Back Issues for 1999
1999
- JANUARY, 1999
Record news for Jan. 7, 1999
- Forest looks for varied comments on project
- DUI arrests dropped in 1998
- Land use committee has several issues
- MPAT murder mystery to benefit the Niles Theater
Obituaries:
- McDonald
- Davidson
- Crum
- Minto
- McKelvy
- Dorn
- Weather: Morning fog clouds the picture for the next few days, with mostly fair weather through Friday. Look for a chance of rain late in the weekend. Lows in the 20s and highs in the 40s.
Modoc Forest looking for varied opinions on project
Officials at the Modoc National Forest are seeking and hoping for a wide variety of opinions during a public meeting Saturday concerning the management direction of the forest.
While the ranching and logging communities are usually well represented at these meetings, the Forest is hoping other interests including environmental and recreational attend.
The Modoc Forest is included within a new management project called the Sierra Nevada Framework for Conservation and Collaboration. The project includes 11 national forests, many of which include the Sierra Nevada Mountain range.
"This is an official scoping meeting and we really do want a well-rounded group of people to attend," said Public Information Officer Nancy Gardner. "These meetings are, and will be, very important to the future of the Modoc Forest. There could be some changes in the way we do things and we certainly want the public to have its say. The public also needs to know what it is we're considering and that's what these meetings are for."
A Notice of Intent has been released out lining some strategies and broad problem areas. The major areas of concern on the Modoc Forest are riparian area management, meadow ecosystems, old forest ecosystems, fire and fuel concerns, aquatic areas and noxious weeds.
"During this meeting, we will be looking into how things are done now and if changes are necessary," said Gardner. "We need to look at practices on the Modoc and need to come to terms that make sense in Modoc. It is very important that our people have their say."
The January 9 meeting will be held in the Forest Service conference room in the office on Highway 299. It will begin at 10 a.m. and run until 4 p.m. with an hour break for lunch.
According to Gardner, the first part of the meeting will be used by Forest staff to show the public what is now being done on the Modoc Forest. Slide shows detailing management practices in riparian areas, old forest and fire and fuel management will be shown. The second half of the meeting will be used to solicit comments and suggestions from the public. Gardner said the public will be broken up into discussion groups in their areas of interest.
"We will be focusing on ecosystem management," said Gardner. "We want to know what local people want and how they feel we can manage to get to those goals. The Modoc plateau is different from much of the Sierra Nevada and while some management practices will work in both areas, some may not make sense to us here."
Several workshops and field trips held in Modoc have been well attended. The January 9 meeting is one more step in the environmental process where proposed alternatives can be discussed and examined. There is also an opportunity to pro pose new alternatives. Forest Service specialists will be on hand to answer questions or provide more detail on projects.
For more information contact Robert Haggard or Gardner, Modoc National Forest, 800 West 12th Street, Alturas. Haggard can be reached at 530-233-8840 and Gardner at 530-233-8713.
Drunk driving arrests went down for 1998
Drunk driving arrests were down for 1998, and local officers believe drivers are becoming more aware of the ramifications of a Driving Under the Influence ticket.
According to Alturas Chief of Police Larry Pickett, the city arrested only 13 drunk drivers for the year, a marked downturn from previous years.
"I think people are being more cautious and just aren't drinking and driving as much," he said. "If they are out and drink too much, they're having someone else take them home or they're taking a designated driver with them. People are just more responsible."
According to the California Highway Patrol, their DUI arrests were also down. They made 56 DUI arrests through November, 1998. In 1997 the CHP arrested 63, which was up from 1996 when 41 arrests were made.
Modoc County Sheriff Bruce Mix said his office was com piling the annual report and didn't have figures at hand. He did say there was a decrease in DUI activity.
"I think people are just acting more responsibly," said Mix. "For some it's a financial incentive (DUI tickets are very expensive) and to others it's a moral choice. For what ever reason, more people are choosing designated drivers or are not drinking as much. They are making good choices."
Pickett and Mix both said drinking is not as socially acceptable as it was in the past and the efforts of Mother's Against Drunk Driving and increased enforcement has had an impact.
Land Use Committee begins new year with issues to discuss
Modoc Land Use Committee will gather for its first meeting of the new year with several "significant issues to discuss," offers Committee member Sean Curtis.
If interested in becoming a part of the Land Use Commit tee or sharing thoughts on the issues to be discussed, plan to attend the Wednesday, January 13 meeting in the Farm Advisor's Conference Room, Fourth Street, Alturas at 1:30 p.m.
Those four issues to be addressed include Reviewing the County's alternative under the Sierra Nevada Conservation Planning effort; reviewing the draft Elk Plan; establishing the role the county will play in the Warner Mountain Grazing Planning effort and considering appointments for several of the 25 seats on the committee. Term appointments are for four years and this will be the first official year, since the group formed by ordinance in 1995, to once again make recommendations to the Board of Super visors as to volunteers who will fill the vacancies in areas of their expertise.
For further information please contact Land Use Secretary Carolyn Carey at 233-2517.
Meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at the Farm Advisor's Office at 1:30 p.m. Public welcome.
Cantrall will lead board into new year
Supervisor Pat Cantrall of Likely was elected Chairperson of the Board at Tuesday's meeting of the Modoc County Board of Supervisors. She will grasp the gavel through 1999.
Nancy Huffman, of the Newell area, was elected as vice-chairperson of the board for the coming year.
Supervisor Terry Williams, of Surprise Valley, was officially seated and took the place of outgoing supervisor Ben Zandstra. Joe Colt and Ron McIntyre make up the remainder of the board.
The board also accepted the resignation of Modoc County Librarian Godelieve Uyttenhove, effective February 1. She has taken the Librarian position in Fort Bragg. The county will start the search for a replacement.
MPAT wants to keep cold out of Niles with mystery play: Murder Backstage
Modoc Performing Arts Theater wants to help keep the Niles Theater warm, and most importantly, open.
MPAT and Alturas Community Theater, ACT, are presenting Murder Backstage, an original play written by Alturas' Karen Hays. The play will be performed one time only, January 16, 8 p.m. with all tickets $10 each. The proceeds from the play will go into a fund to help offset the theater's heating bills.
"This is our playhouse and we want to help keep it afloat," said Hays. "So, come and help the 'cause' and add to the contribution to keep the theater open and running. This is important and necessary."
ACT is a non-profit corporation, which owns and operates the Niles Theater. A sister non-profit, Niles Theater, Inc., operates the movie portion of the theater.
"We really appreciate MPAT's effort to help with the heating bill," said ACT's Rick Holloway. "It sure beats a 'BYOB--Bring Your Own Blanket' party we thought we might have to do. We share in belief that the Niles is a special part of the community and MPAT performances add to the overall cultural well-being of this area."
Murder Backstage concerns a primadonna actress, who can't act; a supporting actress who has a penchant for throwing paint; an understudy actress who never gets her chance; a leading man who cannot keep the girl; a director who cannot control his cast; a set designer with an Oscar and Tony on his mind; a starlet who doesn't have a clue; and one sheriff who is out of his jurisdiction.
According to Hays, the added ingredients making this play fun are: betrayal, hate, jealousy, lust and desperation.
The cast includes: Sandy Boldon, the primadonna; Nancy North-Gates, the supporting actress; Karen Hays, the understudy; Gerry Gates, the leading man; Paul Warshauer, the director; Mike Halderman, the set designer; Jodee Roberts, the starlet; Sheriff Bruce Mix as himself; Chip Massie as New York detective Alvin Sipalot; the ambulance crew is Sandy Hoxsey and Bob Cummings as the attendant; There will also be a cameo appearance by Judge Larry Dier.
"So come out and help the cause and see if everything you have ever heard about theater people is true," said Hays. "See if the ambulance crew will be on time or will their efforts be in vain? Will Sheriff Mix be able to solve this crime before the boys in NYPD blue arrive on the scene? Come laugh, ask questions and help solve this crime as you also help to support your local theater."
Obituaries:
Ramona LaVerne McDonald
Ramona LaVerne McDonald, a former Modoc resident for most of her life, passed away at her Los Flores, Calif. home on December 31, 1998. She was 61 years old.
She was born Ramona Cates in Socorra, New Mex ico on September 23, 1937 to Simi and Jewell Cates. She lived most of her life in Modoc County before moving to Tehama County 12 years ago.
Mrs. McDonald was a dedicated mother who en joyed cooking, making candy and baking cakes and enjoyed crafts. She also enjoyed being the boss of her dogs.
Preceding her in death were two daughters, LaQuita Mc Donald and Vickie Stevenson, and a granddaughter Mandy Dowell.
She is survived by her two sons, Scott McDonald of Los Flores and Doug McDonald of Susanville; a daughter Robin Greer of Gerber; sister Nadene Baker of Gerber; two broth ers, Ed Cates of Reno, Nev. and Clifford Cates of Canby, Calif.
A memorial service was held on Monday, January 4 at the Memorial Hall in Gerber, Calif. at 1:00 p.m. W. C. Fickert Memorial Chapel of Red Bluff took charge of ar rangements.
Irene Fisher Davidson
Irene Dorothy Fisher Davidson, a lifelong resident of Alturas and an active member of the community, passed away at her home in Alturas, Calif. on Thursday morning, December 31, 1998. She had celebrated her 85th birthday just two days before.
She was born in Alturas, Calif. to Frank and Leona [Claussen] Fisher on De cember 28, 1913. She was reared and attended Busi ness College in Eugene, Ore.
On June 13, 1940, Irene married Stanley Ray Davidson in Alturas. They have been married for 58 years and reared one daughter Marilyn David son-Reeves.
Mrs. Davidson worked for the State of California for over 40 years as the office manager for the Department of Human Resources. She retired in 1977.
She was known as "Nonnie," a name that was given to her by her granddaughter and was carried over and used to her great-grandchildren.
Every Thursday Irene and Stan would help sort clothes for the Thrift Shop operated by Federated Church and spend time with lifelong friends. They have been long-time mem bers of Federated Community Church in Alturas, where Mrs. Davidson served as a Deacon and helped wherever she was needed.
She was a fifty-year member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority and for a number of years volunteered to work the Modoc Medical Center Gift Shop. She was still involved in helping with the monthly birthday parties at Modoc Medical Center's Skilled Nursing Facility. She was also a faithful member of a weekly Bible Study.
In addition, she enjoyed gardening, doing crossword puz zles, letter writing and recording her daily activities in her journal. In the spring, her garden was full of snapdra grons, pansies and other colorful flowers.
She was preceded in death by her brother Marion Frank Fisher, who passed away in 1996.
She is survived by her husband Stanley R. Davidson of Alturas; daughter Marilyn Sue Reeves and son-in-law Denver of Concord, Calif.; granddaughter Marilee Reeves-Boothe of Las Vegas, Nev.; grandson Kenn Ray Reeves of Concord; great-grandsons Jesse Ray Walser of Brentwood, Calif. and Nicholas Ryan Boothe of Las Vegas; and great-granddaughter Emily Claire Boothe of Las Vegas.
Funeral services were held on Tuesday, January 5 at 1:00 p.m. at Federated Community Church in Alturas with the Rev. Ben Zandstra officiating. Burial followed at the Al turas Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be directed to Fed erated Community Church Memorial Fund.
Allan Cyrus Crum
Services for Allan Cyrus Crum will be held at graveside today, January 7 at 11 a.m. at the McArthur Cemetery. Pas tor Mack McKee will officiate.
Mr. Crum died of natural causes on Friday, January 1, 1999 in Klamath Falls, Ore.
He was born May 13, 1914 in Cayton Valley, Calif. to Birdie and Merton Crum who reared their son in the McArthur area. Mr. Crum worked for the Crum Meat Company from 1932 to 1944. The company butchered and supplied meat products to Northeast California. He sold out to his brothers in 1944 and began ranching on his own. He purchased a ranch in Pittville where he raised hay and cattle.
He and Esther Eva Hobson were married on July 10, 1937 and have shared 61 years of mar riage together.
Mr. Crum retired in 1985, but continued to live on the ranch. He was a good carpenter and mechanic and enjoyed hunting and fishing.
He is survived by his wife Esther; sons and daughters-in-law, Melvin and Harriet Crum of Unity, Ore.; Don and Su san Crum of Alturas; daughters and sons-in-law Beverly and Bob Swarm, Bieber; Barbara and Bill Joiner, Lookout; Ida Marie and Jim McAlister, Ione, Wash.; grandchildren Bonnie Kist, Dixie Howard, Craig Joiner, Jennie Joiner, Frank Crum, Allan Crum, Lori McAlister, Annette Galles, Brian Crum and Laura Burrows. He also leaves five great-grandchildren; two brothers Orville and Donald Crum; two sisters Nelda Taylor and Blanch Anders.
The family suggests any memorial contributions be di rected to the Intermountain CattleWomen, P.O. Box 161, McArthur, CA 96056 for a scholarship for a graduating high school senior.
William "Bill" Weild Minto
William "Bill" Weild Minto, 77, of Merrill, Oregon, died December 30, 1998, in Merrill.
Funeral services were held Monday, January 4 at the Ea gleville Community Church with the Rev. Jim Davidson of ficiating. Interment followed at the Eagleville Cemetery.
Mr. Minto was born October 24, 1921, in Eagleville, Calif., as the son of Elmer Weild and Ellen Phylinda Dor ton Minto. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps as tech sergeant from 1942 to 1945.
On May 28, 1950, Mr. Minto married Sarah Jane Mankin in Red Bluff, Calif. to them were born two daughters. His wife, family and friends were always the most special in his life.
He was a highly skilled carpenter for many years. He helped build many homes in and around Surprise Valley and Alturas. He also worked on ranches in the Eagleville area and had cattle of his own. His grandfather, Robert Weild Minto, was a pioneer who settled in Surprise Valley near present-day Eagleville. His grandfather donated the original land for the Eagleville Cemetery where Bill is now buried.
His hobbies included gardening, hunting, fishing and helping other people.
Mr. Minto lived in Surprise Valley most of his life until moving to Merrill in 1993, where he was a member of the Merrill Baptist Church. He had also been active in the Al turas Christian Center and the Lake City Church. He was a life member and past commander of the Surprise Valley Veterans of Foreign Wars, was active with the Eagleville Volunteer Fire Department, and whole-heartedly supported the community.
Survivors include his wife, Sarah Minto of Merrill; daughters and their husbands, Patty and Dave Jensen, and Kay and Jim Ellis, all of Merrill; granddaughter and hus band, Shawna and Patrick Bynum of Chico; grandchildren Tracy Jacobs, USN in South Carolina, and Becky Jacobs and Ron Jacobs of Rock Springs, Wyoming; sister Mildred Maupin and Elma Dorton of Alturas, Ellen Boster of Salem, Missouri and Mabel Richardson of Redding; sisters-in-law Sharon Staton of Eagleville and Carol Minto of Gerlach, Nev.; many nieces, nephews and cousins; and a host of friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Ellen Minto; his granddaughter Kathy Jensen; brothers Bud and Jack Minto and sister Phyllis Watt.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Klamath Hospice, 437 Main Street, Klamath Falls, Ore. 97601.
Edward B. "Mac" McKelvy
Former Alturas resident Edward B. "Mac" McKelvy died on Saturday, January 2, 1999 at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Red Bluff, Calif. He was 80.
He was born on January 14, 1919 to Edward and Jessie McKelvy in Dallas, Texas. He served his country in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He married his wife Doris on June 7, 1946 and the two shared 52 years of mar riage together.
Mr. McKelvy worked for many years as a highway engi neer for the U.S. Forest Service. Mr. McKelvy made Alturas his home from 1957 to 1963 while he worked for the Modoc National Forest. He moved to Corning in 1963 and worked there until his retirement.
He was a member of the National Association for Retired Federal Employees; a former member of the Lions Club and the Good Sam Club. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, traveling and the mountains.
He is survived by his wife Doris R. McKelvy of Corning; two sons, Forest E. McKelvy and Brad B. McKelvy, both of Corning; a daughter Bobette Bonner of Red Bluff; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held Tuesday, Jan. 5 at 11 a.m. at the Hall Bros. Corning Mortuary Chapel.
Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of choice. Private inurnment will take place at the Sunset Hill Cemetery in Corning. Arrangements are under the direc tion of Hall Bros. Corning Mortuary.
Margaret J. Dorn
Private family services will be held at a later date for Margaret J. Dorn, age 88, who died January 1, 1999 at her residence in Eagleville.
Mrs. Dorn was born April 27, 1910 in Santa Cruz, Ca. She graduated from Watsonville High School in 1927 and Fullerton Junior College in 1929. She married Conrad Dorn in Reno, Nv. in 1932.
She was a member of Eastern Star of Lakeport, Ca., the Presbyterian Church of Kelseyville and the First Congregational Church in San Rafael. She enjoyed trav eling, spending time with her family, interior decorating and journal keeping.
Mrs. Dorn is survived by a daughter, Rosemary Sheppard, of Eagleville; a son, Reid Henderson Dorn, of Kelseyville; a sister, Eleanor Turnbul of Alameda; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Congregational Church, number 8, N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael, Ca. 94903. The Neptune Society of Chico is handling the arrangements.
News for January 14, 1999
- Pair arrested alleging child pornography
- MPAT performs original play to help Niles Theater
- Alturas man markets his tasty dressing
- Building slows down in Modoc
- Obituaries:
- Schadler
- VanLone
- Lynn
- Weather: The weather looks like rain today and tonight with mostly cloudy skies Friday. There will be periods of rain and cloudiness over the weekend. Highs in the lower 40s.
Pair arrested on child pornography charges
Two Alturas residents were arrested January 8 in connection with sexual misconduct and pornography with children.
According to Alturas Police Sergeant Stacy Callaghan, Benjamin Lockhart, 25, was arrested alleging lewd and lascivious acts with minors, and sending child pornography over the Internet.
Stephanie Colvett, 23, was arrested alleging conspiracy and that she was an accessory.
According to Callaghan, the Alturas Police Department received a call from the Police Department of Chehalia, Wa. after a Chehalia resident reported to them at he had received nude pictures of minors over e-mail, allegedly from Lockhart.
A search warrant was obtained and served on the Alturas Gardens apartment where the two lived Jan. 8. Two computers were seized and have bee sent to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for further investigation.
Original play to help out with the Niles Theater heating bill
Modoc Performing Arts Theater, MPAT, and Alturas Community Theater, ACT, are presenting Murder Backstage, an original play written by Alturas' Karen Hays.
The benefit play will be performed one time only, January 16, 8 p.m. with all tickets $10 each. The proceeds from the play will go into a fund to help offset the theater's heating bills.
ACT is a non-profit corporation, which owns and operates the Niles Theater. A sister non-profit, Niles Theater, Inc., operates the movie portion of the theater.
Murder Backstage concerns a primadonna actress, who can't act; a supporting actress who has a penchant for throwing paint; an under study actress who never gets her chance; a leading man who cannot keep the girl; a di rector who can not control his cast; a set designer with an Oscar and Tony on his mind; a starlet who doesn't have a clue; and one sheriff who is out of his jurisdiction.
According to Hays, the added ingredients making this play fun are: betrayal, hate, jealousy, lust and desperation.
The cast includes: Sandy Boldon, the primadonna; Nancy North-Gates, the sup porting actress; Karen Hays, the understudy; Gerry Gates, the leading man; Paul Warshauer, the director; Mike Halderman, the set de signer; Jodee Roberts, the starlet; Sheriff Bruce Mix as himself; Chip Massie as New York detective Alvin Sipalot; the ambulance crew is Sandy Hoxsey and Bob Cummings as the attendant; There will also be a cameo appearance by Judge Larry Dier.
"So come out and help the cause and see if everything you have ever heard about theater people is true," said Hays. "See if the ambulance crew will be on time or will their efforts be in vain? Will Sheriff Mix be able to solve this crime before the boys in NYPD blue arrive on the scene? Come laugh, ask questions and help solve this crime as you also help to sup port your local theater."
Gourmet dressing originates in Alturas,
The path has been interesting and eventful and gone full circle for entrepreneur Ronald P. McCullough of Auras, originator of Mountain Herb Gourmet Dressing®, now a registered trademark.
McCullough originated his product in Alturas over nine years ago, and it has evolved into its perfected form after years of research on his part and after successfully testing it in "huge retirement homes" in the Bay Area where he had been living until moving back to Alturas a year ago.
The product has also moved into the consistent sales category in those Bay Area retirement homes and stores and more recently is stocked on store shelves in Alturas. It has all the ingredients consumers are searching for with good taste, but still low fat, low cholesterol no salt, preservatives or additives - all which describe Mountain Herb Gourmet dressing.
McCullough has solely created the versatile food item, to be used to garnish fish, all salads, baked potatoes, as a dip for chips and raw vegetables, as a sandwich spread or topping on fruit.
Now going into its ninth year of production, McCullough says the original integrity and taste is the same from years past, but he had to change a couple of base items due to cost.
"I have learned so much over the years and I have always believed in the product," he says.
He now ships 12-15 cases of his five liter containers of Mountain Herb Gourmet Dressing to the Bay Area every 10 days.
After working six days a week for eight years in the Bay Area, where he was reared, he was devoting his seventh day to making, bottling and shipping his product.
McCullough decided why couldn't he move his small scale operation to Modoc County and begin enjoying life more? He had bought land in Modoc in 1972 and first moved here in 1976; then left in March of 1987. While he lived away from Modoc, he lived in Hawaii where he be came a licensed real estate agent and worked with a corporation in leasing Kona Coast properties.
"I loved the weather and always felt so energized there, but I love it here too," he said of Modoc County.
When he decided he'd had enough of the Bay Area he said, "I bit the bullet and gave up two jobs in San Francisco and the business. I enjoyed my time there and loved doing all the traveling as the driver for the residents of the large retirement homes. Wherever they wanted to go, arrangements were made and I took them. We saw beautiful places and things I may never have visited on my own, even having been raised there."
No regrets, though, he says today.
"It took a long time to create credibility and I've done a lot of things better than many manufacturers have done," he says of his product, now licensed and successfully reviewed by the State of California and the Food and Drug Administration. "It has been a huge expense to do individual jar sales versus the five liter buckets. I do what I can do at this time."
"The product sells well and it takes money to promote it. I haven't even begun to promote it any more to area hospitals and restaurants because I have about as much work as I want to do just now," he added. "I do what I can do."
Upon his arrival in Modoc on December 7, he bought a Modoc Record on December 8 in which he read a bus driver was wanted for the Modoc Senior Citizens Center patrons. "I was hired the next day on December 9, and have been doing that since, in between keeping my business going," he described.
"I wouldn't go back to the Bay Area to live for anything. I now have no stresses, traffic or pollution here."
He has made many trips back to the Bay Area for his supplies, which he now looks forward to being shipped or within closer proximity.
"You have to be tenacious and committed. My 10 years of effort is proof and I've done it all myself, but it does take a lot of time and energy to promote your product, but I've always believed in the 'squeaky wheel' theory."
He knows full well the hardships that 'nothing is done overnight in your own business.
"I'm the lousiest salesperson, but a great one for challenge and it has been a challenge. I used to do in-store demos in the Bay Area and I'd like to start doing them again sometime here - - - you know, that personal touch that helps people understand how versatile and good the product is."
Now made in the "hills of Modoc County," with the freshest ingredients and under his Preston Enterprises label named for his son's first name and his middle name the dressing needs to be kept refrigerated and can keep up to six weeks.
"It took me quite a while to set up my spice, mayonnaise and sour cream suppliers, after I moved up here. But my research has paid off," he says in retrospect. "I'm a very patient person and the people who use the dressing want it and keep me going."
Both Four Corners and Holiday Markets in Alturas carry the locally produced Mountain Herb Gourmet Dressing.
"I tried to sell the recipe to Kraft, but until I'm selling massive amounts, they won't be interested. Who knows, it could happen."
Not ready to look too far into the future, the entrepreneur says maybe someday he'll go back into promoting the other products that have been developed within the Preston Enterprises food line and even promoting his gourmet dressing more. "But it would have to be on a full-time basis."
"For now I do what I can do and if it's meant to happen, it will happen," he said.
Building slows in December
Building activity in Alturas and the county slowed to a trickle during December, partly because of the cold weather.
There were 11 building permits issued in the county, worth an estimated $227,596. The bulk of the value came in one single family home in the Adin area and another for work at the golf course near Likely. The county collected $1,729.40 in fees.
There were four building permits issued by the City of Alturas with an estimated value of $40,641.30. A new mobile home installation made up most of that value. The city collected $499.42 in fees.
NEWS FOR JAN. 21, 1999
- County says Modoc not part of Sierra Nevada
- Some hope for city streets this year
- Inmates removed after fight at Devil's Garden
- Elk tracking goes high tech
- County adopts new census tracts
- County appoints interim librarian
Weather: Look for chance of snow today and tonight with partly cloudy skies remaining through Monday with scattered showers probable. Lows in teens to 20s, highs mid 40s.
There's hope. . .
REPAIRS are planned for this portion of Carlos Street this coming year and next year the street should get a whole new overall. City crews will be doing their best to patch this street and will work on a big project next year.
County says Modoc not part of Sierra Nevada
The Forest Service has included the Modoc National Forest as a part of its Sierra Nevada Framework Project, but Modoc County Supervisors are taking a different stance.
Tuesday the board heard a report from the Modoc Land Use Committee and adopted its issues as an alternative management plan. Primarily, the county is saying that the Modoc National Forest is distinctly apart from the pure Sierra Nevada forests, in everything from timber stands, to pography, weather, sociology, economic, cultural wildlife and habitat areas, and should be managed with more local input.
The Modoc Record will present more of the Land Use Committee's report and the adopted county alternatives next week since it is detailed and specific.
"The high desert plateau, which comprises the county and the Modoc National Forest have seldom been considered a part of the Sierra Nevada Range and present unique chal lenges and opportunities that are not present in the rest of the study area, all of which lies far to the south," the Land Use report states. "Modoc County is vitally concerned with the management of its National Forest and dedicated to healthy ecosystems and communities within its boundaries. The very survival of Modoc County stands upon the expressed goals of the Sierra Nevada Framework for Conservation and Collaboration."
The Land Use Committee, which is a subcommittee of the Board of Supervisors, believes it can show it and the county had been working closely with the Forest Service to ensure the health and sustainability of the Modoc Forest. The county worries that an blanket adoption of the Sierra Nevada Framework would be disastrous for the Modoc National Forest and would undo many of the good things accom plished through local cooperative efforts over the past several years.
"Rural Modoc County depends on its National Forest for a wide range of values and services," the committee states. "Stability in commodity-oriented programs and variety in recreational opportunities, as well as aesthetic-based ones are essential to the survival of the communities within the county. The county stands ready to do all in its power to help provide stability within the ecological limits of the land so that companies will make needed investments and provide jobs, in an ecologically healthy manner. In short. as goes the health of our forest, so goes the health of the county."
The stance of the county is that management of the forest calls for maximum local decision making, a thorough so cio-economic analysis be done at the county level, and local flexibility remain a main part of any management deci sion.
The committee believes that old growth forest manage ment should represent a full spectrum of choices, not just those of preservation and that old growth forests must be managed in a way to maintain their longevity. The county states that old growth management should not be on a tree-by-tree basis and that many of the Sierra Nevada strategies for old forests are based on west side (of the Sierras) ideas that may not apply in Modoc.
As far as riparian areas, the committee says forests with proven track records of successful riparian management, and collaboration with local agencies and individuals, should be allowed to keep their local decision making flexi bility. Livestock grazing, while not covered in the Sierra planning effort should not be precluded from riparian areas, according to Modoc.
The committee also says that prescribed fire, natural fire and logging should be available to reduce forest fuels that would increase fire dangers.
The county's options and alternatives will be submitted as a part of the Sierra Nevada Framework management study, and the county hopes its views will meet with objective sets of eyes.
Major city street project in works for this summer
A major city street repair project will get underway this summer, resulting in the upgrading of three miles of streets.
According to Public Works Director Stacy Chase, the city will combine about $300,000 in FEMA funds, another $900,000 in new supplemental State Transportation Commission funding and about $1 million in regular road funding for the project.
Chase said the streets affected would be the ones included in the FEMA storm damage project, but this time around, the supplemental funding will allow the city to repair the streets correctly. That means starting from the base and working up.
The supplemental state funds came about Chase said be cause of a change in the regulations allowing local streets to be included as part of the major transportation system.
While there are several streets involved in this coming project, some include 2nd between Rine and Howard, Henderson to the hospital, the worst portions of East A and some of West C.
This street project will be taken care of this summer, said Chase, as soon as the weather allows. City crews are praying for a light winter so the existing damage does not get much worse, especially on portions of Carlos Street from the Creamery west to West Street. The city plans on repairing that section of Carlos temporarily this summer.
A Carlos-Warner Street project is in the works for the summer of 2,000, which will include reconstruction of Carlos from Main Street to Warner Street and Warner Street from Carlos to First Street. That project has a price tag of about $1.55 million.
The above projects were approved by the Local Transportation Commission.
Inmates removed after fight at Devil's Garden
Following a disturbance, which was reportedly racially motivated, at Devil's Garden Conservation Camp, 20 in mates were removed from the camp and returned to the California Correctional Facility in Susanville.
According to Department of Corrections, the incident oc curred the night of January 14, about 10:10 p.m. when a fight erupted at the camp in volving Hispanics, blacks and a small number of white inmates. The incident started, ac cording to CDC, over the use of the telephone.
The disturbance was cen tered at the hobby room and a dorm. Upon investigation, corrections officers discov ered broken broom handles, sticks, a pool ball and padlock in separate locations. According to reports, correc tions officers did not actually see the fight, but became sus picious when a group of in mates left the dorm heading toward the hobby room in a hurry.
Seven inmates were in jured, none seriously. Most of the injuries were bruises, scratches and small lacera tions.
According to CDC, the in cident is under investigation and a report will be sent to the Modoc District Attorney. The DA could file charges against some or all of the inmates in volved.
New tracking--Modoc Elk study goes high tech
The world of high-tech wildlife studies just got higher, according to the De partment of Fish and Game.
DFG wildlife biologists in the agency's northernmost Region 1 said they are lay ing plans to capture up to eight elk in Siskiyou and Modoc coun ties next month and equip them with satel lite-linked ra dio transmit ter collars that will automat ically record hundreds of earthly locations used by the animals.
The new study, funded largely by the Rocky Moun tain Elk Foundation, will provide the DFG with an un precedented volume of preci sion data sets that under pre vious monitoring methods would have been pro hibitively expensive to gather, the agency said.
"This represents a signif i cant advancement in the world of studding wildlife habitat preferences and the movements of animals, said Rich Callas, DFG wildlife bi ologist in Siskiyou County.
Callas said that as each collar reaches its nine-month data collection limit, biolo gists will transmit a signal to the collar that will disconnect it from the elk. Afterward, they will use a signal emitted by the collar to find and re trieve it.
Once in hand, the collar will be connected to a com puter to download all the elk locations -- expected to be ac curate to as close as 300 feet. This data will be coupled with satellite vegetative im agery to identify the most important elk habitats of northeastern California.
While they are attached to the elk, the collars will record the animal's location once every eight hours. The $3,000 collars will be reusable in future studies.
Callas said the DFG will attempt to capture elk using a helicopter and net guns. They want animals from the north Warner Mountains and Dev il's Garden of Modoc County and may also attempt captures in eastern Siskiyou County, he said.
"Locating animals and then capturing them will be the most difficult part of the project," said Callas. He said citizens have reported seeing elk in the north Warners and in other loca tions, but the large herbivores "have a way of vanishing" when searchers try to find them.
He said elk numbers have been increasing in the north end of the state for the past 20 years, partly due to elk in Oregon expanding their ranges into California. Western Siskiyou County is occupied by Roosevelt elk, whereas the north Warners animals may be newcomers from eastern Oregon herds of Rocky Mountain elk, ac cord ing to Fish and Game.
County adopts new census tracts
On Tuesday Modoc County Supervisors formally adopted four census tracts, up from the previous two.
While there is some concern that the new tracts may impact medical services in parts of the county, especially Alturas, Planner Scott Kessler said the predominate reason be hind the change is to aid in grant writing and overall information about the population and will not have the suspected impact on the medical community.
Modoc Public Health Director Phil Smith is charged with looking into the impact on health care, and a possible change in some upcoming federal regulations.
In the past, Modoc had two census tracts, Alturas and Modoc Estates and the rest of the county. This time around, there will be a sep arate census for Alturas, only within its le gal boundaries, one for Surprise Valley, one for the area west of Highways 299 at Canby and 139, and another covering the rest of the county.
According to Kessler, the tracts will make it easier for grant writers and other agencies to pinpoint which areas need funding and which groups to target within that tract.
Board appoints interim Librarian
The Modoc County Board of Supervisors Tuesday ap pointed assistant county Librarian Cheryl Baker as interim librarian effective Feb.1.
Baker will hold the interim position during the search for a permanent Librarian, and will be a candidate to take over for Godelieve Uyttenhove who resigned after a five-year stint to take a position in Fort Bragg.
The board also discussed the use of answering ma chines and voice mail in some county offices during business hours. Supervisor Ron McIntyre put the subject on the agenda following some complaints and personal ex perience in trying to contact county offices.
The board discussed the is sue and will bring it back at a future meeting to set a county-wide policy on the use of those machines and under what conditions their use would be justifiable.
The board also discussed a free dump day throughout the county, but came to no conclusion. That issue will be brought back for further dis cussion.
NEWS FOR JAN. 28, 1999
- Modoc wants local input in Modoc Forest decisions
- Elk management group looks for comments
- Hanks named Citizen of the Year
- Art Center hosts new show in February
- Fish and Wildlife holds meeting on trout
- Obit:
- Sally Cook
Weather: Look for continued cloudy and wet weather, with rain and showers in the picture. There may be some snow flurries. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the 20s.
Local decisions needed for forest management
Modoc County doesn't want to give up what it calls an ef fective and proven working re la tionship with the Modoc National Forest, and simply be swallowed up by the Sierra Nevada Framework for Conservation pro ject.
The county is making a case, through its Land Use Committee, that the Modoc Forest is distinct and differ ent from the forests in most of the Sierra Nevada range and should not be managed based upon strategies for those ar eas.
To that end, the county last week approved an alternative plan as a part of the scoping and comment period in the Sierra Nevada Plan. While Carolyn Carey was present ing the plan to the county, Sean Curtis was pre senting the plan to the Sierra Nevada project team in Sacramento. Curtis said his recep tion was warm and he felt the alterna tive was being viewed in a fa vorable light.
"Our goal is to have this alternative in cluded as an alternative in the draft Environmental Impact Statement when it comes out," said Curtis. He said that EIS is supposed to be out by the end of February or early March and will have a 90-day com ment period.
"We believe our alterna tive is solid and has a place in the EIS," said Curtis. "The key to our plan is account ability and we have the data and examples of cooperative work on our projects in cluded. We can show that our ef forts in the past have worked and can work, even on other forests."
Curtis said the county's initial stance was to make the Modoc National Forest a sep arate management unit from the Sierra Nevada plan alto gether, but that idea wasn't go ing to pass muster at the Forest Service level, so they went another direction. This alterna tive, said Curtis, should meet with approval and while it can be remolded in some in stances, should prove palatable.
"For instance, we can show examples where our coopera tive work in riparian area has helped with threatened and endangered fish, espe cially in the Goose Lake and Clear Lake drainage area," said Curtis. "We can show that through proper managed grazing strategies, grazing and fisheries are compat ible and thrive."
Curtis is speaking about a several-year project in the Goose Lake area that involves primarily the redband trout. The redband thrives in creeks which empty into Goose Lake. Following a severe drought, several agencies including the Forest Service and Department of Fish and Game, ranchers, the county and environmental concerns orga nized a working group and have been moni toring all facets of the riparian areas in the north Warners. Curtis said the efforts have been fruitful and show that local cooperation is essential.
"The County wants to maintain its stance in the management of the federal lands, as federal law de mands," said Curtis. "That doesn't mean we take the Nye County (Nevada) stance (that county's have superi ority of public lands)," said Curtis. "We sim ply believe we can show a solid working rela tionship here and that we need to maintain flexibility in the management process. We agree with the objectives stated in the Sierra Nevada plan, but argue that it needs to allow strategies that are de veloped locally."
Livestock grazing is a not a issue in the Sierra Nevada Framework project, but it is a major issue on the Modoc National Forest, which has the majority of grazing in the re gion's forest. "While graz ing is not an issue addressed in the plan, our position is that no decision should be reached in the plan that precludes grazing. We can show through on-the-ground examples where grazing, under proper management strategies, is a benefit to the forest and ripar ian areas."
Curtis points to another successful en deavor on the Modoc Forest which dealt with Threatened and Endangered fish.
In 1996, the forest entered into consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service for ac tivi ties occurring in a num ber of drainages containing lost River, Shortnosed and Modoc suckers. A biological study on that area de clared continued grazing to be con tingent upon successful im plementation, monitoring and reporting of the Modoc National Forest Land Management Plan standards and guidelines. The Land Use Committee con tends the progress toward the desired condi tions mirrors those identified in the Sierra Nevada Framework.
The efforts in those drainages were very success ful and photos are included in the re port to the Sierra Nevada team.
"The Forest's success in ri parian restora tion has not been solely constrained to these drainages," said the committee report. "The Modoc's 1997 Draft Monitoring and Evaluation Report states the following: The 1992 Monitoring report identified that moni toring data for the Forest's riparian areas indicated less than 17 percent were meeting Forest Plan objectives. Of 24 allot ments in tensively monitored in 1992, only four were found to be in full compliance with Forest Plan Guidance. In contrast to these 1992 find ings, the 1997 monitoring in dicated that ap proximately 35 percent of the forest riparian areas were meeting Forest Plan Objectives; and of 58 monitored, 52 were found to be in full compliance with forest plan standards and guide lines."
The county is arguing that forest and unit management must be allowed the flexibility to determine needs locally, rather than pre scribing wa tershed requirements blan ketly across the entire Sierra Nevada including Modoc.
"We, as a county, are proud of what we have accomplished in partnership with our Forest Service personnel," said Curtis. "We are anxious to share the results we have gained through experience, with the rest of the Sierra Nevada study area. We are hoping that the collaborative effort will allow for the neces sary flexibility to preserve what we have accomplished by focusing on site-spe cific solu tions.
"The county has long be lieved that ensur ing sustain able forests requires the in volvement of the communi ties that benefit from, and care for, those forests. We be lieve that healthy forests can help to sustain our ru ral communities and that the Sierra Nevada Collaborative effort must work with commu nities to make sustainable forest ecosystem manage ment a reality in the lives of those who live and work in them. We offer our achieve ments as an example of what a true local and Forest Service partnership can ac complish."
When it comes to old growth forests, the county agrees that they need to be maintained and managed. The Land Use Committee and county contend that unman aged old growth forests deteri orate rapidly without a man agement program.
The county suggests the fol lowing options to prolong the life of old growth stands: Thin from below to reduce competition; remove un healthy trees; use appropriate fuel treat ments to reduce risk of fire and use pre scribed burn to the extent possible.
"The vast majority of tim ber stands in the Modoc National Forest fall in the mid-serial stage," the report states. "Aggressive man agement is necessary to move more of these stands to late seral category as rapidly as possible."
Strategic plan for elk out for public review
Management of the grow ing elk herds in northeast ern California is the topic of a draft strategic plan just re leased for public review and comment by the Modoc County Elk Working Group.
The working group, a consortium of government agencies, organizations and private landowners, hope the plan will lay the ground work for future manage ment of Rocky Mountain elk and their habitat. Elk popu lations are increasing in the Warner Mountains and other areas of Modoc and northern Lassen counties.
The draft plan has been sent to requesters and is also available at the Modoc Na tional Forest headquarters, 800 West 12th St., Alturas, or by calling the office at (530) 233-5811.
Comments should be sent by February 28 to: Tom Rat cliff, Modoc National Forest, 800 West 12th St., Alturas, CA 96101.
Committee chair Carolyn Carey said the working group especially needs com-ments in several areas: Have any issues or concerns been missed? Have the identified issues and con cerns been addressed? Are there other management op portunities or problem areas that have not been addressed in the plan? Are there other management tools or options to be considered? Other rec ommendations for the re source management agen cies.
Comments will be consid ered as the working group completes the final plan which will provide elk man agement guidance for local, state and federal resource agencies.
The 27-member working group includes natural re source organizations and agencies such as the Modoc County Land Use Commit tee, California Department of Fish and Game, Modoc National Forest, Bureau of Land Management and the University of California Co operative Extension. It form-ed in 1996 to look at op portunities presented by the elk herds, and ways to avoid potential resource conflicts.
Hanks named Citizen of the Year
Surprise Valley resident Barbara Hanks has been named the Alturas Sunrise Rotary Club's Citizen of the year for 1998.
According to Rotary offi cials, Hanks was selected for her continued and continuing service to her community and her unselfish work to help oth ers.
Hanks is described by a friend who nominated her as the "most caring, giving hu man. . .regardless of her du ties to her immediate family, noth ing is ever too much. She al ways has time for others."
She is a member of the Surprise Valley VFW Women's Auxiliary, Chaplain of VFW District 19, Chaplain of VFW Surprise Valley Unit and SV Community Hospital, District 19 chair for VFW Home Committee, and is involved in the VFW "Voice of Democracy" school essay contest.
She also regular makes visits to the elderly in the nursing homes, plays piano for nursing home church ser vices and gatherings, reads to elderly at nursing homes, or ganizes parties for the elderly and volunteers at the Modoc County Fair.
She is an active member of the Ft. Bidwell Civic Club, the Ft. Bidwell Women's Fellowship, and was a project and community leader for Lake City 4-H groups for sev eral years.
In addition, Mrs. Hanks is the vice-moderator for the Surprise Valley Community Church, and the Lead Deacon for that church. She has taught Church School in Cedarville for over 13 years. She was the organist for the Ft. Bidwell Community Church an a dea con for that church. She also taught church school in Ft. Bidwell for several years.
She was an English citizen who gave up a continuing ed ucation to become a member of England's "Land Army" dur ing World War II. The "Land Army" worked the fields raising food for the English people. She married Lloyd Hanks, an American solider and came to the United States as an English war bride.
The couple settled on the the Hanks family ranch near Ft .Bidwell.
Ski Hill gears for big weekend
Last week the Cedar Pass Ski Hill was nearly barren of snow and crews were concerned it could go the rest of the year without opening.
What a difference a snow storm makes. The ski hill is now covered with two to four feet of great snow and more snow fell during the week. Crews bustled about last Saturday grooming the slopes and on Sunday, the Hill opened with a great day.
This week things are looking even better and the hill will be open both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All of the equipment is in great working order, said the Ski Hill's Don Lancaster, and the snow is as good as it's been. A new rope has been installed on the rope tow and the T-bar lift is working perfectly.
The ski hill welcomes both skiers and snowboarders and has lots of rental ski equipment on hand. There is no rental snowboarding equipment available at this time. There is also certified ski instruction available at the hill.
Art Center has February show to feature
Alturas' Art Center will feature a double header at its long-standing "First Friday of the Month" show on February 5.
Ceramics and watercol ors by local students en rolled in pottery and water color classes at the Lassen College's Modoc Campus, will be displayed at the gallery at 317 So. Main Street, Alturas. Some of the work will be for sale and some will be for exhibition only.
In addition, Davis Creek print maker Nancy Leslie will present an informal program beginning at 7:00 p.m. on print collecting.
Leslie, whose credentials as an artist and print collec tor are numerous, moved to Davis Creek last year, from Burney, where she had a stu dio. She is in the process of setting up her studio in Davis Creek.
Leslie's work was fea tured at the Art Center's November show. Her spe cialty is etching. She has owned an etching press for more than 20 years and her prints are collected interna tionally. Leslie began her direction in art in water color painting and sculpture while in college, then be came fascinated in etching once introduced to the tech nique while taking classes at California State Univer sity, Chico.
Now a mother of two grown sons and a former teacher for the Burney School District, when not working on her art, Leslie can some times be found working at the "Bug Station," the Plant Quarantine Bureau of Al turas Inspection Station. and helping within the Davis Creek community.
Also a collector of other artists' prints, Leslie will share her experience in print collecting at the February 5 show.
"I'll explain things like how to identify, restore and care for prints. I'll talk about prints as an investment. And, of course, I'll answer questions," Leslie offers.
"In fact," she added, "I invite people to bring a print they own and I will be happy to discuss it with them."
The local Lassen College Modoc Campus art students work will include pieces from both classes which are taught at the Art Center each semester.
Margot Curtis' water color students who will show paintings from the recently completed fall semester in clude Diana Derner, Lorin Small, Marie Roberts, Bill Hall, Betty Chism, Nikki Nelson, Michele Rouse and Gigi Derner.
Also displayed will be watercolors from students enrolled in the current spring semester.
Joe Battram who teaches the ceramics class at the Art Center, says his students will show a variety of work including hand-built, wheel-thrown and raku-glazed pieces.
Students participating in the ceramics show will in clude Sandy Boldon, John Walton, Elizabeth Holt, Joanne Cain, Joan Spencer and Chris Battram.
The February 5 reception will be held at the Art Center from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with refreshments and ev eryone invited to stop by the gallery/gift center at 317 So. Main Street, Alturas.
Fish and Wildlife Ser vice will hold public meeting on trout
The Fish and Wildlife Service will hold public meetings in Lakeview and Burns in order to share in formation on the status of Great basin redband trout.
In November, the Fish and Wildlife Service pub lished a 90-day finding, which initiates a status re view for the Great basin red band trout. A status review is intended to assist the Service in gathering information on the biology, distribution, abundance of Great Basin redband trout and to gather information on activities that could be positively and /or negatively impacting them.
The public comment pe riod for this status review has been extended until March 16, 1999. In addition to obtaining written com ments, the Service would like to meet with members of the community and answer any questions individuals might have about the red band trout or this process. The Service encourages anyone with an interest in redband trout to attend the public meetings scheduled for:
Lakeview: Tuesday, February 2, 1999, Senior Community Center, 11 North G Street, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Burns: Wednesday, Feb-ruary 3, 1999, Museum Club Room, Behind the Har ney County Library, 80 West D, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Any information regard ing the status of Great Basin redband trout can be sent to the State Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon State Office, 2600 SE 98th Avenue, Suite 100, Port land, Oregon 97266.
Obituaries:
Sally Cook
- Funeral services will be held for Sally Florence Cook, 86, of Chico 11:00 a.m., Thursday, January 28 at Newton-Bracewell Chico Funeral Home. She died Monday, January 25, 1999 at a Chico convalescent hospital.
- She was born June 25, 1912 in Chicago. Illinois to Charles and Margaret McKinney. While in Chico she worked in the accounting department for Hearst Newspapers. She later worked as a legal secretary working in Chicago, Reno, Nevada, Sacramento, and Chico.
- On January 10, 1948 she married Lyle Cook in Carson City, Nevada. The couple lived in Cedarville, California and moved to Chico in 1957. In Chico, Mrs. Cook worked as a legal secretary for several law offices. She served as Pastor Ken Backlund's first secretary at Neighborhood Church when it was founded.
- While raising her family she was ac tive as a Cub Scout Den Mother. She enjoyed playing piano and organ for the rest homes, retirement residences and for the Order of Eastern Star Chico Chap ter #104 of which she was a member. She also belonged to the Butte County Asso cia tion of Legal Secretaries and attended Grace Community Church and Neighborhood Church. Mrs. Cook enjoyed visit ing her son and family at the ranch in Surprise Val ley in Modoc County.
- Survivors include two sons, Ardath Pay, Jr. of Shawnee, Kansas and Wes ley Cook, of Cedarville, two daughters, Janet Mussel man, of Oak Forest, Illinois and Kathleen Cook, of Mal ibu, seven grandchildren and 15 great-grand children. She is also survived by her companion, Bob Vil cone of Chico.
- Burial will take place 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Eagleville Cemetery in Modoc County next to her husband, Lyle. Memorial contributions may be made to the Neigh borhood Church Memorial Fund in care of the funeral home.
- February, 1999
- Record news for Feb. 4, 1999
- Modoc Elk get new GPS tracking collars
- There's plenty of snow in them there hills
- New Family Law facilitator takes over
- Ground Hog supper this weekend in Davis Creek
- Modoc High Band Choir members honored
- Building slow in town
- Rotary hosts Snowblast '99 Valentine's Day
Weather: Look for some unsettled weather though the weekend with cool weather and some freezing at night.
Trio of Modoc elk get new GPS units to monitor move
Many local people have had the opportunity to see elk in the Devils Garden, Warner Mountains, Big Valley or even off the high way drivi
This week the California Department of Fish and Game is capturing and fit ting elk with radio telemetry collars. Using new GPS (global positioning system) collars as well as traditional VHF radio-telemetry col lars, Fish and Game hopes to learn more about how the elk are using habitat and vali date a model of elk habitat suitability.
Although occasional bull elk have been spotted in Modoc County since the 1960's, it is becoming more common to spot larger multi-age groups. Little is known how elk use local habitat, Fish and Game is hoping to gain in sights into local elk use so that elk manage ment goals and objectives can be created.
Tuesday the capture started in the north Warn ers, with a helicopter scan ning the slopes and valleys. Landells Aviation has worked closely with Fish and Game and are highly skilled at the precise and risky flying that is needed for this kind of work. Once and elk is spotted, the heli copter flies in low so that the 'gunner' who is hanging out onto the skids can shoot a net over the animal. Once an animal is entangled, the 'mugger' jumps out to gain control of the animal, then a capture team will move in to collar and quickly release the animal. This all takes place in a matter of minutes, reducing stress on the ani mals. Three animals were cap tured Tuesday in the Warners and capture opera tions moving to the Devils Garden on Wednesday.
With GPS collars, biolo gists are provided highly ac curate elk location data dur ing var ious times of the day and night. When the active life of the collars battery is past, the collar is literally 'blasted' off the elk with a mere typing of a command on a field com puter. A small charge located inside the col lar is detonated leaving the elk collar-free and un harmed. The collar is then retrieved in the field and the location data may be down loaded onto a computer.
Major funding for this project was pro vided by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foun da tion. The US Forest Ser vice and the Modoc Elk Working Group were also contributors to this effort.
Lots of snow in them there hills
While the mountain snow isn't as deep as last January, there is plenty of snow in the hills, according to the federal agency snow survey taken last week.
Overall, 1998 was a very wet year. Sue Becker, Modoc National Forest Hydrologist, total precipitation for 1998 in Alturas was 20.89 inches, compared to 12.52 inches in 1997. January, 1999 had 1.47 inches of precipitation, com pared to January, 1998's 2.84. So, the area's starting drier than the El Nino driven year.
Ken Romberger, Big Valley Ranger District, said the to tal precipitation between July 1, 1998 and January 1, 1999 at Big Valley was 11.38 inches. Historically, said Romberger, any year that recorded more than 11 inches at this point led to a year of precipitation well above aver age.
"We have been in a wet trend since the 1994-95 season, which recorded 22.94 inches, followed by 21.58 inches in 1995-96; 18.52 in 1996-97; and 26.03 inches for the 1997-98 seasons," said Romberger. "This is the first time the records show more than three years in a row of above aver age lev els."
Cooperative snow surveys were conducted last week by Tom Hill, Natural Resources and Jake Coffey, Greg Meyer and Doug Shultz, U.S. Forest Service in the Warner Mountains and the Hays Range of Nevada.
According to Big Valley's Romberger, the Sweagert Flat area measured 44.2 inches of snow this January containing 13.6 inches of water. That's well above the overall average for that snow survey at 28.15 inches of snow containing 8.35 inches of moisture.
Cedar Pass, at 7,100 feet, had 35.4 inches of snow con tain ing 10.7 inches of water last week, compared in 1998's 46 inches of snow containing 15.2 inches of water. The 10-year average for Cedar Pass is 35.4 inches of snow and 11.4 inches of water.
Blue Lake's snow survey for January 1999, showed 26.5 inches of snow and 8.1 inches of water. Last year, the area had 30 inches of snow and 9.7 inches of water. The 10-year average for that site is 27.5 inches of snow and 8.0 inches of water.
Mt. Bidwell, at 7,200 feet, in the north Warners, had 48.9 inches of snow and 16.3 inches of moisture. That's be low last year's total of 61 inches of snow and 21.2 inches of water. The 10-year average for Mt. Bidwell is 49.6 inches of snow and 16.6 inches of water.
Barber Creek in the South Warners at 6,500 feet, had 28.5 inches of snow with 8.2 inches of water. Last year it had 32
inches of snow and 10.7 inches of water. The 10-year aver age is 30.8 inches of snow and 8.6 inches of water.
Hays Canyon, Nevada measured 10.8 inches of snow with 2.8 inches of water in January. In 1998, the site had 13 inches of snow with 3.3 inches of water and the 10-year average is 13.7 inches of snow and 3.3 inches of water.
The snow at 49 Mountain, Nevada, measured 12.9 inches deep with 3.4 inches of water. Last January it mea sured 15 inches of snow and 4.6 inches of water. The 10-year average is 15.3 inches if snow and 4.2 inches of mois ture.
In addition to the regular snow surveys, there are two "Snotels" in the Warner Mountains. The "Snotels" are automated snow courses that show actual snow depth and water content.
The Cedar Pass Snotel, which is not close to the regu lar snow survey site, mea sured 59.5 inches of snow containing 17.8 inches of wa ter.
The other Snotel site is at Dismal Swamp, in the north Warners. It recorded 76.2 inches of snow with 25.2 inches of moisture.
New Family Law Facilitator arrives
Leaving the bright lights and rush of San Francisco and the far removed solitude of rural Sierra City in Sierra County, M. Sue Jackson, at torney at law, is happy to re locate to her new position as Family Law Facilitator for Modoc County.
As of January 4, Jackson, who was the District Attor ney in Sierra County for several terms, has been se lected for the position, va cated by Tom Buckwalter who is now Modoc County's new District Attorney.
Remaining in the same location that Buckwalter opened at 208 North Court Street, Alturas, Jackson is now available to schedule appointments, Tuesday through Thursday. She ap preciates appointments so that she can devote her undi vided attention to each party. She is the sole person in the office.
Basically, the Family Law Facilitator will be able to deal with most family law matters, including divorces, domestic violence, child abuse, restraining orders, child and spousal support, determining parentage, how to prepare for a court hear ing, help with legal forms, Family law mediation, and more.
The position mandated and funded by the State of California, is appointed by Modoc Superior Court Judge John Baker. The FLF ser vices are free to all who need them.
The Family Law Facili ta tor is a neutral person who does not represent any par ent/party and who is here to help. No attorney-client re lationship is created between the Family Law Facilitator and a person using the FLF services. The FLF can not be an advocate in court family law or take sides. The Fam ily Law Facilitator is avail able to see both par ents/parties who have ques tions concerning family law matters.
Originally from Sacra mento, Jackson decided to study law after her son graduated from Cal Poly. She had worked in the field of television and public rela tions and worked as the di rector of media and public relations for California Mortgage Bankers.
"I decided it was my turn to go back to school after my son graduated," she said.
While living in San Francisco Jackson worked full-time and attended San Francisco Law School at night for four years until she earned her law degree and passed the State Bar exam. She applied for an opportu nity while in law school that gave her a 60-day position in Plumas County to gain expe rience in trial law, criminal prosecution, mis deameanors and felony pre lims.
"I realized that I loved the rural setting at that time," Jackson said.
When she returned to "The City," and had passed The Bar, she began clerking for law firms, of which the Melvin Belli Law Firm was one.
"We called it 'day and night' law. I became an as sociate there and worked on Mr. Belli's divorce case for one year."
From 1987 until 1991, Jackson worked at the Belli firm, until she felt she needed a change from the City lifestyle.
During her venture to Plumas County, she learned that there were no private law attorneys practicing law in neighboring Sierra County. Needing a change, she made the dramatic move to Sierra County.
"I hung out my shingle, and was ready to begin my law practice. I was the first private law attorney there."
After a successful recall of the District Attorney for that county, Jackson decided to run for the office and was the top vote getter. She was re-elected to a four-year-term and defeated by 56 votes for her third term in June of 1998. She held the DA posi tion for 5-1/2 years.
"I had always had an in terest in Family Law. I think of it as a position where you feel you are help ing people and those people are responding to you in a wonderful way," describes Jackson.
It was an opposite situa tion from her past experi ences. Upon researching, she found out that Sierra County and Nevada County had a shared FLF position and the job was filled. Then, she saw the notice for the FLF Modoc County position and applied right away. Her son already had explored Modoc County with a college friend from the area and shared with his mom enthu siasm of the area, after she told him where her new op portunity was located.
Her office is now open in Alturas, although she is still in the midst of moving her personal belongings to Al turas from Sierra County, a four-hour drive from Al turas.
Her new position is part-time and based on a one-year contract, renewable upon mutual agreement. She may also engage in some private law practice in the near future, once she settles.
No referrals are needed to talk with a Family Law Fa cilitator, although Jackson receives referrals from the court system, Crisis Center, TEACH and Social Ser vices.
Arrange appointments on Tuesdays, 1:30 - 5 p.m.; Wednesdays and Thurs days, 9 a.m. - 12 noon; 1:30 - 5 p.m. by calling (530) 233-5695.
Groundhog Supper brings out food, festivities to herald an early Spring
It's all in community spirit that the Davis Creek 4-H Club will celebrate its 53rd year of their annual Ground hog Supper. The special event is offered to the public this Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Davis Creek Grange Hall.
Join them anytime from 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. for the spe cial dinner and fun of games for the chil dren, bingo and a cake auction for the adults, plus a lot of friendly faces and visit ing. Even if you don't know a soul, you'll come away feeling a part of the community.
With just a handful of families with chil dren involved in the small, but energetic 4-H Club, the club also relies on help from their community. Bingo, a cake auction, a 50/50 drawing and fun for kids and adults are all part of the evening.
Dinner tickets prices have been rolled back to $5 for adults; $3.50 for kids ages 5-12; un der age 5 served free. Davis Creek 4-H Leader is Linda LeNeave.
The hearty supper includes grilled sausage patties, green beans, mashed pota toes, applesauce, dessert and beverage.
For tickets please call 233-5488 or purchase them at the door. Four-H families in clude the Le Neaves, Emer sons, and the Cren shaws.
The groundhog did not see his shadow February 2, the traditional Groundhog Day, which indicates Spring will come six weeks early.
Modoc High band, choir honorees selected for weekend in Chico
Modoc High School choir students Cynthia Morris, a soprano, and Jeran Brown, a tenor, will accompany band trumpeter Rebekah Richert today in their travels to Chico State University as se lected participants in the Northern California High School Honor Band and Se lect Choir.
The experience is set for Feb. 5 and 6 at California State University at Chico with six hours of intensive rehearsals on both Friday and Saturday culminating in a public concert at Laxson Auditorium on Saturday evening, Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Richert's taped audition earned her a seat with the honor band once again, as a junior this year. She trav eled to Arcata last year to participate as a sophomore. While at the Chico event, Richert will compete through live auditions performing her scales and piece for chair placement on Friday morning. She will then re ceive her music.
The choir students are se lected by their high school director, in this case, Mrs. Karen Siegel. Jeran Brown earned the honor as a sophomore and again this year.
Dr. Bill Ramsey of CSU, Chico will be the vocal direc tor for the special occasion with a choir of 120 selected student vocalists. Dr. Gary Hill, Director of Bands at Northwestern University, will conduct the Feb. 5 and 6 honor band. Students from 47 high schools submitted tapes to qualify for the 100-piece band.
Building slow in town
Building activity in Alturas for the month of January was slow with 11 building permits issued, worth about $26,475.
For the city, electrical upgrades, re-roofing, Monitor stoves and propane heaters were the primary activities. The city collected $374.38 in fees.
The Modoc County Building Department issued 10 per mits for January, 1999, worth an estimated $157,299. Three mobile and manufactured homes made up the largest part of the value. The county collected $1,477.15 in fees.
In December, 1998, the city issued four permits worth an estimated $40,641,50. In December, 1998 the county issued 11 permits valued at $227,596.
Snowblast '99 set up for Valentine's Day
The Alturas Sunrise Rotary Snowblast 1999 is set for Valentine's Day at the Cedar Pass Ski Hill.
The ski festival is sponsored by Sunrise Rotary and of fers a free day of skiing or snowboarding for anyone 18 years of age and younger who is a resident of Modoc County or resides within 10 miles of Modoc County.
The day starts at 10 a.m. and goes through to 4 p.m. In addition to the free skiing and snowboarding, there will be free hot dogs, hot chocolate, cider and sodas. There is also free ski rentals and free lessons for beginners, Those lessons will be held in two group sessions, one at 10:30 a.m. and one at 12:30 p.m. Each group must have between six and 18 students.
In addition to the Sunrise Rotary sponsorship, the Modoc Tobacco Control Program is also providing spon sorship for the event,.
The day has both ski and snowboard races and parents must sign consent forms for their children to participate in the races. Registration forms may be picked up at Coast to Coast or the Sports Hut in Alturas and will also be available at the ski hill.
Record news for February 11, 1999
- Wet snow downs power lines in county
- Cedar Pass safety subject of forum
- Wiz of the West need cast
- Wright appointed VP at Plumas Bank
- MHS wins academic contest
The forecast: Mostly sunny today with temperatures warming. Partly cloudy Friday with lows in the 20s. Expect showers Saturday and partly cloudy Sunday. Lows in the teens, highs mid-30s to 40s.
Heavy snows down lines, power out for several hours
Heavy snows Tuesday downed power lines and created a major mess in several areas of Modoc County. In some cases power was out as long as 20 hours.
The wet snows also created driving hazards and Howard's Gulch, on Highway 139 northwest of Canby, was closed while highway crews cleared a pair of jack-knifed trucks.
Surprise Valley Electric's rural customers were the hard est hit, but Alturas and the Surprise Valley areas remained pretty much unscathed. Surprise Valley was without power two weeks ago when a tree fell through one of the main transmission lines.
While the storm created mostly rain in Alturas, with about four inches of snow falling Tuesday morning late, other areas of the county were buried by snow. Canby had nearly a foot of snow as did the Bieber and Lookout areas. California Pines mountain residents received about two feet of snow during the latest storms.
According to Lynn Culp, SVEC, the main transmission line going over Adin Pass broke because of the incredible weight of the snow Tuesday morning early. That break shut off power to the Bieber, Adin and Lookout areas about 4 a.m. With the storm still in full force, transportation and visibil ity was difficult, but crews located the Adin Mountain breaks and had power restored to most of the Big Valley area by about 2:30 p.m. The ice and snow buildup on the power lines was over three inches thick in some cases.
According to Culp, the problems were magnified because they occurred throughout the service area, from Big Valley, to Madeline, California Pines and the Oregon service area.
Culp said some areas of Big valley were without power longer because there were other problems in the transmis sion lines, especially those serving the Lookout Ranchettes and Day. Some of that power was not restored until about 10 p.m. Tuesday.
There was also a break in a transmission line near Canby and Black's Canyon. That power was out from early morning to about 3 p.m.
A tree fell trough the line serving the California Pines mountain residents and that power was off from early Tuesday morning through about 4:30 p.m. In some areas of Cal Pines, about five and a half feet of snow covers the ground.
There was also an outage in the County Road 68-70 area when a tree fell through a transmission line. That power was restored by 3 p.m.
The power outage in the Madeline Plains was caused by power line breaks and that area was restored by about 5 a.m.
Culp said a switch at the Pacific Power station in Lakeview caused about a 12 hour outage to SVEC's Oregon customers.
Crews from SVEC started work about 4 a.m. Tuesday and many did not finish with repairs until after 10 p.m., said Culp.
"The problem areas were really spread out all over the area," said Culp. "It's been a long time since we're had a sit uation like this. The snow was just very wet and heavy."
The weather forecast through the weekend looks like it will give electric power crews a break. While it's supposed to stay cold, there is no heavy snow in the forecast.
Cedar Pass is subject of road safety forum
On Monday, February 22, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon the Cedar Pass Intera gency Public Forum will host a Public Forum at the Cedarville Community Church Hall.
The purpose of the forum is to provide an opportunity for the public to voice their experiences or concerns re garding safety issues on Cedar Pass and County Road 1.
Representatives from the Modoc County Board of Su pervisors, California High way Patrol, Cal Trans, Sur prise Valley Health Care District, and the Modoc County Department of Public Works will be present to pro vide di rection and formal recommendations regard ing main tenance and safety issues surrounding Cedar Pass and County Road 1.
There will be an opportu nity for anyone with per sonal accounts regarding Cedar Pass or County Road 1, to voice their concerns.
Any questions regarding this meeting call Nancy Bi condoa at 233-6501.
Students sought for Children's Theater auditions Monday
"The Wiz of the West," a Missoula Chil dren's Theater production, will seek students of all ages from age five years through high school seniors for audi tions on Monday, Feb. 15 from 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. at the A.C.T. Niles Theater, Main Street, Al turas.
Over 50 local students will be cast in the original musi cal production presented by the Missoula Children's The ater. Assistant di rectors, lighting and stage crew members will also be needed. Cast members will be asked to stay for a re hearsal immediately following audi tions.
Rehearsals will be held after school Mon day through Fri day in preparation for the Saturday, Feb. 20 perfor mances at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the Niles Theater.
Because of the sheer number of children who have audi tioned in the past, any child who auditions but is not cast will receive a ad mission to three MCT acting workshops at Al turas Elementary School during the week-long residency from Feb. 15-19. The work shops allow the children to experi ence the creative magic generated by an MCT resi dency. Last year 125 youths turned out for au ditions.
The touring production comes complete with costumes, scenery, and props and the two ac tor/directors who work with the cast throughout the week.
Actor/Director Jacob Hauser will play Cy clone Sam and is on his second tour with MCT. He is a 1998 graduate of Oberlin Col lege where he earned a Bachelor of Arts de gree in theatre. He has performed with Ober lin's Improv Comedy Troupe.
Actor/Director Ryan Young will play the part of Tinhorn and work with youths in Modoc. Young is also on his second tour with MCT and is a graduate of Appalachian State Uni versity where he earned a B.S. degree is Graphic Design and Television/Film. He also attended North Carolina School of the Arts and most recently worked in outdoor drama. Young has appeared in the films Last of the Mohi cans and Eddie.
The Missoula Children's Theater was founded in 1970 by Jim Caron, in Missoula, Montana. Caron remains Execu tive Direc tor.
During the Alturas performance plan to travel through the Land of Oz through the wild, wild west of yesteryear, but with a twist. The local cast will fea ture Dotty, Mooch, Scared Crow, Lionel, Hawknose Halley, Dr. Ozzy, the Munch Kin, Buzzards, Tarantulas, Coyotes and more. Students from age Kindergarten through 12th grade are invited to audition or take on essential backstage re sponsibilities.
No advance preparation is necessary for auditions. Just mark the calendar to attend auditions, which fall on the school holiday of February 15.
Sponsors include Modoc County Arts Council, Alturas Community Theater, Cali fornia Arts Council and the Modoc County Office of Education.
Wright appointed AVP at Plumas Bank
Bill Elliott, president and chief executive offi cer, today announced the appointment of Shirley Wright as Assis tant Vice President of Plumas Bank's Alturas of fice.
Wright has held numer ous loan and administrative posi tions in Alturas and Quincy since joining the bank twelve years ago in 1986.
A native of Northeastern California, Wright was born in Chico and graduated from Anderson Union High School in Anderson. In preparation for her banking career, she has also attended Shasta Junior College in Redding and Feather River College in Quincy.
Best known for her eager ness and ability to solve cus tomer's banking problems, Wright is the assistant Branch Manager in the grow ing Alturas office of the bank.
"Shirley has truly earned this title," said Elliott, "and she really understands what makes Plumas Bank spe cial."
Wright lives in Alturas with her husband, Randy, and enjoys underwater pho tography and quad riding with her granddaughter Kel lie Jo.
Plumas Bank currently with nine offices in Modoc, Plumas, Lassen, and Sierra counties and assets exceed ing $200 million has been serv ing the local banking needs of communities of Northeastern California since 1980. The Alturas of fice opened at the end of 1994.
Students hit books, MHS wins con test
The Modoc County Office of Education held the annual Academic Decathlon this past week, with Modoc High School beating out Tulelake and Sur prise Valley for first place honors. Modoc also had the top individual scorer of the meet in Josanna Clark. Her over all score of 4,651 edged out Jens Kober of Tulelake who had 4,575.
The Modoc team will now get to travel to Stockton in March for the State Competi tion.
Modoc, coached by Dick Cartner, scored 28,674 points fol lowed by Tulelake, coached by Martha Hurlburt, with 26,905 points, and Surprise Valley, coached by Heather Gregory, with 21,601 points.
Modoc also won the Super Quiz at the end of the day. The theme for this year, both statewide and nationally, is "The Brain - Looking In ward."
Teams had to draw from all aspects of their student body, not just the top brains. There are three categories, Honors, Scholastic and Varsity, that are based on different GPA di visions. Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded in each event in each of the divisions.
Modoc High School
For Modoc, Clark won the overall title by finishing in the top three in every one of the 10 events in the Scholastic di vi sion. She took first in Fine Arts and Mathematics for a total of three golds, three sil vers and four bronzes.
Honors
For Modoc in the Honors Division, April Dorton took sec ond overall with 4,191 points. She won the Social Sci ence and Mathematics events while picking up a total of six medals.
Christy Cartner was right behind her at 4,181 points. She was first in the essay contest and took four medals home.
Travis Dunn won the En glish and Literature competi tion and finished with a total of three medals.
Scholastic
Besides Clark's top finish, Modoc also had Sonja Wilson place third in total points with 4,225 points. She won silver medals in four events.
Erica Ambers won the Es say contest and a total of three medals.
Varsity
Amber Knauss took first in overall points with 4,201. She did it by winning the cate gories of Interview, Fine Arts and Mathematics. She won a total of eight medals.
Jed Tate was second with 4,065 points. He won in Essay, English and Literature, Mu sic and Social Studies. He took a total of seven medals.
Dan Hoover won four medals, including a silver in Es say.
Tulelake High School
Honors
Kober was the top point-get ter in this category. He was first in Economics and Fine Arts. He also took two silvers and three bronzes for a total of eight medals in all.
Allen Scott won the Inter view and Music categories and took home four medals.
Luke Duval also won four medals, including a gold in the Speech competition.
Scholastic
Socorro Hernandez was second in overall points with 4,305. He took nine medals in all, including golds in En glish and Literature, Music and Social Science.
Jennifer Molder was first in both Speech and Interview, and won a total of five medals.
Jeremy Cross placed first in Economics and won the bronze in Mathematics.
Varsity
Ben Duval was third in overall points with 3,677. He fin ished first in Speech, Mathematics and Economics while winning a total of seven medals.
Nancy Bell tied Duval for first in Mathematics and won four medals.
Kim Hamrick won three medals.
Surprise Valley High School
Honors
Christina Worley took sec ond in Speech and Fine Arts and third in Economics.
Tamara Small took the sil ver medal in Music.
Jodie Jones was the silver winner in Fine Arts.
Scholastic
Scherane Johnson took sec ond in English and Literature and third in Fine Arts.
Cassie Cockrell won the bronze in Music.
Jake Bonham also com peted for Surprise Valley.
Varsity
Jessica Bietz placed second in Mathematics just ahead of teammate Caity Wimer who took third. Nicole Carlock also competed for Surprise Valley.
Record news summaries for Feb. 18, 1998
- Leslie, Aanestad host open meeting
- City raises golf fees by 25 percent
- MJUSD sees decline in enrollment
- The Wiz of the West plays this Saturday
- Modoc Elk satellites talking
- Modoc needs foster families for teens
- Grazing fee for 1999 is the same
- Time to start thinking Duck Race
The forecast: Look for mostly cloudy today with a chance of snow and mostly cloudy Friday. Rain is likely over the weekend. Lows will be in the 20s and highs nearing the mid-40s.
Leslie, Aanes tad host open session
State Senator Tim Leslie and State As sem blyman Sam Aanestad visited Alturas on Wednesday morning. The two held an open meeting at Alturas City Hall where they heard about everything from schools to mountain lions.
Modoc County Supervisors Pat Cantrall and Terry Williams, County Adminis tra tive Services Director Mike Maxwell, and Alturas Elementary School Principal Randy Wise, all expressed concern about the drop-off in timber tax revenues in Modoc County and many other areas across the country. Half of those revenues go to schools and half go to roads.
They also suggested that the legislators be come more in volved with "The Forest Coali tion," a nationwide group that has been formed to petition the Federal Gov ern ment to get some of those tim ber tax revenues back.
Other issues raised by those in atten dance included: the Railroad Museum, fire breaks, back-country trails, the effect of Indian Gaming on the funding of County Fairs, wa ter, mountain lions and education.
With regard to education, Republican Aanestad com plained that Governor Gray Davis' education budget doesn't include measures that Aanestad and other Repub li cans have been fighting for. Those in clude $100 million to repair school build ings and an equalization plan that would give more funding to rural school dis tricts.
Leslie, also a Republican, expressed frus tration at the way the State and Federal gov ernments are treating the rural com munities in his district. He warned those pre sent not to count on the State Govern ment, which he de scribed with terms such as "liar," "cheater" and "thief," when it comes to keeping some promises.
"It doesn't matter if it's Re publican or Democrat," he said. "Every significant fi nancial agreement the State makes, it fails to fulfill."
City raises golf fees by 25%
It's going to cost substantially more to chase the little white ball around the pasture this season at Arrowhead Golf Course. But, the good news is that it will open on schedule March 1, weather permitting.
The Alturas City Council, faced with losses totaling $63,286 over the past three years, approved an overall rate increase of 25 percent for all fees at the municipal course.
City Treasurer Kathy Alves said much of the loss has actually been because of infras tructure improvements over the past couple of years. Last week the council discussed three options for the future of Arrowhead -- close the course completely, raise fees by 50 percent or lease the course to a group or individual and get out of the golf business altogether.
Later in the week, the council chose what amounts to a fourth option, raising the fees across the board by 25 percent. According to Alves, some golfers have stated they may pull their memberships because of the rate in crease and other matters surrounding the course.
Currently, there are 61 family member ships at the course, and another 49 single members. The current membership fee for a family is $300 annually. That fee goes up to $375. The single membership is now $265 annually and will go up to $331.
In a move that could cost memberships, the council opted to drop the long-standing practice of allowing members to pay their fee on a monthly basis. Golfers must come up with the whole annual fee at one time.
The senior family members is now $265 and will go to $331.The single senior fee is now $220 annually and will go up to $275. The tournament entry fee goes to $9. To qualify for the senior rate, golfers must be at least 62 years of age.
The increase also impacts annual golf cart storage and locker fees. Storage of elec tric golf carts goes up from $120 to $175 and for gas carts from $100 to $110. Locker fees increase from $20 to $25.
For non-members, green fees are also in creased. On weekdays, nine holes go from $8 to $10 and 18 holes from $14 to $17. Students rates go from $3 to $4 for nine and from $4 to $5 for 18 holes. Weekend rates for nine holes goes from $9 to $11 and 18 holes from $16 to $20. For students, the rates go from $4 to $5 for nine and from $7 to $9 for 18.
In addition to raising rates, the city coun cil also cut $16,636 in planned infrastructure improvements for the course. With the rev enue and expense changes, the council goes from a projected loss of $20,875 for 1999 to a projected profit of $7,996. With the fee in crease the revenue projections go up from $52,315 to $64,550 and slicing the infrastruc ture work drops the expenditure figure from $73,190 to $55,554.
But as Alves points out, there are a lot of variables that can affect any projected in come. First and foremost on the list is whether golfers will actually drop their memberships. A second potentially fatal problem, she said, would be a major infras tructure repair or breakdown.
The council remains concerned that the golf course should be self-sufficient and states emphatically that the city cannot sub sidize the course any longer. The general fund revenues just are not available.
The golf course will open under the cur rent management contract with Brad Server and Rod Gately, who are each paid $1,750 per month under the contract. They also have the pro-shop operation, and retain any profit from its operation.
In September of 1996, the city loaned the golf course $30,000 from the general fund, recreation and community projects accounts to purchase, repair and maintain equipment and the course. That loan was to be repaid in annual installments over a five year term. So far, none of those funds have been repaid.
The city purchased the Golf Course in March, 1975 for $85,000 from John and Eve Briggs and has operated the facility since that time. Funding for the initial purchase came from a $70,800 grant from the State of California, $8,000 from Carlsberg Industries (Developers of California Pines, which gave all Cal Pines citizens a two-year member ship), and $6,200 from the city.
MJUSD sees decline of near 100 in enrollment
Modoc Joint Unified School District has realized a drop in enrollment of about 100 students this year, which could translate into a loss of about $400,000 in funding.
Following a report at Tuesday night's board meeting, MJUSD Board president Bill Hall said the district is aware of the situation and will be making adjustments where nec essary. The district will also be keeping close tabs on the en rollment fluctuation.
According to Hall. local public service agencies feel the drop in enrollment can be contributed to welfare reform and the relocation of several families out of the district. Hall said the district has also been told that another 30 or so fami lies are expected to leave the county this year.
While the district will be able to deal well this year with the situation, a declining enrollment could have impacts on teacher numbers, administration and overall funding for next year, Hall said.
Students perform Wiz of the West
"The Wiz of the West," a Missoula Chil dren's Theater production will delight audi ences of all ages at the A.C.T. Niles Theater with a local cast of young people in two per formances on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Over 50 students have been cast in the orig inal touring musi cal production, complete with costumes, scenery and props. Assistant di rectors, lighting and stage crew members are also local youths.
The local cast has been rehearsing Mon day through Fri day this week in preparation for the two Saturday, Feb. 20 perfor mances at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the Niles Theater, 127 So. Main Street, Alturas. Purchase tickets at the door for $6 for adults; $4 for students 17 and under.
Two touring Actor/Directors Jacob Hauser as Cy clone Sam and Ryan Young as Tin horn, have spent the week in residency work ing with Modoc youths toward the culminat ing performance. The earlier MCT show times this year, will allow the theater to also offer the motion picture "Prince of Egypt" be ginning at 7:30 p.m.
During the Alturas performance plan to travel through the Land of Oz through the wild, wild west of yesteryear, but with a twist. The local cast will fea ture Dotty, Mooch, Scared Crow, Lionel, Hawknose Halley, Dr. Ozzy, the Munch Kin, Buzzards, Tarantulas, Coyotes and more. Students from age Kindergarten through 12th grade are the cast members.
The Cast:
Amberlee Privett will play the role of Dotty; Shannon King as Mooch; Christina Crawford as Scared Crow; Jeran Brown as Lionel; Kristina Shepard as Hawknose Hal ley; Caitlin Burdette as Top Dog; Alyssa Be larde as Mad Dog; Mariella Nardoni as Bad Dog; Danielle Moriarity as Dr. Ozzy; Roger Cronley as Munch Pa; Alicia Seibel as Munch Ma; Munchkins Leah Vanderhey den, Stacey Parnow; Whitney Baker, Christina Nardoni, Phillip Brooks, Morgan Davis. Assistant Directors: David Toaetolu, Michael Trevail, April Dorton, Savannah Hess, Nicole Morava, Serra Ann McCaffrey, Liz Simmons. Coyotes: Christina Worley, Cierra Madison, Amanda Moriarity, Tara Holloway, Betty Jessup, Stephanie Parnow. Buzzards: Katrina McCaffrey, Lillian Toaetolu, Matt Wilkie, Janel Hughes, Corinne Urroz, Vanessa Thomason, Alysha Northrup, Laura Ramos, Natasha Roberts, Kelly Campagna. Tarantulas - Tarantula Queen Tess Reggentin, Alice Hill, Marina Ramos, Briana Fogerty, Cheyenne Lori King, Walter Roberts, Annie Duvall, Jessica Kresge, Dejah Montague, Amber Randall, Jessica Lowden, Zulet Ramos, Sarah Mon tague, Leah Estill. Piano Accompaniment will be provided by Eileen Ramos. Michael Halderman will be the technical director.
Sponsors include Modoc County Arts Council, Alturas Community Theater, Cali fornia Arts Council and the Modoc County Office of Education, Citizens Communica tions and Modoc County Tobacco Education Coalition.
Modoc elk satellites, 'talking'
The Department of Fish and Game said today it has succeeded in attaching new, global positioning radio transmitter collars on eight northeastern California elk as the first step in a new, high-tech study designed to learn the habitat preferences of the animals.
The DFG said helicopter capture crews "net-gunned" three elk in the north Warner Mountains and two on the Devil's Garden of Modoc County and another three in Siskiyou County's Shasta Valley last week. Crews attached the collars to the eight adult cows and re leased them.
The agency said each elk's collar will use satellite signals
