October 13, 1929 in Montrose, Colorado to Irving O. and Gertrude (Lawver) Schaefer.
No services are planned at this time. Interment will be held in June 2013, at the Ft. Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado.
Memorial donations may be made to the Modoc County Arts Council, Inc. designated for the Missoula Children’s Theatre Productions for the children of Modoc and mailed to MCAC, Inc. care of Director Ken Franklin, P.O. Box 2015, Alturas, CA 96101.

Andrew G. Johnston
Services for Andrew Garrett Johnston of Alturas will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, November 10 at Faith Baptist Church, 810 Carlos Street, Alturas. Pastor Rod Bodmer will conduct the service. A potluck brunch will follow.
Andrew passed away October 14, 2012 at Warnerview Skilled Nursing Facility in Alturas. He was 25.
The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Warnerview Skilled Nursing Facility at 225 W. McDowell, Alturas, CA 96101.

November 15th, 2012

News

Schools get reprieve for possible budget cuts

While there is no magic bullet for schools involved in the passage of Proposition 30 by the voters last week, it does erase some potential cuts in funding that would have occurred.
 “There will be a benefit to school budgets because we all budgeted the potential loss of $450-plus per student, which will not occur with the passage of Prop 30,” said Modoc County Superintendent of Schools. “More details on just what Prop. 30 means to our districts and SELPA, have not been calculated yet. Modoc Joint has fewer students than their budget or our SELPA budget anticipated. So, we will revise the revenues down for declining enrollment and up for Prop 30 passing.”
Nothing is ever simple when it comes to school financing, so there are areas that may shake out over the near term. Since the school districts or County Office did not include revenue from Prop. 30 passing – partly because the probability of it passing was low – the net result is positive.
According to Leslie Corder, the MCOE Chief Business Officer, the County Office would have lost $93,284 had Prop. 30 not passed. That breakdown would have been $28,261 to the Opportunity Program, $16,940 to Juvenile Hall, $37,082 to Unrestricted Programs and $11,001 to Special Education.
She points out that Prop. 30 will bring more revenue to the State through the temporary sales tax increase and income tax increases. That revenue will be for the State’s General Fund, not specific to schools. There is no new money for schools, but its passage will hold off cuts.
“What is problematic is how cash is being treated,” Jones said. “The bottom line is cash due to schools was held by the state, just in case Prop. 30 did not pass. It looks like we won't get that until late June or early July (next fiscal year). It is complicated and does not affect us as badly as other school systems.” 

County delays decision to close dumps

The Modoc County Public Works Department recommended closing several of Modoc County’s Transfer Stations (dumps) at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, but the potentially contentious decision was put off until a special meeting Nov. 27, 10 a.m.
Chairperson Patricia Cantrall said she did not have enough information from Public Works to make the decision Tuesday and that feeling was echoed by Supervisors Geri Byrne and Shorty Crabtree. Supervisor Dave Allan, who works part time for Waste Management recused himself after an initial comment.
Cantrall said she wanted to see a better breakdown of the revenues and costs at each site, including more on wages and so on.
Supervisor Jeff Bullock felt the issue should have been decided Tuesday. He said the issue is saving money on little used landfills, and felt the information presented was sufficient. He said the Board had been discussing the issue for more than a year.
Bullock said the board “needs to make hard decisions” on the transfer stations, and stressed there could be alternatives to what Public Works originally proposed. The bottom line, he said, was some of them have to be closed and putting it off would just cost more money.
Byrne said closing several of the County’s 11 landfills will have an adverse impact on much of the public and she would like to see more public involvement.

Forest proposes Barry Point south salvage project

The Devil’s Garden Ranger District of the Modoc National Forest is proposing a fire salvage project on approximately 2,000 acres of National Forest System lands.
The Barry Point South Salvage Project is about 26 miles north of Alturas, California. The fire burned through 16,587 acres of the Modoc National Forest in September 2012.
The proposed project includes harvesting trees, which were severely burned in the fire, planting pine seedlings, removing trees previously felled during fire suppression, constructing one-half mile of temporary road and removing three and one-half miles of existing roads.
For a more complete description of the project, or to submit comments or questions, please contact William Reading at 530-233-8806, or by mail at 800 W. 12th St., Alturas, CA 96101.

County seeks briefing from DFG on wolf issue

On Tuesday, the Modoc County Board of Supervisors approved a letter to the Department of Fish and Game requesting a briefing on the future actions pertaining to a possible Wolf Management Plan.
The entire event was predicated by the appearance of a single gray wolf, OR7, which spent some time in Modoc months ago, and has been seen in Tehama and Plumas Counties more recently.
“The Modoc County Board of Supervisors has been following with considerable concern the movement to place the Gray Wolf on the California Endangered Species list,” the letter states. “Modoc County is likely to be at the epicenter of any wolf population if a permanent population becomes established in California.”
In that vein, the letter states that Modoc has submitted substantial comments during the process that led the state Fish and Game Commission to accepting a petition to list the wolf for further study.

Obituaries:

Alexander Erquiaga
Alexander Erquiaga Jr. crossed over to the heavenly realms on Wednesday, November 7, 2012 at the Lake District Hospital, Lakeview, Oregon.
Born in a log cabin made of railroad ties in Lucin, Utah on June 21, 1922, to Alexander and Juana Erquiaga.
Anyone wishing to make donations in Al’s name can be made to the Cedarville Fire Department.

Neil Crabtree
Neil Crabtree passed away November 8, 2012 at Shasta Regional Hospital in Redding, California. He was born May 12, 1921 in Likely, CA to Leo and Ruby Crabtree.
A memorial service will be held in the Spring.

Charles “Bill” Eklund
Alturas resident Charles W. “Bill” Eklund, 66, passed away in Reno, NV after a long illness. For more than 20 years, Mr. Eklund had called Modoc his home. No services will be held at his advance request.

Sports

Braves whip Colusa 48-22, head to Hamilton City

Modoc’s Braves intercepted the first two passes thrown by Colusa’s quarterback Friday night, portending a long, cold night for the Colusa squad as Modoc won 48-22.
The win puts Modoc into the second round this Friday at the Hamilton City Braves. Hamilton City beat Trinity 40-30 in their opening round. Hamilton was seeded second in the playoffs with Modoc seeded third. The top seed, Pierce, beat number eight Durham 37-12 and the fourth seed, Willows beat number five East Nicolaus 41-14.
“All the teams that were supposed to win did,” said Modoc coach Shaun Wood. “Our game against Hamilton City will be close, but I think we’ll be able to handle them. I also think Willows is the best team on the other side and won’t be surprised if they beat Pierce.”
If Willows does manage to top Pierce and Modoc wins, that would put the championship game in Modoc. If Pierce and Modoc win, then the Brave would head to Pierce.
“I look at Hamilton City and us as pretty even,” said Wood. “It could be a one-touchdown game either way. But, I feel pretty good about where we are, even though we have to travel. It will be warmer.”
In a comparison against common opponents this year, Hamilton beat Trinity 40-30 and Modoc lost to Trinity earlier in the season 23-20. Wood thinks that game was the poorest of the season for his team and would have liked to play them again. Hamilton beat Colusa 55-28 and Mt. Shasta 34-14. Modoc beat Mt. Shasta 42-12.

Modoc tops Pierce in playoff opener

Modoc’s varsity volleyball team beat Pierce in five sets in the opening round of the section playoffs: 25-9, 22-25, 27-29, 25-23, 15-9.
“It was a match of quick starts and strong finishes,” said coach Harold Montague. “We jumped out to early leads in each set and had a hard time finishing. We were the first to 22 points in every set, but Pierce mounted strong comebacks to win the second and third sets.  We played very well against a very good Pierce squad.”
Modoc faces the winner of the number seven Weed vs. two seed Los Molinos match played on Tuesday, November 13th.  Los Molinos won and Modoc will travel to them. The game is on Thursday, November 15, 6 p.m.

Modoc cross country finishes strong

After getting off to a slow start this season, the final few weeks of the Cross Country season were very positive with some good results.
At the Small Schools Championships two weeks ago, both varsity girls and boys teams finished third overall. In addition, both teams finished second in the league behind Mt. Shasta.
Coach Don Mason said that Mt. Shasta is losing many of their top runners to graduation and since most of the Modoc girls are very young and a strong group of boys are returning next year, Modoc should be in the running for both championships.
At the Large Schools Championships last week, both teams ran very well. The girls’ team finished a strong third in Division V thus solidifying a good shot to qualify for next year’s state championships while the boys finished fifth in Division V. Mason noted that out of 32 schools competing, the girls finished 11th overall while the boys finished 13th overall.

November 22nd, 2012

News

Tragic accident claims Modoc young people

A tragic accident Monday about 3 p.m. on State Route 299 near Round Mountain claimed the lives of two Alturas young people and another is in critical condition at Mercy Hospital in Redding.
According to California Highway Patrol reports, Jessica Noel Kresge, 20, and Wesley Bruce Williams, 15, were killed in the accident and Bradley Austin Kresge, 16, was transported to Mercy, where he was in critical condition as of Tuesday morning. He sustained head injuries.
The CHP states that Jessica Kresge was driving a 2005 Kia Rio westbound on damp pavement when she lost control, the car rolled and slammed into a large tree. The investigation into the crash continues, but speed may have played a role. The accident was three miles east of Oak Run Road.

County may decide on dump closures next week

The Modoc County Public Works Department has recommended closing several of Modoc County’s Transfer Stations (dumps), but the Board of Supervisors put off the decision until a special meeting Nov. 27 10 a.m.
The transfer sites recommended for closure by the Department of Public Works are: Adin, Canby, Davis Creek, Eagleville, Fort Bidwell, Likely and Willow Ranch.
Public Works studied the issue and charted the usage at each site over a six-month period and gave the Supervisors a detailed accounting of the usage. They had made the use figures public each month in the Modoc Record.
At least three members of the Board, Patricia Cantrall, Geri Byrne and Shorty Crabtree last week said they wanted a more detailed cost study on the transfer sites before they approve of shutting them down.
Supervisor Jeff Bullock said there was plenty of information on the table and after discussions, which had lasted for more than a year, a decision to close the facilities should have been made last week.

Modoc jobless rate up to 12.2%

The October jobless rate for Modoc County moved up to 12.2 percent for October 2012, but that’s down from Oct. 2011’s 13.3 percent. In September the unemployment rate was 11.6 percent.
According to the State Employment Development Department, there was a civilian labor force of 3,680 in October with 450 unemployed. That compares to an October 2011 labor force of 3,860 with 510 unemployed. That’s a labor force drop of 180 people.
In September 2012 the labor force numbered 3,720 with 430 unemployed.

Modoc Planning Director moves on

Modoc County Planning Director Kim Hunter has accepted a job as a Senior Planner in Nevada County.
Hunter has sent a letter of resignation to the Modoc County Board of Supervisors with an effective date of December 10.
Hunter was targeted with taking over both Planning and Public Works in the new budget, but it was a reorganization of departments and position she did not request. That was not the reason she has chosen to leave, and just what will happen with that situation will be coming out of an upcoming Board meeting.

Obituaries:

Donald F. Flournoy
Likely cattle rancher and Modoc native Donald “Don” Frank Flournoy passed away at his home in Likely, CA on Nov. 16, 2012. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. at the Likely Fire Hall with a meal and fellowship to follow. Bring a salad or dessert, if desired.
Mr. Flournoy was born March 24, 1918 in Alturas, CA. In October, the Modoc County Cattlemen’s Association bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award to Mr. Flournoy for his dedication to and promotion of the cattle industry.
He is survived by sons William “Billy” (Athena), Johnny (Syd), David “Davey” (Joanne) all of Likely, six grandchildren, Roxann (Gary), Dawne’ (Mike), Daniel (Jaimee), Myles (Jennifer), Monica (Jason), Aaron (Abby) and great-grandchildren Nicolaas, Gabriella, Brandon, Kaylie, Meghan and Carly. Among those who preceded him in death are his beloved wife of 73 years, Shirley. Obituary to follow.

Linda Vargas
Alturas resident Linda Joyce Vargas passed away November 14, 2012, in Alturas, CA, her home for the past four and a half years. She was born in Council Bluff, Iowa on December 12, 1953.
Donations in her memory may be directed to Sunrays of Hope, 113 E. North St., Alturas, CA 96101.
Services will be held in Sacramento, CA at a later date.

Sports

Anderson hurt, Modoc drops game to Hamilton City

Modoc quarterback and Shasta Cascade League Most Valuable Player Cam Anderson, completed his first two passes in the first period against Hamilton City, but suffered a serious hip injury and was lost for the rest of the game.
Modoc couldn’t recover on the offensive side of the ball, although the defense stopped the Hamilton Braves consistently.
Hamilton scored on its first series and led 7-0 in the first and added 10 points in the second for a 17-0 halftime lead. Neither team scored in the third, but Hamilton went up 23-0 in the fourth before Brandon Witherspoon scored Modoc’s only touchdown to make the final 23-7.

Modoc puts several on All-League team

Cam Anderson was named the MVP of the Shasta Cascade League unanimously by the coaches and Blake Williams was honored as the Most Valuable Lineman. Wood won his 11th Coach of the Year award, even though he voted for the Fall River coach.
In addition, All-League honors went to Riley Larranaga, Alex Torres, Drew Culp, Garret Padgett, Jonathon Morgan and honorable mention to Brandon Witherspoon.

Los Molinos knocks off Braves

Los Molinos knocked the Modoc girls’ varsity volleyball team out of the North section playoffs last Thursday in three games 25-22, 25-20 and 25-17.
“They played with great effort,” said coach Harold Montague. “Valerie Froeming had two serving aces. Jodie Boudreaux had five kills and Jordan Marquardt had four. Courtney Knoch racked up 20 assists. Kristin Halvorson had a great defensive night. The Lady Braves received a standing ovation from the family and friends in attendance, for a well-fought season.”

November 29th, 2012

News

Three waste transfer sites to be closed

Following a spirited conversation on Tuesday afternoon, the Modoc County Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 to temporarily close three of Modoc County’s 11 solid waste transfer stations and curtail open times at others.
The sites that will be closed effective January 1 are Canby, Likely and Willow Ranch.
The following sites will have changes: Davis Creek transfer station will go from open twice a month to once; Adin will go from twice monthly to once; Eagleville will go from weekly to twice a month; and Fort Bidwell goes from twice a month to once.
There are no changes in Alturas where it is open three times weekly, Lookout is once weekly, Newell is once weekly, and Lake City is twice weekly. Alturas is the only site that actually pays for itself.
The transfer sites initially recommended for closure by the Department of Public Works were: Adin, Canby, Davis Creek, Eagleville, Fort Bidwell, Likely and Willow Ranch.
One option not adopted by the County would have closed seven of the 11 transfer stations. The Board was not only concerned about the fact the sites were losing money, but also considered how much of a burden closing them would put on the residents of certain geographical areas.
The closure of the three sites and the reduced service times at the others is estimated to save the County about $25,000 over the next six months. The County will evaluate the situation after six months and adjust according to the facts at the time.

Pile Burning planned on the MNF

Fire crews are preparing to burn slash piles in several locations on the Modoc National Forest this week. Pending favorable conditions, burning may occur on the Warner Mountain and Doublehead Ranger Districts.
Crews may burn up to 230 acres of piles in the areas of Cedar Pass and Stough Reservoir on the Warner Mountain Ranger District and up to 17 acres of piles near Springhill on the Doublehead Ranger District. Managers expect smoke to drift north of the project areas. Smoke may be noticeable throughout the week. Pile burning may continue next week as conditions allow.
Piles are made of stacked tree slash cut during thinning projects. The goals of thinning and pile burning are to reduce fire hazard and return important nutrients to the soil. For more information please call John Toomey, 530-640-0397.

Stroll through Christmas Arts Faire Saturday

Take a leisurely holiday stroll inside the Desert Rose Event Center to find the sounds and scents of Christmas and 37 booths filled with delights for the 33rd Annual Christmas Arts Faire from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1.
Many timeless treasures will be found as favorite returning vendors and new talented exhibitors come together to offer a wide array of items. Works by talented local artisans, artists, hobbyists and crafters and photos with Santa will be among the multitude of offerings.
Vendors will be offering items too numerous to list, but have something for any taste and age. Plan the outing and enjoy finding something special for someone else or yourself.

Geology of MNF program set

The public is invited to presentation about the geology of the Modoc National Forest and surrounding region at Modoc NF Headquarters, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012.
Dan Munger, geologist for the Modoc NF and Bureau of Land Management, Alturas, will cover regional geology, its history and changing conditions. Munger will show pictures and rock samples and answer questions.
The presentation will be from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at 800 W. 12th Street, Alturas, Calif. Bring a sack lunch and your questions. For more information, please call Munger at 530-233-8781.

Obituaries:

Services held for
Wesley Williams, Jessica Kresge

A Memorial Celebration of Life for Wesley Bruce Williams and Jessica Noel Kresge of Alturas was held Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 12 noon in the Modoc High School Griswold Gym, Alturas. Pastor Destry Campbell conducted the service. Burial for Wesley followed at the Adin Cemetery. Wesley was born January 10, 1997, in Lakeview, OR. Jessica was born Dec. 16, 1992 in Alturas, CA. Wesley and Jessica passed away November 19, 2012, in a tragic car accident near Round Mountain, CA.
Donations in memory of Wesley may be made to Modoc Athletic Booster Club, P.O. Box 1032, Alturas, CA 96101 or made payable to the “Junior Show Board,” 202 West 4th Street, Ste. B, Alturas, CA  96101. Please designate “Wesley Williams ” on the check.
Memorial donations in Jessica’s memory may be directed to a scholarship fund established at Plumas Bank. Obituaries to follow.

James Homer Wright

James "Jamo" Wright passed away Monday afternoon November 19, 2012 in a Redding hospital. He was 66. A resident of Burney,
James was one of six siblings born to Miller and Bertina Wright of Canby, California on September 28, 1946. He was a lifelong community member of the Intermountain area as well as a member of the Astariwi Band of the Pit River Tribe. He is survived by son James Wright Jr., daughter Marlene Wright of Redding, CA, brother Phillip Wright of Redding, sister Bernice Shockley of Redding and a large extended family including grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Services were held on November 24. Allen & Dahl in Palo Cedro handled arrangements.

Sports

Wrestlers head to Chester Invite

Modoc’s wrestling team has had little practice time, but heads to the Chester Tournament Friday and Saturday. They have their home tournament Dec. 7-8.
Modoc Coach Shaun Wood expects the team to do well, but at this moment doesn’t have a solid handle on which weight classes some of the grapplers will end up making.
He has solid returners in Ethan Dunn, Benny Bevil, Matt Froeming, Garrett Padgett, Steven Aceves, Destry and Cody Tiffany and a number of incoming wrestlers whom he expects to have good years.
There are 20 wrestlers out for the team this season, but Wood expects a few more to show up as things shake out. “We have a bunch of younger guys out this year and several guys could do really well,” he said. “I just don’t know about which weights they’ll be in at this point.”
Wood doesn’t expect to be as strong early in the season as his Braves normally are, but expects them to compete very well this weekend in Chester.

Braves open basketball season in Fall River

The Modoc Braves will open the 2012-13 basketball season in Fall River with the varsity and junior varsity girls meeting the Bulldogs today with the JV at 12:30 and the varsity at 1:30 p.m.
The varsity boys team starts off with the traditional Fall River Block F Tournament today though Saturday. The varsity opens against Trinity today.
The roster for the boys includes: seniors Riley Larranaga, Cam Anderson, Daniel Martin, Jonathan Morgan, Blake Williams, Matthew Weber, Randy Schmid, Anthony Vaughn and Drew Culp; and juniors Tristan Axelrod, Brandon Witherspoon and Benjamin Jones. The coach is Keith Weber.
The junior varsity is coached by Jim Widby.

SCL All-league selections

Several Modoc Braves were named to the various Shasta Cascade League All-League teams by coaches this year.
In volleyball, Jodi Boudreaux, Courtney Knoch and Lily Hallmark made All-League and Jordan Marquardt earned honorable mention.
In cross-country, Jac Derner, Daniel Martin and Patrick Bratton were All-League for the boys and Casey Burns made it for the girls.
Soccer All-League went to Benjamin Jones with Michael Blankenship earning honorable mention.
In football, Cam Anderson was named Most Valuable Player and Blake Williams Most Valuable Lineman. All-League went to Drew Culp, Riley Larranaga, Jonathan Morgan, Garrett Padgett and Alex Torres. Brandon Witherspoon received honorable mention.

December 6th, 2012

News

Major storm pours on Modoc County

The major storm which hit California last weekend dumped a lot of rain and some snow in Modoc County, along with some strong wind gusts clocking 90 m.p.h.
In a three-day period, Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, 1.62 inches of precipitation was measured. The bulk of that came Saturday night and Sunday morning with 1.18 inches falling and .42 inches were measured Nov. 30.
The normal precipitation for December is 1.71 inches and as of Wednesday, 1.34 had already been measured. More rain was expected during this week.
Adin Mountain got two inches of snow out of the storm, Cedar Pass got four inches and Dismal Swap had 25 inches.
A flash flood was reported by weather observers in Fort Bidwell and a 90 m.p.h. wind gust was measured Dec. 2 near Lake City with a 75 m.p.h. gust near Cedarville. No major damage was reported.

Some movement on the Barry Point issue

While there have been meetings and ongoing discussions about Sheriff Mike Poindexter’s October Emergency Proclamation concerning the Barry Fire and the dead and dying trees along roads, not much actual movement has been reported.’
“I consider this a serious threat to the safety and welfare of Modoc County citizens and visitors utilizing their public lands,” said Poindexter in the proclamation. “The primary and immediate concern being the dead and dying trees along County Roads, 73, Crowder Flat and 181 Low Main.  I am hoping that we can work together with the Forest Service by developing a stewardship program to eliminate that threat through the removal of those trees along both sides of the roads beginning immediately.”
Poindexter has set up a public meeting with an expert in stewardship and working to solve these types of issues with the federal agencies.
“I have been in contact with Doyle Shamley and thanks to the strong interest, generosity and hard work of a few of you, he will be here on Monday the 10th of December,” Poindexter said. “Doyle will be speaking and presenting his Veritas Research Consulting power point at no cost at the Brass Rail starting at 6:30 p.m.  I have listened to his presentation two times now and look forward to a third.  His last visit here was a spur of the moment event and we were pleased with the attendance, this time with a little more advance notification, we hope to and quite frankly need everyone to attend this event and please bring someone with you.  If you have been following this Stewardship idea and the Emergency Proclamation you owe it to yourself and to the health, safety and welfare of our County to attend.”
Poindexter said he had received a phone call from Modoc National Forest Supervisor Kimberly Anderson Tuesday.  She was not able to meet with Poindexter this week or next week.  

MJUSD projects financially stable condition

The Modoc Joint Unified School District remains financially stable, in large part due to one-time funds being used, but a declining student population creates some worry.
 “At this time in the fiscal year the District is in satisfactory financial condition,” according to the District’s Interim Report recommendation issued this week. It asks its Board for: “A positive certification that the District will be able to meet its financial obligations for the current fiscal year and subsequent two years by utilizing flexibility and one-time revenue sources to offset deficit spending.”
The report also stresses that the District will be able to meet the state requirement of a four percent reserve for those years and can meet required cash flow balances.

Little building in City

Only three building permits were issued in the City of Alturas for the month of November, according to the City Building Department.
One of the permits was for an outdoor staircase and the two others were for electrical panel upgrades. The total estimated value for the three was $5,600.

BLM seeking owners of Llamas found on public lands

The Bureau of Land Management is caring for nine llamas that were found roaming on public lands east of Cedarville, and has announced a 90-day deadline for owners to reclaim them.
BLM Surprise Field Office Manager Tim Burke said the animals will be sold or placed with an organization specializing on care and feeding of llamas if they are not claimed.  They are being held at agency’s Litchfield Corrals east of Susanville.
The animals had been released without BLM authorization onto areas used for livestock grazing and by the Carter Reservoir herd of wild horses, the BLM said.  Officials don’t know how long the animals were roaming in the high desert, but said they were eating grasses and sagebrush and appear to be in good health.

Obituaries:

Jessica Noel Kresge
Jessica Noel Kresge was taken to be an angel after a tragic vehicle accident on November 19, 2012. Jessica was born on December 16, 1991, in Alturas, CA to Brad and Brenda Kresge. She was a 2010 Modoc High School graduate and was currently enrolled in her second year of college at Butte.
A family graveside service was held for Jessica on November 28 at the Alturas Cemetery and a memorial followed at the Modoc High School gymnasium for her and her beloved cousin, Wesley.
Donations may be made to the Jessica Kresge Memorial Scholarship at Plumas Bank.

Wesley Bruce Williams
Wesley Bruce Williams, born January 10, 1997 in Lakeview, Oregon passed away November 19, 2012 at the age of 15 in Round Mountain, CA.
Wesley was a sophomore at Modoc High School in Alturas.
Services were held at the Modoc High Griswold Gymnasium on November 28, 2012, at noon, officiated by Pastor Destry Campbell. Burial in Adin, California.
Donations may be made to the Junior Livestock Show Beef Barn project in Memory of Wesley Williams, made payable to the “Junior Show Board,” 202 West 4th Street, Ste. B, Alturas, CA  96101 and the Modoc Athletic Booster Club, P.O. Box 1032, Alturas.

Donald Frank Flournoy
Donald Frank Flournoy died peacefully a little before noon on Friday, November 16, 2012 at his home just east of Likely, with is son John tending to his needs. Don was born March 24, 1918, at the old Flournoy home ranch two miles west of the town of Likely. He had four older sisters and three older brothers.
Memorial services were held Saturday, Nov. 24 at 2 p.m. at the Likely Fire Hall. A meal and fellowship followed.
November 27, 2012

Richard Paulson

Richard (Dick) Paulson was born Jan. 19, 1920 in Palo Alto, California, the youngest of eight children. The family moved to Madeline when he was young, then settled in Likely. Richard spent his final years at the Veterans’ Home in Yountville, CA, passing away on November 27, 2012.
At his request, his ashes will be scattered in the foothills of the Warner Mountains, at rest in his beloved Modoc.

Allen J. Wendland
Allen James Wendland, 54, passed away at his home in Redding, CA on December 3, 2012, from cancer. Services will be held Saturday, Dec. 8 at 1:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, 2600 Shasta View Drive, Redding.

Sports

Modoc hosts Northeast Classic this weekend

Modoc’s Griswold Gym will be full of wrestlers this weekend with the big Northeast Classic Wrestling Tournament.
The team duals portion of the tourney will begin at 1 p.m. Friday and the individual championships will start at 9 a.m. Saturday and finish in the late afternoon.
Schools coming to the event this year include: Modoc, Anderson, Chester, Durham, Lassen, Mazama, Klamath Union, Lakeview, Tulelake, Fall River, Burney, Etna, Chiloquin, Crane Bonanza and others.
“We are very young this year, but I think we’ll see some pretty good results,” said coach Shaun Wood. “We’re in a different place than usual, but I’m pretty optimistic about this year and especially in a couple of years. There will be some good wrestlers at the tourney from a lot of different schools.”
Wood expects solid performances from Ethan Dunn, Benny Bevil, Ben Correa, Garrett Padgett, Matt Froeming, Hector Hernandez and others this weekend. Some of the younger wrestlers are poised to have a good tourney.
Last weekend, the Braves opened the season by placing seventh out of 14 teams in the Chester Tournament. Modoc was missing a few wrestlers, but Wood was pleased overall with the team’s performance.

Braves win Block F, head to Portola

Modoc’s varsity boy’s basketball team won three close games and the Block F Tournament last weekend at Fall River High School.
The Braves beat the host team Fall River 54-53 in a very hard-fought title game Saturday night. Modoc led 14-13 after one and at the half held a 30-26 advantage. Fall River fought back in the third to lead 42-41. Modoc outscored the bulldogs 13-11 in the fourth for the win.
Riley Larranaga and Matthew Weber led the Braves with 18 points each and Benjamin Jones added 10. Larranaga was named the tourney’s Most Valuable Player, while Weber and Jones were selected to the All-Tourney team.

 Modoc loses to Fall River in opener

Modoc’s varsity girl’s team lost its opening game of the season to Fall River 46-35 last Thursday.
The Braves started slowly, trailing 13-5 in the first period, but picked it up in the second to trail 24-15 by half. Fall River held a 36-25 lead after three and each team scored 10 in the fourth.
Jodi Boudreaux led with nine points, while Courtney Knoch added eight, Jordan Marquardt seven and Kelsey Clay six.

December 13th, 2012

News

Some movement on Barry Point stewardship

Attendance at the Modoc County/U.S. Forest Service Stewardship workshop hosted by the Brass Rail on Monday night exceeded expectations. Over 130 Citizens from Modoc County, Lassen County and Lake County Oregon, listened closely as Doyle Shamley of Veritas Research Consulting presented his power point presentation explaining the history and paths to create a successful Stewardship program with the Forest Service and Modoc County.
"It was a very well rounded group, including school officials, city and county business people, fire officials, law enforcement, health care professionals, farmers, ranchers, city council members, county supervisors and recreation enthusiasts," said Sheriff Mike Poindexter. "Education is key and everyone needs to be on the same page in order for a program such as this to be successful. There is proof positive out there that a program such as this can work."
The morning of Tuesday December 11, Poindexter, USFS District Ranger Tim Knight, Russ Hawkins of Del Logging, and Shamley went on a working tour of the Barry Point Fire areas in Modoc County.

NRCS announces tool to help reduce Sage Grouse-fence collisions

Sage grouse across the west face a deadly hazard each spring – fences the birds can't see when flying to and from traditional leks (breeding grounds).
The collisions are widespread. However, marking fences near leks can reduce strikes by up to 83 percent, according to a Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) funded study by Bryan Stevens at the University of Idaho. Today, that science is available as a practical, range wide tool to guide efficient and effective placement of fence markers.
"The more strategic the placement of fence markers, the more birds we'll be able to save from deadly strikes," explains Dave Naugle, University of Montana professor and SGI national science advisor. "By targeting the highest-risk fences, we'll maximize our return on the investment."
Protecting and improving habitat for sage-grouse is important because the bird is currently listed as a candidate for the endangered species list. A listing of the bird would dramatically impact ranching in the West.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) launched the Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) in 2010 to recover the troubled species through voluntary, incentive-based actions instead of an endangered species listing. SGI relies on partnerships to leverage dollars for on-the-ground conservation. Marking fences is one relatively inexpensive solution that's saving thousands of birds. To date, SGI participants have marked or moved 350 miles of fences near leks, resulting in an estimated reduction of 1,500 to 1,800 collisions.

Board approves SV Vets Memorial

There will be a Veterans Memorial placed at the Cedarville Park, probably next spring.
The Modoc County Board of Supervisors approved the memorial at its meeting Tuesday morning following a presentation by Cedarville's Pat Green, the spokesperson for the project. The memorial will be built through the SV Rotary Club and with donations, with no fiscal impact to the County. The Cedarville Park is County property, and Green needed the Board's support to continue.
Green said the memorial will be "simple, classy and low maintenance." The design includes five 20-foot poles and flags, one each for the branches of the military, and one 25-foot pole for the lighted American Flag. It will be set in a concrete and brick base with a plague honoring individual veterans. The design concept came from Surprise Valley High School Art students.

Wet weather info for woodcutters

Modoc National Forest officials remind the public that woodcutting is still open with a valid permit and tags. As the weather changes throughout the season – especially during wet periods – information will be posted on a recorded woodcutting information line at 530-233-8819 to advise woodcutters about current conditions.
During wet seasons, access may be restricted to prevent damage to soft road beds.
It is the permit holder's responsibility to know the rules and restrictions regarding woodcutting and harvesting. Practice responsible harvesting that does not damage the soil or resources. Please call the information line before going out to cut wood.

Obituaries:

Edwin Oberg
Edwin W. Oberg of Alturas passed away in Cedarville, CA on Dec. 5, 2012. Mr. Oberg had been residing at Surprise Valley Hospital's long-term care. He was 86. Services are pending and will be held at Kingdom Hall, Alturas. Mr. Oberg was a minister of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Born May 12, 1936, in Minnesota, he worked in the Minnesota mines early on.
Final disposition will be at the Veterans' Cemetery in Igo, CA.
"Help your neighbor" - That is what Ed did and would encourage others to do.

William Hudspeth
William "Bill" Hudspeth, CDR, US Navy (Retired) passed away on November 7, 2012 in Melbourne, Florida. Born in Alturas, CA on August 29, 1917, he was a decorated Fighter Pilot in World War II and Korea. He retired from the Navy in September 1960.
A memorial service was held Friday, Nov. 30 at 10 a.m. at the Prince of Peace Anglican Church, Murrell Road, Melbourne, FL. In lieu of flowers, donation may be directed to either Price of Peace Anglican Church, 6895 Murrell Rd., Melbourne, FL 32940 or Wuesthoff Hospice House, 661 Eyster Blvd., Rockledge, FL 32955.

Stephen James Mack
On December 6, 2012, Steve Mack lost his battle with cancer. Steve ended this part of his journey in the loving arms of his wife, Kim Mack in their home in Grenada, CA. Steve was a long haul truck driver for many years, and enjoyed the time that he drove trucks.
No services are scheduled. Online condolences can be made at www.girdnerfuneralchapel.com. Girdner Funeral Chapel in Yreka, California is in charge of arrangements.

John "Jack" Ennis
John Francis Ennis, of Redding, Calif., passed away at home on December 4, 2012, due to natural causes. Known as Jack, he was born December 17, 1919 in San Jose, Calif. to John and Fannie (McClintock) Ennis and grew up with them on their ranch near Cedarville in Modoc County, CA.
A Rosary and memorial gathering will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, December 21, 2012 at McDonald's Chapel, 1275 Continental St., Redding, Calif. A funeral Mass will be held Saturday, December 22, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Church at 2040 Walnut Ave., Redding, Calif., followed immediately by a reception at the church. Donations may be made to a local charity of your choice.

Sports

Block M opens today

Modoc High’s basketball program, in connection with the Alturas Rotary Club, is hosting the annual Block M Basketball Tournament starting today in the Griswold Gym.
The tourney involves both boys and girls and includes teams from Modoc, Lakeview, Weed and Big Valley in varsity and junior varsity divisions.
Action gets underway today at 1:40 p.m. when Modoc’s junior varsity girls take on Weed and that game is followed by the JV boys against Weed at 2:50 p.m. Lakeview’s varsity girls will meet Weed at 4 p.m. and the Honker boys will meet Weed at 5:30 p.m. Modoc’s varsity girls meet Big Valley at 7 p.m. and the Modoc-Big Valley varsity boys tilt starts at 8:30 p.m.
Action continues Friday and Saturday.
The Rotary Clubs of Alturas are dedicating the 2012 Block M basketball tournament to Bunk Richardson of Alturas.
Richardson began coaching basketball in 1975 when his oldest son Zack was in the fourth grade and kept on going.
Richardson coached or officiated a sport from that point on to 2008, influencing the lives of many of the youth of the community. He coached basketball and baseball at Modoc Middle School, and junior varsity and varsity programs at Modoc High School, leading the teams to win league and section titles while serving as varsity coach. He also coached Babe Ruth baseball teams.

Modoc wins Portola Invite; seeks Block M title this week

Modoc’s varsity boy’s basketball team has started the season 6-0 with two tournament championships under its belt. This weekend, they’re at home in the Block M Tourney, which starts tonight.
The Braves won the Block F title two weeks ago and added the Portola Tourney title last weekend.
The Braves beat Loyalton in the final Portola game 60-34 and we never really stressed.
Modoc had a tougher time in the semi-final game against Quincy, winning 60-53.
They opened the tourney with a tight win over Portola 56-53.
The Modoc varsity girl’s basketball team also won the Portola tournament, beating Loyalton 45-29 in the final game.
 The Braves beat Quincy 53-36 in the semi-final game
The girls opened the tourney with a solid 47-26 win over previously unbeaten Portola.
Modoc’s junior varsity girl’s also won the tourney.

KU wins Modoc Northeast Classic

The Klamath Union team won the Modoc Northeast Classic wrestling tournament held Friday and Saturday in Alturas.
Modoc Coach Shaun Wood said the competition was very tough in the event and he was pleased overall, with his young team’s performance.
Team scores were as follows: Klamath Union 236, Lassen 131, Chester 126, Anderson 107, Crane 100, Durham 91, Modoc 86.5, Lakeview 67, Etna 44, Fall River 28, Modoc JV 25, Tulelake 23, Big Valley 21, Dunsmuir 15, Bonanza 12, Burney eight, Chiloquin six and Mt. Shasta five.
For Modoc, Steve Aceves took a second at 113 pounds and Ethan Dunn placed second at 138.
Modoc third places went to Tim Reed at 106 pounds, Cody Tiffany at 113 pounds and Alex Valencia at 120 pounds.
Ben Correa took a fifth at heavyweight with Alan Clark taking sixth and also taking sixth places were Dylan Egle 120 pounds, Garrett Padgett 195 pounds and Tristan Osborne 220 pounds.
The Braves head to the Grants Pass Tournament this weekend.

December 20th, 2012

News

Juvenile detained after making MHS threat

Breaking: Because of continuing threats of violence, the Modoc Joint Unified School District has canceled all classes today and Friday and will not resume until after the Christmas vacation.

A juvenile was detained Dec. 16 after making threats to use a firearm at Modoc High School. Local law enforcement and officials took the threat seriously and acted quickly.
Following the horrific mass murder of 20 first graders and six adults at a school in Newtown, Conn. last week, law enforcement is taking no chances.
According to Modoc County Sheriff Mike Poindexter, a deputy responded to a home in the Pit River Recreational Estates near Alturas Dec. 16 at 10:38 a.m. after it was reported that a juvenile with access to firearms was seeking additional firearms and making threats to shoot up Modoc High School on Dec. 21.
The threats were followed up and the subject was later located at a nearby residence and subsequently turned over to Modoc County Mental Health which had him transported to a Sacramento facility for a 72-hour hold.
Modoc County Superintendent of Schools Gary Jones said there was also an armed threat in the Tulelake Joint Unified School District Tuesday and the schools were put on lockdown for 90 minutes.
An arrest was made in that case.

Cooley sent to state prison

Rochelle Cooley, who pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of her father Tim Cooley, admitted to violating the terms of her probation on November 7, 2012.
The sentencing hearing was held on Dec. 12 and at the sentencing hearing, Judge Francis Barclay revoked Cooley's probation and imposed the previously suspended six-year prison term.
Cooley, was arrested Oct. 26 by Modoc Probation on a violation of her probation for testing positive for methamphetamine.
According to Modoc County District Attorney Chris Brooke, Cooley initially said that she inadvertently ingested the methamphetamine by eating a piece of candy at a baby shower in Redding.

MMC faces severe Medi-Cal Cuts

On Thursday December 13, 2013, the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed an injunction that was favorable to hospitals that operate distinct part nursing facilities, like Modoc Medical Center's Warnerview.
This reversal will have significant financial implications for MMC under the Medi-Cal reimbursement cuts implemented under AB 97. Specifically, the cuts include rate decreases to amounts received in 2008-09, plus an additional 10 percent reduction.
"Effectively, these cuts equate to about 25 percent less reimbursement than today's rate," said MMC Chief Executive Officer Monica Derner. "To make matters worse for those hospitals affected, the cuts are retroactive back to June 1, 2011. These cuts were part of the State's 2011-12 budget and were expected to save over $620 million dollars throughout California. MMC is expecting a $1.2 million dollar hit in its skilled nursing reimbursement rate, or nine percent of its net operating revenue."

Sheriff's fight with Board takes surprising turn

The staffing battle between Modoc Sheriff Mike Poindexter and the Board of Supervisors took a very surprising turn at Tuesday's Supervisor's meeting.
First off, current Assistant Sheriffs Mike Crutcher and Mary Acosta Crutcher offered their retirements, effective Friday, with both making strong statements to the Board during the meeting.
Together, they have over 80 years experience in law enforcement. Both said they did not intend to retire this year, but felt the Board and Chief Administrative Officer Chester Robertson had used the Sheriff's budget to force the Sheriff's hand.
They will come back after the first of the year as extra help employees of the Sheriff's Office, Poindexter said, to help with training and continue to perform many of the duties they now have. Other staff will be assuming some of the other duties.
Mike Crutcher said the decision to retire was made partly because of the silliness of the Board's action toward he and his wife and a lack of respect or understanding of what they did. He said they would not allow themselves to be used as pawns any longer in the dispute. He also said the decision was made to help out the Sheriff's Office.

Obituaries:

Fern Evelyn Gooch

Fern Evelyn Gooch of Cedarville, passed away in Redding, Ca on December 14, 2012. Mrs. Gooch was a lifelong resident of Surprise Valley. A Memorial Service will be held in February 2013 in Cedarville. Her obituary will be published just prior to the services in February.

John Francis Ennis

John Francis Ennis, of Redding, Calif., passed away at home on December 4, 2012, due to natural causes. Known as Jack, he was born December 17, 1919 in San Jose, Calif. to John and Fannie (McClintock) Ennis and grew up with them on their ranch near Cedarville in Modoc County, CA.
A Rosary and memorial gathering will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, December 21, 2012 at McDonald's Chapel, 1275 Continental St., Redding, Calif. A funeral Mass will be held Saturday, December 22, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Church at 2040 Walnut Ave., Redding, Calif., followed immediately by a reception at the church. Donations may be made to a local charity of your choice.

Timothy W. Wood

Timothy Wayne Wood, born March 30, 1963, passed away unexpectedly at his home in Clearlake, CA on December 4, 2012.
With no more pain or sickness, we would like to think of him riding that big Harley in the sky. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him. No services will be held at this time. At a later date, there will be a celebration of life. Tim had a very big heart and any donations in his name can be made to the animal shelter of your choice.

Jerry Lee Mays

Jerry Lee Mays, 67, of Monticello, Illinois, passed away in Alturas, CA at his home on October 31, 2012. Born September 14, 1945, to mother Mary Faust, he was the youngest in a family of nine, seven sisters and a brother.
Private services will be held in his home for his friends and family.

Danny Edward McManus

Danny Edward McManus, 71, died on Wednesday, December 5, 2012, at the Lake District Hospital, Lakeview, OR.
Danny was born to Edward Joseph and Julie Ann (Kohel) McManus in Klamath Falls, OR on December 10, 1940.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date.
Contributions in the memory of Danny may be made to the Lake District Hospital, 700 S. J Street, Lakeview, OR 97630 or American Cancer Society, 2350 Oakmont Way #200, Eugene, OR 97401-6108 or to a charity of the donor's choice.
Desert Rose Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.

Shannon Coronado

Shannon Coronado, born July 30, 1973 in Sherman, Texas, died December 13, 2012 in Portland, OR. She is survived by her mother Anita Silva, a former Alturas resident now residing in Tulelake; husband Ray Coronado, many relatives on her husband's side. She loved life very much and had many friends. Services will be private.

Sports

Boys go 1-2 in Block M tourney

Modoc’s unbeaten boys varsity team ran into a couple of pretty good teams last weekend, winning one game and losing a pair in their Block M basketball tournament here. They are in the Lost River tourney this weekend.
The boys survived a late charge by the Big Valley Cardinals to win their opening game of the Block M 66-63. They led 51-38 after three quarters, but the Cardinals hit seven three-pointers in the fourth to close the gap while Modoc added 15 points. Modoc led 21-13 in the first and 34-27 at halftime.
Riley Larranaga led the scoring with 24 and Matthew Weber added 20 points.
The Braves dropped their second game to Lakeview 51-48, shooting just 26 percent from the floor. Lakeview grabbed a 17-10 first period lead and led 26-23 by half. The Honkers maintained a 36-32 lead after three. Modoc scored 16-15 in the fourth and came up short.
Larranaga led the scoring with 14; Benjamin Jones added 13, and Weber 10.
Weed beat the Braves 55-51 in the final game, avenging a loss to Modoc in the Block F.
A drought in the fourth quarter again created some problems for the Braves. Weed led 14-12 in the first period, but Modoc took a 26-22 lead at halftime. Modoc still led 42-36 after three, but Weed outscored Modoc 19-9 in the fourth period.
Larranaga led the scoring with 22, while Blake Williams added 10.
Modoc’s girls had a tough weekend. Things started well with an easy win against a shorthanded Big Valley, 56-31.
“We faced Lakeview and fell behind early,” coach Bill Hall said. “We came back within two a couple of times and lost 55-50.”
Against Weed, Modoc jumped out to an 8-0 lead, only to have Karene Marshall the reigning Shasta Cascade Most Valuable Player drop seven three's in the second quarter, helping to beat Modoc 58-38.
Courtney Knoch was All-Tournament. Leah Berryessa, Jordan Marquardt and Kelsey Clay all played well. Modoc heads to Klamath Falls and takes on Henley in the first round of the Klamath Klash at Mazama High School.

Hornets drop game to Paisley

Surprise Valley hosted a pre-season game against Paisley last week. The girls fought hard with just five players on the roster. The game was tied up till the middle of the fourth quarter but Paisley won, 47-42.
Bayley Fee had a great game with 13 points and 16 rebounds. Olwyn Bostic was next with 10 pts, two rebounds and one steal. Shawna Ball had nine pts, three rebounds and six steals. Freshman point guard Dianna Lopez had eight points and five steals. Bailey Cundy had two points and three steals.
The boy’s team beat Paisley 59-41. Danny Cabrera led the team with 25 pts, five rebounds, six steals and six assists. Carlos Lopez had 13 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Ivan Coronado had nine pts, three rebounds, four steals and six assists.
The Hornets first home league game is Jan. 18 against Big Valley.

December 27th, 2012

News

December well over precip totals

The month of December has shattered normal precipitation levels and boosted the snow pack in the mountains dramatically.
So far this month, 2.64 inches of precipitation has been measured with more to come. The average monthly total to date is .92 inches and the full month average is 1.71 inches.
In addition, Cedar Pass now has 23 inches of snow, Adin Mountain has increased to 26 inches and Crowder flat went up to 16 inches. Dismal Swamp is showing 53 inches of snow.
The snow storms are predicted to end today, but the nighttime temperatures are projected to be in the deep freeze: five degrees today, 14 degrees Friday, nine degrees Saturday and 12 degrees on Sunday.

Group tours Barry Point, little progress

Modoc National Forest officials met Wednesday, December 19 with Modoc Sheriff Mike Poindexter and local residents to discuss the Barry Point South Salvage project.
The group made a site visit to the project area, 25 miles north of Alturas, and discussed information about the burned trees, firefighter and public safety during and after the fire, the timeline for the proposed salvage sale, and the decision making process for the project. 
During the visit, Forest Service officials explained the requirements for developing projects under the National Environmental Policy Act (1969), and listened to concerns from the residents about the amount of time it takes to complete the planning process.
While the above release from the MNF put a positive and simple spin on the meeting, Poindexter didn’t come away with a good feeling about any progress being made.     
“I met with our Forest Supervisor Anderson on Wednesday Nov. 7 and at that meeting we discussed the emergency proclamation with regard to the safety hazard posed by the dead and burnt trees along our County Roads affected by the Barry Point fire, which I prepared and signed on October 18th, 2012.   The issue being one of health, safety and welfare particularly with respect to the dead and burned trees along the Low Main (CR 181) road. Anderson, after some discussion stated at that meeting, they were ‘putting most of their efforts into a salvage sale of some 1600 acres’ in the burned area that they want to make available by spring. I reiterated my immediate concern being the status of those trees along the roads posing an immediate threat to public safety.”
The probability of damage from hazard trees is possible with the magnitude of consequence being major resulting in a high risk along major travel routes.  Anderson stated that they have already cut down any hazard trees along that route and also stated that we could not get around doing a NEPA prior to removing these trees.  
“She suggested that they do a Categorical Exclusion (CE),” Poindexter said.  
“She stated that they could get CE's done in 30 to 60 days thereby expediting the whole process. She stated that there were some potential problems with taking that route, such as limitations on acreage of the cut, I suggested doing several CE's in that case.”
Poindexter was under the impression that he would be advised of any progress on the CE’s at the Dec. 19 meeting. That was not in the cards.
 “We met at the USFS office at 9 a.m. on the very cold morning of December 19th,” Poindexter said. “During the briefing at the USFS, I asked Anderson for an update regarding the CE's.  She stated that they had decided not to do the CE's. I asked her why that was? She stated that it was determined that if they did CE's they would lose on appeal.
Poindexter said he believed everyone at that meeting/field trip from the USFS are good people and would genuinely much rather be taking a similar course with what we the Stewardship group would like to see them doing. More in line with what the private sector has been actively doing just a few miles to the north.
“The problem is and I heard this more times than I care to remember the word ‘can’t’ keeps coming into play,” he said. “I understand that their hands appear to be tied due to bureaucracy and policy set at higher levels in their organization. It seems to me that perhaps we need to regroup and actually meet and speak to the people in the USFS organization that can actually make those changes.”

Modoc jobless rate up to 12.8%

The unemployment rate in Modoc increased from October’s 12.2 percent to 12.8 percent in November, according to the state Employment Development Department.
According to EDD, the civilian labor force numbered 3,690 with 470 people unemployed. Last November the unemployment rate was 13.7 percent, with a labor force of 3,890 and 530 unemployed. The labor force has continually dropped from 3,890 in November 2011, to 3,720 in September 2012 and 3,670 in October 2012. 

City will chlorinate part of water

The City of Alturas will be chlorinating the public water supply starting on Thursday afternoon, Dec. 27.
City staff will be working to chlorinate a portion of the city’s water system, however residents may get a slight taste of chlorine in all parts of the system. The City is doing this to maintain a coli form free system.
Staff will be flushing hydrants while working to get chlorine into the system. This will be one dose of chlorine, so within a couple of days it should be out of the system.
Please call City Hall at 5209-233-2377 with any questions.

Obituaries:

Bernice Hetherwick

Bernice Hetherwick of Alturas, born October 27, 1927 in Malin, Oregon, passed away peacefully on December 13, 2012.
A celebration of Bernice’s life will be held on January 5, 2013 at noon at the Veterans’ Memorial Hall, 508 So. Main St., Alturas, CA 96101.
 In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations be made to the Alturas City Volunteer Fire Department, 103 So. Howard St., Alturas, CA 96101.

Fern Evelyn Gooch

Fern Evelyn Gooch of Cedarville, passed away in Redding, Ca on December 14, 2012. Mrs. Gooch was a lifelong resident of Surprise Valley. A Memorial Service will be held in February 2013 in Cedarville.
Her obituary will be published just prior to the services in February.

Sports

School sports. . .

Modoc High School girl’s and boy’s basketball will get back to action Jan. 8 at Burney and will face Fall River there Jan. 11. They are at Mt. Shasta Jan. 15.
The Surprise Valley Hornets basketball teams are at Butte Valley Jan. 11 and at Happy Camp in McCloud Jan. 15. They face Big Valley at home Jan. 18.
The Modoc Wrestling team heads to the Anderson Tournament Jan. 4-5 and have the Lassen tourney Jan. 11-12.

Modoc opens well at Lost River Tourney

Modoc’s varsity boys opened the Lost River tournament with a 58-36 win over Henley, played at Mazama High School in Klamath Falls.
The Braves got off to a 20-10 first period lead and led 34-18 at halftime. Modoc extended the lead to 50-22 after three. Henley scored 14 to Modoc’s eight in the fourth.
Riley Larranaga led the scoring with 22 points, while Blake Williams added nine and Matthew Weber had eight.
The Braves beat Chiloquin 71-22 to win the third place trophy at the tourney. It was lopsided the entire way, with Modoc leading 24-6 after one and 42-9 at halftime. The score was 51-14 after the third and Modoc scored 20 to Chiloquin’s eight in the fourth.
“We showed balanced scoring with Larranaga and Weber netting 13 points each, Benjamin Jones added 12 and Williams 11,” said coach Keith Weber. “We finished the pre-season with a 9-3 record and open Shasta Cascade League play January 8 at Burney.”
Weber believes Modoc 9-3, Weed 11-1 and Mt. Shasta 10-2 should battle for the league title.
He also said that Cam Anderson, who has been recuperating from a football season hip injury, will be back at full strength to begin league play.
Modoc lost to Gold Beach 54-41 in the semi-final game. The game was close with Gold Beach leading 10-9 in the first and Modoc taking a 22-21 lead by half. But Gold Beach exploded for 22 points in the third to lead 43-30 and each team scored 11 in the fourth.
“The wheels just fell off in the third,” said Weber. “We just could not make up that deficit. Poor passing doomed us, and we committed 24 turnovers.”
Weber led the scoring with 14 points.
Modoc’s girl’s varsity beat Henley 41-31 in their opener. They led 14-5 in the first and 19-11 at the half. Modoc led 28-19 after three and outscored Henley 13-12 in the fourth.
Courtney Knoch led the scoring with 13 and Jordan Marquardt added 12.
The girls lost the second game to Gold Beach 47-38. Gold Beach led 12-9 in the first and Modoc took a 27-23 lead at the half. Gold Beach added eight to Modoc four in the third and outscored the Braves 16-7 in the final period.
Knoch led the scoring with 11; Marquardt and Kelsey Clay each had nine.
They won the third place game against Chiloquin 46-39. Modoc trailed 15-10 in the first quarter but led 23-22 by halftime. The game was tied at 30-30 in the third and Modoc won it with a 16-9 fourth period.
Knoch led the scoring with 14; Marquardt added 11 and Lily Hallmark eight.